Werewolves in the Big Apple

20

Night had fallen, the crickets chirping loudly in the background, the wind sharp and breezy.

Julie sat pulling at the grass, weaving the pine needle and the twine together. "I think it's going to snow." She muttered to herself. It smelled like winter. Like she stuck her head in a freezer and the smell ran up her.

Since the truck first broke down they had hours to sit around and do nothing. At some point Ryder disappeared within the trees, possibly chasing down a squirrel.

Meanwhile she hunkered down and thought about what she was doing with her life.Why of all places did she decide New York was the one?

It was cramped, filled with millions of people who wouldn't know what werewolves were. They'd have to keep it a secret, within the chaos of the noise and the smell....they'd have to power through it.

Which left Ryder. They said they would be parting ways, but something in her brain told that's not what was going to happen. Most couples immedaitely became married, with kids. It wasn't in their blood to wait. Sooner or later it'd force them to do things.

She hung her head. There was no running from this, was there? She'd have to man up eventually—eventually. And mate with him. Which wouldn't be the end of the world, but she didn't know him.

What if they followed in the footsteps of her parents—always fighting until they were dead? She didn't want him to die. She didn't want to die.

Could she ever love somebody else? She didn't love him. They were attracted to each other, but that didn't mean much in the long run. Would he take care of her and still love her, even if she were dying?

Could he see her body beaten and torn from pregnancy and still decide to hold her close? Would he be a good dad or spend all of his days and nights on the couch? What if he left her for someone else?

She heard that cases like those were rising.

She couldn't do it. She could not imagnie her future with any man. She could only see it alone. As a doctor. Not some half-trained nurse but a real, licensed doctor. Like Dr. John but better.

"He's here!" Julie shot up from her spot on the ground and went to the direction of Ryder's voice, a large light reflecting in the distance. She could smell the new car fuel, hear the rumbling of an engine. Her nerves twisted in her gut. For some reason she was nervous to meet Ryder's brother.

The sound of a car door shutting met her ears before she broke through the forest line and actually saw it for herself. There was a black van next to the truck, and next to it was a surprisingly broad-shouldered man, about the same height as Ryder, looking under the hood of her car.

She wasn't sure what she imagined, but beefy wasn't one of them. She expected him to be built like his brother—lean but muscular. But no, this man looked like a professional weight lifter who retired. He was obviously fit, with ginormous arms and thighs stretching his too-tiny clothing, but he also had a good amount of fat on his belly, leaving him an older, retired look.

But he was younger than Ryder. Didn't Ryder say he was supposed to be the silly one? He didn't look very silly to her. He looked like he could kill her.

Ryder was there too, standing next to his younger brother with his hands on his hips, lost in thought just the same. Seeing them stand directly side-by-side was fascinating. The stern looks on their faces make them look like siblings.

They both looked up as she walked closer. She felt shy having the attention of his serious-faced, bearded brother on her. She gave a little wave. "Hi. How bad does it look?" She gestured to the car, but then put her thumbs in her pockets to give her something to do.