"Mommy? How did you and daddy meet?"

"Well dear, it all started when I ran him over…"

I'd never been a confident driver.

I was too distracted, my driving instructor had told me countless times. A risk to the community, she said. I still managed to pass though, we never quite worked out how. She said it was down to negligence, my testing tutor had obviously been extremely generous with his marking. I said it was down to skill. That I had passed because I was clearly a great driver.

How wrong I was.

I was on my way to Forks, a small town in Washington cursed with an abundance of rain and overly familiar residents, to pick up a shipment my boss had been expecting from England. I worked for a small catering company on the outskirts of the Makah reservation where I had grown up. A couple from England were moving to La Push, our sister tribe, and they wanted us to cater at their wedding later in the year. Instead of sending samples of their invitations and table settings directly to us, for some reason they'd sent them to the nearest depot. Which just so happened to be an hours drive away.

I sighed as rain drops danced across my window screen before sliding down onto the bonnet. I'd hoped the weather might hold until I'd finished my errand but once again I'd been a wishful thinker. I turned the radio up and hummed along to the soft jazz music drifting from the speakers. My fingers tapped against the steering wheel as I squinted at the road signs ahead - only five miles to Forks. Or was it fifteen? I squinted again, realising I had been right the first time. I really should look at changing my contacts.

My eyes drifted towards the forest lining the roads and I felt a pang of nostalgia, remembering how I'd played in them for hours as a child. Back when everything was simple. I shook my head. No. I wouldn't think about that right now. I looked back towards the forest, trying to distract myself. Let's see… tree… tree… tree… tree… wait what?! I gasped as I caught sight of a grey blur weaving through the trees. It was rapid, overtaking my car in under a second. As it disappeared from sight another blur appeared, black this time, in hot pursuit of the grey one. It couldn't be. Wolves this close to Forks? There was no way. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my eyes. I couldn't have imagined it.

A horn blared through my senses, making me gasp. A blush settled across my face as the man in the car behind me caught my eye in the mirror, signaling for me to speed up. I quietly groaned as I realised I'd slown down to catch sight of the creatures, holding up the other drivers behind me. I caught his eye again and gave a sheepish wave in apology, hoping he would let it go. He didn't. With an irritated glare he sped up and overtook me, flipping me off as he went. My mouth dropped open in outrage as the two other cars behind me followed suit, leaving me the only driver on the road. I frowned. I wasn't really that bad of a driver was I?

I turned the radio off in agitation, no longer in the mood to hum along to smooth jazz. I checked my mirrors, gasping when I saw the scene behind me. Four huge wolves - the grey and black from before, and two small russet coloured ones - were sprinting across the road from one side of the forest to another. My heart went into overdrive as I watched them. They were giant. Easily five times the size any normal wolf should be. The grey one nipped playfully at the heels of the smallest one, encouraging it across the road whilst the black wolf sat patiently for them on the other side.

What was going on? I gasped again as the grey wolf turned its head in my direction, our eyes locking in the mirror. It's tongue seemed to loll out of its mouth and my foot automatically pressed down harder on the pedal. My heart palpitations increased until I was sure I was about to die from the strain. My eyes never left the mirror as I sped along the road, not caring where I was heading.

My head snapped to the left, eyes searching for the sandy blur I'm sure darted passed. My breathing hitched as I scanned the tree line for the wolf I'm sure I'd seen. There was nothing there. Save for a few lonely trees and the odd magpie, the forest was empty. I hoped.

I took a peek in my rear view mirror, exhaling in relief when I noticed the four wolves were gone. I gripped the steering wheel as I craned my neck behind me, double checking they'd truly left. I allowed myself a small smile when I saw they hadn't reappeared, mentally patting myself on the back for staying calm. I reached for volume, reading to hum along to the radio when my lips let out a glass shattering scream and the thump thump thump of a body clattered over my bonnet.

I can't remember how I'd managed to pull my car to the side of the road, or how I'd managed to climb out and walk over to the half naked man lying unconscious on the floor. My legs shook, like I'd been injected with anesthetic and the effects were just starting to take hold. I gazed at the man in shock, my initial thoughts of helping him fled from my mind as I continued to stare. A blush made its way onto my face. He was beautiful. Not a rugged looking man by any means - his face was boyish with high cheekbones that gave way to a perfectly sculpted jaw. Creases lined the side of his eyes, laughter lines maybe? A pang ripped through my chest as I thought of how his laugh would sound. Would it be deep like a husky chuckle or would it be high? I surveyed his face once more, noticing his russet skin was covered in dirt, the mud darkening his perfect complexion.

Stop it April, I chided myself. You just ran the man over and you're checking him out while he's lying nearly dead on the ground?

I gasped, remembering what had happened. My blush deepened in force, ears burning. My eyes travelled down his body, coming to rest on his well defined chest. What I saw nearly tore my heart in two. Cuts. Several of them, all along his chest and abdomen. My throat constricted as I kneeled next to the stranger, my hands automatically flying to the bleeding cuts along his chest. I operated on autopilot, ripping the lower half of my shirt away and using it to staunch the blood across his torso. The wounds didn't look deep but I wasn't taking any chances.

My eyes stung as I held the fabric in place, scrambling for my cell phone with my free hand. I flipped it open and balked at the black screen staring back at me. No battery. I frantically watched for any cars passing by, determined to wave one down. But none came. It was nearing 8pm, most people wouldn't be using the forest roads at this time of night.

A lump lodged in my throat as I tried to think. What could I do? I had to get him to a hospital but I knew from the sheer size of him that my five foot frame wouldn't be able to support his weight. My heart went into overdrive. We were alone. We were alone, next to the woods, with no cell phone and no way to get to a hospital. My breath was coming out in pants, my lungs desperately forcing the air around my body. I calmed myself some by listening to the stranger breath. He didn't seem like he was in any danger. No head wounds and only minor scratches, but still, he hadn't regained consciousness. I had to get him to a doctor.

My mind turned hazy as I stared at the roads. Someone had to come. They just had to. Panic gripped me like a wave, pulling me under so quickly I forgot how to escape. My body slumped as I felt my eyelids drooping, the lights from approaching headlights making me squirm.

"Please," I croaked, knowing they wouldn't hear me, "Please, help him,"

My eyelids surrendered to the lull of panic and I felt myself fall on top of something all too warm. A thought flickered through my mind before everything shut down;

Maybe my driving instructor was right after all.