Souls' Collision | ✔

W E R E W O L V E S

~ Chapter Seven ~

It was strange -- the way your entire world could get tipped on its head in a matter of seconds.

Liz was held up between Red's hands, feeling the melted snow leave red, aching spots on her legs as well as the wind merclilessly going at her hair. He seemed untouched by the weather -- but not completely unbothered.

He hadn't said anything yet. But she could tell that he was about to -- and that it would change everything.

"I'm not like you," he whispered through clenched teeth. His voice barely made it past the screeching of the wind. "I'm not like any of you."

Liz felt a fearful hand grip her heart at his words."W-What?"

"I don't know..." He seemed frustrated with himself and rearranged his thoughts. "I don't know what's customary for telling things like this. I don't want you to be afraid."

"Too late."

They kept their eyes on eachother, two wary pairs waiting for the other to give a reason -- just enough -- to run off.

"You're cold," Red said. "We shouldn't be out here."

"Hell no!" Liz snapped, breaking the quiet, as he tried to pull her towards him, and backed a few steps. She watched tensely, seeing if he would reach for her.

He really wanted to -- it was all over his face -- but he didn't.

Instead he stayed in place, somehow standing out and looking completely in tune with the forest both at once. Liz got the harrowing feeling that she was talking to a ghost. But a ghost wouldn't be able to touch things, and Red had just picked up the leftovers of her old cellphone.

He held it up between them.

Liz couldn't stop herself as she interrupted his coming words, asking, alarmed: "How did you have that?"

"You had it on you when you came to one of my estates. Just after my subordinate saved you from drowning."

"That's not..." Liz quieted, felt his words catch up. She suddenly had eight more questions. "That was your cabin that I woke up in?"

Red nodded, standing a little taller.

"And you stole my phone?"

He paused, now looking ashamed, and nodded again.

"But why did you--" Liz felt a realisation ram into her forehead, catching her off-guard and making het forget what she was asking. Her eyes widened for a split second, then narrowed and aimed for Red with scary intensity. Unbeknownst to her she took a step forward and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You said he saved me from drowning, but he found me on the side of the lake."

Red tried to stay calm in case she would go into shock, but also wanted desperately to complete the puzzle for her. He didn't, though. Instead he offered, meaningly, "No. He dove in after you."

"Bullshit, what dove in after me was..."

"Yes?"

She looked unsure. "I-I don't know."

"You do," Red urged. "I know you do."

Liz blinked at the sudden force in his words. She saw his entire being itch, tremble with anticipation for her to say it aloud. He looked impatient, feral, like he could barely contain himself -- he looked like a beast... a predator.

Something clicked.

Red saw it in her eyes and Liz felt it like clouds dissapearing in her mind.

She brought a trembling hand to her chest. Her accusing finger fell flat to her thigh. "A wolf... It was a wolf."

Despite the fear in her eyes, Red couldn't help but feel a little more at ease having her know. He was proud of his heritage, of his pack, of his strong jaws and keen senses. She'd surely come to love it. Maybe even him, as well, if the gods above willing.

But Liz wasn't feeling any kind of love -- the only thing in her mind was the snarling wolves and the jaws coming after her as she descended the lake.

"I don't understand," she whispered. "I don't understand at all. You're... You're a -- a what? -- a werewolf?"

"I don't know what that is."

But Liz wasn't paying his answers any mind. She was looking increasingly panicked, which in turn made Red worry. "Oh my god, are you going to kill me? You failed on the lake and now you're trying again, is that it?"

"The wolves by the lake weren't trying to kill you."

"Yes they were," Liz responded in a heartbeat.

"It was a mistake," Red explained, for the first time ever ashamed of his packmates' behaviors. It was a strange feeling to speak against his own kind. "Some of the younger wolves can be... unpredictable. That's all. But it's taken care of. It won't happen again."

She put some hair behind her ear, a nervous tick, and hugged herself against the cold. She could see Red's eyes following the movements. "How do you know that? Why wouldn't they do it again?"

"Because I told them."

"Why would they listen to you?"

"Because I'm their alpha."

"Alpha, like a leader?"

"Yes."

Liz released a hard laugh into the night. It caught Red off-guard, and the twenty wolves surrounding them -- hidden by darkness and brush -- as well. "That's crazy! You know how crazy this is? It can't be possible. It just can't be." She shook her head but sounded unsure. "There's no way."

"Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"No!" Liz quickly pulled back from where she'd almost jumped him. "No," she repeated, quieter. "I believe you... I think. I just... Why did you tell me this? Why did you take my phone? Why have you been following me?"

The wolves watched.

The moon watched.

The whole forest watched for what was to come.

Red scratched his neck, looked nervous for the first time.

"You look pale. Please, Liz, let me take you inside."

Sorry if shitty, I had to hurry. But now she knows! Yay!