SONG OF THE WOLF

Dangerous Man

"If you refuse, what can I do? I'll leave. But, let me stay tonight. I'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Then, I refuse your request. I don't need a guard right now."

Hamish nodded. "Okay. I'll leave tomorrow morning. Thank you for helping me."

Hamish finished the bread Elena gave him. He then drank two glasses of water.

"Please sleep on the bed. I'll sleep on the bench by the door," Hamish said.

"No, you won't. You're hurt. The bench by the door is too small. Let me sleep there."

"All right, if you insist."

Hamish smiled. He went to Elena’s room and went back to sleep. If he couldn't hide in that house, he had to gather his strength. Tomorrow, he had to find a hiding place as soon as possible. There was a pack of wolves after him.

After Hamish went to room, Elena stood by the window. She stared at the snow that was falling heavily. The cold air was getting colder. Elena rubbed her palms together.

Elena turned around. She looked at her house, which felt very quiet. Although she was used to this kind of atmosphere, deep down, Elena missed her mother and father.

That loneliness had left when Tobi filled Elena's days. Now, Tobi was with another woman. The loneliness returned. It enveloped and embraced Elena's nights.

***

In the morning, Elena prepared breakfast. Bread, apple jam, and milk.

"Thank you."

Elena gasped. She held her chest. Her body was weak with shock.

"I'm sorry to startle you. I just wanted to say goodbye. Thank you for treating me and letting me stay." Hamish turned around.

"Wait." Elena approached.

"Yes?"

"Regarding your request last night. I agree. I accept you to be my guardian. But, I will not pay you with money. The only payment I can give you is shelter and food."

Hamish smiled widely. "Of course. I won't ask you for money. I don't need money. All I need is shelter and food."

Elena nodded. "Until when will you be my guardian."

"Until you kick me out or until I feel safe to leave."

"Feel safe?" Elena furrowed her brow.

"Yes. I won't hide it. I'm being chased by a group of people. So, please don't tell anyone that I'm here. I won't leave the house either."

Elena raised one eyebrow. "You want to be my guardian, but you won't leave the house? That's really unique."

"Please."

"Okay. No problem."

"Please sit down. I made breakfast for you."

"Thank you very much. I've been holding back my hunger since earlier."

Hamish sat down. He took a slice of bread and spread some apple jam.

"What's your name? I forgot." Elena also started breakfast.

"Hamish Donovan Schmidt. You can call me Hamish."

"Okay. Hamish, I'm going to work. Please take care of the house. Yeah, even though there's nothing to steal here, just keep an eye on it. Who knows, someone might want to burn the house down?"

"Scary prank. Focus on your work. I'll look after the house." Hamish gave a thumbs up.

Elena went to work after breakfast.

At the restaurant, there was a stir because Mr. Colman found a dead body on the floor. Tables and chairs were broken.

Elena approached Julia who was standing by the door. "Did you tell Mr. Colman what happened yesterday?"

"No, I didn't. I just came in. He asked me for the key and got so hysterical that a lot of people came over."

"Okay. Don't tell me what happened. Just say we don't know anything."

"Oh, what about that guy? He didn't do anything to you, right?"

"Yes. He didn't do anything."

"Did he leave?"

"No." Elena shook her head. "For the time being, she'll be staying at my house."

"What?" Julia almost screamed. "Are you out of your mind? He's a murderer."

Elena sniggered. "I can feel he's a good person. He didn't kill because he wanted to, but those people were after him. He was just trying to defend himself."

"Elena! Julia!" called Mr. Colman.

Elena and Julia rushed in.

"What happened? Why did it come to this?"

Elena held Julia's hand. She would answer Mr. Colman's questions.

"Did the wolf come here last night?" Mr. Colman asked again before Elena could answer.

"Wolves?" Elena turned to the three corpses lined up on the floor.

Elena realized. The wounds on the corpses looked like the scratches of wild animals. She remembered Hamish's hooves. Her head involuntarily tilted to the right. If it was true that Hamish killed them by clawing, it was a strange way to fight.

"Elena! Julia! Why are you two silent?"

"Oh, sorry. That's right. There was a wolf last night." Elena pointed at the corpse on the floor. "They were chased by a wolf and entered the restaurant. We locked it because they didn't survive in the end. The wolf killed them."

"So, where's the wolf?"

Elena sniggered. "We don't know. When we locked the restaurant last night, the wolf was still inside."

Since Mr. Colman and the other villagers failed to find the wolf they were looking for yesterday, Mr. Colman believed Elena's story. Mr. Colman and the other villagers then buried the body in the restaurant.

Elena and Julia tidied up the messy restaurant. They took out the broken tables and chairs, replacing them with good ones.

"Elena, I want you to tell me how you let him stay in your house? Did his good looks drive you crazy? Wake up, Elena! Even though he's handsome and there isn't a more handsome man in this village than him, he's still a murderer."

"Stop talking about that, Julia. You're such a nag. Hurry up and finish this work before Mr. Colman comes. Oh, and don't tell anyone about Hamish or I won't see you again."

"Hamish? You seem to be very familiar with him."

"Yes. We're very close. We had breakfast together this morning."

"Slept together?"

"Yes." Elena laughed.

Julia shook her head. Elena was stubborn as always.

They hurried to tidy up the restaurant. In the afternoon, the restaurant reopened. Customers rushed in. Many were curious about the discovery of the corpse this morning.

The sky was already dark. Elena and Julia went home ahead of Mr. Colman.

Elena's door was unlocked. She just walked in.

"Argh!" Elena yelled when she opened the door. She immediately closed it again.

Elena ran to the kitchen. She took a few sips of water to calm herself down.

"Sorry. I overslept." Hamish stood in the kitchen doorway.

Elena scrunched up her waist. "Do you think this is your house? Why are you sleeping naked?"

"I was a little hot. That's why I took off my clothes when I went to bed."

Last night it snowed, then this morning the sun shone brightly. During the day, it gets hotter. Erratic weather.

"If you're hot, you just take off your shirt. Don't take off your pants either."

"It's a habit. I won't repeat it." Hamis scratched the back of his head.

"Don't repeat it again. If you do, I..." Elena's cheeks flushed. She passed Hamish and went to her room. Her heart was beating fast. There was a danger alert going off. The butterflies in her stomach were about to fly away.