Page 14 of Dead Girls Don’t Forget

She dropped from the branch in a silent, effortless fall and landed lightly on the forest floor. Her tail lifted high, confident, almost flirtatious.

What are you doing? Stop. Stop that right now.

She padded toward him, each step measured. The wolf huffed, a low rumble that vibrated through the ground. She answered with a deep purr, the sound rolling through her chest like she was greeting someone familiar.

We don’t KNOW him, I tried. He’s a wolf. A huge wolf. A stranger. This is a terrible idea.

She didn’t care. She kept moving.

He didn’t move. Didn’t growl. Didn’t posture. He just watched her with those pale gray eyes, steady and unblinking.

She brushed her head against his cheek.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING. ARE YOU INSANE.

He nuzzled her back, tongue sweeping through her fur in slow, deliberate strokes. The sensation rippled through both of us, startling and intimate. She melted into it, purring harder, kneading the dirt with her paws.

Stop. Stop. Stop—

She didn’t.

I tried to pull back, to force her to retreat, but she held control like iron. I was just along for the ride, trapped behind her eyes.

The wolf moved along her side, fur sliding against ours, marking her with his scent. She accepted it for a moment, then snapped at him with a sharp snarl, swiping a paw across his muzzle with sheathed claws.

He blinked, startled.

She bounded away, tail flicking, chuffing at him like she was daring him to follow.

He did.

He kept a respectful distance, circling her, scenting the air, checking the shadows, guarding her like she was something precious.

She snarled at him again. He licked her ear until she stopped.

I don’t understand any of this, I muttered uselessly.

Her mood flipped again. She rubbed against a tree trunk, leaving her scent, making sure he caught it. A soft chuff called him closer. Then rising onto her hind legs, she swatted his shoulder before springing away, inviting a chase.

He lowered his head, lifted his hindquarters, and pounced.

She darted off, delighted.

They ran together through the forest, up slopes, through brush, across shallow streams. She moved like a phantom. He followed like a shadow that refused to be shaken.

Eventually, they collapsed in a clearing, sides heaving. He curled around her, his fur warm. She relaxed, utterly content, purring as he licked her face. Their scents mingled until I couldn’t tell where hers ended and his began.

I stopped trying to reason with her. There was no point. So I just… watched.

They stayed like that for hours. When she finally rose, she rose and padded back toward the tree line. He followed at a distance, silent and watchful, escorting her to the edge of the forest.

I shifted back just inside the trees, pulled on my clothes fast, and hurried home.

In my room, I closed the door and leaned against it for a moment before moving to the bed and sitting down.

For a long moment I just stared at my hands.

What… was that?