by Toni Goode
“Listen I just need to talk to Clara and just for your information the wolf chick wasn’t crazy.” John began as Steele looked at him with wide eyes.
“You knew the wolf girl?” Steele began and then his eyes got wide. “No. It can’t be. You didn’t name those clubs after her. The Red clubs. Did you?” Steele said in shock.
“She messed me up man, she messed me up bad.” John shook his head. He had never told anyone about Briana not even Steele, and he knew him since the early 2000’s.
“Are you shitting me? You were hitting that back in 1990? God damn I miss the 90’s!” Steele laughed.
“Listen I just need to find Clara.” John continued.
“Now hold up, you think you found this wolf chick, but she isn’t a wolf?” Steele said in confusion.
“I don’t know. I think it’s her but it’s odd. She definitely isn’t a wolf.” John said seriously.
“Then it isn’t her dude. There is nothing out there that can reverse the wolf curse. You know that. She probably just looks like her. Maybe she is a relative of hers.” Steele said and then he grinned. “Remember when in a five-year span I slept with that whole family of girls, starting with the grandma who was hot as shit, then the mom and then finally the daughter who by the way was smoking hot but boring as hell in bed.” He laughed.
“Yeah I thought you were still working your way through the rest of the women.” John said sarcastically.
“I was, I am. Still have two aunts and a cousin to get.” He smirked as John shook his head. “Oh, don’t act all holier than thou with me. I remember the triplets you had that one night.” Steele laughed.
“I was just letting them audition for the club.” John smirked.
“Uh huh, auditioning with your dick.” Steele laughed and then John laughed.
“Seriously though, I need to speak to Clara so if you can find out anything.” John began.
“I mean I could ask Selena since that’s her sister but then I will probably have to sleep with her again. I just don’t know if I am ready for that.” Steele smirked.
Briana went back home after school but as she got to the bar, she saw a young woman with brown hair standing around looking confused. “Hi, can I help you?” Briana asked as she unlocked the bar and quickly looked at her watch. “The bar isn’t open for another two hours.” She said as the woman looked at her with wide eyes. She didn’t say anything yet though. “Um, hello?”
“I’m sorry. I forgot what I was going to say. Are you Briana?” The woman asked, and Briana looked at the woman confused. How did she know her name? “I’m sorry that probably sounds creepy. I’m Maria and I’m sorry you just look like someone I used to know.” Maria said with a soft smile.
“Oh, ok but were still not open for another two hours.” Briana began as Maria smiled again.
“That’s ok, um. Have you ever been to New York City?” Maria asked and now Briana felt not only confused but a bit worried by this woman’s behavior. She was looking at Briana weird.
“No, sorry. I think you have me confused with someone else.” Briana said quickly and then she turned from the woman as she quickly unlocked the door. The woman still stood there. Briana turned back around now. “Listen I’m sorry but we’re not open and to be honest you’re sort of freaking me out.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’m going to go.” Maria turned from her quick and Briana watched her get into a car then she drove off. She quickly locked the door behind her. Images of a city came back to Briana as she stood there, and she quickly watched as the car left the parking lot.
Briana felt an uneasiness as she stood there. Who was that woman? Standing here now she almost had an oddly familiar feeling about her. Had the woman just showed up there to ask her if she had been to the city and how did she know her name? Briana stared back at the door. Something very odd was happening and she couldn’t explain it. She tried to shake it off as she headed up to her apartment.
After Briana showered, she had about an hour left before the bar opened. She found herself back on her computer as she searched John some more. There were so many articles and videos with him in it. She scrolled through numerous articles until she saw one regarding Coney Island. He had given money to help with the restoration of the amusement park. He stood in front of the fun house and an image ran through Briana’s mind as she sat there.
Images of a funhouse clown and darkness filled her head. She saw John and then he was kissing her. It was as if her clothes were disappearing off her body and then he was on top of her. He was thrusting into her wildly and she cried out in pleasure.
The sound of her phone vibrating snapped her from the thoughts as her heart raced. She glanced at her phone and saw that it was her mom. She answered quickly. “Hey mom, sorry I haven’t called.” She said right away. She knew that her parents would be upset with her because she had not contacted them in a few days.
“Oh Bree, I need you to come up to the hospital. It’s your father.” Her mother sounded frantic as she spoke.
“I’m heading over there now mom. What happened? Is dad ok?” She asked as she quickly got up and grabbed her car keys.
“He had a heart attack; please hurry they are rushing him into surgery soon.” Her mother said as Briana gasped in shock. She nearly dropped her phone as she got out of the apartment quick and ran down the stairs. She almost crashed into Charles as he came out from the back of the bar.
“Hey darling, what’s the hurry?” Charles said with a smile.
“I’m sorry I have to go; my dad just had a heart attack.” She said with a panicked voice as she ran out of the bar. She got to her car and quickly took off.
Briana paced the waiting room of the hospital. She hated hospitals. The doctor had come out and her mom was taken into the back. Her father was in serious condition and she couldn’t stop worrying as her emotions began to take her over. They were calling in a special cardiologist from another city to come look at him. She felt sick with worry as she paced.
She heard the door open and she saw the look on her mother’s face. She looked at Briana and then she began to sob heavily as Briana rushed over. She hugged her mother as she wept on Briana’s shoulder. “I can’t lose him.” Her mother cried, and it took everything in Briana to not cry along with her mother. She knew she had to be the strong one for her.
Over the next few hours her father had been rushed to surgery. He was having a quadruple bypass done by the outside surgeon and the chances that he would make it out alive were slim. Her mother kept telling stories of when Briana was younger and how much she adored her father.
By the time the door opened again, and the surgeon came out he had the strangest look on his face as he stopped by the door. It was as if he saw a ghost. Briana was taken back by his look and her mother ran up to him.
“The surgery was a success, but the next few hours are critical. His heart has taken a lot of stress and right now all we can do is wait and see. I wish I had better information, but I will be here over the next few days.” The doctor said as looked at Victoria and then Briana. “I’m sorry but do I know you?” He asked towards Briana.
“No, I don’t think so.” She said with confusion. This was the first time in the matter of a few hours that two different people thought they knew her. She wondered who they thought she was cause apparently this person was getting around.
“Ok sorry, you just look familiar. I’m Michael, your father’s new Cardiologist.” He said towards her and then Briana’s mother spoke.
“Thank you so much for all you have done. We will leave the rest in god’s hands.” Her mother said with tears as she walked away and over to the window as Briana stood and looked at Michael.
“Is your name Briana?” Michael asked with confusion as he looked at her.
Briana swallowed hard, now this was getting weird. “Yes. Apparently, there is another Briana that looks like me. You’re the second person today to ask me.” She said with confusion.
&nb
sp; “You just have one of those faces I suppose.” Michael said as he began to walk away.
“I suppose so.” Briana said as she watched him walk back to the door and she walked over to her mother who was standing at the window and looking out.
“I should contact his family.” Her mother said as she looked at Briana. Her mother looked broken. Briana knew this was serious if they were contacting her father’s side of the family because he hadn’t spoken to them since Briana was younger. Hell, Briana didn’t even know anyone on his side. She had only heard stories about his brother and sister. Her father had never been close with them and he never fully explained why. Briana didn’t even know her cousins, if she had any at all. Briana watched as her mother began to dial her phone. She was about to call people she hadn’t spoken to in over twenty years.
“I will get us some coffee.” Briana said as she walked out of the room and towards the cafeteria.
Eve was walking down the hall as she looked up with surprise. “Bree, what are you doing here?”
“My dad had a heart attack and he just got out of surgery. I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.” Briana said quietly. She honestly felt numb at this point. She couldn’t afford to break down, her mother needed her now.
“Oh my gosh Bree, I am so sorry to hear that!” Eve hugged her tight. “I will see what I can find out for you.”
“We already talked to the surgeon. He said the next few hours are critical.” Briana took a deep breath. “My mom is calling his family.”
“Oh Bree. We have to stay positive ok.” Eve said reassuringly.
“I was just going to get coffee. I just needed to walk away for a moment.” Briana said honestly.
“I will go with you. I’m doing clinicals here tonight, but my shift is almost over.” Eve said as the girls walked to the cafeteria. “I am so sorry this is happening Bree.”
“My dad has never been sick, you know.” Briana said as she fought tears.
“Your dad is a fighter Bree.” Eve said softly.
“Well then to top it off I had two different people today ask me if I knew them and they both knew my name.” Briana began as Eve looked at her in shock.
“Two people? Maybe you have one of those faces?’ Eve said with a shake of her head.
“Maybe I have one of those names too.” Briana said with a shrug of her shoulders.
“It is odd, but people are weird anyways.” Eve said seriously.
“He came by the school today.” Briana finally said as Eve looked at her with confusion and then her eyes got wide.
“Him as in Alpha Wolf?” Eve said with shock.
“Yeah.” Briana shook her head. “He tried to apologize or something like that. I don’t know.” Briana continued. “I’ve been having weird thoughts lately and weird dreams.” She said quietly.
“Weird as in?” Eve asked, and Briana looked around quick to make sure no one was listening. She didn’t want to end up in the psych ward and she almost felt as though she may.
“I can’t explain but I keep dreaming and having weird thoughts about him.” Briana said quietly. “I don’t even want to talk about it right now.”
“You know you did bang your head pretty bad in the fire Bree. If you keep seeing weird things, then maybe you should talk to someone.” Eve said seriously.
“I think I’m just overtired. It just seems like a lot of things have been happening lately.” Briana said seriously. “Please don’t say anything to my mom. She has enough to worry about now.”
“I won’t but I know a therapist, I could reach out to him. It could help.” Eve said softly.
“Ok, maybe. “Briana said with a forced smile.
“Let’s go check on your mom.” Eve said as the girls began walking back to the waiting room.
Briana listened as her mom spoke to family members that they had not been in contact with for years. Briana’s father had a brother Joseph and a sister Caroline, but Briana had never met them. She barely knew any information about them except that her Uncle Joseph was in the FBI and her Aunt Caroline was a newspaper editor. That was basically all she knew. Her father was very secretive about his family and a supposed family feud took place years ago which lead to the current family divide. Growing up all Briana knew was her parents. Her mother had been adopted as a baby and her parents had passed away years ago. She had been the only sibling and she had no idea who her birth parents were.
Her mother spoke now to Caroline. It broke Briana’s heart to hear her mother sound so lost and empty. Her parents had been together since high school. They only had each other and even though her parents weren’t old; both in their mid-fifties. They had been married for 36 years.
Her mother finally got off the phone with Caroline as she looked at Briana. “His sister is heading here from California.” She said with tears in her eyes.
“Mom, it’s going to be ok.” Briana said as she touched her mom’s arm softly.
John drank until he couldn’t see straight and then he decided to just go on a run in his wolf form. He just wanted to escape his body and be something else. He was at a loss of what to do but what he did know was that he was losing Briana all over again before anything had even begun. He didn’t know how she had ended up human and he didn’t care either. He just wanted her, and he refused to let anyone stand in the way of that.
He found himself in town hiding behind the tree line as he stalked that little shit that made her hate him. In a drunken rage he almost attacked him. He wanted to, hell it wouldn’t be the first time he had taken out someone who was trying to destroy him, but he knew that she would never forgive him then. So, he just stood there, angry and watching. His mind still clouded with alcohol he finally took off running as he howled into the night sky.
The second Briana got into her car she began to cry. Her mother had asked her to go home. She stated that both of them didn’t need to be up there and that as soon as anything changed in his situation that she would call her. Briana was exhausted and mentally done as she cried behind the wheel. It wasn’t just about her father who she feared she would lose but it was her life and the choices that made up her life.
She felt sick and holding back tears for the last few hours had weighed its toll as she drove and cried. She had pretended to be strong enough, but she felt so weak right now. The tears came hard and fast. She reached for a napkin from the glove box and that’s when she saw a flash of black come in front of her car. She slammed on the brakes as her car came skidding to a halt. The impact of hitting the large animal had made her head hit into the steering wheel and for a moment she felt confused and disoriented.
It was dark out and her headlights were breaking through fog as she touched the wet spot on her head, and she saw a small amount of blood. What the hell had she hit? A deer? She got out of her car and she looked at the front of it. There was a small dent in the bumper but otherwise it was ok. She glanced down the dirt road and saw nothing but then she heard the groan from the side of the road. She walked a few feet away from the car and her eyes got wide as she saw the body of a person not an animal on the side of the road. A panicked scream left her mouth as she ran over, immediately she saw who it was. It was him. It was John.
He was naked and, on his side, as he groaned in pain. She ran over to him and then she saw the blood on him. She gasped as she saw the large cut on his shoulder that had a lot of blood coming out of it. His green eyes opened and looked at her.
“Oh my gosh I’m getting help. I am so sorry.” She said as she frantically looked for her phone in her pocket, but it wasn’t there. It had to be back in the car. His hand reached out and grabbed hers as she froze there.
“So beautiful.” He said as he looked at her and for a split second, she had a Deja-vu feeling wash over her as she looked at him. His eyes were glassy and red. He smelled strong of alcohol as he looked at her.
“I have to get my phone. I need to get you an ambulance.” She said with a slightly panicked voice. He was bleeding
bad.
“No.” He held onto her arm as he shook his head and tried to sit up some. Everything was foggy around him and it wasn’t just the weather outside. He was incredibly drunk. He looked at her. He honestly thought he was dreaming. “Don’t go, don’t leave me again.” He pleaded as she looked at him with wide eyes. She couldn’t move.
The more he moved the more his naked body was exposed to her and she tried to avert her eyes from him but then he was trying to stand up. “You’re going to hurt yourself. You’re bleeding.” She said as he continued to stand and look around. Her eyes fell to his naked body. My god he was beautiful.
He looked at her car and then his eyes focused on her face. His hand came up and touched her head that had blood on it. “You’re hurt.” He said as he wobbled some. Briana quickly took off her t-shirt and it left her in a tank top as she put it against the gash on his arm. He winced as she pushed against it.
“Let’s just get you in the car and then I can get you to the hospital.” She began as he walked with her towards the car.
“No Hospital.” He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not fine, you’re bleeding.” She said as she opened the car door and he fell into the car with a grunt. She pushed his legs in and quickly ran over to the driver’s side. “How much did you drink?” She asked with worry as she looked at him. She was worried he had alcohol poisoning.
“How much did you drink?” He said with a drunken laugh.
“This isn’t funny, you’re hurt bad.” She said as he went to move the shirt from his arm. She saw that his wound was healing at an alarming rate. She gasped in shock. She didn’t know that wolves could heal like that. She looked at him and he reached out and touched her face.
“Take me home.” He said, and she shook her head.
“I don’t know where your home is.” She said honestly.
“Down that way and to the right.” He said and then his head leaned against the window. For a moment she was scared he wasn’t breathing but then she heard him snoring as she drove. Her heart was racing incredibly hard. She couldn’t believe she had him in her car right now and that he was naked as well as hurt. She had no idea where he lived as she drove but then she saw a house in the distance. A large house. It had to be his. She pulled up to it.