The Wolf You Feed Arc by Angela Stevens

mile, the marked trail disappeared and the woods opened into fields. Liam showed Tore where he’d killed a huge stag one autumn. Just through those trees, a bull elk charged a group of guests when they got too close.
      A couple of hours later, they turned back towards the trail. Liam looked over his shoulder at Tore.
    Race you back! Before he could reply, Liam was gone.
    Tore struggled to gain ground over the first five hundred feet. Liam was a sprinter. Erik used to say he was good in the rush because he set off like a rocket launcher, but if he was lead tracker, he exhausted everyone else before they got to their prey.
    Tore was no slouch but he wasn’t a sprinter. Endurance was more his thing. As Liam tired and slowed, Tore still had gas in the tank to kick it up a gear. Within another hundred yards, he’d caught up with his brother. So long Liam .
    By the time Liam made it back to the drop box, Tore was pulling on his pants. Grumpy, Liam shifted. “Humph! We’ll call that beginners luck,” he said as he dressed.
    Tore stifled a laugh and punched Liam on the shoulder.
    “Beginners luck? Erik always said you had no idea how to pace yourself. You still don’t.”
    Liam glared at him for a second, and then shrugged his shoulders. He knew Tore won fair and square. They walked back to the Lodge across the parking lot, and Liam threw Tore a set of keys.
    “Your jeep is the one on the end. Don’t ding it and keep it topped off with gas. We have an account at Larry’s two miles out of town. You’re responsible for maintenance so look after it.”
    Tore grinned and reached out his hand to thank him.
    “I appreciate this, bro.”
    Liam nodded. “Listen, Tore, there’s a cottage set away from the property if you want it. I have three of them for my workers. There’s plenty of room for the five of you there.”
    “Nah, we’re okay. You’ve done too much for me already. Anyway I made an agreement with my landlord to fix his place up instead of paying rent for a couple of months. I want to honor that. Max Albright helped us out, I don’t want to throw it back in his face.”
    Liam nodded again. “I respect that, but think it over, it makes more sense to move in here. I know Albright, he’ll understand. Fix his place up then move in with me. I want you close, Tore. Now we’ve found each other again, I want you by my side. Right, you ready to find the girls and eat? Jessie thought we’d grill. Well, she thought I’d grill! After saying that, she makes terrific sides and her desserts are to die for.”

 
      9
    Three Years Later, Gray Wolf Hunting Lodge, AK, May 1983.
    “Nea is that you?” Annike called as she walked from the boys’ room. The cabin at Gray Wolf Lodge was bigger than those at the commune and the one they’d rented from the Albrights.
    There were four separate bedrooms, two on either side of the main living area. The lounge and kitchen took up the central space. Tore, Annike and the boys occupied the east side, leaving Nea some privacy on the west. For the time being, the other bedroom remained spare. Annike hoped one day soon, she and Tore would increase their family and put the room to good use.  
    “Yeah it’s me.” Nea appeared at the kitchen door, slipping off her shoes. “My feet are killing me!” She’d been on them since before six that morning.
    Nea spent most days helping Jessie with housekeeping in the mornings, over at the Lodge. During the afternoons, she worked in the kitchen prepping for the evening meals. Annike took charge of their three-year-old boys and Jessie’s almost-five-year-old, Kai. Annike was great with the kids. She preferred to be with them instead of working around the Lodge. However, she often felt guilty that she spent all her time with the boys leaving Nea to do all the work. Nea didn’t mind, in fact, she found it a relief.  
    Recently, Nea had begun to find as many reasons as she could to spend time away from the house. She found herself coming home