Chapter 23

Red and Jack gasped, climbing from the Wishing River, feeling more revived as Jack collapsed on the mud, inhaling great gulps of air. Red instantly got to her feet, looking how far they came from the falls. Ugh by the time she got there Wolf could be dead!

The very thought made Red's eyes tear up. She screamed in fury, "Wolf you freaking idiot! How am I supposed to be your partner if you don't- I- you!" In rage she kicked a large rock, sending it flying into the river. "You dumb dog-breathing, stray mutt with half a brain and no sense of direction! You stupid idio-ooooot!"

Jack looked to her dumbly, blinking as she began stalking into the forest. "Red wait!" he called.

She stopped, her mind feeling as if it were crumbling to pieces. Jack. She needed to get him somewhere safe. Wolf would need to hold out on his own for now.

Groaning in frustration she stomped her foot. "Wolf!" she screeched. "If you're not alive when I get up there I am going to kill you!"

Twisting back to Jack she lifted him up, muttering furiously as she helped him into the safety of the forest. Red and Jack made sure to control their breathing, shifting eyes glancing around nervously, waiting for any sign of the witch.

Jack, now revived, started to walk on his own feet, jumping at every sound. The pair didn't whisper a word as they made their way through the thick forest, eyes peeled open for any sign of danger. Red did her best to ignore the tears that dripped down her eyes.

"Idiot," she muttered again as night fell over the forest. She made a small shelter for her and Jack to share, a little tent propped up against the side of a large tree. Red allowed Jack into it first, her not even ready to lie down and rest.

"Where are you going?" he asked as she began to set off.

"I'm going to go find Wolf," Red told him. "You stay here."

Jack widened his eyes in fear. "What, but, Red! What if the witch comes here?"

Red hardened her glare down to him, "Jack, you'll have to be fine where you are. I need to go find my partner."

He blinked at her, starting to wriggle out from the tent. "No Red, I'm going with you."

She stared down at him, "You're staying here."

"But Red!" He finally managed to get out from the makeshift tent. "She could get both of us if we split up!"

The girl watched him skeptically, eyes narrowing down hard as he came up, grabbing her hands. "Didn't you hear me Red? I told you this before. I love you."

Red looked down from his eyes. Her heart felt heavy, knowing she would at last need to face this, the feelings Jack kept for her.

She gently pried her hands from his, keeping her eyes down, "Jack, I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same for you. I already told you this before, didn't I?"

Careful, Red stepped away from him, the sky beginning to cry as raindrops fell on their heads. "I'm sorry Jack."

Jack felt his fists clench. He looked forlorn eyes to her, blinking in grief as he choked out, "It's Wolf, isn't it? You love Wolf, not me, even though he's an animal that isn't even your same species."

Red blushed as he said this, her face coloring with embarrassment. "Jack, I don't know if-"

"Red, stop. Just, stop," he whispered. The girl glanced up at him, finally able to meet his eyes worriedly. Jack started to reach his hands forward, then stopped, hand hanging mid-air as he rethought his movement. At last he lowered his hand down, looking down. "If you want to go with that animal, then that's your choice."

Her eyes widened, "Jack, are you-"

"I give up," he whispered. "I'm not going to try and stop you. I don't think anyone can sway you when you're set in a decision. You can make your own choices. Whether I like them or not is my problem."

Red nodded to herself, giving him a small smile of thanks. "I appreciate that, Jack."

He nodded to her coldly, turning around to start walking in the direction of where they last left Wolf.

"Jack!" she called, running after him. "Where are you going?"

"We're going to go get your dog, right?" he hissed.

Red halted, glaring down again. "No Jack. You're too hurt still. You need to stay here."

Jack looked at her with annoyance, "As if you can-"

"Stay!" she hissed.

He glared before brushing past her, going back to the tent. "Fine. You want to go get killed, be my guest."

Red didn't say anything, only trekking back into the forest, hands held clenched at her sides.

He could only wait for her to return.

(**)

Jack looked back up, staring at Red as she came back. Her clothes dripped with water from the rain, her eyes baggy as if she hadn't slept in years.

"No luck?" he asked softly. It was already late, the moon untraceable through the thick layer of clouds above.

"Nothing," she whispered as she crawled into the tent with him. She laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling, trembling slightly. "I got to where he left us, and- and I found nothing. I walked for a little ways, but I didn't find any trace of them."

Jack risked a glance to Red, unsurprised when he saw the tears trickling down her face. He reached an arm, draping it over her shoulders, "Hey, he'll be okay," Jack whispered.

"Doubtful," she muttered, voice breaking as she wiped her tears away. "Wolf sucked at fighting."

Jack didn't respond for a moment, taking his time to choose his words carefully. "Red, maybe he didn't do so well when he was sparring with you because he didn't have someone to protect."

She looked to him, "What?"

He blinked at her, trying to put words into his thoughts, "Well, when he pushed us off the cliff, he did it because he was trying to protect you. And everyone knows that if you have someone to protect, you become better at keeping them safe, right?"

Jack looked nervous as he nudged her, "So hey, Wolf will be fine, right?"

Red's face scrunched up, flushing as she bit her lip, straining to keep the tears back. With a sob, she leaned into Jack, crying in his chest, her shoulders shaking as she finally released the tears she held back throughout the day. Jack held her close, allowing for his emotions to break as well as they mourned the life of the loyal wolf.

(**)

Red woke up with a green finger tapping her head. She blinked open her eyes furiously, instantly on alert for the witch, shamed she allowed herself to fall asleep.

She jerked awake when she saw the wide square face of Nicky facing her.

"N-Nick?" she mumbled.

"Well there's the two happy couple. Come on Red," he smiled tenderly, "you're safe now."

Red nodded weakly, shaking Jack awake so the other agents could help them into the jeep. Nicky sat with Red while Jack rose the paramedic vehicle, both silent as the small jeep rode them up the steep hill.

"Jack will be all right," Nicky whispered to her.

Her face scrunched up, finally breaking as she leaned into Nick, letting him hold her hand as she softly cried, thinking of Wolf again. His body, sprawled out over the ground as his blood colored the forest floor.

Nicky nudged her when the car stopped, ready to take her into a helicopter back home. Red jumped deadly from it, looking up to see Granny and Twitchy giving her a gentle, sympathetic smile. Only wanting someone to hold her, Red collapsed into her granny's arms, emotions twisting her heart.

Oh Wolf. . .

"Okay, who died? Because seriously why are we all crying?"

Red froze. She looked up, staring into blank yellow eyes.

"Wolf?" she whispered.

He tilted his head to her, skin stretching over his face as he gave her his genuine, hardly-ever-seen smile. "Yeah? So?"

Her heart jumped up, eyes widening with joy as she launched herself to a new set of arms. "Wolf! You're alive!"

The human held her in a near bone crushing hug, eyes closing peacefully as he felt her small form back in his arms. One hand lifted to rest on her head, now clean skin brushing along the cloth of her hood. "Of course I'm alive," he whispered to her.

"Idiot," she muttered, lifting her head to him, smiling with tears falling from her face. "But how did you survive?"

He smiled.

(*fa-laaaash-back*)

Wolf slowly turned, facing the witch and schemer of the whole plot. His human-like ears pressed against his skull. He faced them evenly as Jill snidely hissed, "Where's your girlfriend Wolf? And the zombie? Did you kill them too?"

He lifted sorrowful eyes at them, "They-" he breathed in, then out, "they're gone." He looked brokenly to his hands, still colored in blood. "And it's all my fault," he whispered.

Jill laughed, throwing her head back. "Wonderful! Now I'll just have to kill you and-"

The girl didn't think he would attack her, not in her moment of glory and triumph. Oh the irony of assuming.

Wolf launched at her without a second thought, snarling, pulling out every dying instinct that resided in his human form. He bared his fangs at her, rusty claws lifted as he slashed along her shoulder, shining crimson blood, vivid red flowing from her skin.

"Help!" Jill screamed.

Wolf heard an incantation muttered from the witch. He jumped away right in time to feel a hot fire stoking down his back. He snarled at her, jumping forward on the offense. She screamed, transporting a ways away from him, unsure of what to do next.

The human-animal growled towards her, stalking forward with his lips curled, tongue twisting inside his mouth.

"D-Don't move!" the witch threatened, "or I'll kill you!"

Wolf started towards her right, faking as he jumped to her, grabbing her neck, pushing her back to a tree. She screamed in fear, scrambling against him. He whipped his arm back just in time to grab Jill (who was unsuccessfully about to hit him with a stick) and wrapped a clawed hand around her neck as well.

"Now tell me," he growled, forcing Jill against the tree, hand pressing to her neck, his claws sticking through her thin layer of skin, "how do I break this curse?"

"Why are you asking me?" Jill cried, choking, grappling for Wolf's hands to move. She pointed a deft finger at the witch, "Ask her! She's the one who made it!"

Wolf snapped his head to the witch, growling, lifting his lips as he laid eyes upon her. The young woman backed up as best she could from Wolf, eyes fearful, as if confused of the sudden aggression that clouded both the wolf and human's mind. "What? How would I know? There's only one way that I know of and that's if Red desires for you to go back to normal!"

"You liar!" Jill spat as she struggled against Wolf, who only tightened his grip on her. "There's another way!"

Wolf snarled, facing Jill once more, "And what is that?"

Jill smiled, now pleased, "You wouldn't like it. Your hands would get dirty again. You don't want that now would you? What there's already Jack's mom, Red's parents? Well I guess there's no harm with one more." She smiled evilly at him, one blue eye and one green eye glinting in amusement.

Wolf bared his fangs at her, forcing her more into the tree at her suggestion. "And what's with two more?" he asked, claws seeping deeper in her skin, causing her to cry out.

"I'm not doing anything! Just kill the witch and get your normal self back!" Jill cried.

Both looked to the witch, who squeaked in fear. She looked between them both, eyes wide. "I- uh-umm . . ."

She snapped her fingers, disappearing without a trace.

"That wench!" Jill screamed, struggling against Wolf. "She- how dare she?"

Wolf smiled, growling as he leaned forward. "Now we can play some games."

(*end fah-laaaasssh-back*)

"Then the troops arrived and we carted Jill into an anti-magic box. She is now going to spend the rest of her life with a fluffy bunny as her next-cell-over neighbor." He smiled at her again, pleased with his tale.

Smiling with relief, Red leaned into Wolf, sighing with joy, relishing the fact he was alive.

"Well agents, are you ready to go home and rest?" Nick asked, walking up to his agents, also relieved of the great success in the operation.

"Actually, Nicky, there's something we need to do first," Wolf answered, turning to his boss.

(**)

Red watched nervously as Wolf stood before the river, right where the water dropped off, forming Wishing Falls. Granny, Nicky, Jack and the other agents volunteered to give the kids some time alone to sort everything else. The girl watched from a few feet away, clenching her fists fearfully.

"You can do it," Red encouraged him, stepping a little closer.

He didn't face her to answer, "Yeah, yeah I know. It's just, its so weird, getting to make the choice on my own." He breathed out nervously, clenching his fists.

She held her breath as he knelt down, scooping the water into his pale, human hands, bringing the crystalline water to his smooth lips.

He gulped it down, closing his eyes as he did.

Seconds seemed to last for lifetimes as he sat there, eyes closed. She waited, watching for a tail to just pop right through his pants.

More moments passed. Wolf stood to his bare feet, still human.

(**)

muahahahaha. I'm so pleased with the ending; I hope you guys will like it when I tell you next chapter x3

the first time I wrote this Red wasn't going to go looking for Wolf after he pushes her, but then I figured that REALLY wasn't in her personality to just accept the cold-hard truth without fighting to make sure it was real first.

Sooooooo yeah.

Super awesome chapter coming up tomorrow with the wicked ending x3

I think there's only one chapter after this one, then the epilogue. Idk. We'll find out in a few days won't we? x3