Hidden in Sheridan (Tainted Series: Book 1)
Part 1: Chapter 9 - Protecting the Unknown Wolf

Moon: YOUNG

Sterling - The utility door sits open, it always does, letting the calm spring breeze into the kitchen. Spring days are rare in Sheridan. Winter lasts more months here than it does in most places. Snow in June is never a surprise. Even now there is smell on the edge of the breeze. It suggests winters brief return is on the way.

With it being April, we all enjoy the random sprint of spring weather and take full advantage of it.

I glance around at the empty kitchen. It’s quiet, which is rare. Most of my siblings have grown and moved away, however their children are aways here changing the dynamics in my house, slightly.

I often consider my mom being a grandma, a blessing. As a teenager I’m not tracked as much as my older siblings were at sixteen. That is due strictly to the fact my parents have slipped nicely into the grandparent roll. This leaves me on my own, for the most part …

I allow my backpack to slide off my shoulder, then drop into a chair at the round oak wood breakfast nook. The chairs had been replaced for the third time. These ones were nice, its legs and arms are still free from chew marks. I run my hand over the smooth surface before I allow another sigh to deflate my chest.

“Something’s bothering you,” My mother suggests. She stepped into the kitchen from the hallway without a sound. She’s carrying a five pound bag of flour in one hand and a container of shortening in the other. Her warm brown skin looked lighter than usual. The dark braid of salt and pepper hair, bounced gently between her shoulder blades. Her sharp eyes reflect the silver in her hair, both outlined by thick dark eyelashes and high cheekbones. Today her lips hold the color of strawberry red with a slight shimmer, like she’d just sucked on a bright red popsicle.

“Company coming over?” I ask, partly trying to change the previous subject, but still curious as to why my mother was cooking something flour based.

“Kara’s birthday party today.” She says, “She invited some friends from school and they expect a cake.”

Kara, my soon to be eight year old niece. She belongs to my older brother Joshua, they moved to Butte Montana when Kara was born. Yet when his wife was expecting a set of twins they decided to send Kara and her two siblings to stay here at grandma’s house for a few days. Those days turned into weeks so mom enrolled them into school here. Then, after the twins were born it was just easier to keep them here until the end of the school year. So they stayed.

This wasn’t new, it happens all the time. My older sister Taryn, her set of triplets have been staying here since Christmas while Taryn finishes her third degree at some online college.

Six littles and not one to be seen. This is why the present quiet, threw me for a loop this morning, “Where are they?”

“They’re out running through the trees. Cody found a rabbit and now everyone wants to catch one.” My mother explains. That sounds right. Cody is always the first to catch rabbits, squirrels and such. He has a knack for it and it always sprouted a competition amongst the others. Probably because he was only six and no one wants to be out matched by a six year old.

My mother puts everything on the counter before turning her full attention on me. “Now, what’s bothering you?” She emphasizes the ‘you’ to show she’s not going to detour from the topic.

I consider lying to her. It would be easy enough to ramble off the usual teenage problems, any of them. Instead I look back into her eyes and a ting of guilt moves up into my throat. I lie to her all the time. Not because I”m a bad son it’s just that I like having some things as my own, and she has so much on her plate, that I don’t want to bother her. But, I’d never kept anything like this from my family.

“Has dad, mentioned anything about a wolf wondering off the park in the last week?” I say, my eyes replaceing a dark spot across the light green cabinets to focus on.

Her head tilts in consideration. “As of two nights ago all are accounted for. Have you seen one?”

“There might be a new wolf around.” I clear my throat and force the truth out. “There is a wolf, two nights ago.”

She pushes away from the counter, redirecting my attention back to her. “Where was this?”

“In the Big Horn hills. He caused an accident outside the Allen’s home. I’ve tried to replace him, but he won’t answer.”

“What does he look like?” She uses her soft voice, respecting the effort I’d put in searching for this wolf. Even though I failed.

“Brown. My size, probably my age. I did catch white socks on three paws, I think. He was fast. I think he’s scared.”

She took the seat across from me then leans forward to put her elbows on her knees, “Why didn’t you say anything two nights ago?”

This is where I hesitate. The reason why I didn’t want to tell her is flimsy, even now I still feel it in my chest. I want to catch the wolf first. I want to replace out why and if it’s a good enough excuse to help him escape. Maybe he’s young enough that he doesn’t know that a wolf biting a human is has serious repercussions.

“He … he made a mistake, mom.”

Though I hadn’t said the reason outright, a look of understanding crosses my mothers countenance. “Leaving him to roam alone, will give him more chances to hurt another. Plus, if the news gets around of any wolf attacks …” she purposely pauses, waiting for me to finish the thought for her. So I do.

“… Hunters will come.”

She pats me on the shoulder before standing back up and returning to the counter. “I will inform your dad. He can help you with your search.”

“The bite was after he’d been hit by a car. I’m sure he was just scared and confused.”

“Who did he bite?”

I sigh, “Levi.”

She pauses again, surprise glints in her expression when she turns, flour on her hands, to meet my gaze. “Is Levi okay?”

“I don’t know.” I say still pondering on that one myself, “He seems fine, except the bite isn’t healing very well. He insists it’s not infected but something doesn’t seem normal.”

“Bring him home tomorrow and let me look at it.” A small chuckle laces her words. “I’m sure the hospital gave him exactly what he needed. But we can share an herbal remedy with him to make sure he’s okay.”

I nod and lift my bag from the floor. With shoulders feeling lighter by sharing the details with my mother, I now feel the weight of the algebra homework I must face next.

CHAPTER END