Chapter 10
"Red! Watch out!"
Faelen turned in surprise.
Bo, Goldie, Muffy and Jack we're standing in the grove's entrance, shooting daggers at Faelen.
Faelen pushed Red behind him and growled a low warning at the intruders.
"Stand down, beast!" Jack snapped.
Faelen continued to growl.
"Faelen... It's ok." Red whispered.
Quickly getting dressed, she stepped out from behind Faelen and turned to her friends.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, scared.
"We could say the same, Roberta Elaina Desdemona!" Muffy snarled.
Red hung her head.
"I told you she was with a wolf." Jack laughed.
"Jack!" Bo snapped. "You we're right, we get it. Don't be a pompous jerk." With that, she turned to Red.
"Are you ok?" She asked.
Red nodded. "I'm perfectly fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well... You did wander off with a wolf... A descendent of your father's murderer."
Faelen hung his head and whimpered.
Red gently ruffled his fur.
"It's ok." She whispered, and the two of them exchanged a little smile.
"Ok... There was a huge novel in between that." Muffy began. "Red. Please explain."
Red turned to Faelen.
"Do you want them to know?" She gently asked.
"Know what?" Bo wondered.
Faelen nodded.
"What are you and that flea bitten mongrel going on about?" Jack snapped.
Faelen turned to the group.
"Red here, is my wolf queen." He said.
Red's friends gasped in shock.
"Wolf queen?" Jack gasped.
"You and the wolf?" Muffy asked.
"Wolves speak English?" Bo yelped.
"Guys, I know this looks bad..." Red began.
"Darn right!" Muffy grumped. "We knew you we're keeping something, but we didn't think it was this bad."
"Guys..." Goldie began, "I think we should let Red explain this herself."
Muffy exhaled through her nose. "Fine." She began, "explain."
Red looked around nervously.
"Maybe she should explain, away from Wolfie." Bo began.
"My name is Faelen." He hissed, but Red laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be back soon." Red began. "I promise."
Faelen nodded in return, then watched as Red headed off down a path with her friends.
"Ahem."
Faelen turned in surprise to find Jack shooting daggers at him.
"Can I help you?" Faelen asked.
"What did you do to her?" Jack asked.
"Pardon?"
"Roberta Elaina Desdemona!" Jack snapped. "She would never go willingly with a wolf. So what did you do to her?"
"Nothing." Faelen began. "She approached me first!"
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you don't understand the way life works." He began. "But, Red is a human! The most beautiful one in the world I may add, and you're just a wolf, and not even that good looking. Humans and animals were not made to breed. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can let Red be where she truly belongs."
Those words hit Faelen hard. He glared back at Jack.
"Red and I care for each other deeply." Faelen began, "we have a deep connection, one that can't be easily severed."
"What can a wolf like you offer a girl like her?" Jack countered.
"Oh! There you are, Jack." Red began, stepping out of the clearing.
She had explained everything to Goldie, Muffy and Bo, and while shocked, the girls began to understand Red, even support her relationship with Faelen.
"You two playing nice?" She teasingly asked.
"Oh definitely." Jack said, turning to look at the wolf. "Getting along famously."
Red giggled.
"Anyway, Faelen." She began, heading over to him and kissing his cheek.
"I have to go home. See you tomorrow?"
Faelen nodded, licking Red's cheek, causing the girls to squeal, but Jack grimace.
"See you there, my Little Red." He tenderly whispered.
Red got up and her and her friends headed out of the clearing.
As Faelen watched them, he began to wonder: What could he offer a girl like her?