The white wolf (GxG)

This couldn't be good (part 9)

Lilly's POV:

School wasn't so bad, it was a little quieter than usual actually. We usually get at least one shifter pair trying to rip each other's throats out for doing something supposedly disrespectful. It was starting to get a little cold out and I enjoyed the breeze on my face. School would be out in just a few weeks and everyone would go back to their packs or homes. Shifters usually spent the summer training but for the most part it was all voluntary, most just need to know enough to defend themselves. Our pack was one of the more aggressive ones, based off of how Jason decided to lead us. But thankfully we usually didn't start anything unless someone else started it.

The path I normally followed beckoned me but I groaned and turned away from it to head into town instead. The school was maybe a mile or two outside of town, closer to the forests we all stayed in. Yawning, I trudged into town and dug into my bag to look for my wallet and white board. "You'd think living in this town for so long, people would remember that I can't talk." I thought. I heard Alli chuckle quietly and I laughed with her. "You can talk, remember?" I snorted at Alli's remark and didn't reply. The board was cold in my hand and I scrunched my face up at the feeling. I pocketed my wallet too and tugged my bag back onto my shoulder. I had a job but I hadn't worked there since school started, my boss didn't want me to 'ruin my education.' So I saved up the money I had gotten from it and waited patiently for her to not feel bad about letting me work there.

"Will that be all?" I glanced at my feast of food on the counter. Some ramen noodles, candy bars, and a couple of energy drinks. I don't know why the cashier bothered to ask, he literally knew that I didn't talk. His name was Owen, and we had managed to start a weird sort of friendship, we knew each other from my frequent trips to the gas station and we had somehow gotten to the point where he'd joke around with me pretty often. I rolled my eyes at his question but gave him a thumbs up. "Alrighty then my dear mute friend, that'll be thirteen dollars." I winced at the price but handed over a twenty. He pushed some keys and handed me my change and grinned. "Have fun with your feast! Be safe walking home, there's rumors of kids going missing and getting hurt and shit. Would hate to have that happen to you."

I frowned at his warning and wrote down a quick thank you on my board before shoving it into my bag along with my 'feast'. I waved goodbye and pushed on the door to get back outside. I followed the route I usually took to get to one of my safe spots. Safe spots weren't really a thing, they were usually just a bit better hidden than most things. This spot was an old abandoned picnic spot, if anyone actually came here anymore it was just to smoke and drink. I groaned quietly as I thumped down on the hard wood of one of the benches. My backpack clinked loudly and I mentally smacked myself for it. Shaken up energy drinks weren't that fun to deal with.

It was easy to hesitate when eating. I had been doing it since I was young. Mostly influenced by Jason, who's favorite punishment was denying food and water, but I had always been a slow and hesitant eater anyway. I glanced at my ramen and got to work on crunching it up in the bag. Alli made some sort of snarky remark but I couldn't quite catch what she said. After I was positive it was crunched up well enough I opened up the bag and dumped the seasoning in before shaking the bag vigorously. Some of the seasoning stuck to my finger and I wiped it off in disgust. I had made the mistake one too many times of licking pure seasoning. I leaned back on the table and got to work on slowly eating the dry noodles.

My mind wandered to what Owen had said. I hadn't heard of any missing kids, but I guess that doesn't mean they aren't missing. Were there people getting hurt too? Maybe it was a rogue shifter, that was never good. Some decided they wanted to use their gift for evil and would let their wolves completely take over. Balance was key with wolf and human relationships and when a wolf fully took over the human part usually never resurfaced. It's not common, but it happens.

Behind me, a branch snapped loudly. I resisted the urge to lurch around and instead tilted my head to the side slowly to see if there was in fact anything behind me. Along with shifters we did have actual wolves and other things like that around here, and I really didn't feel like getting snapped up by something much bigger than me. Nothing appeared though, so I slowly relaxed once again and cracked open one of my energy drinks, which fizzed loudly and overflowed slightly onto my hand. I licked off the sticky liquid and took a long drink of it. Then I took some time to relax on the bench and enjoy the cooling weather. At that moment a loud snarl came from the trees behind me and I turned just in time to see a large rust colored wolf coming straight for me. I grunted as their weight pressed against my chest and sent me flying backwards, I could hear their body smack against the ground from the collision. I tried to catch myself by planting my feet like how I'd been taught, but only succeeded in stumbling even more. I fell against the hard earth and gasped quietly, trying to push air into my lungs after it had been forced out. I hadn't recognized the wolf when it was coming at me, but it all happened so fast... another low rattling growl came from my right and I pushed myself up with what strength I had. Was this wolf after me? Were they the one that Owen was talking about? To my right, a cream colored wolf was crouched against the earth, blood was drooling out of their nose and their green eyes were staring holes into the rust colored wolf, who was in almost the same position on the other side of me. This couldn't be good.

Willows POV:

After lunch I could only think about Lilly. Alex seemed to know what was happening, but she didn't say anything so I prayed she'd just wait for me to tell her. Lilly was already gone by the time I left the school and I considered following her, but I didn't want to completely scare her. She already seemed freaked out enough at lunch, just with Alex and I sitting with her! I dragged my feet through the tall grass on the way to the house and almost fell flat on my face when my foot caught a root. I grumbled at it and dusted myself off before continuing. What could help her? She didn't seem to mind when we were tapping our feet together under the table? Maybe as long as it wasn't skin on skin contact she was ok with it? Or maybe it's because it was me? Did I actually have that much of an effect on her?

"Willow!" I let out a frightened yelp and immediately felt my cheeks redden from the strangled noise. My dad was standing a few feet away from me, an annoyed expression on his face. This couldn't be good.

"Yeah dad? I was just walking home." I made sure to lift my feet when I went to meet him and kept about two feet between us.

"Mm isn't that nice." I winced at his tone. "What do you know about Lily?" I stiffened at the mention of her and immediately regretted it when a grin spread across his face. "Well? Spill."

"I don't know that much." I muttered. "She's an omega or whatever, and she can't shift. Everyone knows her for that. She's pathetic." I forced my face to remain neutral, even though saying the words out loud made me feel like I was lighting my tongue on fire.

"Come on kiddo." I bristled at the nickname as he put his arm around my shoulders and tugged me closer to him to force me to walk with his fast stride. "You know I don't like lying, right?"

"Right."

"So why are you lying to me?" I swallowed sharply and let out a laugh that sounded way too nervous.

"I'm not lying to you. Why would I lie to you about Lilly? She doesn't mean anything to me."

"Whatever you say, kiddo. The truth will come out eventually though, won't it?"

I stayed silent as we approached the house and he let me go with a harsh pat on the back. Tears of fear pricked at my eyes and I resisted wiping them away. Instead I hurried inside and into my room, just barely catching the door before it shut so it didn't slam. Lilly hadn't been here yet, I could tell that much at least. I didn't know where she was but I couldn't bring myself to leave to look for her. If my dad caught me... caught us...

Tears trickled down my face and I curled up on my bed in a ball, shoving a pillow against my face to muffle any noises and to catch the tears rolling down my cheeks. I just want Lilly but I don't know if I'd ever be able to have her.