The Black Wolf and The White Wolf

Avery

My eyes fluttered open, welcomed by the soft morning light that filtered through my lavender curtains. The gentle warmth of the sunlight cast a golden glow over my room, revealing a haven of comfort and familiarity. Hues of pastel adorned the walls, reflecting my penchant for tranquility amidst the teenage chaos that awaited me outside.

The scent of vanilla lingered in the air, a remnant of the scented candles I often burned before drifting into sleep. My room, painted in a soothing shade of pale blue, displayed a few art pieces – a mix of serene landscapes and snapshots of unforgettable moments shared with friends.

Unfortunately, the beauty and tranquility in my room did nothing to calm me in my sleep. I had just woken up but my heart was troubled. I barely slept all night because of him, Rayne. I saw him in my dreams and sometimes it felt like he was right next to me when I slept.

Since we encountered that crypt and spoke to that man Ryan, I haven’t been able to forget what he said and I haven’t been able to forget the crypt either. I know it makes no sense for there to be werewolves or other supernatural creatures but what I felt in that tomb felt real. I knew the others felt it too but they didn’t want to admit it. So we’ve all just been acting like it all never happened. Maybe if we ignore it enough it may never come back to haunt us.

I was still thinking about this when my door creaked slightly. My gaze shifted to the door and I saw Emily peeping through the small opening. “Just come in already, stop acting weird,” I said, smiling as she giggled and entered my room.

Aside from Derek, she was the only other person I was completely comfortable around. Nina and Michael were more like their friends than my friends. Emily entered my room like it was hers and looked around as if this was her first time being here.

“I don’t understand how your room is always so neat, it’s just so peaceful here, just like you,” she said before joining me on the bed.

“You’re acting weird today,” I said noticing how she was being so appreciative of my room’s aesthetic.

“Well, I just got in a fight with Nina and you wouldn’t believe who it was about,”

“Please tell me that it is not about me,” I said, running my hands through my hair while she nodded, confirming my suspicion.

“She is jealous about you and Derek,”

“I don’t know why she feels that way. Derek and I have been friends for so long and that’s just it,” I said, getting up from the bed and looking at myself in the mirror.

“I don’t know Avery, these days he does act like he’s obsessed with you,” Emily said, her gray eyes beaming when she saw my shock.

“What? All he talks about is you and he keeps asking me how you’re doing and everything…I don’t really blame Nina for being jealous,” she added but I said nothing.

“Are you gonna come for the party at Derek’s tonight?” she asked when she saw that I wasn’t going to say anything.

“What? Is he having a party? His mom is gonna kill him!” I said, laughing at the thought of his mom finding the house in a mess.

“It’s Duncan throwing the party so…I think Derek will be safe this time,” Emily said and I laughed.

“Well I will go if you’re going,” I said after thinking about it some more.

“Great, I’ll pick you up later. For now, I gotta go,” she said, kissing me on my forehead before leaving my room excitedly.

*********

Later that night, I got ready for the party. Satisfied with my overall look, I smiled and went down the stairs to meet the shocked stares of my parents. My mom was more than overjoyed that I was now going to parties while my dad was clearly worried and overprotective.

“Avery darling…you look so beautiful,” my mom said with a wide smile as she looked at me. My dad scoffed and went back to his typing aggressively on his computer.

“Joshua, doesn’t she look stunning?”

“Of course she is, she has my genes to thank for that,”

“You wish!”

“It’s Derek’s house, right? Isn’t it too far in the woods?” my dad asked.

“Oh my gosh, Joshua, people live there. It’s not like she’s going into a forest or whatever.”

“Yeah Dad, don’t worry, I’m also going with Emily who is probably waiting for me outside in her car,”

“Okay, just make sure you’re back before midnight, some strange things are happening in Crestwood,”

The minute he said that I remembered the crypt and what Ryan said about the hybrid. I shook my head and tried to give my parents a reassuring smile as I said, “I’m sure that I’ll be back by eleven. I don’t really like parties anyway,”

My dad smiled and waved me off dismissively while my mom followed me outside and said hi to Emily. I entered her car and as she drove, she kept praising me for my looks and even made up embarrassing conversations that she thought the hottest guys at our school would have with me. I endured it, laughing with her until we got to Derek’s house.

Derek's place in the woods had this chill, rustic vibe going on. The outside was all weathered wood and porch lights gave off a warm glow. Fairy lights in the backyard, a bonfire going — you know the perfect chill spot.

Inside, it was this cool mix of modern and rustic, with dark wood and earthy tones. Big windows showed glimpses of the party inside. Loud music was blaring from the inside and there was a lot of chattering.

“Seems like the hotties did in fact show up for Duncan’s party,” Emily said as she spotted Darren Wayne, Crestwood High’s hottest guy making out with Summer, his ex-girlfriend.

Since Duncan was a Senior, there were more seniors at the party than juniors. Emily was the one who sighted Nina and we both said hi to her before going to meet her.

“Hey girl, why don’t you spend some time with me?” One of the boys on Darren’s football team said, staring at me mischievously.

“Umm…no, thanks,” I said, smiling so that I would at least seem polite. The tall, green-eyed boy stepped closer and grabbed me by my waist but before he could do anything else someone yanked him off me, “Fuck off Trent, she’s practically fourteen!”

I knew that voice, it was Duncan’s he glared at Trent who walked away angrily and then turned to me, smiling brightly. “I see you’re already turning heads – dangerous heads to be exact. How are you?”

“I don’t know. I barely even got in and I’m being harassed.”

“You have to learn to defend yourself because Derek has found a new girl to obsess over and give all of his attention,” he said, pointing at Derek. He was sitting on the couch with Nina on top of him, kissing him and straddling him desperately like she had waited for this for years.

“Derek wasn’t obsessed with me, we were just friends,” was all I could manage to say as I managed to peel my eyes off them.

“He definitely is ‘just friends’ with you now that Nina has him,” Duncan said with a grin before he added, “Go meet your friends. I can’t play big brother tonight, so stay close with them,”

I nodded, appreciating the fact that he always treated me like a little sister but before I left I grabbed his wrist and said, “I’m seventeen now,” but he just laughed and walked away.

By the time I joined Derek and the rest, Nina had gotten down from his thigh and was chatting animatedly with Emily. I said “hi” to Derek and Michael who seemed elated to see me. Well, Derek was over-excited but I acted like I didn’t notice.

I tried to get into whatever Nina and Emily were chatting about but I couldn’t get myself to truly care about it. It was some reality TV show that I personally believed was scripted. With how invested they both were, I knew they wouldn’t want to hear my true opinions on the matter so I sat down quietly scrolling through my phone.

“Are you okay?” a text from Derek popped in my phone's notifications. I caught his concerned expression and quickly responded, “Yeah. I am gonna go outside for some fresh air,”

Without waiting to see his reaction, I got up and went outside. Still, it was too loud for me so I went further into the woods and sat on a big rock right under a tree. Everything was calm there; there were no drunken teens, no horny couples. No blaring music…just silence.

This felt perfect. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the evening breeze until I heard the sound of a snapped twig. I opened my eyes and turned in the direction of the noise. I started to get up, looking in the direction of Derek’s house which was pretty much the only illuminated place in the woods. At that moment I considered going back but suddenly, a pair of yellow, glowing eyes appeared in the dark.

I almost screamed but I knew that would be foolish, not when the biggest black wolf I had ever seen in my life was standing right in front of me. My heart rate tripled as I thought, “What am I supposed to do? I could never outrun this thing, so what the hell happens now?” After thinking for a while, I reached for my phone in my purse and tried to dial Derek’s number but the wolf spoke, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,”

I looked at the creature and my hands started to tremble, something about its eyes felt human and as if confirming my crazy thoughts, it moved closer and it said my name, “Avery…Run.” The minute I heard my name, I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran for my life but it just laughed behind me saying, “Yes, run Avery! If you don’t I’ll kill you,”

I had barely gotten away from it when it cornered me, growling murderously as its eyes turned red, probably ready to kill me.

As if compelled by the look in its eyes I froze, unable to run any longer while it advanced towards me, showing its big, sharp fangs. I felt my heart slam against my chest when I heard my friend’s voice.

“Avery Run! It’s a wolf Run Avery!” but I couldn’t move, all I could do was watch as it advanced closer and I shut my eyes expecting the worst. Just then, I heard it whimper and when I opened my eyes, a white wolf was standing between me and the black wolf, growling at it viciously. The black wolf got scared and it ran away, leaving me alone with the white wolf.