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Wolf

I was a olf

The relief I felt at that realization was incredible It flowed through th If I could re else with time

Besides, a wolf could easily survive in wild places like this She could find food and water that I, the humanoid, would never spot She also had a thick red coat to protect her skin from the sun I needed that protection -

needed it badly

I closed my eyes and called for the ithin But instead of pohat rose was another wash of pain It was thick and fierce and hit like a punch to the gut, leaving

The as there I could feel her, fierce and angry But she couldn’t answer There was so her, and I had no idea what that sory sound filled with frustration and pain

Da on?

How could someone stop the wolf? She was a part of me, part what I was How could that be stopped?

I hope you enjoy the week you have reant voice had said But I very ain, its taste so bitter that I aled A week I had a week, if that voice was to be believed A week to discover who I here I was, and what the hell was going on

It suddenly didn’t seeely, hitting the tree trunk and sending bark flying Pain rippled upthe various other aches that ebbed and flowed across ain, this ti the tree wasn’t going to achieve anything

I glanced up at the sun again I couldn’t go out in that My skin was already red and tender, and it felt like I was burning froone fairly deep Shape-shifting would have solved that problem, but that was - for whatever reason - out the question I’d have to wait out the heat and travel at night

Meaning, whether I liked it or not, I was stuck here until sunset I crossed s and plopped down on the sandy soil After a while, I closed nore the aches and the internal fires and the confusion

I didn’t succeed

Time passed slowly, but eventually dusk cast its bloody ribbons across the sky and the heat began to fade I rose stiffly to , thatbut crisp, clean einning to twinkle in the sky, and headed that way It was as good a direction as any

Dusk continued to blaze across the sky, vivid and beautiful, but eventually gave way to night The stars cahter than I could ever re much, because it wasn’t like I could remember a whole lot

I kicked up a puff of soil withthe dust float away on the breeze Was I ant voice had said he wasn’t going to killto do it hi me out here, in the middle of nowhere, with no resources and no one to call on Not even my wolf

In the distance, crickets droned Ora whole lot etting louder

Too loud, in fact, to be either crickets or locusts I stopped and frowned up at the sky Saw the lights - lights that wereht, the landscape was vast, and the chances of their seeing me were next to none, but that didn’t stopto catch their attention

Light shot out fro the hill above me I ran toward it, saw it dart sideways, and dove frantically for that patch of bright salvation I hit the turf hard, rolled to ainst the harshness of the light

"Help!" I screaain "I need help!"

For a ht flicked off and the plane banked away

"No!" The renched froround in frustration, my vision suddenly blurred with tears Damn it, they couldn’t leave They couldn’t

They weren’t

The plane was descending, not leaving I scrambled to my feet and ran down the hill toward it

The plane taxied to a halt and the small rear door opened A red-haired e of the boy who’d chasedinside aze fell on his face, my steps slowed That face wasn’t the face I re

For a start, it was a whole lot younger

He didn’t seem to noticethat was fierce and strong

"Jesus, Hanna," he said, his voice hoarse "I thought you were dead"

Hanna I rolled the name around internally, but for soht "Obviously, I’hed - a rich warth His bright gray eyes - so familiar, so alien - searched iven that’s how I feel" I stepped back, away from his touch "Who the hell are you?"

Surprise rippled across his features "What do you mean, who the hell am I? Who do you think I a the question" I crossed my arms and stared at him He was a little taller than h-hewn but oddly handsome, and his scent said he was a wolf Froo by

Part of me felt like I should have known him, but the other part, the instinctive part, said he was a stranger

"Hanna, you knoho I am" He reached for h his eyes Surprise and concern "You really don’t, do you?"

I didn’t bother answering Just waited

"For fuck’s sake, what’s happened to you?" He scrubbed a hand across his face "I’ at him He wasn’t my brother Not the brother I wanted, not the brother I was expecting

God, this was all so da the truth?"

Frustration and hurt rippled through his expression If he was acting, then he was da?

I didn’t know I just didn’t know

It was beco somewhat of a theme for me

"I can’t prove it here, obviously I didn’t bother collecting our life history when I ca for you" But he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open to show me his license His name was indeed Evin Evin London He flipped it closed before I could catch the address, and said, "Happy?"