Chapter 15: Night Hound

I ruffled the towel through my damp hair as I sat down on the couch. My eyes turned to observe the front door as I wondered where Aries was.

The sun had set a long while ago. I didn't want to go out but I was worried about him. Who knows what might happen if he accidentally strayed from the path.

I tapped my fingertips on the arm rest as I felt my impatience growing. What if... what if he got lost? Wait a second... that doesn't make any sense.

If anyone was directionally challenged it would have been me. I remember I went to grab a delivery from the bottom of the hill once and got lost for so long that Aries had to come fetch me. The thing was... it was his first visit while I had been staying here for a few months at the time.

Anyways... I'm a little worried... since he has both the senses of a human and an animal... would it be too overwhelming for him alone in the forest? I would be...

I continued tapping my fingers impatiently until I recalled the sharp gaze of the wolf. I stood up in a sudden, the towel around my shoulders had slipped to the floor.

What if... he got attacked?! I didn't even call for the animal control... Should I do it now? But I had stayed here for so long... What if something had already happened to him?

He is bigger and stronger than me, yes. But he had just woken up from being What I would consider dead just yesterday. What do I do...

As I was pondering the thought, I heard the faint howl of a wolf in the distance. My heart began to race and my hands trembled.

I grabbed the flashlight, a bat and slipped my phone into my pocket as I hurried out of the house.

The cool wind from the night blew gently on my skin as I pulled my jacket closer to my body. It was darker than I had expected.

The moon was the only source of light other than my flashlight. I didn't feel comfortable walking around at this time of night, but the situation had called for it.

"Aries... Aries?" I called out softly as I was a little worried to attract unwanted attention.

There was no respond. However a rustling in the bushes from beside me instantly got my blood pumping. My eyes widened in fear as I flashed the light in said direction. The thumping of my heartbeat echoed loudly in my ears as I headed closer towards the bush.

Pleasedontbethewolfpleasedontbethewolfpleasedontbethewolfpleasedontbethewolf!

Just as I was about to pull the leaves apart, a flapping sound echoed and an animal darted past me, heading towards an unknown location.

I sighed in relief as I glanced in its direction. I then took out the phone from my pocket, quickly searching for the animal control number as I felt my anxiety beginning to spike.

Before I knew it, I had landed on the ground. A weight held me in place as I blinked my eyes to make sense of what had happened.

Piercing blue eyes and teeth as sharp as razors. A coat that gleamed beneath the moonlight, adorned by the stars of the night. It was the wolf.

"A-ah.... S-stay..." I panicked and spouted something, whatever that would get it to not eat me alive.

I heard a dialing tone and the sound of someone picking up as I glanced towards the light of the phone.

"Hello? Animal control. How may I be of service?" a voice said from the other end of the line.

It's now or never! Why didn't I call back in the lab earlier?!

"H-help! There's a wild wolf on the run! It's attacki--" I hurriedly said before the call got cut off.

I glanced towards the wolf, feeling the cold sweat trickle down both my back and my forehead. This was too much... It cut the line...

The wolf got off of me and grabbed the phone, returning with said phone in hand and snarled at me as it placed the phone down.

I stared at the phone before me and then back to the wolf again. What... am I supposed to do in this situation?

Oh, Aries... I wish you of good health and that you would not ever encounter this wolf. My life... had been a good one since I had met you.

"Aries..." his name slipped from my lips as I tasted a hint of salt on my lips.

Perhaps this was retribution for hurting the only person who had stayed by my side. If I were to be eaten... I hope my death could be quick.

As I shut my eyes and waited to feel the sharp claws and fangs of the wolf, I was surprised to feel a very rough feeling of something rubbing on my cheeks.

I dared not to open my eyes but it had continued for a period of time. I slowly pried open my eyes and found the wolf looking straight at me as it leaned in towards me. I panicked and fell backwards, feeling the wolf pin me down and licked at my lips.

It's tongue was rough, but I didn't hate the feeling. There was a slight pressure on my torso as I glanced downwards.

?!?!?!?!

"N-no! Get off!" I yelled as I searched for anything in my reach to toss at the wolf.

Due to my sudden change in demeanour, the wolf likely felt threatened at snarled at me. Feeling the fear sink into me, I quickly shielded my face. I winced from the pain as I felt the wolf clamping down onto my left forearm.

My fingertips that searched the ground came into contact with a familiar blocked device. I quickly tossed it towards the trees and yelled fetch.

The wolf glanced at me and the rustling sound of the bushes before letting me go and chased after said item.

I sat up in a hurry and scrambled to my feet. I abandoned both my flashlight and the bat as I rushed for the lab. It should have been around here! I tried not to stray too far.

As I made my way into the clearing, I found myself at the slope I had visited earlier in the evening with Aries.

"N-no way... How did I end up here..."

I glanced behind when I heard the sound of rustling only to notice the wolf was back with my phone in mouth. That wasn't the only thing that was back though. That ominously cheery "Butterfly" song was also playing on the phone.

"No... S-Stay!" I exclaimed as the wolf took a step towards me.

As it moved closer, I inched further behind. When my hand hit a pebble and I heard the long descent of the pebble before hitting the ground, I knew that this was a dead end.

Is this the end? No! I won't admit defeat to a chappy wolf with such terrible taste in music that likes to frighten the hell out of me!

"Bad wolf! Stay!" I yelled in the most authoritative way I could.

The wolf stopped in its tracks as I broke into a nervous grin. That happiness was short lived as the wolf immediately started to run towards me, dropping the phone as it bared its teeth.