Chapter 3

We stopped at a small clearing, adrenaline pumping through my body. My chest heaved, but instead of a tiredness wearing me down it felt more like electricity.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“Yeah, thanks,” I took a deep breath through my nose, feeling myself relax.

“Not to say I told you so, but I was right” he smirked. I could only roll my eyes at him.

“At least we now know that you can run without changing,”

“Yeah, and now I can run after without worrying that I might kill myself,” I said half-jokingly.

“Humph, what a nice thought. Well, I think we should start running back before you dad starts tracking us down, and kills me in the middle of the woods,” George said starting to walk back in the direction of the house.

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want that. People already blame me for one death, I wouldn’t want them to blame me for another,” I meant it as a joke, but it came out sounding like I was serious,”

George’s mouth pulled into a line. He was angry.

“What?” I asked arching my brow.

“Nothing, let’s get back to the house,” he muttered and broke into a run.

I sighed and ran after him. I understood why he was upset with me, he’s been telling me that I shouldn’t let the rumors bother me, but almost dying and being blamed for the death of the person that wanted to hurt you and kill everyone you cared about, it tends to bother a rational being. Sure, I’m not completely rational, but I’m blaming my dad on that one. A sound of rustling leaves jerked me out of my thoughts, by the time I realized it was something running toward me, it was too late. Whatever it was already crashed into me. I fell face first into the ground, taking a mouth full of dirt, twigs, and dead leaves. When I started to get up, a gunshot rung in my ears, along with it a bullet whizzed past my head.

Panic filled me. Were there hunters? Had they come for me and my parents? It felt like I was breathing through thick smoke, my chest began to ache.

“Hey, hey!” I heard George’s voice shout.

I looked at a tall figure as I crouched on the floor, and at the end of that figure, a barrel of a hunting rifle was mere inches away from my face. My heart dropped into my stomach. My hair stood on end; a dull ache started to form at the center of my abdomen.

Instincts told me to fight, but luckily a small voice in my head told me that it was fine, and that I needed to calm down.

I took a deep breath, but it wasn’t working. I tried again, but the ache persisted.

My eyes focused on the figure holding the gun. It was a man that looked like he was in his late 40’s. His hair salt and pepper. Laugh lines around his eyes, but his eyes were filled with anger.

The gun flew out of his hands toward the ground. George stood between me and the man, he let out a menacing growl, not like any animal you would have heard. Not like a wolf but more like a mix between a fox and a bobcat.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The man asked.

“Making sure you don’t shoot my best friend,” George said through clenched teeth.

“Your best-“ the mans words were cut off with shock when he took a good look at me.

“I’m- I didn’t…” he struggled to get the words out. He looked shocked that I was not what he thought I was. More footsteps came from the woods.

“We heard the shot did you get it?” a man shouted.

Two other male figures materialized from the forest.

“No,” The man in front of us said.

“Damn,” the man with ginger hair said.

I recognized the second man that followed. It was Uncle Billy.

The moment he made eye contact with me his eyes widened.

“You almost killed her,” George sounded like he was about to commit murder. The ache started to form into pain, letting out a small gasp. Trying to calm myself down.

“George,” I whispered, almost inaudible. He turned toward me, worry replaced the rage. Kneeling in front of me, he examined me. He already knew what was happening to me.

“Are you okay?” panic came to the surface of his controlled tone.

“Was she hit?” the red headed man asked.

We both looked at each other. We knew that we couldn’t lie and say yes. They would insist that we take me to the hospital. That is not happening.

“No, I fell, might have just hurt a muscle,” I lied.

“I’ll take her home,” George said without looking back. His eyes fixed on me.

“You sure? What if it’s serious?” Uncle Billy asked.

“Yeah, her house is closer anyway,” He tried to scoop me up, I gave him a warning look and he stopped.

“Calm down. Take deep breaths. You can do this,” his voice was low enough for only me to hear.

I gave a slight nod and concentrated on my breathing and stopping the change.

The three men insisted that we go to the hospital. Geoge simply refused.

“What were you doing in the woods in anyway?” He said changing the topic. They all fell silent.

“Well, the thing that killed the man that died a few weeks ago…” the dark-haired man explained.

“The Sherriff said it was a wolf, and we were hunting it,” the red headed man continued.

Anger bubbled inside me, the ball of pain in my stomach threatening to explode. I ignored it, stood up and marched toward them.

“Hunting it? You know that wolves are endangered and you’re out here hunting it!” I exclaimed.

“Listen girly, that animal killed two people in the last month. It has a taste for blood, it has to be put down,” The red-haired man snapped at me.

I started to launch toward the red-haired man. George grabbed my upper forearm before I could move from my spot.

“I don’t thin the Sherriff won’t appreciate people hunting endangered animals, especially when he finds out that it is in a populated area,” George glared at the men.

“Why don’t we just all go home? It is late. We don’t want to cause anymore trouble. Not to mention it’s a school night,” Uncle Billy said calmly.

The men hesitantly went back the same way they came from. As they left the pain in my abdomen started to spread to the rest of my body.

George took my forearm, lightly tugging me to turn toward him. I gasped as the pain increased.

“Anna,” George’s voice was urgent now.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“Just-“

“Calm down. I know. I’m trying but my normal method doesn’t seem to help,” I explained.

“We need to get you home,” He once again tried to scoop me up, but I pushed him away. I closed my eyes and focused. Gaining control of my breathing. After a while the anger dissipated, and the pain started to fade.

“Ok, I think I’m good,” I took a final deep breath.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I don’t feel like I want to tear someone’s throat out anymore,” I slightly joked.

“I still think you shouldn’t run,”

“Really?” my voice had a spark of annoyance.

“I’m just looking out for you Annie,”

“Don’t call me that,” I crossed my arms.

“Well, guess you don’t have a choice,” He swept me up in one movement.