Why a Wolf Cries - Julie Steimle (read a book .TXT) 📗

was a competent animal rescue worker, and the family were into alternative ways of life, leaning politically left, but only barely, as they thought socialists were lunatics.

So when they came to Audry’s Bruchenhaus’s home (which was in fact a mobile mini house, borrowed from a friend of a friend, one which she could live in with relative comfort and move while she researched wild American predators and deterrents for suburban communities), she almost did not seem surprised to see them. She had opened the door, glanced at their suits then rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”

They decided not to pretend with her. As far as they were concerned, she seemed to be the type of person on the verge of being spirited away. Audry was petulantly oblivious to the supernatural still—but only just.

“We heard about the incident with your niece… including your encounter with a particular wolf—”

“Oh please…” Audry shook her head. “Let it go. Give it up.”

“Does it not puzzle you how H. Richard Deacon happened to be injured the same time—?”

“No, it doesn’t!” Audry snapped. “I saw his car. He rolled it. One side was entirely crunched. Ok? He’s not a werewolf! Leave it alone!”

“So you know about that?”

“Of course I know about that!” She rolled her eyes. “I googled him ages ago. I found the SRA website that tracks him. I’ve heard the stories. I just don’t believe it. It’s nonsense.”

The agent pulled back. “What would make you believe it?”

Audry hung her shoulders, leaning against her door frame. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe seeing him with my own eyes changing from the wolf into the man I know.”

“So, seeing is believing for you?”

“Yes!” She nodded sharply. “I’ve known Rick since I was seventeen, and the only thing I’ve seen about this entire nonsense is your stupid hunters shooting at the wolf. For pity’s sake, leave the wolf alone! He’s just a wolf.”

“He’s a rare wolf,” the agent said.

Her eyes narrowed on him. “All the more reason to leave him alone.”

“Fine.” The agent stepped back.

But the other agent lingered on her front stoop. “One more thing. Why do you research predators like wolves and try to protect them?”

“Nothing is more dangerous than humanity,” Audry replied darkly. “And predators like wolves are just trying to live their lives.”

“Ok.” The agent nodded, but did not step back. “But one more question. Do you believe in magic?”

Huffing, Audry rolled her eyes and slammed the door in their faces.

As they walked away, one of them said, “That would be a ‘no’.”

The other chuckled. Yet he murmured, “What should we do if she ever says ‘yes’?”

Shrugging, that agent replied, “Well… that would make her a collaborator. Now wouldn’t it?”

“And we don’t need those,” the other agent agreed.

They soon left her camping site.

Lucky for Audry, they could not read her thoughts. In that moment, Audry wished she had one of Silvia’s shadow spells to hide her from the SRA. Though she had read and heard about how unscrupulous they were, up until now, they had not truly frightened her. Those two people had given off the intense aura of people who would kill her sooner than listen to her.

“Poor Rick,” was all she could think for the rest of the day.

 

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Publication Date: 10-09-2020

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