The Animal Inside

chapter 16

Lilas pov

I've been away from Brantley for all of two weeks and I can't stand it. It's like a part of me is missing. I've known him for all of three months and I feel like he's been in my life for as long as I can remember. Guess I truly am pathetic. But its kinda nice knowing he's the same way. If I don't text or call him around the same time he's calling or texting me. The worst part is the longer I'm away from him the worse I get. Yesterday I zoned out in the middle of an owner asking me what type of meds would be best for her Shepherd. He was jet black and all I could think about was Brantley in wolf form and how I missed our morning and evening runs at the cabin. We decided to make this work but this is not working. I'm not saying I want to end things. As pathetic as I sound I truly need to be with him or I'm going to crack and have a brake down very soon. Everyone here at my office thinks I'm out of sorts because of uncle Paul's passing. They have no clue about Brantley and I intend to keep it that way. I just don't know what to do. Everything reminds me of him; makes me miss him. I'm so damn bad I can hardly even sleep. Total this week I might have had 20hrs of sleep if I'm lucky. All I want to do is make it to my apartment and sleep. But I know it won't happen until I'm so exhausted I can't move. The closer I got to the door the more anxious I got. But I couldn't figure out why. Brantley wouldn't be calling for another few hours. And I wouldn't be able to sleep until after his call. As I put my key in the door a familiar smell hit me like a tone of bricks. I dont know when my senses started to spike, but Brantley said it was probably the wolf genes taking hold. Maybe that's why I'm such a mess. The combination was of smoke, diesel fule, and cheese? Of course it made me think of my Brantley and all I wanted to do was cry. Closing the door behind me the hair on the back of my neck raised. Someone's in my apartment asleep on my couch. I'd know that massive arm slung over the back cushion anywhere. But he's playing opossum. No way he didn't hear me put the key in the door. My heart was pounding like crazy at him being this close. Now how to "wake" him?