In the Heart of the Forest

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Thea

"I'm going for a run. Be back soon," I yell to my parents as I close the front door. It is now the Sunday after my first week of school and not much has changed since I met the mysterious Wolf Boy.

I call him that because, thanks to my obsession with languages, Lykos means wolf in Russian. Not only that, he kind of has this predator look in his eye when he watches you. It seriously gives me goose bumps and I have no idea why.

I am troubled to find I can't stop thinking about him. I am not normally one to think about boys, especially not this much. It's like whenever I finally get him out of my head, he somehow wriggles his way back in.

I'm hoping this run will help clear my thoughts. I have mapped a 10 mile course that goes along the edge of the woods, to the gate at the state park, and back around to my house. I'm still too afraid to go all the way into the woods, not after what happened last time.

I pop my earbuds into my ears and press play on my music. I start my jogging as "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen begins to play.

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Logan

I seriously think this is a bad idea. But I can't help it. I watch as she puts in her earbuds and starts to jog. I stand up from my sitting position and start to follow her, my black fur blending in perfectly with the surroundings.

I don't follow her all the time, only when she is near the woods. All week I haven't been able to keep my eyes off her at school. She is just so beautiful and the way her hair shines under the lights is just entrancing. But it puts me on edge to know that a kid in one of our classes keeps staring at her. Filthy, unworthy human.

I don't normally hang out at her house, but I overheard her telling her friend, Rose, that she was going to run near the woods. Smart girl to not go back into the forest, but it's still too dangerous for my liking. Especially now that the Black Claws know where she lives.

I observe as she moves gracefully across the pavement. There is something different, I notice, about how she runs compared to how she normally carries herself. She runs with a kind of practiced grace and efficiency. Its astonishing, really. Not something you would expect from a girl who seems to lack any signs of natural grace when doing any other movements.

After what I guess is a few miles, she slows to a stop to catch her breath. Sweat glistens on her forehead, her hair messily slips from its braid, and her chest heaves, but she still looks beautiful to me. I have to hold myself back from running out there, shifting to my human form, and crushing her sweaty figure to mine. Thankfully, only a small whine of longing passes through my fur-covered snout.

Instantly, her head snaps up in my direction. No doubt hearing the high-pitched noise. I cower further into the bushes.

She starts to come closer to the edge of the forest, peering in to try and spot me. What is she thinking? I could be a ferocious beast for all she knows.

You are a ferocious beast. My wolf pipes up.

You know what I mean, I shoot back.

I need to run, not let her see me, but I can't bring myself to leave her, but with every step she takes, she gets closer to seeing me.

Just shift. Talk to her, My wolf says.

No! We are trying to not talk to her, remember? I say.

I hear a sharp intake of breath and look up to see Thea staring down at me. I whimper and lower my head to try and show her I mean no harm.