Xavier and the Wolf (Legends of Pinewood 1)

14. You will find it under the full moon

The moment Boris' house and the garden fence came into sight, I slowed down. I removed my earbuds and slipped them into my jogging pants' pocket. There was no light inside Boris' house. Maybe he'd turned in early tonight, which also bode well for me. I would honestly be more embarrassed if Boris caught me than if Aquila did. I couldn't face my mom and dad either if Boris was mad at me.

Why was I here again?

I stopped walking. This was so stupid. What I expected to see was impossible, and what I could stand to lose was Boris' respect. And my freedom for like a week if my parents got upset I was sneaking around Boris' house at night, which meant I did technically leave town, and grounded me.

Just as I was about to turn away from Boris' garden fence, I heard a sound that made me jolt. It was a groan, like someone was in pain. I stared at the garden fence wide-eyed. It seemed to be coming from the other side of the fence.

"Boris?" I called out. "Aquila?"

I heard another groan. This one definitely sounded pained, and that was when I started running towards the fence. I didn't bother looking for the gate—as far as I knew, there wasn't one. Instead, I leapt, somehow got a solid grip on the wood, and pulled myself up. Swinging my feet over the fence, I landed in the grass on the other side.

I gasped when I saw Aquila on the ground, curled into a little ball with his eyes squeezed shut. Then a shadow moved on my right, only a few feet away. Boris marching towards me with anxiousness and shock written all over his face.

"Xavier, you can't be here," Boris snapped. He grabbed my arm and started pulling me towards the house.

"No, wait, what's wrong with him?" I protested, staring at Aquila who twitched and sweat like he was in a lot of pain.

Boris didn't reply. His grip on my arm tightened, and he pressed a hand to my face, trying to cover my eyes as he forcibly dragged me along. I planted my heels into the soil and fought against his grip, but it hardly even affected Boris.

I couldn't wriggle myself out of Boris' hold, but I could move my head. Turning to the side, I tried to look at Aquila. He'd stood up and in a flash, we made eye-contact. 

Aquila looked right at me, and then fur sprouted out of his skin. He fell on all fours as his bones cracked. 

He screamed, or maybe I screamed. Either way, there was screaming as Aquila's clothes ripped and he grew a tail and a snout.

I froze and stared at the gigantic wolf now sitting in front of me instead of Aquila. I hardly even noticed that Boris had let go of my arm and ceased his attempts to cover my face.

"A-Aquila?" I stuttered at the wolf.

The wolf lowered his tail and whined. Then it turned towards the fence and leapt over it with ease. The rustling of bushes faded into the distance.

"Oh bother," Boris grumbled behind me. "Never mind hiding, I guess. We're going straight through to damage control."

"I—Aquila," I stammered, pointing at the fence the wolf had just disappeared behind. I looked at Boris. "What?"

"Kid, why don't we step inside for a moment," Boris suggested. He put an arm around me and started guiding me towards his house. I didn't fight him this time and let him lead me to a chair in the living room.

Boris made a plopping sound with his lips as he sat opposite me and ran a hand through his hair. "So, I'm going to assume you have some questions."

I opened and closed my mouth. My brain was flatlined. There were so many questions that I couldn't form a coherent one. "All I'm thinking right now is what the actual fuck," I blurted.

Boris chuckled wryly. "Fair enough. Maybe I should just talk for a moment then... about the wolves of Pinewo—"

"They're people," I interrupted him. "People are the wolves, aren't they?"

"Look." Boris sighed. "The short answer is yes. The long answer is yes, but this is not something we like to broadcast. Understand?"

"Then—then why are you admitting it to me now?" I asked, frowning. "Shouldn't you just tell me I'm crazy, I imagined it, and send me on my way? That's what everyone's been doing so far."

"It's not like anyone will believe you anyway." Boris stood and walked over to the carton box with the fairytales of Pinewood book. He took it out of the box and then offered it to me. "Besides that, I've had my eye on you for a while, kid. You're good. You have a good heart, and you might be exactly what we need."

I accepted the book from Boris hands and traced the art on the cover. "Exactly what you need for what?"

"For helping me with my job."

I snorted. "Sorry, I'm happy to help, but I'm a solid average at woodworking and other handyman work."

"I'm not talking about my day job, Xavier." Boris' gaze was intense and made the little hairs on my neck stand up. "I'm talking about protecting these woods and everyone in it."

I let out a nervous chuckle and broke eye-contact. "That sounds like a huge responsibility. Isn't that what the wolves of Pinewood are said to do?"

"Yes," Boris replied. "But we can't do it alone. I believe we're realising that more and more."

"Well, what would you want me to do about it, then?" I asked. I reached for my temples to massage them, keeping the book in my lap. "I'm just... barely even wrapping my mind around what I just saw outside. Aquila turns into a wolf? And then what? He protects the woods?"

"You got the gist of it," Boris said with a lopsided smile. "There are many more of us."

"Us?" I repeated. "So you're a wolf too?"

Boris dipped his head. "Sharp."

"If you're also a wolf, or a werewolf, then why didn't you turn? It's the full moon," I pointed out.

Boris' gaze darted to the window. "Once a wolf matures and becomes more experienced with shifting, we have a better handle on it. Aquila's young and more volatile. He can't fight the urge as well yet, but we're working on it. That's why I installed a garden fence. Should he feel the sudden irresistible urge to shift, at least he's not doing it in plain sight." Boris clacked his tongue. "Obviously, that preventive measure didn't work."

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Yeah, well."

A brief silence fell. I broke it after a few moments.

"So, now what?" I asked. "I'm just supposed to read this book and it will explain everything? I doubt it. How can you even explain people turning into wolves?"

"I do suggest you go home and read that book first," Boris agreed. "And you won't talk about this with anyone. Anyone except for me and Aquila. Go to him tomorrow, and nobody else. I sincerely hope that's understood, Xavier. They won't believe you, and I will know you talked."

I swallowed thickly. The threats were wholly unnecessary. Who was I going to tell? Everyone would think I was crazy. I would've thought I was crazy if I hadn't seen Aquila change with my own eyes. And this time, it couldn't be blamed on a concussion.

"Okay," I said after talking a deep breath. "Fine. I'll go home, I'll read, and I'll talk to Aquila tomorrow."

"Good." Boris ruffled my hair. "You're taking this way better than I thought you would."

I wasn't. I was just the type to scream on the inside and look calm on the surface. All I wanted to do was leave, hide, and try to make sense of all of this. I offered Boris a forced smile. "Good night then," I said.

"Good night, kid."

With the book clutched in my arms, I made for the front door. Then I ran the entire way home, thoughts traveling at a thousand miles an hour.