My key 44

Posted by AdmiHNADMIN, ? Views, Released on May 9, 2025

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Chapter 44: Lone Wolf

School is out for the next three days for investigation into the damage in the halls. Though,

there was more than just dented lockers and broken tiles. After Alex rode home with me, he

disappeared into the woods near the house, returning to school to take the camera footage. He entered the school area from a different angle, so he was able to find Officer Giles, unconscious and bleeding from the head. Thankfully, police found him since Alex moved him to an easy–to–see spot near the parking lot after putting in a call. Because an officer had been attacked, the cooling anxiety around wolf attacks turned into a frenzy about violent thieves. The principal figured it would be best to let police handle some things while teachers sent us homework online. Even so, there’s a small light in this situation. Alex is texting me again. We might say a word or two to each other before going quiet. Still, he’s not ignoring or being mean to me, so I’m happy he’s able to do that. I understand now why he’s changed so much. If I had a sibling I loved, only to find out they were nearly murdered

while I was performing… I’d be an entire mess. He’s had to hold it together for a month now, and he couldn’t really talk about it with anyone else. After all, he and his brother, and

presumably other members of his family, are werewolves. The knowledge that there’s werewolves, though… Maybe it was the adrenaline that had me handle that information surprisingly well at the time. But now that I’ve had the time to think about it, I’m kind of freaking out just a little. And, as inappropriate as it is, I have so many questions. Like, how did his clothes not rip when he transformed despite body changes? Does he get bitten by fleas, or do mosquitos become were–mosquitos if they drink their blood? Do bites really transform humans into werewolves? …By in large, these questions aren’t important right now. Instead, I just check up on Alex. “u eat today?” “y” “what’d u eat?” “chkn rice” “cool.” Sometimes that’s all I can get out of him. But he’s responding.

We

finally return to school after light repairs, though there’s a temporary warning sign for the cracked floor. That spot becomes quite a spectacle, with a bunch of kid crowding and snapping pictures of it. I do my best to ignore them as I slip into drama club to give Mrs. Taylor her backup keys back. Hailey catches me on my way out, running up and hugging me. “Oh my God, I’m so glad you were at home!” “Huh?” “During the attack! Did you see that huge ass dent in the floor? They had to have used a hammer or something!” “Oh, rrright. Yeah. I didn’t even think about that.” She then stares at me for a moment.

((

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Hmm?” “Nothing. It’s just, this is the most you’ve talked without being,” she waves her hand around to the side, “in a while.” Ahh, right. I’ve been really prickly recently. But she’s stuck by me through it, so I can’t help but blush. “Oh. Yeah, right. I’m okay.” I smile to reassure her. She smiles back, though it’s strangely tight. “You wouldn’t happen to be hittin‘ up your asshole ex–boyfriend, hmm?” “Oh, wow, look at the time. We’ve got to… Classesss.” I slip out of her arms and scurry off, though she yells something about treating myself better. I can’t blame her, though. She doesn’t know what he’s been dealing with, and I had thought he was an asshole, too. I’ll have to tell her it’s different later. Though, it’s not the same as before either. Alex, though no longer cold, isn’t exactly forthcoming.

When I see him on my way to class near the end of the school day, he’s, of course, walking with Rita. They’re nearing the bathrooms, so I hurry over before he goes in. “Alexss.” He

stops, paying attention to me. His gaze holds an exhaustion that echoes to my soul, but

there’s a light in there, unlike when he first came back. I don’t go to hug him just yet, standing in front of him. “Uhm… Will you be busss–busy today? I would like to talk with you.” “Ah.” He glances off to the side before rubbing at the back of his head. “I’m a little…

not up to it right now. I’ve just got a lotta things to think over.” “Oh. Yeah, I underrrstand. Maybe…laterrr?” He manages to crack a little smile. “Yeah, sure Cynthia.” I watch as he heads into the boy’s restroom, sighing a little under my breath. It really hurts to see him like this, a shell of his former self. But it’ll be a long while before he recovers in any meaningful way, and his situation is still active. It’s best to be patient with him. But for some reason, the smile he gave me didn’t seem…right. Like it wasn’t genuine. I would’ve felt reassured if there wasn’t a feeling nagging in my chest that something’s wrong. I clench my teeth a little, anxious, then remember that Rita’s still here. When I glance over to her, she’s leaning against the wall, finding apt interest in her nails. She seems to sense that I’m looking at her, glancing up. For a brief moment, I feel like I see a slight spark of silver in her eyes. Maybe that’s a werewolf thing… “Uhm…hi.” She looks me up and down before nodding her head in return. At least she’s not mean. Maybe she’ll be okay to talk to? I step closer, which leads her eyebrows to scrunch a bit. …Maybe not, then. But it’s worth a shot. “I, ah, hearrrd about what happened to Alexss‘ brother. Uhm. And why he…disss- disappeared. Is it okay to…say why he’sss back with you?” Rita huffs. “Not really your business, sorry.” “I, ah…” I mean, maybe it’s not. But I don’t want to leave him alone. “I know it’s touchy. But he’sss important to me. So…I would. Like to help.” “Important, huh.”

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She chuckles, crossing her arms. Right… She was present when Alex said we didn’t have to fake our relationship anymore. Sure, she was standing further away, but maybe werewolves have better hearing than humans, even in human form. Maybe she’s even had trouble with other girls asking about him, too. Even so, I don’t want to give up here. “Yesss. Important.” I swallow thickly. “Important enough to sssave me after brrreaking into school. I already know what he and you arrre.” Her eyes widen just slightly, brows loosening. “And, he told me that he’sss back to keep him away. I wasss wondering who you arrre in all of this.” This time, when she looks me over, there’s a more calculating gleam in her eyes, like she’s sizing me up in a different way. Her arms don’t uncross…but she does click her tongue. “…He never told me you were there.” “You werrren’t?” Her face twists with a slight scowl, licking her teeth under her lips. “He’s been slippery lately. I only got there by the time he found the cop. He was never this slick before.” She gives me a side- eye. “He’s told you about what happened with his brother? What’s his name?”

“Michael. And, uhm, we met beforrre he…you all, uhm, got attacked.”

“…Huh. He really did tell you.” She must realize it since I know she was also attacked. Rita grumbles, but she also uncrosses her arms, stuffing her hands into her jean pockets. “He must trust you a ton, then.” Considering how serious this conversation is, I do my best not to let the butterflies in my stomach get to my head. Instead, I lean in closer, making sure no one else was in the hall and listening. “He said he’sss back to be, uhm, out of the way?” “Basically,” she admits. “He’s…too close to the incident. It’s hurting him to watch him. So, we had to get him back here. But he doesn’t see it as a good thing.” “Ohh…” “Probably thinks we’re just ignoring him or something…” But then she trails off. After a moment, she turns her head toward the boy’s restroom. I look over, too. “…You know of any guy to piss that long?” “Uhm. No?” She sits up from the wall, leading me to lean back, and she…starts walking right into the boy’s restroom! “Ah–w–wait! Uhh-“I look around quickly. There’s still no one in the halls. Even so, just waltzing right into the restroom like that! But… Is Alex okay? Should I walk in, too?!