11. Orders from the State
Lead investigator Richard Collins from the wildlife management authority arrived at the ranger station the following week. The message was simple: “An animal kept outside regulatory guidelines cannot remain here. Transfer to a facility, or return to the wild. One or the other.” Jake argued that Titan could not survive in the wild. Collins’s expression did not change.
12. The Threat of Euthanasia
Later, Collins showed Jake an internal directive. “Large wild animals habituated to humans are difficult to rewild. Standard protocol is euthanasia.” Was this really the end? Jake’s hand closed into a fist. Titan had never once harmed anyone. And now — having known too much of the human world — that was supposed to be grounds for a death sentence?
13. Jake Fights Back
Jake contacted Dr. Reid, who submitted a formal opinion to the wildlife authority arguing Titan’s scientific value. He also brought the case to local conservation groups. Three thousand people signed a petition. Local newspapers and television crews came to cover the story. Collins repeated: “This is a matter of regulation, not emotion.” Jake did not stop. Titan was still alive. That was all that kept him moving.
14. The Transfer
Two months later, a final decision came from above. Euthanasia was avoided — but Titan would be transferred to the Wildlife Protection Center in Bozeman. Jake opened the enclosure gate, guided Titan into a transport crate, and latched the door. Titan stepped inside and kept his eyes on Jake the whole time. As the transport vehicle drove away, Titan let out a single low sound. Had he understood that this was goodbye?
15. Titan at the Facility
Reports from the center indicated that Titan was spending his days quietly in an isolation area, though his appetite was somewhat reduced. Jake drove to Bozeman every weekend. Each time Titan saw him coming, the wolf would shift his weight forward and press toward the fence. But Titan could not leave the enclosure. Jake reached through the chain link and stroked his head, repeating quietly: “Just a little longer.”
16. The Escape
One December night, an emergency call came from the wildlife center. Titan had broken through the fence and escaped. The staff said they had not anticipated the barrier could be defeated. The direction he had gone: toward the Bitterroot Mountains. But that same night, a separate alert had come in — a man hiking alone in the mountains had been caught in an avalanche and was missing. Had Titan known?
17. The Search
Jake drove immediately for the Bitterroot Mountains. Rescue teams were already out, but the snow was deep and progress was slow. Jake climbed a trail he knew by memory, flashlight in hand, radio at his hip. The temperature was below minus fifteen. Titan’s tracks were there in the snow, unmistakable. A rescuer nearby called out: “Why are you following the wolf?” Jake answered: “Because where he goes, there’s someone who needs help.”
18. The Missing Hiker
Rescue headquarters reported that the missing man was Mark Sullivan, 52, who had entered the mountains alone and failed to return by his scheduled time — by three hours. Overnight temperatures were forecast to drop below minus twenty. Two search dogs had been deployed but couldn’t track in the depth of the snow. Titan’s prints, however, were clear and continuous. Had he sensed something humans could not detect?
19. The Direction of the Howl
Forty minutes up the steep slope, a low howl reached Jake from somewhere ahead. He ran toward it. Breaking through the trees into open terrain, he saw the aftermath of a massive avalanche — tons of snow and shattered timber stacked across the face of the slope. Titan’s tracks stopped at one point in the debris field. And there, at that exact spot, the large grey wolf was digging frantically with both front paws.
20. Pushing Through the Snow
Jake reached Titan and crouched beside him. The wolf looked up briefly — not angry, not excited. Just focused and serious. Something was under this specific patch of snow. Jake pulled out his shovel and began digging alongside Titan, radioing their position between strokes. How much further did they need to go?
