Chapter 68

I’m getting sick of hot dogs. Sophia scarfed down her fifth cold hot dog of the night as she emptied a plastic grocery bag onto the kitchen counter next to the fridge. They’re so bland and have a weird smell, but they’re cheap.

Five unopened and one opened pack of hot dogs tumbled out. Stepping over to the fridge, she pulled it open. She paused for a moment, taking in the odors that drifted out of it. A musty scent combined with numerous traces of spilled food and beverage betrayed that the interior hadn’t been cleaned in some time. A number of vegetables were in various states of decomposition, an odd reminder of her changed diet and her dad’s long neglect of his own. Meanwhile, several poorly sealed containers of leftovers added their own contents to the mix. Depressingly few of the smells were animal in origin.

I’m surprised Dad hasn’t commented on how slowly everything but meat is getting eaten.

Kneeling, she moved several containers to the side on the middle shelf. Once there was room, she grabbed four packages of hot dogs and stacked them in the back before moving the containers in front. Standing back up, she shut the fridge.

I need to find a way to make those last, but I’m just so hungry. She picked up the opened and remaining unopened packages off the counter before grabbing her backpack off the table. I hope Shadow likes hot dogs.

At the thought of her mate, she looked longingly outside as instincts and emotions she had been suppressing all day sensed release. The stale, artificial-smelling air and confines of the house were rapidly becoming intolerable, and even her grudging acceptance of the necessity of clothing was waning.

Just a few things to do before I can escape… Sophia shook her head and emptied her school books onto the table. At least the bathroom isn’t one of them.

Five minutes later, she had finished swapping out the contents of her backpack and was pulling on her boots in the front hall. She had gotten one on and was busy pulling on the second when a faint chime came from her backpack. 

That would be Candice wondering how the Outdoor Club meeting went. Maybe she’ll be okay if I don’t get back to her until tomorrow? Sighing, she finished with her boot and fished her phone out of her backpack. No, I had better respond, or she’ll worry. At least I can do it outside. 

Standing, she slipped on her backpack while still clasping her phone, opened the door, and practically dove through it before shutting it roughly. Free of the unnatural smells of the house, she took a relieved breath. Unfortunately, the moment was immediately spoiled by the stench of car exhaust.

I’m still too close to two-legs, but if I start walking, I’m not going to want to stop until I’m too far for a signal. She looked at the phone still clutched in her hand in resignation and flipped it open.

It was, indeed, Candice, and the message was brief:

How’d it go? 🤗

I haven’t been keeping up on my nails. Sophia’s nails jammed uncomfortably against the keypad as she wrote out a reply. Trying to type with claws and pads would be interesting.

Gr8

After hitting send, she put her phone in the shallow side pocket of her snowsuit and slipped on her hat. She made it to her side yard before her phone chimed again.

🎉See! I told you there was nothing to worry about! Can I call? 🙏

No, it’s wolf time. Sophia scowled and mashed out her answer:

Busy

She made it halfway down her side yard before Candice’s reply:

It’s important! 🔥

Fine. Sophia grudgingly hit ‘call’, brought the phone awkwardly to her ear, and detoured to lean against the side of her house. This had better be good.

“Hey, Soph!” Candice greeted her excitedly.

“What’s up?” Sophia asked impatiently, mildly perturbed by the absence of any scents she associated with the voice.

Before Candice could answer, the phone speaker crackled as the wind picked up. Forgetting about the phone for a moment, Sophia eagerly turned her nose in the direction of the wind. The first hints of the field, forest, and hills carried by the wind kindled giddy anticipation.

It is a good night for hunting. Forgetting about the phone next to her ear for a moment, she scanned for any hint of movement. I wonder if Shadow has had any luck yet.

“Oh, are you still walking home from work?” Candice asked in surprise. “It sounds like you’re outside.”

Sophia jumped as her friend’s voice echoed loudly in her ears. Irritated by the interruption, she brought her lips back in a slight snarl.

Phone. Candice. Taking a breath, she forced back the intense dissonance she was feeling from holding something in a forelimb.

“Yes, I’m outside,” Sophia answered tensely.

“Oh, I thought you’d be home from work by now. Didn’t your shift end at eight?” Candice asked in confusion.

“I’m headed to the forest behind my house,” Sophia told her matter-of-factly. “Could you tell me the big news?”

“At night?!?” Candice exclaimed in shock.

Obviously.The sun is down.

“Yes, at night,” Sophia confirmed simply. “What’s the big news? I’ve been waiting to get out here all day.”

“Sophia, going alone during the day is bad enough…” Candice started to argue.

Oh, she’s worried because two-legs are afraid of the dark.

“I’m a wolf; night doesn’t bother me,” Sophia reminded her firmly. “Now, are you going to tell me what’s so important or not?"

Candice inhaled noisily on the other end and then let it out slowly. 

“Fine, okay,” she said in a tone making it clear the topic would be revisited. “Anywho, it’s not exactly news, but I was doing some reading about your stomach problems and… could you be lactose intolerant by chance?”

Lactose intolerant? Sophia blinked in surprise. As in, having problems with milk?

“I don’t think so…” she replied slowly. “I had no issues with dairy over Christmas. Although that was before the last full moon.” Her brow furrowed as she thought. “But I’ve been having milk with lunch at school. Oh, and I had sour cream when we had tacos last week. I only started having problems this weekend.”

But this all started after those weird stomach aches a few days ago… Sophia reflexively touched her stomach with her free hand. Could I have changed?

“Huh, probably not that, then,” Candice said, sounding disappointed. “I guess most adult mammals are lactose intolerant, including wolves… I checked. People, too, surprisingly. It’s actually kind of interesting…”

“You can tell me more tomorrow, if you want,” Sophia cut her off. “Anything else?”

Great, now my pa- hand is getting cold.

“I really want to hear about the meeting, but I suppose you’re in too big a hurry to get yourself eaten,” Candice grumbled. “You know, one of the benefits of being human is you don’t have to worry about predators or falling and breaking your neck in the middle of the forest because it’s dark out!”

Get myself eaten..? Sophia couldn’t help chuffing. Does she think I’m a deer, or something?

“I’ll be fine,” She assured Candice, stepping away from the house. “Talk to you in the morning.”

“Well, I’ll know where to tell the searchers to look for your body, at least,” Candice said sarcastically and hung up.

Finally. Sophia upturned her nose as she moved to put her phone back in her backpack and pull on her gloves. Now to find Shadow and go hunting!

For someone who acted like he wasn’t impressed, Shadow could not have wiped out those dogs any faster. Sophia bent down to lick up a small piece of hot dog off her bed several hours later. I’m worried about him, though. I wish I could tell him to stop staying so close to town just to be near me. Muscles in her lower back twitched. It’s adorable, but he’s not finding enough to eat.

Despite the relatively chilly air in her room, she had shed all of her clothes as soon as she had entered her room. Her laptop whirred near her pillow, its screen bathed her otherwise dark room in an eerie bluish light, even with the brightness turned to its lowest setting. A heavily shredded plastic package with one last weiner lay to the right of the computer as she sniffed for any scraps she may have missed.

Candice might be onto something with the lactose. Finding nothing, she turned her attention back to her screen, squinting at its relative brightness. In retrospect, I probably should have looked up wolf digestion sooner. A lump appeared in her throat as her anxiety surged. Whoever coined “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” deserves to be eaten.

Trying to focus, she resumed reading an article she had been halfway through comparing the diets of dogs and wolves.

‘Dogs have several genes for digesting starches that wolves do not.’ She stared at the line for a few seconds. Starches… starches… Bread, right? She opened a tab and typed ‘starches’. Oh, ‘just’ wheat, potatoes, rice, and corn. Well, that shouldn’t be too hard; it’s only the majority of two-legged food. No wonder buns and French fries have sucked so much lately.

Her tongue flicked towards her nose as her attention wandered over to the last remaining hot dog. 

I’m fine with being a carnivore, but couldn’t it have come with either a lot of money or after I’m able to do my own hunting?

Placing a hand on the tattered packaging, she pressed down on it while she bent her head towards it. Opening her mouth, she clamped the plastic containing the weiner with her fangs and pulled. The plastic stretched and tore. She repeated the process until she had made a hole large enough for the hot dog to fit through. Gently grabbing hold of the dog with her front teeth, she pulled it out of the package and onto her comforter, where she immediately wolfed down a large chunk of it.

Shadow had better keep himself strong, because he really is hunting for two, now.

She was about to go in for another piece when a chime came from her computer. Looking at the screen, she was surprised to see a chat notification. Unfortunately, it disappeared before she could catch who it was from.

It’s after midnight; who would be messaging me? Forgetting about the hot dog, she shifted back to her laptop and pulled up her chat app. Oh, wow, Candice??? She’s still awake?

She shifted onto her stomach and read:

Candice: Hey, you didn’t get eaten, I take it? 🐺🐻🍖

Sophia let out an amused chuff and moved her hands onto her keyboard. As weird as typing felt right then, she hadn’t lost any of her muscle memory for it.

Sophia: Still alive. Why are you awake?

She had scarcely hit ‘send’ before receiving Candice’s reply:

Candice: 🎉Haven’t been able to 😴. Thinking about you.🫂

Sophia: I’m okay.

Candice: Did you actually go to the 🌲🌳🏔️?

Sophia blinked. Why would she doubt that?

Sophia: Yes. Hung out with Shadow. Got back an hour ago.

Candice: Shadow the 🐺?

Sophia: My mate, yes. You should meet him!

There was a long pause, and Sophia’s attention was starting to drift back to the half-eaten hot dog by the time Candice replied.

Candice: Sophia. I know you think he’s friendly and all but he’s still a wild animal. He could really hurt you. 🙏🥺be careful.

Well, at least the idea is out there, now. Sophia sighed in disappointed frustration. We’ll have to work up to that.

Sophia: I will be. 

Sophia: BTW I think youre right about the lactose. Ive been reading about wolf digestion.

Candice: ⁉️ I thought youve had milk though?🥛

Sophia: I had some weird stomach pains a few days ago and think I changed more.

Candice: Youre changing when its not a full moon???

Sophia: Seems so. 🤷My eye color started changing a week or two before the last one. 

  Not sure how it works.

Candice: I see.

Sophia took a deep breath. She’s really not going to like hearing this.

Sophia: Maybe bread and potatoes too.

Candice: wdym?

Sophia: Wolves cant digest starches well apparently. Ive been having some issues after eating starchy foods even without dairy.

Candice: I thought it was okay if dogs ate that stuff?

Sophia: Dogs have adapated to human foods. Wolves havent.

Candice: I see.

When Candice didn’t add more, Sophia changed topics.

Sophia: The club meeting went well. Girl, why you always gotta be right?

Candice: I’m just that good. 💪😇

Candice: Did they say anything?

Sophia: Just to let them know there’s a problem if it happens again. 

Sophia: Like I can.

Candice: 🫂At least theyre not still mad!

Candice: But see? You don’t need to look for friends 👭in the 🌲🌳⛰️. You can make 🧑‍🤝‍🧑and then go with them to the 🌲! 😆

Sophia: lol

Candice: I’m getting 🥱and have to be at school early tmrw. When do you have another day off?

Sophia: Thursday.

Candice: Im busy Thursday night. 😞

Sophia: I’m also off Friday.

Candice: Cool! You should come to my house and see my winter formal dress! 🏠❄️ 👗

Her house?Isn’t her dad still mad at me? Sophia stiffened in surprise.

Sophia: What about your dad?

Candice: Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of it! 🙂He never stays angry long anyway. 

Candice: (they’re going to be out late) 😏🫢

Sophia: I guess I could.

Candice: 🥳🎉👏

Candice: Can’t wait!

Candice: Now 😴. Night! 🦉♥️♥️♥️

Sophia: Night!

I guess I should try and get some sleep, too. Sophia closed her laptop, momentarily plunging the room into complete darkness before her eyes adjusted. It’s not like there’s anything to hunt, except hot dogs. 

Letting what came naturally to her take over, she bent down to finish off her helpless prey.