Hungry like the Wolf

[MirrorShadow]

(closed for Malvolio)

Luna had been living in this cabin in the woods only for a few months. She liked it here. It was peaceful, unlike the bustling city life she had known before, and, even if there were a few assholes looking at her in town, most of the people were nice to her. It was weird that she was the only one to live out here though. She'd asked around as to why, but no one would tell her anything. They'd just whisper about wolves behind her back.

She had heard them howling and running around since the first night, but she'd never seen one, so didn't worry about it. Well that was until this afternoon, when she'd happened upon one. He'd been injured and she was surprised that he even let her near him, much less touch him. She'd never been very good with animals, but the wolf was calm as she sort of carried/dragged him back to her home. She had been afraid he wouldn't be there if she had gone back by herself to call the local vet.

He growled at Dr. Lansher when he drove up, but didn't snap at him like she expected. The wounds weren't bad, but there were a lot of them and would take a few weeks to heal. Normally, the vet would sedate the wolf and keep him at his clinic, but he seemed to take to her so well that he just gave Luna his number and stern instructions, before leaving.

Night fell and a knock came to her door. That was weird. No one usually ever called on her after night fall. Opening the door, she frowned upon seeing who it was. Seth had been nice to her when she first moved in, but quickly turned sour when she turned him down for a date. He was disgusting, but apparently he was influential in town and thought he was hot stuff. Now he was leering at her, shotgun in hand, and drunk too boot.

"I hear you gots yourself a wolf. Let me in to see 'im. Bastard's been killing my chickens."

He moved to push past her, but she held her ground and glared.

"No. Now get out."

To her surprise, he dropped his gun and grabbed her by the shoulders, slamming her into the door jam. It hurt and she cried out, but wouldn't give him the satisfaction of scaring her.

"You don't get it. Do you, Luna? I'm going to kill that wolf, wether you like it or not, but since you're going to act like a little bitch, I guess I'm going to have to teach you a lesson first."

She expected him to hit her. He raised a hand back to do so, but it never made contact. It took her a few moments to realize what she was seeing. Another man was there behind Seth, holding his wrist with wht seemed to be little effort on her part. Luna knew she should be scared, the stranger looked dangerous, but she couldn't take her eyes away from him.

http://p.models.com/-38004/images/image4790.jpg

 

[MirrorShadow]

(bump)

 

[MirrorShadow]

(aww..no one likes it?)

 

[Malvolio]

The stranger's face was a dark mask, glaring at Seth with his burning gaze. For an instant, Luna saw a glimmer of a yellowish shade in his eyes before they seemed to return to their natural deep brown.

"Get... out," he ordered Seth, his voice low and gravely.

When Seth swung his other fist around to throw a punch, the stranger's lightening fast reflexes caught the fist in his other palm. With a simple twist of the stranger's wrists, Seth let out a yelp of pain and was driven to his knees.

"Aggh! My hands!"

Luna heard a dull "crunch!" and realized the stranger had just broken Seth's left hand. Only then did she realize the tall, toned, dark haired stranger was standing there... in her house... completely nude.

The stranger dragged Seth toward the front door and shoved him out and down the steps. Landing in front of his pickup truck, Seth scrambled to his feet, into the cab and sent the truck hurtling in reverse back down the dirt road leading away from Luna's home.

The stranger watched him flee, shut the door and turned to face Luna.

"He did not hurt you, did he?"

His voice had lost the menace, but still had the low, gravely tone. His expression had changed from one of concern.

"You... are probably confused. I'm sorry. He was going to hurt you and... ugh!"

The stranger winced, clearly in pain as he grasped his right side and Luna then noticed his well toned body was covered with scabbed over cuts and ugly bruises.

 

[MirrorShadow]

Her shock was such that she barely realized when Seth's touch left her completely. She probably looked stupid standing there, but could do little more than to watch with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open as Seth was driven to the floor. The action was followed by a sickening crunch causing her gaze to finally slide away from the stranger's striking features and towards the man that had been threatening her moments ago.

He was naked. Completely, utterly, one hundred percent in the buff. When she realized where she was now staring, a hand flew to her eyes to block the view. Hopefully the semi-darkness of the cabin was enough to hide her flaming cheeks. Hurried footsteps and Seth's departing tuck told her that he was gone. Though she idly wondered how he could drive with just one working hand. Slowly, her hand fell away from her face as relief washed over her.

"He did not hurt you, did he?"

His voice caused a startled gasp to tumble from her lips before she could catch herself. He'd seemed so unreal. Even as she was looking at him now, she suspected that this was all because she'd had those eggs she wasn't too sure about for dinner. Common sense told her to run, but there was only one exit and she couldn't bring herself to move or answer his question, even breathing seemed to be presenting a small problem right now. Any moment, she'd be waking up.

"You... are probably confused. I'm sorry. He was going to hurt you and... ugh!"

"Oh my god, are you all right?!"

The question was out before she could think about it. Just as she hadn't noticed his nudity at first, she hadn't noticed the ugly cuts and bruises that decorated his skin. She immedietally felt guilty for it. Naked wild man or not, he'd still saved her while risking himself in this state. Well, probably not risking so much since he'd taken care of Seth fairly easily. Slapping one of her reddened cheeks, she pulled herself back to the present and rushed over to the strange man.

"Here, you sit on the couch and umm use this. I'm going to get..something."

Nudging him over to said furniture, she pulled the throw onto his lap, more to save her from her own renewed embarassment than to provide much needed warmth. She wasn't sure what to do. She could call the clinic, but he wasn't bleeding and what would she say to the deputy if she called her. It wasn't like he had done anything to her, personally. Moments later, she returned from her bathroom, passing the room she'd placed the sleeping wolf in earlier that day, with her first aid kit. Only to realize that even after taking care of her little brothers and sisters for years, she had no idea what to do.

 

[Malvolio]

Returning with the first aid kid, Luna again taken aback by the stranger's piercing brown eyes. A moment passed as they stared at one another. She felt as if he was studying her, sizing her up. A brief shiver ran down her spine.

Suddenly, as quickly as the tension had former, it abated as the stranger slowly smiled and relaxed.

"I'm sorry to impose upon you. I don't really need any bandages, I'll be fine. But I could use a pair of tweasers, if you have them please."

He motioned to a particularly nasty looking gash in his right side that was still seeping a bit.

"I've been rude. Please, let me explain. My name is Garrett. Garrett Sumners. I live on the other side of the woods on Summit Hill Road. You're probably confused right now... how I wound up naked in your house.

"Well, you're the cause of that. You might find what I am about to say a little difficult to believe and I don't want you to think me crazy, but... well, the wolf that you found and brought back here... was me. I am... a werewolf.

"90 years ago I was like you... a normal person. I went off to fight in the Great War... what you call World War I... in Europe. While on patrol one night with some of the men from my unit, we were attacked by a pack of wild dogs. It turned out they were werewolves and 3 of us were infected. Its a little bit like the movies. We spent a month in hospital recovering from our wounds and discovered what we were when the next full moon rose.

"When the moon is full, I have little control over my beastial side, but I am not a monster like the movies make my kind out to be. I don't go about killing innocent people. Mostly I behave like any other predator in the forest... which is where I usually go when the full moon rises. I generally prefer the company of other wolves and the local pack accepts me as one of them. My memories of this time can be fuzzy at times, but I generally remember what I've done... but its like watching a movie. I see it and know it, but have little control. Unlike the movies, I have... a limited degree of control over my animalistic side when the moon is not full. I can assume wolf shape or a ... two legged hybrid form... at any time.

"The years have been... good to me. I barely look any older than I did on the day I was attacked. I don't know if I am immortal, though I doubt it. I just... seem to age very very slowly now.

"I had been out for a run with the pack last night... by my own will since it wasn't a full moon... when I had a little mishap. Some people derive pleasure from a good run... I enjoy running as a wolf. Well, your friend Seth there happens to enjoy shooting my wolfen friends and skinning them for their pelts. We stumbled upon him and he shot me. Not enough to kill me, but he left me weakened. I managed to get away, but couldn't change back. You found me then.

"I am grateful for your help. But I must ask you to keep what I have told you in confidence. I don't want to be exposed... well, figuratively at least," he chuckled, glancing down at his exposed hairless chest.

He smiled at Luna, hoping he hadn't said too much. She seemed kind, but he was prepared to do what was necessary to protect his secret, should she decide to expose him.

 

[MirrorShadow]

A tense silence filled the space between them, gauze and alcohol long forgotten in her hands. What was she supposed to say to all that? Seriously, it was like the plot to some b-rated horror movie. A self-conscious chuckle left her as she turned her attention away in order to look for some tweezers.

"This is crazy."

Moments later, she realized her words and clapped a hand over her mouth. It was true of course. This was crazy. It was all crazy. Seth was crazy for coming here and wanting to shoot the wolf and this guy, Garrett, was crazy for thinking he was a wolf, because it wasn't true. Not a bit of his story was true and she knew this because it couldn't be. Werewolves didn't exist. That wolf he thought he was happened to be knocked out by tranquilizers in her room right now and not here sitting in front of her all bruised and broken after sending Seth off running. Nope, he was just a nice, naked, sexy, crazy man and that was all there was to it.

A crazy man who though he was werewolf. The same one that she just now realized was staring at her, probably waiting for something more than her mumbled doubts. Standing up suddenly, she put some distance between them. She could have sworn that she had heard somewhere that crazy people tended to act out violently when their imaginary worlds were thwarted.

"Listen. Thanks for helping me, but I think you should go."

 

[Malvolio]

Garrett nodded slowly, understanding.

"I've frightened you. I am truly sorry. I will go. I would just ask to use the tweasers for a moment. Then I will leave and never bother you again."

Luna nervously retrieved the tweasers and handed them to Garrett, who, in a small attempt at modesty and to spare Luna further discomfort, had now wrapped himself in a towel that had been lying in a laundry basket of freshly cleaned clothes. Using the tweasers, Garrett extracted a small piece of metal from the wound on his side and held it up for closer examination.

"Lucky bastard," he breathed. "There's barely any silver in this."

Luna looked down at the wound again and was amazed to see no sign of it now, albeit some dried blood!

"Thank you... Luna, I believe I heard him call you. I'll go now."

Garett placed the tweasers down and moved to the front door, discarding the towel as he went. As he reached the doorway, he paused and looked back to Luna.

"You still don't believe me, do you? Well, look in the other room. The wolf is gone."

Suddenly, Luna was startled to see small gray hairs beginning to appear in Garrett's back, arms and legs, growing in rapidly, waving like ripples in a pond. His eyes again had the yellow shade she'd glimpsed earlier when he'd confronted Seth and he gave her a wry, knowing smile.

"Or is he?" his voice having taken on a deep gravely, growling tone now.

A second later, Garrett disappeared through the doorway from the house. Luna crossed the room and looked out the doorway... only to see no sign of the man. Instead, a gray wolf was trotting down the steps from her front porch toward the driveway and dirt lane beyond the house.

At the bottom of the steps, the wolf suddenly stopped and looked back at her. For an instant, its eyes appeared to change in color from yellow to a shade of brown.

 

[MirrorShadow]

(omg could you stop putting actions and emotions on my character. You should be doing that for Garrett not Luna. It's really annoying and makes it really hard to write a response.)

"Go away, I don't wanna."

Not that the visitor listened. No he just continued right on knocking on her door at this ungodly hour. Nevermind, not so ungodly. The sun was beaming bright and strong through her windows as she trudged her way to the door. Only to be greeted by Dr. Lansher. Who oddly seemed to be just as surprised to see her as she was him until he cleared his throat and breezed past her.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Canidae. I trust our patient hasn't given you any trouble in the night?"

Sleep had always had a way of making her mind more than a little fuzzy first thing. So she was left gaping uselessly at the veternarian as her mind scrambled to figure out what he was talking about. Then she closed her mouth and answered him as memories filtered in to fill in the blanks.

"Huh? N..no, no trouble at all."

"I'm not surprised. He isn't here any longer."

At the older man's bemused words, Luna ran to the room she'd placed the injured wolf in, and peered over his shoulder. The wolf was most definetly gone. The empty blanket, dark with spots of dried blood, attested to that. Feeling the now much too familiar numbness of shock, she slid to the floor as the things she'd been trying to convince herself of were a dream became stark and bold in her mind.

"Are you alright, ma'am? You shouldn't worry too much. Wolves are intelligent creatures. He probably just found a way out when he woke in an unfamiliar place."

Nodding, she accepted his calm explanation. It made sense, right? He should know animals best after all. It definitely didn't mean that the crazy man she'd met last night had been telling the truth. Werewolves did not exist and to believe that they did was just sheer stupidity. Hell, if she allowed herself to believe in the wolf man, then what was next? Vampires? The Loch Ness monster?

Still, when she hung her laundry on the line later, despite the wind picking up and clearly warning of an oncoming storm, her gaze continued to drift to the woods at the edge of her property. She'd never minded them being so close before. Now she found herself wishing that she had the pseudo-safety of distance to console herself with. Idly, she wondered if she should go in to town and buy a gun, and maybe some silver bullets. At least, she was fairly sure it was silver that was supposed to work against them.

 

[Malvolio]

As evening descended and the full moon rose, Garrett left his home and made his way into the nearby woods. Stripping his clothing and placing it behind a log deep in the forest, he continued on nude and into a clearing where the moonlight could shine down, unabated by the tree line.

He looked up to the moon, admiring the silvery haze that hung over it tonight. He could feel the first ripples of the transformation running through his body. It would only be a minute or two now. He thought back to the woman he'd met the other day. Luna, she'd said her name was. He smiled to himself at the irony. Something about her had attracted him. Not only had she saved his life, but she'd had a spark... a certain fire that stirred something in him.

Small gray hairs were sprouting across his body now, first on his hands, arms and chest and expanding to his legs, back and face. Garrett groaned aloud, his voice dropping an octave. THE PAIN! The sheer agony of the change of the nights of full moon was enough to drive him mad... if it weren't for the pleasure that came with it too. Just as he experienced great pain, his brain was innudated with emense sensations of pleasure... of joy... of strength... of power!

His bones and muscles twisted and warped, driving him down to all fours as his spine realigned itself. His nostils flared as they inhaled deeply, his heightened senses taking in the night's smells. His sharpening teeth pressed against his tongue and his mouth began to salivate. Looking down to his hands, he watched as his nails blackened, hardened and grew into sharp talons and his hands and feet stretched into paws.

A low growl came from his reshaping neck and vocal cords as his spine extended, forming a lupine tail. His eyes, now a glowing yellow, reflected the brightness of the moon that he could not look away from. Human thought patterns were beginning to shift, becoming more... primitive and instinct-driven. The Wolf was swimming to the surface, its hunger and burning desires flowing throughout his body like molten lava. Making his body its own.

His ears grew pointed and stretched up on his head as his skull stretched forward, his nose and mouth forming into a fur covered muzzle.

The Wolf could sense its human thoughts now. The Man had been thinking about a Female he had met. Yes, the Wolf thought. It would pay her a visit...

Suddenly the Man was gone and only the Wolf remained, in complete control. It bound into the forest, howling and calling to its brethern.

The Wolf spent the early part of the evening hunting and feeding. A nice young doe had made for a tasty meal. Eventually, it managed to make its way back to the den of the Human Female. From the tree line, it could see the dim lights inside her house and caught occasional glimpses of her moving around.

Stealthily, the Wolf drew closer, lurking in the shadows, watching her through the windows. It inhaled deeply. Her scent was fresh in the air, wafting off some sheets she'd hung out to dry and had forgotten.

The wind was picking up now and a light rain had begun to fall, further cloaking the Wolf's movements. It was too dangerous to attempt to go inside her den, but it longed to be closer to her. To determine if she might be a suitable mate.

The Wolf hunched down behind some nearby bushes, waiting... watching...

 

[MirrorShadow]

A howl rent the air, and while it sounded miles away, it still made her jump in surprise, the wet glass slipping from her fingers and into the sink. She'd never made it into town. She'd been too afraid of seeing Seth. Not so much because he would be angry, but because she didn't want him becoming inspired to seek a vendetta against the mysterious man that had crushed his hand. Reaching suds for her cup, she nicked her finger on something and hurriedly pulled away. Crimson bloomed on her skin before she shoved the injured appendage into her mouth, mumbling curse words to herself. She'd been letting herself get so distracted that she wasn't even watching how she handled herself around knives.

Shaking her head, she pulled her finger away. The cut was deep enough that it was still bleeding, but she wouldn't really need stitched or anything like that. The bandaid was already in her hands by the time she fully realized where she'd left her first aid kit. It was almost surreal, like art work, with the kit laying open on her coffee table, gauze and alcohol laying innocently beside it, and, a little further away, a pair of tweezers stained dark with blood. Timidly, she picked them up almost as if they would bite her just by association.

He probably wouldn't be coming back. She'd failed to buy into his weird story about being in World War I and wild dog attacks. Whis was for the best, right? She'd moved out here for a peaceful life, not to get caught up in some crazy guy's fantasy world. Taking an alcohol soaked bit of guaze in hand, she swiped first her own cut and then the used tweezers, before placing everything back into their proper places, using busy work to keep from dwelling on why she suddenly felt horribly disappointed.

It wasn't until thunder rumbled loud in the sky, only to be quickly followed by a bright clash of lightning, that she remembered her sheets were still out on the line. Grabbing her laundry basket, she throw her back door open, only to be met with a curtain of water. Her angered words at her own stupidity were quickly snatched away by the wind as the sheets and articles of clothing snapped at being buffeted about so forcefully. Shoving her own soaked hair out of her face, she worked as quickly as she could to pry clothes pins from wet rope and cloth before tugging each bit of cloth into the basket at her feet.

 

[Malvolio]

The sound of a door sliding open suddenly caused the Wolf's ears to perk up. It looked toward the den and saw the Female emerging into the rain. She was carrying an object (a basket was the word that came to his mind) and rushed to the (cloth?) blowing around in the wind. He sniffed the air and took in her scent. It was so aluring, so inviting. Mmm... she was perfect. He also caught a wiff of blood and some other bitter scent. She was injured! Had she been harmed by another? The corners of his muzzle lifted, baring his teeth slightly. If another had hurt her...

He slowly rose from the ground and crept forward, advancing unseen upon her, continuing to sniff the air and indulge himself with her sweet, intoxicating scent. When he was finally just a few feet away, she'd nearly finished gathering the cloths into her basket. It was time to make his presence known.

He arched his back and let out a long, loud HOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLL! As his howl ended, he hunched his head forward, the fur on his back standing on end and waited for her to see him. He wouldn't growl or threaten her. He only wanted to show his dominance... for now.

 

[MirrorShadow]

Fingers tore at each garment as she snatched them off the line. It was a normal storm, not even the worst of the ones she'd experienced since moving her. But the days' events lent an ominous glint to the world swirling around her now. A sense of foreboding firmly told that she needed to get back inside as quickly as possible. so she was releived when finally the last peice laid sodden in the large plastic basket.

HOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLL!

For a moment that stretched into forever, she forgot how to breathe. Then her body screamed for air and she gasped in heady mixture of oxygen and rain. She knew in an instinctual way that she needed to run, a primal fear of becoming pray coming to life within her. Luna couldn't move though. One step and she was fairly sure her legs would collapse beneath her.

Her only other option was to turn and face her fears, but she didn't want to do that because she had a pretty good idea of what she'd see. Even with the loud fury of the storm about her, that howl had been right in her ear and she wouldn't be able to full herself that the wolf was off in the trees and she was safe out her in the open. So she waited because any moment now she was going to be attacked. Yet time ticked by and nothing came and nothing still until she almost began to believe that it had only been a trick of the mind.

Slowly, she relaxed bit by bit and picked up her basket, and turned back towards her home. The eyes glowed, reflecting the meager light from her kitchen window, and while it was too dark to see too much beyond that, her imagination filled in the rest quickly enough. Thirty steps. It took her thirty steps to walk from her back door to the clothesline. So she ran, her hands tightly gripping the plastic handholds of the basket, hoping she would make it to the relative safety her home could provide.

 

[Malvolio]

The Wolf watched as the Female froze and stood unmoving with her back to it. Something close to mild amusement passed through its brain. It could pounce, tear her throat out and enjoy a nice tender snack if it had wanted to. But she was more valuable to the Wolf. Mate, it thought.

As she slowly relaxed, it sensed she was preparing to run and its heart leapt. At last, it thought. It longed to see what she was going to do.

As she made a run for the back of the house, the Wolf pounced. It quickly moved to cut her over, emerging fully from the darkness, blocking the way between her and the safety of her den. At last, they were face to face. It's black laps curled into a snarl, more of amusement and thrill than of any true desire to hurt her. It didn't growl, however, just blocked the way with its back arched and fur standing on end.

Fun, it thought.

The Wolf lowered the front of its body to the ground while leaving its hind legs up and ready to move. It scraped at the ground with one of its front paws, daring her to make the next move.

 

[MirrorShadow]

It was more sheer luck than anything else, that she was able to stop herself in time, feet skidding slightly on the we terrain. If she hadn't there was a good chance she would have rammed head first into the wolf snarling at her, than just having the horrifying view that she did now with his muzzle scant inches from her face.

Luna had never had much lick with the animal world, they either hated her or died on her so often that she had just given up on ever having a pet quite some time ago. Therefore, she hadn't beyond the basest clue of what he was trying to communicate through body language. She was fairly certain that she'd heard that running was a bad idea, now that she thought about. Something about how running automatically sets you up as prey.

Well, it was kind of too late for that. Slowly, ever so slowly, she backed away from the animal as her mind raced for a means of escape. Luna was firmly ignoring that voice in back of her mind screaming werewolf. This right here, what was going on now, was crazy, but there was no way in hell it was supernatural.

"G..good wolf. Nice wolf. S..safe wolf. Please don't eat me."

Of course she knew he couldn't understand her plea, but she was trying for a soothing tone. That was supposed to help right? It didn't matter. Putting all of her strength behind it, she threw the laundry basket, full of havy wet clothing, at him and ran. This time she was gunning for the front door, but happened to notice her kitchen window was still open and made quick detour. As a kid, she had needed to break into her own home a couple times thanks to forgetting her key. It'd been awhile but the window wasn't that high.

 

[Malvolio]

The Wolf growled in delight. It could smell her fear. Good. It liked fear. Fear meant mistakes.

She was so close. It inhaled deeply, taking in her fear-laden scent again. It knew she was trying to figure out what to do next. It was toying with her. Playing. This was fun.

Now she was slowly backing away. It advanced a step.

"G..good wolf. Nice wolf. S..safe wolf. Please don't eat me."

She was speaking to the Wolf now. It didn't understand the words, but something deep down told it she was begging for her life.

Suddenly she threw her basket at the Wolf. Wet clothing flew everywhere and the Female was running. The Wolf was caught off guard for only a moment. It took off after her, easily closing the distance. She suddenly darted the other way and the Wolf skidded to a halt, reversed direction and continued the pursuit. She was making for the opening. The Wolf again smiled to itself, its heart leaping in excitement with the thrill of the chase.

The Wolf pounced, coliding with her from behind, knocking her off balance and to the ground. Before she could rise off her back, the Wolf was on top of her, its front paws pinning her chest to the ground, nose to nose with her now. It growled deeply, baring its teeth, its hot breath inches from her face.

The Wolf was angry now. The Female had run, had almost escaped. It would not allow this. The Wolf was the Alpha and this Female would know this.

An instant later, the Wolf seized the Female's throat in its jaws, but didn't break the skin or bite hard. It just held her throat and growled, letting her fear grow. Being this close to the Female was... arousing. The Wolf could feel its lust growing.

After a minute, it slowly released her throat, bared its teeth once again and slowly backed off. The Wolf felt... confusion. Now it was uncertain how to mate with this Female. She was different. At the same time, something was telling the Wolf to let the Female go. It had shown its dominance.

Little by little the Wolf backed away, allowing the Female free movement again. It continued to bare its teeth with a low growl.

 

[MirrorShadow]

Fingers latched onto the window sill and she managed to pull one knee up before something heavy abd hard colleded with her, throwing her off balance and into the mud below. Her screams were crushed into silence by the heavy weight of paws on her chest. Then, to her horror, the wolf's mouth descended on her. Luna closed her eyes to block out the sight of gleaming teeth.

His breath was hot on her throat and she couldn't help the sob that escaped her as she felt those jagged teeth begin to close on her throat. Still, the pain of the death she was anticipating didn't come. As it growled, vibrating her flesh, she wondered what it was waiting for.

Then all of a sudden the wolf let her go. Cold rain quickly replaced the warmth of his breath. Slowly she opened her eyes, but the sight that greated her was even more confusing. It was moving away from her, but by the way it continued to growl at her, she doubted that it would let her run again. Next time it probably would rip out her throat. Tears choked her as her mind struggled under the stress of the situation.

"I don't want to die.."

Lifting a hand, her fingers stroked the tender skin of her neck as she continued to watch the wolf warily. She was so afraid of what would happen to her, but she couldn't sit in this spot forever. The disconcerting thought of catching her death from cold, brought a bit of nervous laughter tumbling forward. She wasn't sure which would be worse, being killed viciously if suddenly by a wolf, or dying slowly from sickness.

Slowly, she pulled herself up, her heart pounding in her ears as she edged along the walls of her arm, never letting her gaze stray from the wolf. Instead she felt along with her hands. She wasn't calm by any means. In fact she was fairly sure that if he made one step towards her, she would scream. Yet, the instinct of fight or flight still thrummed strong in her veins calling for to try for escape yet again.

 

[Malvolio]

The Wolf took another step back. It had frightened her enough. It raised its head and issued forth a lonely HOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLLL.

As the howl faded from its throat, the Wolf turned and began to trot off into the mist and quickly forming fog. After a few paces, it stopped and looked back at the Female, and issued a soft, low growl and barred its teeth one final time. The growl faded into a light, gentle sounding whine and the Wolf continued on its way.

The Wolf continued a few more steps before stopping in front of a bush along the pathway leading up to the Female's den. It quickly raised its leg and marked its territory. The Female was now property of the Wolf and other predators would know this. It would return to visit her again tomorrow night. Perhaps it might try taking its 2 legged shape then. It was painful to do so on the nights of the full moon, but it could be done. Then the Wolf would have the use of hands, like the Female and others of her kind.

The Wolf broke into a full run now, reached the edge of the forest and plunged in howling and calling to the rest of its pack. It would spend the rest of the night stalking more prey through mists that now enveloped the trees and underbrush.

 

[MirrorShadow]

"Dear, are you all right? You seem down right spooked today."

At the voice, Luna looked up from her cup of coffee and into the eyes of a woman that was probably about as old as her grandmother. She'd known Mae for months, had met her the first day she'd moved here in this same diner, the town's only restaurant, but had always felt it rude to ask her age.Heat warmed her hands as Mae refilled Luna's cup with something fresher. Then she grabbed Luna's chin, searching her face for any clue of what was happening before whispering conspiratorily between the two of them.

"I heard that Seth Gimhall was sniffin around your place the other night, makin a nuisance of himself. He ain't been back has he?"

"Huh? No! No, Mae, it isn't Seth. It's... wolves."

To tell the truth, she'd forgotten about Seth almost entirely and her weary mind struggled to figure out where he had entered into the conversation. The last word was spoken so softly that even she barely heard it, but she said it firmly almost as if doing so would keep the thought concrete in her mind. It was hard not to confide entirely in Mae. She was a good woman that always seemed ready to be there for anyone and everyone if they had need of it. Yet, she couldn't come out with the entire story or what she was beginning to suspect. The mention fo normal wolves alone had the older woman frowning and setting down her put so that she could take a seat next to Luna.

"Should I be saying goodbye to you soon then? Listen, child, don't let those tales be scaring you off. I was born and chances are i'll probably die here and I have never in all my years heard of anyone getting attacked by the wolves up there. Least ways not anyone that wasn't asking for it ahead of time."

Luna sighed. She didn't want to go. She still liked this town, these people, with a few exceptions. She'd left her parent's home for a reason, and if she went back, she wasn't sure she would have the courage to leave again. So if she let herself be scared off by an animal, she didn't know where else she would go.

"No.. I don't know. I just last night.... it scared me."

As she spoke, her fingers, warmed from the hot coffee cup, grazed her neck. The memory of last night still far too vivd in her mind. She hadn't even been able to fall asleep after regaining the safety of her home. So at dawn's first light she'd made her way into town, looking for every excuse to stay rather than face the aftermath once again. Studying her, Mae slid a hand across the table and laid it across her own, a comforting smill on her face.

"I tell you what. You can stay at my place for a few nights. I would love to have you there. Been awful lonely since Michelle moved out of state."

For a moment, she almost refused, the irrational fear that she'd be putting the other woman in dnager almost overwhelming her. Yet, she had the oddest sense that she was the only one that wolf was after. Spending another night alone wasn't the best of options, even if she did get the gun she had been studying in the Hunting Supply shop a couple hours ago. Which reminded her that she needed to get to the library and see what they had on werewolves. Maybe it was the sleep depravity but her mind kept returning to that explanation. Nevermind that the wolf had looked nothing like how werewolves were depicted on tv, grotesque and bipedal.

"Thank you, Mae. I just don't want to be out there alone right now."

 

[Malvolio]

For Garrett, this morning had come just like other mornings after the night of the full moon. He'd awakened nude in the forest, his body covered in leaves and mud. The first night of the full moon was always the craziest for him. After a month of being repressed, the Wolf was always eager to get out. It didn't matter that he'd assumed one of his Wolfen forms between the full moons, it was about the degree of control. Most nights, he controlled the Wolf. The Wolf was always *there*... under the surface... when he changed, but for the most part he was in control of his Beastial nature. The nights of the full moon, however, were a different story. Freed of the chains that bound it, the Wolf would run free and wild, hunting and feeding as it pleased, often with the pack in tow.

As he made his way back to his home, Garrett realized something was different. Typically, he could recall fleeting images of the night before, much like a dream. Last night had been... different. There was... someone else.

As he showered and prepared to go to work that morning, Garrett continued to struggle to focus the blury images in his mindseye. He remembered a house now... rain... clothing hanging on a line... a scent...

Garrett was driving now. His mind was wandering... the scent... a house... stalking... Female... rain... the moist ground under his paws... Female... basket being flung at him... scent... Female...

Lost in a daze of his thoughts, Garrett suddenly realized a truck had halted at the traffic light in front and him and slammed on his brakes, coming to a screeching halt inches from its rear bumper!

Female? There'd been a human woman there. He'd toyed with her, frightened her. What was the Wolf doing?

Garrett arrived at his hardware shop, parking his pickup truck behind the store as was customary. Feeling the need for a cup of coffee, he walked across the street to the coffee and pastry shop for a little pick-me-up.

As he entered the store, the scent hit his nose like a ton of bricks. The memories again flashed through his mind. Deep down inside him, the Wolf howled with recognition.

Female...

It was her. Luna was sitting at a table with Mae Cartwright. Everything suddenly made sense. The Wolf had gone looking for Luna.

Garrett didn't look their way, took his place in line and pretended not to notice her. But her scent...

Even now, in his human form, twenty-five feet away from her, he could smell her. The Wolf growled with delight.

Garrett broke into a cold sweat. The Wolf was struggling within him... fighting... but... HOW? This was impossible. The Wolf couldn't escape now, during the daylight, without a full moon... could it? Garrett's mind raced... but tonight was the second night of the full moon. Perhaps this was giving the Wolf more strength. Not enough to escape, but it was stronger, nonetheless.

Stepping up to the counter to order, Garrett prayed Luna wouldn't notice him.

 

[MirrorShadow]

Chatting amiably with Mae, she calmed down bit by bit. The woman was about the only one she called friend in this place. When she'd first moved here, it was always Mae that cheered her up and had even came by with some food every now and then. At a time like this, Luna was glad to have someone like her to talk to.

She was more or less oblivious to the going ons around her and Mae was letting the other, younger waitresses take over her tables for now. Then she looked up for no good reason at all except she felt almost compelled to. When she noticed who she was looking at, her eyes widened and her grip tightened on the cup in her hand. It was Him. For a few tense moments, her fear of the wolf and the man before her were one and the same. Then Mae turned to see where she was looking and gave her an amused grin.

"That would be Jacob Fleetfoot. Do you two know each other or is this an instance of love at first sight"

Her confusing words snapped her out of the trance. Frowning faintly in confusion, she mentally berated herself for even beginning to buy into his crazy tales.

"Who?"

"The man you've been staring at, dear. His uncle owns the property out on Summit Hill Road. Mmm, I tell you, those boys have some strong genes all right. He's the spitting image of his uncle when he was that age, real loner type too. Do you want I should introduce you?"

Mae laughed when Luna pinned her friend's hand to the table, keeping her from waving 'Jacob' over. Even if she now had a haunting suspicion that his tale of werewolves, even a false name, was nothing more than a practical joke on his part. That didn't mean she wanted to be anywhere near him. Stabdibg up suddenly, Luna said her farewells to her friend and made to rush out of the diner. Except she was in such a hurry that she ended up colliding into a solid chest. A chest that belonged to the exact man she was trying to avoid. Stepping back a bit, she teetered on her feet before gathering her wits about her once again and stepping past him, then out the door.

She doubted she would go home. That wolf was still out there, practical joke or not, but she wasn't going to stay anywhere around him.

 

[Malvolio]

Garrett/Jacob was lost in his thoughts when Luna collided with him. Not a word was exchanged, not even a "pardon me" by either of them and she raced past him and out the door.

The Wolf growled again, stronger this time.

Garrett's fears and concerns slowly melted away. Why was he avoiding her? Was he afraid? She'd saved his life after all. She knew his secret. He should be thankful to her. But she was afraid of him.

He would change this. His eyes narrowed, his resolve steeled. Yes, there would need to be a lot of changes...

Garrett quickly stepped out of the coffee shop and began to trail her. He stayed back, well out of sight, but his senses were in a heighted state now and his nose could track her smell.

Mmmm...

He followed her down the block, uncertain at first of why he was doing this. All thoughts of the hardware store were lost now. He had to talk with her. Calm her fears. Let her know he was not a threat to her. He would follow... waiting... waiting... for the right opportunity.

The Wolf growled with delight.

 

[MirrorShadow]

As she walked, she continued to glance behind her every few minutes, certain she was being followed, but not seeing a single soul that seemed to be doing so, much less Him. Still she picked up the pace as she weaved her way through streets and alleyways, and was practically jogging when she plunged through the door.

It was a weekday. Many would be working and children would be in school. So she wasn't surprised by how vacant the library was. Waiting just inside the door, she watched the people the were making their way past for a good ten minutes until she finally relaxed. It was nothing, she was just being paranoid, that was all.

One practical joke and a couple coincidental events, combined with her sleepless state had obviously left her fairly unstable. Good thing she wasn't driving back home. She was likely to fall asleep and run into a tree. Smiling at her foolishness, she smoothed back her hair and made her way deeper into the maze of shelves. She'd always liked libraries. They were peaceful places. Even if she wasn't reading, she could always find a place perfect for relaxing.

Except she was here for a purpose today, so she made herself turn to the unfamiliar section of mythology. There weren't many books on werewolves, most of what she found were fairy tales and Norse folklore. What she did find, she carried over to a table placed discreetly in the back to afford students some sort of productive study environment. Yet as time slipped by, she found her eyes fluttering closed repeatedly. Until she succumbed to how weary her body was, the book she was reading serving now as a makeshift pillow.

 

[Malvolio]

Garrett followed her scent through town, managing to stay of sight. She was clearly sensing his following her. He smiled to himself. I'm the Hunter here, my dear. You'll never see me coming.

Eventually she made her way into the local library. Garrett waited outside a bit, allowing her ample time to get settled upon whatever task she was performing at the library. Eventually he made his way inside.

The smell of old books and a twinge of mildew and mold assaulted his senses. However, tracking her through the stacks of books was easy. Ultimately, he found her squirrelled away in the back, her eyes drooping as she read. Garrett waited and watched from afar. Eventually her head dipped and did not rise. He waited a few more minutes before creeping up stealthily. An idea formed quickly in his mind. He grabbed a book on bee colonies off a nearby shelf and tucked it under his arm.

"Miss? Miss?" he said as he nudged her arm to wake her.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, but... well, I was concerned... are you alright? Are you ill?"

He smiled politely, but feigned surprise as she lifted her head.

“Oh! It’s… you. I… I’m sorry to disturb you, Miss. Good day.”

He turned to leave.

The Wolf’s desire was growing as his body began to give off a subtle musky scent designed to attract.

 

[MirrorShadow]

(Sorry for being gone, but I couldn't remember my password to save my life.)

Sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead, lending bright patches to the otherwise dark forest. It felt almost familiar but she couldn't shake the absolute knowledge that she had lost her way somehow. As she walked, the lights seemed to grow ever more sparse and she began to get the most disconcerting feeling that something was watching her.

She turned around, but nothing was there. Yet the feeling grew until her pace grew quicker almost without her knowledge. When she heard the low growling, she broke into a run, tripping over exposed roots and brambles along the way, heading even farther into the darkness. Suddenly she fell to the ground and when she turned, it was a man with the eyes of a wolf that stared at her.

"Miss? Miss?"

Her eyes snapped open, wide with fright, as her mind wrapped around the fact that she was staring at blocks of text instead of deadly topaz eyes.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, but... well, I was concerned... are you alright? Are you ill?"

Lifting her head at the voice, her eyes only widened even more as she realized who it was, her breath catching in her throat. She didn't know what to do. He looked harmless, nice even now that he was clothed and not in her house. But she couldn't help the fright that leaped in her chest as he tried to placate her.

“Oh! It’s… you. I… I’m sorry to disturb you, Miss. Good day.”

He started to leave and she was going to let him. Too late she remembered the contents of the books strewn around her and what he'd probably think of her for reading them. Reaching a hand after him, she stood up, the haphazard action managing to send a few books tumbling to the floor.

"W..wait!"

Scrambling to replace the tomes on the desk, she ran after him, almost grabbing his shirt before she thought better of it and returned her hand to her side.

"Don't misunderstand, Mr. Fleetfoot, I was just curious. It has nothing to do with your practical jokes or anything."

Such lies. They sounded completely false, even to her own ears.