Following the grueling evening aerobics class, where Crissa had to stop twice to catch her breath, Trisha invited her to go the juice bar to meet the new friends she had connected with the night before from the U.S.
"That's OK. I've got some studying which I'm already behind on," she told her.
"Come on, Crissa . . . It's good to make some acquaintances here."
"You're right. I do have a tendency to be kind of a loner. Maybe you'll help me break that this year."
"Exactly. So, now's a good a time to start. Come on, these two I told you about are pretty fun and friendly."
"Really, Trish. Thanx. But that workout nearly killed me. I'm also soaked with sweat right now. I just don't feel . . ."
"Come on, gorgeous, haven't you ever heard . . . horses sweat, men perspire, and women glow?"
Crissa smiled. "Good one. Well, you certainly glow, but I sweat," she said, putting her book bag on her shoulder and heading in the direction of the dorms.
"Alright. But next time . . . the cougar makes her debut, alright?"
"Very funny," Crissa said, patting the wildcat emblem on her chest proudly. As she passed by the table where the pair in question sat, she instantly felt what Trisha had already told her about the attractive guy. He smiled, held up his plastic cup of orange juice to Crissa, and then immediately began perusing her body with a hungry gaze. She mustered a smile at the two, nodded, and then went on her way out of the sports building into to cool air.
As she passed quickly across the campus in the dusky light, Crissa looked up at the mountains to the east across the bay. No sign of the moon yet gave her some relief from the worry she had harbored all afternoon for David.
Returning to her room and preparing to take a shower, she heard her phone ringing on her nightstand.
"Hello?"
"So, how's our college girl doing?" the voice asked, enthusiastically.
"Oh. Hi Dad! Well . . . pretty great I guess. I'm . . . I just got back from an aerobics class."
"Impressive," he said, chuckling to himself. "I just wanted to call to check on things. I missed you today. Your mom said you stopped by briefly."
Crissa froze, standing in her underwear with the shower in the bathroom creating steam. Could he possibly have gotten suspicious? Did he notice the cabin keys were missing?
"Yeah, I just needed some clothes, Dad. Some things I forgot to pack. Sorry I . . . didn't stay. I had to get back for this class which I . . ."
"It's OK, Crissy. I'm not snooping. I just wanted to hear your voice, that's all. Things are different around here now with you gone."
"Yeah, I know. I realize that, Dad."
"See, we just got kind of used to you . . . after eighteen years in the house." He laughed quietly again. "All that skiing. And those summers up in the cabin."
Her heart stopped.
"Yeah, We had . . . great years, Dad. Lots of them. I appreciate all you and mom did for me."
She could only now picture the cabin.
"I know you do, Angel. Just remember to keep in touch with us, alright?"
"Sure, I will. It's a hectic schedule over here . . . but I won't forget, Dad. To call and come by when I can."
"That's my girl."
"So . . . everything OK with you and mom . . . so far? I mean . . . these first days?"
"Perfect, Baby. It's been just quiet. Well, except for last night. The wolves."
"Um . . .Wolves?"
"You know. You could just hear them. Like we sometimes can over here. But they were pretty loud last night. Kind of strange actually."
Crissa felt like her heart was still stopped.
"Could have just been the east wind," he explained. "Carrying their howling at the moon down the mountain, louder."
"Yeah. Maybe that."
"Well . . . OK. I'll let you get back to your busy, busy life, Crissy. You know we both love you. Just don't want to ever have that total blackout we had. Back when you were in Germany. That was pretty tough."
"I know, Dad. It really bothered me, too. Knowing what you two must have been going through."
"So, take care, Crissy."
"OK, Dad. Thanx for the call."
She heard the phone click off and walked pensively into the bathroom. There she finished undressing and stepped into the very warm water. She was fairly certain her father had not noticed the keys were missing. But why would he, she tied to assure herself? Those were only used in the summers, and it was usually her mother who took care of such details.
Closing her eyes and staying under the penetrating water, which she turned up as hot as she could stand, Crissa thought about what her father had said about the pack of gray wolves up on the mountain. It was true. Her family would hear them from time to time, during the nights of the brightest moon. But why so loud the night before, when David was in their presence?
She thought about how they might be treating him—a stranger to their clan. His being even a variant species of wolf, carrying genetic lines from a totally different continent, worried her, as well. She was fully aware of how all species of higher mammals were exclusive, and at times, violently territorial.
As Crissa washed off the sweat and worry from her long day, she realized how completely primitive David's habits would be now, and for the next long days and nights. Bathing was out of the question. Only food and water were important to him. That, and his instincts to hunt---and mate. This last characteristic was as troubling to her as his very survival among the other wolves.
She remembered how he had told her how difficult it was for him to not give-in to those drives which were eclipsing his human habits and willpower. Julie, they both knew---as did the others on the research team, actually did not fight the urge to mate and pair-off with a male wolf. And she actually carried her affections for him over to her female human side, showing dramatically in the hotel her feelings for the village boy, Andreas--one also afflicted.
Could David hold on to his promise to her over the next days and nights ? When the opportunity to commune savagely with the other beasts was present? This disturbing question followed her out of the shower and into the room where she put on her pajamas and would try impossibly to study for both a biology and a chemistry course.
* * *
When Trisha unlocked the dorm room door and entered the room later that night, Crissa was asleep at her desk with her biology book open and her head resting on her folded arms. Her exhaustion from the long day and emotional strain of what she had been through had finally caused her to crash out into a deep sleep.
"Hey, Crissa," her roommate said softly and comfortingly, touching her shoulder. "Why don't you get into bed, sweetie. That kind of studying is no good."
"Oh . . . Hi, Trish," she said, closing her book, then standing up. "Yeah. Right . . . Guess I sort of dozed off here . . ."
"You had a big day, I can see that. But you did pretty well with your first aerobics challenge." Trisha smiled.
"A bigger day than most, for sure. So . . . what time is it?"
"Eleven-fifteen."
"God. And I didn't finish the reading!"
"Just get some sleep, girlfriend. Get up early. And do it then. It's always better that way."
Crissa considered the wisdom in this, just when Trisha's phone rang in her workout bag.
"God, Again! " she said, obviously perturbed. "Hey Baby!"
Crissa could tell it was San Diego calling. Trisha's boyfriend.
"I told you. I was doing aerobics. My phone was off until now . . . No, Robby, I do need that much exercise. With the food they offer us here, I'll be . . . a whale when you see me next. You don't want that, do you, Hon?"
There was a long pause while her boyfriend was obviously asking her some serious questions.
"Yeah . . . A few people. But all girls, I assure you. No Baby. The guys are all creepy up here."
Crissa tried to act busy.
"Of course, I do! . . . Yeah. I know you do, Robby. Look. It's late and I have get a shower and study. I'll call tomorrow. OK, Baby?"
Trisha's voice suddenly became almost a whisper.
"Of course, I think about that, Robby. I know you miss it too. Alright . . . maybe tomorrow when I come back from my first class. OK, I know. Love you too."
Crissa pretended she wasn't eves-dropping on the conversation by noisily putting her books together into a pile on her desk.
"God! . . . Men!" Trisha said loudly, as she threw her smartphone onto her bed. "They can be such . . . high maintenance creatures!"
Crissa was silent, not really knowing how to respond.
"I hope your guy's easy to deal with," Trisha said to her loudly. "And not like all the rest!" She then violently removed her workout clothing and stood naked before the closet mirror, critically viewing herself.
Crissa just prepared her books for the morning and remained silent.
If Trisha only knew, she thought to herself.
* * *