After that, something changed. To be fair, you could hardly expect things to stay the same. You'd essentially rejected Lanius. You couldn't just keep staying in her house --in her bed-- like some sort of-- some sort of-- God, no good comparison was coming to mind right now... The point was that it was weird.
It was time for you to go.
The next day, you had Lanius drive you to the local mechanic. Your car had been in the shop for almost a week now. It had to be fixed, right?
Wrong.
"I'm sorry, miss, but I can't let you drive this car off the lot," the mechanic told you as he wiped some sort of black gunk --oil, maybe?-- off his hands with a dirty rag.
"Why not?" You demanded, arms crossing partly because of impatience and partly because of the cold. You didn't expect him to repaint the car... Just replace the slashed tires. Which it looked like he already did!
"Too dangerous! Came across a dozen other problems during routine maintenance. How long were you driving with the check engine light on?"
"It switched on during the ride to Pine Grove," you lied, easy as breathing.
Truth was, you didn't think you had the time or the money to get it fixed. Now, thanks to the sale of Grandmother's house, you had cash in hand. But you were still hurting for time. Not only was your current living situation awkward as hell... University was reopening in about a week.
He raised one bushy brow at you.
With a scowl, you asked, "How long will the repairs take?"
"Another week, at least."
"Another week?! Like, seven days?!"
"Yeah, that's generally how long a week takes."
You bit your tongue until you tasted blood rather than give him a lashing. He was the only mechanic in town. You couldn't afford to ruin this relationship.
Think, Y/N... Think!
You let your head fall back before heaving a great sigh, watching the cloud of steam leave your lips and disappear into the atmosphere.
"How much would I have to pay you to get it done in three days?"
"Sorry, princess, but I can't really count on repeat business from an out-of-towner. You're last on my list, and a couple extra hundred bucks isn't gonna change that."
Princess?! Your face went hot from embarrassment and outrage. "Classes start next Monday!" You all but shrieked. "The drive back home itself takes almost a week! What the hell do you propose I do?!"
He gave you a slow once-over, from head to toe, before letting out a sarcastic huff of laughter. "Pray," he answered.
Your hands instinctively curled into fists at your side. Before you could lodge one into his mouth, fatten up his big dumb lips a bit more, Lanius appeared at your side.
"Peace, honeybun, peace," she said. Her fingers formed a loose shackle around your left wrist. She lifted your fist up to her mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of it. Naturally, it went limp at the gesture. "Why don't you go wait in the truck? Let me talk to the man."
You had to admit, that was a better plan than throwing hands. Maybe she, as a local, would have more sway.
You stomped back to her truck, frustrated tears streaming down your face. Once you were situated inside, you wiped your sleeve across your cheeks and glared out the windshield at the mechanic.
Times like these, you wished you could read lips. But, no, the most you could tell from this distance was body language.
The mechanic was more relaxed with Lanius than he had been with you, his form looser. They went back and forth for a while, sharing the occasional chuckle. After almost ten minutes of chatting, you considered looking away, turning your attention to a game on your phone instead.
That's when the atmosphere around them shifted.
Lanius reached out to grip one of the mechanic's shoulders. She gripped it real hard, hard enough for his fat to bulge out from between her fingers. He winced, tried --and failed-- to shrug out of her hold. Then, still smiling that big, winning grin, she leaned in and said something to him.
Whatever it was made him turn white as a sheet. He glanced in your direction, made eye contact with you for a scant second, before quickly looking back to her. Finally, he nodded, once.
She released her grip, clapped him once on his undoubtedly sore shoulder, making him wince. Then she turned away and started jogging back to the truck.
You didn't know how to feel about the obvious coercion. But... If it got results...
Except it didn't.
"What did he say?" You all but demanded.
"Sorry, hun. He wouldn't budge," she sighed as she slammed the driver's side door after herself. "Looks like you're going to miss your first week of classes. Not a good way to start off a semester, I have to admit."
That couldn't be true! "But he nodded!"
"Oh, did he?" She asked. You would not be gaslit, though.
"Yes, Lanius. You said something to him. Then he looked at me, looked at you... And nodded." You were leaving out some parts, but you were more than happy to include them if she insisted on playing dumb again.
"Oh. That. That was something else."
Which begged the question... "What was it?"
"Nothing."
"Then why won't you tell me?"
"Because it doesn't matter."
"Tell me anyway."
"I'll tell you once we get home." That gave her plenty of time to come up with a good lie.
"No," you said stubbornly. "Tell me now. Be honest... And I'll let it go."
She ran her fingers through her hair before turning the ignition to get the truck warmed up again. You thought she was going to ignore you, and you were preparing to raise hell over it, when she replied, "I told him not to speak to you like that again... That you're a Lanius, and no one talks down to my friends and family that way."
"Oh." You were still and quiet for a moment. But just a moment. "I'm not a Lanius, though." You really needed to replace your brain-to-mouth filter. Still, you weren't wrong.
She gripped the steering wheel, hard, with both hands for a second. Then the second passed and she relaxed again. "Maybe not now, but give it time."
"I can't--! I'm not staying here!"
"Yes, you are," she said sternly. She reminded you so much of your mother in that moment that you shrunk away, pressed yourself tight against the passenger's side door. She noticed your reaction in an instant, purposefully softened her tone. "At least for the next week."
You remained silent.
She sighed, looked disappointed. A familiar expression, but now on a stranger's face.
"Don't you like it here?" She asked, beseechingly.
"Here isn't the problem, Lanius. I'm the problem. We've already discussed this. And I don't want to talk about it anymore. In fact, I don't want to talk at all."
It would be a first, but out of what you could only assume was respect for your wishes, she shut up for the rest of the ride home... Despite how she obviously didn't want to. Her jaw clenched and unclenched. You felt a sudden urge to drag your fingertips along the line of it. You resisted.
That is the end of that, you thought to yourself.
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Mr Wolf, Mr Wolf, what time is it?
Midnight!
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YOU ARE READING
The Work of Wolves || Yandere!Werewolf X F!Reader
Horror"People should be judged not by their outward demeanor but by their works, for many in sheep's clothing do the work of wolves." Based on Mr Wolf, What Time Is It?
