Secrets Of The Woods: Werewolf Story

Chapter 11: The Chat

Mason Foster's PoV

Matthew tells us that he has to talk with us. I'm listening until Morgan wakes up. I quickly go over to her and tell her "Don't sit up."
Her eyes open and she looks at me. She tells me "I should've gotten you for help...the hunter...."
I tell her "It's alright. It's not your fault."
She tells me "I had to...get shot again...to save...."
"Save who?"
"...L...Liam...."
She falls unconcious again. I'm worried that she risked her life to save Liam. He wouldn't want her to do that. He knows he only has a couple years left until he's gone forever. Zoe comes over and feels her forehead. She takes the blanket off and tells me "She has a fever. I'm gonna go get ice. And change the temperature."
She starts heading to the kitchen. I tell her "You can't make the house too cold. It could hurt the wolves."
She tells me "It won't kill them. They have fur. They can just curl up into a ball and fall asleep."
Matthew asks "Is there anything I can do to help?"
I tell him "I'm not sure. Unless you can help Morgan."
"This might be embarrassing...but..."
I look at him and ask "But what?"
"We put her in a cold bath. She's healing herself and a really cold bath would cool her down. I'm guessing werewolves fevers are a lot worse then normal ones."
"You're right about the fever. I don't know if a cold bath would help."
Zoe comes back and I can feel it's getting colder in the house. I'm used to it getting super hot, not cold. Zoe seems indifferent about it feeling colder. I ask Zoe "Would a cold bath help cool her down?"
"Possibly. Why?"
"It's Matthew's suggestion."
She puts ice on Morgan's forehead and chest. I feel her forehead and the ice isn't helping. I'm also starting to shake because it's so cold. Matthew asks "Are you alright?"
I look at Zoe and Matthew. They seem uneffected by the cold temperature. I ask them "How is the temperature not bothering you?"
Zoe shrugs and tells me "It's normally freezing in my house. Keeping the temperature low saves my parents some money. I guess it normally is super hot in the pack house. Why is that?"
Matthew tells me "I'm used to the cold. My families vacations are always to cold places to go skiing and snowboarding. My house is also pretty cold. My dad's barely home. Same for my mom. I adjust the temperature so we don't waste money keeping the house warm all the time."
I tell them "I'm not used to the cold. I grew up in warmer towns and where Liam has us live it's usually warmer. and he k-keeps...the h-h-house...really warm....to t-t-try to keep....him from sh-i-i-ifting....early..."
I realize I'm stuttering while I'm speaking. I can tell Morgan still isn't cooling down and I'm freezing. Zoe puts a blanket around me. She tells me "Go put on some layers. We can put her in a cold bath."
I want to help Morgan but I can't. I take a couple steps then I fall down. Matthew quickly comes over to me. I push him away, telling him "Don't."
He asks "Why not?"
Zoe tells him "His wolf wants to come out. It's....it's a way for us to cope with new surroundings. He will be in control but his wolf side will want him to change. It's cold and his wolf can keep him warmer."
I look at Zoe and tell her "Take care...of M-m-morgan..for me..."
She tells me "I will."
After she says that I change into my wolf. I'm a lot warmer in my wolf form but I can't help them. Zoe rushes to the main floor bathroom and turns on the bathtub. She comes back out and asks "Matthew, can you help me lift her?"
He nods in agreement. They lift her up and carry her into the bathroom. The ice falls into the ground.

Eventually they have her in the bathroom. I walk around the house trying to keep myself awake. The cold makes me want to sleep as a wolf. Wolves can be out in the cold but they will save there energy whenever they can. I'm walking around and I'm surprised when I see a car pull up and to the driveway. I quickly run to the bathroom to try and warn them. I see Morgan fully clothed in the bathtub and they are standing next to her. I start whimpering and they look at me confused. I grab Zoe's hand gently in my mouth and start pulling her towards the door. She follows and stops when she hears the doorbell. She asks "What do we do?"
Matthew says "I don't think they should see me or Morgan whoever it is. And I don't think Mason can answer."
Zoe looks at me and I shake my head. The doorbell rings again. Matthew yells "crap!"
We look at him confused. He tells us "The pack is in the basement!"
Zoe quickly runs and turns on the music player. She turns the volume up high so we can't hear the pack. She also turns the living area tv on. I follow her as the goes to the front door. She opens it and I try to stay in the shadows. When she opens it I see a man standing there. It's the hunter. I can tell Zoe recognizes him too. He asks "Are you the owner of this property?"
She tells him "No, I'm not. I don't live here but my friends do. I'm visiting. Can I help you?"
"Where's the owner?"
"Gone on a business trip."
"When will he be back?"
"Uh...I'm not sure, why?"
"Can you give me his number so I can speak with him?"
"It's in the house somewhere. Can't this wait until he comes back?"
"I want to speak to him now."
"Why?"
"I wanted to look around the property. It's interesting how he owns so much of the woods but he doesn't have a fence built around it."
"How did you know the owner is a man? I said the owner, not he."
The man seems surprised but then tells her "I've talked with some people in the town. They told me who he is. And that he's gone for months at a time during the winter. He doesn't call them or anything."
"Well he's not here. And this is private property. You don't have permission to be here."
"I don't mean to intrude. I just saw the sign saying private property and followed the long driveway. This is a giant house. Does he live here by himself? Or are there more people who live here?"
"A couple people live here. He likes having a giant house when his family comes in town to visit."
"Is that...a wolf?"
He's looking at me. I stiffen when he mentions wolf. Zoe looks at me then back to him. She tells him "That's his dog, Mark. I'm watching his dog while he's gone. People mistake him for a wolf all the time."
She looks at me again and tells me "Come here Mark! Come on!"
I start growling some like a over protective dog. I also put my ears down some and my tail. The man seems startled by my growling. She yells at me "No! Don't! He's a visitor!"
I slowly walk towards her and when I'm right by her I stop growling. I sit down and she starts petting my head. I tilt my head to the side and stick my tongue out. I make sure I'm not showing any of my teeth. She asks him "Do you want to pet him? He's really friendly. He just doesn't like strangers."
She looks at his belt then back up at him. She tells him "he really doesn't like strangers who carries a gun around with them."
He seems unphased when she says that. He tells her "It's for protection. I just moved here and I don't know these people. I'm allowed to protect myself."
She asks him "Do you hunt animals? Cause most hunters drive a pick up truck like yours."
He shrugs and tells her "I don't. Why would I show up at towns, hunt animals, then move myself and my family?"
She asks "Who are you?"
"I'm Mr Miller. Why do I feel a lot of cold air coming from your house? And loud music?"
"Sorry! I like listening to loud music while I work out. And I forgot to adjust the temperature. Sometimes it doesn't work."
"You know, I could fix it for you."
"No! It's fine. I wouldn't want to mess with anything without the owners help."
"You're friends with the owner but you've never said his name."
"I'm closer friends with some of the people that live here then I am with the owner."
"How come I don't see anyone else that lives here?"
"They ran out to town. We own a lot of vehicles."
"What about your store that you run? The coffee and bookstore?"
"Yeah! They also work there too."
"Really? I just came from the store and they said the last two weeks none of you have been working there. It's just been them covering for you. Why is that?"
"Because they were out of town. They just got back yesterday. And I go to school so I can't work at the store all the time. I do part time."
"So you watch over the house and the dog, go to school, and work at the store?"
"Yep! It keeps me busy and makes a lot of money. I'm saving up for college."
"What college are you going to?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"My daughter's graduating not this year but next year. Maybe she could go to the same college you're planning on going to."
"Maybe. But I don't think we would be studying the same thing."
"What do you want to major in?"
"Maybe art? I'm still undecided."
"That's what my daughter's thinking about majoring in."
"I'm still undecided."
I walk away from them trying my best to look like a dog. He's way too suspicious. I walk out of his view then run upstairs. I manage to change myself back to my human form. I put clothes on and a sweater. I'm wearing long sleeves to keep myself warm. I also put a hat on. I make sure it's not a winter hat. I grab one of my beanies and put it on before trying my best to casually walk down the stairs and to the door. I call out "Zoe? Who's at the door?"
She jumps, surprised to hear my voice. She looks at me and tells me "This is Mr Miller. His family just moved in a couple weeks ago. He's been asking some questions."
I walk over to the door and he asks me, "Are you the owner?"
I smile and shake my head. I tell him "Liam is out of town right now. I was out of town too the last couple weeks visiting my family. Just got back yesterday. Did you need something? Because this is private property. I can get you arrested for trespassing."
"Oh really? Because you aren't the owner which means you don't have any authority to get me arrested."
I'm really hating this Mr Miller. He's too suspicious and nosey. I tell him "Actually I'm written in as one of the owners here. So I can get you arrested."
"You don't seem old enough to be one of the owners."
I am written in the house plan as one of the owners. So I'm not lying about it. I tell him "That's what a lot of people say. I'm old enough."
"How old are you?"
"Does it matter?"
"It does."
"Get off our property before I call the station to arrest you for trespassing."
"Alright I'll leave. Sorry for using up your time. I didn't mean to intrude."
He leaves and heads back to his pick up truck. He starts driving away and we close the door when he's out of sight. Zoe asks "What are we going to do about him? He knows something is going on."
Matthew comes out from hiding in the bathroom. He tells us "You can turn the temperature down. She's waking up."
Zoe goes to change the temperature while I run to the bathroom. She wakes up again and we help her out. She asks "Why am I soaking wet?"
Matthew tells her "It was to cool down your body. You had a very high fever."
She starts shivering so I hand her a towel. She wraps it around herself. She tells us "I'm gonna go change before I turn into a wolf. Why is it so cold? Or is it just me?"
I tell her "We had to change the thermostat to freezing cold to try and cool you down."
She nods her head then walks out of the bathroom and towards the stairs. Matthew drains the tub and then we walk out to the living area. It's slowly getting warmer. I look at Matthew and ask him, "What did you want to tell us?"

*Picture at the top of the chapter is what Mr Miller/the hunter looks like*