The Voyeur Wolf 3

Elena.

For a while, I was alone, accompanied only by the sound of my heartbeat that sounded so clear in my ears. My breath felt caught in my throat, creating a sensation like something was pressing against my chest. Pain started to creep into my head, a throbbing that grew stronger and stronger as time ticked by.

It only stopped when Sasha and Jane came down the stairs. Jane seemed a little calmer now, though she still followed Sasha anxiously, like a shadow that would not let go.

"Your brother's room is disgusting," Sasha commented as she came up behind me, her tone bland but enough to make me smile faintly. Jane nodded in agreement, though her eyes remained glued to the dark backyard, as if afraid that something would emerge from the darkness at any moment.

“Is the wolf boy out there?” Sasha asked, crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes into the darkness. The fear she had felt was gone and was now replaced by an irritation. In some ways, she was just like her parents. Callous with understanding.

Nodding my head, I walked over to stand beside her, gazing at the dense forest that looked serene but held horror within. The leaves were falling slowly, blowing in the gentle breeze, creating an almost calming atmosphere. If only we had no idea what might be lurking there, we might have been able to believe that everything was fine.

We remained standing like that for a minute or two, in heavy silence. Jane, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to take her mind off her fears by looking at her cell phone, while Sasha and I remained on guard, gazing warily at the forest. As my eyes began to blur from staring into the darkness, all of a sudden I caught sight of a figure coming out from behind the trees.

Killian popped out of the forest, walking away quietly. Well, perhaps the word “popped out” is a bit of an exaggeration. Rather, he leisurely walked out of the forest as if he had just finished an afternoon stroll. He stretched his body, both hands raised above his head as he walked towards us. At the same time, both Sasha and I glanced over at him with shocked looks on our faces. Clearing my throat, I quickly looked away, and elbowed Sasha to keep her from staring too long.

Killian came into my backyard and climbed the wooden stairs quietly. There was a calmness on his face that was not there before, like someone who had just conquered his fears. Taking the lock off the door and letting him in, I stepped to the side to give him some space. He walked in without saying anything, looking totally unscathed.

“That wolf must have been scared, he was already gone by the time I got there. I can't catch its scent anymore, so I can't chase it," he explained as he walked into the kitchen and sat down on one of the stools. His tone of voice was casual as if what he had just done was just an everyday task.

Jane breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to hold Sasha, who only gave her a slightly irritated look. Even so, Sasha kept her arms around Jane, patting her back gently, trying to calm her still frightened friend.

“I will get her to bed,” Sasha said with a yawn, clearly worn out after all the events of the night. She led Jane over to the stairs, and the two of them quickly made their way upstairs.

Still, I remained standing there, thinking about tonight's events. My head was filled with a lot of lingering questions and fears. Was that wolf really stalking my house? Or worse, stalking me? Or me, it just seemed too much.

"You are such a fool," I sniffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “You don't need to run into the forest like a madman.”

He stared at me, as if not quite sure what to say. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, he spoke.

"I have to keep all of you safe," he replied slowly, his tone solemn and full of sincerity.

“No, you did not!” I burst in sharply, my voice trembling with emotion. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to catch up with the words swirling around in my head. My brain was a mess, but I was still trying to argue with him.

"You could have just let us deal with it," I went on, my eyes starting to tear up. I wanted to kick my overly emotional and whiny self. But instead, I just kept saying what I was saying.

"Why would you help three girls who hate you," I let go of my arm, my hand making its way to my face to wipe away the tears. It was weak, I know, but I never claimed to be strong.

Killian flinched when he heard the word hate. He watched me gravely, getting to his feet slowly.

"You are so stupid," I bawled, trying to cover my face with my hands. My face feels hot, and I know it must be as red as a tomato by now.

My tears were getting heavier when I felt his arms wrap around my body, pulling me into his arms. I'm not exactly sure what's making me cry like this... the lurking wolf, Killian foolishly chasing danger, or maybe just Killian himself. Maybe all three.

Wrapping my arms around him, I let myself hug him. I held him as tightly as I could, letting myself heal as much as I could.

After a little while, I gradually pulled away, forcing myself to stay on my feet.

“Lock the door behind you,” I whispered, looking down at the floor to avert his gaze on me. My hands were still shaking, so I squeezed them at my sides to steady myself.

“Goodbye,” I said softly, then turned away from him. I heard his breathing alter as if something inside him was stirring.

Before I could let myself change my mind, I made my way up the stairs. Not looking back, not daring to, because I knew that if I did, I might not be able to leave him behind.