The Secret Wolf (Book One in the Tree Top Wolves Series)

The Secret Wolf

  Stacey Card

  Copyright 2013 Stacey Card

  This is a work of fiction. Some of the places are real, but the characters are imaginary.

  I felt something watching me; it was the shiver that went down my spine that alerted me to the presence.  I opened my eyes and looked around - nothing.  I closed my eyes again and laid back, that was when I felt the hot breath on the back of my neck.  I stiffened, but didn't turn around as I slowly stood up on shaky legs.  I slowly walked towards the gap between the trees that I had come through.  I didn't turn around because I knew that if I did, I wouldn't like what I would see.  I didn't hear anything following me, but I knew that whatever it was, was still watching, waiting for me to leave the forest.

  We were moving again, no surprise there.  We moved after every school term.  Mom travelled a lot for her job, so it wasn't unusual for us to pack up and leave. I never made any friends because there was no point when I would just be leaving them again - it stopped the heartache.  We were moving to Tree Tops, a small isolated town, or so Google says.

  I was looking forward to moving out of New York though; I was fed up with the traffic and the boring scenery.  Tree Tops was surrounded by a forest - just how I liked it.  I'm an artist, what can I say?  I love the outdoors and the different scenery, it's one of the reasons I don't mind moving around all the time.  Of course sometimes I wish that we could just stay in one place.  I wouldn't mind being like a normal sixteen year old, one that had a boyfriend.  I envy the girls that do, but then again I just remind myself that they probably won't last long.

  I'm the type of girl that wants a fairy tale, some Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet, and we can live happily ever after.  Of course that only happens in the fairy tales, but still a girl can dream can't she?  Sometimes I think he might be out there waiting for me though.  I mean, what if he's stuck in a tree or his horse bucked and he's floating in a river or something?

  "Alysha!"  Mom called from downstairs.  

  I was late.  I always was.

  We were supposed to be on the road by now but I woke up late and still had a load to pack.  I was currently sitting on a box trying to tape it shut.  But if she wanted us to leave so soon she could have helped me instead of talking to the neighbours about the 'big move'.  Oh well, it was only going to put us back an hour.  I was still in my pyjamas, after all.  I was late for everything, after about a week of being in school my teacher just started marking me in as late rather than calling out my name.  I needed to wake up about an hour earlier if I actually wanted to be on time for something.  Which I never usually did.

  The drive was four hours to Tree Tops and it was already three in the afternoon.  Another thing you should know about me is that I don't do mornings.  People that like mornings have issues, if I see the sunrise it is probably because I haven't been to sleep yet.  School is the worst though, why couldn't it start at two instead of half eight?  I would actually be early then.

  "Alysha!"  Mom shouted again, getting impatient.  I could imagine her now, pacing the hall downstairs, looking from her watch to the stairs.

  "I'm coming," I said while I carried the last box down the stairs.  "You know I would have been a lot faster if you would have helped right?"

  She rolled her eyes at me.  "Well if you had done it yesterday, like I told you to instead of going to the park to draw you would have been ready this morning."

  I just walked passed her and loaded the last box into the car, the moving van had already gone ahead.  I got into the car whilst she checked the house to see if we had everything.  Knowing her she had forgotten something, even though we never really lived anywhere long enough to unpack the moving boxes.  She always forgot something and when the new owners tried to get in contact to see if we needed it, we were long gone.  Sometimes I felt like we were running from something or someone but that was probably from all of the mystery books that I read.

  I beeped the horn as she was locking up.  Mimicking her voice I called, "Hurry up! We need to leave now if we want to get there before dinner!"

  She shot me a look that made me laugh, but would have made anyone else shut up.  She walked over to the car and we were on our way.

  "Have you taken your pill today?"  Mom asked when we were stopped in traffic.

  "Yeah," I said, reaching into my back and taking one when she wasn’t looking.

  I had been taking the pills since I was a baby.  I didn’t really know what they were for, but mom got really moody whenever I forget to take them.  She must have heard me shake the pill out of the plastic jar because she turned and glared at me.  I knew what that meant.  I was about to have the pill lecture again.  I took a deep breath and prepared to tune her out.

  “Alysha, you know how important those pills are and it makes me very upset when you don't take them.  I shouldn't have to be telling you this at your age.  You're old enough now to remember to take them without me having to nag you.  I have told you time and time again to set an alarm so that you never forget, but do you?"  She didn't even pause for my answer, she just kept going.  "No, you don't.  It's like talking to a brick wall sometimes.  Now I'm not telling you again Alysha, set an alarm."  I nodded my head, not listening to a word that she had been saying.  I'd heard it all before anyway, I practically had it memorized.

  I lived with my mom, have no siblings and no pets, but that's just the way I'm used to things.  It was just me and my mom, it was nice, we got along great and got on with our own things.  I didn't know where my dad was, mom never wanted to talk about him - says I'm too young to understand.  I dream though, about the day he will come back to us, how he would look.  Mom always said that I looked like him and would know if I ever met him because it would be like looking in the mirror at a male version of myself - just a little older obviously.

  So I have been looking for the man with grey eyes and black hair that looks blue in some lighting.  I've never found him though.  Oh, I've found people with that description but I've never felt like they were the one that I was looking for.  I wondered what his life was like now and if he ever thought of mom and me.  Maybe he got married and has other children?  I'd never actually thought about that before.  

  What would it be like having a brother or sister?  Or maybe both?  I was excited just thinking about it.  I wouldn't lie and say my life was perfect because it wasn't.  Sometimes I got lonely and wondered what it would have been like to have a sibling, someone who I could play with and argue with.  It didn't look like my mom would ever remarry though.  She dated, a lot, but none of them ever seemed to spark an interest in her.

  Boys have always said that I was pretty, but none of them had ever did ask me out.  I never had friends, party because I move, but also because they didn't like 'their' boys drooling over me.  So I was used to getting my clothes taken after gym and finding surprises in my locker.  I actually found a slug I there once, so I punched the girl and gave her a black eye.  The nun saw me though and it was bye bye school.

  "Ahh!" Mom squealed.

  I looked at her with my brow raised in question.  She just stared at me and nodded her head towards a sign; it said 'WELCOME TO TREE TOPS' in big green writing on dark brown wood.

  "We're here!"  Mom exclaimed and I smiled at her.  I had a feeling that I was going to like it here.  I had the feeling that things would be different and that I would fit it.  

  I felt like I was coming home.

  It was seven o'clock when we arrived at the new house - thanks to leaving late.  I had a big grin on my face when I first took in
the house, it wasn't big or anything, it was small if I was being honest, but it was perfect.  It was a three bed roomed house and it was painted a dark chocolate brown.  The front garden was small with a path leading up to the front door.  There were only a few other houses on the street but they all looked similar and cosy.  The car had to be parked on the road but there were sectioned off places.

  Mom unlocked the door and I went straight upstairs, mom had already moved some things in and had chosen rooms.  She came up behind me and said, "I have a surprise for you."

  I followed her into a room next to the main bathroom; she opened the door and inside were some of my pictures that I had drawn onto a bigger canvas because I liked them.  There was a red sofa on one wall and a fireplace on the other.  In the middle was an easel with a new set of pencils.  It had a red stool in front of it and it faced the window.  Looking outside the window I could see the forest.  When I looked more closely I could see that there was no fence between the property and the forest, so I could easily go for a walk in there.

  I turned to my mom and hugged her.  "Thank you so so much!  I love it."

  She had tears in her eyes, she felt like she was a bad mom with all the moving.  She felt guiltier every time we moved - I knew she did.  She hugged me back hard and I walked over to look at the view of the forest, it wasn't much but it would be good inspiration - forests never look the same way twice.

  "I'm glad you like it.  Um... I've felt kinda bad moving you around all the time; it's not the life that you deserve.  So I spoke with my boss and asked for a more permanent placement, so we're staying here for a while."

  "Really?  So no more moving?  You mean I can actually make friends and go to dances and stuff?"  I tried to sound as if I wasn't getting my hopes up.

  She smiled at me and nodded.  I squealed and threw myself at her, hugging her hard. Finally I could see what it was like to be normal, and in a place like this where I could get lots of inspiration for my drawings.  I couldn't wait to get started, but I had lots of time now, not just a month.

  "You start school on Monday, so don't start staying up late and getting out of routine," Mom scolded me, knowing that I'd stay up late drawing what I've seen.

  I poked my tongue out at her and grunted.  When she left I quickly went into my own room to inspect it.  It was quite big and light green with dark green curtains and bed sheets.  Green was my favourite colour; it reminded me of the grass in the summer. There were dark brown book shelves and cupboards.  On the wall was one of my drawings of a wolf, I had never seen one but I had watched a documentary and I was intrigued, so I drew one.  He was light brown and was stood on a mountain howling at the moon, he was cast in the moonlight so it looked like he stood in a spotlight.

  I loved it; mom always knew exactly what I liked.  I had an en suite and it was similar colours to my room, with dark green and light green tiles.  I walked downstairs to look at the rest of the house.  The T.V room was a red colour with a black leather sofa facing the flat screen.  Behind the sofa was a drawing of a rose that I found in one of our homes, it looked like the one off Beauty and The Beast, with a glass case around it.

  In the kitchen it was a light blue, it didn't really go with the rest of the house but still it was light and cheery.  On the fridge with a Tom and Jerry magnet holding it up, was a note from my mom:

  Alysha,

  I have gone out to meet my new boss for dinner, I have left money so you can order pizza or you can cook.  I have been shopping and have loaded the fridge with food that you like.  I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but because I wanted a more permanent place I have to work more often so won't be around as much.

  Love you always,

  Mom

  Well at least she had written me a note.  I did wonder why she had given me an art room, at least now I knew why.  I looked in the fridge and cupboards; nothing caught my eye so I decided to order pizza.  I looked around looking for a menu or a Yellow Pages book, but came up empty.  I wondered if next door would have one, and debated going over there to ask.  I looked at the clock on the wall and it said eight o'clock - not too late.

  Pulling on my trainers, I walked down the path and up to my neighbour's front door.  I knocked, biting my lip and wondering if this was such a good idea.  A light came on outside and I heard the locks turn in the door.

  A man in his late thirties opened the door with a startled expression on his face.  "May I help you?" he asked politely.

  He was a tall man with blonde hair cut close to his head. He was dressed as if he had just come back from work, in a black suit and tie.

  "Um... I was...er...wondering if you might have a pizza menu that I can borrow?  You see I'm new here, me and my mom just moved in next door today, and we don't have one."  I bit my lip nervously.

  He stood there looking at me for a moment, a bewildered expression on his face.  He held up his hand in a 'one moment' gesture and walked back into the house.  He returned a few minutes later with a menu.

  "Thank you," I said taking it off him.

  "No problem.  I thought someone new was moving in, my wife and I saw the moving vans earlier and were wondering when you were coming.  You and your mother must come around for dinner one day," he smiled at me.

  "Yeah, we moved today.  I'll tell her you said that.  I'm sure she'd love to meet you and your wife."

  I waved at him as I walked away, already trying to decide what to have on my pizza, I was starved. Once I was inside I quickly dialled the number and ordered a cheese and ham pizza.  As I awaited its arrival I looked out of the patio doors into the dark forest, I'd go for a walk tomorrow and see if there is anything that I could draw.  I might go into town after that and see what this place has to offer.

  The doorbell rang as I was watching T.V and I got up quickly, my stomach rumbling.  I quickly grabbed the money from the kitchen and opened the door.  Stood outside was the most gorgeous boy I had ever laid eyes on, he was tall with messy blonde hair and sparkly blue eyes.  I wanted to draw him, he was just so perfect.  My mouth dropped open and I only shut it when he started laughing.

  I scowled at him.  "And just what is so amusing?"

  He stopped and just looked at me, he shook his head and handed me the pizza. "That's five seventy," he said.

  I handed him the money, just as I was about to shut the door in his face he put his foot there to stop it.  I opened it again looking at him.

  "If you think I'm giving you a tip after you laughed at me, you are deadly wrong buddy."

  He surprised her by sticking out his hand.  "I'm Dan; you must be new here because I haven't seen you around before.  Are you going to go to Beckamen?"

  Beckamen was the local high school and I narrowed my eyes at him wondering if I was going to be the punch line to another one of his jokes.

  "Alysha," I said grasping his big warm hand in mine. "And yes I will be attending Beckamen.  Do you go there?"

  "Yeah, it sucks, but then again what school doesn't?"  He laughed and so did I.

  "Well... you know it was nice meeting you and all, but my pizza is getting cold.  See you Monday?"

  "I don't know, you see I was hoping I could show you around town.  Maybe tomorrow?"

  I blinked at him not knowing what to say, it was the first time someone actually wanted to spend time with me.  Yes, a boy was asking you out, my inner voice said.  And ok so maybe it's not an official date, but it's still a start.  I agreed with her, but I wasn't sure.  Dan seemed like the type of guy that would love 'em and leave 'em.

  "No," I said and slammed the door in his shocked face.

  He knocked again but I ignored it, instead I grabbed my pizza and took it to my room.  I can't believe you just did that, my inner voice scolded.  To be honest, I couldn't believe I done it either.  I sat there eating my pizza, wondering why I didn't say yes.  After all, it would mean that I knew someone for school on Monday, even if he was a jerk.  After I finished my pizza, I drew a pictu
re of Dan - it was just too tempting.  I fell asleep at eleven, my mom still wasn't home, which meant that she probably had joined them for a drink.

  I was awake, dressed and downstairs having brunch by two o'clock.  My mom had left a note saying that she had to go to work early and that I should enjoy the day and go exploring, which is exactly what I was going to do.  I decided to go into the woods first, so I had on my jeans and a hoodie with trainers.  I put my sketchbook in my bag, along with three pencils, a bottle of water and a chocolate bar.

  The weather was nice when I got outside; it was sunny with a slight breeze - perfect for a walk in the woods.  I started walking into the woods, nothing of interest caught my eye at first, but you had to focus on theses types of things.  I enjoyed the forest, the sounds, and the smells.  I felt like it was a part of me, like I wanted to turn into a fox or a rabbit and live here.  I had walked for about ten minutes when I came to a lake, it was beautiful, the sun was shining off it and the water was glistening.

  I sat down on a nearby tree trunk and started to draw, I might even blow it up onto a bigger canvas.  It was really beautiful here, peaceful even, with the birds singing happily in the trees and the wind blowing, rustling the trees.  There was the odd rabbit that you could see chasing one another, it was truly amazing.  I opened my water bottle turning my face towards the sun, wishing that I had brought my sunglasses.