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Chapter 13

Connor

Connor was still standing over Ronin's wolf form, but something was different. He thought for a moment, then realized what it was. He was looking past the black, furry muzzle of his own wolf. He turned and looked a shocked Katty in the eyes. He then turned to seek out the full-length mirror on his bedroom wall. What he saw was both exotic and beautiful.

Looking back at him was a jet-black wolf with eyes the same cerulean blue Connor's had always been. In the reflection, he saw every one of his cousins staring at him. He turned and tilted his head, trying to express the question on his mind. Emmet caught on first.

"We're just shocked about... well, about everything. You're big. No, you're huge! And you didn't go through a change. You just changed."

Connor's look must have expressed his confusion because Katty explained, "What he means is, you and Ronin should be about the same size, but you're almost as big as Shamus. And you didn't go through a change for over a minute or so like me and Ronin do. You instantly shifted to your wolf, like... I didn't see anything; one second, you were human, and the next, you were a wolf."

They all turned when Danny said, "Cawnew's wolf is awesome. I hope I'm dat pwetty."

Emmet chewed his upper lip for a second, then asked, "Connor? Do you think you can change back?" Katty took a breath to say something, but Emmet said, "Without Katty's help. Just try it. I have an idea."

Katty looked at Emmet like he was insane, but turned to Connor, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "Okay. Give it a try."

Connor tilted his head to the side in thought. Changing to a wolf involved imagining himself as a wolf, so logically, changing back should be imagining himself in his human form. He closed his eyes and did just that. He felt the same tingle. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't see a muzzle. He raised his hands and saw... hands.

Connor laughed and said, "That is so cool!"

He was surprised when he heard Ronin behind him say, "Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

He looked behind him to find Ronin back in human form. He asked his cousin, "So how did Carol help you change back?"

Ronin shrugged, saying, "That was my first emotional change. On the drive here, she just talked to me. Kept telling me that it happens to everyone as they adjust to shifting, and all I needed to do was relax, and I would be able to feel it when I could shift back."

Connor turned to Katty and asked, "Is it dangerous if we stay in wolf form for too long?"

Katty sighed, then turned to her little brother, who said, "Look, Connor, there is so much to know we could talk about it all night, and you'd still have questions. The answer to your question is no, not that I'm aware of. Rather than you asking questions all night, why don't you, Katty, and Ronin all shift and go for a run? The twins and I will stay with Danny. If it's ok with you, we'll all be asleep in your bed when you get back."

Connor bit his lip, considering it. Danny made his decision for him when he said, "I be fine wif Regan and Rory and Emmet. Dey sleep wif me."

Connor leaned down and gave Danny's forehead a kiss, then turned to his cousins and asked, "Should we shift here or outside? Should we tell Shamus we're going? Where are we going, anyway?"

Ronin laughed as Katty shook her head and grinned, then replied, "Let's shift outside. You should get used to four legs before you try stairs. We'll stop and tell Shamus we're going for a run. Do you always plan everything? Can't we just go?"

They ran downstairs and found Shamus in the kitchen, chatting with Carol. When Katty told him they were going for a run, he said he'd like to see Connor's wolf before they went. He followed them to the backyard, where Connor asked Katty to shift first since he'd only seen her wolf from a distance. She nodded, then stepped back, took a deep breath, and shifted. Connor noticed it took her less time than Ronin, but it wasn't instant like she had described his shift.

Katty's wolf was more reddish brown when compared to Ronin's grey-brown coloring. Once Ronin shifted, Connor saw that Katty stood a bit taller than her cousin and was thicker through the body. After asking if he could touch her, Connor reached out and ran his fingers through her fur. It was soft, almost silky smooth, rather than the coarse hair he had expected.

Connor stepped back from his cousins and turned to ask Shamus, "Would you shift too? I didn't get a good look at you before I fainted."

Shamus smiled and replied, "I'll shift after you do. Then you can use your wolf senses to examine your cousins and me at the same time. And I want you to try something. I heard all of Katty's advice, and it was all good information, but I want you to just shift. Don't take time to relax, don't take time to imagine yourself as a wolf, just become a wolf. I'm fairly certain you can do it."

Connor thought about Shamus' words. He didn't know how to `Just become a wolf,' but he took a step back and felt the tingle. He turned and looked over his muzzle at Shamus' smiling face. He then watched as Shamus instantly transformed from the 5'10" rancher to a jet-black wolf, standing almost 6' at the shoulders. As Connor examined the other black wolf, he realized that other than their size, the only difference was their eyes. While Connor's were the same cerulean blue they were in his human form, Shamus' eyes were a golden brown that almost glowed in the reflected light from the house. As he looked at Shamus, Connor understood why his cousin had called him big. He was almost as tall as Shamus and nearly twice the size of Ronin and Katty.

He jumped when he heard Shamus in his head saying, "Before you go, make sure you can communicate."

Connor turned to Katty, tilted his head to the side, and thought, "Can you hear me?"

Both Ronin and Katty replied, "Yup."

Connor thought, "Good, let's run!" and took off."

As he left the immediate area of the house and barn, Connor's eyes adjusted to the dark. He was thrilled to learn that he had imagined it right. The quarter moon did nothing to light up the night, yet to Connor's wolf eyes, the fields were as bright as a cloudy day. He stopped and let Katty and Ronin catch him. He was surprised when Katty knocked into him with her shoulder and nipped at his neck. He pulled back, but when she did it again, he realized she was trying to play. He yipped at her, then lunged. She jumped back while Ronin nipped at Connor's hip. When he turned to snap at Ronin, Katty nipped at his neck again. They played like this for a few minutes, with the two smaller wolves keeping Connor on his toes.

Connor was about to lunge at Ronin when he heard Katty think, "Come on, Ronin. Let's show him the tracks."

As he ran to catch up to her, Connor thought, "Tracks? What tracks?"

Ronin explained that there was a big black jaguar that roamed the area. They had seen it from a distance several times and followed the tracks they found, but they had never been able to figure out where it made its home. Shamus wasn't concerned about it because there was no evidence that it was eating their cattle. Katty led them to the bank of a narrow brook that twisted and turned as it wandered through the field.

She stopped and put her nose to the ground, thinking, "Here are Bagheera's most recent tracks. He hasn't been around for over a week."

Connor was bending down to sniff when the name registered. He lifted his head and stared at his cousin, thinking, "Bagheera? Seriously? Who came up with that?". He then put his nose back down and sniffed. He could smell the cat. He thought he smelled something else but knew it couldn't be from the jaguar.

Katty gave a laughing yip as Ronin replied, "Rory was the first to see him, and he had just read Jungle Book, so that's what he called him. We saw no reason to change it."

Connor was about to ask about the other thing he had smelled when they all heard Shamus in their heads, "Time for bed. You all have to be up early."

The three wolves turned and sprinted for the main house. Connor got there first but turned and waited for his cousins to join him before tentatively climbing the porch steps. Katty had made it sound like stairs were an obstacle he needed practice for, but he had no issues. He confidently ran inside, up the stairs, and into his bedroom. He thought for a moment before jumping onto the bed and curling up around Rory, who was holding Danny in his arms. Katty and Ronin soon joined him, with Ronin snuggling up to Emmet while Katty curled up with Regan.

Connor woke to find Danny pulling on his tail, saying, "Come on! Everyone's already downstaiws eating! We're gonna miss bweakfast!"

Connor shifted to human as he leaped out of bed. When his feet hit the floor, he grabbed Danny and tossed him over his shoulder, then carried the giggling boy down to the dining room. Connor sat and ate as Shamus discussed the day's plans with Katty and Ronin. Once the plans were laid out for the ranch, Shamus turned to Connor and laid out the schedule for their day.

Connor and Danny rode with Shamus to meet with Aaron O'Faolan. Aaron, Connor learned, was Clinton and Aiden's father. More importantly, he was the attorney for the ranch, the family, and the pack. Carol was already talking with Aaron when they arrived. Carol and Shamus signed the stack of papers that Aaron laid in front of them. As they signed, Aaron explained that the first form gave Shamus legal guardianship of Danny until she returned. The second expressed her desire for Connor to assume that role as soon as he was legally able. The third was the will he had prepared for Carol. She had lost her husband and her birth family to accidents, so she understood the need to have this document kept up to date.

After a tearful goodbye, Carol headed east to find the family she had never met. Aaron's wife, Donna, took Danny to a nearby playground while Shamus and Aaron explained the legal structure of the ranch and the pack. As Shamus had explained before, `Lone Wolf Ranch' wasn't a ranch exactly. It was a group of ranches run by the pack Alpha and owned by Shamus and his descendants. On paper, each ranch was a separate business, but in practice, all decisions were made by Shamus. Aaron then listed the other businesses that were owned by the family and that ultimately answered to the pack. There were several, but Connor noticed how the trucking companies, feedlots, grain elevators, tanneries, and meat packing houses were related to the ranch.

Aaron and Shamus explained that since Connor's dad was an attorney, Shamus wanted him to take over for Aaron. They then asked Connor's opinion of a letter Aaron had drafted for Connor's parents. It read:

Sean and Maureen,

I understand this may seem sudden, but as things have evolved here at the ranch, I find myself needing your assistance. I would very much like it if you both would move as soon as possible into housing on the ranch. I realize that you both will need some time to settle issues there, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get you here within the next week.

Sean: Enclosed, you will find a letter from Aaron O'Faolan, offering you a position with his law firm at triple your current salary.

Maureen: Until your nursing license can be transferred, I will gladly pay you to care for my home.

Connor has told me about your plans to rent your home. If you are set on that course, I will pay the rental fee until you are able to find a tenant. Otherwise, I am willing to purchase it from you for twice its current value to help expedite your move.

Of course, I will provide moving services, travel expenses, and any other enticement that will convince you to join Connor and me on the ranch.

Please call me with any questions.

Shamus O'Faolan

When Connor finished reading, Shamus asked, "Will they come? Or do I have to do more?"

Connor thought for a moment, then said, "Da will call me when he gets it. I'll get them here."

Their conversation was interrupted by Donna's knock. She and Danny had stopped by and picked up lunch for everyone. After they ate, Connor asked Donna to watch after Danny while Shamus took Connor to Havre High School to get him registered for classes in the fall, including Driver's Ed. Once that was finished, they headed to the MVD, where Connor got his learner's permit. They then went to the local Wells Fargo, where Shamus introduced Connor to the branch manager and private banker. An hour later, Connor had a debit card for his own account, as well as cards for the ranch and pack accounts.

Connor had been driving since they left the MVD, and his anxiety doubled as they picked up Danny. As they headed toward the ranch, Shamus told Connor that they would be spending the next few days visiting the pack-owned businesses in town. When Connor expressed his concern about keeping track of all the details, Shamus said he didn't expect the boy to remember everything. The tour was simply to make people aware of Connor's presence as well as familiarize Connor with the entire operation.

When they got home, Connor asked if everyone would be eating there tonight. When Shamus said that all of the cousins, their parents, and Aaron and Donna would be here, Connor offered to cook dinner. A surprised Shamus watched in awe as Connor put some ground beef in a large skillet. While it was browning, he chopped an onion, a clove of garlic, and a green pepper, adding them to the beef as he went. Once it was browned, he carefully drained the excess grease into an old can, then added oregano, basil, parsley, and some red pepper. Once Connor found the large saucepan, he opened the cans of tomato sauce and tomato paste. After transferring the spiced ground beef to the saucepan, he made sure to get everything mixed to a nice thick consistency.

He had just turned the heat down to let the sauce simmer when he heard his cousins coming in. Emmet giggled at the site of Connor in nothing but an apron but quickly stopped when his sister slapped the back of his head and told him to join her in the shower. The twins and Ronin headed upstairs for theirs. When Connor asked about Aiden, Clint, and the rest, Shamus explained that they were at Aiden's and would shower there.

Connor blushed as everyone raved over his spaghetti sauce. Donna, Wendy, and Sarah insisted he share his recipe. Clint and Aiden told their father how Connor seemed at home on a horse, while the twins told their grandfather about Ronin being pushed into the cow pile. When Aaron asked Connor if it was true, Ronin spoke up, saying Connor was justified in his actions.

Shamus looked at Aiden and said, "It isn't supposed to rain for a week. Do you think it's safe to cut that entire section west of the landfill next? Or do you want to take smaller chunks?"

Before his father could reply, Ronin said, "All the haybines are up and working. Unless one of the part-timers is out, we'll have 21 of us cutting. I think we can cut almost two sections tomorrow. We start breaking up the crews and rake it Thursday and start baling on Friday."

Connor looked at Ronin and asked, "What's a haybine? And why split the crews?"

Ronin explained, "Haybine is the slang name for the machine that cuts hay and conditions it as it cuts it. It helps the hay dry faster by breaking the stalks so the moisture can escape. A section is 640 acres, and one haybine can cut 40 acres in a day. And with our round balers, one person can bale about 500 bales a day, which is roughly 50 to 60 acres. That means a dozen balers can do a section in a day." Connor was nodding that he understood, so Ronin went on, "We start breaking up the crews to balance the pace, so after three days, we have hay ready to rake, ready to cut, and more to cut. If the weather starts to threaten, we can adjust."

Shamus smiled at the boy as he said, "I couldn't have explained it better myself. But you'll have to teach Connor how to run the machines another time. He and I will be tied up the rest of the week."

Katty added, "Don't forget, we have trucks picking up cattle on Friday, and we have two herds to drive on Saturday. Do I need to call in pilots?"

Connor's look of confusion caused Regan to explain, "We'll use three helicopters for these short drives. Shamus, Clint, and Pa are usually the pilots. If they're not available, we hire someone."

Danny looked to Connor and asked, "Can I wide in the helicopter?"

Seeing several confused looks, Shamus said, "As of this morning, Danny is Connor's pup. As far as the humans are concerned, I'm his guardian, but as far as we're concerned, Connor's his father now." He then turned to Connor and said, "It's up to you. He can ride with Aiden, or he can be on horseback with your cousins. I'd like you riding with me."

Connor turned to Danny and said, "We'll see. Let me talk to Shamus some more, ok?"

When everyone had finished eating, Ronin and the twins cleared the table while Katty and Emmet loaded the dishwasher as Danny supervised. Connor followed Shamus out to the porch, where Aaron, Aiden, Clint, and Wendy gathered around a table to play bridge. As Connor sat in a rocking chair beside Shamus, he heard Donna and Sarah say they were going for a run, then home.

Connor turned to Shamus and asked, "How do humans not know about us?"

Shamus explained, "We do our best to keep track of all our offspring. That's why I have that book. I try to meet every one of my descendants in their first year or two. After you finish puberty, you'll be able to smell a shifter, even in your human form."

Connor nodded, then asked, "But Dan's father didn't know about him. That has to happen enough that someone notices."

Shamus nodded as he said, "It does, but humans have an amazing ability to deny what's right in front of their faces if it doesn't fit their concept of reality. When a pup that we've missed goes through puberty, sometimes they refuse to believe what's happening, sometimes they freak out and run away, and sometimes their parents freak out and throw them out."

Shamus saw the look of concern on Connor's face, so he said, "We keep our noses alert, especially in places where runaways gather or children's homes." When Connor raised his eyebrows, Shamus added, "Yes, we'll be going back to the Custer Ranch. I've already talked to James about the two boys. Either Clint or Aiden, or both, will go adopt them before fall."

Connor bit his lower lip a moment, then said, "As soon as I'm able to scent shifters, I want to go to Colorado. I want to check on the street kids at home and in Denver."

Shamus smiled a sad smile and said, "No matter how much you want to, you can't save every stray out there."

Connor sat up straight as he said, "No, but I can try."

Shamus saw the determination on the boy's face, so he nodded and said, "Once you can smell shifters, we'll go. That will probably be around Thanksgiving, so be patient."

Connor nodded, knowing this was something he couldn't change. He was wondering how many shifters were scared and alone on the streets when Danny climbed into his lap.

"Cawnew? Shamus said you're my father now." When Connor nodded, the boy asked, "Does that mean I should call you Daddy?"

Connor hugged Danny tight as he said, "You can call me whatever you want, buddy. I don't want you to forget your real father, though."

Danny shook his head as he said, "Papa told me that he's my Papa and you's my Daddy."

Connor couldn't speak, so he hugged the boy tight. He heard Katty laughing as she said, "Amazing how the little pup defeated the big bad wolf."

Emmet came to the rescue when he offered to take Danny up to bed while Connor, Katty, and Ronin went for a quick run. By the time they returned, the bed looked the same as the previous night, with the twins on either side of Danny, and Emmet behind Regan. The wolves soon joined them in dreamland.

The next few days went exactly as Shamus had said. He and Connor visited dozens of businesses in town as well as some as far away as Shelby, Great Falls, and Glasgow. Connor lost track of the names of all the people he met. While they were doing this, Donna agreed to stay at the house and watch Danny as long as she was needed. Each evening, Katty or Ronin reported on the progress they had made in baling hay. Wednesday evening, the young wolves again ran for miles. Thursday and Friday evenings, they stayed home to spend time with the twins, Danny, and Emmet.

Saturday morning, Connor woke before everyone else. As he stood on the bed, he sniffed each of his shifted cousins, and then he sniffed the twins, Emmet, and finally, Danny. He didn't completely understand why their scents gave him a feeling of calm, but he assumed it had something to do with how he felt about each of them. He noticed that Rory had woken up and was grinning at him.

When Connor tilted his head, Rory said, "Mom and Grandma do that sometimes." When Connor looked confused, he explained, "Sniff us. They say that our scent and knowing that we're safe makes them feel comfortable."

Connor nodded his head, then started licking Danny all over, causing the boy to wake up giggling. When Rory saw this, he started tickling his twin. Soon, the bed was a writhing mass of bodies, wrestling, tickling, and giggling. The fun stopped when they heard Shamus shout from downstairs that they had ten minutes to be at the table to eat. Otherwise, they could wait until lunch. Connor shifted, picked up Danny, and ran down the stairs, followed by his cousins.

After breakfast, Connor drove Shamus and Danny to meet Clint at Aiden's house. As they pulled around behind the barn, Connor saw several helicopters. Aiden and Clint were each inspecting one of the smallest ones. As Connor parked, Shamus explained.

"The small ones are Robinson R22s. They are great little choppers for working cattle, inspecting fields, or just flying around for fun." He pointed to a larger helicopter and said, "That one is a Bell 429. We use it more for mid-range travel."

After watching Shamus inspect every inch of the R22 they would be using, Connor climbed into the left seat and put on a helmet that had built-in hearing protection and communications. Shamus put his own helmet on, went through the pre-flight checklist, and they were off.

Connor felt his stomach drop as the small helicopter basically leaped into the sky. He grinned as Shamus gave him his own private roller coaster ride in the sky. After about 5 minutes of fun, they headed east. Connor turned to see Clint and Aiden following in the R22s they had been inspecting. As they neared the herd, Connor saw his cousins on their horses, following the slow-moving cattle. As they flew, Shamus explained that the main reason for the helicopters today was to give Connor an opportunity to see both methods of herding cattle.

At times, the helicopters would fly high and observe how the mounted cowboys rode on either side of the herd as well as behind, gently pushing the cattle in the direction they needed to go. Other times, the mounted cowboys would hang back and let Shamus, Clint, and Aiden demonstrate how they did the same thing from above. Due to the ability to see more of what was going on, three helicopters could do the work of 10 mounted cowboys.

The teams spent the morning moving the herd of 400 cattle to Bear Paw, which Connor learned was the ranch's southernmost grazing area in the foothills of the Bear Paw mountain range. After breaking for lunch, they spent most of the afternoon moving the larger herd from near the landfill to Clear Creek, a grazing area that shared a border with the Belknap Reservation. On the trip back to Aiden's, Shamus pointed out the site for the new house.

Thanks to Terry, James, and all of my other patrons who have supported my work. Special thanks to Wyatt for his constant encouragement and help.

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