Once Upon a Wolf

Chapter 12

Moving through the living room to the guest bathroom, I heard Brett's voice raised that pierced the silence of the house. It came from outside, but not from the barbeque up in front. His voice wandered from the back of the house.

I stood still and extended my ear to hear the argument that broke out. It sounded almost like a fight was about to happen as I heard another dominant deep voice added to the commotion — Maddox! An ominous feeling settled upon me. A sense of both anticipation and dread coursed through my veins, as if I were being drawn toward something inexplicable.

I moved cautiously forward, past the stairs and kitchen to the back of the house. A large sliding door was agape, and I looked at five men through the window. The twin brothers, Brett and Maddox, stood with Clarke surrounding something. My heart pounded in my chest, but an unquenchable curiosity propelled me to stand and look at what was happening.

The guys were acting weird, animalistic — growling and shit. I almost burst out laughing at the comical scene. But as I approached closer. My smirk faded; my jaw dropped to the floor with widened, unbelieving eyes. There, in the center, stood a wolf with gleaming sharp teeth bared at them. The biggest wolf I ever seen up close. It was unnatural, like the grey wolf from the dreamy night. I gasped, slapping my hand over my mouth, holding my scream. I made a move to call 911, but stopped as I saw Maddox approach and spoke to the brown-furred creature.

"What the fuck?" my mouth dropped. That's it! These people have gone bonkers. Now he was talking to a wild animal that was inches away from ripping him to pieces. Zack and Mike taunted it, laughing and mocking the wolf.

I shook my head, confused. Weren't they afraid of the animal that was as big as them?

... and then it happened.

Something I couldn't explain and defied all logic and fucking science that I studied all my life at school and college. Maddox sauntered away from the wolf and crossed his arms against his chest with a scowl. He nodded to Brett, who walked forward.

In a blitz second, Brett appeared to be in an agonizing struggle. His body contorted, muscles rippling beneath his skin, growing in size and strength. His jeans and T-shirt tore and fell away, replaced by coarse, smoky grey fur that spread rapidly across his body. I watched in horror as his bones cracked and reshaped, morphing into a fearsome wolf form. It was a terrifying spectacle, the likes of which I'd only read about in dark fairytales. But there it was, unfolding before my fucking frightened eyes. Brett's face contorted, his nose extending into a snout lined with razor-sharp teeth. His hands twisted into wicked claws, capable of rending flesh with ease. His eyes, once human, turned into a piercing, feral amber.

"Fuck me!" I stuttered in terror. "Yellow eyes."

He turned into a fucking wolf. The same size but a little bigger than the one he faced.

A guttural growl vibrated from Brett's wolf that sent shivers down my spine. I watched with terror gripping me. I stood there for a long while, unable to move or comprehend the reality I had just witnessed. My mind raced, trying to reconcile the impossible with the world as I had known it. But the evidence punched me in the fucking gut! This wasn't myth and fantasy. It was a living, breathing creature.

Suddenly, the two wolves were almost nose to nose, growling menacing at each other. In a brutal flash, Brett leaped forward and sank his teeth into the brown wolf's neck. I heard a fatal crack echo in the air as the wolf feebly howled and the life drawn out of him in the gruesome and deadly bite.

I froze on the spot, not knowing what to do as the twins chuckled at the dead wolf. I slapped my hands against my neck from the bile that rose up in my throat. It was the most horrific scene I've ever seen in my life that reality didn't seem real anymore.

Eventually, I tore myself away from the unnatural sight, my heart heavy with the weight of what I'd just witnessed — hoping it was all a fucking nightmare.

I stepped back, ready to run the fuck away my weak legs could carry me. My feet walked backwards on trembling legs and my damn crutch bumped into something sharp. A table's edge. A vase fell down and shattered across the floor, breaking my silence with it.

"Shit," I breathed out, trembling. Maddox instantly turned around with the others. All their vicious eyes fixated on me. Brett's wolf looked at me with amber eyes that burned. The blood dripping from his mouth, fresh from his kill, and I screamed. I grabbed my damn crutch and ran through the house with a pain shooting up from my ankle. I didn't care if I damaged it further. I needed to get Alice and I the hell out of this hell!

In my fear, I accidentally bumped into Pippa, carrying a tray of glasses. One dropped to the ground in a crash.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" she yelled, with an unimpressed scowl.

But I didn't listen. I ran as fast out of the house, glancing back behind. No wolf followed. Thank fuck!

I dashed past the door and almost fell down the steps onto the ground.

"Alice!" I screamed and spotted her with Faye, Lincoln, and the townland inspector.

Alice looked at me with the others as I came in, hot and heavy.

"Alice!" I shouted with a shaky breath as I reached and fell into her arms, out of breath.

"What's wrong? Your face is so pale," she said with a frown. "It's like you've seen a fucking ghost."

I shook my head with my mouth agape. My brain rejecting everything. "No, not a ghost." I breathed out. "A wolf... he's a fucking werewolf!"