Jay has taken his father, Leander, camping in the Arizona desert wilderness, despite the fact that his father is in one of his “non-responsive” states — the result of too many moon phasings and their effect on his mind. Soon after night falls, a wolf pads into their campsite. And Leander insists that the animal is a were. Jay isn’t convinced, but when poachers show up, armed to the teeth, and intent on killing the wolf, he knows that he can’t simply allow the animal to be shot.

“New Moon Wolf” is the original Jay Fearsson short story published at Baen.com in July of 2015, before the release of His Father’s Eyes, volume II in The Case Files of Justis Fearsson. The story can be found in this free collection.