My foster parents lead me into the living room and sit me down.
"So, what's this 'news' you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well," my dad starts, "we want to adopt you."
Pretty sure my heart stops beating for a few seconds. "What."
"Are you not excited?" Mom asks.
"No, I-I mean, you really want to a-adopt me?"
"No, we are just pulling your leg. Yes, Ryder, we want to adopt you!" he states.
"Really?"
"Yes, really," they say in unison.
Moms sits down next to me. She rests her hand on mine.
I suddenly feel very overwhelmed with emotion and I sprint upstairs into my room.
I can hear them talking down stairs.
"Mom, is everything okay?" I hear Mist ask our parents.
"I'm not sure, h-he just took off." I can hear sadness in her voice.
"Why don't you go see if he's okay, Mist?" Dad asks.
"Alright," Mist says.
A moment later there's a knock at my door.
"Ryder, you okay?" I can tell she's trying not to cry.
"I uh, I just need a minute," I reply, trying not to let her know I'm crying.
"Are you crying?" she asks.
Dammit. "No..."
She bangs on the door. "Come on, let me in."
I don't reply.
"I'll tell," she whispers.
My eyes widen. I race to my door, swing it open, and drag her in, shutting the door behind us. I grab her and hold her in my arms, her back facing me.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"I knew that would get me in." She looks up at me, grinning widely.
"You little rat."
"I know." She turns around so she's facing me. "So, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I-I just got overwhelmed and I was starting to cry and—"
"Are you afraid to cry in front of people?" Mist rudely interrupts me.
"No, if you'd just let me finish, I was going to say that my eyes change color when I cry or have an overwhelming emotion."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Was it a good cry or bad cry?"
"Good cry." I hold her tightly. I kiss her hair and rest my cheek on her head.
"You might want to go tell Mom and Dad that you're not upset about being adopted."
"Yeah, that might be a good idea."
I slowly walk back into the living room. "Hey."
My foster parents look over. I notice Mom has been crying.
"I'm sorry I ran off. I—"
"It's okay, if you don't want us to adopt you, we won't, okay?" She walks up to me.
"No. No. I do, I just, I'm shy when it comes to crying. Because, I mean, it doesn't feel like I've been here that long. I wasn't expecting it. Please still adopt me."
Mom's arms engulf me, followed by Dad's.
***
My mom rummages through the kitchen cabinets.
"Whatcha looking for?" I ask her.
"Teriyaki sauce for the burgers."
"Did you check the fridge?"
"Yes," she huffs.
"Pantry?"
"Yes."
"What about the cabinet above the fridge?"
"Yes! I checked the shelves in the island, I checked in the very back of the cabinets above the stove, I checked the 'secret' hiding place your father put in the bench at the kitchen table! And yes, I even checked in the oven, dishwasher, and bathroom cabinets!" she blurts out, clearly aggravated.
"Okay... Uh, maybe we're out?" I suggest.
"How am I supposed to make dinner when I have to go to the store to go buy more freaking teriyaki sauce because we're out?" she asks.
"Okay." I slowly approach and pull her into a hug.
She sighs in despair, clearly frustrated.
"How about I run to the store really quick while you start dinner?"
"You'd do that for me?"
"Yup, I'll be back before you know it."
"Ugh, thank you so much!"
I feel something pat my head. "Who's a good boy? You are, you're a good boy," Mist teases.
I glare at her, and she hauls her ass upstairs.
"You get back here, you brat!" I get to the base of the steps, but I'm interrupted by my mother's voice.
"Ryder, store?"
"Dammit," I mutter under my breath. "I'm gonna get you later," I holler to Mist. I snatch my jacket off the coat rack and run out the door.
***
I sprint through the trees, dodging limbs and rocks on my way home from the store. Something flashes out of the corner of my eye. I stash the teriyaki sauce in a tree and take off in another direction. Something's following me, and I don't want to lead it home and potentially put my family in danger.
I dodge, weave, and make hairpin turns, trying to lose whatever is on my tail. I slow down and look back to see if I'm still being followed. I turn back to see where I'm going, and I barrel into something and crash to the ground. I rush to my feet. Anger rises inside of me when I see who I crashed into.
"Hunt," I growl deeply. I yank him onto his feet and throw him against a tree, pinning him to it, with my arm against his throat.
"Wait, wait!" he pleads.
"You better give me a damn good reason not to snap your neck." I growl and bare my teeth.
"I need your help."
"What makes you think that I'll ever help you?"
"Because, if you want Mist to be safe, you need to help me."
I glare at him. "Is that a threat?" I push my arm harder against his neck.
He wheezes. "No, it's a warning."
I loosen my grip on him. "A warning?"
"Yes, I can't control myself. I never meant to hurt her! I keep blacking out, I have memory gaps. You told me you're like me. How do you keep it together? How do you keep from hurting people?" he asks desperately. "Please, Ryder, I need help. We both don't want me hurting people. Helping me is the only way to keep her safe."
I release him, taking a few steps back. He caresses his throat, breathing heavily.
"Fine."
His head perks up.
"But we do this my way, and you have to listen to everything I tell you, you understand?"
"Yes, perfectly. Thank you."
"Tomorrow, at the old gravel pit, 6 am sharp. Don't be late."
"I won't."
YOU ARE READING
Foster Wolf
Lupi mannari(Complete) Ryder is a teenaged boy in foster care. his parents died when he was two and was put into the foster system. He has bounced from one home to another. Either he was sent back or ran away, but this time when his social worker, Mary, found h...
