Chapter 4

“Mom? Dad?” I exclaimed, running tot their room. The bed was still made, and it smelled like they haven’t been there recently.

I ran down the stairs taking two steps at a time. I got to Grams room, the door was closed, I knocked frantically, knowing that if she was in there, she would kick my butt. I had to risk it. There was no reply. My heart started to beat frantically in my chest. I didn’t smell any other scents, so no one broke into the house to kidnap them. I turned around, searching frantically for a sign of them. I took a deep breath and calmed down.

“Stop being an idiot and just call them. If they don’t pick up then panic,” I whispered to myself.

I ran back up stairs to get my phone. Trying to stop my fingers from shaking, I speed dialed my mom’s number. The phone rang 6 times then a mechanical voice answered, “you have reached the mailbox of…” I hung up. I tried my dad’s phone, same thing. I considered calling George, but considering on the argument we just had, if you can call it that, not a good idea.

I was considering calling the police, but since I was kidnapped twice and blamed for two people’s deaths, that was a worse idea than calling George.

I went back downstairs to see if the car was in the driveway. If it was then I could panic. Opening the front door, a small wave of relief washed over me. The car was gone. Which meant they left.

I went back to my room, seeing the pile of homework waiting for me. I turned off my study light and ignored the anxious feeling. It could have been the fact that my parents weren’t at home, or that I was almost shot by a couple of locals.

My cheeks started to heat up, I ignored it until it started to get uncomfortable. Deciding that a bit of fresh air might help, I got off my bed and opened my window. The cold air washed over my skin. I smelled the air, the scents of the forest poured into my room.

I laid back onto my bed and enjoyed the fresh air. Imaging that I was in the forest. Laying under the canopy of trees. The dry leaves underneath me. Ferns and wildflowers surrounding me. I imagined what the sky would look like. The moon shining through the leaves. Suddenly my stage I had set of the woods had turned into a nightmare, it switched to me running through the woods. Not like the night before as me in the body of a wolf, but in my human body.

I was scared, it was the wolf that saved me, chasing me, with the intent to kill me.

I kept running, my heart beating adrenaline into my body.

I tripped over a root, eating dirt. The wolf was getting closer, I tried to scramble away, but I caught my leg before I could pull it away. I turned around and I was back in the bunker. The fever, the memory of the pain coming back. Franklin stood over me and gave me a sinister smile, “Hi pup,” he whispered and grabbed me. Screaming and kicking, I tried to get away.

“Anna!” my dad’s voice yelled I kept kicking and screaming.

“Annie! Snap out of it!” A slap across my face.

My cheek burned. I opened my eyes; my dad was holding my hands and my mom my feet. Grams was hovering over me, staring me down.

“You with us girly?” Grams asked, her hand ready to slap me again.

“What…?” I looked around frantically, expecting to see the woods, but I was in my room. I remembered that it was a nightmare. I gave a shaky sigh of relief.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I said as my parents let go of my limbs.

“What the hell happened?” Grams asked taking two steps back.

“It was just a nightmare,” I sat up straight, racking my fingers through my hair.

“I’m guessing it’s not about unfinished homework or being naked in class?” Grams’ question dripped with sarcasm.

“No,” I answered, not wanting to say anything more.

“It must be bad if you’re kicking and screaming,” My mom said crossing her arms.

“It’s nothing mom,” I said with a bit of venom.

After a short moment of silence I looked at them, “Anyway, where were you guys? I came back from my run and you guys weren’t here,” I asked.

“We just went to get some wolfy supplies,” Grams answered, before my parents could come up with a lie. They both gave her a side-eyed warning.

“What? You think she’s not gonna notice? It’s better than lying to her. I thought I raised you better than that,” she slapped my dad on the shoulder on her way out of my room.

“Thanks mom,” My dad said through clenched teeth.

“You want to call George?” my mom lightly touched my shoulder.

“No, I don’t want to bother him. I’ll be fine,”

“You sure?” She eyed me suspiciously.

“Yes mom,” I said as I threw my legs off my bed.

“Alright,” She said and walked out.

My dad was still standing at the side of my bed looking at me, looking as if he was thinking hard about something.

“Dad?” I asked.

“Hmmm?”

“You’re kinda freaking me out,”

he stepped toward me and touched my forehead.

His scowl deepened.

“Dad, if you’re trying to read my thoughts I don’t think you’re able to. Even if you were, I don’t think that is how you do it,” I said, but he kept scowling at me.

“Sarah,” my dad called. My mom showed up a few moments later. Confusion in her eyes and brows.

“Touch her forehead,” he said softly. My mom walked forward, and her hand replaced my dad’s. Her hand traveled from my forehead to my cheek and back. She started to form the same scowl on her forehead as my dad.

“How didn’t we notice before?” she asked my dad.

“Notice what?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Do you think-?”

“No” my mom cut my dad off.

“Hey guys still here and hearing. Can you please tell my what you guys are freaking out about?” I asked as I lightly pushed my mom’s had away from my forehead.

“You have a fever,” my dad said when my mom opened her mouth.

“Oh. Ok. No Biggy then. I still don’t see why you guys are worried about that. I must have had a fever once or twice in my life,” I crossed my arms.

“Yes,” my mom said hesitantly.

“But you’ve only had a fever like this once. That was when you were twelve…” she drifted off.

“When we thought you were going to change. But this might be just something that we don’t have to be worried about,”

“Gee dad. Thanks. Well, now that you mention it. I remember that when I was kidnapped I had a fever when Franklin forced me to change,” I said standing up.

“That doesn’t mean anything. It’s normal to have a fever when you change. This might be another fluke,” my dad said and walked out of the room.

“I see dad is back on the douche bag train,”

“I heard that,” he yelled from downstairs.

“Your dad might be just a bit stressed. Don’t be too hard on him,” My mom said softly.

“Still no excuse, to treat your daughter like dirt,” I mumbled.

“I know. We’ll just keep an eye out for any other symptoms. The full moon is two weeks away. It’s enough for us to come up with a plan if it is going to happen,” she kissed me n my forehead and walked out the door.

“Come have some dinner,” she called from the kitchen.