In the Eyes of the Wolf

Chapter 42

Karim nodded but didn't say anything else. I was surprised Emi wasn't talking more, she hadn't really been quiet since we left the packhouse, right up until the gym came into view.

"Should we go around the back?" Clementine asked. "Just in case."

Karim tapped the steering wheel a few times before starting to drive around the parking lot. "It's not really the widest opening," he commented. Yet, he continued to slowly drive forward. "Would she be thin enough to fit through the window?"

"Karim," Emi hissed. I looked back at her to see she was glaring daggers at him. "You can't expect her to climb through the window."

Karim stared back at her. "I can, since there's no room to open the door."

"So, you'd make Harlow climb through the window?" Emi retaliated and crossed her arms.

"He'd fit," Karim said and faced the front. The car returned to silence, so much so that we could hear running from inside.

I was so concentrated on the running and the muffled voices that I jumped when a growl came from the front of the car. A slender wolf creeped out of the shadows, glaring at us.

"I dare you to scratch this car," Karim growled. The lighting made his facial scars stand out, adding to the threatening tone. I found myself inching away from him. He stepped on the gas and inched forward. Every time the wolf creeped forward; Karim moved forward as well.

"You're gonna be turned into roadkill buddy," Emi told the wolf. "Just back up and away from the car."

The wolf gave a good attempt at a grin before turning around and darting away, the light escaping the gym as they went through the back door. "That wasn't so smart," I said. "Back up."

Karim did so without complaint, and I got out, entering the gym for myself. The wolf didn't go very far, as it waited for me around the corner of the gym.

It would've been ideal to fight in my wolf form, but I couldn't afford Kelsey seeing me transformed. She wouldn't know it was me, and it'd be a random wild wolf in the middle of the town.

Instead, I kicked the wolf the best I could. It growled and snarled, launching again. I spun and kicked it again. I was strong, but it would take more than a few kicks to remove the threat. They changed tactics and ran through my legs, turning and scratching the back of my knees with their claws.

I sighed and kneed them in the jaw, causing some of their teeth to sink into my knee. Whilst they were down, I punched them in between their eyes. I darted around the corner before they could follow me and raced through the short hallways.

It wasn't hard to find Kelsey on the floor of a dressing room with the door still locked. Her feet were visible in the gap between the floor and the door.

"Kelsey, open the door," I said as I banged my fist against it a few times. "I'll get you out of here."

"Farley, there are wolves," she said shakily. "I heard growling. It was horrible."

I mentally cursed, that sent the idea of her not knowing about wolves out the window.

"It's okay," I replied. "We'll get past them; you just have to open the door."

The door clicked, opening an inch, revealing one of her brown wide eyes with tears pouring down her face.

I didn't wait for the door to open all the way before I pushed it open and grasped her wrist, not hard enough to hurt.

"Where are we going?" she asked. Her expression turned to one of hurt when I shushed her, but that didn't last long as growling became louder.

A bang and a whimper followed the growling, it came from the other side of the staffroom door, probably near the gym equipment.

"We're going to get in so much trouble," Kelsey muttered. This time I didn't shush her, one wolf was injured. Hopefully they were the only two here.

We ran to the source of the noise and found Harlow backed into a corner, a wolf in front of him. "Are you alright?" I asked, still dragging Kelsey behind me. I checked Harlow over for any visible injuries.

"Yeah, I'm fast," Harlow replied. "You're not though."

I looked down to see the blood covering my leg and waved him off. "It's fine."

"Oh my gosh, Farley, you need to go to the hospital," Kelsey fretted. "I knew you were limping."

"I was limping?" I asked. "Huh, I didn't notice. Anyway, I'll go to the hospital after we leave this place." That was a clear lie, I wouldn't be going to any hospital.

"But-" Kelsey started but was interrupted by the door on the other side of the room slamming open. Two more snarling wolves stood in the doorway, ready to lunge.

"Let's go!" I yelled and turned around, heading for the front door.

They were still open, so it didn't take us long to get outside. But every second that we used standing still was a few feet closer for the wolves chasing us. We got outside and I whistled so that Karim could hear we were out.

"Nobody else was on shift, right?" I asked Kelsey, who was now shaking as she got into the car.

"They left," Kelsey replied through heavy breaths. She wasn't unfit, she was probably holding her breath whilst running due to fright. "\Just as I set the alarm."

I was going to comment about how the alarm was no longer ringing, but I got in the car just as the wolves slammed through the windows of the gym.

"My earlier threat still applies," Karim said after swiftly kissing Harlow on the cheek. The wolves paid him no mind as they charged towards the car, claws at the ready. "I warned them," Karim said in mock sadness as he reversed, causing the wolves to scramble backwards.

"Isn't that illegal?" Kelsey squeaked. "They're like...endangered?"

"They will be when I see the damage done to my car," Karim responded.

It appeared to all be too much for Kelsey, as she rested her head against the window and closed her eyes. I didn't know what I could do or say to help her, so I just let her rest.

"They turn in front of her?" Clementine asked with a frown. I'd told her plenty of times about Kelsey, the two of them had even met for a few minutes in a store once. Kelsey was just the kind of person who gets along with everyone, it's hard to have a negative impression of her.

"Well, she definitely saw wolves," I said with a sigh. "We'll have to take her home."

Hello lovelies!!
I hope that you're all doing well!

The question of the chapter is what time do you usually wake up?

For me, it's between six and seven-nearly always. I'm quite shattered today as I was out yesterday, but I woke up at about twenty past five, which was really uncalled for to be honest.