The Lupine Saga

A Promise is a Debt

Chapter 5

Back to the Human World at Clara and Tony’s Apartment

Clara blinked her eyes awake as the sun sprinkled its rays all over her face. She made a little sound and patted the bed, hoping to feel Tony’s presence, but she couldn't. Alarmed at the unusual realization, she flung her somnolent eyes open and sat upright on the bed, raking her eyes all over the room.

After putting up a weird act the previous night, he still opened the door for her to come in, and even though she tried to get some words out of him and share in his pain, all her efforts proved futile. However, Tony ensured his actions didn't in any way make Clara feel like a stranger in her home.

She rolled away the blanket from the lower part of her body and dropped her feet on the concrete floor as she got off the bed and walked towards the door. She gripped the doorknob, turned it open, and then exited the room.

“Tony?” She called out in an uncertain tone while also being alert for his response. While she went about from room to room searching for him, she knew definitely in her heart that he had gone out to attend to some important duty, but he couldn't have repeated the same thing that he did yesterday, or could he? She questioned herself.

Repeating the same procedure once more in search of her husband around their apartment, she returned to the living room and reclined on the couch with drooped shoulders.

Could it be that he had bailed on her this time for real? She cogitated, running her eyes along both sides of the couch frame.

Dropping her head in disappointment, her lips shivered, but no words came out. She only curses herself in her mind for her misfortune. Just then, a thought struck her.

Was Tony seeing someone else? She gasped as her hand instinctively flew to cover her mouth as she thought of the possibilities given his recent actions.

In the next instant, she shot up from the couch in a flash and retrieved her phone from the coffee table and immediately dialed Tony’s number while pacing back and forth in the living room. After several failed attempts to reach him, she couldn’t help but hope he would prove her wrong and answer his phone immediately.

Clara let out an unbelievable scoff and then redirected Tony’s line again, but still, it was the same response. In frustration, she tossed the phone on the couch and pushed her fingers through her hair as she continued pacing back and forth, silently praying and thinking of what to do next.

Meanwhile, Tony had set out very early to check out a new site, which he believed would be a good place for their hunting trip. He had come across the site yesterday while he was trying to secure the rentals that would be used for their hunt, and the place piqued his interest.

Leaving his phone behind in the car, he ventured further into the woods, trying to get familiar with the place and perhaps find a good spot for hunting. As he ventured further, dodging the spikes and thorns from the outstretched branches of some n***d trees, he finally found a spot in the woods that he saw fit for hunting.

It didn't appear to be dangerous. Well, except for the spikes and thorns poking out from the branches of some trees. Aside from that, the place was a haven for their hunt. The ground was well covered with dead leaves, which could be worn as a disguise to have a better chance of taking down their prey.

In all, it was a good and safe spot for hunting. As he swept his eyes all over the place, he heard the sound of twigs breaking from a distance by an unseen animal. Initially, he thought the sound was made when he stepped on the twig beneath him, but having taken another step, this time on the dead leaves that covered the ground, he still heard the sound of breaking twigs.

Frightened by the sound and the thought of the kind of animal that would be lurking around, he raked his eyes all over the place, looking frantically behind him, but he couldn't find any sign of an animal, which heightened his fears.

There was nothing in his grip that he could use to defend himself should the animal attack him, because he didn't see the need to do so. He only wanted to check out the place and return home.

He lowered himself and picked up a broken part of the twig that he had stepped on earlier and held it firmly, just in case the animal decided to show its face. Suddenly, the sound of breaking twigs could no longer be heard. It was as if the animal had sensed him, and instead, a howl that sent a chill to the very bottom of his spine was heard.

Immediately, he tossed the twig away and sprinted back to his car, panting heavily as if the animal was being after him. He pulled the door of his car open and settled into the driver's seat, fastened his seat belt, and inserted the key into the ignition with shaky hands. With a soft click, the engine came alive with a soft purr.

As he gripped the gear to reverse the car, the screen of his phone flashed with an incoming call from his wife, Clara. Only then did he realize that he had missed twenty calls from her, but that wasn't the right time for him to return any of her calls because he needed to leave the area as soon as possible.

He ignored his ringing phone and reversed his car as he began his journey back home. When he had driven to a safe distance, he returned his attention to his phone and then returned the call.

No sooner had he dialed her, Clara picked up almost immediately, and before he could apologize for not picking up her calls, she lashed out at him.

“Where did you drop your damn phone?” Her high-pitched voice could be heard from the other end of the phone.

“I was occupied with something.” Tony answered, the phone still pressed to his ear with one hand and the other clenching the steering.

“Are you certain, or did you go to see her?” Tony was thrown into a state of confusion at his wife's accusation. See who? He asked himself, stunned.

“What do you mean?” He finally asked Clara.

“I should be the one asking you that and not the other way around.” She bickered, not backing down.

“I will let you know what happened here, but you should just wait till I return. I will tell you everything.” As she heard those words from him, she became a bit calmer, but that didn’t change the fact that he left home without informing her.

“Alright, I will wait till you return.” She said, and her voice softened a bit as she ended the call, asking herself if she had gone overboard and if she had gotten him all wrong.

Before long, he arrived home, and guess what? She had been standing by the door, waiting for his arrival with a little scrunched-up face.

Upon seeing her hanging by the door, he knew he had more than an explanation to give. But then, even though she was angry with him, she still allowed him through the door instead of her initial plan of blocking him out.

Clara shut the door and followed behind him. As he took some steps further, he paused as he could feel her gaze boring into his skin, and then he turned to her.

“I was out looking for a good hunting site for both of us, alright?” He informed her with a serious look on his face before she attacked him.

Clara sure wasn't expecting that, but the news lifted her spirits a bit. Though she was beating herself for the misconception she had earlier about his whereabouts.

"So, did you find any?”

“I did, but I could have lost my life in the process.”

She gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

“Were you hurt?”

She moved closer and examined him, but found no injury to him. She heaved a sigh of relief.

“You should have told me about it; I have got a perfect place in mind for our trip.” Clara beamed with joy.

Though Tony didn’t want to break the news this way, he couldn’t help it. “Babe… I don't think we should go on this hunting trip anymore.”

“You dare not.” Clara responded instantly in a slightly raised voice, giving him a glare.

Tony knew this was a difficult task, but he feared that their past was repeating itself again, and he had vowed to keep Clara away from this evil. And he sure will keep that promise.