Chapter 42. Safe with Me

We walk down the dark, almost claustrophobic space, with voices, noises, lots of movement cascading our way, and follow two Santos we catch up with inside the most crowded room I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to tell how big it would be empty, for it’s packed solid with adult Santo wolves, primarily male, from all over, even the ones who don’t live in the packhouse. Easily over a hundred or so, and they’re all squeezed in, fighting for breathing space as we join right at the back, unseen.

Right down at the front, several elders and the Shaman are standing on a low podium facing back at us all. Men, I have never seen before in my life, standing behind them, and I guess these are the older generation of retired elders, coming out in our time of need. It’s mostly men in here, as is the way when dealing with important matters, or femmes who have no children and are better suited to battle, as all of those who are not are home minding their little ones. Juan Santo is right in the center,