Hear Their Thoughts, Be Their Terror [COMPLETED][UNEDITED]

Chapter 11

My mom was extremely worried when I told her about the encounters, both at school and on the beach. Jake helped me tell the second story, not knowing much about the first. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Mom had asked.

"Friday was a full moon," I had responded.

Now, we all sat around our kitchen table. Jake had insisted on staying, and had called his mom to tell her he would be out for the night. We were all clutching burning mugs filled with hot chocolate, but didn't feel the heat.

I was leaning against Jake's shoulder, and he was stiff, tense. But it wasn't because of the scientists. It was because of me. Jake had realized after we had been chased that he liked me more than a friend. I probably liked him more than a friend, too, but wouldn't admit it. I felt a little embarrassed, knowing everything Jake thought about me. Jake wasn't embarrassed at all; he wanted me to know. It almost made me laugh.

My mom stood. So did Jake and I. Humans scents were drifting closer to the house. That had to be that girl and the boy! Had to be! Eddie was thinking excitedly. I gently pulled Jake upstairs, so the scientists didn't see we were expecting them. My mom started whipping up a mixture, acting normal.

"Nixie . . ." Jake said.

"Shh." I shut my bedroom door; we would hear through it anyways. Jake and I sat on my bed, waiting. A few minutes later, the door was banged on.

My mom's footsteps sounded. The door swung open. "Mrs. Furth!" Eddie exclaimed in false cheeriness.

"Oh, Mr. Split, Mr. Baits! How can I help you?" She returned to slowly mixing the cake batter.

"Please, call us Eddie and Bill," Eddie insisted, thudding through the doorway and closing the door behind him. Bill's lighter, more frantic steps followed. "We are alone in the house, I trust?"

Mom put down the bowl with a heavy clang. "Well, my daughter and her boyfriend are upstairs. But they won't come down."

I stared in horror at Jake. He stared right back, but his expression was gleeful. Sorry, darling! They'll understand why you won't come down though! Anyways, it might as well be true. She started making small talk with the scientists.

I groaned and leaned against the wall. "She's terrible, she is."

Jake grinned and leaned back next to me. "Nah," he said nonchalantly. "She isn't."

I glared at Jake. He looked a little sheepish, and he was careful not think if why. I sighed. "What, Jake?"

"Nothing."

"Jake."

He sighed. "I want what she said to not be a lie, Nixie. I'm pretty sure you know that."

"Yeah," I whispered. "I know."

He took a deep breath. "So." He looked to me with a determined expression. "Does what she said have to be a lie?"

I looked deep into his thoughts, and knew he wouldn't be mad or even disappointed if I said that what she said had to be a lie. I felt so bad. He was so sweet, and understanding. "Jake . . ."

He blinked. "Mhm?"

I sighed. "Can it be a lie for just a while?"

He grinned and nodded, happy that I hadn't said a plain out no. I would consider. He was about the speak, but Eddie said something important.

"Mrs. Furth, we found something extraordinary today," he said. The clinking of a spoon against a mug sounded as he stirred his coffee.

Mom slowly sucked in a breath. "Really? What was it?"

"Well, Bill and I were sitting on the edge of Anatil cliff, you do know the one?" He paused, and I guessed Mom nodded. "Well, we were sitting near the edge there, looking over Anatil beach. Well, we sat there for a while, enjoying the views and eating our lunches. And, for safety, we had tranquilizers with us, of course. So, after a while, we headed away from the cliffs. And we started walking inland. And then, Mrs. Furth, we saw something. Sitting on the edge of the cliffs, about a hundred feet away from us, we're two wolves. Two giant wolves. One was a chocolate-y brown color. The other was white, with black streaks throughout, female. The brown was male."

"How giant?" Mom asked, sounding interested.

"Standing, probably taller than you or me. So, we watched these wolves for a while. Then they turned and stared at us, and started to growl. Being scientists, we wanted to study these wolves, see why they were so large. So we shot at them, and they ran. They ran down the cliffs and along the beach, and disappeared behind a different cliff."

"Well, it sounds like they were lucky. Or that you were unlucky," Mom said, sipping her coffee. "But what does this have to do with us?"

"Nothing. We wanted to tell Samuel about it, that's all. Seeing he isn't here right now-"

"He's at work."

"-we hoped you would tell him."

"Of course, as soon as he gets home."

"Thank you, Mrs. Furth. Now-"

"Why did we have to be alone for you to tell me this?"

Eddie sighed. "Ah, well, this news might scare children."

"Nixie is fourteen."

"Of course." I could imagine Eddie smiling sweetly then. "Well, we'd best be off. Thank you for passing on the information to Mr. Furth." He got up and heavily thudded to the door, Bill's frantic steps following closely. He let himself out and his car was loud as it roared away.

I let out a breath of relief. I grabbed Jake's hand- which made his thoughts flare up- and pulled him downstairs. My mom was still sitting at the table, her face white, fingers wrapped tightly around the mug handle. I wrenched them free and forced her to look at me.

"With any luck, he'll only think Jake and I are wolves."

"Darling, this is going to be a pack problem, now."

"No, Mom. Please. Jake and I can leave-" she started to protest. "Only for a while, until things settle down!"

"Nixie, your fourteen-"

"Fifteen in three weeks!"

"Still, you aren't old enough to leave the pack. Anyways, what would a passerby think of two teenagers, on their own, wandering around?"

"Mom, we would only be near people for limited amounts of time."

She sighed, and I was surprised to see a small tear in her eye. "Nixie . . ."

"Please. I can't have the pack in danger because they got my DNA and almost captured me."

"We'll talk. I have to discuss with your father, anyways."

I sighed and nodded, grabbing Jake's hand again. He dragged me outside, and we walked into the forest. I listened to Jake's thoughts, and he watched me with worry etched on his face. We walked for at least a half an hour before Jake stopped me.

I looked up at him, a questioning look in my eyes. He looked at me, and his thoughts were surprisingly calm, and uncertain. "Jake . . .?"

"Nixie." He smiled. "We have to leave."

I nodded. "I know. But not quite yet. Soon, though."

He nodded, too, and then bent down. He was so close. I could see my reflection in his eyes. I don't really remember what happened after that.