Red Wolf
****
Later that night, Boone and Delilah returned to Miner’s summer house on Squaw Mountain. Finding the doors locked, Delilah pulled a pin out of her hair and quickly picked the lock. “You are hiding things from me again Dee.”
“When we get back to Red Mountain,” Delilah mused.
Entering the house, both Boone and Delilah were amazed by the party decorations. Several lace-covered tables were set up with silver serving trays and crystal wine and champagne glasses. Hundreds of candles were placed around the room to be lit the night of the party to set a romantic ambiance. Empty vases were on various surfaces to be filled on Friday. Baskets of potpourri filled the air with lavender, vanilla, and jasmine.
“Let’s find the entrance to the tunnel and then set up the microphones,” Boone suggested.
“I can do this, Hooxei,” Delilah replied. “While we are in the mountains, why don’t you go hunt.”
“And leave you alone?” Boone gasped fearfully.
“It is the middle of the night, and I am sure no one will be coming or going this time of night,” Delilah refuted. “I need you strong and healthy.”
“But I am strong and healthy.”
“You promised to hunt before the party,” Delilah reminded Boone. She was truly worried about him not hunting. She knew how important it was for him to hunt. She had never once seen him miss a hunt. She had never missed watching him leave for a hunt in ten years. The thought of him missing a hunt scared her.
Boone could sense Delilah's concern. She was beyond a doubt nervous about him not hunting. “And I will, once we finish, and you are safely away from here. I am not going to leave you here alone.”
“Let’s get going then,” Delilah chuckled and placed the first microphone. Once all had been placed, she pulled her tablet out of her backpack and slid an ear bud into her ear. “Go into the closet and let’s test them,” Delilah requested.
One by one each microphone was tested and their job was done. “Take the SUV and drive to the bottom of the mountain,” Boone told Delilah after kissing her on the cheek. “I will meet you there shortly. I am going to hunt. I promise I will not take long.”
“Stay safe my strawberry wolf,” Delilah cooed softly as they reached the porch.
Boone put the packs into the SUV and kissed Delilah again. “See you soon,” he whispered into her ear and taking in her scent.
Boone walked away. Delilah sighed, watching him leave. She had watched him change over a hundred times back on Red Mountain. Of course, Boone did not know. After walking nearly a hundred feet, Boone turned to face Delilah and smiled. Blowing her a kiss, he bowed. He inhaled as he stood and exhaling he turned into a wolf. Delilah smiled and clapped as if she had just seen the best magic trick ever. As Boone loped into the woods, Delilah started the SUV and began her drive down the mountain.
Delilah hated driving on curvy roads in the dark. Naturally there were no lights showing the way. Delilah drove slowly with her high beams on. Focusing on the road, she did not have time to think about Boone hunting in a foreign locale. But when Delilah reached the bottom of the mountain, her fears reared its ugly head again. It only took a few minutes in the dark isolation of the mountains for Delilah to become fidgety. She kept looking around anxiously for Boone. Cognizant she was jumping at every little sound she tried listening to some music. Then she realized she would not be able to hear Boone if he were in trouble. Waiting for Boone to return from his hunt had never been like this back home. And sitting in the SUV was about to drive her plain loco. Reaching into the glove box, she removed Boone’s pistol. She exited the SUV and climbed on top of it. On the top of the SUV, with the weapon on her lap, she waited for Boone’s arrival.
Delilah was accustomed to living in the mountains away from the city. She was used to the quiet. But tonight it seems more quiet than normal. She listed for birds, owls, anything to break the silence. She listened for crickets, cicadas, or even a bullfrog. The only sound she heard outside of the occasional vehicle on the main road was the sound of her heart and breath. Far off in the distance, Delilah heard the howl of a lone wolf. She listened closely playing the sound over and over in her mind. It was not a howl of pain or agony. She could only assume it was Boone’s way of telling her he was finished hunting and was coming down the mountain and to her.
Boone knew he could get down the mountain faster as a wolf. At nearly forty miles an hour, he raced to the bottom of the road. Delilah squealed in delight when she saw Boone’s emerald green eyes glowing in the dark coming towards her. She jumped off the top of the SUV and ran straight towards the five-foot tall beige wolf. Before Boone could stop and turn human, Delilah was hugging him and kissing the top of his head.
Boone shook to let Delilah know to release him. He gently pushed her back with his cold, wet nose. Before Delilah could blink, Boone, the human, was standing before her fully dressed. Delilah lunged herself at him again. “Why are you crying?” Boone asked wiping Delilah’s tears off her cheeks with both thumbs.
“I...I...I,” Delilah stammered.
“I love you too, Delilah,” Boone whispered as he pulled her tight against him. “Let’s grab a bottle of wine and a shower.”
“You want to take a shower together?” Delilah exclaimed, shocked and surprised.
“Yes,” Boone confessed. “And we will...after we are married.”
Delilah pushed Boone away and pounded him on the chest with the side of her fist. “You are the most frustrating man in the world.” Delilah turned away and walked to the passenger side of the SUV. “I hate you!”
Boone could not help but laugh. “Back at ya, Dee!”