The Wolf's Song

Misdirected anger

Diana

Michael’s gaze doesn’t meet mine as he gets in the car, in the back seat, with me. Clarissa rides in front and Andrew drives. Francis stays outside, but as he goes into the trees, he gives me the signal I need, and I imagine Michael has asked him to follow close behind us in his wolf form.

Behind us I can see Damien. His eyes reach mine just as I climb into the car, and I know his gaze promises revenge. He doesn’t dare attack me with Michael in the way, even though we’re in his territory, which makes me think of Michael’s true strength, but beyond that, that look Damien has doesn’t promise anything good.

“Start it up,” Michael growls under his breath to Andrew, and Andrew movesimmediately, speeding through the mud and dirt until we’re facing the opposite direction of Damien’s abode.

His blank stare doesn’t get me, and I notice the way he keeps his lips pressed together. From the way his gaze has met Damien’s, however, I can guess what he is thinking about and the direction his thoughts are taking. The way they both look at each other does not bode well for the future.

Andrew doesn’t speak either, but he has taken off his sweatshirt to hand it to Clarissa, as she covers herself with it. Since she is so small, and he is so tall, the sportswear fits her like a dress that she pulls on, trying to cover as much skin as possible.

“Michael...” I try to say, my pulse racing and my gaze fixed on him.

My hand reaches for his, and he sighs. I sense that he is fighting a battle inside his head.

“Not now, Diana,” he growls, but his eyes meet me halfway. “We have a lot to talk about, but this isn’t the best time. Andrew.” Andrew looks at Michael through the rearview mirror. “Stop the car. I’d better watch the road in case Damien plans an ambush.”

Andrew then stops the car and Michael gets out. To my surprise, Clarissa follows him.

“Andrew, take Diana to my house and don’t stop until you get there. We will follow them.”

“I’ll follow you all the way to town. I don’t like the idea of riding in the car half naked,” said Clarissa.

Michael nods as Clarissa wanders off into the trees, before taking off her sweatshirt and leaving it lying around in the bushes anyway.

“See you at home,” Michael promises, and I know what he’s telling me between the lines, ‘we have a lot to talk about.’ “Speed up,” he orders, and Andrew starts the car.

“Goddamn it. That was my favorite sweatshirt,” Andrew complains, and then his foot presses harder on the accelerator as Michael runs through the woods.

I turn around, looking for the place where Michael used to be, but he’s gone. I suppose he must be following us in his wolf form, but it’s impossible for me to see him in the thick forest… I wonder what his wolf form looks like, the color of his fur, his size… if, even in his wolf form, he would still be my Michael.

“Not that it’s any of my business what happened, but I’d like to know,” Andrew begins to say, while making me look away. “What you did was completely stupid. What were you thinking?”

“I just wanted to fix things. I wanted to see if I could talk to Damien.”

“Damien doesn’t talk,” Andrew mocks. “Damien is crazy. All he thinks about is fighting. You can’t just walk up to the man and think you’ll accomplish something, because you won’t.”

“From what happened this afternoon, that’s what I’ve learned,” I say in a regretful voice.

Andrew sighs and looks at me before saying, “I’m upset too. Just so you know,” he states. “I know Michael is all you can think about right now, but, with your mischief you have not only endangered your life and everyone else’s, but also my job. It will take a while for Michael to trust me again like he used to.”

“God… I... I’m sorry, Andrew,I didn’t stop to think about it, but I will talk to Michael. I promise,” he nods, though he’s frowning.

“If you’re going to stick around, you need to start thinking things through before you act. I understand Michael can be a pain sometimes, but he knows what he’s doing. He protects us all for a good reason. It would be nice if you learned to listen to him from time to time.”

I swallow my words, not wanting to get a scolding, but knowing that this time I’ve stuck my foot all the way in the mud. Still, Andrew is good and ends his scolding early. He drives in silence as we drive through town and through the forest to Michael’s home and, for small moments I tried to see if I could spot a wolf running through the woods, following the car…

By the time we arrive, Michael is already there, not inside the housebut chatting outside with Clarissa, Francis, and Robert. From what I can see, both Clarissa and Michael are barely clothed, and it makes me a little uncomfortable to see how familiar they all feel with their own naked bodies. I hadn’t stopped to think about it before, but now, it’s something I notice, though I know it’s best if I don’t comment, at least for the time being.

Meanwhile I open the door and Andrew comes in with me. I sit down on the couch in the living room and Andrew brings the first aid kit, then he begins to dress my wounds. He moves my wrist a little bit, noticing the prick of pain that runs through me and because of which he grimaces, and begins to bandage it as Michael arrives.

“Andrew, I’ll take care of it,” he says.

Immediately Andrew stands up and moves away. Michael instead sits down on the floor, facing me and without looking at me, as he slowly begins to bandage my hand. I figure he must have plenty of experience in first aid, since he wrapped the bandage with expertise and in a delicate way, which only a long time of practice would give.

“You can go,” he says to Andrew.”Go home and rest. It’s been a hard day.”

Andrew nods and leaves, leaving us alone. I look at Michael, his deep, thick black hair, the curve of his nose, his full, taut lips, and the broad surface of his pale, silver-scarred shoulders.

“Michael, really, I’m sorry.”

He sighs but doesn’t look at me.”How does the wrist feel?”

“Better,” I answer with a grimace.

“It’s fine.” He stands up and looks at me. “Do you have any other scrapes, any other injuries?”

I deny it with my face and he nods, as he heads toward the exit leading to the courtyard.

“Then come along. I feel like taking a walk.”

“Now?” I frown. “In this cold?”

He laughs, but his laugh is dry and heavy. It doesn’t have the characteristic humor I always find in him.

“Now. It’s a good time. The cold will help me think more rationally. Besides, I don’t want to destroy my house in a fit of misdirected anger.”

I grimace helplessly, but I nod and follow him as I head into the woods with him, a part of me wondering if in fact, he would be capable of such a thing, of destroying everything for not being able to contain the anger… And the other part remembers the way he and Damien had looked at each other before leaving and thinking that indeed, it is better to leave before he decides to put the crystals of the house to test.