Wynter's Bane (On Hiatus)

Chapter 11

Edited with Grammarly: 5/3/2020

So I don't do anything and just accept it as the very nice compliment it is. Well, I do thank her of course, but that's a given.

"Thank you, but I am and do look different. Even if wolves aren't born with a naturally darker skin tone, their skin tans in the sun, mine doesn't. Do you know the average sizes for Werewolves?"

She looks eager as she shakes her head, and it makes me smile. I think I found a wolf groupie.

"The average size for an adult female Werewolf is five foot ten inches. The male's average six-foot-seven inches. Most females you see that are shorter are still growing, as are most males till they hit 21 or so. I'm five-foot-three right now, and I might only get an inch or so taller."

You can fairly see the gears turning in her head as she does all the measurements of all those she knows. You can tell when it finally clicks when her eyes widen. I nod, thinking of my sister, who's the next shortest in my family at five foot seven and still growing. Our mother is six-foot, our father eight inches over that, and my brother is six feet and still growing.

"So wait, all that going on at school just because you're short?"

I laugh, patting her leg.

"Yep. Well, that and because I'm friends with Markus, which everything female seems to be chasing after...no offense."

Her grin is matched by her blush.

"None taken, he is pretty hunky. You're friends with him and not going after him? Is that possible?"

Laughing again, I nod. I may like him more than I probably should, but I'm not mooning over him like everyone else. Of course, thinking about it now, that may be because I'm friends with him and get to have that time with him that others don't.

"Is it, uh, is it true that you guys can talk to each other when animals?"

Hearing the chime over the door, I stand and slip on my shoes. Her curiosity is warming, even as she asks about the whole it feels personal. I guess it is in a sense, but it's not like they're trade secrets or anything. Not last I knew anyway.

"Yeah, telepathic communication. Only possible while in wolf form."

"That is so cool..."

Laughing, I walk away and leave her to her giddy cheesing while I step behind the counter. An older wolf by the smell of him, I keep my eyes down, only looking up when he passes. Salt and pepper hair is slicked back and he's done up in a very expensive looking black suit.

Looking over to Marie, she's watching him too, a little wide-eyed. Considering what all I just told her, I'm pretty sure she can tell what he is, considering he's almost seven feet tall. His wolf must be one hell of a huge beast.

He seems to know where he's going, so I don't pester him with questions. Wide in the shoulders with a tapered waist, even in his older years, he's quite handsome. Not unusual for wolves, it's when you come across one that isn't pleasing to the eye that you know something is seriously wrong, and that tends to be from inbreeding.

He rummages through the maps for a few minutes then comes towards the counter and sets them down. I make eye contact for a split second before looking down and asking if that will be all. Reaching forward, he tips my chin up and I flinch.

Bright green eyes look back at me, they're so startling it catches me by surprise. Even more so is the kind look in them. It feels as if he's looking into the very heart of me, judging my worth.

"The Runt named Wynter, I presume?"

Swallowing hard, I try to nod, but he still has a hold of my chin.

"Yes sir."

Turning my head first one way then the other, he finally releases with a nod.

"Need to start sticking up for yourself girl, or they will run you right out of what little you have. My son says you have fire, yet you hide it. Doing so will get you nothing but dead, pup, inside and out."

Blinking, I ring him up more automatically than consciously. He keeps eye contact with me for a minute more then turns and leaves. When he does, my exhale feels like I'd been holding my breath for ages.

My heart pounds as Marie rushes over to me, nearly hyperventilating there at the counter. The girl's eyes are wide, and it feels like mine are just as much so. Getting walked back to the reading nook, she sits me back down at it and that's where I finally shake myself free of my shock.

"Holy crap."

"What just happened? He was a wolf, wasn't he? Did you know him?"

Before I can answer the bell chimes again, this time sounding abused as it's pushed open in force. Mythine storms in, looking around for the old woman before she starts laying in on me.

"Runt! What did you do to Jesse? She was upset earlier today and I was told it was because of you. What did you do this time?"

Jesse? Who the he...Oh. Locker room. Got it.

"Was she the blonde or brunette? I can't tell them apart anymore."

She had been a few steps away, now she's right in front of me. That being a relative term since I'd been sitting and she yanked me up by the front of my shirt. I look at her calmly as she bares her teeth in my face, the wolf's words from just minutes earlier playing in my head.

'Need to start sticking up for yourself girl, or they will run you right out of what little you have. My son says you have fire, yet you hide it. Doing so will get you nothing but dead, pup, inside and out.'

While she bares her teeth, I bare mine as well and actually growl, pushing her back. It's not something I've ever done before, so she's so startled she lets go and backs off, eyes wide. I smooth down my shirt, the door chime once more going off. Awfully busy all of a sudden.

"First of all, I did nothing to her but tell her how she was acting. It was she who decided to have her goons pound on me. Second, I'm not a damn ragdoll, so you can keep your hands to yourself."

The intake of breath has us looking over, Kalista and Markus are standing in front of the counter with mouths agape before Kal smiles. Looking back to my sister, I can see the embarrassment burning on her face. In front of Kal would be bad enough but in front of Markus? I'm in such deep shit.

She bolts for the door, fairly ripping it off its hinges as she runs out. Kal starts cheering and jumping around while Markus cocks his hip against the tabletop, devilish grin forming with a raised brow even as I work through a knot forming in my gut. What did I just do?

Marie touches my shoulder, which catches the other wolves' attention immediately. Blue eyes look at me in confusion and I know I have some explaining to do.

"Uh, Marie, this is Kalista and Markus. Kal, Markus, this is Marie, she's Bettie's granddaughter. The one who just took off was my sister Mythine, who I'm sure is running home and telling our parents...oh my God."

Markus chuckles and comes forward, which has Marie's eyes going as wide as saucers.

"Easy now, it's alright. A show of strength is a good thing, remember?"

He nudges me back onto the couch, Kal bouncing forward and greeting the other girl warmly. Once it clicks in the girl's head that she's surrounded by wolves, she'll be in seventh heaven. Meanwhile, I fight not to lose my lunch.

To try and help get my mind away from what just happened, I turn to the male who plopped down next to me.

"By the way, I just met your dad, Alpha Kristos."