Page 26 of Wolf Forgotten

I stopped at the top where there was a landing that split into two wings. In one direction were double doors, and in the other was a hallway with several rooms.

He took over the lead and stopped in front of an open room. I glanced inside and saw there was a small pile of clothes on the queen-sized bed. There was a dresser and desk all in matching white wood.

"There are towels and everything you might need in the bathroom. When you're done, we'll talk more." He was giving me a look that I didn't know how to read. It almost looked wistful, but was so out of place on him, that I was probably imagining it.

An awkward moment passed before he turned and walked toward the set of double doors across the landing. I entered the room and locked the door behind me. It seemed pointless because I was sure he could kick it down with one swift kick of his heavily muscled leg.

I surveyed the room, appreciating the large window and the white bedding. It was clean and comfortable. I was tempted to just crawl into it, but I reeked.

The bathroom was cozy but had a large stall shower. I dropped the robe and braved a glance in the mirror. I fought back tears at my appearance. My skin was so caked with dirt and dried blood, I could barely even see skin. My hair looked like one big rat's nest, and I flinched at how much it was going to hurt to yank the tangles out of it.

On the counter was a brush, which I used before turning on the shower. I shouldn’t have cared so much after going through hell, but a small piece of my remaining dignity had died when I looked in the mirror. They all had seen me like this.

I got most of the tangles out and then stepped into the shower. As the warmth hit my skin, I shut my eyes and let the water run over me for several minutes before I set to work trying to clean myself.

No amount of scrubbing cured the filth I felt inside. I'd killed a creature with my teeth and then ripped into its flesh. It wasnotthe same as eating a juicy steak or a hamburger. You don't feel your food take its last breath.

Wrapping a soft towel around myself after drying off, I looked through the clothes left on the bed. There were a few pairs of leggings, oversized shirts, and new underwear. Hopefully, I'd be wearing my own clothes soon.

After getting dressed and tying the large shirt in a knot at the bottom, I went back to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I pulled back my lips, examining my teeth. They looked the same, maybe whiter than they used to be, but my vision was crisper now, so maybe they had always been that white.

My eyes looked brighter, like there had been a thin film covering them before, and now they shined with a gloss that seemed unnatural.

The thought of sinking my teeth into the poor deer flashed across my mind again, and I gripped the edge of the counter. It had tasted... good.

I felt a sharp pinch in my mouth and pulled back my lips again. “No, no, no!” I ran my tongue over sharp canines. I clutched my chest, feeling like my heart was going to explode. I couldn’t breathe. Was it normal to pop canines while standing on two feet?

I got my shit together before rushing from the room and down the hall. I hesitated for a moment before raising my fist and pounding on the doors to Cole's room. No one answered, so I let myself in since it was unlocked.

The shower was running and music was coming from the bathroom. I never took Cole for a music in the shower type. Was he dancing and humming along to it?

I tried to calm myself and ended up sitting on the edge of the bed. I wouldn’t barge into the bathroom. Although, he deserved to have his privacy and dignity ripped away from him. The door was half open, but I couldn’t make out anything with the angle I was at.

It would have been the perfect time to escape, but I had no clue where keys to vehicles were kept or if I would attack someone if I shifted again. My pulse increased at the thought of attacking a person.

Holy fuck. What if I shifted while driving?

Needing to do something before I hyperventilated, I stood and went to the nightstand, biting my lip before opening it. I didn't know Cole that well, and people hid a lot of secrets in their nightstands.

A small box of condoms stared back at me, which made me grit my teeth. The copper taste of blood filled my mouth, and I cursed under my breath. Why did I care? I shouldn't have, but imagining Cole slipping one on and pounding some chick until she was boneless made me want to scream.

Next to them was a deadly-looking knife in a sheath, which I promptly took. He had to have a gun somewhere. No man brings a gun to work on his first day without more where that came from.

I checked under the pillows and ran my hand under the edges of the mattress. That was where people in movies kept them, wasn't it? This was right up there in fictional land.

I made it halfway down the other side of the bed before my fingers brushed a gun handle. I pulled it out carefully. It was a pistol. That was about all I knew. My knowledge of weapons was courtesy of video games.

The shower turned off, which only spiked my heart rate further. I shoved the gun and knife in the waistband of my leggings, hoping I could keep them from falling. I untied the shirt and let it fall over the waistband. It was big enough to hide the bulge the weapons made.

I stood near the foot of the bed and locked my eyes on the bathroom mirror. When his wet body came into view, I stifled a satisfied sigh. What was wrong with me?

His eyes met mine in the bathroom mirror and he wrapped a towel around his waist before coming into the bedroom, water still running down his body. My eyes tracked a drop as it traveled down his muscular chest to the edge of the towel.

“What are you doing in here?” He looked from me to the open door and back again. “Did you knock?”

“You seriously did not just ask me that after keeping me lockednakedin a basement. You’re lucky I didn’t come in there and cut off your-”

He waved his hand as if to dismiss my commentary. “What is it?”

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