Chapter 2

Red parked her bike, walking into Granny's house. "Hey Granny!" she called, catching the smell of chlorine. "How was the competition?"

"Great! I won first place!" Granny called, holding up a shining new medal strung on a blue ribbon. Her smile blinding the teenager, Red ran to her, wrapping her arms around her middle.

"That's great Granny! I wish I could have come see you, but I wasn't really in the mood to go watch a competition."

"Oh I understand pumpkin," she said, patting her granddaughter's head. "What did you do today?"

"I went out with Wolf and Twitchy."

"Really?" Granny asked, walking in to the kitchen. Red followed suit, knowing they were going to start baking something. "That's nice. Where did you kids go?"

"We went bowling."

"Did you have fun?"

"It was a lot of fun," Red confirmed, smiling to herself, blue eyes growing soft as she remembered the expression on Wolf's face when he got a strike for the first time that day. The excitement in his dark eyes instantly brought a smile to the girl's face.

Granny caught the look in Red's eye. She smiled at her gently. "Oh that's nice dearie."

Red smiled, walking over to the counter to put on her apron. Her granny copied the movement, putting her own apron on. "I'm glad you kids had fun. It's not often you get to do anything like that since we're on the road so much. Did Wolfie have fun too?"

The nineteen year old paused, glancing over to her granny who's back was turned from the girl. Red didn't answer, thinking much too hard on the nickname Granny just gave the large canine. "Um, yeah, he did," she said at last. "What's with the nickname Grandma?"

Granny turned around, eyes confused. "What do you mean?"

"It's just that. . ." Red trailed off, eyes furrowed. At last she turned away. "Never mind."

"You okay Red?"

"Yeah I'm fine Granny. Sorry, I'm probably just reading too much in to it."

Granny blinked at her. "Reading in to what dear?"

"Nothing. Forget I said anything."

They started to bake.

Wolf groaned when he woke up, realizing he fell off the couch in the middle of the night to land on the uncomfortable floor. The canine growled loudly, getting on to his four paws before lifting himself to his back paws. He cracked his back, listening to his joints pop, "Ugh, okay I seriously need to stop doing that."

Ever since Wolf took this job at the HEA he spent a lot of time training himself out of his habits as a wolf, such as sleeping on the floor, growling, snarling, things like that. He even started to wear pants. It got awkward not having a pair when Red was with them anyway.

Old habits die hard however.

In fact, it seemed that the animal instincts he tried to hide only got stronger at his attempt to cover them. He continued to growl more, using his body language more than he talked, as animals usually did before the humans came to live with them. His tail tended to be one of the biggest problems, always betraying him. His back hurt more, wanting to get on all fours instead of standing on his back paws.

Why was that?

The wolf tried to keep his tail still as he walked to the kitchen area of his trailer, but his will gave out, flicking it back and forth with the itch of the early morning. His limbs ached to go off for a good morning run. A nice ten mile would feel nice. . .

No, he told himself firmly, squeezing his paws over the cup he held in his hand, pouring water in it. You need to act more like a human, not an animal. There was even a legend among the animals who acted as humans that the more you acted like an animal, in the old animal way, that you would turn in to one, completely feral, with only your instincts to guide you. No reason, no feelings, just the need for survival.

A ten mile would be quick though, Wolf told himself, feeling his will begin to break. He imagined the feel of the forest around him, the early morning sun shining through the glossy trees and leaves, watered freshly by the morning dew. Wolf's fur prickled in wild anticipation. The animal inside him urgently growled for him to go. Just do it. No one will care or even know. Come on!

Wolf groaned. He swung the door to his trailer open, jumping out in to the forest, naturally gliding on to his four paws to bolt pass and through the trees. Birds called at his arrival, informing other creatures that a wolf was around, though he wasn't hunting. Wolf slowed when he reached a pond, bowing his head to lap at the water. Flashbacks flipped in his mind like pictures in a book; nearby a wild fox drank from the pool as well, eyes watching him carefully. It was a real animal, untamed.

"Hey," Wolf said. The fox lifted its head, black tipped ears perked forward. The red amber tail flicked back and forth, small dark eyes curious. "How's the pickings?"

Without even hesitating the fox turned around, darting back in to the shadowed forest. Wolf watched after him, then continued on his walk, breaking the slow tread into a quick run. His tail streamed out behind him. The soft gray ears strained forward, listening to the sounds of the forest waking to the morning. Without thinking twice Wolf allowed his tongue to loll from his mouth, eyes flickering back and forth calmly. The large canine tasted a scent on the air. Acting on instinct, Wolf crouched down in the bushes, ears held forward. His claws slid out from his paws, digging in the ground. A low growl emanated from his throat, and he slid his lithe body forward.

His eyes narrowed slightly, staring straight ahead to the prey in front of him. A deer perked it's head up, listening to the sounds of the forest. Wolf lowered his head, ears flattening back against his skull, switching to swerve forward.

Wolf leaped from the bushes, snarling viscously. The deer jumped away, bounding through the forest. Pleased with this result, Wolf gave chase, stretching out his legs as far as they could go to catch the prey. More flashbacks flickered in his mind like a movie. Crows cawed from nearby, alarming the rest of the forest that a wolf hunted dangerously close.

When Wolf tired out, he slowed to a stop. His heart beat in adrenaline, lolling his tongue out, panting for air. Oh its been far too long since he'd gone on a good run. It felt amazing to stretch his muscles out to their full potential, able to taste the forest on his wolf lips.

It felt great to be alive.

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