Wolves (English)

Chapter 36

Danny and I are under the big rock that marks the boundary of Erik's territory. I'm wearing my new brown autumn jacket which I bought last Saturday in the city, and the matching new jeans. Danny is wearing the shirt he always seems to wear. Since our very first meeting, he hasn't worn anything but that black shirt, his muddy jeans, and sneakers that were once white, but now look almost brown with all the stains. At least, not near me. Of course I don't know if he ever throws these clothes in the washing machine and replaces them with clean ones which will probably get muddy again after a while. To be honest, I don't even care. If he wants to walk around like a homeless bum, I'm not going to judge that. I am not his mother.

Strange how a total stranger can suddenly become such a good friend in such a short time. Since I asked him to help me to become a true Saviour, he has been with me almost every day. Only during the weekends, I have avoided the Shadow Woods because I wanted to keep Saturdays and Sundays free for Amy. Although she now also seems to hang out with Jim more and more now that they are in love with each other. Last Sunday, she didn't even have time to go to the movie we've wanted to see for so long because she was going to see that same movie with Jim first. Well, she's going her way. I'm not jealous of her at all. She has her new boyfriend and I have found one too. Although I see Danny much more as a regular friend than a potential boyfriend. Someone I could fall in love with. That is simply unimaginable!

On the one hand, I really like that he is so helpful and kind to me, but on the other hand, I still have the strange feeling that I shouldn't just expose everything about myself. Even though the strange positive energy I feel when I get close to him still hasn't gone away after all this time, I find that there are an awful lot of Human-Wolves who don't appreciate our blossoming friendship. And of all those Human-Wolves, Dyre and Finn are at the top of the list. They are the ones who keep trying to lure me away with excuses so that they can give me a detailed warning about Danny. By now, I've figured out their tricks, and they know it themselves, but they continue to do it anyway. While they know fully well that their warnings and negativity towards Danny make me even more curious. More curious about who that mysterious boy is with whom I seem to have such a special bond. More curious about what the heck that boy has done in the past. After all, he must have done something, otherwise the other Shadows wouldn't hate him so much and avoid him. Maybe it has something to do with his former pack. The pack he ran away from.

I peek at him from under my eyelashes. When I see him sitting like this, he seems completely harmless to me. And not only his somewhat shy and insecure-looking appearance seems to confirm that, but also his actions. After all, he's the one who saved us both from Evil when That tried to hypnotize us. He taught me what I can do to make sure the yellow eyes don't take over me. I may even be alive thanks to him.

I shake my head confused.

Ester, what are you thinking? Maybe Danny only saved you out of sheer self-interest. After all, those yellow eyes can also hypnotize him. How dare you even think about the idea that he might want to spare you when the rest of the pack mistrusts him? You'd do better to be a little more careful. After all, you've only just met him and who knows what he's been up to in the past! Since when have you trusted a strange, mysterious boy more than your own brother who would sacrifice his own life to save yours if he had to do that?

Those last words keep circling in my head for a while. Normally my own thoughts drive me crazy, but somehow they suddenly make a lot of sense. Actually, it's very strange that I put my life in the hands of a complete stranger boy who is hated by the whole pack. Why am I doing that? Why didn't I ask Finn and Dyre to help me? They know just as much about that whole Saviour thing as Danny does. Moreover, I am quite sure that they want Evil to be driven out as much as I do. I can trust them one hundred percent. They will never betray me and never abandon me. Moreover, Finn is my brother. I've known him for sixteen years, so I know better than anyone how he is. I know exactly what he is thinking and feeling, down to the smallest details. I notice when he is sad or angry or just overjoyed. And he notices the other way around me. We are a golden team.