Wolf Country

Chapter 4- Bloodletting

The wolf that was formerly Adam Norwood paces in front of me almost protectively, growling and snarling at Brian and Jackie as if daring them to come closer. I can hardly believe my eyes that this is happening right in front of me, in real life. My heart's beating a million times a minute and my hands are shaking in the rain. It's freezing and I'm still only wearing a sweatshirt, pants, and socks, but I can't even think about my own comfort when a huge wolf is standing right in front of me.

Before I can even react, Brian and Jackie are beginning to hunch and transform too. Jackie is now a tawny-haired, hazel-eyed wolf, while Brian is all black with bright green eyes. I'm terrified now, and something tells me to go back into the house. My legs are jelly though, and I fall into the mud and scrape my knee. Unable to get back up, I sit paralyzed as I watch these three pace in front of each other.

The black wolf makes the first move, bounding towards the gray wolf and biting down hard on his leg. The gray one growls and pulls away, sinking his sharp teeth into the black one's fur and causing him to howl in pain.

The tawny she-wolf leaps onto the gray one and they go rolling through the mud, snapping at each other's necks. The gray one gets a firm hold and clamps down hard, causing her to bleed into her already-soaked fur and whimper in pain. When he lets go, she just lays there, and the black one nudges her with his nose.

The gray one backs up slowly towards me, still growling lowly at the other two. The she-wolf then shakily gets up and together they back towards the woods, until finally turning and disappearing into the trees.

The wolf starts to limp slowly away and I watch him warily until he slowly starts to resemble Adam Norwood again. Naked, shaking, and bleeding heavily from his leg, Adam limps a few more feet before collapsing in the mud. I get up quickly and run over to him.

"Adam?! Adam, c'mon, let's get you inside," I say, my voice shaking. I help him stand and support him as he limps into the house.

I lie him down on the couch and run upstairs as he lets out pained moans and clenches his eyes shut. I rush back down with some clothes and a first-aid kit I found in the bathroom and hastily start to wrap bandages around his gaping wound, trying not to notice how bad it is.

"You're gonna need to go to the hospital, Adam," I say shakily as I finish and start helping him dress.

"No!" he says suddenly, trying to move his leg and wincing. "No, Scarlett...I can't. What do I even say?"

"You can say you had an accident or something," I stutter, helping him pull his shirt on. He shakes his head, shivering slightly.

"No...I can't go to the hospital," he says. "Scarlett, listen to me...I need you...to get my keys and drive me to your house. Your mom...she can help us."

"Adam, she's a corporate assistant, not a nurse!" I say, staring at him. "What can she possibly--?"

"Please...do it," he says, looking at me with hurt in his eyes. I nod and run back upstairs, grabbing his keys and coming back to help him. I take him out to his truck and briefly worry about the big, gaping broken window, but there's too much going on to do something about that now.

Seeming to read my thoughts, he looks at me as I get in the driver's seat. "My brother'll be home soon...he'll protect the property," he says assuredly. He's gone quite pale and sickly, and the bandage has already almost bled through. I try to insert the keys into the ignition but I'm too shaky and cold and I drop the keys.

"Goddammit!" I sob, my emotions all flooding out, all at once. I grab the keys from off the floor and crank the trunk, speeding as fast as I can to my house.