Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
She held her hands out and spun around. “Look around you. It’s not exactly hard. I’m a recluse.”
“Yeah, you see, I find that strange because I thought all wolves were … I don’t know, friendly, and wanting to be in a group.”
Rose giggled. “So, you think because all wolves are like that, I should be like that? Besides, how many wolves do you know?”
“Not many, just what I’ve seen and heard. Haven’t you noticed they’re all very close with each other? All of you are.”
Rose smiled. “I’m close enough to the pack.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what to say, to be honest. It’s not like it is even complicated. My parents had each other and I guess I had my parents. We just seemed to work, and besides, having parents that cleaned up dead people as well as all other messes, kind of gives you a reputation from the get-go. A lot of people didn’t like me because they thought I was weird.”
“I don’t think you’re weird.”
She laughed. “You don’t really know me.”
“I think I do.” Graham sighed and rubbed his temple.
“Are you okay?” Rose asked.
“Yeah, just a headache I can’t seem to shift. I’ve tried taking painkillers, but that’s not working, and I’ve tried water and food.” He frowned but then looked up and smiled. “And Rocco, did he not like the fact you were different?”
“It’s not that I’m different, well, meh, I guess I am different, because I don’t need to be immersed within the pack. I’m close enough to them, and that is enough for me.” She shrugged. “I think it is because of my parents. They raised me away from the pack, for my own sanity, and in doing so, I’m kind of like a lone wolf. If that makes any sense at all.”
“It does.” He laughed and then started to cough.
Rose heard the hoarseness within his throat. It sounded painful and she watched him, feeling her concern begin to build.
He cleared his throat again, and she watched him as he seemed to go very pale. There was a sudden scent in the air, and Rose didn’t like it. The scent of death.
Graham looked at her with a weak smile, and she ran to him as he suddenly coughed, only this time blood spilled out of his mouth. She caught him as he was about to land on the floor.
“I’ve got you,” she said.
Using all her strength, she was able to carry him to her bedroom, and she had no choice but to straddle his body and press on his shoulders.
Graham was not in there, not in that second. His body was going through hard convulsions as something took over. The scent of death was getting stronger and she tried not to panic. Rose hadn’t been there for this part, she only cleaned up the mess that happened after.
Graham was her friend. She cared about him. It didn’t matter to her that it had only been a short time, that fear clung to her like a second skin. There was no way she could allow him to die.
Graham’s strength took over, and she screamed as he threw her off him. There was no way he could be strong enough to do that. Rose didn’t allow herself to be scared. He made no move to take off, so she reached for him again, pressing her hands onto his shoulders. Each time he shook her off, he seemed to be stronger than the last. If this had been anyone else, she knew she would have been terrified. This wasn’t another wolf. This was Graham. This was her friend, the same guy who thought because his scent was invisible, his farts would be also. It wasn’t true. His overall scent hadn’t been there, but everything else remained.
Scenting him now, she felt a shot of fear down her spine, unlike anything she had ever experienced. She didn’t know what to do, and the panic was setting in thick and fast.
“Graham, it’s okay. Come on, it’s okay. You don’t have to do this. Listen to me.” She tried not to be frantic, but once his scream drowned out her voice, she grabbed his head and forced him to look at her. “I’ve got you. It’s Rose. I’m here. I’m here. Come on, Graham, focus. I know you can do that. Look at me, you do not have to do this.” Then she started to scream. “Graham, listen to me, stop, right now! You do not have to do this!” She began to slowly enunciate her words in the hope he would focus on her and not anything else. It didn’t seem to be working.
She leaned in close, pressing her lips against his ear. “Please, don’t do this. Do not do this. We’ve got you. Remember, we’re your friends.”
And just like that, it was like everything stopped, but Rose held onto him, not wanting to let him go, fearful of what letting him go would mean. She knew this was … delicate.