A Boy Among Wolves

Chapter 22

Theo

The bear's been running for about 15 minutes at this point. I've given up trying to escape. Its clawed hand digs into my back and side from time to time, almost like it's making sure I'm still here. I stopped yelling for help...I stopped hitting and kicking it...I even tried to pull its hair. Nothing stopped it from its mission....which is eating me.

We hit the woods around town pretty quickly, and now I'm just waiting for the end....and I'm not crying. Maybe I'm out of tears, finally.

I feel it starting to slow down and look around to see we've entered a clearing in the woods. The moon's bright but not full, the rocks along two sides mean I can't just run that way. The other open side leads up a hill, so I'll be too slow going that way. Not that I could outrun it.

It grabs me hard and drops me to the ground. I let out an involuntary "ummmff" as the air leaves my body for a second. I look up and can't help the whimper that leaves my body as I look up at it.

It's huge. Big red eyes and a face more like a dog than a bear...I see the sharp claws and teeth, and I know I'm doomed.

Except it doesn't attack. It just walks around and stares at me as I look at it.

I lean up and feel a little brave, "what do you want?" Of course, it's stupid to ask an animal that, but it isn't an animal; it's something else.

It licks its teeth and moans out, "you."

"Fucccck," I groan, "go on Then. just get it over with."

Much like with the wolves that found me in the woods, the creature reacts like a human and actually laughs, "Teddy, if I wanted to kill you. I'd have done it already."

"If you don't want me dead.....wait. You called me Teddy," I say as the statement really dawns on me. "What are you."

I hear cracking, and I have to believe it's from its body as it gets smaller. Smaller and less hairy. The claws retract. The red eyes disappear, and a human face starts to form.

As the face settles, I realize that I know that face....."Christian?" I say in a breathy tone as my ex-boyfriend smiles and tilts his head at me.

I feel the blood leave my head, and suddenly I'm out like a light.

*****
"Oh god," I think to myself, and I wake up. "Let it be a dream."

I feel dirt and leaves under me, so I know I'm not dreaming.

I open my eyes and see Chris standing right where he was, just smiling. "Might've been a lot to take in, but I'm glad you know."

"What...what's happening?" I ask as I sit up.

He shakes his head at me, "Tedward, you're the smart one. What do you think's happening?"

"Are...are you a werewolf?" I ask.

He smiles again, "kind of. More of a werewolf than your boyfriend anyways. We prefer the term shifter cause we can change when we want."

"Danny?" I mumble. "He's like you?"

"He wishes," laughs Chris.

"So you're more of a werewolf?" I ask. Trying to piece it all together.

"Well...kind of. We aren't bound by the full moon. Silver isn't anything special, but I don't mind using my abilities to their FULL extent," he says and steps closer to me.

I tilt my head just as it registers, "you mean...killing people?"

He shrugs, "sometimes it has to happen, Teddy bear."