Skinwalker - Completed

CHAPTER 8

(Rylie's POV)

Am I dead?

Rylie opened her eyes. She taps her body for any broken bones, then she stopped for a moment when she remembered something. Her shoulders didn't hurt anymore. All her bruises were held overnight! The panic of what's happening to her in the morning, she forgot that she got injured yesterday!

She looked around. Scattering around her is the chickens of her grandma that got startled. Rylie puts a hand to her mouth to stop herself from giggling. They looked ridiculous, flapping their wings and clucking.

"What the hell? Why are my chickens making a fuss outside?"

She heard her granny inside said, then she listened to the ladle's been put down. It looks like her grandmother is going outside and will investigate. She needs to get out of here fast!

She looks up one last time from her window. Her eyes brighten up. That height could make an ordinary person sustain an injury, but being a werewolf has its perks. She could survive a fall, and her wounds heal fast. Plus, she has a speed of an athlete!

She dashed just in time towards the forest when her grandma came into view. She took a peek from where she was hiding. Her grandma looked at her open window and shook her head.

"That kid. She says she's not eating. What is she doing again in her life?"

Rylie made an awkward smile. Her granny is really disappointed in her. Now, she's going to disappoint them again. If they found out what she did. So instead of dallying around, Rylie turned around and started running towards the bus stop.

At first, Rylie thought that she would just run towards the mountain, but that is a kilometer away from her grandma's house, and it will undoubtedly take a toll on her. She was tempted to test her wolf form's endurance, but she decided against it. What if those werewolf people are not willing to help her? What if they tried to kill her instead? She needs to reserve her strength if it ever comes down to it, and she prays it wouldn't because she will surely be dead meat. No pun intended.

Rylie secured the bag on her shoulder by gripping the handle. She was glad that she took her bag and put the Totem inside it. Now, she will hunt for those people and tell them to make her go back to being human. Capture one and present them to the archaeology group her father is a member of.

When she was in the waiting area. She can hear a bus coming, but she didn't wave her hand out like she usually does. Instead, it was inside her pocket the entire time when she boarded the bus. Her hood is also pulled on her head, and she was wearing a face mask. She knows she looks weird because other people look at her when she passed by and sat on the last seat. But the hell with people, they will surely freak out if they find out what she hid underneath her mask and inside her pocket.

"T-To S-Shasta m-mountains," Rylie grumbled and pointed her head towards the coin next to her seat.

The bus conductor looked at her weirdly. Then scratch his head when he saw the coins.

"Is that your payment for your fair?"

"Y-Yes. Just take it and d-don't ask me anymore q-questions." Rylie looked at the man intensely. Her shoulders became tense, and a bubble of anger rise up inside her. Who the hell is this man questioning her? "I don't like touching other's hands. You know, bacteria or viruses can be carried by hands."

The conductor didn't say any words. He looked at her with an annoyed expression before picking up the coins. He grumbled something underneath his breath but because of Rylie's enhance sense of hearing. She heard everything the man said.

"What a fucking weirdo."

It was also accompanied by his shaking head before walking away.

Rylie stopped herself from standing up and confronting the man, but she was slightly irritated by what he said. And her anger began bubbling on the surface again like she should teach that man a lesson and punch him, which is really unusual for her. She's not the type to get easily angry over simple things. Her body is hot, too, so she puts a hand to her heart to calm herself down.

Have to ignore it. Have to endure

It took a lot of mustering up her relaxation to stop herself from murdering that man. She even has to exhale and inhale several times to be calm. And why should she think about murdering him? Rylie felt a shiver down her spine. Then she realized something. Being a werewolf means she will become irritated by even small things! Her eyes widen.

Shit!

Werewolf, according to legends and myths, is hot-headed!

Rylie immediately boarded off the bus as soon as it stopped at the Shasta Mountains entrance. She looked up at the imposing mountain. The day is almost over, and here she is, trying to find a way to cure herself. The sunset was on the horizon when she went to the other mountain entrance, where she encountered the beautiful Alyssa Field.

Rylie pulled her hood and mask off and sniffed the air. She can hear branches being crushed, and the night birds are singing in their nest. Sure, she can listen to the activities of those at the other entrance. But she can't hear any beat of a drum or people's conversation from the forest itself.

What is happening? Where are those weirdos?

She walked for a while inside the forest. She felt hopeless as the distance from where she came from grew. The moon is already set in the night sky, and here she was alone and doesn't know what to do. Those people are the only ones who could help her.

Rylie sighed. She should just go back, or her grandma will worry again. She already disobeyed her grandma and her mother's direct order to just stay inside the house.

Just then, she whips her head to her right when a branch crunched, and she heard the footsteps of several people. Her eyes widened when she listened to their conversation. Those people are not the weirdo people she encountered the last time. Their voices are deep, and it sent chills down her spine.

"Where is the thief?"

"We need the power of that totem."

"We are searching this area since yesterday. Maybe the thief doesn't live here----"

"Wait. I can feel a surge of power in this area. Those werewolves are searching here too? Aren't they supposed to run away from us?"

"They seem weaker than us, but the power of full moon will grant them immense strength."

Rylie hid behind the bushes when she was sure that the voices are going in her direction. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion when they came into view. They all wear the same dark robe, but she can't tell the color because of the darkness. They have a glowing rune on their robe that lights up the area a little. If this is a typical situation and she doesn't know that werewolves exist, she will run for her life. She wouldn't even believe everything that is happening right now.