Copycat Wolf

*This episode contains depictions of self harm and violence that may be triggering for some readers.*

June 16th

Diagnosed (as of today): 250

Deaths (as of today): 143

Total diagnosed: 2,288

Total deaths: 1,071

There were hospital fees to pay for Jamie's injury. Quite more costly than the usual amount, but that was reasonable enough for her husband's wolf identity to be kept a secret for a longer period of time. After hours of begging, crying, and endless bargaining, Constance had finally made a deal.

"I put away the medication," she said in the morning. "Let's try to see if you'll return back to being human."

So we're going cold turkey, he thought.

But Asher nodded. Jamie still hadn't responded to his messages. He didn't know how long it would take for Jamie's injury to fully recover. He didn't know if things could ever be patched up between him and his colleague again.

"Maybe it's not about your physical health, but something else," Wilder's voice suddenly echoed.

Why were so many people suffering from the disease when science itself proved that it wasn't infectious at all? Was there a purpose to all this suffering? What could be another reason why so many people were dying from this disease every day?

At this moment, he was unsure of his future. He didn't know if not taking the medication would help at all. And if it didn't, what were they going to do with him once he transformed into a full wolf? Would he even be able to communicate with Constance at all? A pang of guilt rushed through his spine as he pictured a memory of his own wife crying over his dead body. His dead body.

A thought crossed his mind.

Maybe I should kill myself.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. It was unlikely for him to turn back into his human form, so even if he continued living his life as a wolf, there was no reason for his existence. Constance would have to spend the rest of her life taking care of an animal in her home. He would become her biggest burden.

He paused.

And realized just how selfish he was, expecting his wife to take care of him as if it were her duty. He knew that she had always been fond of him even before he got to know her name. But it was not her responsibility to continue caring for a wild animal even if it was someone she loved.

He got up to the mirror. Maybe this was all a dream--a sort of fantasy. And he would wake up, and get to the tasks that lay ahead of him in his everyday life. But as he expected, he couldn't recognize the face that stared back at him in the glass reflection.

He could see all but the top two incisors of the gleaming, sharp fangs in the wolf's mouth when he opened his own.

When he smiled, the wolf smiled back.

When he frowned, the wolf frowned back.

When he waved a hand in a sheepish grin, the wolf did the same.

And then he laughed, because he wanted to believe that this was all a joke.

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