It took twenty minutes for Cody and Bailey to reach the malt shop. The establishment had a little deck and wooden sign that needed to be replaced by a new one since the current one was barely hanging onto its hinges and could fall down any second. Cody and bailey walked inside and were greeted by the shop keeper and manager. He was a kind, old man with a white mustache over his thin lips and he wore black rimmed glasses. He smiled at the two teens as he finished wiping the counter top.

"Hello, Bailey. Who's your friend?"

Bailey waved to the old man.

"Hello, Mr. Becton." Bailey gestured to Cody. "This is Cody Martin."

Mr. Becton looked over at Cody.

"Where are you from boy?"

"Boston."

Mr. Becton leaned back in slight shock. "Massachusetts? What's a fine fellow like you doing here all by yourself? Aren't you lonely?"

"No, sir, Mr. Becton. I have Bailey for company. Plus, I'm a traveler."

"Do you do columns?"

"I do some reporting."

"Oh…Well, you two take a seat. I'll be with you in a moment."

Bailey led Cody to a booth with red leather and a set-in table. They sat down opposite of each other. Moments later, Mr. Becton came back with two menus. Bailey looked around and then looked at Mr. Becton.

"Where are Julie, Andrew, and Jamie?"

"Julie and Jamie are sick today and Andrew is doing a lot of favors for his neighbors."

"Oh. It's just so quiet today."

"I know, but they'll be back tomorrow."

"Hm."

"You two kids look at the menu. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay, Mr. Becton."

Mr. Becton smiles at Cody and Bailey and then leaves them. Bailey turns her attention back to Cody.

"So, Cody, do you want individual malts or shakes or just share one with me?"

"That depends. How big are they?"

Bailey thought for a moment.

"We probably should share a malt or shake."

"Okay."

"Do you want a malt or shake, Cody?"

"I've never had a malt."

"Okay. We'll have a malt. Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla?"

"Whatever you like, Bailey. I'm fine with anything."

"I guess we'll get a chocolate malt."

"Okay."

Bailey gazes at the menu just in case she wants to change her mind. Cody, on the other hand, sets down his menu. After some decisive action, Bailey sets down her menu as well. Within five minutes, Mr. Becton came back and took their order. He jotted down one order of a chocolate malt that was to be shared. He took the menus and left Cody and Bailey to themselves again. Bailey smiled at Cody.

"So, Cody….."

"Yeah?"

"You know that the test results that we were waiting for?"

"Yeah."

"They came back hours before swung by at night with blood on your face and hands."

"Oh. What did they say?"

"It's doesn't look very good for you."

"Oh….."

"But there is hope."

"Really? How?"

"Well…..you would have to go back to New Orleans and find someone to help you."

"But how I supposed to get to New Orleans? The first time I went there I was with my mom and Zack. We flew there."

"You can do that again, but I'll come with you this time."

"What?! No, no, no! I couldn't let you do that. You need to move on with your life. I'll be fine by myself."

"But what if you need a witness?"

"That's true…You're the only person I know who I can trust with my situation. I mean, I chose to expose my identity to you and you didn't try to hurt me or betray me. You just trusted me like I trusted you."

"That's my point. I can come with you. So, what if I miss school for a few days? I can always make up for lost work and catch up with my school work."

"I know."

"Pardon me?"

"You're a very intelligent girl and a diligent worker. So of course you'll be able to catch up with your school work."

Bailey blushed. She had just realized that Cody complimented her with a very warm and sincere voice.

"Thanks. I'm sure you're a very intelligent and diligent student as well. When you go back to your old life, you still have a chance to finish high school and going to college."

"No, Bailey. I mean, my mom had put me in a hoe school program just a few weeks after she realized that something terrible was going on with me after we got from New Orleans, but this was the year I couldn't take it anymore. I turned into a wolf and I haven't been able to change back to my human form until I came here."

"How many months have you've been in your wolf form?"

"About four months now."

"So you lost about two and a half months of school?"

"Pretty much."

"Well, you still have a chance of getting your high school diploma if you go back to school after the new year. I think you still have a chance to go to college."

"Why are you putting so much hope in my future? Shouldn't you be worried about your own future?"

"I do think about my future but I also care about your future."

"But why?"

"I think that everyone deserves to have the best future that they possibly can have as long as it is justified that they deserve a good life."

"But why?"

"It's because I like you."

"What's that supposed to mean? Do you mean you like me as a friend or more?"

"I can't explain how I like you. I just like you."

Cody stared at Bailey and then everything was silent. Mr. Becton came over with a chocolate malt with two spoons and two straws.

"There you two go."

Mr. Becton went back to behind the counter as soon as Cody and Bailey got their malt. Bailey casually picked up her spoon and began to eat part of the malt. Cody picked up his spoon and had a bite before Moose came in.

"Whooo-he…!"

Moose saw Bailey and walked to the booth where sat.

"My, my. Bailey, what are doing here?"

Bailey didn't bother to look at Moose. "I could ask you the same thing, Moose."

"Could you at least look at me?"

"No. I'm afraid that I might throw up if I saw your face."

"Fine. I'll walk to you."

Cody got a little uncomfortable. He could feel his blood boil as he watched Moose come up close to Bailey. Moose bent down and came face to face with Bailey. Cody could barely keep his cool. He could feel his killer instinct kick in. Moose smirked at Bailey.

"So, Bailey, how've you been?"

"I'm fine. I'm sharing a malt with Cody."

Moose turned his head toward Cody.

"Huh. Are you the boy who had interrupted my time with Bailey on Halloween night?"

"Maybe. I wouldn't consider what I did to be interrupting. I was simply trying to do the right thing. Bailey seemed irritated at the time."

"Oh, really?"

"Really. But if you like, you can talk with Bailey now because I have to use the bathroom."

Moose grinned believing he would get his chance to get back together with Bailey. Cody gets up from his spot and asks for direction to the bathroom from Mr. Becton. Bailey watches Cody walk away with fear. She doesn't want him to leave her alone with Moose. She'd rather spend time with a bloodthirsty werewolf than spend time with Moose. Cody walked to the 'bathroom' as Moose sat down in his spot. Bailey glared at Moose.

"You're in Cody's spot."

"I'll get out when he gets back."

"But you're in his spot."

"That doesn't matter. He's not using it right now. Do you mind if we talk?"

"Yes. There's nothing to talk about. Why are you here?"

"I was sent by my pa to get some bolts and wrenches and I decided to swing by here for a milkshake before I got back to the farm. What are you doing here with a scrawny feller? He can't protect you."

"Yes, he can. He protected me from you."

Moose squinted his eyes at Bailey.

"What are you talking about, Bailey? I don't think you know what or who you need protection from."

"I think I do."

Moose slammed his hands on the table and leaned over it. He smirked at Bailey and was slowly inching his face toward hers.

"You know, Bailey, you're a nice and fun girl. Why don't we have some fun and get out of here? I know I can show you a good time."

"I'm happy where I am and what I'm doing here with Cody."

"That's skinny boy won't do any good for you. He's too small!"

Bailey scooted out of her booth and stood up.

"Moose, please, leave me alone. I thought you were with Mary-Lou."

"I'm only with her to make myself more attractive and desirable to you."

"You were trying to make me jealous?"

"That's right."

Bailey began to laugh. Moose got angry and abruptly stood up from Cody's spot. Bailey was startled by Moose's action and accidentally bumped into the backboard. Moose approached Bailey and cornered her onto the booth seat. She fell down on the lather cushion.

"Moose, what do you think you're going to do?"

"I'm gonna show you who you should be with."

Moose leaned over Bailey's body and moved his head toward hers. Bailey tried to move away but Moose grabbed onto her arms. Just before Moose could make another move, a wolf popped into the entrance and loudly growled. Moose stopped what he was about to do and turned his head toward the wolf.

"What in tarnations!?"

Moose immediately got off Bailey and stood up from the booth. Bailey sat up and gazed at the wolf. She waited what Cody would do. Moose and Cody had a stare down. Cody growled at Moose. He was so angry at that he forced himself on Bailey. With all his rage and might, Cody lunged toward Moose and clawed his arms. Moose tried to push Cody off of him but he failed. Cody bit Moose's thick neck and blood profusely poured onto the floor. Moose yelled and squirmed under Cody's grasp but he could not escape. Bailey was considering what she should do. On one hand, she truly wanted Moose to learn his lesson but on the other hand, she would feel terrible is she didn't do something to spare his life. Bailey stood up from the booth and stepped up to Cody and Moose. Cody got bored of biting Moose's neck and began to gnaw on his left arm. Moose screamed in pain. Bailey was about to call Cody's name but remembered that no one else knew that he was a werewolf. Bailey whistled at Cody hoping that he pay attention to her and stop hurting Moose. Bailey took another step and Cody tore off Moose's left arm. Moose screamed in pure pain. Bailey finally yanked on one of Cody's ears. He turned around to face Bailey. He still had the arm in between his fangs.

"Stop what you're doing."

Cody's ears went down. Bailey went back to the booth and scooped up some ice cream from the malt. She ate the scoop and looked at Cody.

"If you behave yourself then I'll give you some malt. You can lick from my hand."

Cody whimpered but stayed where he was.

"Drop the arm, now."

Cody dropped Moose's arm and came over to Bailey. He hopped up on the booth next to Bailey. He lolled his tongue. Bailey scooped a part of the malt onto her right index finger and put it up in front of Cody's wolf face. He licked her finger clean and then licked her palm. All the while, Moose was bleeding to death and moaning and a red light kept on blinking on Cody's shock collar and tracking bracelet. Bailey didn't notice the flashing lights as she enjoyed the feeling of Cody's tongue on her palm. She felt that she was living another version of the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast how two characters have a complicated relationship who fall in love. She and Cody were the 'beauty' and 'beast'. Bailey especially felt like she was Belle from Jean Cocteau's 1946 film. She recalled when Belle allowed the Beast to drink from her hand which reminded her of how she was oddly turned on by Cody's wolf tongue running up and down her palm. Bailey snapped out of her daze and drew back her hand. She then petted Cody's head for about six seconds. Bailey sternly looked at Cody.

"Now, will you promise to take care of issues like the one that happened with Moose better?"

Cody just stared at Bailey.

"Do you know to not tear people's arms off just before you find them a threat?"

Cody lowered his head and whimpered.

"Cody? Will you not do that again?"

Cody looked up at Bailey but still whimpered.

"Will you at least try to control yourself and not tear off arms and bite necks?"

Cody rubbed his head against side. She stroked his head in response.

"Oh, Cody. It's okay, but don't do that again if you can help it. I'm actually surprised that you could change into a wolf. What happened?"

Cody looked at Bailey funny.

"You're right. That was a stupid question."

Bailey lifted Cody's head up and rubbed his ears with her fingers and thumbs. As she did this, Bailey sincerely looked into Cody's yellow green eyes.

"Cody, I'm not going to let any other guy get near me. My only focus is helping you. But Cody if you want to confess something to me, I'd really appreciate it a lot if you told me. That means that you have turn human again. So, will you go back to the bathroom and change? Please?"

Cody happily lolled his tongue and hopped down from the booth. However, as soon as Cody stepped into Moose's blood, two police officers barged through the entrance and shot tranquilizer at Cody. He got hit right in the chest. Bailey was caught off guard as much as Cody was. She wasn't expecting Cody being tranquilized. The police officers walked up to Cody and grabbed him by his collar. They saw Moose lying on the floor in his own blood and then saw Bailey sitting in the booth with a shocked expression on her face. One of the officers stepped up to Bailey.

"Are you okay, Miss?"

Bailey's mouth was agape. She was completely shocked. The other officer made sure that everything would be fine.

"Miss, did you retain this beast? Because, if you did, then thank you or else we wouldn't be able to get a hold on him if he stay in a general area. It took us quite a while to track him back luckily, the wolf stayed in this town."

"But—"

"Oh, no need to explain, Miss. Could we return the favor? Could we pay for your little treat?"

"Um, that's not necessary."

"Oh, please. Let us pay for your malt."

Before Bailey could reject the other officer's offer, he gave her money to pay for the bill. Then he smiled at her and returned to his partner.

"Come on, Jacob, let's take this wolf back to the lab and take care of the bleeding boy."

"Sure, Kyle."

The police officer named Kyle took care of Moose and Jacob took care of Cody. Before they were completely out of sight with a van, Bailey went after them.

"Please, stop!"

Kyle turned around.

"Yes, Miss?"

"What will you do with the wolf?"

"We'll let the scientists test on it and if there's nothing to be done then we'll kill the wolf."

"And what do you mean by 'the lab'?"

"We're going back to Boston. It's going to a long trip, but it'll be worth it."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, we do."

Kyle turned away from Bailey and ignored her the rest of the way to the police car and the van. Bailey tried to think of something to say but she was speechless. Bailey leaned against the door frame. Mr. Becton came back from the back room.

"Bailey, where's your friend?"

"He had a bad stomach ache so he had to leave early."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. He seemed like a nice boy."

Bailey stared into the nothingness and sighed. "Yeah…He was."

"Do you want me to give you a bill?"

"Yeah. That would be best."

"Okay."

Bailey walked back to the booth like she stuck in a trench. She sat down and slumped down in her spot. She placed her right hand on her forehead as she dropped her head in despair. Moments later, Mr. Becton came back to the booth with a check. Bailey threw down the money that the police officer gave her and said goodbye to Mr. Becton. Her journey back to her home and family farm would seem longer than it really was.

To Be Continued…