Fueled by a mix of frustration and determination, Tina refused to give up. She strode through the school’s dim, echoing corridors, her footsteps ringing with urgency. Every rejection only hardened her resolve. Someone had to help. Someone had to believe her.
At last, her persistence led her to Steve—the school’s custodian.
As Tina poured out the situation, Steve listened closely. He saw the fire in her eyes, the desperation in her voice. Without hesitation, he gave a small nod. “Alright,” he said, his voice steady, touched with concern. “Let’s see what we can do.”
Side by side, they headed back toward the storage room—where three wolves, and whatever they had brought with them, were still waiting.
As Tina and Steve neared the storage room, a chilling sound broke through the silence—a series of howls, sharp and mournful, echoing down the empty halls. The cries were raw, filled with urgency and something unmistakably protective. Tina’s skin prickled. These weren’t the sounds of aggression—they were the sounds of desperation.
Drawing closer, she heard a new noise: thudding—heavy, rhythmic impacts slamming against the wall. The wolves were ramming the inside, trying to break free.
Her pulse spiked.
The air was thick now, electric with tension. The moment felt like it could tip either way—toward chaos or toward something far more human beneath the surface. Tina paused, every instinct urging caution. Whatever came next, it had to be with respect—for the danger, yes, but also for the wild, aching urgency behind those cries.
Tina paused outside the door, the weight of what lay ahead pressing heavily on her. She still didn’t know exactly what the small creature was—only that it looked painfully fragile and clearly needed help, fast.
Steve suggested calling a veterinarian, though the nearest one was miles away. There was no time to hesitate.
Without delay, Tina pulled out her phone and dialed. Her voice was urgent but steady as she explained the situation. When she finished, there was a long silence on the other end. The stillness made her chest tighten. Each passing second felt like an eternity, the quiet ticking in the background only amplifying her anxiety.
Finally, the vet spoke, asking her to describe the animal as best she could.
Tina took a breath and did her best, recounting every detail she had seen—its size, its condition, and how the wolves had been guarding it like something precious.