The forest was very quiet, but I didn't give it much importance, I needed to feel safe before worrying about the rest. I ran until I reached a point where I could no longer smell or hear the noise of the townspeople.I
sat up and gruntled, my fear of being killed by the people of Fortrest was too great, I shook my head and scratched my ear, then I lay on the ground and the smell of the dry leaves helped calm me down.
As I calmed down, I closed my eyes and let my hearing expand a bit, and I think that's what saved me from being caught. I heard a few footsteps a few feet away, lifted my head and opened my eyes, sniffed and smelled five different smells.
I shuddered, I would never stand a chance against five men, so I heard them start walking towards me, I got up and hid behind a big rock. Now I understood why the forest was so silent.
Within minutes, five armed men appeared and stopped very close to the stone, I didn't see them, but I smelled each smell and I can tell that they were not very pleasant aromas. They didn't talk, but I thought they were looking for the possible killer wolf, I cringed, if they found me, they would think I was the killer and probably kill me.
I prayed, I think that our God - Amaterasu - is the only one who could help me now, but what I was sure of was that if they saw me, I would have to flee, but if they cornered me, I would have to attack them.
Luckily or thanks to our God, the men started moving again, I noticed that my claws were digging into the ground, then I hurried to get out of there, I needed a safer place. I
ran in the opposite direction to the one they followed and soon I reached a cave, I looked around and didn't detect anything, still afraid I entered the cave, there was only the smell of some animals that had passed there earlier.
I went deep inside and lay down, I hated being hunted, the only time that happened was when me and my parents went on a trip. I remember we were riding a dinghy in one of the rivers in a forest when my parents started arguing and out of nowhere I transformed, I was very small and I didn't know - or rather, I still don't know - how to control myself.
And then I jumped in the water and swam to shore, and my parents only realized what was happening when a guy with a gun shot me. It only got scraped because the man was too scared to see a wolf in that region, but I don't remember what happened afterwards, because I fainted.
Of course, this memory wasn't really a hunt, but I don't want to ever have to face a gunman again, let alone be shot.
For now, I would stay in the cave and wait until my wolf part stopped being so selfish and allowed me to revert back to human form.
*
I don't know how much time passed, but I was finally in human form and now switched. However, my concern was what I would say to Bryan when I saw him, he must be very angry or very hurt... It's not every day that your best friend, who seems to be into you, asks you for water and then runs away.
There's only one more turn left and I'll be home, I'll be able to take a shower and maybe call him. No, I won't even need to call, I feel my steps get heavy when I see him sitting in the garden at home, as soon as he sees me, he gets up and hugs me carefully, as if I'm going to break and then walks away and I can see his worried face.
I hate to put him through all that.
- Where were you? What happened? - Your questions were urgent.
"It's a long story," he said cautiously.
"I have time," he replied dryly.
I swallowed hard and then stared at him, his caramel eyes were so intense that I thought they could make me tell him everything, but instead I told the hard truth.
"I can't tell you." - looked right into his eyes to show that he wasn't lying.
- This does not solve the problem.
- What problem?
- What problem? Kristine, you disappeared for over two hours, and if you don't remember, there's a madman out there who killed a boy recently.
He was angry and I felt insecure at the thought that I might have been killed by the "wolf-killer" - not that I believed he was a wolf.
"You're not going to tell me anything, really?" his tone was stern.
- I've already told you I can't.
- Did someone threaten you not to talk?
I shook my head and could hear his heavy breathing, then a long sigh.
- Damn, I don't understand you... I don't know what you expect from me! He clenched his fists. "Do you think I'm going to stand by and watch you do weird things?"
I was angry, because he didn't know what it was about and called me weird, maybe I was, but I didn't need to hear it from his mouth... Besides, it wasn't my fault that I was like that, I never chose to be a wolf.
"I'm sorry if I'm not normal like the perfect girls here.
- Kristine, I didn't mean to...
- Yes, you did. I stared at him. - Actually, everyone thinks I'm weird... I don't blame them, but I have my reasons and I'm not going to tell God and the world.
"I'm sorry, but you could trust me.- That's
not a matter of trust! I shook my head. - It's much more than that... And if you want to know, I already trust you guys too much just for letting you into my life.
"You think I'm not good enough, don't you?" a mixture of hurt and anger in his voice.
"Maybe that's right," I lied without being able to look into his eyes.
- Alright, then... If that's it, you just told me, I would have left you alone after you kicked me in the ass. He came towards me and stopped next to me. - Your bag is right there in front of the door. - and left.I just
didn't stay there, because I was supposed to look firm and strong, I had just dumped the only man who was ever the closest to understanding me. All because of these stupid transformations!
I bit my lip and walked into the house with my purse in my hand, went straight to my room and threw it on the floor, then threw myself on the bed and cried.