Hunted

Chapter 9: Crisis

Having dinner and drinks with Les helped me get my head on straight. It wouldn't be the first time I'd hallucinated. I sometimes did when my depression got really bad. And I knew with the loneliness I had a tendency to connect events that weren't connected and make something out of nothing to try to feel like something in my life was important. I'd done it before and I was doing it again. That's all it was.

I mean... I was pretty sure that's all it was. Maybe. Probably. Possibly... Most likely?

Les took me home and asked to go out again tomorrow. I told her yes and headed for the bedroom when I got home. Of course, Evan was somehow at that moment on the stairs headed down.

"Kora. Where have you been?" He asked.

"I was helping Les with something then we grabbed dinner," I murmured, brushing past him.

"Oh, would you want some dessert?" He tried.

Dessert? Really?

"No," I clipped, continuing past him.

I continued up the stairs and went in the bedroom, shutting it and collapsing on the bed. The day was emotionally draining for some reason. I stared up at the ceiling, trying to sort through what I knew or thought I knew.

Was I really contemplating the possibility that Rykan was telling the truth and was a werewolf and some weird kind of soulmate? I didn't hallucinate the growl. Other people heard it. Which means it was possible I wasn't hallucinating the wolf that watched me from the parking lot. I didn't know much about wolves but I would wager a guess that having one follow you and stare at you was not normal behavior. It didn't help I leaned towards superstitious anyway.

It was too much to consider. Too weird. It couldn't be real. Could it? Geeze, I needed to stop avoiding telling Cynthia. Rolling off the bed, I went to the shower and tried to wash off the insanity from the day. The shower didn't help because I could see the new marks Rykan left on me, reminding me I was a little unsure of what was happening. He refreshed them every time they started to fade, telling me I'd have to stop being in denial at some point.

I got out of the shower and changed to a nightgown before going back to the bed, grabbing my laptop. My phone started ringing and I leaned over to grab it from the nightstand. It was Crazy Bitch, Annie's ringtone.

"Hey," I answered, bracing the phone between my ear and shoulder so I could still type.

"Hey. I heard Leo made a pass at you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine," I sighed. "It was kind of weird but it didn't upset me or anything."

"You're way too nice. I'd be pissed if someone did that to me," she scowled. "Did jackass cook dinner again tonight?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "Les and I went to dinner. He did ask if I wanted to dessert when I got home though."

"Dessert? Really? Is that supposed to be a double entendre for something?"

"Ew," I giggled. "I would say no except he tried to kiss me last week. I love Fiona but I kind of wish I didn't have to go on Sunday with him."

"You don't have to," she huffed. "I know you care about her but if going with him makes you uncomfortable you shouldn't go."

"It's fine," I shrugged, even though she couldn't see me. Force of habit. "She has enough to worry about and she really took care of me when I was sick. I want to do this for her."

"Heart of gold, babe. Heart of gold."

"It's just what's right," I sighed. "Hey, Les and I are getting drinks tomorrow, do you want to come?"