The Amazing Wolf Boy

Part 78 - Forbidden Kiss

I stepped into the sunny hospital room. Its silence warred with the bustle of the hallway. There were two beds. One was unoccupied. Brittany slept in the other. She wore a bandage across her brow and an IV line in her arm.

I winced, knowing how close I'd come to losing her. I might lose her still after she heard what I had to say.

Grandpa Earle slept in a chair, his head against the wall. I grabbed the remaining chair from across the room and carried it to Brittany's bedside. As I settled in, she opened her eyes.

"Hi," I said.

She yawned and stretched. "I thought you'd be in school."

"Took the day off. Uncle Bob and I were up all night. Talking."

"You two okay, then?"

"I think so. He's downstairs waiting in the truck. He said to tell you he's glad you're all right."

"He should come up."

I shook my head. "I understand why he doesn't want to. This place reeks."

"I forgot about your sensitive nose. You won't have to worry about that much longer."

"Brittany, I—" I took her hand.

"Ooh, ow. Scorched fingers."

"From the cauldron? I thought it was fiberglass."

"It was hot toward the bottom."

I leaned back. My shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry. You've been through so much."

"Don't be silly. I'm fine. The doctor wouldn't have admitted me if Mom hadn't insisted."

"Yeah. I thought she'd be here."

"She went home to check on Butt Crack. I think she's sending him to school."

"So, she'll be back? I don't think she likes me very much."

"Well—"

The sound of jingling pockets interrupted her reply. Sheriff Brad entered the room.

"Hello, Sheriff," Brittany said.

Grandpa Earle snorted and woke. "Brad. 'Bout time."

"I understand you'll be released from the hospital later today," the sheriff said to Brittany. "I'm happy to hear it."

"Thanks."

"I came to tell you that your car has been retrieved and is in Eric's Body Shop."

"It'll be fine." Grandpa Earle patted her arm.

"I also wanted to reassure you that the perpetrator," the sheriff checked a notebook, "Lonzo Pascal, is behind bars, awaiting arraignment."

"Any sign of the other two people?" I asked.

"Not yet. A blue Lexus was reported stolen. It may be the vehicle you saw, Miss Meyer. We have a plate number. A search is ongoing."

"They're long gone," Grandpa Earle said.

"Don't stop looking," said Brittany. She appeared anxious, like she thought the two wolves might come back for her.

"We'll find them," the sheriff said. "I know you've been through an ordeal. You did a fine job recounting everything for me last night. Unfortunately, I have to ask an additional question."

"All right."

"In our search of the area, we've come across several animal prints. Did these people have dogs with them?"

"Yes," Brittany said as if she'd just remembered. "There were two dogs. Huge things. They snapped at each other like they wanted to fight. The leader, Pascal, turned to settle them down, and that gave me the chance to hit him over the head with the cauldron."

"Are you willing to testify to that in a court of law?"

"Absolutely."

Sheriff Brad smiled. It was the first time I'd seen him do it.

"What are you saying?" Grandpa Earle sputtered. "Is this Pascal guy the one who murdered those women?"

"We suspect he ordered the dogs to kill them, and then he put their blood in that cauldron of his for whatever nefarious purpose."

"And my granddaughter was next?"

"If not for her quick thinking." Sheriff Brad nodded at Brittany. "And it was at that point the other two people fled?"

"Yes. I don't know what happened to the dogs."

"That does it," said Grandpa Earle. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again. What were you doing by the old quarry anyway?"

"I told you, Grandpa. I planned to make a rock garden for Mom's birthday."

"At night?"

"It was the middle of the day when the whole thing started."

"Come on, Earle. I'll buy you a cup of coffee," Sheriff Brad said. "You look like you could use one." He clapped him on the shoulder as they left the room.

I gnawed my lip. "You're really going to court over this?"

"Of course. I don't want him to get away. He's an evil man." She sighed then grinned. "But he did make a good guinea pig. He'll never change into a wolf again. And now that we know the potion works, we can—"

"Here's the thing," I said. "I don't want to use the potion. I want to stay like I am."

She blinked. "A werewolf?"

"I just feel it's who I'm supposed to be, you know? I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore."

"Please. Do you really think that I'm that shallow? I'm not going to stop seeing you just because you're a little different."

"But I don't want to cause any—"

"If this is what you've decided, then we'll deal with it. Together."

Relief washed over me. I leaned forward. "I love you."

"You better," she whispered.

Our lips barely met when someone cleared their throat. I looked toward the doorway. Brittany's mother stood with her arms folded and her eyes narrowed.

"Oh, h-hello, ma'am," I stammered. "We were just, um—"

Brittany laughed, and then pulled me close for another kiss.