White Wolf Rising [Completed]

Part:2

     The harsh fluorescent lights overhead felt like they were burning into Caleb's retinas even as his eyes were closed. The usually inaudible buzz of the lights sounded like a swarm of bees were stuck inside his head. His mouth tasted like a mixture of blood and chemicals. It wasn't the sound of the lights, beeping machines or meds dripping through an IV that woke him. No, it was hunger. Painful hunger deep in his belly.

"Aye, looks who's awake." A familiar voice cheered.

     It took a few seconds for Caleb to realize that he was in the town clinic. Slowly he tried to sit up in the hospital bed, but immediately fell back when excruciating pain shot through his arm and shoulder.

"Whoa stay steady, you're pretty banged up." Stan stood over him, eyes hopeful and his usually smooth smile was warm and anxious. Something was wrong.

     Slowly he raised his arm up, there were bandages that started at the bottom of his neck went along his shoulder and down his arm all the way to his wrist. The attack suddenly came rushing back to him. The dead sheep, the stable, the dying horse and.... The monster that attacked him.

     Stan forced an even bigger smile. "How ya doing buddy?" he sounded like a father talking to his young son.

     Blood stained Stan's under shirt, he had removed his uniform shirt earlier. Had Stan been injured as well or had he carried him? Caleb didn't see any signs of injury on the Deputy. The blood must have been his. "My head is killing me." He froze, "Did you kill it?"

"What?"

"Did you kill it? That thing." He asked quickly trying his best not to stutter through his sentence. The idea of that monster roaming around Honeybee made his heart beat of out his chest. "Please tell me you got it."

"Don't worry I got it. I shot it. Just in time too. That coyote was about to make a meal out of you." He answered lighthearted and thankful Caleb was still alive.

      He blinked at him in disbelief, "Coyote?"

"Yep."

"That was no Coyote."

      Stan shook his head at him forcing another smile. "It was."

"No it wasn't." Caleb quickly corrected him confused as to why Stan would believe otherwise.

"Yes it was, trust me. Don't believe me? The bodies in the next room. The doctor ran a few tests to make sure it wasn't diseased."

"Diseased?"

"Like rabies or something. Don't worry the Doc didn't find anything."

       Caleb breathed a small sigh of relief. His fingers traced the line of medical tape along his bandages and he just couldn't wrap his head around the whole 'It was a coyote'thing. He knew what he saw, "A coyote? There's no way. That thing was size of a Mack Truck with claws to match. There is no damn way that was a coyote."

"It was dark out there, your eyes were playing tricks on you. Ya know?" Stan placed his hand gently on Caleb's uninjured shoulder, "I think that Horse may have kicked a few screws loose though."

      He joked, but Caleb did not find it amusing or appreciate his condescending tone . He shoved his hand from his shoulder, "I'm fine. I know I saw."

"You want to see the coyote for yourself?"

"If there is indeed a Coyote in the next room that means one of two things, one, I'm crazy. Or two, you killed the wrong animal last night. Guess what.... I'm not crazy." He stuttered over his words trying to not get emotional in the moment.