WEREWOLVES NO.2 || untamed ??

"i-i... um..." Rhi didn't know why she was fumbling for words. she already knew who this girl was. "what are you doing here? how did you even find out where i live??"

Loch didn't answer right away. she got up from her perch by the steps that led to the front door, then slowly walked over to Rhi across the driveway. "well hello again, Rhi. good to see you again. yes, i know you have lots of questions right now, but maybe if we go inside and talk, i can answer them."

Rhi narrowed her eyes. she remembered when she had run away from Loch, back when she was at the ranch house with her aunt and uncle, after what the red haired girl had told her about Malice.

she knew that bastard.

there was no way in hell that she would allow yet another werewolf into her house.

"go away. you're not welcome here," Rhi snarled. she backed away from Loch as she got closer. "i don't want you inside my house, not if you're associated with him. and i'm beyond creeped out that you even found out where i live, and when i'd be back home."

Loch's smile faltered, and then she sighed. "i had a feeling you would act like this. if we can just get talk it all out inside, you'll feel much better about this situation. i promise."

Rhi's lip continued to curl, and she tightly folded her arms across her chest. "i still don't trust you. anyone associated with Malice is an instant threat to me and my wellbeing."

"ok, listen. you've gotta drop that Malice topic right now, because i'm not actually in kahoots with him. i was going to tell you that i know of him, NOT the other way around, but you ran away from my cave before i could even explain it to you." she stared Rhi in the eye. "you've got to believe me."

Rhi warily chewed on her bottom lip, her aggressive demeanor faltering as she caught a look of truth in Loch's green eyes. she didn't know what to think, but Loch had stared her in the eye the whole time, so that had to mean she was telling the truth. but she still didn't completely drop her aggression. "ok... if you really say so. but just for the record, i'm only allowing you into my house because i already know you at least a little bit, and i'm sick of carrying this backpack around."

Loch smiled again. "thank you. that means a lot that you trust me. i really do want to talk things out with you and explain my constant presence."

Rhi nodded and unlocked the door, throwing her backpack onto the living room couch and then walked into the kitchen. Loch followed behind her, staring around at the house. "wow... you have a really pretty home. i love all the decorations."

"thanks... hey, do you want something to drink, or a snack? we've got so much stuff."

"um... i'll take a soda, i guess. if you have any."

Rhi slid over a Dr. Pepper from across the counter, then grabbed herself a Sunny D. "so, i recommend you start talking now." her voice held a strange authoritative command to it, and Rhi was actually proud of the way it sounded.

Loch nodded quickly, taking a quick sip before explaining. "so i already told you that i managed to track your location by your imprint scent back at the ranch, but there's lots of other bits of information that i'll explain." she cleared her throat before continuing. "you may or may not want to hear my backstory, but i come from a Scottish werewolf clan known as the O'Donnells, based in the Scottish Highlands... and believe it or not, i traveled all the way from Scotland seeking other werewolves, and if i didn't find anyone else, i'd return to my home... but i've since found you all the way here in Colorado.

"and when i came here to the U.S., i quickly got word of Malice, the overbearing and evil beast that apparently was trying to repopulate the werewolf species. i myself have been born as a werewolf, which yes, it is possible.."

Rhi gasped. "wait, you can be born as a werewolf? are you kidding me??"

Loch nodded, grinning a little at Rhi's shock, but continued her story before she could continue asking questions. "anyway, when i learned of Malice's presence swarming in the southern part of the U.S., i kept well away and stayed in Idaho for a little while, taking temporary refuge with just one other werewolf. then i moved on and continued to keep my distance from Malice, laying low and reducing my presence to a bare minimum when i traveled. when i finally came to Colorado, my fear only worsened because that's when i learned that Malice also resided in this state.

"and that's when i really wanted to find other werewolves so i could stay close to them and form an alliance against Malice if i needed to. fortunately, during my third week of searching, i was up in the Rockies and caught your scent from all the way up there, and i traveled down from the mountains until i saw you at your aunt and uncle's ranch. i was astounded that i found another werewolf, aside from the one in Idaho, but immediately doubled back when i scented Malice on you. i was terrified and ran off several miles away to seek solace in an abandoned bear cave, deciding if i wanted to meet you or not. but then... by a sheer ounce of luck, you caught my scent and tracked it all the way to that cave... and that basically leads up to where we are now."

Rhi didn't realize that her mouth had been hanging open almost the entire time. she just now realized that she had been so wrong to judge Loch like that... her backstory proved that she definitely was a nomadic werewolf, temporarily straying away from her home in Scotland so she could find other werewolves. and what was really interesting was the fact that Loch had a whole clan of them out in the Highlands.

she suddenly hoped Malice wouldn't ever know about that.

"wow... i'm so sorry. i feel terrible now... i shouldn't have judged you so quickly. i'm just now realizing that you're kinda like me.. trying to stay away from Malice."

"yeah... but it's alright, i don't blame you for your judgement. every time Malice's name gets put out there, people won't listen and they'll run off before the rest of the story- the truth -is told. but enough of that." she took a long swig out of her soda, drinking half of it down. "oh, and one last thing... i only tracked your scent here in Moondale because i didn't want to part ways with another potential werewolf ally, especially when Malice is dangerously near."

Rhi nodded slowly, cupping the now empty Sunny D bottle in her hands. "ok.. well now i feel better about that whole situation. at first, i really did think you were a follower of Malice and were spying on me for him, and then followed me out here to get him to me. but the truth has been uttered now, i guess."

"yes, indeed it has. but i can't stay for long, because i bet your family will be coming home soon."

"well, i only live with my mom, but yeah, she may or may not get here within the hour. where do you live, anyway?"

Loch hesitated, and Rhi felt the tiniest bit of suspicion flare up within her. "oh uh... i live in the forest near this neighborhood. i found another abandoned cave, and decided to seek temporary refuge in there... and so i can stay away from the town so i don't get caught and get dubbed as a 'red haired weirdo living in the forest.'"

Rhi actually laughed at that. "well great, that's good to hear. i guess i'll see you again sometime soon."

"sure, yeah, definitely. if you really want.."

Rhi followed Loch out the front door, waved goodbye to her as she walked down the neighborhood, then closed the door with a sigh.

she couldn't believe she had just heard all that.

and it looked like she would have a new werewolf ally on her hands.