Animal Lover Ch. 05

While he loved a good chase, this was not the time. He padded silently down the stairs after her. He'd made his intentions known and she had pushed him away. Disappointed, he wasn't sure how to approach her now. But, she felt comfortable and secure with him in this form, so he remained the wolf

She stood in the kitchen, with the refrigerator door open, staring into it.

"How can you be a werewolf?"

She pulls out the hamburger, rinses out and replaces the water bowl, scrubs out the dish and puts more hamburger and an egg in it, then sets the bowl on the floor for him. She cleans off her hands, leans on the counter, and turns, watching him eat. "This is insane."

She makes herself a big bean burrito and grabs a beer. Taking it to the couch she flips on the television, to see if the rest of the world had gone mad.

She curls her feet under her as she finds the news and watches as she munches on the burrito. She watches, intently, as she works on the beer.

He sits beside the couch with his head on the cushion. After a bit, her hand comes down and she absentmindedly scratches his ears.

When she realizes what she's doing, she pulls her hand away.

Damn. Damn, damn, damn. She was in complete denial now.

How long should he put up with this charade before trying to get through to her again? He had been patient but, with the end in sight, he didn't know how much longer he could stand to wait.

He took some comfort in the fact that she hadn't thrown him out.

He just had to wait for another opportunity to prove himself to her.

If he could stand to wait that long. If his Alpha didn't call him away.

The rest of the afternoon and evening were passed with housework. Cleaning dishes, paying bills, cleaning the bathroom, laundry.

He mostly sat and watched her. But he did have to go out if he couldn't use the bathroom.

He waited, afraid she might shut him out, but he did have to go.

He hunted her down and whined. "What?" He started to walk toward the back door and she followed. "Oh, out, huh?"

As she let him out, he looked back as he walked off the porch. She was peering into the darkness, as if it hosted something sinister. She then glanced at him and pulled the door shut.

He marked her borders further then checked beyond the treeline for anyone Randall might have sent.

No one there, at least, not yet.

OK, time to see if she'd let him back in.

It took a couple of barks for her to come to the door and let him in, but she did let him in. She watched another movie, with another beer, and he was able to get on the couch with her, letting out a huff as he got down and put his head on his forepaws.

There is a noise at the front door before the movie ends, the sound of rending metal.

She runs to the front door and Emmett tries to put himself in front of her to keep her from reaching it. But she gets around him and throws the door open. "Godammit, Ronnie..."

Ronnie stands there, drunk, grinning, with a crowbar in his hands. The screen door has been ripped off its hinges.

She backs up as he levels the crowbar at her. "I didn't hurt you. You can't break up with me."

"Go home, Ronnie. You're drunk." Emmett's hackles are up and he snarls.

"Get the damn dog to back off or I'll take care of him, too."

"I'm calling the cops, Ronnie, go home."

"Don't you fucking dare, Lyssa. I've been good to you." She sees menace in his eyes as he steps into her house.

Emmett interposes himself between them, snarling. "Get the damn dog outta the way so we can talk."

"What're you gonna do?" Ronnie takes another step.

Emmett knocks him backward and grabs his arm. The other strikes out and Lyssa watches the crowbar connect with Emmett's ribs. She hears a crunch as Emmett is knocked sideways.