Embracing the Wolf

by Catherine Bybee

  “I insist. Joey is already asleep, and Richard is gone for the night. I’ll watch the news and hit the hay myself.”

  “But I...”

  “But nothing.” Kate turned Janet’s shoulders in the direction of the stairs and gave a little shove. “Bed!”

  ****

  The florescent lights of the garage flickered on. Neither of them moved toward any of the parked cars.

  “It won’t be long now,” Max told him.

  “I can feel it.”

  Max patted his back, smiled, and said, “You’ve done the right thing. We’ll catch this bastard tonight. Between the two of us, he doesn’t stand a chance.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I am.”

  Richard felt his heart accelerate, his vision sharpened.“Max...”

  “Yeah?”

  His breath came in pants. Bones shifted. “I’m going to ask Kate to marry me.” It was a confession and a distraction. Anything to get his mind off the unknown.

  Max smiled, shook his head. “About time.”

  “Yeah. I think so, too.”

  All of a sudden, the air thinned, and breathing became a chore. As if completely intoxicated, Richard hit the floor at the same time Max did. The inability to stand erect tossed all of his equilibrium out the door. Gelatinous arms and legs shimmered under his skin. His mouth opened to yell but no voice came from his vocal cords. Instead, a howl started at the bottom of his morphing lungs and found its way out. Popping, stretching and pain exploded while teeth elongated and ears came forward. The pain was brief, and replaced with a need to shake.

  On four legs, Richard’s head seemed to spin while his body adjusted to the change. Although the level of his sight was lower, his senses made up for the loss. None of the new abilities he had experienced since Max bit him compared to the change. Where he heard the snapping of a twig from a running bunny, he now heard the fast flutter of the hare’s heart. The fear he smelled from Kate was enhanced tenfold. He wondered if it was Kate he smelled now, or the scent of others in neighboring homes.

  Richard glanced at Max, and opened his mouth to talk. He barked. Max shook his head, mouth pulled back in what looked like a grin.

  Ass, he thought. He’s laughing at me. Richard’s bark turned into a growl, but the hair on his back was down.

  I heard that. Max’s voice echoed in his head.

  What the...

  Oh, didn’t I tell you? Max’s wolfish grin grew bigger. Telepathy is alive and well. In this form, we can talk to our kind. Hear the thoughts of those like us.

  Damn! That must be a bitch when you’re on a hunt with Dad. Richard shook out a leg, surprised how normal it felt.

  Oh, Bro...You just wait. You haven’t seen anything yet!

  Max nodded toward the door of the garage and started walking.

  The desire to take off in a run was overwhelming. Without words, Max yipped and took off in a sprint. Richard followed his lead.

  ****

  Kate stretched her arms over her head and settled into the large couch then grabbed one of the many remotes on the coffee table. She pressed the red ‘on’ button and the TV came to life. The satellite system required a second remote to operate the channels so Kate picked up another gadget thinking it was the right one. Instead of turning on the satellite, the bank of monitors Richard had shown her on her first day in the Ritter home swiveled into view. Each flickered on until Kate saw no less than twelve different views of the estate. The baby’s sleeping face brought a smile to Kate’s. She saw James sitting in his room reading. Even the pool glistened as the last rays of sun stretched across its surface.

  Movement from the monitor of the garage caught her attention. Richard stood with Max in deep conversation. Although Kate couldn’t hear the words said, she still felt as if she were eavesdropping. Her finger hovered over the button of the remote to turn off the monitors when Richard fell to the floor.

  Kate jumped to her feet, ready to run to his aid when she noticed his body start to change.

  Eyes wide, she saw movement from under the skin of his face. Hair grew over his arms, arms that shrank before her eyes.

  Kate closed her eyes, rubbed them, then forced them open again. Richard still thrashed on the ground. The same changes were happening to Max. “Oh my, God,” she choked out.

  Fear coursed through her. Every hair on her body stood on end. She couldn’t breathe. She opened her mouth to scream but only a squeak came. Her hand flew to her lips but her eyes never left the unbelievable scene unfolding before her.

  “Oh no,” she whispered to herself. This isn’t happening. I’m going crazy.

  Richard, or what had been Richard, stepped out of his tattered clothing and shook.

  Kate’s lip trembled, her eyes filled with moisture.

  He was the exact image of her nightmares.

  He was the black wolf.

  Unable to hold herself up, Kate slumped down to the couch.

  Richard’s words came back to her. “There are things about me you don’t know.”

  Max and Richard headed out the door of the garage at a run. Afraid to move, Kate closed her eyes and listened. Remembering the surveillance, she opened them and watched as they ran across the grounds and toward the gate. There, lights of a vehicle shined in. Both wolves scaled the wall and jumped into the waiting car.

  Time stood still in those minutes following the shock of a lifetime. She knew the Ritters had secrets, but turning into animals wasn’t something she expected. It would have been easier if they said they were part of some big mafia, she thought.

  Could Richard turn to a wolf at any time? Was the wolf in the restaurant like him? She ran her fingers through her hair and tried to clear her mind.

  They lied to her, all of them. Janet, Max, James and Richard. Now the question was what to do about it? She glanced at her watch.

  After turning off the set and monitors, Kate rushed to the stairs as silently as she could.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Richard scrambled into the unmarked car and waited for Devon to pull away. It took effort to filter out the unwanted noise and listen to the cop’s words. Once he did, he wasn’t happy with what he heard.

  “We have a problem,” Devon said as he drove.

  Unable to communicate back, Richard only stared.

  “A call came through with a tip. The thing is we don’t know if it’s a hoax,” he explained. “The caller said a hold up like the one last month would take place within the hour in Porter Ranch. If it’s a hoax then our man might be trying to lure us away from your place, Max.”

  Devon pulled off the road just outside Max’s estate.

  Son of a bitch! Richard said to his brother.

  He’s hiding something. Max nodded toward their trusted friend.

  Yeah, I think so too. Does he know we can talk like this?

  No, it’s the only secret we keep from those who aren’t like us. Except for family.

  You never told me.

  You never asked!

  “I think you two should split up. One of you should stay here and keep an eye on things. I have an officer stationed behind the pool house and another by the gate.” Devon told them.

  Both of them would want to stay close to home.

  Max pawed at the door. I’ll stay. Something doesn’t smell right anyway.

  Watch your back, Richard told him.

  Devon opened the door, Max jumped free of the car.

  “We’ll check out the lead, if Richard doesn’t sense anything, well head straight back,” Devon told them both.

  Max ran from the car back toward the house. Richard sat back and waited for Devon to drive him away.

  ****

  Kate silently packed her bags and tiptoed around Joey’s room collecting his things.

  She glanced at her watch. Twenty more minutes and she would walk outside, as planned, knowing the cop she spoke with earlier watched.

  It was a risk she had to take. The man or wolf or wh
atever it was that stalked her would have to come out of hiding eventually. She called Officer Foster, and suggested a set up to catch the man who shot her. He was more than happy to go along with the plan. He did ask that she tell no one, especially Richard. Did he know what Richard was?

  What was he exactly?

  Kate brushed the thoughts from her mind and checked her watch again.

  Ten more minutes.

  She sat down and waited.

  With a small knife hidden in the palm of her hand, Kate disabled the chime on the door and walked through the threshold.

  A full moon peeked through the white clouds that shone down on her. Fear of what was coming threatened to engulf her.

  Taking one hesitant step after the other, she listened to every sound of the night. Santa Ana winds were forecasted for later that night, but already the wind started to blow. The muffled sounds of the night floated away with them.

  Five minutes alone in the dark felt like five hours. A squeak of wood had her neck stiffen and pulse speed up.

  If the dog or man showed up, Officer Foster told her to retreat to the safety of the house and lock the doors.

  She tried to act normal, but knew she failed miserably. The moon caught her eye again. It was fully a month ago when she was shot. Her mind wrapped around the fact but couldn’t place its importance. Her eyes squeezed together in thought. Like a name or a word on the tip of your tongue, her frustration mounted. Why is the moon important?

  Then she went perfectly still.

  Her eyes shifted to her right. There he stood, on all fours. The wolf from the restaurant watched her every move.

  Somehow, while she watched the moon, she’d moved closer to the rail and farther from the door. Could she reach it in time? Without losing sight of the wolf, she took one hesitant step away.

  He growled.

  She moved fast, but he moved faster. With one jump, he placed himself between her and safety.

  Behind her, another growl came from the shadows. Her body tensed, afraid to move. Was there more than one wolf? Was it Richard or Max? Would they harm her?

  A third noise came from another direction, but Kate wouldn’t take her eyes from the wolf in front of her. Sweat pearled on her face, her hands clenched at her side. She felt the blade of the knife as it nicked her skin. She lifted her hand up bringing the knife before her eyes. It was only slightly larger than the fangs of the animal.

  A gush of air escaped her lungs in a nervous laugh.

  Her hands shook. “Back!” she yelled at the beast. “Get back!”

  He moved forward.

  She inched away.

  Then, from the east of the porch, a voice yelled out. “Hey!”

  There, a uniformed cop stood with his gun drawn.

  Ahh, come to the rescue, huh, hero? L.J. shifted his gaze from his prey to his foe.

  You don’t stand a chance in my home, ass wipe. You might as well leave now.

  So, you’re the big brother. I noticed lil’ bro walking behind you on the way out. Together the two of you don’t stand a chance against me. L.J. lifted his ass off the ground and licked his chops in confidence. Maybe when I’m done with this one, I’ll claim yours for me as well.

  L.J. bit back a bark when Max’s hair stood on end. Kate stood staring at him, terror stricken on her face. This was going to be easy.

  ****

  Devon’s cell phone rang and his body tensed.

  “Dammit,” he cursed turning the car around. Several cars swerved to avoid a crash, tossing Richard to the floor.

  “He’s at the house.” Devon placed a portable light on the dash and hit a switch. Sirens blared and oncoming traffic moved to the side giving them room.

  They raced back to Max’s home.

  All the while, Richard cursed himself for leaving.

  ****

  “Lady, back away from the dog.”

  “I’m trying.”

  The wolf moved between her and the cop with one pounce. The cop could miss him and hit her if he fired his weapon. The growl from behind grew louder. She tilted her head in the direction of the noise. A shadow figure of another wolf appeared, its coat covered by darkness. Was it friend or foe?

  The cop aimed his gun toward the other animal. His eyes twitched between the two.

  “Shit,” the cop cursed.

  Just then, a light from a window above illuminated the outside. The squeal of a baby crying grabbed everyone’s attention.

  Kate took her chance and leapt for the door.

  The wolf turned and ran toward her.

  Her foot tripped over the welcome mat and landed her face first on the planks of the deck. The wolf from behind attacked the other animal.

  Kate tried to roll away from the fighting animals, but something caught her pants and kept her from moving far.

  One of the wolves had her by her pant leg. Both animals blurred together.

  She kicked with all her might. One shoe caught the animal’s leg. He let go. She crawled to the door, panting. Terror rippled through every cell of her body. If I can just get to the door.

  Janet appeared in the window. She yelled from beyond the plane of glass, “Don’t shoot!”

  Kate scrambled to her feet. Barks and growls saturated the night. A car sped up the driveway. Once stopped, the driver side door opened, Officer Foster and another wolf jumped out.

  ****

  Max! Richard yelled, if screaming in your head counted, he thought.

  Over here!

  His speed was massive, his strength enhanced by the light of the moon.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kate slip between the folds of the front door. Momentarily startled, Richard stopped and stared. What is she doing outside?

  Behind him Devon yelled, “What the hell are you waiting for. Get him!”

  In an instant, Richard knew Devon had used Kate to lure their prey. His first desire was to pounce on the man, his hair rose and bile flowed in the back of his throat.

  His friend. His colleague. What right did he have to go behind his back?

  Then a howl from Max brought his attention to the fight at hand.

  Richard’s sight leveled on the wolf who had Max pinned to the ground.

  Animal hate burned from the pit of his being and emerged in a threatening growl.

  He leapt. All fours caught his enemy moments before the bastard could sink his teeth into his brother’s neck.

  Within seconds, the two wolves converged on the one. He managed to get free and bound off the steps. Kate ran to the door, Janet opened it then slammed it again once she was safely inside.

  Without words, Kate and Janet both watched through the window. Devon yelled at his men to hold their fire while the animals fought.

  The unmistakable sound of a wounded dog screamed in the night sent horror through her body. Janet grabbed Kate’s arm, her expression pained. Was it Richard or Max who yelped?

  What was Kate thinking? Two men turned into animals before her eyes and were now fighting for their lives with another of their kind.

  Devon’s flashlight flickered on the beasts. As if on cue, the light went out. He shook the flashlight, cursed, and tried again.

  Two against one? L.J. managed between bites and yelps. Chicken shit of you.

  Richard caught his leg in a death grip.

  Is that all you’ve got? L.J.’s mental words started to waver. His partner in crime had left, and he knew he was on his own. He blocked the thoughts from his mind, trying his best to make the werewolves around him fear for their lives.

  You’ve pissed off the wrong pack.

  And threatened our women. No one gets away with that.

  L.J. sunk his teeth into Richard side.

  He recoiled in pain.

  Once I’m done with you. I’m going to sink my bone into that bitch of yours. And she’s going to love it. She’ll beg for more.

  Richard stood up, teeth bared. Over my dead body!

  If you insist.

  The o
fficer outside managed to turn on the light. This time when he aimed toward the fighting wolves, only the figure of a man, naked and seemingly dead, lay on the lawn.

  Kate peered into the darkness and saw a thin man, in no way resembled Richard or Max. She looked beyond the body and saw nothing.

  Relief poured from her limbs. They’re not dead.

  Janet slumped against her. “It’s over.”

  Kate heard Janet’s words from a distance. Now what?

  James appeared behind them and opened the door as the house filled with uniformed officers.

  Officer Foster pulled Janet and Kate aside, away from ears. “They aren’t harmed. Animal control will make a sweep and ask for descriptions. Be vague.”

  Janet searched Kate’s eyes. Kate said nothing.

  Devon stood back and one of the cops removed a pen and notebook from his pocket. “Do you own a dog, Mrs. Ritter?”

  “No,” Janet said.

  “Have you seen these dogs before? Do they live in the neighborhood?”

  “I haven’t seen them.”

  “I recognized one. From the hold up at The Eatery,” Kate said.

  The officer asked what she refereed to and Kate explained the night at work where she’d been shot.

  “Miss Davis was staying here with the Ritters because of felon responsible for the robbery,” Devon explained to the officer. “It’s all on file.”

  “Do you recognize the man in the yard?”

  “No. Only the wolf.”

  All the answers were honest. None indicated that Richard or Max had morphed into animals. Why would they? Saying she witnessed such a thing would land her in the nut house and Joey in a foster home.

  Janet finished answering the officer’s questions. When the coroner’s van arrived over two hours later, Joey woke up scared and confused. Kate did her best to ease his fears and put him back to bed.

  It was after two in the morning before the majority of officers left. Devon stayed behind with two colleagues. From what Kate could tell, only Devon knew the truth about Richard and Max.

  Kate excused herself to bed, Janet followed.

  Janet eyed the packed suitcase. “You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question. “I can’t blame you. I ran too when I first found out. Max scared the hell out of me.”