Chapter Two

      I jolted awake, my heart beating like a drum in my chest and my shirt sticking to me. “What a weird dream.” I said, rubbing my hands on my face, but I stopped because they felt grainy like sand. I looked down at my hands and saw dried mud. While throwing off my blankets I surprised Baxter, he was sleeping on at the front of my bed. I got up and went to the bathroom, turning on the light I caught my reflection in the mirror. My hair looked shiny and was stuck to my face, I moved closer to the mirror. My skin had a weird reddish tint to it and I didn’t very much like it. Shaking my head to clear my mind, I turned on the faucet. I washed my hands and splashed my face with water to try and wake up hoping I was just still sleepy. I raised my head and looked at myself in the mirror. Seeing my reflection made me sigh in relief, back to normal. 

I grabbed a hand towel from the basket on my countertop and dried my hands. Dapping my face with the cloth, feeling the soft fabric against my face my mind drifted to the dream, when suddenly a knock at my door jolted me out of my head. “The door is open!” Opening the bathroom door to my room, I folded the hand towel and placed it on my nightstand. 

“Hey beautiful.” I looked up and smiled. Standing in my doorway was Russell with a big smile on his face. I sat down on my bed, Baxter moved over to me and put his head on my lap, he was out in an instant. 

“Hey babe.” He smiled even wider, making his blue eyes sparkle.

“Your mom told me you weren’t feeling so great last night.” He said with a hint of worry in his voice, I nodded in response. “You ok now though?” 

“Yeah, i’m better now, muscles are still a little tight but what can you do.” I was rubbing my arm trying to get the muscles to loosen that I didn’t see his knowing smile. 

“Well I’m glad your feeling better because mom and I agreed on taking Rosey and Tania to see the Christmas lights downtown.” Tania and Rosey are his little sisters, not by blood because all three of them were adopted. Rosey and Tania are twins, their the only ones blood related. His mother couldn’t have kids, so her and her husband at the time decided to adopt three kids who really needed loving homes. Shortly after adopting Russell when he was only ten his adoptive father died in Iraq and left her to raise Russell and the two girls who were only babies at the time. Derek is now eighteen, Rosey is eight and Tania is eight. I looked up at him with confusing showing on my face. 

“How do I figure into that?” Russell chuckled. 

“Will you go with me is what i’m trying to ask.” 

“I’m not so sure my mom would want me to….” I started to say but Russell cut me off. 

“She’s at work and your dad is with his editor today. So you’re totally free plus I talked to your mom earlier and she said that if you were feeling better that you can come with. You never know the fresh air might do you good.” 

“Alright alright. Fine, i’ll go. I need to get dressed because it’s cold outside since it is the beginning of December. After that we can go get your sisters.” 

“Actually,” Russell started to say, I looked up at him, knowing that tone of voice. “Their already here.” Just as he said that the girls popped from behind Russell’s legs and ran at me yelling their little heads off. 

“Wisty is going with us!” Tania yelled. 

“Yay! I get a piggy back ride from Wisty!” Tania yelled, giggling. I gulped and Baxter jumped off my bed and ran through Russell’s legs. The girl’s turned and chased after him, screaming in joy of the chase.

“Are you absolutely crazy?! Have you lost your mind?!” I yelled at him as I closed my bedroom door. When I turned to face him he suddenly pinned me up against my door. “Russell!” I yelped as his lips landed on mine, he pinned my arms to my side making me gasp and his tongue found mine. His lips moved away from my mouth and trailed down the side of my chin to my birthmark. He kissed it, making me gasp and my body jolted in surprise making me blush. My body started to tremble as he kissed down my neck to my collarbone softly nipping on the way. He came back to my mouth and kissed me full force, I couldn’t breath. He pressed his body closer to mine, one of his legs going in-between my legs. He suddenly pulled away when his jeans pocket vibrated and played a whistle ringtone. He dug into his pocket with a huff. 

“What a damn time to text me,” He unlocked his phone and read the text. “Hold on, my mom wants something.” He pulled me away from the door and kissed me again. He opened the door and smiled at me as he closed it. I quickly moved to the door and locked it, leaning my head against the cold wood I sighed, touching my lips and smiling. I quickly turned and went to my closet, still smiling. 

~~~~~~~~~

“Hey Wist! Why’d you lock the door?” I unlocked and opened my door, my hand on my hip. 

“So I could get dressed! Duh! You being near me makes it hard for me to even think!” I told him, blushing. I grabbed my tiny black backpack off the floor, Russell put his figure under my chin and raised my head to look at him. “Yes?” I said not meeting his eyes, he leaned his face closer to mine. I felt his breath on my lips, my mind a jumble of thoughts. 

“I make it hard to think huh? Well how about now?” He asked me with a smirk, I blushed and pushed his hand away. 

“Sh….Shut up!” I pushed past him, he put his arms around my shoulders, his breath tickling my ear. 

“If it helps, you make it hard for me to breath. Especially in that outfit.” He told me, kissing my birthmark. All I was wearing was a black sweater dress that went to the top of my knees with black tights and the buckle boots that I got yesterday from my parents. He let go and made his way to the stairs, he winked at me and started walking down. I followed, my heart pounding like a steam engine in my ears. 

“Hi Mrs. Collins! You look beautiful today by the way.” She blushed and smiled. 

“Why thank you Wisty! By the way! Those shoes are really cute!” She came up to me, pulling me into a hug. Hugging her back she whispered. “You’re like a daughter to me and it makes me so happy to see Russell smile,” She pointed to Russell as he wrestled to get Rosey off his leg, I giggled. “I’m praying that you two get married in the future. What you have is hard to find.” I blushed and bit my lip in response. 

“Thank you Mrs. Collins.” She smiled and clapped her hands together. 

“Alright kiddos! Time to go!” She took her keys out of her jacket pocket and started to head for the door. I grabbed my phone and stuck it into my backpack, then I felt a hand touch my hip, looking down I was surprised to see Tania looking up at me. 

“Wisty.” She said as I knelt down. 

“What’s up sweetie?” I asked her, she threw her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. 

“I love you so much!” Blushing I hugged her back. 

“I love you too T-t.” I said, I held out at arms length and poked her nose. She giggled and went to her brother’s side. “Give me a moment, I need to make sure Baxter is cared for.” 

“Alright babe, see you in my truck.” He told me as he headed for the door with his sisters on either side. As the door closed behind them I went to the kitchen and grabbed Baxter’s treat bag. 

“Baxter,” I yelled, shaking the bag. “Time for a treat!” Baxter didn’t show up, I started to worry. He usually came when I called for him. “Baxter? Baxt where are you?” That’s when I heard a bark from the backyard. I went to the back door and peered out seeing nothing I opened the door and realized the doggie door wasn’t locked. I stepped out onto the porch and called again. “Baxter! Buddy! Where are you?” I heard a rustling of leaves and looked out into the woods, a black tail disappeared into the underbrush, I gulped. “Baxter! Baxter!” He came jogging around the left corner of the house. “Hey buddy! You want a treat?” I asked him, smiling. He barked at me and walked up the porch steps. “Lets go inside!” He walked inside, following him I closed the door and locked it. I went to Baxter’s kennel and opened the gate for him, he went inside. Locking it, I opened the treat bag and handed him one. “I’ll see you later bud.” He yipped at me and began eating his treat, I walked over to the front door and grabbed my keys off the hook. I opened my door and stepped out, closing it behind me. Making sure to lock the deadbolt, that’s when I heard a honk behind me in my driveway. 

“Babe! You ready?” Russell called to me from his truck as his mom honked in her chevy. Smiling I ran to his truck, jumping into the passenger seat. 

“Yup! Lets go!” I told him, forgetting about the doggie door and the fact I hadn’t closed it. 

~~~~~~

The black wolf watched Wisty get in Russell’s truck, it’s eyes never leaving it till it was out of sight. Then the wolf turned and walked into the woods, heading for Wisty’s backyard.