As I expected this time of day, few people were in the park outside of joggers and the dog walkers. It was still warm enough that I wouldn’t need my coat, and seeing as I hadn’t picked it up when I stormed out of the hotel room, that was a good thing. I wasn’t sure how long I should give Jay before I would crawl back to him, but I wanted to make him worry about his ‘lost investment’ for at least a bit.
I couldn’t stop the slight sigh that escaped my lips as I slowly travelled down the path. Why had I been giving him such a hard time again? I had thought it was just so that I could have a reason to divorce him, but now I was feeling upset about not being cherished by him at all. Had I caught feelings for him?
“Ugh, no way,” I muttered to myself and shook my head swiftly. There was not a chance in hell that I had any feelings for such a man! He was too pathetic and sickly sweet.
Passing by a small group of people, I paid no heed to anyone else around me as I muttered quietly under my breath. I glanced their way as I stepped around them; the group looked at me as if they were about to start a fight. I was nervous at first, but when not a single one of them did anything, it relieved me. I hurried down the path and away from the group, but in doing so, I had to take a different path. One that led through the small cluster of trees.
Halfway through the path, a large dark dog jumped out in front of me, growling and pulling its jaws back into a snarl. I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. Was it a stray? Or had I startled it somehow? It looked too feral to be a pet.
“Good doggy?” I whispered. The beast of a dog growled louder at my words. Slowly backing away, the dog matched the pace I set. If it attacked me now, would someone get to me in time to help? I bit my lower lip and continued to back away before the sound of more snarling came from behind me.
I froze. There was more than just one of them and this one sounded just as angry as the other. I dared a glance back, though I tried to keep the first dog within my view. The other one was similar in fur colour, but was almost twice the size!
Fearful for my life, I glanced around for any sign of another person. The group from before had gone. There was no other human nearby at all! I let out a quiet whimper when I realised I was on my own. The only thing I could do was run, knowing very well that with my pampered lifestyle, I stood no chance to outrun these things or two, pick a tree and hope I could climb it high enough before they could bite me.
As soon as I darted for the nearest tree, the two dogs leapt to attack, biting and snarling at my ankles. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but the only thing they did was pull my shoes off of my feet. I was thankful that I had put on slip-on shoes when storming out. Climbing up into the tree and as high as I could get, I saw more large dogs around me. It was almost as though they had planned for me to flee so they could ambush me.
That’s when I realised. These were not dogs. They are wolves!
I had expected wolves near Jay’s resort but at the seaside? There shouldn’t be any wild animals outside of birds and rodents here! So why was a wolf pack here now? Not only that, if they were so brazen as to attack a human, then others in the area were at risk, too.
“Help! Wolves! Someone! There are wolves in the park!” I yelled out as loud as I could, but all I heard in response was even more growling from the beasts below. A couple of them jumped up to get at me. I climbed higher as a result. I couldn’t stay here all night, but nor could I climb down until I was saved.
Has everyone in the park suddenly vanished? I tried calling out again, though it felt like my attempts were in vain. “Someone please help me! Wolves!”
One wolf leapt up again, using two branches as stepping stones. I just barely pulled the hem of my dress away from its maw as it snapped down. I let out a frightened sob, knowing that if no one came for me, then I might die here. If the wolves didn’t kill me, the exposure to the nighttime coldness would.
I didn’t know what else I could do; the wolves were persistent in trying to get to me. I didn’t understand why they seemed to think I would make a tasty meal. I wasn’t their usual prey, and they didn’t look like they had any sickness to make them act like this. Though what did I know? Wolves shouldn’t even be in a place like this to start with!
I continued to climb a little higher, though my footing slipped just enough to allow one wolf to catch the edge of my dress. I thrashed my leg out, kicking it in the muzzle hard enough that it let out a yelp and fell back to the ground. Getting my balance again, I sat on a higher branch and looked down at the group as they looked up at me.
I let out a choked sob. They would not give up, and no one was going to come to save me. I was at a loss about what to do. I was going to die here, alone, and no one would find me until morning when it was too late.
The sound of growling and fighting startled me after I had resigned to my fate. I was crying in the branches of the tree and hadn’t noticed the arrival of yet another, larger wolf. That was until I heard yelping come from below me. Looking down from my spot, I wondered if this new wolf would be the one to finish me off and if it would be a swift or slow death. What I didn’t understand was why the wolf was fighting the others. Wasn’t it part of the same pack?I watched in shock and horror as the larger of the wolves fought the small group of wolves off. It seemed to take forever, but finally, it was the only one remaining. I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, this wolf looked stronger, faster and likely had the jumping ability to get me from where I was sitting. On the other hand, there was now only one wolf.I wasn’t sure if I could outrun it, but maybe I could di
After Jay has turned back into his human-self and gotten dressed again, we both get back to our hotel room. I stay silent the rest of the way, as I am far too tired and just want to warm up again. I’m sure when I wake up after a good night’s rest, everything will turn out to just be some weird dream and I won’t remember any of it. Or that’s my plan, anyway.Jay keeps me warm with his jacket, even after we get into our hotel room. He also runs a nice hot bath for me, all the while babbling on and on about packs and roles within them. I don’t understand half of it, unfortunately. All I can do is nod my head slowly to show I am listening. Though I’m not following along at all. There’s just too much to take in. As soon as he has finished drawing my bath, he rubs at his neck sheepishly. He can probably tell I’m too tired and confused to let all this information sink in.“Sorry,” he mumbles at
The next morning, I woke up in a slight daze. It’s a little too warm and uncomfortable. It isn’t until I am pulled closer towards a warm body that I realise Jay is clinging to me from behind. I find my face burning hotter, but I can’t wiggle free without waking him up. I glance back over my shoulder and gaze at what I can see of my sleeping husband. Surprise washes over me. That he is so comfortable being this close to me while asleep is not anything I am used to experiencing. It’s almost like he cherishes me somehow. I’m not sure what to make of this closeness between us. Part of me wants to get out of his hold, but another part of me thinks it feels nice to be held this way. Even my parents have not held me in such an affectionate way. I decided to allow Jay to sleep like this a little longer. He looks so peaceful and happy in his sleep, so disturbing him now would be such a shame. I’m not sure ho
“So, how did your honeymoon go afterwards?” Darnell questioned with a big grin on his face while we walked through the resort grounds. Jay and I had returned this morning, and it almost felt like he had known something had happened before he had even been told. I couldn’t figure it out. It didn’t matter in the long run, but I was curious about how he seemed to know.I offered Darnell a smile and then asked, “before or after those crazy wolves showed up? Or should I say werewolves? Either way, crazy things!”Chuckling, Darnell nodded. “Yeah, that happens more often than I’d like. We get into fights often with other packs. I suppose we will have to keep you out of our scuffles, as they can get really bloody at times,” he murmured.I blink up at Darnell and then nod slowly. “I didn’t know being a werewolf would be dangerous. Why do they attack others?&rdq
The sound of snarling and howling fills my ears as soon as the fighting starts. I can just about see the rival pack on the outskirts of the forest and, from what I can see, they’re not a small group at all. There are easily twenty individual wolves out there, and that isn’t counting any that have come from the other directions into the resort.I bite my lower lip anxiously. I feel so powerless to help the people here, but I know going out there would only put me in danger. Unlike those that live here, I am no werewolf. I can’t transform and fight in another form and I certainly wouldn’t know how to fight in a human form either. There are no guns or anything here either, not that I would know how to use one of those, but the point is moot as I have no training to use one.All I can do is hope and pray that this rival pack backs off without too much bloodshed on either side. Holding my hands up to my chest, I watch as the fi
As I make my way over the rooftop to the other side, where there is a way down, I hear the Alpha smashing open the bedroom door at last and slamming into the chest I put in the way. He curses, but I don’t stick around to find out just what he thinks of me. I want nothing to do with this crazy man or his pack that wants to hurt others. I almost slip on a spot on the roof, but quickly gather my balance. “Goddess be damned!” The Alpha calls as he realises I’ve left through the window and onto the roof. With a glance behind me, I just about see the top of his head as he searches for my location. It doesn’t take him long to realise where I’ve gone, but I’ve no intention of allowing him to catch up with me. I quickly lower myself from the roof onto the metal fire-exit steps on the side of the building and dart down them as fast as my feet will carry me. “Damnit, woman! Get back here right now!” The Alpha demands of me. He still hasn’t learned
As I embrace the inevitable jaws of death, I can feel the Alpha’s hot breath on my neck. This is it. The end of my brief life in this world. A whimper escapes my lips, but before I can feel the release of life, someone knocked the Alpha off me with tremendous force.Looking up, my tear-stained face spots two wolves standing next to me protectively. One of them I instantly know is Jay. The other, I assume, is Darnell in his wolf form. I let out a shaky sigh of relief, though the crying doesn’t stop. I can’t believe how close my life was to ending.“You alright, Gwen?” Jay asked me, though he does not take his eyes off of the Alpha, who is slowly regaining his balance. “I know this is scary, but you have to get up. You are vulnerable here.”I nod hesitantly and get to my feet, though my knees are shaking and I can’t stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. “I’m okay… you t
Gripping the toy baseball bat in my hands, I stared down at the wolf in front of me. It lowered its head, not reading to assault me just yet. I held my breath and tightened my grip on the bat. This one didn’t seem as large or as strong as the others, but I did not doubt that those teeth would easily rip me to pieces easily enough. The growling from Darnell and the two wolves he is fighting almost dares to draw my attention. That is when I spot another charging right at me. I hesitate, taking a step back with wide eyes, though rather than come for me, the wolf bounces right into the one staring me down, knocking them off balance. They then look up at me with a wolfish grin and bounce around in excitement. “Well, isn’t this a fun day?” They say in a young, female voice. I can’t say I know who it is, but they must be from Jay’s pack if they’re saving me. They seem far too happy about all this, even as they look at the wolf on the ground. “Oh, go b