Going to the fridge, I got a packof precooked bacon, then changed my mind and added two more packs.I ripped one open and pulled out several stiff slices. Holding thementicingly in front of the wolf’s nose, I began to lead him out ofthe kitchen.
“Come on, boy.Is this what you want? Is it?”
He snapped upthe first two pieces of bacon, woofed happily and followedme for more. Good, now we were getting somewhere.
The wolf must have been reallyhungry because he had nearly finished the first pack of bacon bythe time I got him to the bathroom. I blessed the forethought thathad told me to bring two more packs and set to work.
I needed to getthe paw washed and dressed and I needed to do it quickly. The sunwas rising higher by the minute and I was fading quickly. I couldfeel the need to sleep pressing down on me, dragging at my eyelidslike lead weights. God,I was tired.
I splashed some cold water in myface as I ran some in the sink, which helped to wake me up alittle. Then I found a washcloth (navy blue, what else) and got itwet before turning back to the wolf.
He looked at me warily when Iapproached him with the cloth but I spoke soothingly and—moreimportantly—opened the second pack of bacon. It was a trickysituation but by the time he had finished the second pack, I hadmanaged to clean the wounds and ascertain that the bones seemed tobe intact. That was a relief—I was so tired by now I was yawningcontinuously and there was no way I could take him out to a vet toget it set if it had been broken.
Stumbling with weariness, I gotthe first aid kit out of the closet, and came back to the wolf, whohad finished pack two and was looking longingly at pack three ofthe precooked bacon.
“You’re going tohave a stomach ache tomorrow,” I predicted as I opened the lastpack with a yawn. “But if it keeps you quiet while I work, I guessyou can have some more.” I dug the roll of gauze out of the kit andgot started dressing the wound.
My eyes were nearly closing as Ifinished winding the gauze around the wolf’s massive paw andsecured it in place with a little tape.
“Okay now,” Itold him sternly. “I’m going to let you back outside but don’t chewon that. Be…” I yawned. “Be a good boy—all right?”
He whined softly and I had theidea that somehow he understood. Well, goody for me—I couldapparently now speak wolf language. The thought struck me as funnyand I giggled foolishly. Have you ever been so tired it was likeyou were drunk? That was me just then. Dawn was past and themorning was well advanced—I was so sleepy I could barely stand upfrom the floor where I had been sitting to treat the wolf’sinjuries.
In fact,I couldn’t stand. When I finally got to my feet, I swayedalarmingly. I’m sure I would have fallen if the wolf hadn’t come upbeside me and put his back just under my seeking hand. I threadedmy fingers through his fur as though he was a Seeing Eye dog and Iwas blind.
“C’mon, boy,” Imumbled, staggering out of the bathroom. “Time togo…outside.”
I had every intention of takinghim back to the kitchen door and letting him out. After all, I wasabout to be dead to the world—there was no telling how much damagethe animal might do while I was asleep. Plus, I couldn’t keep awild wolf in Victor’s house without his permission.
“C’mon,” Imumbled again and started to lead the wolf to the kitchen. Only, Isoon found I was no longer the one leading. The wolf pressedagainst my legs, guiding me toward the bed.
“Hey, no,” Iprotested with another bone-cracking yawn. “Can’t…can’t let youstay. Have to go outside now…boy.”
I started for the kitchen againbut again the wolf cut me off. He pressed hard against me, herdingme as though I was a stupid sheep going the wrong way.
Finally I gave up.
“All right, youwin,” I muttered, allowing him to push me to the king sized bed.The sides seemed higher than I remembered. I tried for almost aminute to climb in before I felt the wolf’s furry head nudging mein the bottom, giving me a boost.
“Thanks, boy,” Iwhispered, collapsing on my side. “Good boy. Such agood…boy.”
My eyes were already closing butto my surprise, the wolf came around the bed and hopped up, takingthe other side.
“Hey now,” Iprotested, trying to sit up and failing. “You can’t…can’t do that.Fur on…the sheets. Victor will be…pissed.”
But the wolf wasn’t budging. Andat this point, neither was I. I barely had strength to roll over,let alone try to push him off the bed. With a sigh, I gave up. Lethim stay—there was nothing I could do about it now.
My eyes closed but I was cold.Marshalling my flagging strength, I tried for a minute to get underthe covers but I couldn’t…they were tucked in too tightly. Whoeverhad taught Victor to make a bed must have been into hospitalcorners.
With a littlemoan, I curled in on myself, trying to tuck my arms and legs intothe white t-shirt I still wore and gather a little warmth.Cold…so cold. It was the story of my undead life. Ever since I had beenturned, I could never seem to get warm enough, no matter what Idid.
To my sleepysurprise, the wolf seemed to understand my problem. He scootedcloser to me, pushing his long furry back against my front until Ifound my face buried in his ruff. And oh, he was sowarm.
With a little sigh of contentment,I wound my arms around his furry neck and pressed closer, lettingthe delicious animal heat penetrate to my bones. His fur tickled mynose but I didn’t care. He smelled wild and yet, somehow familiar.Like fur and leather and sunlight in the woods.
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