Walking with Wolves

Chapter 9

They pulled up to the pack house and River picked Hazel up.

"I can walk." Hazel protested.

River growled at her. Hazel sighed and relaxed into him. She didn't want to fight. Emily looked around hoping she wouldn't run into Sleet.

"Little red ridding hood
Held the hearts of beast and man.
She travels through the woods.
Breaking hearts like no one else can.

A wolf she one day did meet.
She had no interest you see.
In the wolf that is so sweet.
But you see that wolf is me.

I'll capture her heart.
Like she captured mine.
I'll have it till the end of time." Sleet was leaning against the pack house smirking.

"Wow." Emily whispered, "Come on Hazel your nose looks really bad." Emily quickly took Hazel inside.

They found the pack doctor and he began to fix Hazel up.

"I thought it was clever." Hazel laughed looking at Emily.

"It was stupid." Emily muttered.

"It was cute." Hazel poked Emily.

"You may think it's cute, but I don't." Emily huffed.

"Not much into my little poem huh?" Sleet stood right behind Emily.

"Not at all."

"Hmm, what would you like then little red?" Sleet asked.

"Don't call me little red." Emily turned around to face him.

River sat next to Hazel and growled at the doctor every time he caused her pain. River pulled Hazel close and almost bit the doctor at one point.

"I like calling you little red. It suits you." Sleet smirked.

"Um, no. Are you done doc?" Emily asked.

"Yes." The doctor answered.

"Good, let's go." Emily quickly headed for the door but Sleet grabbed her arm.

"You can't run forever little red." Sleet grumbled.

"Clearly you've never met me." Emily hissed.

Emily left the room and Hazel patted Sleet's shoulder, "She'll come around."

"Why did you accept River so quickly?" Sleet asked.

"Honestly, because I was always waiting for my werewolf mate." Hazel followed Emily out.

"Hazel, stop you're still injured." River chased after Hazel.

"I got to go." Hazel hurried after Emily.

"How do you expect to back?" River asked.

Emily froze, "The truck."

"We'll just take River's." Hazel shrugged.

"No, you are not. Stay with me tonight." River pulled Hazel into a hug and she leaned against him.

Emily looked at Sleet, "I don't bite... Yet."

Emily sighed, "Fine."

River showed Emily where she would be sleeping. Hazel slept in River's room. Sleet knocked on Emily's door.

"What do you want!?" Emily shouted.

"You know what I want, but I'm not getting that clearly." Sleet said slightly annoyed.

Emily opened her door, "Then why are you knocking?"

"Come watch a movie with me?"

Emily blinked," Why?"

"Because it's Moana?"

"No." Emily shut the door and Sleet sighed.

The next morning Emily and Hazel left early. Hazel was supposed to meet Sandy at the dojo. Sandy never showed up though. Hazel called Sandy's patents and they told her that Sandy had never come home.

"Sandy never went home last night." Hazel told Emily.

"I'm sure she's fine." Emily hugged Hazel.

"I'm not, not with all these kids going missing and turning up dead." Hazel frowned.

"Well it's been a long day. We need sleep." Emily shooed Hazel to bed.

Hazel and Emily woke up late and were almost late for school.
When, lunch came around Hazel realized she had forgotten her lunch.

"Emily, I forgot my lunch." Hazel groaned.

"Then, get some from the school!" Emily dragged Hazel into the lunch line.

"Hello, what are you having?" The brunette lunch lady asked.

"Nachos for both of us." Emily pipped.

The lunch lady smiled, "They are absolutely amazing! Like they are to die for!" She handed them their food.

Hazel and Emily paid for their lunch and sat down. Emily immediately started eating, but Hazel poked at her food.

"What is wrong?" Emily asked.

"I'm worried about Sandy. Plus, I don't like school food." Emily propped her head in her hands.

"I'm sure Sandy is fine. I think she's just being a kid." Emily tried to comfort her.

"I hope so." Hazel muttered, "Ew, look a blonde hair." Hazel Madea face as she pulled the hair from the food.

"That's odd. None of the lunch ladies has blonde hair. It probably fell in from one of the students. It could have come from you too. You have Sandy's hair on you." Emily waved her hands.

"It's still gross." Hazel tossed it away from her.

"I'm ready for school to end." Emily groaned.

The bell rang and they headed to their last period of the day. Hazel stopped outside of her classroom. Her phone was ringing.

"Hello." Hazel greeted.

"Hazel, Sandy was just found dead." Sandy's mom sobbed over the phone.

"I'm sorry." Hazel stood there shocked.

She couldn't understand who would kill Sandy. She was a beautiful loving girl. Now, Sandy would never have the chance to be an adult. There's so much life that had just been wasted.

"I thought you might want to know. I know you two were close." Sandy's mom couldn't stop sobbing.

"Thank you, I appreciate it. I'm so sorry. Sandy didn't deserve this. I will swing by after school." Hazel hung up the phone feeling numb.

Hazel was used to death. It's one of the reasons she learned karate. Karate made her feel stronger. When, she was five she lost her brother in a car accident. At the age of seven, Hazel lost her favorite uncle to a heart attack. A year later her grandfather died and a few months later her grandmother followed him. Two days after she turned nine her life long dog died. Then, at ten she lost her cousin. The death that hit closest to home was when her best friend committed suicide at fifteen. Hazel knew enough about death. She lost enough people to know how to deal with it. She walked in the classroom without a word. Skipping class and crying won't bring Sandy back. All you can do is push through. Make a joke about the situation to cover up the pain. Later, tonight she would cry.  Just not now.