Untamed

Chapter Five

I scrambled back into my shop as soon as Liam took off into the forest. I locked the doors with my shaky hands and slammed the deadbolt into the floor.

I ran into the back office only to encounter Madison with earphones in. Listening to music. As though it was the most typical night in the world.

"Madison!" I whispered angrily.

She tugged a bud out of her ear, "Sorry?"

I stared at her in frustration, "Did you not- the gun- the wolves?!"

Her eyes widened in fear, "There's wolves out right now?" She scrambled around the desk and clutched onto my arm.

I narrowed my eyes at her, sighing loudly, "Never mind. You should head home though. It's not safe right now."

She nodded and grabbed her bag, "Walk back together? Two is better than one!"

"Lord knows that's never stopped a wolf before." I noticed a flash of fear in Madison's eyes and decided some things were better left unsaid. "But, of course, you're right."

I saw her breathe a sigh of relief as she held onto my arm the entire sprint home.

The next day, I was a bundle of nerves. Every jingle of the doorbell made me swivel my head in anticipation of Liam. Though I wasn't quite sure if it was one of fear as I'd initially thought it would be. He was a wolf after all. They were beyond dangerous.

"Maeve... Maeve?" I shook my head at the incessant voice and turned towards Charles.

"Sorry, what?"

"There's a new documentary," he trailed as though I was slow, which I seemingly was this morning. "It's about the environmental impact of fishing."

Charles wore a blasé expression as he talked, but that was not very different to his typical tone - always logical, always thinking. He wore glasses today, the black frames hanging from his pin straight nose, his thin lips were set in a straight line; his face lacking a serious expression of any kind, as was per usual with him.

"Is everything okay, Maeve?" He asked in concern as he placed a hand on my lower back and leaned forward to peck at my lips.

I couldn't describe why the feeling felt wrong to me. It stirred something in my gut that made me feel like I was doing something I shouldn't have been.

I forced a smile at him, "I'm fine. That documentary sounds great."

I heard a snort next to me and gave a questioning look to Madison who was supposed to be stocking shelves but was instead eavesdropping on my conversation.

"A documentary?" She scoffed, "A hot date on Saturday with a documentary. You guys make me glad I'm not in a relationship." She shook her head at me.

Madison grabbed a stack of books in between her skinny arms. "Did you hear about Mr Gerrald's shop? The wolves completely vandalized the candy store."

"This is out of hand!" Charles said gruffly. He rarely got angry, but when he did, I liked to give him room in case he got too much go handle. "We need a way of dealing with those dogs."

"It's sad really," Madison continued, "Mr. Gerrald's going to have to close up shop. He doesn't know if he'll be able to reopen with the cost it would take."

"That's awful," I murmured.

The bell rang at that moment and I walked to front. An old lady stood near the cash looking at some of the trinkets we kept on display. She looked very petite, her graying hair pulled into a bun on her head. She wore a yellow blouse tucked into a bright blue, floor length skirt and I admired her overly bright wardrobe for a moment.

"Hi," I greeted, "Can I help you with anything?"

"Hello!" Her eyes took me in before looking back at the trinkets. "You have excellent taste in trinkets, I must say." She held up a keychain of a parakeet and examined it closely.

"That's a favourite of mine," I confessed and I watched as her eyes lit up.

"I'll take it!" She exclaimed placing the piece on the counter. "I'm Betty, by the way. Betty Myers."

"Maeve Adams. It's a pleasure to meet you," I rung the piece up and placed it into a small paper bag before handing it over to her.

"You as well," she responded, frailly gripping the bag. 

"Are you passing through town?" I questioned curiously. The last visitor we had come around was Liam and my feelings were currently mixed concerning him.

"Oh I'm a traveller by heart, but I thought I'd check out the inn a block over. It's a quaint little town here in Cranford. I wanted to spend a bit of time with the occupants- ah townsfolk." Betty replied grinning at me.

I nodded, "Well, there's a great antique store a couple streets over and I'm sure you'll be bound to find more parakeets there."

She looked giddy at the very mention of the birds, "You don't say? In that case, I might be extending my stay after all!"

Betty picked her bag up and trotted out of the store with a slight hobble and a wave before she exited.

"Who told you that you can move the non-fiction isle, Charles?!" Madison screamed in frustration.

"Logic, Madison! After all, what are we encouraging if not the advancement of our intellect through reading?" Charles retorted.

"Stop moving the books, Charles! I swear, you're going to put us out of business and I'm not going back to the pet store. Animals hate me."

"You're an accountant!" Charles cried out.

"Yes, I am. And guess what, Charles? It's boring. You should have become an accountant. I have a feeling it'd be a match made in heaven."

"Alright!" I interrupted the squabbling employees. "You two have had a long day. Go home, I'll close up here."

Madison shot me a look and I added, "and fix the non-fiction section."

Charles groaned while Madison enthused, "Ha!"

"Out!" I growled shoving the two of them out of the store. I switched the sign to 'closed' and began to place all of Charle's attempts at encouraging intelligent readers back into the back of the store where they belonged.

The bell chimed as the door was opened and I yelled back, "We're closed!"

When I didn't hear the bell ring to signal the customer leaving, I stood up and walked to the front of the store to see a hulking man standing before me. A shiver of fear ran up my spine at his presence.

"Can I help you?"

"So you're the mate. I have to admit that it's an honour to meet you. I can't believe I'm standing in your presence. You almost seem more myth than reality," he smiled at me, but even that was sinister.

"You're welcome. Now leave. Before I call the authorities," I cautioned him as I tried to make small steps to my desk. Just a few feet away from me.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. You see, your very existence is a threat to all packs. To all wolves."

I felt actual horror flow through me because if he truly was a wolf, I didn't stand a chance of surviving this encounter.

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Fun fact: I spent fifteen minutes looking up an actual documentary for this chapter. This lets you know a little too much about what I do in my spare time, which apparently is spent watching mind-numbing TV.

I'm genuinely worried this will affect my Netflix recommendations moving forward.