Predator and Prey

Chapter XV

Hey look! I'm alive! 

Yeah.... I suck. I'll just go ahead and say that now. Anyways, I do hope you enjoy this--it took me long enough.

{Alex}

IT WASN'T LIKE it was all bad. I loved the huge pack house, the kids I watched and played with, and of course, Jack's food. In fact, Jack was one of the main draws of staying here--getting to see him every day for hours on end, meeting his friends and family. In fact, that was really the only reason I was still here, a week after my first time seeing the long, tree-lined driveway.

It sure as hell wasn't because I fit in, or felt so at home.

The first day, at least half of the Pack had approached me, smiling and friendly, looking to help me settle. The second day, maybe two or three people spoke to me, and by the third, I couldn't walk through the halls or into the dining room without an unnatural hush falling instantly, beckoned on by agitated looks and nervous whispers.

"Who, her?"

"Yeah, I hear she's--"

"From some place far away--"

"Grace said she was mauled, that's why she acts so weird--"

"As if she was human before she was Turned--"

"--evil, I hear--"

Yeah, the sooner I got out of here, the better.

Still, it was getting harder to convince myself to leave by the hour. Here, I had food, and water, and safety, and a little girl named Angela who liked to follow me around like a second shadow. Here, I had Jack, and he was happy. He was so, so happy that I was meeting his Pack, getting to know more about his life... I couldn't help but feel absolutely terrible about the inevitably approaching end. Because despite how cute some of the pups were, I still had no intention of staying.

"So, how has your stay been?" asked a sonorous voice from behind me.

I sucked in a breath, whipping around, only to see Howard standing there, smiling pleasantly.

"Oh," I said, feeling a little sheepish. "Uh, good, I guess."

"I believe you mean well."

"What?"

"In English--which I believe is your native tongue--good can be used as an adjective, but not as an adverb to describe how one is doing. Thus, you must use well."

I sat there, blinking up at him. "But... I mean, day before yesterday, you said you were doing good!"

"Oh, dear, did I make such a mistake?" he said, clucking his tongue and frowning, "'Tis truly shameful."

What the hell is going on here? Did someone hit him on the head?

"You seem... different, today. Are you feeling alright?" I asked, hoping the concern in my tone would cover for my selfish worries. While I felt grateful to the older Turned Were, I was more concerned about how a change of personality might affect my promise of sanctuary.

"Of course! I feel positively splendid!"

"Well, that's... good. Or is it well?"

"No," he said, laughing and sitting beside me. "'Good' would be correct there."

We sat in silence for a moment before I dared to ask another question. "Is there... something else worrying you? I don't get the feeling you came out here to discuss grammar with me."