With Wolves

Five

I sat in that tree for a while. I think I was still in shock. And then, my thoughts completely took over. What do I tell River? Your boyfriend is an animal? No, he's literally a dog? Wait, do I tell River?

Oh shit, what do I say to Jonah?

I'm definitely going to see him later tonight.

My heart jumped in my chest at the next thought. Is... Is Jonah safe to be around? Does River know what he is? I need to warn her. I need to get her away from him! Hell, I need to get away from him!

My brain was having a war with my heart. No, I love Jonah! He's one of my best friends! But what I just saw, that wasn't- That wasn't my best friend. That was a monster, that was something unnatural and dangerous.

Again, my mind forcefully replayed the scene in my head. Those... wolves, we're not normal wolves. They were huge. They were massive.

I shivered in fear and suddenly wanted nothing more than to be back in my room, with the door locked and light off. I forced my legs to move out of the tree and onto another. Then I placed my foot on a fat tree root, and pushed myself up.

            I was back on the path and I was running. I ran the whole way back to the cottage. Maybe Jonah will be sitting on the couch and not... not turning into a big dog? Maybe I hit my head? Maybe I was pricked by a poisonous plant that makes you imagine freaking wolf people?

I blinked rapidly as a few tears formed in my eyes, mostly out of panic and fear.

             I ran up the stairs and burst in the door, anxious to ensure that River was fine. And sure enough, her head of dark curls shook as she suddenly turned to face me. "Tabitha!" She exclaimed, standing up from the couch.

              Panting from my run, I scanned her up and down. She was unharmed and.. and not a wolf.. thing. She was just River.

              "Where in the hell have you been? I saw your messages after my run with Jonah and..." Her eyes snapped back to mine suddenly. "Tabs... Where were you?"

               I choked. I completely froze up. What the hell was I supposed to say? Hey, I just saw your boyfriend transform into an animal? What's for lunch?

               I didn't even know what words to form in my mouth. "I.. Uhm-"

               Her eyes narrowed, "Where'd you go?"

              "I...I was outside and looking for you." I managed to blurt the words out. "Y-You and..."

               She waved her hand in dismissal as she rushed around to kitchen, "Oh! We just went for a long run, it was so relaxing. I left you a note on the coffee maker! I though you'd see it." Then she stilled and turned to me, "How... How far did you go out looking for us?"

               "Not far..." I trailed off. I leaned against the wall as I finished catching my breath. "River, J-Jonah... Jonah is-"

               "In deep shit." She grumbled, fussing around the kitchen, "He said he'd be back by now with some ingredients for dinner from a nearby store. Nearby, my ass." River muttered.

"No. No, I saw Jo-"

                "Oh! And, apparently Jonah-in-deep-shit has invited all his cousins over for dinner! Here! This evening!" She hollered angrily, "So you have to help me cook something!" She pointed at me with a spatula. 

                 My eyes widened. His cousins? Wait, were they the guys that I saw with him in the woods? Who else would it be?! They were... They did what he did, they turned into those beasts as well.