A Twisted Anthology: A Twisted Design Book

The Rogue’s Initiation Part 12

[Six months later]

I sent the full manuscript to Queen Bellamy almost a month ago. My agent was concerned about me taking on a project other than my series. I told her I was a rogue werewolf and this was a project for my collective.

She never knew I was a werewolf before, but she didn’t treat me any differently, in fact, she was excited about the supernatural romance I was writing. I sent her a couple chapters from it and she was begging for more. I told her I just needed to dedicate all the free time I had, after dealing with my editor’s notes, to focus on this children’s book.

Queen Bellamy had groceries delivered to me. She promised to take care of me so I could give all of my attention to my work. The only time I left the house, was to go on my nightly runs and remind the wild life that this was my territory.

There’d been rumors that I died, because I stopped coming into town. From time to time, kids would ride up to my place to peek in my windows, trying to see my corpse. It got really bad on Halloween, when a few different groups of kids dared each other to come ring my doorbell.

My wolf, Ezra, was in contact with Sunny’s wolf, Mira. They talked about what they liked, about hunts and runs they went on, but neither one ever divulged what Sunny or I were doing. They were in agreement that we were stupid, me for not staying and pursuing, her for pushing me away.

The connection to her wolf was perfect, though. Once an offer was made, if it wasn’t rejected or accepted, it would start building up the feelings we’d had when the offer was made. If she liked me as much as I liked her, then I knew she would be falling in love with me. I was in love with her and I fell more each day.

Queen Bellamy passed on samples of the drawings Sunny did to accompany my first couple stories. I loved them. Not just because she made them. She captured the feeling of each story perfectly.

I wondered what she thought when she saw the story I wrote for her. Had she read it yet? What did her face look like? Did she like it or was it creepy? Oh, Goddess, what if she thought it was creepy?

Being on my own was starting to get to me. I cleaned up and got dressed. I couldn’t just lay around my house waiting for emails to show me the pictures Sunny drew.

-

It was Friday and before six o’clock. Everything should still be open. I’d go get my hair cut and my beard trimmed again, then I’d hit up the restaurant for dinner and finish the night with some pool or darts at the bar. By now the ‘virgin fairy werewolf’ thing should have blown over.

After driving into town, I found a spot on Main Street. It was right between all the businesses I wanted to visit. I locked my truck and headed toward the barber shop.

The town was dressed up for Christmas and the new year. We’d already had a couple serious snows since the beginning of last month. More were going to come. I knew that.

A few people called out to me and waved. A lot of ‘we thought you were dead’ shouts followed by laughter. I just grinned and told them ‘not yet’.

When I opened the door to the little shop in the row of old buildings which were built along the road, just beyond the wide sidewalks, Phil, the barber, looked up from the ledger he was working in. He laughed and walked around the counter.

“Vaughn! Good to see you out and about. Dear lord, man. You look like a wildman. Let’s get you washed, trimmed, and shaved. Can’t have you scaring the kids around town.” He said.

“If it’ll keep them from looking in my windows to see a ‘real dead body’, then I don’t mind scaring the little brats.” I chuckled.

Phil shook his head and got me in a cape before leading me to the sinks to wash my hair. I’d been doing it at home, just this week hadn’t really been one of the weeks I’d made the effort.

He took me to the chairs and I settled in to get my hair cut. Maybe if I felt a little more human, I could find the strength to push myself through the next month. As it got closer, I was becoming a mix of excited and nervous.

“You gave us a little scare when you disappeared like that, you know. Someone saw your truck parked at your place when you got back to town, but you never came to see us. Never came for grocery shopping. Never came to share a drink with us at the bar.” Phil said as he started trimming my hair.

“I was invested in a project. A friend was sending me grocery deliveries. You guys didn’t have to send the sheriff out for a welfare check.” I replied.

“Had to keep up appearances for the people who still haven’t figured it out. We knew you were alive. We saw you walking around town at night.” He told me nonchalantly.

My blood ran cold. I never walked around town in my human form at night. Only in my wolf form. Someone had figured me out?

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“We’ve known for a while, Vaughn. Me, Ted, the sheriff, Carl, Larry, Glen, Kelly, a few other people from the town. Not Lex. We’re having fun with him, though.” Phil chuckled. “You’re a werewolf. Don’t worry. We’ll protect you like you protect us.”

“How did you find out?” I asked.

“Lex may not have seen you until the new deputy came to town, but we saw the difference soon after we had that pack of coyotes come through a few years ago. We were planning to put out traps, but, then they stopped coming into town. A few of us saw the big wolf. We’re not stupid. You’re bigger than a real wolf. Not as big as Lex imagines, but big enough we know the difference.” Phil explained. “It really wasn’t hard to connect the dots. Critters would come into town a couple days after you left for your book things and would disappear when you came back.”

“I thought I was being careful. s**t. If there’d been hunters in town, I’d be dead.” I groaned.

“Keep still. There were. They tried to get us to hunt you. We ran ‘em out. We went from losing pets, chickens, rabbits, sheep, and other animals to feeling safe enough to let the little ones out when it got dark. Most towns don’t have a werewolf watching out for them. You’re our werewolf.” He told me.

Humans didn’t bond with werewolves often. They’ve been known to pack bond with things like vacuum robots, but there had always been a division between us and them. I found it oddly comforting.

We fell into an extremely average conversation after that. He told me about the preparations for Christmas and how much he didn’t look forward to his mother-in-law coming to visit, but his youngest was also coming home for the break between semesters. His older two were going to Christmas with their significant others.

Phil moved to stand in front of me and pulled out some electric clippers. Even though I told him I wanted to do the goatee thing, he told me I wasn’t going to leave his shop looking like a villain from the comic books he read as a kid. I sighed and let him do what he wanted.

After he was done shaving all my facial hair off, he put the clippers on the counter and returned with a jar and brush. He started putting the shaving cream on my face. I got nervous. For years, when I needed to be clean shaven for promotion things, he’d shaved me with a straight razor. This was the first time he was doing it while I knew he knew I was a werewolf.

“Stop fidgeting. We’ve been doing this for years. I just told you we like having a werewolf. I’m not gonna cut off your head.” Phil scolded.

“Sorry, instinct.” I replied with a dry chuckle.

“You’re safe here, Vaughn. They’d string me up if I went ‘wolf hunter’ all of a sudden.”

I tipped my head back and let him shave me. He was as careful and skillful as always. This was going to be fine.

When he finished, Phil used a hot towel to clean my skin. He shook loose hair particles out of my hair and swept hair off my shoulders with a little brush before he took the cape off.

As always, I looked like an entirely different person. A caveman walked in and a human was walking out. I grinned at my reflection.

“Sometimes I think you’re a witch of some sort.” I laughed.

“Wouldn’t that be a wizard or a warlock or something?” He asked as he swept around the chair.

“No. Male witches are witches. Warlocks are humans who made pacts with dark beings for their power. Wizards are just what male witches used to call themselves to avoid the stigma of the title ‘witch’.” I told him.

“Do all of you know so much about the others?”

“I was friends with a witch in high school. I taught him about rogue stuff and he taught me about witch stuff. It’s not as mystical as just knowing, but it’s the truth and I prefer to tell my friends the truth.” I chuckled.

“Ah, well, as long as I’m your friend, I guess I won’t end up as wolf chow. Karen’s waiting for you at the restaurant. I told them when I’d be done with you. They should have your food ready.”

“What?”

“I told you, we were worried. Since you’re here, we’re gonna take care of you. This visit’s free, you’ll have to pay for the next one. Go on, get out.” He said, waving me off.

I headed out the door and across the street to the restaurant. The air seemed even more brisk than before. There was a storm coming in. I could almost smell it. It could take a couple days until the roads near my place were cleared. It was a good thing I was still stocked up from Queen Bellamy’s last delivery and my normal overstocking of my pantry and freezer.

When I walked into the little diner Karen smiled and waved me over to a table. She was an older woman with tight salt and pepper curls. The pictures hanging around the restaurant showed her as a little girl and a young woman. Her grandfather had started the diner when he moved to Oregon and her father handed it down to her and her brother. There were pictures of their spouses, kids, and grandkids all over as well.

It was almost like eating in someone’s home instead of their business. Aside from a fast food joint at the other end of Main Street, this was pretty much the only restaurant. There was a coffee shop that served muffins and cookies, a bakery that sold bread, doughnuts, and other desserts, and the bar, which served chicken wings anything the cook could think to fry.

I sat at the table she pointed to. Karen returned with a piece of apple pie and a milkshake. She winked at me, she also knew I was a werewolf.

“These are to hold you over. We weren’t quite ready. This is on the house, your dinner you pay for. I can’t afford to cover your appetite.” She whispered with a warm laugh.

“Thanks, Karen. I really appreciate it.” I smiled.

She pinched my cheek. “You’re such a handsome boy, Vaughn. We need to find you a girl. I’ll see if anyone knows some girls who will be what you’re looking for. I have friends all over the state. I’m sure we can find a girl who ‘likes dogs’ as much as you do. Oh! Looks like your food’s up. I’ll go get that.”

Rubbing my newly freed cheek, I shook my head. She had to be part werewolf with a grip like that. Damn. I made quick work of the pie and milkshake while she was loading plates onto a tray.

After she delivered my food, she went to get me some coffee. They’d made three of my favorite dishes. It reminded me of having dinner with Sunny. It was a bittersweet memory. If she chose me, I’d bring her here. I bet Karen would love her.

Karen sat in the chair across from me with her little notebook out. “Now, tell me what you like in a girl. Aside from ‘liking dogs’.”

“Karen, I’d really like to have my dinner. If there’s a big snow coming, I want to go have a couple drinks with everyone before I get stuck at home for a couple days. I’m fine.” I assured her.

“You’re almost thirty. I bet your parents are itching for grandchildren.” She prodded.

“My parents have four grandchildren already, from my twin brother. He’s back in Nebraska with his wife, kids, and our parents.”

“Then think of me. I want to see you happy with a wife and little ones who look just like you running around. I’m not getting any younger, Vaughn.” Karen scolded.

Now I was regretting that people weren’t more afraid of me as a werewolf. Like it wasn’t bad enough to hear that in calls and emails from my mom, now I had a human telling me the same thing. I smiled at her.

“I made an offer to someone already, Karen. I’m just waiting for an answer. Don’t worry about my heart. I’ve got it covered.”

“You should have said something. When do we get to meet her? Is she coming here to see you for the holidays?” She asked, then lowered her voice. “Do werewolves celebrate Christmas?”

“We do, just not exactly with the same meaning as humans do. Even vampires have a holiday during this season.” I chuckled.

“Well, I want you to come back as soon as you can and tell me all about this girl. She better be good enough for you. I hope you didn’t just propose to the first werewolf girl you saw.” Karen huffed as she got up from the table.

“She’s a very good person. An artist and a sweet woman. I’ll come tell you all about her as soon as I know the answer. I don’t want to get your hopes up and have her refuse my proposal.”

“If she says no, I’ll find you a good girl. Don’t you worry. I know people all over. I can find someone for you. Eat up.” She replied and went back to the counter to start cleaning for the night.

I ate with gusto. Her brother, Scott, was a great cook. He had a way with seasonings that would make my mother cry with jealousy.

When I finished up, I paid my bill and said my goodbyes before heading out. The clouds were heavier. The icy remains of the last snow were dull gray in piles on the sidewalk and gutters.

By tomorrow, they’d be crowned with fluffy white flakes. I could smell it even more now. I could feel it in my bones. Ezra curled up tightly inside me. He was prepared to rest. Heavy snows for us were usually sleepy days where I didn’t even touch my computer.

The bar wasn’t too far from the restaurant. I made a last minute decision to pop into the grocery store. I was well-stocked in the staples, but I needed a few things to make the next few days bearable.

Grabbing a grocery cart, I went to the snack aisle and grabbed chips, popcorn, jerky, and stuff for s’mores. I went to the baking aisle and picked up some brownie mix, walnuts, and chocolate frosting. I wouldn’t get anything that needed to be frozen or refrigerated. It might be cold enough to keep it safe, but I didn’t want to risk a mess in my truck when it was months before I’d be able to really clean it.

I went to the produce aisle for some fresh fruits and veggies. Then, I went to the alcohol aisle and picked up wine, beer, and a few bottles of harder alcohol. Finally, I went to the vitamin aisle and got a bottle of colloidal silver. If I couldn’t stay warm with my Sunny, then I was going to get drunk enough not to feel the cold.

Colloidal silver was basically snake oil that some stores still carried, even though it was pretty toxic and could cause silver poisoning in humans. Generally, people ordered it online, since most stores listened to the FDA when they said the stuff wasn’t healthy and didn’t do any of the things the manufacturers said. My dad taught me and my brother how to use just enough to make alcohol work, but not kill ourselves by letting silver build up in our bodies.

It was close enough to closing time that the younger cashiers were sent home. The owner, Larry, checked out my groceries. He gave me an odd look when he saw the silver. I’d been buying it the whole time I’d lived there, but he’d never been my cashier when I did.

“Looks like you’re planning a good old time.” He chuckled.

“Don’t palm the silver, Larry. Please put it in the bag.” I sighed.

“I don’t know how bad things have gotten, but you’re still young. You don’t have to do anything rash.”

“A drop of that in a shot of hard alcohol or a glass of wine lets me feel the effects of the alcohol. I’m very careful not to drink too much. I’ve made it nearly to thirty drinking like this. I know what I’m doing, Larry, and it’s not killing myself. I’d need to drink a hell of a lot more than one little bottle of tiny silver flakes.” I told him.

He put the bottle in one of the bags. I paid for my purchases and took my bags. I could imagine there would be a lot of that sort of thing in the future. At least they were trying to look out for me.

I unlocked my truck cab and put my bags on the floor of the passenger side. After the barbershop, diner, and grocery store, I was almost tempted to go home. This was more attention than I’d gotten since I moved to town.

With another sigh, I closed and locked the door. They’d be mad if I didn’t come see them when I’d gone to the other places. It’s not a good idea to make my neighbors upset.

When I walked into the bar, I saw Carl and Glen teasing Lex about something while they played darts. Kelly was perched on a bar stool, talking with Ted while he dried some mugs and put them on the shelf behind him. A few other regulars were there, including Deputy Rice who sat at the other end of the bar, shaking his head. Lex must be on his werewolf thing.

I sat on the stool next to the deputy. He nodded to me and I nodded back. I could hear Lex talking about testing the deputy with a silver butter knife from his wife’s good silver. Carl and Glen were telling him how his wife would kill him if he touched her silver without permission.

“Can I buy you a drink, Deputy Werewolf?” I asked, snickering.

Deputy Rice started laughing. “As a fellow werewolf, you should let me buy you one.”

“How about I buy the next round, you get the one after, then I’ll kick your ass at pool?” I offered.

“Sounds good, but I’ll be kicking your ass at pool.” He replied.

I called out to Ted for two more beers and we made our way to the pool table. We played a few games while drinking beer and talking about reports of wild animals in some of the outlying properties that weren’t quite in the town’s borders. He made it seem like he was making small talk, but I knew he was asking me to include those places in my territory.

Lex came up and grabbed Deputy Rice’s hand. He straightened out his fingers. I tried to hold in my laughter.

“What the hell are you doing, Lex? If you want to hold someone’s hand, go talk to your wife.” The deputy growled and pulled his hand away.

“He’s checking if your ring finger is longer than your middle finger. Obviously, you could shave or wax to get rid of the hair between your eyebrows or on the palms of your hands. I mean, you already fear full moon nights….” I snickered.

“So do the nurses at the clinic and every other cop in existence.” Deputy Rice laughed.

Lex was using old methods for finding werewolves. The only thing they ever got right was the silver and how fast we heal. Well, and the anger issues.

“I think you should head home, Lex. Storm’s coming in. Make sure your barn and stuff are secure. You don’t want something getting to your animals.” Carl said.

“He’s a werewolf. Mark my words, he’s gonna do something and you’ll all regret not listening to me.” Lex grumbled and stormed out of the bar.

“Lex is going to be trouble one of these days.” I sighed.

“You can just eat him.” Carl laughed.

“Humans taste disgusting.” I replied, as I pretended to heave like I was going to be sick.

We all had a good laugh and went back to drinking, chatting, and playing games together. It was nice to have that feeling of community. It was good to be a little more human for a while.