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2. The wolf on the road

ALICE

The memory of that dream permeated my day relentlessly. The more I tried to forget it, the more the warm memories filled my thoughts, and at the worst possible times, like when my car was at a standstill on the highway. The heavy rain continued to beat down on the windows, making the windshield wipers struggle to keep the glass clear of the droplets falling on it.

Honestly, after a deplorable day at the accounting office I worked for, all I wanted to do was get home, take a shower, and end my day in peace, but the huge wolf lying wounded and practically dead in front of me was a clear sign from fate that this day was far from over. I'd always been a particularly fearful girl: heights, fire, and animals specifically. None of that shit was for me.

I stared at the rearview mirror for a long time, but going back to the office wouldn't work as the road would be flooded by now.

With the car stopped in the middle of the storm, I thought of several things I could do;

  1. Abandon the poor animal and let it die

  2. Wait for the rain to pass and make a safe U-turn along Dancor Avenue, ignoring the fact that I had found it

or

  1. Get out of the car, overcoming my fears, and saving the poor creature.

I sighed heavily and stared at the steering wheel for a long time before deciding to get out and pick it up. As soon as I realized the wolf was too giant to be an ordinary animal, I tried to avoid looking too closely at it.

"What in the hell are you doing here, buddy?" I asked, not expecting him to answer me.

With my clothes clinging to my body, I had nowhere to dry my hands before wiping my face to clear my vision. Its gray fur was stained red with blood, which made it clump together in places and turned the surrounding puddle red, too. Because I was a little afraid of its reaction, I approached slowly, trying not to startle it further. What if it bit me? Injured animals tended to react aggressively.

I reached out to touch its muzzle, trembling from both my fear and the cold. I quickly realized its breath was weak, almost imperceptible. I glanced at my car and considered leaving. Then I looked around, searching for his pack among the trees lining the road. Wolves usually traveled in packs, but this one seemed to be solitary.

"You can't leave him here," my subconscious yelled, loud and clear. I sighed in frustration. His pack had abandoned him, and I certainly couldn't do the same. Something within me refused to leave him to suffer his fate alone.

I leaned in to examine him more closely, wanting to be sure that he was still alive. Our proximity invaded my nostrils with the scent of earth and blood. When my face was mere inches from his, he opened his eyes. His blue eyes had a dull shine, and I could have almost sworn that he smiled upon seeing me.

A shiver ran down my spine as his eyes locked with mine. I was instantly captivated—hypnotized. My mind raced as I questioned the logic behind what I was about to do, but my grandmother's words about aiding those in need echoed in my mind. Although she meant people, the wounded wolf before me certainly fell into that category at that moment. There wasn't much time for me to ponder my decision.

"Okay, buddy, I'll help you," I murmured, trying to convey reassurance through my trembling voice. As I slid my hands beneath the wolf's body, I could feel his wet fur and residual warmth despite the intense cold around us. The wolf seemed to trust me, which surprised me. He emitted a soft whimper but otherwise didn't react to my touch.

With a lot of effort, I managed to lift him from the ground, supporting him in my arms. Feeling the weight of his sturdy body against my chest made me sway backward. "You're heavy, aren't you?" I panted, exerting all my strength to avoid dropping him.

He was large enough to obscure my vision. His drenched fur weighed a ton, and the journey to the car felt like an eternity. The strain his weight caused on my arms and legs made me stagger to my car before struggling to maintain my balance as I attempted to open the passenger door with my foot. I carefully placed him in the back seat, hoping he wouldn't mess up the newly replaced upholstery too much. He may still be covered in mud and blood, but at least he seemed to breathe better now that he was warming up.

"You'll be okay," I whispered, caressing his head. He closed his eyes and sighed, seeming to relax under the touch of my hand on his head. ‘Thank you,’ someone murmured, but I looked around and saw nothing.

I stared at the wolf as if he could understand my words. But it wasn't him talking to me. No, he couldn't, that would be crazy.

Someone had spoken. I was sure of it. It was his voice... His? One of the men from my dream? It wasn't possible.

The rain intensified, pouring down harder, reminding me it was cold and it would only worsen if I didn't hurry to get help. I wrapped his body in a blanket I kept in the car for emergencies.

"Hang in there. I'll take you to the doctor," I told him, knowing that my words were more to calm my mind than to reassure him. His groan of agony pained my heart. I hurried around the car, got into the driver's seat, and drove toward my friend, Matt's, veterinary clinic.

During the journey, he remained motionless, breathing weakly but steadily, giving me hope. His blue eyes continued to watch me, conveying a strange sense of gratitude. I stared into the rearview mirror, feeling my chest tighten with every pain-filled whimper. He was so debilitated that it seemed impossible for him to survive, but something in those blue eyes made me refuse to give up on him.

"Please, survive," I murmured, looking at him again in the rearview mirror as I pressed harder on the accelerator. I felt connected to him in a way I never imagined I could be to another living creature, especially a wild animal.

Despite the storm and drenched roads, I arrived at the clinic safely. I hurried out of the driver’s seat, going straight to the back seat to force myself to carry the wolf inside. The people in the clinic looked surprised at the scene I presented them with— a drenched woman holding a wounded wolf in her arms. Matt appeared at the door shortly after I entered. Even though his face showed his shock, he didn't question me. He just grabbed a stretcher and helped me place the heavy wolf on it.

“Do you know what happened to him?” Matt asked as he examined the wolf.

“I found him by the side of the road,” I responded, crossing my arms over my chest as my body trembled a bit from the cold and apprehension. “He's very injured. He needs help, please, Matt.”

“You put me in quite the situation, Alice. I've never cared for a wild one!” He replied, rubbing his temples without looking at me. Matt pondered for a while before turning to me. Ever since we learned to talk, Matt has been my best friend. We were always saving each other's skin.

“Please, Matt. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't really necessary.”

I looked at him with the sweetest eyes I could manage. Matt sighed and grabbed the stretcher.

“I'll take him for surgery, but I'll need more than that afterward,” he warned.

I nodded, feeling guilty for not having more information to provide. He shook his head, somewhat incredulously, as he turned to the assistant, who continued to examine the wolf. “Room 2. We have surgery,” he said, taking my wolf inside.

I instinctively took steps toward them. I wanted to go. Something in my body screamed not to leave him alone, but Matt's assistant stopped me before I walked through the door, asking me to wait in the reception area. I stood there reluctantly with my heart in my throat, anxious for the recovery of a wild animal I had just saved.

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