Angry didn't even begin to cover how I felt about what happened three days ago. Standing out on the deck, I looked down at my covered fingers with a scowl on my face. Malakai was avoiding me and for good reason, If I saw him I might punch him. I was still pretty darn angry. Beyond the anger, I was shocked and amazed he had actually bitten me after everything. I had probably saved his life, and this was how he paid me back.
I didn't ask to be paid back; I was just happy I could help, but that was the last thing I expected. Stomping my foot on the deck in anger, I went back inside and grabbed all my painting stuff. I could paint pretty decently, and I needed to do something to relax me before I lost it and went over and hit him.
Setting up my canvas and easel, I got to work covering the canvas in white before adding other colours. I let the dogs out while I waited for my background to dry a little. They yipped playfully and were happy to be outside, even if they were only confined to the deck.
The sheriff's vehicle pulled into the driveway and I swore I felt my fingers throb where Malakai had bitten me. As he got out, I felt my mood drop. Ruby didn't growl at him this time, he just remained away from where the sheriff stood on the deck.
"I'm sorry, I was going to check on you sooner, but I got busy."
"Don't worry about it Sheriff, you wouldn't have wanted to come before today. I've been in a pretty back mood the last few days."
"Yes, I can smell it."
"Right, you're a fucking wolf, too." I snapped bitterly.
"What happened?"
"He fucking bit me! After I literally saved his fucking life, he bit me!"
"On your finger's? I can smell the wound."
"Yeah."
"Jett, I'm really sorry about calling you——"
"Don't worry about it. I don't care."
"I could speak with Malakai? If you want?"
"I don't want anything from him. I don't even want to see his fucking face. I might hit him."
"I don't recommend that. You would hurt yourself, not him."
"Yeah, I got that when I slapped him in the muzzle right after he bit me."
"I've never known Malakai to ever bite a human. That's really surprising."
"Yeah, Well there's a first for everything."
"Yeah, I guess—- Hey you're painting again, It's been a while since I've seen you outside painting."
"It's a distraction."
"Right, that makes sense."
The sheriff and I talked for over an hour while I painted. When it was over, I glared at what I had painted. Not only had I painted wolves, a bunch of them at the edge of a forest, but Malakai's wolf was also there in plain view. The sheriff was the only one who seemed at all interested in the painting, but that was because there was a wolf that looked like his there too.
"Here, you can have this."
He took it without even arguing about it.
"I'm going to stick this in my office."
"Glad it will go somewhere to be appreciated."
"Of course it will. Your paintings are really well done. I'm never able to get one before they get picked up by others when you bring some to the shop downtown."
"Yes, they do seem to go fast."
"When are you making another set for the shop?"
"Soon, hopefully, I look forward to painting them."
"Alright, Keep me updated and make sure to put some alcohol on them fingers, they are getting an infection."
He hopped back into the vehicle and was gone before I could ask what he meant by that. I was curious about my fingers; I unwrapped them and, sure enough; they were starting to become infected. I didn't think about it when he said it, but he could probably smell the infection. He could smell everything else, so why not the infection?
Heading back inside, I cleaned up my fingers with alcohol in the bathroom, some healing cream, before putting a new covering on them. My fingers were unhappy with the alcohol treatment, but it had to be done. The fact that I was now also getting an infection from the bites made me even angrier about the fact he had the nerve to bite me.
Shaking off the anger filling me, I went and grabbed another canvas; I had enough sunlight left the paint another one before I should make dinner. Laying down all my bases and my colours, I waited for it to dry for a bit. Not as long as I would have liked, but the sun was going down. Painting a few finer details on it, I got really into it. When I stepped back, I felt like throwing all my painting supplies.
I had painted a full portrait of Malakai's wolf.
I was cursed. I just had to be cursed. I left the portrait to dry while I decided to go make dinner. I could just add that painting to the pile of them I would sell to the shop to sell. Hannah was just going to love them. She had so much wolf shit in the store already. I wondered if she was also one of them, but honestly, I didn't care; she had always been nice, and I wasn't going to let Malakai set the tone for all the wolves that I met.
Tossing just a bunch of stuff in a pan, I made chicken stir-fry. By the looks of the fridge, I was going to have to head into town and do some shopping. I walked around the kitchen well I ate. I was restless. I had plenty of nights like this when I worked as a paramedic; I knew the quickest way to end this feeling was to work out to make myself tired.
Depositing my dishes in the sink, I headed back out to the deck. It was pretty dark outside now. Flicking the deck lights on was the best idea. The deck was pretty lit up now.
I sat down on the deck and decided to get some sit-ups out of the way first. Without someone to hold my feet down, I tucked my feet under the deck railing. I had a treadmill in the house, along with other shit, but I didn't want to run. At least not in the house.
After the first few sit-ups, I started to get a soft burning. I sighed because I was in terrible shape; I had been in almost fantastic shape when I was a paramedic.
If I was this out of shape, there was no way I was even going to attempt a pushup. The sound of the wolves howling in the forest had me stopping and just laying on the deck listening to them. They sounded super close and there were definitely a few of them. Their howls were beautiful.
Crawling across the deck, I went to the part of the deck that didn't have a roof and laid flat out on the deck. The stars were absolutely bright and beautiful tonight. I couldn't believe I hadn't done this since I was a boy and I forgot how much I loved to just look up at the stars. Grandpa had been the one to show me this spot, and he loved to watch the stars with me.
I missed him so deeply. As I looked up at the stars, I felt the tears streak down my cheeks.
"Don't worry grandpa, They are still just as beautiful as the last time we saw them together."
My heart ached.
The wolves continued to howl and bark at the moon. It was really beautiful. Yet when I thought about picturing them, I saw Malakai's wolf. He also howled at the moon, but not like the others. He howled because he wanted to, not because he had to.
Sitting up, I saw eyes glowing in the dark. I could tell they were wolves. They looked at me and I looked at them through the bars of the deck. There were so many of them, The largest of them stood at the front. Its eyes never left mine. Not even as it howled, the others howling as well. They were probably calling to Malakai. I could see that being a thing.
"Beautiful. You guys sing so beautifully." I whispered into the wind.
I saw Malakai's wolf walk through the trees of his property to mine. Fear shot into my stomach and my fingers ached.
"Be safe Malakai."
The wolves howled again, Malakai howling along with them. The wolf in the front bumped into Malakai barking at him, but not before turning and looking at me again.
Once they walked out of as far as I could see into the dark forest, I laid back on the deck again. I had nothing better to do than watch the stars.