The wolf lifted its head and stared right at Jamie.
Please don’t attack me. “Good boy?”
The wolf yawned, showing off deadly teeth. Jamie nearly passed out.
The animal tilted its head, ears perked forward like it found Jamie's terror amusing. Gray-blue eyes studied him with an intelligence that made Jamie's skin prickle. Those eyes looked familiar somehow, but that was impossible because this was a wolf. An actual wolf. In the bedroom where he'd slept.
“Nice wolf,” Jamie whispered, voice cracking. “Very nice wolf who definitely isn't going to eat me.”
The wolf huffed, a sound that almost resembled laughter. It stretched, muscles rippling under thick fur, then padded closer to the bed. Jamie pressed himself against the headboard, heart hammering so hard his ribs ached.
“Okay, okay, let’s talk about this.” The words tumbled out, high and desperate. “You seem reasonable. For a wolf. Which is insane, but here we are. I’m Jamie. You’re... Fluffy? No, that’s patronizing. Sir Wolf? Your Wolfness?”
Another huff. The wolf sat, tail curling around its paws, watching him with what looked like patience. Or maybe it was deciding which body part to eat first.
“I’m having a mental breakdown,” Jamie told the wolf. “That’s what this is. The stress finally broke me and now I'm hallucinating predators. Very specific, very detailed predators with really nice fur.”
The wolf’s mouth opened, tongue lolling out in what resembled a grin.
“Don’t smile at me like that. This isn’t funny. There’s a wolf in the bedroom. A wolf! What am I supposed to do with that information?” Jamie’s fingers twisted in the sheets. “Where’s Sloane? Did you eat him? Please tell me you didn’t eat him. I actually like him, which is rare for me, and I’d prefer if he stayed uneaten.”
The wolf stood again, moving closer. Jamie’s breath came in short gasps, his entire body locked rigid. The animal stopped at the edge of the bed, nose twitching as it scented the air.
“Personal space,” Jamie squeaked. “Let’s respect personal space. You stay there, I’ll stay here, nobody gets mauled.”
The wolf moved an inch closer.
“No. No, no, no. That’s the opposite of personal space! That’s invasion of personal space. I’m not ready for wolf cuddles. I need at least three cups of coffee before I can handle wolf cuddles.”
The mattress dipped as the wolf climbed up, movements careful and deliberate. Jamie pressed himself so hard against the headboard his spine creaked. The animal settled on the bed, close enough that Jamie could feel heat radiating from its body, smell something wild and earthy and strangely familiar.
“This is how I die,” Jamie whispered to the ceiling. “Mauled by a wolf because I couldn’t resist a hot guy with good breakfast skills. Nick’s going to be so disappointed. He specifically told Sloane to bring me back in one piece.”
The wolf made a rumbling sound deep in its chest. Not quite a growl, something softer. It lowered its head, resting its muzzle on its paws, still watching Jamie with those unsettling eyes.
“Are you…are you trying to be comforting? Because let me tell you, it’s not working. You’re still a wolf. With teeth. So many teeth.” Jamie’s hands shook as he slowly, carefully, reached for his phone on the nightstand. “I'm just going to call someone. Animal control. Sloane. God. Anyone who can explain why there’s a wolf in the bed.”
The phone wasn’t there. Of course it wasn’t. Probably in his jacket pocket, wherever that had ended up.
“Fantastic. No phone. No Sloane. Just me and you, having a staring contest I’m definitely going to lose because you probably don't need to blink.” Jamie’s nervous laugh came out strangled. “This is fine. Everything’s fine. I’m fine. I’m totally not fine.”
The wolf’s tail thumped once against the mattress.
“Don’t wag at me. We’re not friends. We’re barely acquaintances. You’re a home invader with four legs, and I’m a hostage who really needs to pee but is too terrified to move.”
Standing seemed impossible with those eyes tracking his every breath. But his bladder had opinions about waiting, urgent ones.
“Okay. Okay. I’m going to slowly get up and go to the bathroom. You’re going to stay here and not eat me. Deal?” Jamie inched toward the edge of the bed, his movements glacial. “This is me, moving very slowly. No sudden movements. No threatening gestures. Just a human who desperately needs facilities.”
The wolf watched but didn’t move.
Jamie’s feet found the floor. His legs shook but held. One step. Then another. The wolf’s head turned, tracking him, but its body stayed relaxed on the bed.
“Good wolf. Very good wolf. Just stay there while I have a tiny breakdown in the bathroom.”
Three more steps to the door. Jamie’s hand closed on the knob, turned it slowly. Jamie slipped into the bathroom and closed the door, pressing his back against it. His hands trembled as he twisted the lock. Like a tiny piece of metal would stop a wolf if it really wanted in.
After taking care of necessities, Jamie splashed cold water on his face, staring at his reflection. Bruise still dark on his temple. Hair a disaster. Eyes wide with barely controlled panic.
