Lust in the Moonlight

Chapter 13

It wasn’t the wisest idea to start trekking through the forest in high heels but I was being drawn in. As my heels sunk into the cold murky dirt, I kept the train of my dress bunched up in my hands refusing to get it dirty and absorbed my surroundings. If I were to focus on my trembling heartbeat and quivering hands, this forest would’ve absolutely terrified me, it did deep down, but I was looking past that and into the beauty of it all. The expanse of trees ahead of me was a lifelong labyrinth, passing them I rested my hands on the trunk getting a feel of the differing patterns of the tree bark.

“Is anyone out there?!” I exclaimed out of breath, anxiously I began to look around to see if there was anything out in this wilderness. Pressing my back against a tree, I began to think I had let the alcohol mess with my brain. The only thing out there was me invading a nocturnal animals’ evening. Scanning the thick darkness, I scoffed to myself, here I was driving myself to madness and foolishness. The expensive alcohol was causing delusions and now I was standing in the wilderness, with five inch heels. Perfect.

Accepting my defeat and analyzing my mental state, I turned around and faced the way I came. A wave of exhaustion and body aches cashed over me,  I knew it was my time to go. When I turned, I was struck with fear shocking my entire body alive, but keeping me still.

It wasn’t the sight that scared me the most, but how silent it was moving through the darkness. The first thing I saw was a pair of eyes, a radiating ochre golden yellow. I was mesmerized by the orbs, there was a sense of adoration of the creature they belonged to, all that time working in an animal shelter as a teenager, I never once saw anything like it.

But I was being foolish in choosing to stay instead of running. Taking it form in the moonlight the creature stepped out of the darkness and I was conquered over by fright. My mouth hung open as it drew a sharp breath, my heart hammered in my chest, widening with disbelief my eyes locked with the beast that stood a few feet in front of me.

Having jet black fur, ears shoved forward, tail held high, steel gray sharp claws expanded out from the wolf’s large four black paws. Like the predator it was, it kept low to the ground, therefore I couldn’t establish it’s height, but there was no doubt in my mind that I was in the field of vision of a murderous wolf. Deep rumbles came from its throat. Ivory teeth emerged between the jaws as it widened its mouth, the saliva dripped from its muzzle coating the sharp fangs in the substance making them glisten. The deep rumbles escaped it’s throat and took form as ratchet growls, the wild animal crept towards me ever so slowly. 

When working in the animal shelter, we only ever came across gray wolves, on a few rare occasions. I was taught if I were to ever encounter a wolf, or any wild animal I should, stand tall, slowly in a calm manner and start backing away while maintaining eye contact. I did exactly that. My legs were moving cautiously, as if they had a brain for themselves. The sounds I could pick up were the crispy sound each footstep of mine made against the forest floor, distant hooting and howling sounds came from non threatening night animals; overpowering all these was the thundering heartbeat in my chest.

This was supposed to be that part where the wolf saw me as a non threat and went about it’s business, but it kept it’s hungry gaze upon me, inching closer every time I took a step. The wolf made it very clear he didn’t see me as a threat but it showed no signs of letting me go, I was what it wanted. To show its dominance, a loud deafening bark rang through the forest. Involuntarily, the sound wrecked me to my very core, my entire body  winced violently. Losing my stern posture, and being erupted with nerves, the wolf finally saw a window of opportunity to attack. The animal raised its hind legs readying itself, keeping it’s eye on me before thrusting up into the air. Panicking, and ditching all the obvious useless information I learned at the animal shelter I threw my body to the side, avoiding the attack from the carnivore.

My body hit the cold muddy forest floor with a muffled thud. It wasn’t a pleasing feeling, also knowing that I completely dirtied my dress, my actions kept me alive, at least for a few more seconds. Hearing it’s growl  from behind me, I wasted no time in grabbing a fistful of cold murky dirt and whipping it in the air in numerous directions, hoping to stun the wolf just to give me a running head start.

Running in heels made me feel like I wasn’t running at all. The unevenness of the forest floor made it even more difficult. Without a sense of direction I was just frantically moving through the darkness, I knew I wasn’t headed in the direction of the driveway but only deeper into the wilderness. 

My chest was burning from exhaustion and before my entire body could give out I took refuge behind a tree. The task of being quiet was near impossible when I was desperately gasping for air. Collecting myself and filling my lungs up with oxygen, I silenced any and all sounds I was making, and focused on my surroundings. The wood was suspiciously quiet, my ears couldn’t pick up on anything, not even a twig snapping. Was I victorious in outrunning the deadly animal? I wouldn’t know until I slowly looked past the tree I was cowering against. There it was.

It wasn’t running. The wolf was slowly moving through the forest, snapping its neck in every direction looking for something, or someone. I concealed myself behind the tree once more. Now would be the time to attack, run around it, and get back to my car. Without much time to think, I bent down removing these God forsaken heels and held them tightly in my grasp. Sucking in my breath, I shielded myself with any and all confidence I had left with the little strength I would have against the animal. Taking one deep breath, I jumped out from behind the tree, dug my feet into the wet cold soil, and hurled my heel in the direction of the wolf.

The wolf hadn’t seen me until it was too late, my shoe viciously struck the wolf right on its snout. I gave myself a mental celebration as I watched the wolf stumble back trying to shake off the pain. I held my other heel over my head preparing to throw it. I was waiting for the wolf to attack me, but to my surprise it didn’t. As the wolf took small steps towards me, I noticed it’s movements were faltering, like every step it took pained it’s entire being. There was no way a stiletto did that much damage to it. With its head hung low, the beast dragged itself toward me, but it’s attempts were futile. Just a few feet away the wolf tumbled to the ground. Watching the scene made me lower my heel and drop it onto the ground. I’d say I just survived the night.

Cautiously, I went around the wolf. It had collapsed on its side, legs twitching and kicking softly. My attention focused on the path leading back to my desired location, but as I walked past the incapacitated wolf, my body numbed, halting every and all movements. Something is wrong. It didn’t feel right leaving an animal I injured alone in the wilderness, what kind of animal lover would do that? Taking a chance on my life, I turned and eyed the wolf that let out shallow breaths.

“Don’t eat me alright??” I sternly said as I crouched down on the ground beside the wolf. It didn’t move its body but it’s eyes locked with mine, it only caused me to feel guilt. Wearily, I reached my hand out and combed through the waves of black fur. I breathed out a laugh feeling fear becoming nonexistent in my body. I traced fingertips along its now relaxed, nonthreatening jaw. Seeing it up close, I was able to identify it’s gender, a male. Rather faint, I was still able to feel his heartbeat. Quite majestic had you asked me, I knew black wolves were rare, interesting. I took great pleasure in stroking the wolf’s fur, it shifted underneath my touch. His throat quiver, softly after that, a soft whimper arose from it’s muzzle. 

“I’m sorry! You literally tried to eat me, what was I supposed to do?!” I pleaded like a child trying to explain my side of the predicament, the wolf’s eyes stayed with mine and I began to fall deep in it’s beautiful golden eyes that were now glistening, with tears? The wolf slightly lifted his head up to get a better look at me. As my hands continued to rub the wolf fur, a wet sensation startled me causing me to retreat my hand. 

I was met with confusion, searching for a light source, I held my hand up to the moonlit sky. My eyes widened, dazzling in the moonlight was my palm that was now coated in a scarlet red substance. The wolf’s neck gave out and he dropped his head back down to the forest floor, his breathing became more shallow, and his eyes could hardly keep open. Blood. Not mine but his.

“He went this way!” Traveling through the forest was a voice belonging to a man. In the far distance were scattered voices belonging to numerous people I couldn’t identify, there were flashlights bouncing around bringing artificial light to the forest. My mouth opened wanting to alert the group that I was here, but I held back and stared down at the wolf, and a sudden realization came over me. The wolf wasn’t attacking me, it was defending itself.

“You’re hurt..” I whispered sorrowfully, adjusting my sight. I brought my face lower down to get a better view of the wolf’s underbelly. It was hard to see, especially with the black fur covering and concealing every inch of his skin. The only light I had was the moonlight, shifting my body to the side. I exposed the wolf to the moon’s light shining from the above. Although still I couldn’t see any harm to the skin underneath the fur, one thing was more evident, his fur was wet and drenched in blood. I gasped, both my hands gently examined his underbelly caking themselves in his blood.

“Did they hurt you?” I knew I wouldn’t get a response, but it was like I could feel the pain and fear the wolf was enduring. There was no way I’d scream out for help, it would only put him in danger. Freaking poachers, truly an evil and vindictive act. Wasn’t this Mr. Lennox’s land? Does he allow the illegal hunting of animals? I shuddered at the thought. There was no time to waste, I needed to act fast. Luckily for me and the wolf, he resembled the size of a golden retriever. Not only did I have experience with lifting Cooper, my first job was at an animal rescue. If I didn’t want to be a writer, definitely a veterinarian. There were multiple ways to pick up a dog, well in this instance a wolf. But my ways were limited since I couldn’t put pressure on the wound that was obviously on his underbelly. 

“We can’t lose sight of him!” The voices drew closer, so did the blinding lights of their flashlights, and I could now hear their footsteps crushing the forest floor. It only pushed me to act faster, I picked him up with one hand under his neck and the other scooped under his rump, holding him close to my chest. It was a battle for my legs not to give out underneath me. 

“Gosh, you are heavy!-” I hissed quietly to myself, now it was all up to me to escape the forest of nightmares. Retracing my steps and the events from earlier, though it seemed impossible, I navigated myself through the pitch black forest until my surroundings felt familiar and I began to hear the soft music from the banquet. There I wanted nothing more than to get this wolf out of harm's way. I ignored how much pain my body was having to cut through low hanging branches, stepping on foreign objects with my bare feet, and the ponderous weight of the wolf. It was all worth it when I stumbled out of the forest and my feet trampled onto the cobblestone driveway, nearly tripping forward but I held my balance.

A gasp of joy was released from my lips. Sitting a few cars down was mine. There was no one in sight, the coast was clear to move and get out of here. Once I made it to my car, I had to maneuver my foot to open the back door. I found myself in this predicament with Cooper too many times where he refuses to walk on his own after going to the dog wash. Gently I lay the wolf that was barely hanging onto his life on the backseat. He was alive but not too far away from death, blood was spooling out of him, it only made me wonder what those poachers did to him. I wasted no time in shuffling to the driver’s side of my car, getting my car keys I had tossed into the passenger’s seat and igniting my baby to life. Like a mad man I drove down the driveway and past the open iron gates, finally we were free.