knew my heart began pounding harder. “I don’t know.”
“You should whimper. Zoe, I am a dominant wolf.” She paused. “We can just go for a walk.”
“I want to play,” I said. “I’ll be fine, Elisabeth.”
“Zoe, you need to understand. I play to win. I can’t help it. If you fight me, I’ll still play to win. You have to decide how you feel about that and respond accordingly.”
I nodded. “I want you to hold me for a few minutes first.”
She pulled me against her, wrapping her arms around me. I leaned into her. She kissed the top of my head, and we sat quietly on the steps.
It felt good. It felt safe.
How weird was that?
“If you get to have your way with me when you win, what do I get when I win?”
“So you want a wager after all?”
“Nooo…” I said slowly.
“You get bragging rights,” she replied. “Unless you want to make it a wager.”
“No, no.” I said. “I’ve been very careful when you’re a wolf. Am I allowed to hug you?”
“Yes, but don’t try pulling me around, and don’t try to force me to do anything, not even make me turn my head to face you. It may be very hard to hold back my automatic response.”
“Biting?”
“Putting you in your place.”
“Oh. Where is that?”
“Underneath me, pinned to the ground, with my teeth over your throat, and unlike when we’re playing, it will be a little rougher.”
I nodded understanding.
“Ready?” she asked. I nodded again. “You get a five minute head start. I’ll howl when I start. If you set a timer on your phone for ten minutes, then we’ll know when my time is up. I’ll use my watch for the first game, but after that, I’ll have to estimate the time. We get a lot of practice with that. You won’t get exactly five minutes, but it will be close.” She lifted her wrist and looked at her watch. “Time starts when your feet reach the grass.”
“And I should head that way?” I pointed.
“You may head any direction you want, but that’s south. If you go any other direction you’re more likely to encounter other wolves. They won’t hurt you, but they’ll want to play, too.”
I nodded then leaned over and kissed her quickly.
Then I ran.
I’d never been in the woods to the south of Elisabeth’s home before, and I didn’t know what to expect. There were well-traveled trails throughout the north. I found a trail in the south as well, but it clearly saw less traffic, and as I ran along it, I didn’t see any side paths.
My heart was pounding even before I started running, so it was hammering in my chest by the time I made it to the dense woods.
I knew in about four minutes, I was going to find myself chased by a werewolf. Hunted.
And I wasn’t scared. I was excited, and I was nervous I’d be a poor chase, that Elisabeth would be bored with me. But I considered that a problem for her to solve, not me.
And I was nervous I’d respond poorly when the time came, but I let myself think about what I’d do when she caught me. I thought I’d be just fine.
I wasn’t an athletic person. I was in reasonable shape, but I wasn’t much of a distance runner, and I soon found myself panting. I slowed down. I knew if I stayed on the trail, I’d be exceedingly easy to find. I also knew she ran a lot, lot faster than I did. I wondered if I should try to hide, but I didn’t know these woods, and I wasn’t sure how to find a good place to hide, anyway.
I kept moving, staying on the trail.
And then, from somewhere behind me I heard a wolf howl. I came to a stop. She howled a good, long howl.
And it was amazingly beautiful. Oh, it was a beautiful sound. I stood there listening until the last sound tapered off. Then I still stood there for a good ten or fifteen seconds, just standing in wonder.
Then I turned right and dashed into the undergrowth, running again, but slowed down while watching my step. It was early enough in the evening that the sun was up. I wondered what we would do as it grew
“You should whimper. Zoe, I am a dominant wolf.” She paused. “We can just go for a walk.”
“I want to play,” I said. “I’ll be fine, Elisabeth.”
“Zoe, you need to understand. I play to win. I can’t help it. If you fight me, I’ll still play to win. You have to decide how you feel about that and respond accordingly.”
I nodded. “I want you to hold me for a few minutes first.”
She pulled me against her, wrapping her arms around me. I leaned into her. She kissed the top of my head, and we sat quietly on the steps.
It felt good. It felt safe.
How weird was that?
“If you get to have your way with me when you win, what do I get when I win?”
“So you want a wager after all?”
“Nooo…” I said slowly.
“You get bragging rights,” she replied. “Unless you want to make it a wager.”
“No, no.” I said. “I’ve been very careful when you’re a wolf. Am I allowed to hug you?”
“Yes, but don’t try pulling me around, and don’t try to force me to do anything, not even make me turn my head to face you. It may be very hard to hold back my automatic response.”
“Biting?”
“Putting you in your place.”
“Oh. Where is that?”
“Underneath me, pinned to the ground, with my teeth over your throat, and unlike when we’re playing, it will be a little rougher.”
I nodded understanding.
“Ready?” she asked. I nodded again. “You get a five minute head start. I’ll howl when I start. If you set a timer on your phone for ten minutes, then we’ll know when my time is up. I’ll use my watch for the first game, but after that, I’ll have to estimate the time. We get a lot of practice with that. You won’t get exactly five minutes, but it will be close.” She lifted her wrist and looked at her watch. “Time starts when your feet reach the grass.”
“And I should head that way?” I pointed.
“You may head any direction you want, but that’s south. If you go any other direction you’re more likely to encounter other wolves. They won’t hurt you, but they’ll want to play, too.”
I nodded then leaned over and kissed her quickly.
Then I ran.
I’d never been in the woods to the south of Elisabeth’s home before, and I didn’t know what to expect. There were well-traveled trails throughout the north. I found a trail in the south as well, but it clearly saw less traffic, and as I ran along it, I didn’t see any side paths.
My heart was pounding even before I started running, so it was hammering in my chest by the time I made it to the dense woods.
I knew in about four minutes, I was going to find myself chased by a werewolf. Hunted.
And I wasn’t scared. I was excited, and I was nervous I’d be a poor chase, that Elisabeth would be bored with me. But I considered that a problem for her to solve, not me.
And I was nervous I’d respond poorly when the time came, but I let myself think about what I’d do when she caught me. I thought I’d be just fine.
I wasn’t an athletic person. I was in reasonable shape, but I wasn’t much of a distance runner, and I soon found myself panting. I slowed down. I knew if I stayed on the trail, I’d be exceedingly easy to find. I also knew she ran a lot, lot faster than I did. I wondered if I should try to hide, but I didn’t know these woods, and I wasn’t sure how to find a good place to hide, anyway.
I kept moving, staying on the trail.
And then, from somewhere behind me I heard a wolf howl. I came to a stop. She howled a good, long howl.
And it was amazingly beautiful. Oh, it was a beautiful sound. I stood there listening until the last sound tapered off. Then I still stood there for a good ten or fifteen seconds, just standing in wonder.
Then I turned right and dashed into the undergrowth, running again, but slowed down while watching my step. It was early enough in the evening that the sun was up. I wondered what we would do as it grew
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