Trust: A Twisted Wolf Tale by Rene Folsom Read Free Book Online Page A

bread and cheese wrong.
    “What was that?” She turned to face me, holding a can of soda in her hand, skillfully using the tip of her index finger’s claw to pop it open.
    “I’m just saying,” I continued, despite my better judgment. In for a penny… “You should announce when you’re coming, because otherwise, I don’t notice. You’re so damn quiet. It’s like living with a ninja.”
    “Are you seriously comparing me to a ninja?” She gave me an incredulous look.
    “Maybe.” I gave her a slight grin. “That bother you?”
    She snorted, a very unladylike gesture. Although, what little I’d learned about her was the epitome of unladylike.
    “Please,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “I’d annihilate a ninja.”
    Arrogant, I thought. Another thing to add to my small list of facts I knew about her.
    Maybe I could get more out of her while she seemed to be in a halfway decent mood…
    “Oh yeah?” I pressed, leaning forward on the table. “And how exactly would you take down a ninja?”
    She scoffed. “With these, of course.” She lifted her hand, splaying her claws for me to see.
    Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t lean back a bit at the sight of her built-in knives.
    “What if he got behind you? Got to you before you could even lift your arms?”
    “I’d smell him before he even got close,” she replied, tapping her nose.
    “Your sense of smell is that good?” I asked, not that surprised. I’d suspected she had keener senses than the average person. The way she hunted my father and me down that night seemed very animal-like.
    She nodded. “I was able to smell you making a sandwich from upstairs,” she said, grinning as if proving her point.
    I made a mental note not to fart anywhere near her.
    “Do you have any other superhero powers I should know about?” I asked, unsure where my boldness was coming from. It felt so good to have some sort of conversation with someone, so pressing my luck seemed like the only logical thing to do at that moment.
    “I’m no superhero,” she said, her voice a low, almost inaudible growl.
    Glancing in her direction, I noticed her stance was slack, slumped almost, as if defeated to her core. What was meant to be a compliment was obviously a vulnerability she hid fairly well. I stared at her, curiosity getting the better of me, and thought about inquiring further.
    Before I could poke the bear, she spoke again, her spine straightening as her voice filled the space around me. “I’m like a wolf—a hybrid of sorts. It’s the nature of the beast to have a heightened sense of smell, hearing, and strength. But I am by no means a being with superpowers. That’s nothing but comic book fantasies.”
    She never looked at me as she spoke, her gaze intently staring at a lone claw digging into the surface of the table where we sat, the rose being the only thing separating us. I casually wondered where she managed to get fresh roses out in the middle of nowhere. The beautiful sadness filling her features was contradictory to her words, and I suddenly had the urge to see if I could put a smile on her face.
    “My spidey senses tell me there’s more to that story,” I blurted out before swallowing a gulp of water, mentally slapping my forehead at how brazen I was becoming.
    “There’s nothing to tell, so just drop it.” Even though her voice was demanding, she didn’t seem pissed. I thought for sure she’d bite my head off, literally, for poking my nose where it didn’t belong. Hell, it wouldn’t have been the first time.
    Deciding to change the subject, I got up from the chair to clean my plate and said, “I’m almost finished with the story.  Just one more chapter to go.”
    She didn’t respond, the noise of running water as I washed my dish being the only sound around us. Shutting off the faucet, I allowed the silence to envelop me before slowly turning to face her. There she sat, her eyes still fixated on the table, where she continued to