The Worst Kind of Wonderful

Chapter FIVE

✖The Worst Kind of Wonderful✖

"We have doomed the wolf

not for what it is, but for what we

deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be

-the mythologized epitome of a savage ruthless killer -

which is, in reality, no more than a reflected image of ourself."

-Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf

Chapter Five~

Dust flung up from under the soles of my shoes as I ran. Making my way along the dirt road in search of Annabelle to tell her about the meeting and the mysterious box that I still held, clutched under my arm. I had an unexplained sense of urgency that settled in the pit of my stomach. A feeling that's origin I couldn't quite place, but knew with great certainty what purpose it held. It reminded me that I had to move quickly to leave less time for problems.

But as chance would have it, I was running straight into what I unwittingly strived to avoid. I already checked Belle's house and was making my way towards the pack village square when I was stopped by a sharp tug on my elbow. "Mia, I've been looking for you." It was Shane Worth, the same Shane Worth whose father almost ruined me and who probably hated me for my promotion.

"Oh, Shane...hey?" I tried, shifting my weight and trying to avoid his intense gaze.

"I heard about what happened in your orientation today, I'm so sorry for what my dad did. I should've kept my mouth shut about the arrows, it was probably just my wolf's temper making me see things." I was at a loss for words. Shane had always been an arrogant jerk and seeing him this way made me uneasy.

"Oh." Was the only thing I could manage.

"So..."

"So..." The air was thick with the pressure of conversation but I wasn't sure how to end it. I tried to think of a plan to escape but my thoughts were cut off when he came up with something first.

"Are you delivering that box somewhere?"

"No, it's mine." I explained trying to bury my nerves.

"Oh, what's in it?"

"I don't know." The look on his face showed his increasing suspicion which only made me look and feel more guilty.

"I though you said it was yours."

"It is." I confirmed hiding it slightly behind my back.

"So what's in the box?"

"It's a present!" I was tired of his questions but couldn't help the feeling of success I felt for coming up with a reasonable explanation.

"Who's it for?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and glaring down at me. This was the Shane I knew.

"It's for Christian! God, Shane stop with the twenty questions."

"You got your sister's boyfriend a present? It's not even his birthday, or a holiday. What's up with you?"

"It's his mom's birthday, and its from my entire family so I didn't get a chance to see what it was. Now if you're done interrogating me, I have to go." I turned abruptly power-walking down the path in front of me. The Worth's knew something was up and I couldn't let them know what. I felt my nerves clawing to the surface and my wolf began to stir at the feeling.

I needed to figure out a plan and I needed to do it fast. There were only so many strokes of luck I would be granted before everyone knew my secret, and there was no way I could be within reach of the council when that happened. I got to the only cafe in our community a few minutes later. Belle liked to hang out there sometimes to escape reality when her mother was home.