Wolf Country

Chapter 6- Feast

When I walk into the house, the first thing I do is run upstairs and jump in the shower, hurriedly scrubbing my entire body down with the expensive body wash Grace gave me for my birthday. I've only used it for two other occasions; going to prom a few months ago and the farewell party we hosted last week. Opening the shower door and getting out, the scent of wildflowers follows me around the bathroom as I brush my teeth and wash my face vigorously, checking and re-checking my skin for any irregularities or blemishes. I can't even explain why I'm suddenly seized by the desire to be perfect. All you're doing is going over to eat dinner, I think to myself, trying to calm down. You're not even dressing up.

I rifle through my yet-to-be-unpacked boxes of clothes and pull out a casual white blouse, black leggings, and ankle boots. I slip them on and am faced with the decision of whether or not I should curl my hair. Deciding against it, I pull out my worn makeup bag and run back into the bathroom, putting a quick coat of foundation on and dusting a bit of brown eye shadow onto my eyelids.

And then I finish and realize I still have two hours until he picks me up.

Sighing, I fall back onto my bed and unlock my phone. Most people from school have stopped sending me messages saying how much they'll miss me, proving the superficiality of high school relationships and how quickly they dissolve. The only person who obviously genuinely cares for my well-being is Grace, but the last text I have from her is a simple 'hello?'

I bite my lip and type out a quick response:

Sorry, I was busy. You wanted to talk?

Almost immediately, the little icon showing that she's typing appears, and she sends a surprisingly forgiving text back:

No prob, how's boring Michigan treated you so far?

I don't even know what to say back to her, but my fingers begin to type before I've even processed what I'm writing:

Nothing special, except for the fact that I found out that I can turn into a wolf. How was your weekend?

I quickly delete the message, instead telling her that I've just been working on the new house. Before I can see her reply, I toss my phone back down onto the bed and pull a book out of my bag, opening it up to where I left off during the long drive here. Pretty soon, I hear a car pulling up outside and my mother calling me downstairs, so I grab my bag and my phone and rush down the steps, forgetting, at least for a little while, about Grace and Florida.

When I reach the base of the steps, I see Adam standing there and smiling shyly with his hands in his pockets. My mom is closing the door behind him and she glances up as I slip my army jacket on.

"Hey," Adam mouths to me, and I smile and mouth the same.

"I want her back home by ten," my mom says. "But I know I don't have to worry about her safety when she's around you all."

We all laugh and I hurriedly gesture at Adam for us to leave, my cheeks burning all the while. I'm thankful for the crisp cold air that presses against my face when we step outside and hear the front door close behind us.

"Come on, I have to get back and finish cooking," Adam says, rushing to his truck, and I grin and follow after him, climbing inside.

We step inside the Norwood house and out of the cold and I see a beautiful, dark-featured woman sitting on the couch and watching television. She has black hair, dark eyes, and thick eyebrows. Her skin has an olive undertone and her hair has natural, spiraling curls, giving the impression of southern European heritage. Much like Adam, her presence has a calm affect on me, and when she turns to look at me and beams brightly, I can't help but smile back.