Wilder

I needed to do finish the job and get the fuck out of here.

I had been laying low for the past couple of years, to not be seen and stay away from the crowd. But not today. This was one of those days when I had to step into the world where people actually living, enjoying their lives. Here I was, surviving. Barely existing.

It was hard to savour the moment of life when I had to look behind every now and then, to make sure no one was following me and waiting for an opportunity to stab me from behind. And having only a few hours of sleep and being constant wary of my surroundings, didn't make life much easier.

When the man whom I was supposed to confront didn't also come the next day to the bar. Twice in a row. I got anxious. I had hoped finally I would get some answers, go somewhere from here. But another roadblock when that man didn't show up. It was like I was running into circles and there was no end to my suffering. Though this time I took a different approach which might seem risky but I was willing to take it. I couldn't delay the matter.

The voices in my head grew stronger and my wolf, the longer he stayed away from the pack, sustaining alone into the wild, the more he was dictated by his dominant self, he was born with. Aching for violence and death.

That man, Noah Davis, could get me some info on how he played his part that night that changed everything. My life took a different turn and brought me here. What had exactly happened that night I needed to know? And to get to the bottom of this, I adjusted my plan a little. Instead of not having him around, I approached the second-best option I had. His friend. They both hung out together most nights.

I waited until his friend got wasted enough that to get his ass out of his seat, he needed a few tries to be finally able to stand on his feet.

Best time to approach someone if I needed them to talk was when they were drunk. Their tongue might slip out a few words and when their awareness a little slur. It would be easy to get out the information that they would never lay out in front of me when they were sober.

Though a wolf could keep his senses in check. We could drink more than an average human and still, not be drunk. So, I waited until I made sure that it was safe to approach him. I didn't want him to doubt my actions and alert his friend. I still had to find Noah and get to him before he found out that I was coming for him. I couldn't give him a chance to run away before I got a hold of him.

I slid into the booth on the seat opposite to him. His friend stopped in his actions, trying to stagger out of the booth.

"Noah isn't coming? Thought we would meet here. Catch up for the old times' sake." I acted casual, keeping up a friendly tone.

His friend brought his face in front of me, trying to find some resemblance in his woozy brain. Even in normal circumstances, I doubted he could recognise me. We had never met before and sporting a baseball cap and dark sunglass, I was just making his task harder.

"No." The man didn't finish in his assumption and when he spoke up the next sentence, I knew why. "You are a wolf."

Best approach to come clean which was inevitable and seemed like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Yeah," I feigned as if he didn't catch me off guard but I was shocked that even in his alcohol-induced brain, he hadn't lost his ability to think.

"Never saw you before." I could see he was getting suspicious. Wolves weren't sceptical in nature but we got wary when wolves from other packs got into our turfs.

"Not from here. We met a few months back. Told me if I ever been in town, I would find him here."

He nodded but I could see he was taking my words in and assessing for any lies.

"He will be back in a day or two."

The man straightened and turned to get out of the booth. I couldn't let that happen. I didn't drag my ass here, risking everything to have some vague answers. I needed more than that to lead me from here to where to go next.

I shot out my arm before him without thinking to stop him and I noticed the instant changes, he was riled up and ready to pounce back. This bar was not only reserved for the wolves so there were many humans gathered around us.

I immediately stood up and gave a casual shrug to minimize the damage I had caused. To make him believe I was no threat.

"Are you done for tonight? Thought we could share a drink. If not Noah, his friend, it is?"

The man scrunched his brows like he was really thinking. I didn't give him much time to ponder and say no to my offer. I called the waitress and she set two bottles of beer in front of us.

The man looked down to his beer with such intemperate expression as if he couldn't say no to that. A weakness.

"I guess we can have one drink." He plopped down and instantly gulped down half of the contents before he placed the bottle on the table.

He made my task easier. Either this or I had to find another way to make him talk which would be bloody and messy. I didn't want another pack to come after me for revenge or joined hands with my pack to put an end to my life.

No unnecessary deaths.

I took a sip and gave him a tilt. I spoke out without directly mentioning him, making it seem like I was randomly throwing my thoughts out into the open.

"Such a waste I couldn't get to meet Noah. Have to go back. Couldn't stay longer."

He nodded. "You from here?"

"No. Far South."

"Mountain Claw"

"Yeah." I had no idea where that was. All I had heard that name before. Maybe once or twice. Where? I couldn't recall. If he was testing me, I was going to fail terribly.

"Hope Noah comes back tomorrow. It would be a shame coming this far and couldn't get to meet my old friend."

"I doubt he will be back tomorrow. Maybe he will take another day."

"Oh!" Dammit. His friend was a lousy speaker, going in circles without actually getting to the main point.

The man was getting comfortable, he ordered another beer and here I was, going nowhere.

"It's good Carlos told you about me. Otherwise, you will be bored. No one to share a drink with you."

"Who?"

"Carlos. The man behind the bar."

"Oh, yeah. Yeah. When I asked about Noah. He pointed his finger at you. Told me, you know."

He nodded his head and took another gulp. I was in the middle of thinking to get out of here when his words finally made some sense.

"Carlos used to work there when Noah met him in one of his visits. He joked him to come down here. Nice place. More money. He took the joke seriously and here he is."

"Carlos used to work there where Noah is now."

"Yeah."

"Norken town. West." I threw a random suggestion. Hopefully, he would take the bait.

"Nah. East."

I pushed him more to even have a scrap to chew.

"Nice weather this time of the year," I remarked.

The man scoffed, "Are you kidding me, man? Who loves to get soaked? Have you ever been to Fallbridge?

Ah! Finally. Got some answers.

Noah is in Fallbridge town.

"… even the cabins left vacant. No one wants to visit there other than Summer."

I didn't pay him any attention. My mind was already rolling and making plans to get there. I had visited Fallbridge a long ago. It would take a ten-hour drive. If I made my journey tonight, I would reach there by morning. I hardly had time to spare. I needed to get going.

"I should go. I am getting late."

The man was rambling all along, "I thought you are going to stay here a day or two. We could again do this tomorrow. Noah will…"

"No. I should get going." I didn't give him much time to say more. I slid out of the booth and on my way to the door when he shouted,

"Hey,"

I stopped. Fucked.

Did he finally realise what he had just done? I looked around, eyes were fixated on me. I held my breath assuming the worst.

Getting caught on another pack's turf without a valid reason was dangerous and after discovering my identity, that could surely get me killed.

"You hardly touched your beer." The man gave a laugh.

I sighed in relief. "I'm sure you wouldn't let it go waste."

"You assume good."

I turned and got out of there as fast as I could and when he asked for my name, I didn't stop. Didn't look back, crossed the road in long strides, half walking, half jogging. Took a few turns and finally, after I put a good stretch behind me, then I stopped for a breath

Fallbridge.

My next destination. How many more roads, I had to travel before I finally put the past to rest and went back to my home. Ravencliffe.