Chapter 4

LUCE

The drive home seemed longer as the pain radiated throughout my body. My head was starting to throb again. I wonder if I had a concussion from the fall.

I pulled into the driveway and headed inside to find medicine and get myself a warm bath. My mom stopped me as I entered the kitchen, her eyes went wide at the sight of me.

"What the hell happened to you Luce?" She ran over examining my cuts and newly forming bruises.

"It's kind of a long story mom" I grabbed the medicine out of the cabinet and washed it down with a glass of water.

"It's a good thing I don't have anywhere to be then." Her eyes were full of concern.

"Okay well I accidentally spilled my food all over this girl Olivia and apparently her dress was really expensive. She got mad and threatened me. This girl Ari came up and defended me and we instantly became friends over the experience. Well in our last class Ari, her brother Dylan and I decided to race and Olivia thought she'd trip me. I fell had to go to the nurses office but I'm fine" I left out the part where Parker helped me and I felt electric shock waves in my fingers. I didn't want her to send me to the hospital. Maybe I had nerve damage from the fall and that's why that happened.

My mother's mouth fell open in shock. "What's this girls last name I'm going to call the school" she reached for the phone.

I snagged it before she could grab it. "No mom if you do that I'm just going to look like a snitch and make things worse. I'll handle this, she should honestly leave me alone now. Plus Ari and Dylan said they have my back it's okay."

She contemplated for a second and then gave in. "Fine but if I find out she's still bullying you I'm calling the school and her parents."

I laughed "You're such a mom right now!"

"I am your mom! And you getting hurt at school isn't okay."

"I'll be okay don't worry please."

She looked still unsure but nodded.

I headed upstairs and started a warm bath, I carefully peeled off my clothes and the bandaids. I tested the water with my toes and it was just right. I sank into the water and let it warm my body. The open wounds burned at the water but I gently washed them. The steam from the tub fogged the mirror creating a sauna in my bathroom. I stayed in there until my fingers and toes felt like raisins.

By the time I got out it was already 6 o'clock, my head felt heavy still so I decided to lay down. I laid my head on my pillow and slowly drifted off to sleep.

I was running, running as fast I could through the forest. The trees branches whipped my skin as I tried to escape. My legs weren't fast enough. I was panting and my side ached but I knew I couldn't stop. The bushes and trees around me rustled, I knew I was surrounded.

I wasn't far from my house, if I could just past these next set of trees I was safe. My toes caught a tree branch and I was now falling. I crashed into a tree stopping my decent. I could hear the footsteps getting closer. I pressed my back against the trunk of the tree and grabbed a stick to defend myself.

A flash of brown jumped from inside the bushes, pouncing on top of me. All I saw were teeth as it tried to snap at me.

"NOOOO!" I yelled, I sat straight up in bed looking around frantically. I was drenched in sweat.

"It was only a dream" I muttered to myself. I glanced at the clock and it was 3 AM, I sighed, I doubt I was going to be able to fall back asleep.

I stepped out onto my balcony, the chilly air attacked my skin giving me goose bumps. I wrapped my blanket around me tighter and sat on the chair taking in the night sky. The moon was full making it hard to see a lot of stars.

My backyard backed up into the woods, there was no fence separating it. It was dark only a few slivers of moonlight slipped past the leaves and branches onto the ground. I heard rustling and some branches breaking, I held my breath and peered into the darkness.

From the shadows a wolf appeared. The fur was all black except one white patch on its chest. Its ears flickered in different directions as it carefully left its cover. I had the urge to run my finger through its fur, to see if it was as soft as it looked.

It glanced up at me sitting on my balcony but I didn't startle it. I stood up and its eyes never left mine. Its piercing green eyes followed me as I walked down the stairs attached to my balcony, I was only a few feet from it.

Despite my dream I wasn't afraid right now. I felt comforted by its presence. I held my hand out to see if it would come any closer. It took a hesitant step forward, I kneeled down so I was eye level.

"Its okay, I wont hurt you. You're okay boy" I said softly.

Like he understood me he approached me and sniffed my hand carefully. I slowly turned my hand and rested it on his head. His fur was soft and smooth, he smelt like a musky pine tree. He lowered his head and layed it in my lap.

I ran my fingers through his fur stroking his head softly. I couldn't believe this was happening. I felt like I could still be dreaming. I was half crazy coming down and trying to pet a wild wolf, but I wasn't afraid of him. It felt like he was protecting me.

He let out a soft whimper and looked up at me with his big puppy eyes and I smiled down at him. "What boy?" I asked

A grey wolf appeared behind us letting out a low growl. My whole body froze. My wolf spun around standing in between the grey wolf and I. He lowered his whole body and let out a warning growl. He slowly backed up pushing me toward my house, once I was at my stairs I ran up onto my balcony.

The grey wold looked up at me baring its teeth one more time as it disappeared into the woods. My wolf followed it, as he reached the tree line he looked back up at me one more time before disappearing too.

I shut my sliding glass door and laid on my bed. Did I dream that whole thing? I must have because that didn't feel real.