“Thank you, it means a lot to me. I doubt anything will happen, but…” My voice trails off.
“But your gut feeling keeps warning you?”
“Yes.”
I don’t even know why. I shouldn’t feel anxious, but I do.
It’s definitely time to contact Amelia again to see if she has any news for us. Once Faye and Marina are safe, I can consider myself and a potential future. As a shifter without a wolf, I could lead a human life. I could be part of them and become happy that way.
Faye is taking her afternoon nap, while I help an old lady down the road with her garden, and mow the lawn of an elderly man. Both of them always pay me for my services. It’s not as much as the club pays, but obviously, the work for them is much more pleasant and certainly safer.
Once back home, I immediately check on Faye, noticing she is still asleep, cuddling with her plushy, and then on Marina, who is still staring at the TV. Tiger and our nameless capybara are sleeping as well, with Tiger being nestled against the big rodent.
“You need a name, huh? Naming pets is not my strength.” I sigh, looking around. “Well, you came here yesterday. That was a Tuesday. So, Tuesday it is!”
Silly name, but whatever. It’s funny enough for my cute capybara.
No, not mine!
He isn’t mine!
Oh goddess, who am I kidding?
I step around the two pets carefully before grabbing a book and approaching Marina. I take her hand, gently rubbing it. Her stare is into nothingness as always. She is unresponsive, her face pale, her lips dry.
“Do you want me to read something for you?” I ask her.
No answer
“How about we continue this book?” It’s a collection of fairytales I began to read to her a couple of months ago, in the hope it might stir something in her. She had the book with her when she returned – maybe it was something she used to read to Faye.
It’s a cute and cozy story about a mermaid. I assume this book was specifically written for smaller children – most of the more gruesome details of fairytales are missing. Once I have wrapped up the story, I look up to check on Marina. Again, there is no response, nothing that indicates she even heard me.
If only I had a wolf, I could maybe try to reach out to her. And even if nothing worked, I would have had someone to discuss all my issues with. But I am alone with myself and need to make decisions for two people who can’t make any for themselves.
As always, when the reality of this massive responsibility hits me, I feel my breath going shorter, a pressure on my chest that makes it difficult to breathe.
“I am going outside for a moment, Marina.”
I don’t even check if she reacted, well aware that she won’t, and rush outside, ripping the door open and taking in a deep breath. The air outside is warm, but not humid, with the leaves rustling in the soft breeze. It doesn’t calm me down immediately,but it helps me focus on something else, and eventually calm my breathing down.
The ringing of my phone pulls me out of my thoughts. Pulling it out of the pocket of my jeans, I notice it’s Amelia.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sweetheart,” she says. “How are you holding up?”
“Okay,” I admit.
“Are you still working? Seriously, I can send you some money.”
“I am working,” I admit. “I want to save as much as possible for the three of us. Especially Faye will need it.”
She sighs. “I get it, I just wish it wasn’t necessary.”
“I know, but still… it’s better than how it was before. I think Faye is feeling much happier since we left.”
“That’s good to hear, but it can only be a temporary solution,” she warns me. “She needs a pack. We’ll need to make sure she has a place to call home when she has to enter school.”
