Never Cry Werewolf (19 page)

As I rounded a bend in the trail, I heard movement behind me. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw Austin bounding through the trees. A dark blur, he was gaining on me.

“Ahhhhhh!”
I screamed as he caught up.

But then he rocketed past me. With a growl that about curled my wavy hair, he dove into the tall bushes in front of me. The screech sounded again. The bush shook, crashing sounds and growling rumbling out of it.

A second later, Austin tumbled out of the bush with another four-legged creature. I couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t look like another wolf. I dropped to the ground, totally freaked.

The other creature let out a screech. A screech I recognized as the sound from the hill when we’d first separated.
Austin hadn’t been following me—he’d been stalking that thing—which had been
stalking me!

With a snarl, Austin went for his opponent’s throat. It was a large cat—maybe a cougar.

Whatever the heck it was, it was vicious. It swiped at Austin with its huge paws, making contact with Austin’s shoulder.

Austin yelped and jumped backward. Then, teeth gnashing, he lunged at the cat. This time he had the cat by the neck and he swung it around. The cat’s cry made my teeth hurt, like nails on a chalkboard.

The thing clawed at Austin’s neck, hitting the shoulder wound again, but Austin kept fighting. He snapped at the cat, his jaws foaming. The cat reared back and then, with one last screech, jetted off into the bushes.

Austin wobbled upright for a moment, then slumped to the ground.

“No!” I screamed, rushing toward him. He couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t be. But Austin wasn’t moving.

Shaking because I didn’t know what he might do while still in his wolf form, I knelt down a few
Page 75

ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers
ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html

yards from Austin. Bathed in a pool of moonlight, he was still breathing, his chest rising and falling in an irregular pattern. The gash on his shoulder looked deep, though—dark beads of blood welled beside it.

The forest seemed to close in around us—acres and acres of trees and bushes and God knows what else was out there hiding. Maybe the cat would come back to finish off both of us. He probably had a bunch of hungry friends, too. And all Austin had to fend away more attackers was me. Tears of frustration rolled down my cheeks. I forced myself to move closer to the wolf.

I could see he was bleeding like crazy—and I was scared to reach out and touch him. I was scared of the wolf. And I was scared because he was going to bleed to death and then I really would never see Austin again.

The wolf whimpered as his furry body shook with some kind of convulsion. My heart lurched in my chest. If I didn’t do anything, then he really might die.
Come on, Shelby—suck it up, be brave,
I told myself.
Be brave when it counts.

I didn’t know anything about wolves, but I did know from basic first aid I had to stop the bleeding from his shoulder wound. I knelt beside him and bit the hem of my baby T, tearing the bottom of the shirt off into a long strip. With trembling hands I reached out with the fabric, knowing I had to touch him. I had to trust him—and myself.

His wolf ears pricked up like he knew I was there, but he didn’t move his head.

I pressed the material to his bloody shoulder.

Snap!
His head jerked toward me. I felt a stinging on my forearm. He’d grazed me with his teeth.

“It’s me, Austin,” I said, pulling back to rub the spot on my arm. It smarted, but it wasn’t bleeding.

“It’s okay. I’m going to help you.” I wadded the T-shirt material in my hand again and held it to the wound.

This time, Austin’s wolf body seemed to relax. He made another whimpering noise, like the pressure hurt, but I didn’t move my hand. I had to stop the bleeding. I just hoped that would be enough.

ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers
ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html

S
helby?”

I opened my eyes. The sky above was faint gold with sunrise. For a moment, I didn’t know where I was.

The voice came again. “Shelby? Are you all right?”

I jolted into a sitting position. Austin sat beside me, my red sweatshirt zipped around his middle.

He was bare-chested, his left shoulder wrapped with a dirty dressing.

“I was hoping it was all a bad dream,” I said, sliding my arms around my bare legs for warmth.

The morning was cool, and my ripped T and shorts felt damp from the grass beneath me. But more than that, I was sitting next to a nearly naked guy. A guy who’d been a wolf a few hours ago. Confused and embarrassed were only the basics of what I felt.

“Sorry about your jumper. I needed something to, ah, cover myself,” Austin said in a weak voice.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, realizing he meant my sweatshirt. I stopped rubbing at my skin to warm myself and focused on tending Austin. I kept my eyes trained on his face and shoulder. He’d lost a lot of blood. This morning he had a pale look about him. His eyes, last night as bright as topaz, today appeared dull and dark.

“How do you feel?”

“My shoulder hurts like the blazes.” He smiled, barely hiding a wince as he touched the wound.

“The fight last night? Big scary cat?”

He rubbed his head like it hurt. “Yes. I remember. All I could think was that he was going to hurt you. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“And you didn’t.”

He smiled weakly. “No, I didn’t.”

“I should have trusted you,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“I had to earn your trust.” He shrugged, wincing from the movement. “And frankly, most girls would have run away from me after what I told you.”

I nodded and reached toward his dressing. We didn’t have any time to waste. Austin grimaced as I pulled the cloth away from the wound. Ugh. It didn’t look good.

“We need to get you some real medical help,” I said, tying the makeshift bandage back in place.

“I feel fine,” Austin insisted as he rose to his feet. He swayed a little, then reached out to steady himself against me. I caught him around the waist, not letting him fall. He was in much worse shape than I’

d first thought.

Austin shrugged me off and tried to stand on his own again, this time successfully. “I have to get to town.”

“No, we’re going to camp,” I said.

Austin nodded, and I saw a look of pain cross his face. “Shelby, I don’t know about this. What if I change at camp?”

“Austin, you’re really hurt. You need a doctor.”

“But what if I—”

“Stop! I’m not going to let you die. You’re bleeding badly. This is serious.”

He nodded weakly. “I’m afraid,” he said.

“I know, but we have to take our chances if it means you live. I’m not going to lose you. Not after…all this.” I bit back a tear and focused on holding Austin steady.

“We can’t,” Austin said. “I can’t let you—”

“You still think camp is this way?” I asked, pointing.

Austin nodded. “But what about Red Canyon?”

I helped Austin to his feet. “Don’t worry about that.”

He wrapped his right arm around me and we started walking in the direction of camp.

ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers
ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html

Sometime later, when I saw the fence, I almost keeled over with joy. But Austin and I were shuffling along at a steady pace, and keeling over with joy was pretty much out of the question. Painstakingly, we moved along through the thick brush that bordered the fence.

At last, like an answered prayer, we came to the gate. After I screamed into the intercom for help, the electric fence rattled open. Like some kind of desert wanderers, Austin and I staggered into camp.

Seconds later, Mr. Winters zoomed toward us in a golf cart. “Shelby! Are you all right? Oh, dear.

Austin, what’s happened? Where are your clothes?” He stomped on the brakes and nearly fell out, scrambling toward us.

“Take us to the infirmary,” I said as I helped Austin into the passenger seat and then climbed into the back of the cart.

Mr. Winters hit the gas pedal and we whizzed off. We screeched to a stop in front of the infirmary. Austin moaned, holding his shoulder, and I hopped out of the backseat so I could help him out of the vehicle.

“Listen, Mr. Winters,” I said, feeling that the explaining needed to happen right away. “We didn’t mean to run—”

“Later,” he said. “Let’s take care of you kids first and then we’ll talk.”

“That’s my camper! Oh, Austin!” Sven came running over, looking ready to hug Austin to death.

“Sven, go get some clean clothes for Austin,” Mr. Winters said.

Sven ran off, and Mr. Winters and I each took one of Austin’s arms and helped him up the steps of the infirmary.

The nurse, an older blond lady still rubbing sleep out of her eyes, opened the door. Her jaw dropped. “What the heck happened?” she said, taking in his condition.

“He lost his clothes in a cougar attack,” I said, realizing I could tell the truth, partway at least. “He was protecting me.”

Austin rolled his head toward me, a weak smile on his pale face.

“Come on, son,” Mr. Winters said.

We got him into bed. Under the blankets, Austin started to shiver violently.

The nurse carefully peeled back the T-shirt fabric. “Wow. That doesn’t look good.” She unlocked her medicine cabinet and rummaged through it, coming up with something she injected into his arm.

“Is he going to be all right?”

“Honey, let me do my job.” The nurse slipped a thermometer into Austin’s mouth.

Mr. Winters caught my arm. “You need to get that looked at, Shelby.”

“Huh?” I glanced down at a scratch on my arm. It was one of probably a hundred on my body from trekking through the woods. “It’s from the hike.”

“It could use some ointment and a bandage. Sit down.” Mr. Winters pointed me to the chairs near the nurse’s desk.

I kept my eyes on Austin as the nurse tended him. He’d gone very pale and his forehead was beaded with sweat. It didn’t look like he was going to be out of the infirmary by tonight. What would the wolf do, injured and scared and locked in a room with the nurse?

Mr. Winters took a seat next to me and said, “I know you’re worried about him.” He sighed and scratched at his thinning hair. “You liked him well enough to run away with him into the woods,” Mr.

Winters said.

“No—that’s not why we went over the fence. Charles was harassing Austin and threatening to have his dad print stuff in the tabloids.”

Mr. Winters held up a hand. “Shelby, we’re aware of that. After everyone noticed you two were missing, Charles slipped a message to a food delivery truck driver, promising him a reward if he’d make some calls for him. Apparently, the little turd—ahem, I mean, Charles—was trying to buy his way out of camp with tabloid headlines.”

I resisted the urge to say duh. “See!”

“All famous families have to deal with the press.”

ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers
ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html

“You don’t understand! Charles could have ruined Austin’s family.”

“Charles won’t be causing any more trouble,” said Mr. Winters. “We sent him home this morning.

But whatever he had threatened, it still doesn’t excuse your running off.”

“No, but Austin’s different. The Bridges family is different!” Geez. How could I explain it, without explaining it? I couldn’t.

He put an arm around my shoulders. “Your heart was in the right place, but you have to help yourself before you can help other people, remember? You have to take care of you.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing back all the frustration welling inside me. “I’m going to be sent to Red Canyon, right?”

“We don’t know that for sure. We’ll have to discuss it with your parents.”

Even though I knew it was coming, I still shuddered at the thought. I didn’t want to spend the next two months in a desert hell. If I wasn’t cut out for wimpy Camp Crescent’s rules, how would I do at a place where there were more rules, military drills, and even solitary confinement?

And Austin needed me here. Even if he was going to be okay, he still didn’t have his serum for next time, and for sure they’d be keeping a closer eye on him, thinking he was definitely a runner now.

He had two more full moons to make it through during the camp session. But more important, what was going to happen when the moonlight streamed through the infirmary windows tonight?

Austin was still in deep trouble. And it was my fault.

If I hadn’t been with him in the woods, he’d never have had that run-in with the cougar—he’d have made it to civilization and called the chemist. If I hadn’t been there he’d have been home free. My hands clenched at my sides. It was my doing. My bad choice. My decision to go over the fence had brought us to this awful spot. To these consequences. I’d totally screwed up, and Austin would be paying the price.

Tonight he’d become the wolf. Tonight the world would learn the truth about the Bridges family.

I swallowed against the tight feeling in my throat. There had to be something I could do. Before I was bussed off into the Utah wastelands, I had to think of something, anything to get me closer to Austin’

s serum.
Which was in Mr. Winters’s office. Bing. Lightbulb.

“Um, can I call home?” I said, playing sad. “To tell them what happened. You know, to make sure they know I’m okay.”

A smile brightened Mr. Winters’s chubby face. “Of course! I’ll walk you over there.” The guy seemed to take it as some kind of a therapy victory or something. He jumped right off the chair and hurried over to his office with me.

As he unlocked the door, I said, “I’m gonna need some privacy. I’ve got a lot to tell my dad.”

He paused. “I’ll be in the hallway, then. If you need me, just holler.”

Great. Well, maybe that wouldn’t be far enough away for me to try to locate Austin’s serum in peace, but I nodded anyway, figuring at least I’d be in his unlocked office. He dialed the phone and then handed it to me.