Jolene

Chapter 27 Wolf

Jolene watched as Gabby and Ana played with their group of friends. They had two of the large dogs pulling wagons, Wolfy just stood majestically watching. She looked about her yard, the many cherry and plum trees she had planted in the fall were covered in bright cheery blossoms, and everything was a lush green. Her garden was showing the beginnings of new growth. The sun was in a clear sky, the start of a beautiful spring day. She stepped away from the window and continued to absently brush her hair, she had just finished taking a late shower, Edward had insisted she sleep in and brought her breakfast in bed and fed the girls. It was Saturday and the cook was off for the weekend. Jolene liked to cook and was planning the meals in her mind. Her aunt and uncle and cousins were coming and she was thinking of serving the meal outdoors. She stepped into her room and put the hair brush on the vanity when a growling voice sounded in her head. "COME AT ONCE!"

"Wolfy?" Jolene grabbed both revolvers and sprinted for the door wearing only her short tiger striped bathrobe. Then she heard the dogs barking and the children scream. Her heart stopped as she watched several men attempt to crab a child. The dogs were putting up a valiant fight. There was a loud boom and one of the bear dogs collapsed still attached to a wagon. Wolfy had one man by the leg holding him to the ground as the man screamed in pain. Still running Jolene began shooting. She watched as four of the attackers collapsed. She saw Kaitlyn and James rushing to her as she shot two more of the kidnappers. Eli was there and took out two more with his shot gun. Walter also carrying a shot gun took out another. It took only a few seconds but if felt like hours. Jolene was on her knees holding Gabby and Ana who were both sobbing. All around them the dead and dieing lay scattered on the ground. Frantic parents were clutching their children. Edward came running followed by Mathew and his father, they had run all the way from the gun shop and were breathless. Edward knelt holding Jolene and the girls too winded to talk.

"This bastard is still alive," Eli said looking at the man writhing in pain as Wolfy continued to savage his leg.

Jolene realizing her state of undress and whispered to Edward, "I need to put some clothes on," then sprinted to the house. She returned dressed in one of her long dresses and picked up her revolvers from where she had dropped them and walked slowly to the man held by Wolfy. Wolfy released him growling and watching his every move. "Who sent you?" she asked clearly.

"Rot in hell witch!"

"I am going to ask you nicely one more time, who sent you?"

"You are going to kill me either way, so f— you! Go ahead and shoot me."

"I'm not going to shoot you, why waste a bullet. I'll let my wolf gut you. You can watch him as he eats innards. Are you hungry Wolfy?" the animal growled never taking his yellow eyes from the man.

"You can't do that!"

"Watch...Wolfy bite his balls off."

"No-o-o! I'll talk...it was Magistrate Felix Justine that ordered us to take the children."

"What for?" Elodia asked.

"To force you all to surrender, the high priest regent want to crucify the lot of you in the forum."

"Tell me where the Magistrate lives and I won't kill you," Jolene said.

"He has a summer villa on the coast, it's well guarded." He gave the particulars of the address. "Now I can go, you said you would."

"No quite," Eli said, "she promised not to kill you. My daughter was in the group you so viciously attacked. I made no promise." Eli grabbed him by the hair and hyper-extended his neck and slashed his throat. The man bled out in seconds.