Over the Moon: Cinderella

Olivia wanted to go outside; she´d felt imprisoned by the werewolf that had intruded in her house and life but she decided to stay inside in case the man was around and then it occurred to her that the next day once she go to work the man might be around still like some kind of stalker. She could´ve asked him where he lived but she hadn´t wanted him to think that they could be friends or anything similar by initiating a conversation but she could ask Alejandro about it and she would as soon as she saw her friend. How hadn’t she thought of that before, Oli scolded herself, obviously the man had to live in Woodhills

Olivia was disappointed when she found out, the next day that Alejandro´s shift started when hers ended which meant she wouldn’t be able to ask him much if anything. To her good luck, however, Alejandro came a few minutes early and she was able to sneak out, it was a slow morning.

“How did the dog sitting go?” Alejandro had an amused grin on his face despite the annoyance in his voice. Oli rolled her eyes

“I´m like his maid now” Oli made a face

“Was he rude to you?” Ale knitted his eyebrows upward

“No, he barely talked, not like I gave him the chance –she admitted; Ale just nodded in acknowledgement –hey… by any chance do you know where he lives? –she grimaced- I want to try to avoid him” she explained quickly as Ale raised his eyebrows and changed his grin to smirk

“Don´t worry –he assured her- he´s living in the city, he goes to school there, he only comes like his bro to spend the moon with their one and only” he poked her tongue out and then scoffed in time with her

“At least there´s that –she sighed with some relief- so he lives in the city –she said to herself –thank you, Ale” she smiled up at him

“No prob” Ale glanced at his watch “gotta cook for people now”

“Yeah, have a god day”

“See you around” he smiled, she waved goodbye. He’d given her good news. It was a little ironic though in a funny way that he lived in the city, she´d lived there for years and only when she came to Woodhills he decided he… what?  That he liked her? No, that didn’t cover it. He had decided to be some kind of stalker/astray annoying dog but she wouldn’t lose her time thinking about him and she kept word. She didn’t think of Daniel even once during the course of the following month as she became a little bit of a closer friend with Alejandro and Mai, anther waitress in the restaurant.

Olivia had just come back from work on a Monday afternoon and was eating a piece of cantaloupe in the kitchen and planning to laze around the whole rest of the afternoon when she heard a knock on the door, reluctantly and with the piece of juicy cantaloupe on her hand she went to get it.

“You again” she released air through a corner of her mouth as she saw the lean man at her door, he swallowed visibly

“Good afternoon, Olivia – she made a face when he used her name in such a formal way- will you, ah, help me again these…”

“Agh –she interrupted him frowning- I´m not doing this for you –she moved to a side –just so that no other person has to go through what I went through” she slammed the door shut

“About that…” he started. She lifted a hand in a stop motion and then she glanced at her watch

“It´s three in the afternoon, you didn’t need to be this early here” she narrowed her eyes and he looked wounded

“I can come back later” he said with his amber eyes closed

“Whatever, you´re here already” she rolled her eyes

“I´ll place this on the kitchen” he made it sound like a question. He lifted a grocery bag

“Sure” she followed him; she wanted to know where he was so that he wouldn’t… couldn’t surprise her

“I brought some tools… -he was carrying a red slightly rusty metallic tool box on his other hand- I thought I could fix the leaking of the sink and bathroom…”

“You can do that?” this surprised Oli that had been vaguely observing his long hair tied in some kind of loose bun at the base of his head thinking that she didn’t have hair long enough for one

“Yeah; I can start now and fix the cabinets too… continue during the next three days that I´ll be here”

“Three days?” she exclaimed as her scent was more tainted with irritation

“Yes –he said in almost a whisper- the night´s before during and after the full moon with their respective days, that is when I need your help the most”

“You were here only two nights last time” Oli narrowed her eyes

“Yeah, well –he pulled free his hair and started to tie it back in the same loose bun- I had spent a day locked before I escaped”

“Geez –Oli sighed- three nights, three days plus the morning in which you´ll leave?”

“Yes” he touched his neck closing his eyes for a second

“I hate this” both Oli and Dani thought

“Are you sure you can repair that?” Olivia asked after a minute in silence

“Yeah –he showed his lopsided smile- what do you want done first? This one –he pointed at the sink- or the bathroom?”

“Err….This one?” she made a little motion to the sink as her eyebrows went upwards

“Alright” Daniel put his back pack and tool box on the floor and opened the cabinet under the sink as Oli exited the room feeling awkward but not wanting to make much of it. She´d planned to laze around and she´d do just that.

Olivia really didn’t want to have to take Daniel´s food for him upstairs she decided to start dinner earlier than usual, at around six in the evening. When she went in the kitchen he´d finished fixing the sink and was screwing the cabinet doors, the one that kept falling and had fixed the one that wouldn’t close no matter what Olivia had tried –mostly hitting it hard- and for the look of it he´d cleaned the sink too leaving it shining instead of the dull gray color it had before. Olivia was impressed. When Daniel saw Olivia he moved away and crouched to put his tools back on his box.

“Wow, you´re efficient –she laughed a little nervous laugh- thanks, really” she washed her hands as she thanked him

“It´s the least I can do for letting me stay” he shrugged with a shoulder still looking at his tools feeling a little stupid that her words had given him some fluttering feeling in his chest. Gratitude was a sweet smell, not overly so but pretty good, he decided he liked it.

“I´m going to wash” he announced standing up once he was done, Oli graced him with a small polite smile and he went to the bathroom. When he came back he didn’t know what to do, where to stand or if to stay in the room at all but since he wasn’t willing to go away he looked around the kitchen shifting on his feet. He could´ve started the repairs on the bathroom but he could feel the call of the moon getting stronger, it´d be a disaster to lose his thumbs while working with pipes.

“I´ll work on the bathroom tomorrow” Daniel broke the uncomfortable silence

“Ok”

“Should I…er…” he tried to break the silence again

“You can have diner down here” Oli said at the same time he spoke

“Cool –he smiled his crooked smile- Can I help you with…?”

“I got it” she didn’t let him finish and the smell of impatience filled his nostrils. Ok, no talking he thought and silently went to take a seat at the small tattered table in the kitchen. He sat in her line of vision, he knew she didn’t trust him and wanted to know exactly where he was at all times, at least that´s what he´d think like if he didn’t trust someone in his house. He found that being in her line of vision meant that she was also in his line of vision which meant he could steal glances at what she did and he did just that. He watched her cook, flipping the contents of the pan and pouring them on a large plate. He saw her chopping tomatoes and onions, she was good, fast working in two things at a time; she added salt on the tomatoes and the beans she was frying. At the very end she tossed some tortillas on a pan. Tacos, Dani though, she´s making me tacos, it made him excited but he had to remind himself that no, she was just cooking and it wasn’t for him.

“Left over burritos” she put a plate on the table in front of him along with a coke

“It smells good” he looked from the food up to her. The tiniest of smiles appeared on her face. Suddenly he gripped the edge of the table hard as a spasm went through him making him grimace

“Are you ok?” Olivia sounded scared.

“Yeah –he took calming breaths- it´s…the change… I think it´s happening earlier tonight” he let go of the table noticing his knuckles were white

“Now? –she lifted her eyebrows upward and her scent was tainted with fear- I, I´ll take these upstairs for you” she lifted his plate and drink. No! He shouted in his mind but focusing on the task he stood up and walked towards the attic. As soon as she locked the door he could hear her rushing downstairs leaving a trail of her fear behind her. It hurt almost as much as the spasms that made him curl and moan and fell to his knees. He kicked off his shoes and pants in time but his t-shirt and the rest got tore by his transformation. At least it stopped the whining, sort of, because in his wolf form he was more prone to try and beg Olivia who didn’t know what it was and didn’t want to know, didn’t care to know; a little howl  escaped him as he thought of this.

That night he tried very hard not to sniff loudly and not to scratch the floor boards. He failed two or three times and two or three times Olivia shouted for him to stop but it wasn’t as hateful as it had been the last time. Daniel could hear her grumbling non-words and then turning on and up a radio with music he didn’t know in a language that he didn’t understand. He could understand that it was a sad song though; the woman´s voice was high yet clear with a background of a sad piano. Half way through the song it stopped, it was a CD, it was scratched. Dani could smell anger and frustration coming from Olivia followed by another song that like the one before started with a piano but it was faster joined later by other instruments and sung by a male whose voice sounded pretty nasal. The scent of frustration from Oli changed to one of calmness as she mumbled the words that Daniel couldn’t understand. She wasn’t a good singer, her voice faltered when it went up but it was nice to hear her content. Olivia sung the next song complete and even played it again; by the third song she was asleep, he knew because there was silence and only the smell of orange blossoms and vanilla ice-cream remained. He rested his head on his front paws as he kept listening to the quiet songs and the howling of his pack as background.

Olivia was a heavy sleeper. Dani was sure this time, otherwise his whining, groaning and snapping bones would´ve surely make her start oozing bitter, sour smells as he changed back from his wolf from but instead of that she remained with her own scent as he struggled out of his animal form at dawn. It was so exhausting to change back, it drained all his energy so once the spasms ended he just laid there on the wooden dusty floor and closed his eyes, curling a little as the cold morning gave him goose bumps

“Geez! This again!” Olivia exclaimed and Daniel´s nostrils filled with the overly spicy and caustic scent of anger that made him wrinkle his nose. Yeah, he remembered this time, he was naked lying on the floor, her back to her; he sat up quickly locating his pants and pulling them on as he stood

“Sorry” he cleared his throat as he turned around and saw she was facing the other way with the hint of a blush on her cheeks. She looked cute with glowing cheeks; he had to fight the smile that threatened to form on his face, a battle that he lost as he walked ahead going to the first floor of the house.

Oli made breakfast as he cleaned himself. She´d used the ingredients he´d brought, serving him a generous amount of food on the same plate as the night before and the same one as the first time he´d been there… one plate, his plate, like a dog.

“I´ll work on the bathroom today” Daniel ignored the pang that went through him when she took her plate and walked away

“Ok, thank you” she paused for a second but left anyway.

Daniel ate in silence doing his best to enjoy his breakfast. Silence was something he really didn’t enjoy. Although he was an only child, he wasn’t used to being alone, his cousins were like siblings, they´d lived together all their life and there were his friends, members of the pack that were some kind of extended family, there was always someone to share a meal back at home. He could enjoy the meal, though, Oli had cooked nicely and her scent lingered in everything she´d touched. He could also enjoy the fact that he wasn’t locked up in the attic. He ate fast though, washed his dish and got to work, taking his time, even cleaning the dirty neglected bathroom. It was obvious that no one had used it in years which kept him occupied during most of the day.

That evening, Olivia made an early dinner. They had ribs, rice and vegetables, he´d brought the meat. It nagged her that he probably had brought all his favorite food and she was cooking it for him. She had the idea in the back of her mind to make him made his own food but then she was cooking for herself anyway and it was not like she didn’t like experimenting here and there with the food and have someone eating her little experiments and he´d fixed the leaking sink and bathroom that she hadn’t checked but that had heard him fix so it wasn’t really that bad to just add some more food in the pans she told herself.

After dinner, Olivia came back to the kitchen where once again Daniel had eaten alone to take him upstairs and lock him up. He heard her pause at the sounds of his groans when the first spasms started but she quickly walked away after that pause. Once in his animal shape, he didn’t hear her close, she wasn’t under the attic in her room; paying attention he heard her downstairs. He felt anxious and desperate, she was farther this time, and her scent was faint. He reminded himself that she was inside the house, they were close, and they were under the same roof. But then, what if something happened, what if someone came, what if Ale came, he thought as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end and barely caught a bark, he wasn’t so lucky in resisting the urge to scratch the door and make little pleas that sounded to human ears like little barks and whines. If Olivia heard this, she ignored him, she didn’t shout for him to stop although she turned on the volume of the TV and after a little while she started laughing at the comedy she was watching and then very late at night he could tell she´d fallen asleep.

The next day Daniel offered to paint the bathroom with the white can of paint he´d seen in the cabinet under the sink. Oli had used it to paint one of the walls of her room. She was reluctant to let him but in the end she did. In the afternoon, Daniel once again offered his help, this time to turn the soil in the garden, she didn’t hesitate this time, she´d barely started doing it last month when she´d stop the next day as her arms felt heavy and sore. She made lemonade for him and commented that she wanted to plant flowers all around the big patio, maybe plant some trees but she needed to fix the old fence even though she wasn’t sure why it was there if the a large part of the woods beyond it belonged to the same property. That night she didn’t ask him to shut up but the smell of aggression was still thick in her scent.

On the last morning Daniel spent at Olivia´s she woke him up by knocking on the door and waiting for a few minutes before entering. She´d made breakfast already. After fifteen minutes he was out of the place without a good by and with a heavy heart.

“This is the nicest room in the entire house” Oli mumbled that afternoon as she went to check up the bathroom. She noticed that her imposed guest had not only fixed the leaking pipes and painted the walls but had fixed and cleaned the stuck window and cleaned the tub, sink and tiles. “After this he seems more of a Cinderella than the wicked wolf” she huffed but laughed “wolferella? –she mused- or cinder-wolf? Olivia, you´re crazy” she scolded herself, turned off the light and went out of the room shaking her head. 

****

aahhh I´ve had this bit for a little while, I said I was going to read over and do at least some kind of editing but no, I just can´t do it. I did the spellcheck on Word but I´m sure that´s not enough so...again, uneditted.

Also, I want to kinda keep using fairy tale references as much as I can for this story, so that´s why I used that tittle but I´m not sure. I wondered if it was ok to maybe make it into Cinderella Wolf or something like that, maybe Wicked Wolf? -with the question mark. Idk though...

I think the picture is perfect for this one, dont you think? 

Desires

I was chatting, smiling at my computer as I replied
Then, I was running, running away from her
I had never wanted to run away from her
I had been always following her, walking next to her at some point
and then doing my best to caught up to her
Not anymore. I was running away from her
Ignoring the pain in my chest as I put distance between us
I didn't want to tell her about it,
I´d do anything to avoid it...

I woke up. Wow. It was a dream...
right?

Though My Eyes: On Time

A/N: A very tiny one that I dont know if it´s more of a side-story of this story. Idk if I want it here or if it fits but it´s what I have next in the Word doc but idk... I dont know if I should delete this whole part but I decided to post it

****

“Marissa, hi” I called Mari as I walked towards her work place

“Diletto –she greeted me in one of her Italian endearments which I only knew was that but didn’t know what it was; I had a hard time keeping up with them- how are you”

“I’m on my way to your office. Mari I forgot my flash drive on your bag and I have my updated paper there and I need to finish and send it today” I explained

“Oh, oh, I see…but I don’t have my Tuesday-Wednesday bag with me…”

“What?”

“I don’t have it with me”

“Marissa, I really need that flash drive”

“It´s ok, tesoro, I’ll see if I can go out to get if or you. Are you close?”

“Just entering the building” we ended the call as I walked towards her on the counter. She stood up, looked around at the empty place and kissed me

“I can go get your flash drive in a couple of hours during my lunch” she continued with our conversation. I looked at my watch

“I really need it now” I sighed

“Ok, don’t worry, here, take my key, it´s in my bag –she put her keys on the counter- the bag´s on the chair next to my bed” she explained; I vaguely wondered if I’d give her my keys, not that I was to keep hers but still

“Thanks, I´ll bring these back later” I leaned in for a quick good bye kiss and left

“See you” she mouthed as she answered a phone call

“What are you doing here?” Nichole walked in the apartment as I was scrubbing my hand over my face. She seemed slightly surprised to see me alone in her place

“I forgot my flash drive in Marissa´s bag but I can’t find it anywhere” I said exasperated “I´ve been looking everywhere for the past hour. I really need that flash drive to finish a paper” I growled as she placed her bag on the sofa and took off the worn leather jacket she was wearing

“Didn´t she tell you where it was?”

“On her bag that was on the chair next to her bed. It´s not there, there´s no bag there” I sighed

“Marissa never leaves things where she says she left them…” she walked past me

“I´ve searched the entire place!” there was an edge in my words; Nic nodded and went in her room, the door closed behind her

“Marissa!” I grumbled as once again I scrubbed my hand over my face. Nichole came out of her room carrying a blue denim messenger bag; it was Marissa´s bag

“You had it” I said as I took the bag

“She left it in my room” she rolled her eyes

“It´s unlocked; you leave your room unlocked” I searched for the flash drive in the mess inside the bag. She nodded

“Doesn’t it bother you that anyone could open it?” I said taking things out ´cause I couldn’t find my flash drive. Nic shrugged “I could have opened your room”

“You didn’t”

“Maybe you should lock your room. Mari does”

“There´s not a single thing of value in my room, well, paint maybe so it´s fine besides Marissa´s always leaving her stuff in my room…”

“What if she gives the key to someone else?” I said frowning as I searched between the crumbles of a cookie on the bottom of the bag

“What could anybody want from there? But if it makes you happy, I wouldn’t have given you the key” there was humor in her voice; she was teasing me but it made me bitter

“I know, you –don’t trust me I was going to say but I remembered something- you did give me a key, before, a key to your room”

“Oh, huh –she looked taken aback for a second- you didn´t find out what that was?”

“It opened your room”

“It opened yours to and the SCR, the Art building…I guess you didn’t try it”

“We did –I explained, by accident we´d found out that it opened all doors in Burgeoys, at least the ones we tried- Aaron and I tried it”

“Ah” she nodded

“Did it open the gates?” I had started taking out stuff from the side pockets of the bag

“No, well, it opened the old ones but those had a chain and locks, remember? So not really”

“So not the main ones…”

“A computer code opened those”

“And you had the code –I half smiled despite my desperation, she shrugged- you could´ve left me that one”

“Ha! Cameras, Josh, it didn’t make sense to open the gate to get caught!”

“Of course… Finally!” I exclaimed finally finding the flash drive. I checked my watch, it was late, I wouldn’t make it if I went back to my place to finish my paper

“hey… -I started- can I use your computer and printer? –I asked showing the flash drive; she raised her eyebrows and I hesitated- Sean, my work partner, lost the file at the last minute, computer virus but I have the almost complete paper here… if I go back to my place I’ll be late, the professor doesn’t tolerate it” I sighed

“Ok –she opened her room and got in- you coming?” I heard her voice after a minute. “Printer´s there, paper´s there” she pointed to a folder as she typed her password on her laptop. The place was bright, unlike Marissa´s bedroom, it was sort of similar to her Burgeoys room, there was not a single thing out of place, there were books on the night strand, a drawing pad next to the laptop and drawings on walls, sketches pinned to the walls like a collage

“Thanks –I sat on her  swiveling chair- when did you put the key in my pocket?” I went back to our conversation as I opened the file I needed

“When you hugged me good bye”

“You had it ready –I said she nodded- what if I hadn’t hugged you?”

“I was just going to give it to you but I thought it´d be fun if you found it” she explained as I started to read over the paper trying to locate the changes we´d done and that had been lost

“Why give me that?” I asked

“On my birthday that year you could´ve been caught if I hadn’t been there… at the time I thought it could be useful” she said and left the room. I guessed it had been thoughtful in a strange way; in the back of my mind I thought that it´d meant that she´d planned to get more visits from me which was sort of interesting.

“Thanks” I motioned to my paper about forty five minutes later

“Need a folder?”

“Got one?” I asked, she stood up, went in her room and came back with a plastic folder “Thanks. I owe you one. Bye”

“Bye” she said, I think. I got right on time and then hassled my work partner for being so stupid and useless

“Just on time!” I texted both Marissa and Nichole afterwards. Mari´s reply came quick

“Good job! You´re the man!” it read and had a winky face.

An hour later I got a text I didn’t think I´d get “Part of that grade´s mine” it said. I laughed.

Flat

I´ve been wearing the same jeans since Monday; they´re old jeans that now that I´ve lost weight are kinda loose. I don't need to unbutton them to take them off but they don´t fall down if I don't tug them down; however they hang low on my hips. 

My low loose jeans reminded me of something, of someone actually and something about me. It´s nothing important just something that I felt like writing about. I had this classmate in my first year in college who seemed to like to wear jeans like the one I´m wearing now. I´m pretty sure it was on purpose because they were not loose in any other place, like only low low low. Also this person seemed to like to wear t-shirts that ended at the waist with low cut jeans.

I didn't want to notice but many times when I was talking to this classmate I could see a glimpse of underwear and the slight hint of hip bones under skin and smooth white flat stomach. I remember that today. At the time I didn't realize but it seems that I liked it. I knew that I had a thing for flat tummies though. 

Ok, so that´s it, a confession, I guess, I have a thing for flat stomachs and probably low loose jeans in other ppl´s bodies I´m not sure haha

I dont like you anymore

I just wrote you another poem. It´s been over a year, I think, since I wrote an entry in this particular label. A letter to you. Thoughts I cant tell you because no matter what I say, it doesn't reach you, it will not reach you, you don't want it, you don't need it and I do not give you the chance to deny me of you, yet you do it, of course, you do as you please, always.

I don't love you. I´m convinced of that. I´m not attracted to you, not anymore. I´m no longer compelled to find you, to please you, to be with you but I remember how it was to love you, it hurts still, the memory of the feeling of it hasn't healed specially when you just don't find words to talk to me anymore. I´m not interesting to you anymore and I don't really care, it´s fine, I don't mind but the part of me that remembers feels the pain,the stab of it.

It´s really complicated to have loved. I wonder what would you say about this, do you think that once you stop loving someone you no longer feel them? Do you no longer feel them?

I saw your picture today, longer hair, curving at the tips, rounder face, wider chest, sunburnt, clothes lines where the sun didn't touch your skin... I didn't recognize the one I liked there. It was your mind that made fall; the last thing I noticed was your body. I never see bodies, I hardly ever notice how sultry and appealing some could be, how I liked your lips and your eyes. I couldn't see them anymore. I didn't like you anymore but I remember, it is so strange, so very strange

it still hurts that you no longer feel like talking to me but it goes away faster and faster, anxiety doesn't eat at me anymore, only chews a little on the edges of my soul but it lets me go, pain doesn't sting as bad as it once did. Should I congratulate myself? should I thank you for making me almost immune to you?

***
Trying this Blogger app thing. I couldn't copy and paste the stuff from my notes so I decided to try with a draft.
This one is kinda old, about three to five months ago...
So, to post and see what happens!

Dead Stars

My dear...
I still can´t say your name, it feels like a forbidden curse, a too powerful spell
Why you?
How did you become so important, so permanent?
I was asleep, not knowing I was dreaming and you awoke me
and showed me lights and colors and laughter
and slapped me with pain and tears and oblivion

Your sideway smile opened my eyes and I saw you
I saw beyond what I always saw, invisible blurs of what people is made of
I saw your eyes and your hair and your hands and your lips and your steps
and I loved you like the first time, like a gift, like fire

I loved you more than life
enough to deny myself, enough to be open to change, enough to hope and dream
Pouring all over with infinite words, pinning my heart on your skin, it didn't stay
You were asleep, dreaming of other lands, greener grass and a brighter sky
I wasn't loved

It rained on me and I clumbled like salt
My wounds hurt, everything hurt, your absence hurt, your presence hurt
I faded away. I was asleep, unaware that my night was nightmares
The morning light awoke me and I saw you, I see you
I see your shell and it´s changed to my eyes. I see your core and I remember I loved you
The shadow of you eclipses the shadows of the life after my heart died

I compare you to the light of dead stars
no longer there but their light´s still travelling the darkness
piercing memories of what it was and no longer exists
Not alive, not dead, the stars never knew my eyes gazed at them with love
How long will your light last? How much more will you cast shadows over me?


***
-some impromptu inspiration... plagued with mistakes no doubt
-my friend said writing poetry was like making confessions

Over the Moon: Full Moon

“Not you again!” Oli groaned one night the next month after she’d last seen him. Ale had walked her home after their closing shift. Daniel was in his wolf form and in attacking position about to pounce Ale who groaned too. As in cue, chief Covin appeared

“Take him away!” Oli told him

“Oli, I´m sorry but I have to go –Ale said apologetically- like I said your dog won’t harm you but it wouldn’t hesitate to harm me” Ale frowned. Oli sighed

“Alright… Thank you for walking me home Ale” she smiled weakly

“Miss Ventura –Covin started- as you can see, today is a full moon night. I can assure you that I had him away but this is a very… delicate time for a young werewolf… He’s very strong and mostly instinct. His instinct is to be with you so he escaped and he´ll attack anything and anyone who tries to prevent him from getting to you…”

“Just lock him away, doesn’t he have like an alpha to obey?” she scoffed

“Yes –Covin said patiently- technically, I am his alpha but at the moment he´d go against me to be with you and I don’t want to harm my nephew but I also don’t want him to harm others or to harm himself…For all purposes from now on, from the time he found you last month you are his alpha”

“This is stupid –Oli said partly shocked, partly disgusted, partly scared- I don’t want any part in this” she started to walk towards her house, Coving walked behind her, his long strides putting him closer to her which caused her to yelp in surprise once she turned at this the wolf pounced with bared teeth to attack Covin who shot him; Olivia gasped as the big wolf fell with a cry

“You killed him!” she shrieked as the animal whined

“No, Miss Ventura, these are rubber bullets but someone might use real ones or he might harm someone if you send him away… so, please, I´m asking for your help…”

“What… how can I even help? –she eyed the angry red mark that the rubber bullet had left on the animal- I mean, I know nothing about this and what if he hurts me? He kidnapped me, kept me away a whole night”

“He couldn’t hurt you even if he wanted and about the kidnapping… he thought you knew”

“Knew what?

“He knew you were his mate when he caught your scent, if you were like him, like us, you would´ve felt it too”

“You too? –she gasped- You go… dog like that?”

“I shift into a werewolf, yes, but I’m an adult he’s not yet, not by our standards so unlike me he cannot avoid shifting with the full moon…”

“This is… I…” Olivia´s words wouldn’t come out as her thoughts tumbled one over the other making a riot in her head

“Miss Ventura last time he was just trying to help you”

“By taking me to a cave in the middle of the dark woods?” she frowned

“That was just a place to shift into …” the chief motioned to the wolf. Olivia scowled and then took a deep calming breath

“…And what exactly do you want me to do?” Oli asked reluctantly

“Just let him stay in your house for tonight and tomorrow…”

“What? No! this man, wolf, whatever, kidnapped me –she motioned to the wolf who was attentively listening to them the whole time with raised hairs on his back- and now you want me to let him stay in my house?”

“I´ll leave you the gun with the rubber bullets –Covin offered and Oli just didn’t say she´d never ever touched a weapon of any kind- but I can assure you he´ll do each and every little thing you might ask except leave your side”

“Shut up!” Olivia shouted to the wolf on her attic right above her bedroom as he sniffed the floor. Immediately the sound stopped and Olivia huffed as she turned around in her bed. Covin had convinced her that the man-wolf was not dangerous for her but would be for others if she didn’t let him in. He’d also said that in the next two days and nights it’d be better if they both stayed in the house as precaution. She’d protested about her job but of course Leah, her boss, didn’t mind at all; it was about her nephew after all

Oli grumbled something unintelligible and the sniffing started “Shut up!” She shouted as if to an annoying unwanted pet.

Olivia usually woke up before seven in the morning, even after a bad night of tossing and turning like the night she’d had. In the mornings she turned on her back, stretched her arms up and breathed in deeply, she followed her routine until she remembered the huge golden dog-wolf. She rolled her eyes as her mind corrected the term “the wolf” she grumbled and then in her mind: the wolf in the attic

“Not a good morning anymore” Olivia mumbled to herself and got up to the bathroom to wash her teeth. She was very thirsty and that made her pause, the dog could be thirsty and in need of a walk out too. She wasn’t about to practice animal cruelty so she changed from her sleeping clothes and cautiously went upstairs to the attic with a bowl and a bottle of water. She unlocked the door, the attic was already bathed with soft light that showed dust particles flying all over and around the old furniture and boxes that needed to be checked and put away. The wolf was awake and walking towards her except he wasn’t a wolf anymore but a grown up and very naked guy

“Geez! Would you cover yourself?!” Oli gasped looking away and the man looked down at himself as if he just noticed he was nude but he didn’t seem to mind that. He had no problem with nudity but Oli did; so he looked around and saw a blanket on an old dusty couch and wrapped it around himself, it was big enough to cover him complete but made him sneeze; it was as dusty as the couch

“I´m sorry” Daniel cleared his throat once he was covered

“Where are your clothes?” Oli made a face

“Ah –Dani scratched his nose- it got torn when I shifted in jail” he mumbled; he could smell irritation in Oli’s scent, she made a face and threw him the bottle of water which he caught and drank at once, he was really thirsty

“You can’t be naked in my house” she scolded, he nodded

“Can I use your phone? I´ll call my dad and ask him to bring me stuff and… ah, can I use your bathroom?”

“Downstairs –she sighed motioning for him to go first. This amused Daniel. If he wanted to attack her, there would be nothing she could do, she was small and she wasn’t even carrying the gun Covin had given her which could´ve stopped him maybe but he didn’t say a thing or move a muscle of his face; he just went down to the second floor and then to the first floor as Oli instructed. He used the guest’s bathroom which really needed repairs as the rest of the house at least what he got to see of it.

“I don’t want that naked man in my house” Oli was saying in a clipped tone when he came out; she was on the phone with chief Covin

“He’ll be here in ten minutes” she told Dani when he came to find her in the kitchen and then “are you hurt? You have blood…” she pointed to his ear and cheek area

“Ah… it´s ok, it’s just scratches” Dani gave a weak smile. He´d gotten into a fight with an older way more experienced wolf when he’d escaped. She rubbed her eyes with her index and thumb in an irritated manner

“Covin shook you last night –she remembered as she said- he said you´d be ok… are you? I mean…”

“Just a bruise, it´s not bad” he played it down

“Why don’t you like… clean yourself –she motioned towards the bathroom with her arm and a frown- as you uncle comes” Dani didn’t say a word, just tuned on his heels and marched to the bathroom again. The water was cold and at first it was orange looking; tinted with the rust of the pipes but after a while it was clear. As he showered he could smell food being cooked, his mouth watered, he hadn’t eaten anything since the day before and to imagine food made by Olivia made him even hungrier but he took his time under the cold shower until he heard his uncle coming and a few minutes later knocking on the bathroom door.

“How are you doing, kid?” Covin patted his shoulder as Daniel came out

“Fine” Dani mumbled and Covin laughed quietly, Daniel glared not looking at the chief

“Well –Covin had gone out and then back in- Miss Ventura, thank you for doing this and helping Daniel –he put some bags on the old, tattered counter- this should be enough for what he eats” Covin said and Daniel smelled an already made breakfast and raw ingredients as well. Oli said nothing just sighed. At least it was some help, she thought.

“Olivia –Daniel started once chief Covin left- let me, please, apologize about my mistakes and explain you why I did it and…”

“No, stop there –Olivia´s mouth was a thin line- I don’t want to hear about it –she made a stop motion- or get to know you, no, this is just to avoid you attacking people” she´d taken out the food container chief Covin had brought and pushed it to him along with a big water bottle

“Chief Covin told me you don’t need to be right next to me…” she motioned out of the kitchen so with his heart feeling like it was being squeezed from the inside Daniel took his food and walked out of the kitchen and up to the attic where Oli locked him. He sat on the floor and bent his legs to his chest and rested his forehead on his knees sighing

“I´m screwed” Daniel muttered. It was not that she´d locked him; he knew he could break the door without even having to use the strength of the wolf to get out but she wanted him away. Olivia hated him. He wasn’t hungry anymore.

Olivia had gone out to the garden to weed it and to start removing some of the soil trying to forget some weirdo-make-a-myth-come-true guy was in her attic whereas Daniel had moved to the dirty window to listened to what Oli was doing; she was working right next to the wall so he could not see her as she worked unless he opened it and looked out but he knew she wouldn’t like that. She didn´t want to see him. During the whole time he´d been raking his brain on how to make himself likeable to her but if she didn’t let him talk, didn’t want to know him or see him… he couldn’t do much but try to make himself scarce.

Around lunch time Olivia came inside the house to start on lunch, she was very hungry after working in the garden the whole morning, not with that much success but with some satisfaction at her work. As she started to chop some vegetables to make some rice she thought of the man upstairs. She sighed and added some more rice to the pan and took out a piece of meat out of the fridge “After all, it´s for him” she muttered, Covin had brought it for his nephew.

After a while of smelling how different ingredients fried and boiled Daniel felt the smell of food coming his way as well as Olivia´s scent. She opened the door and she entered bringing her fresh smell as well as the smell of weeds and dirt and outside air, it appealed to him more than the steak she´d brought him although this too smelled great. Daniel went downstairs quickly to the restroom; she waited until he came back and locked him up again.

During the afternoon Daniel could hear Olivia walking around in her room. It sounded like she was cleaning it; she was cleaning her clothes and furniture, cleaning her bathroom. She sighed as she tried to clean the tiles on the bathroom which needed a lot of cleaning after years of neglect, it definitely needed painting too… “If only I had money to fix it all…” she sighed.

At dinner time Olivia just made some sandwiches and sighed as she served the plate for her “guest” and then went upstairs where she found instead of the man she expected a big light brown wolf that wiggled his tail as she entered. Oli placed the plate on the floor and poured the water on the bowl trying to find comfort in the thought that it was the last night that the man would be in her home.

Daniel had stayed away as she poured the water; he knew she wouldn’t appreciate his coming closer, he could smell the distrust and dislike, he felt a whine on his throat that he suppressed, it was something that he hated of his wolf-self, it was so ones to what it felt and it showed it way more easily than his human self. As soon as Oli left him and locked he rushed to the food, her smell and taste lingered in everything she´d touched. The food was gone fast, too fast.

That night was basically the same thing as the previous one, the wolf sniffing and scratching the board floor and Olivia angrily shouting “shut up” as the smell of anger, irritation and rejection made the wolf sneeze and make soft whining noises. Eventually, Olivia fell asleep and all that was left was her natural woman scent, a mix of orange blossoms and vanilla ice-cream. It was soothing for the wolf that lay on his belly as in the distance he heard the calling of his pack running; hunting in the woods, any other time it would´ve sound appealing but now orange blossoms and vanilla ice cream was the only thing he wanted to feel.

  

Orange blossoms and vanilla ice cream mixed with the acrid scent of disgust and rejection woke Daniel up as well as the verbal “Gosh! Do you ever wear any clothes?!” As he turned around he saw Olivia walking away and out the door. He came downstairs wearing the clothes from the day before.

“Milk and cereal… -Oli was pouring some milk to her fruit loops cereal bowl- I´m not in the mood for cooking. You kept me away –she reproached- what´s with all the scratching and sniffing? I thought you wanted to be inside” she shoved a spoonful of mild and cereal to her mouth. Daniel cleared his throat, touched his neck and shifted from food to foot as he mentally kicked himself. Never Daniel Covin had acted like a fool in front of a girl, never had he been rejected and now when it counted he acted like a fool, messed it all since the start, never  he´d been an unsure man but in front of Olivia he wasn’t even sure if she wanted an answer or not.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t help it –Daniel said with frustration in his tone- my… -he moved his tongue over his front teeth- wolf form is more ruled by instincts” he explained

“You have the instinct to scratch my floor boards and keep me awake? I thought cats were the ones who scratched things” she scoffed

“Your scent is very appealing –he went for honesty- that´s why” tentatively Daniel filled his own bowl or what he though was his bowl, it was there an extra plate

“My scent?” Olivia narrowed her eyes, he nodded

“Yeah, like when you really really really like someone´s smell but ten times more” Daniel exhaled through the corner of his mouth. Oli picked up her bowl and walked out from the kitchen

“Covin said you´d be going today…” Oli slightly paused on the doorway to remind him. It felt like a stab to hi him

“Yeah –he cleared his throat- I´ll just grab my things” he stood up placing the spoon on the bowl of uneaten cereal

“You can finish your breakfast” she said not looking at him. Daniel sighed heavily

“Some head banging on a hard surface is in order” he murmured.

“I´m going now –Daniel said ten minutes later, she was on the living room on a very old couch- thanks for letting me stay” he said, she shrugged and followed him with her eyes until he disappeared on the hallway. Once she heard the door closing behind him she exhaled relieved

“Grandma, you were so right about this place…” Oli muttered looking up at the ceiling

“Great –she muttered as she went to the attic to bring the bowl, plate and empty water bottles that Daniel in his wolf form had used- I´m a dog´s maid now…”

***

A/N: dont expect editted stuff from me

and

dogs scratching stuff...it happens, believe me

Through my Eyes: Between Us

A/N: I keep making up all kinds of excuses to not feel so ...lazy, I guess, and not edit stuff... I just typed this one and whatever part that got changed happened as I copied it from my notebook to Word...

I wanted to say something else but I´ve forgotten atm ...mmmm

***

“Where did you graduate?” I asked Nichole. It was just the two of us in her apartment. Marisa was running late, she was with a group for some project and they’ve been held up for longer than expected. I had been invited to another movie night; it was about a couple of weeks after the last one. I was on the couch in front of the television; Nichole was behind her drawing table, leaned over it, I had turned half way to ask my question. She looked up and raised her eyebrows in question

“You didn’t graduate from Burgeoys; you must have graduated from somewhere to get into college” I explained, I had wondered about normal unimportant things like this a long time ago, or so it felt, and it had come back to me in the virtual silence we´d shared as I waited. I wondered if she´d just printed a diploma or get herself a new student record or something

“I took a test” she said as her eyes went back to be fixed upon her table

“So, no graduation and no diploma”

“Yes and yes”

“Eh?” I adjusted on the couch to face her; I saw her kept making strokes with some kind of chalk on what I guessed was paper on the table

“Yes to the graduation and yes to the diploma”

“What school..?”

“The one I went to take the test” I thought I saw the faintest one shoulder shrug on her

“What school was it?” I asked the question that had been interrupted; curious to know that she hadn’t immediately gone to the backpacking part of her time away; a part of me told me about the nag that caused me.

“A public small school” she said still focused on her task, changing the chalk she was using. I looked back to the T.V considering; trying to imagine what kind of place it had been and why and when this had taken place. It didn’t really seem to matter to her but she´d done it and by then she´d been free to do whatever she wanted so she must´ve wanted it just not from our fancy school

“Why did you say the other day you didn’t get to apologize?” I turned back again to see her after a while; she didn’t look up at me but shook her head

“Marissa will come home at any minute; not here” her calm voice said as I was about to press the matter

“Ok” I accepted her words. The truth was that in these talks one of us ended shouting or running away

“She doesn’t know anything about you, does she?” I narrowed my eyes at Nichole; I was almost sure she could see me even if she was supposedly focused on her work

“What she needs to know”

“That means your name and the age in your ID only?” I raised my eyebrows; not even her name was her real name, not even what everybody though was her age was her real age…

“Does she know everything about you?” this time she looked up at me for a second as she changed the chalk stick again. I sighed…I knew what she was referring to “Do we know everything about her?” Nichole said in her soft voice almost as an afterthought, almost as if to say it was ok I had reservations towards her; or so I made myself believe but I doubted Marissa had secrets like ours

“We know she was born in Milan, that she´s a painter, started as an amateur…about her family that she´s the youngest child and only daughter” I listed a few things; Nic nodded “Do you know her family?” I asked

“I´ve seen Anton”

“Never met him?” I raised my eyebrows; she pursed her lips a fraction, considering her answer, I knew.

“Not exactly”

“How´s that?” in my mind you either met people or didn’t; she looked at me with what seemed to be humor

“He didn’t like me”

“How you know if you never met him?”

“When Marissa came to find me at the place we were departing for our first trip; he came along with her…he said I was… -she narrowed her eyes a little- stealing her sister away; I didn’t completely understand him; he was speaking really fast and Marissa didn’t want to tell me the rest”

“Oh…-I could almost see the man shouting at her in quick Italian; making gestures like Marissa does sometimes when she´s upset- then I guess you did meet him”

“If that is meeting someone, yes” she looked down at her work again and for a moment if almost felt like the time we spent together before. I found it strange how it seemed that even after one of us had ended up being upset when we last talked the next time it was like we were almost friends somehow but not really; there was a wall between us; I could feel it there, invisible but solid, a double wall.

“Does she know about Camille?” I asked after a little while and she took her time

“I need to focus on my work” she finally replied without inflections. It was an evasion; I scoffed

“Please, you can do that with closed eyes” irritation leaked in the words; she raised both eyebrows looking straight at me

“I cannot work with my eyes close” she tilted her head a little in what I thought was humor

“You know what I meant… You´ve worked as you listen to me before… as you listen and reply –I emphasized the word- I´ve seen you”

“This one´s not for Mike” she said and I almost laughed. She couldn’t pretend she´d been sloppy at how she made her work for our arts instructor. I had seen her; I was sure

“No, but I´m sure you´re still you” I said confident; she looked up at me without moving her head up, only with her eyes and then focused back on her work

“I think… -I pondered out loud- that she does know about Camille but hasn’t met her, why?”

“Why would I introduce Mii to Marissa?”

“Why not? Mii is important for you; Mari seems to be the closest person to you since… -I was going to say me but that…- anybody” I finished; she only shrugged and then I thought of something…they had always been so careful when it came to Camille

“I mean you let your psycho… -mother? No, that didn´t sound right and Nichole wouldn’t take it kindly- guardian around her, she´s like the most dangerous person that can be around your sister, don’t you think?” I finished sure that what I said was true, she nodded slowly making a motion with her arm as if she was erasing something “then why?” I insisted

“Not here” it was barely a whisper with a hint of pleading. I sighed; ran my hand through my hair

“The good people, no, let´s say, the harmless ones are the ones you keep away” I mumbled turning back and drinking from my glass of water

“She´s a necessity” I heard Nichole´s reluctant voice

“What do you mean?” I turned back again; she was sat up with eyes closed

“Camille… -she started still with eyes closed but then stopped, opened her eyes that had unlike what I had imagined a fierce look in them, leaned forward with a serious expression- this is between us” she told me; I knew my eyes grew twice their size

“Of course; you know I´d never say anything, I haven´t …”

“I know” her usual monotone came back and she seemed to relax although she hadn’t exactly looked tense or rigid before, she went back to her work “Mii and I are sisters” she said

“I know” I said as I laughed

“No, not half-sisters, sisters. She´s a lot like me” she grimaced. That was crazy yet it made sense; the younger girl was like a small version of Nichole except she was happy

“But she´s… -Nichole´s mother had died years before Camille even existed…but then…Strassberg was in a way Nic´s mom…I felt a frown forming on my face- how´s that possible?”

“Nat stole things from Alex…-she stopped abruptly- from the crew –she corrected herself, looked at me,  I nodded, I remembered reading that- I thought it had been papers, information or even money but it was something more valuable…it was Camille”

“What? But she´s like …what? Six or seven years younger than you”

“Eight. And she wasn’t exactly Camille… fertilized eggs” there was some reluctance in her voice and something in her partially hidden eyes told me she might´ve been regretting telling me this

“Wow –I exclaimed shocked as I tried not to think who was behind that crew- but how…?”

“You should know better than me how in vitro works” I could see a raised eyebrow and hear the slight teasing in her voice

“So Strassberg´s Camille mom too?” I frowned and heard the disgust in my voice

“Sheryl gave birth to Camille”

“That´s incredible” I blinked, not the being born like she did, that was standard but the length that Karl had taken to have another child was … incredible

“If you consider us –she motioned a chalk-like stick between she and I –it´s not as weird” I could tell that she didn’t want even the idea of her little sister being ‘weird´to be thought but it was true, there was something far more strange and incredible in us…death

“Does she…?” I looked at her hand

“She was never an experiment like me, not exactly –she said, I felt sad. Of course, I had been the cause of what happened to her hands- she´s just a girl, an extraordinary girl” she said barely above a whisper

“I´m sorry” I whispered back. It must’ve been hard for Nichole. Her little sister was just like her but Mii had a family, safely, love while Nic had been sent away, beaten and forced to commit crimes

“I´m not. She´s got to be happy and safe” Nichole said in her usual devoid of emotion tone but I knew, I was sure, she meant it, she adored that girl and that she didn’t think of resenting the kid´s good luck said a lot. I could´ve gotten up and hug her but if I attempted that she might move away of break some of my bones so I just smiled

“She does look happy even with the psycho there… but why is she a necessity?”

“Camille´s… extraordinary…I cannot send her to regular doctors for example”

“But if she´s like you, she wouldn’t get sick” I said at once

“No –I thought I heard a smile in her tone but none was visible on her face- but she can still get hurt and she does…like other kids she gets health checks”

“Did you get those?”

“Yeah…” she dragged the word

“Why? You said you didn’t get sick?”

She nodded “You´re a doctor, wouldn’t you want to check a person who´s different?”

“I guess…” I said not knowing what´d be the right answer, I didn’t know how different they were and if feeling curious to learn it would place me in the same category as the psycho and the mad scientist

“Mii needs someone that actually makes her eat her veggies and not over exercise when she´s hurt and Sheryl just can´t do that” she rolled her eyes; I smiled. She cared so much for the girl but it was so unsettling that Strasberg was the one who got to be the authority figure, the business woman, somehow the mother. She didn’t deserve any of that and Nic, everybody trusted her, that hurt

“Who makes you eat your veggies and not over exercise when you´re hurt?” I joked instead of voicing my thoughts. She shook her head fighting a smile

“So Strasberg´s kind of related to Mii, too?” maybe that´s why she was trusted although that felt wrong

“Nope, only I have the psycho´s genes. Mii´s all Karl and Miriam´s… I guess Camille´s not exactly like me after all…”

“Oh, I´m sorry. I didn’t mean…” I started, she shrugged

“If you take away the fact that she´s a psycho and all that…she´s quite brilliant, organized, she´s got a high IQ, she´s quite healthy and possesses a photographic memory… I don´t know why she was told her genes were not good” she mused

“Maybe because of the psycho part?” I scoffed. Did she admire the woman? Did she feel affection for the woman? Nichole only shrugged uninterested; that sparked some anger that I pushed away as I thought of a reason why Strasberg would´ve been told that her genes were not good…my grandpa had led all that, from his behavior there and if I thought well, in everything else, he really liked control, maybe he´d liked controlling people as well, obviously he´d like that I sighed.

“Photographic memory, really?” I distracted myself on this as I furrowed my eyebrows “Do you…?” if she had that, it made sense why she´d been the best student in school and the detail in her drawings and… I stopped my reasoning as she shook her head; I raised my eyebrows. If they had wanted to make a super human that would´ve been something to include

“Not, not like Nat´s… just sort of a good memory” she sounded hesitant as if it made her embarrassed which was weird but then she´d never bragged about her abilities, she usually hid them away so I dropped it

“Does Mii know?” I spoke after a while; her eyebrows furrowed a little but she slowly shook her head “Will you tell her?” I thought this was important. She nodded slowly

“Eventually” she sighed

“What do you guys tell her now?”

“To her it´s normal, natural to be good at ballet and at school” she touched her neck but seemed to realize it and made it like she´d been massaging her neck area

“Jumping from a three story building like you is natural?” I raised my eyebrows; she had to know she was different

“Mii doesn’t do that; she doesn’t know it´s possible –she said it like it was obvious- I do not think she´s…. exactly like me but she knows she´s special, not the extent of it but even if she wasn’t…made like that she´d still be extraordinaire” there was an edge of defensiveness in her vice, it made me smile how protective she got and how talkative she was when it was about Camille

“Of course –I agreed- she´s you in happy version” I wondered for a second if she´d get mad because she stared at me for a second and then she was fighting a smile and she was good at it, if I hadn’t known that her face expressions were so subtle I wouldn’t have noticed

“She´s happy” she concluded and I could see it made her happy

“And a good dancer” I added

“Yes, she´s amazing –her half-smile appeared freely- she´s gotten so much better since you last saw her”

“I bet, she seemed to like ballet” I said remembering how we´d sneaked out of Burgeoys and how we´d barely avoided meeting Strasberg as we were at the recital

“She enjoys it… I think she´ll be a dancer in the future” she was looking at her drawing and I could hear the smile in her tone. It was nice to listen to her talking about the future with hope; she´d never done that. Camille really was her only happiness. “Or so she says” Nichole shrugged

“You´ll both have Art related careers” I smiled

“At other times she says she´ll be a vet” she told me. I chuckled; I remembered Aaron wanted to be a vet too

“She likes animals?” I was in the middle of asking when the door opened

“Ahg! Josh, Nini, I´m so sorry for being late! It was hell” Mari complained and sat next to me. She kissed me lightly then turned on her side to see from me to Nic and back “What are we talking about?” I wasn’t sure if the whole conversation was in the between us part but Nichole lifted a large piece of paper before I said anything, it was a ballerina, it was Camille

“Another ballerina –Mari smiled- you were talking of your baby sister and not doing your project” Marissa rolled her eyes. Nichole shrugged and I concluded that Marissa, unlike what I thought, knew of Camille

“That´s Nini´s sister, Camille –Mari told me- before I knew the of her I thought this one –Mari pointed to Nic- was heartless but she clearly loves the little girls, talks to her every night, isn’t that cute? –Mari asked no one in particular as Nichole went back to focusing on her drawing table- I guess, she´s like you on that –Mari told me, I furrowed my eyebrows- you both adore your family” Mari beamed at me and I smiled back

“I guess” I said

“Have you ever met her?” Mari asked me

“He met her” Nichole replied for me

“Aw, Nini, really? I wanna meet your love too” Mari pouted a little

“I won’t bring my sister to our dorm. She´s busy”

“With what? She’s a kid!”

“School, ballet lessons, piano lessons and her own friends” Nichole replied dismissively

“What happened to kids being kids?” Marissa frowned; I chuckled; Nic shrugged

“You should beg for mercy for her; I looked up for that school she goes to, a prison, lessons all day –she made a gagging sound- Laura went there, it´s tough… spare her”

“Camille´s smart; she´s getting a good education”

“Sure, I get it but come on!  -Mari continued-  she´s gotta be a kid… like did you…? Ok, wait, what did you do when you were a kid? Did you go to that school?”

“Carina, my sister´s fine –Nichole said in her soft voice- and I´m not a kid anymore so it´s fine” Nichole was patient with Marissa but like with me she didn’t seem willing to answer at least with me there

“Tell me, Nini or I´ll ask Josh” she pouted; Nic raised an eyebrow

“He must know something” Mari said

“Am I that interesting that you want to make your boyfriend talk about me? You´re weird carina” she said with a raised eyebrow and a teasing tone that made Mari blushed slightly

“Nini! –she sighed dramatically- my point stands though; children need time to be free like… ok, Josh, don´t tell me you had that kind of busy childhood too?” Mari frowned

“I enjoyed my music lessons” I started chuckling at her expression

“They were worth it –she pecked me on the lips- but that was it, right? Tell me you were normal” she made a sad face and I opened my mouth to talk but my expression gave me away so she didn’t let me talk “No! geez! You people… -Mari threw up her hands- tell me what else you did?” she asked me

“Just a few extra lessons…”

“…and they are…?”

I sighed “Guitar and piano lessons… stuff like karate…a bunch of other stuff”

“No wonder you´re so smart and talented” Mari said softly

“I had to take math and physics tutoring…” I said maybe in an attempt to comfort her

“I just flunk like a normal kid” she frowned but then laughed

“What did you do? –I asked- what was your childhood like?”

“I ran around, played with other kids, laid on my belly as I watched cartoons, watched the clouds to find shapes, made Anton to give me piggy rides… didn’t do homework until it was absolutely necessary and just what was necessary –she laughed a little- just normal stuff, had fun” she winked

“I watched the clouds too” I said remembering Aaron and I doing it after some of our lessons, it was usually us and Paisley, the dog always followed him even if it was supposed to be mine. Marissa smiled brightly at me

“It´s your turn Nini, what was your childhood like?”

“I´m going out” Nichole walked towards the door

“What? Why? No! it´s movie night, ragazza!” Marissa protested; Nichole shrugged opening the door “No! you must have a good reason”

“Russel” Nic winked and smirked

“He´s cute. Sorry –Mari said my way- but you have a date with Josh and me”

“I´m sure you two won´t mind alone time. You´re welcome” Nichole inclined her head slightly

“Well…” Marissa looked at me; I shrugged

“See, all settled. Bye people” Nichole got out

“Bye” I said

“But you didn’t tell us!” Mari said as the door closed. I was sure Nichole heard it and I was almost sure she was just escaping from answering about her childhood

“Well… -Mari turned to me grinning- seems like we have the place to ourselves”

“Yeah…” I took a strand of her long black shiny hair

“What do you wanna do?” she moved closer to me

“Mmnh –we kissed- whatever you want”

“Normal stuff, please –she teased- of normal young people” she poked her tongue out at me; I chuckled

“What do you think I´d want to do?”

“With that busy childhood you had you ought to become weird”

“Or drop all that and turn wild” I joked

“Oooh –she threw her arms around my neck- I seriously like that”

“Yeah?” I was glad she got, we got distracted; I thought for a moment Marissa would ask me if I knew what made our mutual friend so busy during her childhood…she did have a sad one.

Over the Moon: The Wicked Wolf

awesome pix that I found in some FB page, I think the name below it it´s the name of the artist...a very talented one based on this pix

Over the next couple of weeks Olivia and Alejandro walked together whenever they had closing shift together and whenever they went home. During those two weeks Olivia started to feel less concerned about the incident that chief of police had assured they were investigating and taking care of.

Olivia was glad that she´d started to be friends with Alejandro since she didn’t know anybody in town and it was nice to have someone to walk with on the way home, to sit with when they found each other in the bus and to talk about nothing in particular.

Like Alejandro had said, there wasn’t much to see in the small town or any worthy attraction unless you were into hunting, hiking and fishing but Olivia had no interest in getting in the woods. It really didn’t matter though; Olivia entertained herself in gardening, something she had never done but the big garden of the old Belcourt house was in desperate need of fixing after years and years of being neglected. Ale had helped her to get rid of the tall grass that covered most of the back yard and didn’t let go through it to the rotten once white fence.

On one of her days off Olivia had been doing her best to weed the places where Ale hadn’t reached with his tools. She’d been emptying the pots of dead plants and put in the garbage the ones that had broken. That day, after lunch and once Ale was out of his shift they´d go shopping for seeds and a shovel, some fertilizer for the soil.

Neither of them knew much about gardening which was why Olivia had bought a book about it and once they went to the store she got a few things that it recommended. Olivia was asking Ale to help her turn the hard soil in her garden when she saw a man sitting on her porch. She froze. The man quickly looked up and aggression was plain on his face as he registered the man next to Oli. In quick strides he came closer as Oli frantically dialed the chief of police´s number that she´d memorized.

“Help! –She said to the phone- this is Olivia Ventura from the Belcourt house. The man I reported is back” she cried as Ale dropped the bag he was carrying on his side and stepped in front of her with the shovel as a shield

“I´m sending a patrol this second” the chief said

“Get away from her, Carbonell” the long haired-man snarled

“Back off, Daniel –Ale scoffed- don’t you see she´s terrified? She just called for help”

“Do you know him?” Oli gasped hiding behind Ale

“His brother´s my sister´s boyfriend” Alejandro rolled his eyes and right then a police patrol appeared; two officers came out of it, including chief Covin.

“These cops are efficient” Oli thought a little relieved.

“Daniel, back off!” Chief Covin commanded the young man. The man stood rigidly then, his hands into fists at his sides, he was still glaring at Alejandro through his lashes. Covin made a sign to the other officer who went to get Daniel but he reacted so fast that the officer ended up pinned under him. Oli let out a squeal.

“Daniel! Leave Bailey alone –Covin growled and the young man obeyed, letting go of the officer- don’t you see you´re scaring her” Covin shook his head and the young man focused on Olivia behind Ale and made a frustrated sound with his nose.

“Alejandro, you can go home –Covin said- it might help matters” he continued with a meaningful look that didn’t go unnoticed by Olivia. She instinctively grabbed Ale´s arm and Daniel dropped to the floor as if in sudden pain.

“Great” Ale said exasperated as Oli still held onto his arm and hid her face on his shoulder as the snapping sounds reminded her too much of that night when she´d been kidnapped

“Alejandro, please…” Is the chief of police pleading to an 18 year old, Oli thought for a second being distracted of the sounds of pain Daniel was making.

“Oli –Alejandro said as he adjusted his glasses- you´ll be fine. I promise. Daniel won´t hurt you, he´s like… like an ugly huge puppy” he said with some sarcasm laced in his voice as he looked back Oli stole a glance to where the convulsing man had been to only find out the huge dog snarling. She grabbed Ale´s arm tighter

“I won´t go if you don’t want though” ale leaned down to see into Oli´s frightened eyes; at this the dog leaped and knocked Ale to the ground sending his glasses away. The police officers came closer as Covin produced a gun.

“Stop!” Oli found her voice when the dog was about to bite Alejandro´s arm. To her surprise the dog stopped, allowing Alejandro to get up. The dog whined as if he´d been hit.

“See, like a puppy”Ale said sarcastically and the dog bared his teeth at him

“It almost bites you!” Oli gasped

“And it would have if you hadn’t stopped him”

“That animal´s not mine!” Oli made a disgusted face and the dog whined low

“Yes, it is –Ale rolled his eyes- I can assure you he’ll do anything you want”

“…Leave me alone?” Oli glanced from Ale to the dog that whined again and lowered himself until his belly touched the ground and he even looked dead. Alejandro laughed out loud

“Oli –Alejandro grabbed her shoulders and the dog snarled going back to standing position- I better let chief Covin to tell you what´s wrong with his nephew”

“Nephew?!” Olivia gasped horrified glancing at the chief

“I promise you´ll be fine… tell him –Ale nodded to the dog- to roll and he will, trust me” Ale promised and Oli shook her head

“What´s going on here?” her voice strangled and scared

“I can explain it Miss Ventura –Covin spoke up- but it´s better for Alejandro´s safety if he leaves. I´ll shoot the wolf if it goes violent”

“You didn’t do it before” Oli said not believing

“I´m a police officer, I will protect you” he promised, she nodded. Ale waved goodbye

“Damn dog” Ale muttered and said dog barked startling Oli

“Miss Ventura, why don’t we get inside…”Covin said with patient voice

“No way, none of your or your dog will get in my house…and you… you should be looking for your creeper nephew, you let him go away” she said angrily

“My …nephew is right there” Covin motioned towards the massive light brown dog with amber eyes

“Are you out of your mind?” Oli shrieked

“Daniel shift back –chief Covin commanded. The dog whined and lowered himself until his belly touched the ground- you got yourself in it now do it!” the man said with commanding voice. The dog rolled showing its back to them and like before it started to whine and growl and shake violently

“Is it ok?” Olivia couldn’t watch; it was lie it was dying

“He is, sort of” the chief said and Oli opened her eyes to make sure but as she did her eyes caught sight of a human male gasping for air on his knees and hands where the dog had been

“What the…?!” she gasped, her legs trembled

“Miss Ventura, that idiot is my…nephew, Daniel Covin –the chief explained as the other officer brought a blanket to cover the naked young man- he´d come to apologize for his past actions and to explain what happened but clearly it´s too difficult for him so I´ll do it”

“He was the dog” was the only thing Oli could say. Now she totally got why her grandma hated that place, maybe she´d been kidnapped too.

“Yeah, well, he was, is a wolf, as shifter –the chief scratched his cheek- he´s not violent, usually, but –he inhaled deeply- he´s recognized you as his mate so he feels very aggressive towards other males…”

“I´m not associated to him in any way!” Oli exclaimed. Daniel´s expression fell

“Miss Ventura –Covin spoke with placating voice- do you know anything about wolves?”

“What? Well, for starters they´re animals –she said with emphasis- not humans…”

“This one´s a werewolf” Covin motion to Daniel

“Is he like trying to bite me to turn me or something?” Oli covered her neck scared

“No, that´s not how it works, even if he bit you which he won’t you wouldn’t turn into a shifter but …is there anything else you can think about wolves?”

“I don’t know! I don’t watch animal planet!” she spat. The police officer snickered and Daniel looked embarrassed

“Wolves –the chief said after sparing a threatening glare to the other officer- live in packs and choose a life-time mate for whom they´d give their lives…Daniel is a werewolf and goes by the same rules, you, Miss Ventura, are his mate”

“I am not a character from a myth! Go choose someone else. I´m not a dog and I don’t want to be.”

“He cannot choose someone else and it´s really not a myth, you just saw it´s not. I could make Daniel do it again –at this the guy looked up at his uncle with a semi scared expression- but at the moment he suffers too much when he changes…”

“This is crazy. I don’t want anything to do with this. Take him away from me” Olivia said decidedly. Daniel´s face looked pained as he took a step forward

“Get away from me –Oli pointed a finger in his direction- I´m asking for a restraining order and real cops” she hurried to her house, got in, locked the door and slid down against the door where she stayed long after the men left. She´d heard some banter and what sounded like the cops dragging the younger man to the police car.

“You were right about this place, grandma…” she muttered much later when her stomach growled. I´d go out of here right this second if I had anywhere to go she thought bitterly.

The next day Olivia had the earliest shift and Alejandro would be there. She´d planned to ambush him there and ask him about this whole thing. He´d been too calmed about it… She couldn’t wait for their shift to be over and when it did she pushed Ale through the back door

“We need to talk” Olivia told him

“About yesterday?” Ale adjusted his glasses

“No, about last year –she rolled her eyes- of course about yesterday”

“Didn’t they tell you?”

“That guy´s a dog and is crazy… what… no, how… what do you know of that?”

“Again, didn’t they tell you?”

“Well, do you think I´d want them near me? That guy´s a stalker and they police is protecting him and no one but me seems upset about that”

“But you aren’t upset by the fact that he turns into a dog?” Ale pointed out adjusting his glasses with a finger

“I can’t even start to think about that!” Oli threw her hands up “I mean, that´s so weird but he´s stalking me, he could be a rat for all I care as long as he stays away from me…” her voice faltered at the end

“It might be upsetting, I know” he patted her shoulder

“Do you?”

“Well, not exactly like you but like I said his brother, well, his cousin, is my sister´s boyfriend so…I´ve seen these things…” Ale shrugged

“His brother´s like that too? Did he kidnap your sister too?”

“What? No! Did he…?” Ale stammered. Oli shook her head

“Your sister…?” she prompted

“We´ve lived here our whole life, we´ve grown knowing them, not that they were like that, they´re secretive about it but when Joel decided my sis was his one and only he told her and at some point he got all weird like Daniel, we, my bro and I saw and Karen, my sister had to explain the whole thing to us…”

“What did they tell you?” Oli asked eagerly, Ale shifted uncomfortable

“Eh….I´m sorry but they´ll have to tell you. It´s not my secret to tell”

“But I know the secret!”

“Yeah, but not the details and only Dani can give you that…”

“Do you know the details?” Oli sighed

“Yeah, some, but Karen´s asked me to keep it to myself” he said apologetically.  Oli sighed once again but nodded.

“Wait, are you like them?” Oli stopped him as they walked back to get their things

“No” Ale said at once

“Ok, good…ah… Do you know if they´re dangerous? Like biting and turning me like them?”

“Nah, well, Joel would never hurt Karen, I´m sure of that and they don’t turn people….they´re… ok, I can´t really tell you stuff but I can tell you that if Dani’s really thinking you´re his one he won´t hurt you”

“Is he like…your friend or something?” Oli furrowed her eyebrows

“No…no, I mean, I know his family, he knows mine… we hang out but we are not like tight, he can be annoying as hell and I bet he thinks the same about me”

“Sounds like you´re friends”

“More like annoying distant family related people” Ale rolled his eyes.

Olivia was more than a little disappointed when Ale told her he had other places to go for the day so she just decided to go grocery shopping and then walk home. She´d just finished putting the boxes and cans in the cabinets when she heard a car coming closer and a few minutes later someone knocking on her door. She peeked through the window and froze

“Go away! –she shouted through the door- I filed a restraining order” not trusting them she still called the police, at least they´d take him away

“Please, hear me out –Daniel pleaded- I´m sorry about last time… I thought you knew…”

“Go away!” she shouted

“Please…”

“No! Go away! Leave me alone!” Olivia said angrily and heard the man leaving as a car came; it was chief Covin

***

A/N: 

* I listened to the audio version of the Little Red Riding Hood´s tale to make sure of the tittle, there they call the bad wolf, the wicked wolf... so that´s where this tittle comes from.

*I have so many pictures for this story, it´s like it´s destiny lol but it seems I see forests, wolves, Red Riding Hood everywhere! 

* It´s often refered to the wolf as the dog in this chapter and it´ll b like that in the whole story probably, that is due to what Ale said about the wolf being Oli´s "dog" we´ll see what the wolf thinks about that later

*Posting´s really good for bad mood...

*Back to listening to Harry Potter´s audiobook where I found another "dog/werewolf" reference ha! it´s fate!