Free When Will I See You Again by Julie Lynn Hayes

animal. Man and beast rolled in the shadows, a mass of snarls.

Alexx drew as close as he dared, trying to see what was happening in the pitch black shadows of the trees. Both bodies appeared to be in motion, from what he could see. He had no way to determine who held the upper hand. He heard what sounded like the crunch of bone, followed by a strangled guttural utterance.
    Then the yelp of the wolf.
    The two figures separated, both panting heavily. The man stepped into a patch of light, clutching his hand to his chest. He saw no evidence of the knife in that hand. The wolf’s eyes glittered. Alexx shivered at the sight. His lips were drawn back, teeth in full evidence as he snarled.
    The three figures formed an eerie tableau.
    “Call off your dog! If he gave me rabies, I’ll fucking sue you!”
    The man’s words sounded incongruous given the circumstances.
    Alexx didn’t bother to inform him that was no dog, or correct his misapprehension as to the animal’s ownership.
    “Why don’t you just get out of here and leave us alone?”
    The man took a step toward Alexx. “Because I need to—” A warning growl from the wolf stopped him in mid-step. “Fuck!”
    The wolf moved toward him. The man suddenly dropped to his knees. At first Alexx thought he was praying. But then he realized he must be feeling about for the knife. If he found it… Well, he didn’t want to think about that.
    The wolf’s steps were swift. He took up a position between Alexx and the man, facing the latter. He made no move to touch him. His tail twitched back and forth, his muscles poised as if prepared to spring. Alexx felt heartened at his presence.
    “Can’t you just go away?” Alexx tried reason again. “Leave us alone and we’ll forget this ever happened.”
    “Not likely,” the man muttered. He threw apprehensive glances

at the wolf. One hand was drawn up against his chest, making it difficult to search the ground with the other.
    Alexx spotted the knife. It glittered against the dark forest floor. Acting on impulse, he started to dive for it, just a moment too late. The man reached for it with his bad hand. He raised it triumphantly in the air, making a slicing motion in Alexx’s direction. Alexx flinched, expecting to be cut, but the blow never came as a dark shape intruded itself between him and the blade.
    Alexx realized that the wolf had intercepted the knife blow.
    “Noooooooooooo!” Alexx screamed. Without thinking, he reached for the wolf, tried to pull him to safety. The animal stood its ground, refusing to be budged.
    “Oh fucking Jesus Christ.”
    The man’s voice had changed. For the first time Alexx thought he heard a note of fear. He surmised it was the sudden realization of what—or who—he was actually facing.
    “Oh fuck, fuck, fuck. No, no, not worth it.” He started to back away. “Keep him away from me.” He was obviously trying to sound menacing, but he was not succeeding in any way, his tone too laced with fear to be effective.
    Alexx held his arm around the wolf’s body, felt his heaving breaths, the warmth of his fur.
    “Go away!” he yelled at the man. He tightened his grip around the wolf, praying he wouldn’t try to follow. “Please stay,” he whispered. “Don’t go after him. He’s not worth it.”
    The wolf turned his head. His topaz eyes glittered brightly in the moonlight, filled with comprehension.
    With a last foul exclamation, the man turned and began to run in the opposite direction, presumably back the way they’d come, still clutching his arm. He didn’t look back, crashing through the

undergrowth, the noise quickly dying away as silence reigned once more.
    Alexx leaned his head against the side of the wolf. He tried to still his own trembling, but now that it was over—at least he prayed it was—the adrenaline ebbed from his system, and he couldn’t stop shaking.
    His fingers soothed and caressed the wolf’s fur, trying to focus on something, anything other than what