Running With Wolves [On Hold]

Chapter 3, Eleanor

Taping the last box shut, I stand up from the ground and wipe the sweat that was forming on my forehead. "This should do it, thank you so much for helping me out."

Chase smiles widely at me as he picks up the box full of plates. "No problem Elly, what are best friends for?" He teases.

Best friends, I wish that didn't hurt but it did... I can't even remember the last time we spoke like this like we were friends at all.

Even though we grew up together, and as children, we were always together and to me, he was my best friend... since the whole thing with my mother and the wolves leaving bodies on our property, Chase and I haven't spoken in years.

He's changed so much, he's no longer that small thin boy that pushed me on the swings, he's a man with a body that screams hard work, his hair is shorter and his height is towering over my 5'5 frame.

It was only yesterday after my mother's funeral that he showed up here and offered to help me, not before apologizing to me for how he acted.

I follow Chase out the front door and walk with him to the truck he came in. "So what are you going to do with all this stuff?

Sighing out heavily, I shrug my shoulders. "Honestly? I don't even know, storage for now I guess until I can figure out what to do it with?" 

He closes the doors on the truck and nods slowly. "Yeah, I get it." He says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

This is really awkward, I don't know how to speak to him anymore.

"Thanks... for the help I mean, this would've taken me days without your help." I smile and watch his face light up.

"Don't mention it." He waves me off. "If you need anything let me know alright?" He says, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around me in a hug.

I stiffen in his hold but put my arm around him and awkwardly pat him on the back. "Thanks." I say shyly, not knowing what else to say.

He pulls back and smiles widely at me. "I'll take this stuff to storage, are you sure I can't help with anyone else?" He asks one more time.

I shake my head and smile. "I got it thanks, I got a guy coming by soon about the house."

His smile falters as he nods his head. "Yeah, okay.. um, well I'll see you right?" He asks, rubbing his neck.

I don't know why but I laugh, some things never change, he's still somewhat shy, for being such a big man. "Sure, I have your number saved, we should catch up before I leave."

"Perfect, I'll see you then. " He says, grinning.

I watch as he gets into the truck and pulls back, I wave at him and he waves back before he drives down the dirt road towards the main road, I watch him drive off until I can't see the truck anymore.

Just as I was about to turn and head back in, I see a car come from the same direction Chase left to, that must be the guy who inquired about buying the house, the broker seemed really positive about me meeting him, saying something along the lines of "he's not taking no for an answer."

Whoever this guy is, I'm intrigued, because who in their right mind would buy this place in the middle of nowhere with the reputation that it has? I'm seriously wondering what this guy's deal is.

The closer the car gets the more nervous I get.

I shouldn't be, but the words my mother always repeated stayed with me, 'Never meet someone alone Eleanor, wolves are everywhere'.

It was possibly the only advice she had given me that I listened to, apart from the wolves... as much as she had tried to persuade me they were real, I couldn't get lost in her reality and lose track of life the way she did.

I begin to walk towards the car that has now pulled up into the stone driveway in front of the house and as soon as the man gets out of the car, I had a bad feeling about him.

"Miss Carmine?" He asks, with a thick accent and deep voice.

I watch him carefully and step in front of him. "Yes- I'm sorry I didn't catch your name?" 

His lips curl and it instantly gives me the chills, the way his dark eyes stare at me like I was prey. "Curt Webb, a pleasure to meet you, Eleanor right?" He says curtly, stepping forward with his hand out to shake mine.

"Yes, you too." I say stiffly and shake his hand, noticing instantly that his hand is warm, really warm.

I step back as quickly as I shook his hand. "I'll show you around, I'm sure you have questions about the place."  I say politely with a smile as I walk towards the house.

He walks beside me and nods his head while gazing up at the large house in front of us. "It's just you here, alone?" He asks and I get a chill down my back.

Shit, I'm getting major red flags right now, Chase shouldn't be too far, maybe he wouldn't mind coming back, just in case?

"Y-Yeah, um, I just remembered I need to call my boyfriend, he always forgets to feed my dogs, I'll be one second." I lie through my teeth.

Curt nods his head and I walk away from him and grab my phone from my back pocket, ignoring the way my hands are shaking I begin to search my contacts for Chase's number when I find it, I hit dial.

"You shouldn't have done that." A cold voice says in my ear.

I jump and drop my phone on the floor, when I turn, Curt is behind me with eyes of a different color than before, they are no longer dark brown but a sharp yellow, and he's staring at me with amusement in his beastly eyes.

"W-Who are you? What a-are you?" I stutter out, slowly stepping back, away from him.

He chuckles darkly and steps forward, he licks his lips and that's when I see it.

Large teeth, but not just any teeth, two large canine teeth are now in his mouth and are poking out.

Is this some kind of sick joke? "T-This isn't funny, please leave." 

In a blink of an eye, Curt is in front of me and has his hand around my neck, I feel something sharp cut me, and that is when I see that his nails have gotten bigger, I panicky try and get his hand from around my neck.

He squeezes tightly and tears start to escape my eyes. No way, this is happening, he's trying to kill me.

"W-Why?" I manage to say as his hands tighten around my neck, as I thrash around in his hold.

"Your grandfather says hello... and goodbye." He cackles out, putting his other hand around my neck and squeezing.

The last thing I hear and see before I blackout and hit the ground is the sound of a deadly snarl of a large brown wolf knocking into the man who just had his hands around my neck.