Chapter 18: Insecurities Part 1

*Meadow*

I heard the information guide yelp, and she covered her mouth. When I looked out, I saw five wolves were surrounding the booth. They were smelling us and watching. Sheila was paralyzed and couldn't move nor make a sound. I was nervous but had to be the one in charge as both of them were entirely in shock. "Ok girls, calm down, remember the warning, don't scream... we don't want them to get aggressive... they smell us," I whispered lowly.

One of the wolves, which seemed larger than the other ones and probably their leader, gave a step towards us and I cursed myself for having said anything. The others walked around the booth twice then settled behind the bigger one. Two more had cornered another group at a box not far from us. I was starting to feel my hands cold and got nervous when I saw something that left me in awe.

She was tall, leather from neck to toes. She exuded confidence and walked like she owned the place. Her short straight hair didn't even move an inch as she walked towards us. Behind her, the most prominent wolf I had ever seen, dark brown fur and honey eyes. I almost panicked but I gritted my teeth trying to keep myself together. He acted differently though, like he was aiming at the other wolves. As the woman and wolf approached, the ones surrounding us turned and started growling. The considerable large wolf accelerated his pace and walked in front of the woman until they both stopped together a foot from them. Where they part of the security team?

"Girls, you will be fine. Please hold on there a few more minutes." I heard her say with calm. We all nodded, and I shuddered as the leader of the Zoo wolves howled. The other two who were not too far replied and ran to join them. It was becoming more dangerous, and I couldn't see how she would help us.

She smirked and clicked the concrete floor with her boot's heel. The bigger wolf showed his teeth and growled at them in a way it made me shiver. I heard the guide behind me sob, and I turned to hush her with a stern look. She put both hands in her mouth this time.

The wolves from the Zoo actually gave a step back and kept growling. Their leader did not move and growled at the bigger one. I could not believe what I was witnessing. She clicked her boot again and her wolf, because it definitely looked like it was hers, gave a step ahead and showed his canines more, growling louder. It was only then when I saw the real security team arrive with their uniforms and guns. She lifted a hand making them a signal, and they stopped.

"Guys, you better shoot your tranquilizers to your wolves and not mine, or I swear you will be in trouble." She sounded threatening, and the guys nodded and aimed at the other wolves. In a matter of seconds, darts flew to them, and they whimpered and howled before they laid on the floor and started to fall asleep.

The zoo crew finally walked to the sleeping animals, and the woman smiled at me directly. She clicked her boot once more, and her wolf walked back to her, she caressed his maw, and he pushed his head on her hand. The security team asked her about him, and she showed them his papers. So people could have wolves as pets now? That was surprising.

We finally left the small booth, and Sheila started to talk to the PR representative who came trying to apologize for the situation. I walked towards the woman who saved us, and she smiled at me when I stopped a meter away, not sure of how her wolf would react. "Thank you, you were amazing." I managed to say.

She smiled and extended her hand. "Your welcome, my name is Cara by the way."

"A real pleasure to meet you, Cara."

"You are a brave woman, Meadow," She said looking at me, her wolf huffed and she laughed. Wait a minute, she knew my name?

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am one of the security people that Caleb asked to keep an eye on you. Now don't hold it against him, he asked us just to watch over you after we found out some things about this Gideon guy. It is only me and my husband the ones assigned. You don't have an army of bodyguards looking out for you or anything." She said with a tense smile, trying to reassure me. Too late.

I was shocked. Caleb sent his people to look out for me? I felt flattered, confused, happy and worried at the same time. It was one thing to find out he was important and had resources, but he started to assign people to me? And they found out something about Gideon that was important? I involuntarily had my hand in my pocket already playing with my cellphone, and I felt like I needed to call him and ask some questions.

"Look darling." She said with a smaller smile after watching my reaction. "I only got put on the details about you this morning. And he had plans to call you and tell you himself. You would have never seen us if it weren't because, this situation." She looked around so I could understand she was referring to the wolves in the Zoo. "It made the need of my presence immediate."

I nodded slowly. "Thank you again, Cara," I said with genuine honesty. She nodded at me and smiled.

"Well we have to go, I need to meet my husband and put this beast at rest." She nudged her wolf's head and he huffed again, bringing a smile out of me. She turned around and started to walk towards the exit, stealing more than a look on her way out.

Sheila joined me soon after and was grinning. "This has been the most exciting afternoon in ages!" I looked at her in disbelieve. "Granted, we could have died and become wolve's food, but we survived!" She said again with a little jump. I just chuckled and shook my head.

On our way back to the car, I took out my phone and sent a quick text to Caleb. I wasn't sure how to react to his attention to me, and I really needed to have a talk.

*Meadow- I've just met Cara. Thank you for the warning by the way. Talk to you tonight.