Greywood

Chapter 06

My knees buckle and I stumble back, causing me to land on my butt with a loud thud. This has the unfortunate effect of making the wolf look up from its lazy perch and right at me. Its fur is a lustrous white and eyes a deep blue. If it weren't for its size I may have thought it was a husky, but there was no mistaking it. What was laying on my bed was a wolf.

It looks at me for a moment, as if contemplating what to do with me before lazily yawning, its teeth an off-white. I took that opportunity to reach for the door handle, stumble out of the room, and clumsily slam the door shut.

"Mom, Dad!" I shout out, running down the stairs.

"Ky, what's wrong?" asks Dad, alerted by my frantic tone.

"T-there's a w-w-wolf in my room!" I stutter out, still in shock and disbelief.

My parents give each other a quick look before getting up from their chairs and rushing up the stairs. I didn't miss how my mother took the lead, magic at the ready. We all hesitated at the door, mom placing her ear against it as if trying to hear if anything was inside. There was no noise at all coming from the room, but after what seemed like too long she finally opened the door, hands up in a defensive posture.

There was nothing inside. Well, besides the usual stuff. The bed was empty save for my plush wolf, my bag still splayed open on the floor with my clothes inside it, and the sheets a mess since I hadn't bothered to make the bed after this morning's drama.

"No, wait. I'm serious! There really was a huge wolf here!" I exclaimed. Walking up to the bed, I tried to examine the rustled blankets but not even fur remained. I spun around, searching for something but there was no way a large wolf like that could just suddenly...vanish...

"Magic!" I settle on, my parents giving each other a concerned look. "It must have disappeared!"

"Ky, are you okay?" My dad asks. "I know you had a rough start to your day-"

"No, Dad! It was here, I promise! It was right here on the bed!"

My mom moves toward me and places her hands on my shoulders. "Honey, wolves don't know magic. Even supernatural wolves. They can't. Besides, if something like that did manage to come into the house, my defensive wards would have picked up on it."

I want to protest but there doesn't seem to be any other way of convincing them about what I saw. I mean, I know what was here, but without any proof around there was nothing that would get them to believe me. This makes me sulk in her arms and I look down at the floor. I want to complain and be childish but there wouldn't be a point.

"Maybe you just need a nap after your shower," Dad suggests and I just nod, a pout still plastered on my face.

I grab a pair of boxers, jeans, and a band t-shirt from my pack and walk past my parents' concerned faces. My hands are still jittery from the encounter with the wolf when I enter the bathroom, but I still manage to turn the handle in the shower before staring at myself in the mirror. There was no happy expression. Nothing that would scream 'I'm happy on my birthday!' The face that was reflected back just looked exhausted. I sigh and rub my eyes, my vision blurring temporarily.

The water at the cabin always ran a bit on the cold side, so I shuddered when I finally pulled aside the shower curtain and enterend. Turning the knob as far into high as it could get, I prayed it would actually work. After a few moments I curse under my breath, remembering I'm a mage, and use a warming charm to make the water more desirable. Once it settles into an acceptable temperature I give a long sigh, relief spreading onto my still sore muscles.

Not wanting to take too long in the shower, I hurry up and get clean before stepping out and into the cooler air. I towel off and lazily style my hair before getting dressed. When I open the door I see that my wolf plush has been removed from my bed and is down on the floor in front of the bathroom. Scribbled on a post-it stuck to its head are the words, "Rawr! I'm the big bad wolf!" I roll my eyes, annoyed at my father's joke and pick Bleddyn up along with my wadded up old clothes.