Chapter Eleven

It was later in the day, my dad and I spoke for hours. He kept trying to skip over topics that he knew I would win any sort of debate, but after awhile I think I managed to get a few of my points across. I was now making some dinner when Reece walks through the door, he had bags of different things in his arms as he went. I send him a confused look which he soon catches onto, he dumps the bags on the floor making his way over to the kitchen. "Don't ask me, your dad gave me a huge list of things with strict instructions not to miss anything! I had to go to three different shops to get it all" he sighs taking a seat at the counter, I take a look over at the bags for a second before turning back to the food I was making "Martha got to Scott safely, she kept thanking me and told me to thank you" he says from behind me, I turn around sending me a smile a huge feeling of relief takes over me once he said that. "Good, I guess all the sacrifices we made today payed off" I smile plating the food handing a plate to Reece, he thanks me as the front door opens once again, this time it was my dad. "Great you got everything, now hurry and eat both of you, before you set off" he says rubbing his hands together smiling, Reece and I send each other a look than turn to my dad. "Set off for where?" I ask plating my dad some food handing it to him, I wasn't told about some place I was meant to be going or why for that matter. "I must have forgot to tell you, it's far to dangerous for you to stay here so you and Reece will be heading to another town, until all of this blows over" he says starting to dig into his food as though it was nothing, I once again look to Reece who was just staring dumbfounded at my dad. "It's dangerous for everyone living here but you don't see them packing up and leaving, how bad would it look if the lead officers daughter leaves town?" I ask crossing my arms, I wasn't too concerned about that I just didn't want to leave town, but I knew my dad is always worried about what people think. "My mind has been off due to you being here, my main focus should be on the whole town and keeping the whole town safe, but as you're my daughter keeping you safe has been more important, if you leave and go somewhere I know you'll be safe, I won't have to worry about you and can focus on the town" he says still just enjoying his dinner while me on the other hand, I was starting to get rather angry. "No, I know the real reason why you want me to leave, I'm the only thing that has been stopping you from going along and killing the girls and wolves, with me out of the picture you'd be free to run to do whatever you want, but I'm sorry I'm not leaving" I say turning around and walking out the kitchen, I wasn't in the mood to fight but I sure as heck wasn't going to pack up my life and leave. As I make it outside my dad was close behind me, I turn walking towards the back fence as he stood by the door. "Since your mother went missing I have allowed you to have some say on what happens with you, but this is the one thing you aren't having a say on, you are leaving and that is final" he sternly tells me, but I just smirk turning around to look at him. "I'm 21 years old dad, you can't tell me what to do or have any say on what I choose, so guess what I'm not leaving town and you're just gonna have to deal with that" I say opening my back gate walking out the garden, I didn't know where I was planning on going but I just left. "Your mother would be so disappointed in you" he spitefully spits at me, that does start to sting a little but I turn to look at him again. "No dad, as a matter of fact she'd be so disappointed in you" I tell him before turning and fully walking away and towards the woods, normally, I'd be terrified to walk in here alone but I had more thoughts running around my mind. That sentence was just swirling around my head, would my mum be disappointed in me? She was just like me and when she didn't like something she wouldn't just sit around, she'd get up and do something. If she was here right now, she would probably be standing up to my dad. But how can I actually be sure of that if she's not here? What if my dad is right and she wouldn't be doing what I have? But I am my own person so I shouldn't keep comparing myself to what my mum would have done, I'm on my own journey, my dad also needs to understand that. I snap out of my racing thoughts, where I discover I'm smack in the middle of the growing dark wood. Before I had the chance to turn around and leave, a rustling noise starts to fill the bushes around me. I frantically look around unsure where the noise came from, my heart rate was going a million miles an hour. Seconds felt like minutes as I scan the area, my brain was telling me to run but my body was refusing. The noise sounds as though it is moving around me, I didn't know where I should look or if I did run, what direction to run in! All of a sudden a huge black wolf emerges from the bushes right in front of me, I stare terrified slowly moving backwards my eyes not leaving the wolf. Last time when this happened I should have learnt to look where I was going, because once again I tripped on an old tree root and land on the ground. Really Erika! The wolf was now creeping closer and closer to me, tears begin to prick my eyes as I hold my arms up in front of them. I waited for something to happen, but nothing did for a few seconds. I soon feel what feels like a dog licking my arm, I slowly and very cautiously move my arms to see the wolf stood right in front of me. I was beyond scared still as we make eye contact, the eyes felt so familiar but I couldn't place where I seen them before. Somehow I begin to calm down, tears were still leaking from my eyes but I'm not sure if they were from being terrified of the wolf. "So you're not gonna kill me?" I ask my voice cracking as I spoke, the wolf turns his head to the side slightly causes me to smile a little. He moves forward wiping my tears away with his face, I laugh a little but still was rather cautious. I get my hand and place it on the wolves head, he seems to lean into my touch where I stroke him. Last time I was this close to a wolf it was trying to eat me, but with this one I don't get that vibe from him. "Maybe you're not so scary after all" I smile as another noise erupts from a different side of the woods, this wolf jumps in front of me sort of in a protective stance, but he soon calms down turning to look over at me again. "Are you protecting me from the other big bad wolves?" I laugh slightly and I know I'm probably wrong, but it looks as though the wolf rolled his eyes at that! "I wish you could protect me from the human big bad wolves" I sigh looking down at the ground, what happened with my dad coming to mind and all the stuff Justin's done. He whines a little sitting in front of me looking sad, it's like he can understand what I'm saying. But obviously he can't, maybe he can be my therapist! I mean I can't talk to anyone else about this, Reece would probably listen and try to give me the best advice that he could. But I know he'll just tell me to keep my head up and just try to carry on, I know what he would be saying is right. But right now I just need to get some things off of my chest, here is the best opportunity! "My dads trying to ship me off to another town, only for his benefit so I can't stop him from killing a bunch of wolves" I say looking down sadly, I really didn't want to leave I've only just met Cody! "I've told him I'm not going but I know what he's like, he's the type to drug me and take me there while passed out" I say knowing how dramatic that sounded but it was true, my dad will go to any lengths to get what he wants. The wolf makes a sort of growl noise putting his head in my lap, I could sense it was in a way to make me not move. I smile down at him while looking around, the woods got dramatically darker since I've been here, it was also peaceful in a way. "I wish I could just stay here with you" I say stroking his hand once again, a yawn soon escapes my lips as somehow the woods got even darker. I couldn't see what was maybe 2 feet in front of me, how in the heck am I supposed to get home?! With every minute that passed I was growing even more tired, my eyes begin to close on their own. The wolf somehow knew and moves from my lap and goes behind me, like on instinct I lay my head on him my eyes closing even faster than before. In minutes I was asleep, laying with a wolf that at the time I thought I just met. But I knew him way before this point.