17 Bullets: becoming the Werewolf Queen

Chapter 17: He's a Werewolf

40 BULLETS

Thann's eyes sprinted to the ground five inches from his feet, where a bullet was cratered into the sand. Then I saw him find me through the scope and I figured he could see me perfectly fine, knowing that the next bullet was going into his forehead just like the beasts around him.

He dropped to his knees in the sand, and bent in a resigned bow.

My angle to shoot was clear and my finger itched to press the trigger.

He was a werewolf.

I couldn't let a werewolf live.

Come on, do it!

I couldn't let him live.

But after several seconds, no shot was fired.

When no bullet came his eyes set back to me. We stared at each other for a full minute.

He then sighed. Sorry.

Sorry?

I looked out of the scope and to his small form in front of the cave. Then I went back through the scope.

He looked down to the blackened sand from an old fire in front of him. Sorry. Thann werewolf. A deliberate pause. Mathe werewolf. Molly scared. Thann don't like El scared. Thann no speak Thann werewolf. Thann like El happy.

I tried to compute his words.

He didn't want to scare me like Mathe scared Molly when she found out Mathe was a werewolf. That's why Thann didn't want to tell me.

Mathe was a werewolf.

Thann was a werewolf.

My finger lifted from the trigger and the rifle lowered as I took in his tiny form.

They really were werewolves then? All were. Thann really was a werewolf. The grey blurs were not sabretooth tigers. Werewolves were real.

My forehead rested against the bark of the tree and I closed my eyes in inner pain. How come I was still on this planet?

I had gotten caught up with a werewolf.

Really?

Werewolves?

But all this time he never hurt me. He didn't want to hurt me, did he?

I looked to the rip and gash at my hip.

Thann had plenty of time to try.

Were there such things as nice werewolves?

Maybe they're just bad at the full moon?

I sighed and started to climb down the tree. When I turned to face him, rifle stowed back on my shoulder, he stood, though I couldn't tell his expression from this far away.

But I paused.

A werewolf?

No.

I couldn't do it.

I turned my back on him and started walking away. He could live, for helping me, but I was done with him.

"El?" He yelled out, but I ignored him and kept my pacing.

I had lost another friend in this place.

This stupid planet had taken everything from me.

I was alone again.

And this time I was without my supplies.

My eyes widened and I nearly tripped.

My supplies!