Can't Love a Werewolf, Without Getting Fleas.

I woke up the next morning kind of scared. I hate to admit it, but I regret saying yes to Blake so fast. I still felt new here, and I’m not so sure a relationship is something I really needed right now.

Ugh. Stupid new town.

I didn’t really know what I had planned for today. Saturday.

I came down stairs right away to my mom cooking up some cinnamon rolls.

YUM.

I went over to my mom and my little sister, where my mom was teaching her how to squirt the icing on the little fluffs of dough.

I grabbed one that had already been iced and licked off the warm icing. The sugar taste exploded in my mouth.

“Your doing a good job Luce.” I told her, as she giggled up at me, her apron covered in flour and icing.

“Shaylee, if you didn’t sleep in till eleven o’clock, you could have come and joined us.” My mother nagged.

I shrugged. “I have an excuse.”

“And what’s that?” My mom cocked an eyebrow.

“Highschool.” I spit out like it was a bad taste in my mouth, as I sat down next to my dad at our simple wooden kitched table, near the corner of the tiny yellow room.

She laughed.

“College only gets worse.” My dad laughed as he sipped his coffe.

“Joy.” I breathed, still feeling groggy from waking up.

My sister and mom finished the rolls and joined us for breakfast.

“Shaylee. Remember, I need you to pick up Lucy from school all next week. I have to stay late next week to help out with a group project at work.”

“’Kay.”

Lucy’s smile widened. “SHAYLAYY! You’ll get to meet my teachur and my new fwiend Melony!”

“Really? That sounds great Luce. I’m excited—can’t wait.” I smiled down at my little sister.

She was so precious. It almost made me feel better about this town knowing that at least my sister was enjoying her new life and school.

*

I went up after breakfast and showered, putting on a pink pair of sweatpants and a simple white cami.

Kara called and three-wayed Michael.

“I CANNOT BELIEVE IT TOOK YOU THIS LONG TO CALL ME SISTER!” Michael’s familiar boyish voice yelled through my receiver.

I laughed. “I’m sorry, it’s been really crazy here. Pre-Calc is kicking my butt!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah mine too. Kara seems to be doing ok though.”

“Well easy for you to say Mr. A in English! I hate reading; hate it. How am I supposed to be able to draw similarities constantly to characters I never even read about!” My best friends normal arrogant attitude brightened my day—always.

I laughed at the two of them. “I miss you guys.” I stated, imagining how much better this place would be if I had them to walk me through my classes, and to talk to at lunch, and to come have sleepovers with me when I felt lonely.

“Well, we miss you too and we cannot wait till three weeks from now when it’s your birthday!” They screamed into the phone and I rolled my eyes.

”I’m just turning seventeen.”

“So! That’s almost legit; almost legal.” Michael teased.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

I talked to them for about another twenty minutes. They preceded to tell me about how people were doing after the drug bust, and how old friends were. Then Kara and I filled Michael in about how I didn’t remember anything and he agreed that I just needed to ask my parents about it. I groaned knowing that wouldn’t be a very pleasant conversation for me. It was one I had been putting off.

Then I told them about Blake.

“NO WAY! MY LITTLE SHAYLEE HAS A BOYFRIEND!” Kara’s tone almost was slightly insulting.

“Gee thanks. I’m not a nun guys, I’m fully allowed to like boys.”

“Is he hott? Does he have any gay friends?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Damn.”

I then told them about Leslie and Violet before they had to go.

I lay on my bed now, wondering what I could do today.

Then an idea snapped in my head.

I dialed the cell phone number that was logged in my phone.

“Yellow!?” Less’s sing-song voice rang through from the other end.

“Hey. What are you and Vi doing today?”

“Nothin much. Chillin like Villians, why?”

“I was wondering if you guys wanted to come over later for a sleepover?”

“Hold on.” I heard shuffling and then I heard Violets voice mumbling in the background, and more shuffling until Leslie came back.

“Sounds like a party. Can we come over around three-ish?”

“Sure thing.”

“Alright, bye love!”

“Bye you two!” I smiled into the phone.

My first sleepover here.

WHOOOOOO!! I’M NOT ANTISOCIAL ANYMORE!

I collapsed on my bed, and watched the clock hit twelve o’five. Great. What am I going to do for three whole hours?

… I wonder.

I quickly switched into shorts and put on my tennis shoes and clopped down the stairs. Dad had gone over to the Cunningham’s house to watch a football game on their big TV and Mom took Lucy to her friend’s house.

I plugged in my earphones and started off in a light jog. I jogged past the Cunningham’s house, and wondered what Blake and Brooke were up to.

I blushed at the thought. I guess I should go visit a little later, I mean after all. Blake is my boyfriend. The word almost didn’t seem real. It felt so out of place. No one ever pictured me having a boyfriend, and honestly I never pictured myself with one either. I took off in a different direction than last time, loving how the fresh air made me feel healthy and alive. I liked the sickish feeling you get after doing a hard work out or running. It made me feel like I had just added two more years to my life, or that I was becoming stronger by the minute.

I started making guitar movements with my hands to the beat of Hollywood Whore By Papa Roach.

I didn’t know how far I would be running, but I figured it just run until I began to feel a little tired.

As I ran parallel to the woods I couldn’t help but wonder if that wolf was back there.

If only I could just see him again; my wolf—he was so beautiful. So completely exotic and wild and real, that I could smell the musky scent of him even when he was a few yards away.

It made my heart ache at the time span that had wedged itself in my life from the last time I saw the wolf.

I wonder…

It couldn’t hurt to just run a little bit into the woods could it? Just look for it a little?

Before I could second-guess myself I took off under the shaded branches of the forest.

The leaves crunched beneath my feet, as twigs snapped every few steps.

The deeper I traveled the more I noticed. The woods feathered out, and the sun beat through the dry tree bristles like light seeping through blinds.

I took out my ipod to admire it.

It was quite breathtaking. Memories flashed through me head. Running feet. Little bare feet. Brown hair falling in his young face, the sun shining from behind him like a soft halo.

Incredible. The clearest memory I’ve had yet.

I blinked, noticing I had blanked out a little.

Ruffling to my right made me halt.

I turned silently and ducked behind a thick oak tree. I peaked out, admiring the sight before me.

Wolves.

Beautiful wolves.

I first noticed the bright white one; sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the brown bark backdrop. It white fur glistened with rich sunlight. Making it look warm and friendly. It was playing with it’s polar opposite; a deep rich black colored wolf. It’s ears perked back in a playful manner. One thing you couldn’t miss was the pair of electric blue eyes. I didn’t know wolves that well, but I know that wasn’t normal.

Another Black wolf hung not too far away from the other one. It’s face was more rounded; it’s hair so dark it shown raven black, making it look almost blue-ish. It’s soft yellow tinted eyes looked approachable and soft.

The next one was a brown wolf with a long muzzle and skinny face. His skinny lanky legs made him look clumsy and kind of funny.

Another wolf was rather auburn. His body ears long and pointy on top of his head. His dark eyes looked serious yet nice. But he wasn’t the one who made my stop breathing.

The one next to him was familiar, in a good way.

His soft mysterious dark brown, chocolatey locks of fur made me want to grip them in my hands.

His face broad and emotionless. It’s legs were longer than the rest, but not lanky. This wolf was all around bigger as well; muscular intimidating—but not to me.

I felt my jaw drop at the sight of his eyes. Brown, like his coat, swimming with different shades. Almost reminding me of…

But it couldn’t be.

I looked deep into them, almost scared that he was looking back; maybe he was. If he were, he wasn’t letting the others know, wasn’t making a move—just staring back. . His pupil’s were set in a serious stare and sad one at that; like they held a tragic secret.

I don’t know how long I watched them, but it felt like a part of me vanished when they took off in the opposite direction.

There long legs stretching beneath them, giving them more and more speed. My wolf taking the lead.

It might seem weird to call him my wolf, but that’s what it felt like. Like he was my little secret Key All American Reject music here. No, but seriously. I felt tingly inside, having this sight imprinted in my brain.

It was marvelous.

I started to walk back when I realized that I didn’t really know which way was back.

I gulped. I should have brought bread crums or something to drop like that old fairytale about the kids who leave home. Hanz? Grettle? Maybe. Who knows?

All I know was that I was lost.

I stopped dead in my track though when I rounded a thick brush of rocks and trees. I was at a pond. And wolves surrounded the pond.

But not the ones I just saw; they didn’t have friendly eyes. They weren’t the wolf; my wolf.

I tried not to make a sound, but it was too late, a squeal escaped my lips.

All three heads of the dark black wolves snapped up. They’re teeth parted showing giant incisors and jaws that I knew could snap me in half. Not to mention they were twice my size.

I gulped, trying to back away, but as I was moving; they were moving.

I turned on my heels and ran. I knew there was no was I was going to get anywhere fast, but I new I had to try.

I could feel their hot animalistic breath on my heels. Just before they’re teeth clipped the back of my legs. I went down with a scream.

COLTONS POV:

It smelled just like her. Her scent was one thing that never left my nostrils, and no matter how hard it was to accept it.

Could it be her? No. I couldn’t think that. The pure hope of the situation would kill me. I couldn’t get my hopes up for something like that.

Not when it came to her; to Shaylee.

The pack played around me, oblivious to her peering at us behind a thick oak tree covered in moss.

Her eyes locked with mine, and certain recognization settled in her green orbs.

They were magnificent as much as they were enticing. The green of the moss brought her eyes out even more. They were always an earthy color…something reminding me more of the woods.

More of what always kept us apart.

WHAT AM I SAYING!? It’s not her.

I mean, it couldn’t be, could it? I watched. I saw her die.

I felt her cold body in my arms afterward. After he was too much of a coward to realize what he had done. I snatched her body away, and carried her to the tree house. I cried into her.

Cried into her cold, lifeless body.

She was dead. I SAW it.

"It can’t be her." Was the only thought that ran through my mind as we took off. Searching, always searching.

I had yet to come in contact with the other pack of werewolves we had been hunting for.

I was beginning to think they didn’t exist.

Brian’s eyes stared at mine as we ran side by side, as if asking, “what’s wrong?”

I snorted out a nothing.

I had thought about quitting for the day, needing time to think. To process.

But none of that mattered when I heard a cry errupt from somewhere in these familiar woods.

The little boy woke up inside of me, not caring if she was some heartless identity thief who stole my soulmate’s name and life, not caring if it was all a lie, only caring that if by any slight chance it was her.

Nothing was going to harm her.

My paws were flittering the ground, almost flying; floating. I hadn’t run this fast in a while.

But it wasn’t fast enough. The rest of the pack were tiny shadows behind me.

*

SHAYLEE’S POV:

Pain shot up through my legs as they circled me. Dirt lined my face and tangled my hair.

Their growling bounced off the trees of the now intimidating forest. The stupid forest that had gotten me lost.

Their never ending circling was making me sick, scared. I couldn’t hear anything. The ipod in the back pocket of my shorts could have been blasting in my ears, and I wouldn’t have heard it over my heartbeat.

The one with orange merciless eyes leaped first. I coward behind my arms, Cringing at the foreshadowed pain.

But it never came. Loud snapping sounds echoed my ears, and I dared to look.

Two balls of fur were rolling on the forest floor in front of me.

I couldn’t make out what had happened, couldn’t register what was going on. I froze, just watching.

Not aware the other two wolves about to attack.

I jumped as two more figures appeared over my head. The soared like quiet angels.

The blonde and black wolf. They tackled the two wolves and them themselves twisted and turned in the dirt.

Blood leaked from my leg and it was all I could do to hold on to my consciousness.

But it was too much. My head hit the dirt beneath me, as no more growling or roaring erupted around me. It was quiet.

The only things I saw before I was out were two brown eyes staring deep within my own.