The Snow-Wolf

Chapter 4: The Panic

Chapter 4: The Panic

I jerked from Emily and rushed inside the house. My fever spiked more if that was even possible. I lost all sense of direction. Maybe I was delirious? Hallucinating? That was the only logical thing I could think. In that moment though my mind told me to leave. I just knew I had to get away. I needed to run. I knew nothing about these creatures. What if they were keeping me here for a reason? What if I was their next meal all this time? Or what if they planned to make me one of them?

Had Sam bit my brother and friends? Had he turned them into werewolves? Is that why they all ended up sick and Sam would show up a day later? Were they waiting for me to get better so they could turn me too? Was that why Jacob was so mad yesterday when I snapped at him to bite me?

I realized then I should've never wanted the truth. The truth was insane. The truth was something I couldn't comprehend. No sane person would take what I had seen without freaking out.

I rushed through the living room, and then into the kitchen where the backdoor was. Shoving through the screen, I stumbled down the steps, collapsing into the grass for a moment.

Emily had followed me to the door. "Hannah! Stop!"

Trying to catch my ragged breath, I pushed myself up and then started to run towards the woods. I knew about half a mile away there was a small path somewhere I could take to the road. However, I didn't actually know if I was going the right way.

I was barefoot. Everything was a blur. I threatened to vomit again as my stomach churned painfully, but I had nothing left in me.

A shape shot in my path suddenly, and I came to a halt as another wolf arrived. This one had dark silver fur. It stepped forward towards me. I couldn't contain it anymore. I'd had a scream building inside me, but this far I had kept silent. I couldn't anymore. I screamed and it echoed through the woods.

Stumbling back, I tripped and hit the damp forest floor hard. My back- which was already sore from Jacob slamming it the other day- surged in pain. My hand scraped a root as I tried to push myself away. A twig snapped behind me and the russet wolf was there with the sandy one right behind. The black wolf crept to the side and looked over at me with eyes that were similar to Sam's but that of a beast.

I screamed again. The sandy wolf whined and the russet wolf came a step towards me. I tried to look for anywhere to run. I went to get to my feet, but I fell back in exhaustion. My body burned from the fever roaring through me. Sobs wracked out of me as the panic unfurled.

Another form stepped out of the woods as my breathing became hard. Embry arrived, human but shirtless, and he came towards me as the wolves parted to let him through.

He took a cautious step, afraid I would dart at any moment. I watched him with utter confusion and fear. He tried to keep a calm and steady voice. "Hannah. It's okay... I can explain..."

I looked at him trying to calm down, but everything in my mind and body was a mess.

"Jacob, Sam, Paul, and Seth aren't going to hurt you. They're here out of concern. We don't want you to get lost or hurt in the woods. Let's just calm down," he whispered. He stepped over to me. Seth whined again.

I found my voice, although I wasn't sure where it came from. "You... you're all... werewolves..."

He had gotten close enough so he could crouch in front of me. The russet brown wolf turned and disappeared while he did this. Embry reached a hand cautiously towards me. "The technical term is shape-shifter... I know that doesn't help though..." I tried to scoot back. My heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest. "It's okay, Hannah. We're not made to hurt humans... we protect you. You don't have to be afraid of us."