Death's Saviour

Author's Song of the Chapter: Freak Show by Dead Posey

I’ve watched Noah all day, he has been off ever since this morning when he lied to us, to me. I watch now from the forest as a bell goes and most of the students who were outside at the picnic tables eating make their way inside. I’ve figured out this bell signalled the beginning of the last period of the day, after talking to Sally and Chris I know Noah has art while his best friends have a free period. I comb my fingers through my hair one last time before patting the tight clothes on my body to make sure I’m not dirty from crouching in the forest. Sally picked out one of Hannah’s old outfits for me to wear, when I let her do it I didn’t think she would pick skin tight jeans, a tight-fitting green shirt that shows cleavage, and brown combat boots. Sally also insisted on putting makeup on me hence the eyeliner that apparently makes my green eyes that much more vibrant. I feel ridiculous but it’s my own fault for telling Sally and Chris I wanted to surprise Noah for lunch, I’m sure they now think I like Noah. I watch as Noah’s best friends, Carl and Perry, are left alone outside where they study from some textbooks, now is my chance. I move forward out of the forest walking confidently across the grass to their table, I can recognize their scents from the bunch that cling to Noah. I look up once to see a windowed room at the top corner of the school, it’s the art room so I have to hope Noah doesn’t look outside and see me. I approach Carl and Perry's table bending slightly to place my hand on the wood as I cock out my hip. They both look up, I don’t like the feeling of them checking me out as the one I gauge to be Carl gives me a low whistle before closing his chemistry book.

“Who might you be?” The one I figure to be Carl asks me, I try not to bare my teeth at his flirty tone.

“Are you Carl and Perry?” I return his question with my own before staring at him intensely enough to cause him to change his gaze to the other guys.

“Even if we weren’t I’m sure Carl would be answering with yes. I’m Perry.” The other guy answers his tone light as he offers up his name, I smile.

I like Perry, he has an easy vibe about him. Still, I need to be a hundred percent sure.

“Noah’s best friends?” I ask again making my voice super sweet so they won’t be annoyed.

“That would be us sugar,” Carl replies, I should feel annoyed as his eyes travel over my cleavage, but I can tell he isn’t interested which to me is interesting.

“My name is Dusk.” I smile at them, they both pale as they look at me.

“Shit, Noah didn’t warn us how stunning you are.” Carl recovers causing me to laugh because he’s trying too hard and I’ve figured him out.

“Ignore the idiot, you are Dusk, as in the wolf Dusk that knew Hannah?” Perry asks me as he pats the spot beside him inviting me to sit down, I take the invitation as I glance around to make sure we are fully alone.

“Yes, that Dusk,” I reply and if I didn’t already have their full attention I do now.

“Prove it,” Perry whispers to me, his tone challenging in a way that pleases me.

I give Perry a smirk as I allow my eyes to glow causing them both to suck in separate breaths of air. To add a little extra show off touch I smile as my canines poke from my lips, they both swallow. Carl quickly glances around us before returning his gaze to me, Perry just stares at me. I retract my canines and let my eyes go back to normal.

“Well damn, Noah wasn’t making up stories,” Carl states his tone suggestive, Perry studies me with his eyes causing me to feel like he is dissecting me.

“Do I pass your tests mister scientist?” I tease as Perry's eyes widen before he laughs.

“So, Dusk, what is it that we can do for you?” Carl questions, he is smarter than he first puts out

“Noah has been acting odd since this morning, he even lied to me. I was hoping maybe you two could tell me what’s up.” I respond I can’t help as worry slips into my voice.

“Yeah, Noah told us about last night, showed up the scar and went on about possibly having wolf-blood. He wants to know if it’s true.” Perry tells thoughtfully.

“Where would he go looking for that information?” I prod fishing for more from them.

“His mom, he would be going to talk to his mom!” Carl exclaims as Perry’s eyes go wide.

“He wouldn’t go back there, not after what happened last time, would he?” Carl wonders aloud and I wait for them to fill me in.

“If he really wants the truth maybe he would risk it?” Perry says uncertainly, I note that Perry isn’t nearly as concerned as Carl.

“Is he putting himself in danger?” I press, my tone lowering while my fingers flex as I do my best to keep my claws from coming out due to the protective wave surging over me.

Carl and Perry share another look, I clench my fists together beneath the table as I worry now that Noah is going to put himself in dangers way, he isn’t letting me protect him.

“Could you protect him?” Carl looks at me, his question angers me causing my eyes to flash as I growl.

“Of course I can protect him!” I growl out, my voice low and part animal as I really don’t like my strength being questioned.

“She is the Hellhound Carl. If anyone could keep him safe where he is going it is her!” Perry insists and I feel pleased knowing Perry is sure of my ability, though I’m curious why he is so confident in me having just met me.

“Fine, tell her.” Carl sighs before looking away to make sure no one is around still.

“Noah grew up in a trailer park with his mom, his dad died when he was young. They were alright for a while until his mom lost her job, when that happened she got deep into drugs. For as long as I’ve known Noah I’ve known his mom goes from boyfriend to boyfriend. When I say this boyfriend is rough I mean a rough, burly gun-carrying gangster type of guy who finds beating the living shit out of anything that breathes fun. Noah has spent countless nights on out couches beaten and bruised by this one. The last time Noah visited his mom he almost died, he was used as a punching bad before being dumped into the dumpster outside of the park with a broken nose, arm, and five broken ribs as well as a shattered wrist. That last visit almost cost him his life, ever since he has stayed away but if he really wants this information he will go to her. You should find him, you can protect him. Noah might be mad that you followed him but when you keep him alive he will be grateful, and Dusk, don’t judge his mom to hard she’s the only one he has. He didn’t ever take Hannah around her, you need to watch out for him.” Perry explains, the thought of Noah hurt makes my blood boil and fire aches through my veins, I rein it in since this is Noah’s story.

This is what Noah is so afraid of telling me about, he doesn’t want the way I view him to change since he grew up in a trailer park with a mom who is deep into a shitty life. Noah wants to do this on his own or he would have told me, but I can’t and won’t let him. I saved his life last night and I won’t let him throw it away for answers. I take a deep breath in and out to calm myself.

“I won’t let anything happen to him and I won’t judge his life. I may be a wolf but that doesn’t mean my life has been easy either, I understand it better than he truly knows.” I finally say with a sigh before I stiffen as a scent reaches my nose.

Panic shoots through me as I debate if I have enough time to run but I don’t, she’ll see me now. My nose works quickly, and I pick out the she-wolf walking out of the back doors moving through people towards us her eyes narrowing.

Before I understand what is happening Perry sweeps me up taking my arm in his as he pulls his books under his other arm. We are walking away arm in arm when I hear Carl slide into the she-wolf’s way, so she can no longer make her way to me.

“Caroline, what can I help you with?” Carl’s voice comes out scratchy but strong as he blocks the girl’s path.

“I want to introduce myself to the new girl over there and let her know who owns this school, who does she think she is dressing in those clothes?” Carolines sniffs at Carl, I can feel her eyes digging into my back as Perry leads me away, this girl is plain mean it radiates off her.

“Oh her, she isn’t new. She is Perry’s friend from his old school. She just dropped in for a surprise visit.” Carl explains as he sidesteps into Caroline's path again, it throws Caroline off as she obviously isn’t used to having people get in her way, which makes my blood heat and I want nothing more than to turn around and show her who the real big bad wolf is.

Perry jostles me a little shaking me out of my mind as his eyes meet mine as he smiles. Perry starts talking to me about school, what he likes and how excited he is that he is getting closer to graduating. I catch his drift as I talk about school and the courses I’m taking. I involuntarily tell him about courses my mom took in college, those I don’t have to make up since she majored in English and Mythology. However, as we keep going I can still hear Caroline moving after us, I shake my foot allowing my boot to untie. Moving in one swift motion I bend tieing the laces as I focus on Caroline, I focus on making her sweat badly by lighting small amounts of oxygen in her body. I do it enough until I hear what I’m looking for.

“Uh, Caroline, are you okay? You’re sweating a lot and it’s smudging your make up?” Carl asks her in a small voice as I smile because I know I’ve won when Caroline makes a high pitched squeaking sound.

I stand back up taking Perry’s outstretched arm again as behind us Caroline stomps off at a brisk pace.

Just to be sure Perry leads me to a gazebo out the front of the school where we are hidden in the bushes. I drop his arm moving away from him as I sigh in relief.

“Thanks for that.” I smile at Perry who settles down on the benches around the inside of the gazebo.

“No problem, besides I didn’t really want to see Caroline get the crap kicked out of her, though it might have been entertaining.” Perry teases me and I laugh.

Another bell rings in the school causing Perry to glance back at it.

“Let Carl know I said thanks?” I ask as Perry turns back to look in my eyes, there is something there that suddenly makes me want to run away.

Perry gives a small nod before he retreats back to the school leaving me alone. I can’t help but think that once upon a time I could see that Perry would have been my type, but now I just really need a friend. Love isn’t open to me; my heart doesn’t even beat. Besides I have found my mate so taking interest in another guy would go against everything I grew up to understand. I give a small smile to myself that I am loyal, even if it is to a guy that may never feel the same way about me. I hope with all my being that Perry only saw me as a friend just now, not someone he could fall for, I don’t want to be the girl that leads him on. Besides there was something in Perry’s eyes just a moment ago that made me want to run, something crazy. Perry wants something from me, people wanting things from me never turn out to be any good. I shove all these thoughts from my mind and focus on Noah, I need to protect him. When I open my eyes I see Noah walking through the parking lot alone, he keeps checking over his shoulder as if he expects someone to be following him. It will do him no good if he is looking for me, I won’t reveal myself to him until I want to. My nose scrunches as something is different about his scent, I’m assuming it’s a leftover chemical smell from his art class because he was fine this morning. Noah is too easy for me to follow, even in human form, as I stay a few meters into the forest. It works until I notice a fence coming up around a big sign as we’ve left town and are moving down a dirt road.