24

I'm dead scared, the wolf kept gnawing at the branches and tearing at the roots to get to where I was. I heard howls in the distance, which put me on high alert because I knew more wolves were coming for me. I held the knife close to my chest because it was the only weapon I had to get out of here.

"Go away, leave me alone!" I shouted at the wolf. But the wolf growled at me with hatred, looking extremely furious.

"Eva!" I heard my dad's voice. Am I hallucinating? "Eva, where are you?"

It's dad. Now I'm scared for him. The wolf stopped scratching the tree where I was and turned its head back; I know it also heard my father's voice and will go after him now. Fear took hold of my body, but so did courage. I won't allow any wolf to harm my father; I'd rather die first. When the wolf left, I stood up and left my hiding spot without thinking about the possibility of more wolves being nearby.

"Dad!" I shouted to make him hear me.

"Eva, this way!" I heard his voice to my left. I ran down that path until I saw the gray wolf a few kilometers away, heading towards my father.

"Hey, you!" I shouted at the massive wolf. The wolf turned to look at me, savoring its disgusting tongue and slowly walking towards me. "You want me," I said, positioning myself as bait. Perhaps this is the end for me, but I can't let anything bad happen to my father or anyone in my family. The wolf let out a final growl and then ran towards me. I didn't move, I didn't run either, I just waited for the impact.

However, another animal took hold of the gray wolf's neck and threw it far away. A huge black wolf stood in front of me, and my heart raced faster because it's the wolf I always see outside my window. The black wolf gave me a quick glance before engaging in a fight with the gray wolf, who was definitely smaller than him. I was in shock from what I was witnessing.

"Eva!" Dad appeared on the battlefield, accompanied by Lucas; they had weapons in their hands. They looked at the wolves fighting, and my father prepared to shoot.

"No!" I screamed and ran towards my father to stop him from shooting. I don't know why, I don't understand why my instinct was to protect that black wolf.

"Eva, what are you doing?" my father questioned. "We have them; let's not let them escape."

The wounded gray wolf ran off, and the black wolf emerged victorious. It looked at us, a little exhausted, with its snout covered in blood.

—He saved me," I informed my father, never taking my eyes off that wolf as it gradually moved away from us until it disappeared from view. Only then could I breathe deeply.

"What happened, Eva?" my father asked.

"How did they find me?" I asked them. Lucas also seemed somewhat shocked by what he had witnessed.

"We found blood in the living room," Lucas replied. "We knew something was wrong and decided to follow the trail."

"Thank you, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't arrived," I hugged my father. "I was afraid they would harm you."

"I was also afraid those beasts would do something to you," my father returned the embrace. "Are you okay? You have blood on your clothes."

"This blood isn't mine, Dad, it's from the wolf," I showed him the knife. "I had to defend myself."

"That's my girl," he congratulated me. "Always defend yourself from anyone, alright? It's valid, sweetheart."

"Let's get out of here, we're not safe," Lucas said to us.

We started walking home cautiously. The image of the black wolf defending me didn't leave my mind, which feels incredibly strange and surreal. It can't be possible, can it? When we arrived home, I wanted to be with Kessler because that's where I feel safe, but the lights in his house were off, so I assumed he wasn't there.

"I'll clean this up," Lucas said. The living room had a pool of blood.

"No, leave it. It's evidence. I'll call the team," my father said, pulling out his phone and dialing his police friends. I suppose they want to investigate further regarding the blood and the wolf tracks. I know my father will get to the bottom of all this. He's not the type to stand idly by; he always wants to uncover the truth, and I admire him for that.

"Tell me what really happened, Eva. Why would a wolf be in our house?" Lucas asked me softly.

"I don't know..." I wanted to tell him more, wanted to tell him that Riley was the one who brought that wolf, but I know it would get her into trouble, and I don't want to seem like a gossip. That's not who I am. But she has a lot to do with this; I'll investigate on my own. "It was strange and it scared me a lot."

"Eva, you know you can tell me anything. I know you know more, please tell me."

I looked at Lucas because I didn't know if I could trust him. He seemed very sure of what he was asking of me.

"Well... Riley was the one who brought that wolf home," I responded. "She gave it the command to attack me, as if the wolf would obey her," I confessed. "I stabbed the wolf in the chest with the knife because it was about to kill me, Lucas. What surprised me the most is that Riley called that wolf by a name," I recalled.

"What name?"

"Lewis," I remembered. "That's what it was called. These people are very strange, Lucas, and they're responsible for the wolves. They must train them or something."

"I don't think they train them, Eva. There's something more going on here. We won't tell Dad, alright?"

I nodded.

"In the meantime... I know a guy in my class with that same name: Lewis Johnson."

"And what about it?"

"Forget it, I'll figure it out on my own," he stood up and went to the kitchen. I didn't understand anything. I left the knife on the floor and went upstairs to wash my hands and take a bath. I stink of animal blood.