Free Wolf Song by Storm Savage Page A

that stripped her equilibrium, gave Zale the perfect alibi. She fell again , he would say. The doctors are changing her meds , he’d tell people. And so on.
    Unable to work outside the home because she could rarely drive, Orianna had resigned herself to this life.
    The wolf’s song drew closer, as if calling to her. She peered into the darkness. If not for the white blanket on the ground, she’d never have seen the beautiful gray wolf lurking in their front yard. Its thick fur coat was dusted with snow. She’d seen many wild animals around their remote mansion in the Poconos, but never a wolf. I didn’t even know gray wolves lived in this area. She studied the majestic animal prowling around the patio below the upper deck. It must be lost or looking for food.
    The wolf stuck its nose in the air and released a long howl. Maybe it lost its mate. Then as if drawn by an unseen force, their eyes met. The animal stood there, staring up at her with hauntingly soulful eyes. In that moment, Orianna felt a connection with something so deep that she couldn’t discern the feeling tugging at her soul.
    Perhaps watching that wolf roam free was the reason she felt compelled to walk toward the door. Maybe because the wolf’s cry paralleled the agony in her heart, she didn’t bother to grab a coat or shoes.
    She didn’t know and didn’t care.
    This time, this night, she was leaving and never coming back, even if it killed her.
    Quietly, she tiptoed across the ceramic tiled floor of their foyer with the pills clutched in one hand and carefully turned the doorknob with her other hand. The door made a slight creak. She froze and waited. No sounds from the upstairs. Zale must still be asleep. She truly did not want him to stop her.
    Icy snow bit at her bare feet when she stepped outside. Ignoring the sharp cold, she gripped the rail while gracefully descending the wooden steps from the deck to the patio. Her gown trailed behind her. She glanced back at the stunning blue satin against the shimmering white fluff.
    The wolf ran into the woods that bordered the property. After clearing the steps, Orianna broke into a run, following the fresh paw prints made in the snow. Gusts of wind whipped the lengthy strands of her hair around her face as she ran. Clutching the skirt of her dress with both hands, she lifted it far enough to prevent herself from tripping. Twigs cracked under her feet. She ignored the discomfort, which was nothing compared to the years of pain under Zale’s heavy hand.
    The wolf led her deep into the woods. She kept up her pace and focused on the tracks while doing her best to follow. Suddenly the animal vanished and the trail disappeared. She stopped and looked around, turning slowly to scan the area for any sign of her unexpected visitor. Panic threatened to take over but she quickly banished any fear. Going back to that prison was worse than anything she faced out here.
    Howling began again. Not of the wind, but of an injured animal. She tilted her head and listened closely, then walked in the direction of the cries. She had no idea how far she’d hiked into those thick woods as time inched on. Her feet, numb from the snow, kept moving nonetheless, and her exposed skin stung from cold. Regardless, she pushed ahead.
    By the time she found the source of the compelling howling, she felt somewhat delirious as hypothermia set in. There before her on the ground was the gray wolf, caught in a hunter’s trap.
    “Oh, you poor thing,” she muttered with a gasp upon seeing the bloody leg. The metal trap, looking like a giant pair of distorted teeth, had snapped around the wolf’s front leg. She found the thickest, strongest looking branch she could find and cautiously advanced. “I’m not going to hurt you. Please don’t bite me.”
    The wolf stared at her with golden eyes flecked with warm brown hues. In those rich depths, she saw a reflection of heartbreak that mirrored her own. Slowly, she knelt beside the wolf and