Authors: Heather Beck
“I’ve had an
encounter,” Pete’s voice echoed around the church, “and as much as I want to
forget it ever happened, I’ve been left with more than just bad memories.” He
paused to gently touch his bandaged face, but even that seemed too painful as
he quickly drew his hand away. “Five days ago, I was hunting deep in the woods,
near a tributary of the Great Rapids. I’d spotted unusually large animal tracks
leading to the creek, and after following them, I discovered the ice had been
brutally smashed, likely for access to the flowing waters below. Certain that
the animal wouldn’t venture far from his water source, I scoured the area until
I heard the unearthly growl coming from behind me. Before I knew what was
happening, I was pinned to the ground. With my rifle as my only aid, I fought
back and was able to escape with my life, but not before the beast tore his
claws into my face.”
Slowly, Pete began to
unwrap his bandage, and when it was completely removed, there were several
gasps of surprise and disgust. Although Anastasia was too far away to see his
face clearly, she could imagine umpteen stitches in the shape of three claw
marks. As murmurs rose from around the church, Pete held up his hand, as if he
had one last thing to say.
“I was taken by such
surprise that I didn’t have the chance to get a good look, but the one thing
that is forever engraved in my mind are those eyes.”
“If we’re going to keep
our families and ourselves safe, then we need a plan,” Mike spoke up, taking a
stand at the front of the church. “A way to ensure that every inch of Cedar
Falls Woods is searched.”
Several people
applauded Mike, while others began to discuss among themselves what actions
should be taken.
“My brother’s right,”
Leo said, standing up. “We’ve been tracking this problem for a while now, but
we need more help. We can’t just allow these attacks to keep on happening.”
“It’s time we killed
the beast!” Mike cried out passionately, causing an almost unanimous roar of
support from the crowd.
“We need to leave
before this meeting really gets out-of-control,” Frost said, taking hold of
Anastasia’s arm and hurrying her away from the church.
“I want to know what
they’re talking about,” Anastasia protested, struggling to keep up with Frost’s
increasingly fast pace. “What I heard back there wasn’t normal.”
“You shouldn’t have
been listening.”
“Well, I was. So, what
the hell is going on?”
“You know what this
town is like,” Frost said with spite. “They judge what they don’t understand
and then believe it’s their God-given right to do something about it.”
“Are we still talking
about the cougar?” Anastasia asked, after they’d reached the SUV and he’d urged
her to get inside.
“What else would we be
talking about?” Frost answered, driving away quickly. He looked angry and even
a little scared.
“You tell me. Pete was
attacked the day
after
Chloe. You’d already taken care of the cougar by
that point. Do you think he came back?”
“Yeah, that’s what
happened,” Frost replied in an unconvincing tone.
“Frost, I need to know
you’re telling me the truth.”
Likely noting the
expression of concern upon Anastasia’s face, Frost reached for her hand. “You
are
safe, Anastasia. As usual, the town is being paranoid and blowing everything
out of proportion. It would be best if you just forgot this night ever
happened.”
Silence fell over them
as Frost drove Anastasia back to her house. The more she thought about his
words, the more sense they made. Although Cedar Falls definitely had a wildlife
problem, that town meeting had been beyond absurd – almost like something out
of a movie. They truly were paranoid, with Mr. Stone being the only one who
sounded normal. Relaxing a little, Anastasia realized that if she was going to
live in this town, then she’d just have to put up with all the craziness.
* * *
Anastasia’s breath
caught in her throat as Frost ran his fingers over her neck and then up along
her face. He always touched her in a sweet and gentle manner, especially when
they were alone – like right now. Anastasia seemed to have a mesmerizing effect
on Frost, as if nothing else mattered whenever he was with her. He appeared to
be most content while merely looking at Anastasia and holding her in his arms.
Those feelings didn’t go unrequited; she cherished moments like these, and when
they were apart, her heart was heavy and yearned only for him.
At this moment,
Anastasia and Frost were parked outside Cedar Falls High, cuddling in his SUV.
Her suspension had come to an end, and she knew that it was time to face
everyone inside. She took strength in her goal of doing well in her courses,
and it was also a great relief to know that the case against Mr. O’Donoghue was
closed. However, that wouldn’t stop people from talking about her, and now that
her relationship with Frost was no longer a secret, the school would surely be
abuzz with gossip.
“We should probably go
inside,” Anastasia said bravely, albeit reluctantly, while beginning to break
from Frost’s embrace.
“Please don’t go,”
Frost muttered softly into Anastasia’s ear, unwilling to release his grasp. “We
can spare a few more minutes.”
Anastasia didn’t need
to be asked twice as she settled back into Frost’s strong arms and placed her
head upon his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, noting how it rapidly
increased as she slipped her hand under his sweater and then ran her fingers
along his firm, hot chest.
“You’re so warm,” she
commented. “How?”
“It’s what you do to
me,” Frost replied, before kissing her forehead.
Sighing, Anastasia
stared at Frost’s beautiful eyes, while smoothing his soft, unruly hair. She
could see and feel the deep affection he had for her, but every so often, she
suspected that there was something he wasn’t telling her. It didn’t make sense,
especially since he was usually so open with her. Still, sometimes he was just
too
mysterious.
“You still owe me a
first date,” Anastasia pointed out, hoping to finally bring normalcy to their
relationship. She wanted to make Frost feel secure, so he would be completely
honest with her – that is, if he wasn’t already.
“How about this
weekend?” Frost suggested in his huskiest voice, as if attempting to seduce
her. “We can go someplace that’s really nice, maybe out-of-town.”
“As long as I’m with
you, Dale’s Diner would seem like paradise.” Anastasia cringed slightly after
speaking. She wasn’t used to being so affectionate and honest with her
feelings. Luckily, Frost didn’t seem to mind at all.
“I’d prefer to stay
away from Dale’s, at least until someone else body checks a waitress.”
“It wasn’t that bad,”
Anastasia said with a light laugh.
“Even so, I want to
take you to Hartfield,” Frost protested. “There’s this beautiful little
restaurant that overlooks the water. My mother used to work there, and I loved
just sitting on the patio, watching as the sun set.”
“Hartfield,” Anastasia
repeated. “I’ve never heard of that town.”
“It’s on the other side
of Cedar Falls Woods.” Frost then added with a smirk, “Trust me, it’s there.”
“It sounds far away.”
“Distance only matters
if we’re apart.” Slowly, Frost reached for Anastasia’s hand, while looking into
her eyes until she felt herself melting. “I know our relationship has been a
bit unconventional, and that’s what makes it so special. We’re
both
different, Anastasia, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have it all. Our first
date
will
be perfect.”
Anastasia smiled, even
though she didn’t entirely understand what Frost was trying to say. It seemed
like he had something to prove, which was very out-of-character for him. “I
know it will be,” was all she said, before leading him from the SUV.
Holding hands,
Anastasia and Frost walked into the school. As expected, the students were
divided into small groups, whispering as if they had just heard the biggest
secret ever told. However, Anastasia soon realized that hardly anyone was
paying attention to her or Frost. Had the time finally come for the student
body to get over her? She certainly hoped so.
After Frost had walked
her to class and said goodbye, Anastasia was left to face her least favorite
period – chemistry. Somehow, she managed through it, even with Jill giving her
cut-eye for the better part of the time. She just kept reminding herself that
Jill and her little friends were the ones with the problem, not her.
As the morning
progressed, Anastasia began feeling more confident in her decision to return to
Cedar Falls High. She now realized that she had every right to be there, and
surprisingly, a couple of her classmates even seemed to be warming up to her.
Still, when lunchtime arrived, it was nice to be around someone who actually
cared for her.
“Hey, sexy,” Frost
greeted as Anastasia sat at the table he’d saved for them. “I see you made it
through the first half of the day.”
“Did you have any
doubt?” she asked with a pretend pout.
“Never,” Frost replied,
while reaching for Anastasia’s hand. “Damn, you look so beautiful.”
Upon Frost’s simple
touch, a shiver of excitement ran throughout Anastasia’s body. She wanted him
so badly, and she knew that he felt the same. Despite the busy cafeteria, her
focus was solely on Frost, until everything else seemed to blur around him.
“Let’s ditch this place
and eat in my car,” Frost suggested.
“Perv,” she teased.
“That’s not what I’m
after and you know it. I just like being alone with you.”
“You don’t have to
convince me,” Anastasia said with a soft laugh, quickly gathering her backpack
and lunch. She was about to stand up when Marissa slammed her lunch tray on the
table and then sat down.
“I can’t believe Kate,”
Marissa fumed. “She’s spilled like every secret I’ve ever had. How can she be
so heartless?”
Repressing a groan over
their interrupted plans, Anastasia cast Frost a pleading look. He responded
with a small, comforting smile. Although she wanted to spend time with Marissa,
did it really have to be at this very moment?
“Are you really that
surprised by Kate’s behavior?” Frost asked Marissa, blatantly but
compassionately.
“Well, no,” Marissa
admitted after a moment’s pause. “I guess our friendship was purely
superficial.” Sighing, she unwrapped her sandwich and began eating, obviously
unaware of Anastasia and Frost’s desire to be alone. “So, have you visited
Chloe since she was released from the hospital?”
“Of course,” Anastasia
replied, now eating her own lunch. “She’s doing really well, but it’s going to
be a while before she can come back to school.”
Marissa nodded. “Thank
God she’s okay.”
Suddenly, two girls
passed nearby, allowing Anastasia to overhear a disturbing part of their
conversation. “The werewolf of Cedar Falls is back,” one of the girls said in a
shaky voice. “Chloe was attacked during a full moon – what else could it
possibly be? My dad said the exact same thing happened seventeen years ago.”
With wide, frightened
eyes, the other girl nodded. “Have you heard the latest? Someone spotted a
large wolf in the woods last night. If it really was the werewolf, that means
we’re in danger, with or without the full moon.”
“And don’t forget about
what happened to Pete – we don’t need more evidence than that.”
“Are you two for real?”
Anastasia interrupted the girls. She wasn’t usually so rude, but what they were
saying was too absurd to ignore. “Chloe and Pete were attacked by a cougar, not
some mythological creature.”
“You were the one who
was with Chloe on that night,” the girl stated, while looking closely at
Anastasia.
“Yeah, so I should
know,” Anastasia retorted.
Adamantly, the girl
shook her head. “We don’t get cougars here, but we do have wolves. Cedar Falls
is home to a different kind of wolf, though – one that’s bigger, deadlier and
all evil.”
Anastasia couldn’t help
but snort. “Tell Kate this is her most pathetic ploy yet. Does she really think
she can scare me back to Toronto with some fairy tale?”
“Kate doesn’t even talk
to us,” the girl said slowly, casting Anastasia an odd look.
“Did you see the
werewolf?” the other girl pried. “You can tell us the truth – we believe.”
“I was there, too,”
Marissa hurried to speak up. “It happened so fast that I can’t be certain of
what I saw. It was something wild, though, and ferocious. I’ve never been so
scared in my whole life.”
“Seriously?” Anastasia
asked Marissa. “Don’t tell me you believe in werewolves.”
Shrugging, Marissa
looked at the floor. “I don’t know what to think, but a lot of people have been
speculating on what could’ve attacked Chloe and Pete, and their conclusions are
all the same. I don’t want to dwell on it, though – too many bad memories.”
“You should have told
me what people were saying,” Anastasia said to Marissa in an annoyed tone.
Marissa looked
sheepish. “Sorry, Anastasia. I didn’t want to upset you, and I guess I was kind
of preoccupied with my own problems.”
“Tell everyone the
truth, Frost,” Anastasia said, turning to face him. She was surprised to find
him looking nervous and even somewhat pale. “Frost, are you feeling alright?”
“What?” Frost asked,
seemingly snapping out of his thoughts. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” He then directed
his attention toward the two girls who were still standing near their table. “I
saw the animal that attacked Chloe, and it
was
a cougar – there’s
absolutely no doubt about that.”
“I’m not going anywhere
near those woods for a very long time,” one of the girls said, looking
unconvinced by Frost’s explanation.
“Me either,” her friend
nodded in agreement.
Without saying another
word, the two girls walked away, leaving behind an unsettling atmosphere and
many unanswered questions. However, Anastasia was more concerned about Frost.
He seemed to be lost in his thoughts yet again, and he was clearly worrying
about something.
“What’s wrong?”
Anastasia asked him gently.
“Nothing,” Frost
responded abruptly, while turning an undue amount of attention toward finishing
his lunch.
Narrowing her eyes,
Anastasia studied him. It was evident that he was hiding something, but what
could it be? She knew that Frost loved Cedar Falls Woods, so maybe he was
concerned that it would be negatively impacted by all this werewolf rigmarole.
Yet, if that was the case, why couldn’t he be honest? This was a prime example
of how Frost’s behavior sometimes didn’t make sense, at least to Anastasia.
“I know you guys don’t
believe in werewolves,” Marissa said, breaking the silence, “but please be
careful anyway. You just never know.”
Despite her very best
efforts to stay rational, Anastasia shivered slightly. She now listened to her
classmate’s whisperings, discovering that it revolved around the attacks on
Chloe and Pete and especially the werewolf. It seemed like everyone had a theory,
supported by some freaky evidence that they vowed to be true.
Memories from
Anastasia’s first night in Cedar Falls suddenly circulated in her mind. She
could’ve sworn that she’d seen a shadowy figure in her backyard, and whatever
it was had caused her frightening, life-like nightmare about a wolf. Knowing
that she was being foolish and that these thoughts were solely driven by
paranoia, Anastasia forced herself to be realistic. Nevertheless, she couldn’t
quite shake the eerie feeling which had quickly engulfed her.
That night, Anastasia
waited by her window like she always did. She was cozy in dark plaid flannel
pajamas and fuzzy black socks; it was a winter-appropriate bedtime outfit which
her grandmother insisted she wear after finding Anastasia’s skimpy nightie in
the laundry room. Surprisingly, Frost found her just as attractive in these
pajamas, causing Anastasia to happily adapt to the ensemble. Now, as she sat
comfortably in the rocking chair, which had been placed by the window, and
peered outside, she realized that the only thing that could make the night
better was Frost’s presence.
Glancing at the clock,
Anastasia read 11:55 p.m. Frost was never late, and she wondered if he would
show up at all. She checked her cell phone for what seemed like the hundredth
time, but there was still no message from Frost. She had already called him
twice, only to receive his voicemail. Where the hell was he?
Suddenly, the sound of
footsteps came from upstairs, startling Anastasia in the process. She tensed
slightly, while wondering what was going on. Her grandparents were always
asleep by 11 p.m. and didn’t rise until 7 a.m. This routine, which seemed to be
set in stone, was the very reason why Anastasia and Frost’s evening encounters
had never been discovered.