The Master of Me

Chapter 7

        Alue found it incredibly difficult to hunt on just three paws. After a good night’s rest, her paw did feel better, but she couldn’t put any weight on it without straining it further. By mid-evening her stomach was growling and she knew she couldn’t do this alone. She began her trek out of her den and out of the ravine and back to the male’s property. Feeling more vulnerable than a mouse cornered by a cat she slowly hobbled up the porch and instead of hopping onto the swing, used her forehead to make three distinct taps on the door. Sterling who had been watching this from his upstairs window, rushed downstairs before she even began her first knock. He pulled open the door and stayed back not wanting to scare her off. “Welcome back. Would you like some dinner, I just put away some steak not long ago. It’ll probably still be warm.” He told her. She hesitated for a moment then carefully entered the home and when he began to shut the door once more she turned her head and gave him an icy glare.

                “Okay, okay. I’ll leave it open then. Let me just put up the magnetic bug screen so they don’t come in.” he informed opening a nearby cupboard and hung up a black door sized see-through screen with magnets down the middle so it snapped shut while easily being able to be pushed through.  After that he headed to the fridge and pulled out a beautiful T-bone steak that was wrapped in some clear plastic on a plate. “Do you want me to heat it up?” he asked, than realized she probably wouldn’t give him an answer. Alue gave a distinct nod and he put it in the microwave and carried it to the table. She gave him another like ‘really?’ stare and he realized she wasn’t going to be eating at the table in her current state. “Right…sorry.” He apologized and placed it down on the floor and backed away.

                Alue cautiously approached the plate and gave it a good sniff before lying down and began to munch on the juicy and savory slab of meat. She stayed there for several long minutes, eating every scrap and grinding down the bone with her teeth until nothing was left.

                Meanwhile, Sterling watched trying not to stare, in awe at her grace and beauty her wolf form held. He walked over to the sink and pulled out a large glass bowl and filled it with cold drinking water from the small purified filter, beside the large tap. Then walked about giving her a wide birth and placed the bowl out of the general walking path, just right of the back door frame.

                “There, if you want it that is.” He informed and retreated once more. Alue stood up and headed over to the bowl, taking several laps of water to quench her thirst before retreating outside and resuming her place on the bench swing. “Well good night I guess.” Sterling called out and shut the door behind her. He picked up the plate and washed it and then turned off the lights then remembered the water bowl inside and opened the doggie door so she could come in and out with ease.

                The days followed went very much like that one. Alue rested often on the swing, went inside occasionally to get a drink and only ate dinner with the male and partook of whatever he was having that evening. He spoke to her like a real person when they were in the kitchen at the same time, carrying on conversations that were one sided since she didn’t not speak back with words or barks, maybe a nod sometimes. Two weeks after her accident and now three months that she had been living around and technically on his property, he took off the bandage for the final time and she could use it with only minimal discomfort.

                “Well I guess this means you don’t need me to tend to your wound anymore. Take care okay?” Sterling said as he stood up and carried the bandages and threw them into the garbage. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the surprise of his life unfolded and a female voice spoke out loud and he turned and beheld the sight of a woman with mid back length, light brown hair, brown wolf ears with a white tip and a glorious bushy tail with same white tip. She had on the same ragged, green and black smudged light blue capris, and an oversized, black, zipper hoodie, jacket and bare feet.  

“Thank you Sterling, for your kindness these past three months and more. I have never known such a thing. I believe you have earned the right to know me by name. My name is Alue.”