Consequences Read Free

she wants to do today … where
she wants to go.
    “Michael will want to see you today, maybe
after I talk to him we can set aside time to visit the pack. We can
never let Michael know we are in contact with them; you know how it
irritates him. He already thinks it's too dangerous for Lune and me
to care for you … knowing about the pack would outright piss him
off.”
    She cocks her head understanding my thoughts
instinctively. I know, I don’t need to speak out loud to Ursa; but
if it weren’t for talking to my furry roommates, I wouldn’t hear my
own voice for weeks on end. The irony of talking to animals and an
imaginary girlfriend, who keep me sane, even though I know I look
like a raving lunatic, isn't lost on me. They help me keep a hold
on my fine thread of sanity; like a spider’s silk, it looks
fragile, but is actually incredibly strong. I just have to keep
reminding myself that as breakable as sanity is, my mind is
stronger than I will ever understand.
    I watch in wonder as Ursa pulls back the
flesh and digs into the rabbit's strong leg muscles. Biting the
bones with a loud cracking noise, she chews the flashes of white
into pulp, extracting the precious marrow inside. Her coat is thick
and shiny; probably the healthiest she has been in her lifetime. I
know she will go back to the pack eventually, which is why I give
her these rare visits.
    The pups will have to stay with me of course.
She made sure I knew that Lune and I were to raise them after the
birth … she doesn't belong in my world, and Lune’s pups don't
belong in hers.
    I always assumed that wild animals’ minds
were too primitive for me to read … Lune proved me wrong in Vegas;
again, thinking of that time makes the scars on my jaw itch. The
marks, that I will carry forever, were made to remind me that I can
never again regress into a monster. The scars will forever remind
me of my connection to Lune, looking into his memories; the images
through Lune’s eyes, images of Ellie in the intricate details that
only an animal’s mind can understand. Burned into my memory, is my
beautiful Ellie, her hair whipped around her face, surrounded by
bright green light; she is encompassed in the color of life, and as
glorious as any goddess.
    “Christopher, you need to send a message to
Michael, and find out when he will be visiting today.” The shock of
her touch vibrates through my nerves, and I hear a soft growl
coming from my throat in answer to her statement.
    Pressing the plunger down on the coffee
press, I can smell the rich scent as it pulls me from my thoughts
of Ellie. With my mug in hand, I move to sit down in front of the
computer, and type a quick message to Michael.
    Then pulling up my bookmarks, I continued
with my on-line research from yesterday. Michael has given me a lot
to think about … he considers himself an amateur folklore
historian. His particular area of interest is wolves. Many of the
stories he has shared with me are tales of their steadfast ability
to exist unseen. Dream world guides and protectors, cunning and
intelligent, their highest priority is family, and their fierceness
is undeniable. They are hunters of opportunity; only two members of
a pack can actually take down a full grown bull elk. The wolves
have been seen by the native people here, as a fellow tribe,
brethren of the wild … not to be messed with, only respected. I
questioned him if he thought members of those tribes had abilities
like mine. I wonder if they were able to see how wise and dangerous
these creatures could be.
    On that note, Ursa sits down next to me and
cocks her head. Looking at the computer screen with great
curiosity, her eyes studies the picture I’ve pulled up … it looks
just like her. The intelligence in her attitude is unmistakable,
only to be contradicted by the savage stains of the dark black
organ blood that she is licking off her nose.
    The pictures that flash up in her mind’s eye
are ones of family. The pack waiting in their