Wolf Tamer by Avery Song
Ian Chestwood And Wolfie
~ONE WEEK LATER~
"I hate it!I don't want to go to school anymore."
My sobs were loud and clear as I held Ian's hand and continued to cry my eyes out while we stood in the living room with our backpacks still on.
Today was yet another hard day of school. It was absolutely horrible. All the kids were the same as the bad families’ kids: mean, rude, and complete bullies.
Since my first class, I was called names, and the moment I mentioned my imaginary friend, the bullying escalated. She'd growled in my head throughout the whole day, and I didn't want to talk to anyone but Ian.
Now I just had a headache and crying wasn't helping either.
"Harper," Sam whispered, clearly feeling pity for my current breakdown as Dolly walked over to us. She didn't hesitate to kneel down and wipe away my tears before lifting me up to give me a tight hug.
I cried into her shoulder, my body shaking from such an exhausting day. I didn't get why the other adults weren't helping me. I'd tell them what the kids would do wrong, and they would tell me to go play or ignore them.
How can you ignore something that's being thrown at you again and again?
Dolly carried me over to sit on her lap at the table while Ian took his backpack off and helped me take mine off.
"It's not fair, Sam!" Ian huffed. "They won't stop picking on me and Harper. They call us names every chance they get. Throw paper and stick gum to our desks! We told the teachers and other adults, and they all say the same thing. Just ignore them. They’re just being kids. We're kids, too! We're not mean to others!"
"They...don't like my imaginary friend. They said...she's not real," I cried as my shoulders moved up and down with my sobs.
"Ya! And then, they poured milk all over Harper today! She had to change clothes. I told them to stop or I'd punch them! They then went to the teacher and said we were being violent, but they started it!" Ian yelled. "Why is it okay for them to be mean to us and push us in the hall and pour milk on Harper, but we can't fight back?!"
"It's not okay," Sam stressed and walked over to us with Ian. I worked on wiping away my tears and rubbing my eyes with my fists.
"Harper, can we know who your imaginary friend is?" Dolly decided to ask.
I stared at her with a frown while keeping my mouth shut. If I explained, they would be like everyone else and say she wasn't real.
"Dolly," Ian called, catching her attention before he moved right to her side to whisper something into her ear.
"Ah," Dolly replied. "Harper's imaginary friend is shy?"
I looked to Sam as he smirked and bobbed his head.
"Yes! She's very shy because everyone is always saying she's not real and it hurts her feelings. She'll only talk to Harper now. Before, she'd talk to me, too. She's my friend, you know? If I don't get to talk to her, it makes me sad. Why can't other people understand, Sam and Dolly? You guys believe in her. Officer O'Neil does, too!"
"They're just being mean because Harper's different like you, Ian," Sam concluded.
"Well, no cookies for them! They don't like Wolfie either," Ian huffed.
"They don't like Wolfie?" I gasped in horror and turned my head to look at him. "But...Wolfie is nice! His fur is so soft, and I like hugging him. You got to bring him to school?"
"Uh..." Ian looked to Dolly as she smirked and gave a soft giggle.
"Something like that," she replied for Ian and brushed away my wet cheeks once more. "Don't cry, Harper. It's going to be okay."
"But...I don't wanna go again tomorrow," I sniffed while my eyes pleadingly stared into her understanding ones.
"You won't have to go tomorrow. Neither of you."
"Huh?" We stared at her in confusion as I slowly slid off her lap to stand next to Ian. I held his hand, and we looked at Dolly as she turned in her chair to face us while Sam moved to stand next to her.
"Where are we going?" Ian decided to ask.
"Nowhere. You're going to stay home," Dolly announced.
"What about school?" I asked.
Sam smirked and looked over to Dolly as she nodded in encouragement.
"Well, Dolly and I have been thinking about it since Ian arrived, but now that Harper is here as well, it would make sense that you two do homeschool instead," Sam revealed.
"Ian gets picked on regularly, and those kids aren't going to stop bugging either of you if the teachers are simply allowing it to happen. We had to get approval from the government, but we got the letter yesterday and they agreed and will fund it."
"Why do they pick on Ian?" I couldn't help but ask. "He's nice to me."
"Ian's a good boy and is very smart," Dolly answered. "Sometimes kids don't like that."
"Really?" I asked.
"Ya," Ian replied and held his head up with pride. "I get perfect grades, color in the lines, AND I always get the golden stickers. They hate when I get all of them."
"That's dumb," I huffed. "They could be smart, too, if they weren't so mean!"
"Exactly!" Ian replied. "Wait...hold on!" He looked at Sam and Dolly with wide eyes. "Homeschool?!" It was like their words finally clicked in his brain.
"What does that mean?" I asked, unsure what it even meant, but Ian let go of my hand to cheer before he began skipping around me in circles.
"YES! Harper! We're going to homeschool!"
I stared at him in confusion, and he came to face me and press his hands on my cheeks. "That means we get to learn AT HOME!"
"We can?" I questioned as I tilted my head to the side.
"YES! We don't need to get up super early to catch the bus. We can wear our pajamas, and eat breakfast with Sam and Dolly for longer, and they're going to be our teachers, and we don't even need to see those mean kids anymore!"
"Does that mean Muffin can come too?" I inquired.
"Meow!" The very kitten was in the living room, popping out of one of the toy boxes that had some of Ian's cars. She raced to us until she was at my feet and reaching out with her front paws.
I picked her up and hugged her in greeting, those soft purrs making me feel a lot better.
"Yes! Muffin can come to class with us!" Ian cheered, but pouted his lips. "As long as she doesn't scratch me. That hurts."
I laughed. "That's because you tried to steal her cookie."
"Ya, but she wasn't going to eat it. Cookies aren't for kittens."
"Meow!" Muffin hissed.
"Ah!" Ian ran around me and hid behind me while Muffin continued to purr away.
Sam and Dolly laughed.
"So yes. You'll get to be homeschooled by us, and Muffin can attend classes as long as she isn't making a ruckus and knocking down your cups from the table," Dolly concluded.
"YES!" we cheered, and I lifted Muffin up in the air.
"Meow."
"Home...school?"
Yes! Homeschool means we get to stay home, and Dolly and Sam get to teach us!
"Home. No more mean people?"
No more. Just you, me, Dolly, Sam, Ian, and Muffin!
"Happy!"
"My imaginary friend is happy!" I cheered.
"I'm happy, too!" Ian replied. "I'll tell Wolfie when he wakes up."
We laughed and hopped up and down with Muffin racing around us. Dolly and Sam watched us celebrate, the joy of the news taking away the sadness from the day.
"Can we go change now?" Ian asked.
"Sure," Dolly encouraged. "Go change and come get a snack. Remember, we promised to show Harper around the sanctuary today."
"YES!" Ian fist-pumped the air.
I stared at him in confusion. "San. Sanc..." I struggled to say the word.
Sam came over to me and knelt down to my level.
"Sanctuary. That's the simple name for this place. Our home is known as the Sacred Moon Shelter for Endangered Wolves."
"Sacred...Moon...Shelter...of...En...danger...ed…Wolf!" I tried to repeat what he'd stated, and Sam bobbed his head and smiled.
"Good work, kiddo," he praised.
"Are there more wolves like Wolfie?"
"Yes," Sam replied. "Our home is where we take care of wolves that are almost extinct."
"What does that mean?" I asked with curiosity.
"It means there aren't many left in the entire world, Harper. So Wolfie, for example, is the only one of his kind."
"Only one?!" I gasped in horror. "In the WHOLE world?!" I put my hands up to emphasize how big the world seemed to me.
Ian smiled and skipped over to stand next to me. "Ya! In the whole entire world, Wolfie is the only one!" he said with pride.
Dolly cleared her throat and Ian blushed.
"They're endangered, Harper," Dolly carried on. "It means that there are a very few of each kind, so if we don't protect them, hunters will try and kill them for money."
"Oh." The mere mention of hunters made me shake and I tried to appear as small as possible.
Ian immediately hugged me. "Don't worry, Harper. You're safe on these lands! No hunters can come here. Sam, Dolly, and even Officer O'Neil make sure of it."
"Does that mean I'm uh...endangered? Is my imaginary friend the only one left?"
Dolly and Sam exchanged a look, their obvious frowns proving they weren't sure about my question.
"I don't think so!" Ian stepped in and moved to face me. "Those hunters are evil! They are greedy and only want money, but again, they're not allowed here. So you're safe and so is your imaginary friend. I'll protect you!" he vowed.
"Okay!" That made me feel better, and I moved to give him a hug. "Just...don't die, okay? I don't want to lose my friend."
"Don't worry, Harper. I'll never die! How can I die when I have to protect you?"
"I'll protect you, too, Ian!" I reasoned and leaned back to give him a wide smile.
"Yes! We can protect each other," he encouraged and held my hand. Glancing over to Sam and Dolly, he added, "We're going to go change now!"
They nodded as we raced to my room to get into our pajamas.
Ian didn't normally sleep in my room, but he'd come early in the morning to wake me up for school. I'd gotten used to the routine - mornings with Ian and nights with Wolfie.
Wolfie didn't come all the time at night, but this week he'd snuggled with me when I was trying to sleep. His fur was just so soft, his body warm and like a comfortable pillow. My imaginary friend really liked him.
"Harper, we should think of a name for your imaginary friend."
"Why?" I wondered. "She's me...well...um...she reminds me of Wolfie, but she's all white and has very blue eyes like mine!"
"Hmm." Ian paused his movement to stare at me. He then leaned in to whisper, "You can't tell anyone else that."
"Why?" I quietly gasped and leaned in further. "Is it bad? Will it hurt my imaginary friend?" I didn't want to do anything that would hurt her. She meant everything to me.
"No," he admitted, but looked to the door. "Hold on."
He shuffled over to the door and opened it enough to peek into the hall. I think he was trying to make sure Dolly and Sam weren't nearby. Closing the door, he rushed back as Muffin launched onto the bed and sat next to my unicorn pajamas.
"Dolly and Sam said I'm not supposed to tell you," he admitted, looking uncomfortable as he fidgeted in place. His face began to grow redder as he muttered, "But I like you, Harper. I want you to know, but you can't tell them. No matter what."
"I can't tell Dolly or Sam," I whispered. "Is it bad?"
"No! It's not bad...but well...I think I know why the hunters were after you," he admitted as he reached out for my hand to gently hold it. His eyes remained on the floor as he whispered, "They did the same to me. That's why I live with Dolly and Sam now."
"What? Why would the hunters be after you?" I questioned. I couldn't understand, and neither could my imaginary friend.
Ian lifted his head to look into my eyes, and he gestured for us to sit on the floor. Once we were facing each other with our legs crossed and hands in each others’, he whispered, "You have to promise you won't tell. I'll get in trouble if Sam or Dolly find out."
"Trouble...like you won't be able to live here anymore?"
"Maybe." He looked sad all of a sudden. "I...was like you. My family...isn't here anymore. They're in heaven now."
My mouth hung open. It felt like my heart had dropped out of my chest.
"In...heaven," I repeated.
"Two years ago. When I was five...like you! They tried to get me a new family, but they wanted a normal boy."
"That's what they said to me!" I emphasized. "They wanted a normal girl. Not me. Are we not normal?"
If we're not normal, what are we?
"Different."
Ian squeezed my hands to get my attention.
"We're just different, Harper. Unique, like Officer O'Neil says. There's nothing bad about it. I think it's because a lot of people wish to be not normal, so when they see people like us, they get upset because they want to be different, too."
"So...we're just special. Special is good."
"Mhmm!" He let go of one of my hands to tap his head. "Your imaginary friend is in here, right?"
"Ya," I replied with a smile. "She helps me make good choices and protects me."
"Can you change yet?"
"Change?" I didn't understand. "Change clothes?"
"No." Ian shook his head. "Change into a wolf, like how you said your imagery friend is a white wolf with pretty blue eyes."
"No..." I frowned. "I can change?"
Ian slowly nodded as he looked to the door for two seconds and pressed his free hand to his lips to make sure I'd remain very quiet.
"We're wolf shifters, Harper. Well...I am. I think you are, too. Dolly and Sam aren't sure because you haven't shifted yet. They can't find anything on your family background either.”
"Wolf shifter," I repeated. "Meaning...I'm a wolf?"
"Maybe," Ian replied but looked hesitant as he lowered his gaze to my hand as he began fiddling with my fingers.
"Wolfie."
"Ian?" His name barely escaped my lips, but he looked up to meet my eyes, allowing me to stare into those silver spheres of his.
"You're Wolfie...aren't you?"
The room was quiet, and for a moment I saw the fear in his eyes. Like he was afraid that the truth would make it so we weren't friends anymore.
Slowly, he looked away and muttered, "If...I was...would you hate me?"
His voice was the quietest I'd ever heard him speak, almost as if he were ashamed or something. If only he knew just how happy I was to know that he and Wolfie were the same person. My gratefulness bubbled outward as I reached over to hug him tightly.
"H-Harper?" Ian questioned as his body stiffened, but I only hugged him tighter.
Ian is Wolfie. He saved me. He saved us.
Could words really express how happy and thankful I was? In that dark and scary place, left to look at the moon and the starry sky, I was all alone and was going to die.
I didn't want to die...I was frightened of fading away. He saved me from it all.
Even after the scary night, whenever I was here, Wolfie would curl up and comfort me. Since the beginning of meeting Ian, he protected me. How could I be blessed with such a wonderful friend?
"Thank you, Ian," I whispered, not even realizing I was crying. "Thank you, Wolfie."
He remained still, but slowly his arms wrapped around me as he hugged me back.
"I told you I'd protect you. I'll always protect you, Harper."
"And my imaginary friend!" I declared.
"Yes," he replied. He helped me wipe away my tears before we settled on the floor again. "We should think of a name for your friend."
"Do we have to? She doesn't know what to choose," I admitted while thinking about it. It felt like she wasn't sure what to call herself. "Is she a wolf like Wolfie?"
"I think so," Ian replied. "Sam and Dolly can't find out if she is. I was listening to the conversation they were having with that woman who always wears white."
"The psy...psy...um...mental lady!"
"Mhm. She thinks it's just a phase. She said the same about Wolfie."
"When did you shift?"
"In February. It was during a winter storm. I was exploring after school and the blizzard came out of nowhere. It was really cold, and I just wanted to go home. Wolfie saved me and brought us back home. Sam says everyone is different. Some people can shift right away as a baby, and some have to wait till they’re an adult. Everyone is different."
"So my wolf...or imaginary friend...um...hmm. What can I call her?"
We thought about it for a long moment before Ian smiled.
"Reika!"
"What does that mean?" I asked, but immediately noticed how happy my imaginary friend - or wolf - was with the name.
"I read it in a book. It's a name for a girl who has the power of a wolf. Um...it also means the foundation of home! Sam explained it to me. I think it suits your wolf. She's powerful and very protective of you, and always leads you back home!"
"Home..." I said the word like it was forbidden, lifting my hands to stare at them. Ian placed his hand in mine, and Muffin came out of nowhere and jumped onto our joined hands.
"Meow!" she replied and looked between us. We giggled and smiled at her cuteness before my eyes locked onto Ian's.
"This is your home now, Harper," he whispered. "Yours and Reika’s, from now on. I'll get to show you around and everything."
"Are there more of us?"
"Yes, but it's kinda complicated," he admitted and tried to think of something. "Let's say...the wolves here are endangered...but...they are named after...certain kids here! Like um...Carter! Yes. Carter named one of the wolves after himself!"
"He did?" I asked in wonder. "Do I get to name a wolf?"
"Uh...I don't think Dolly is getting any more," Ian admitted. "She and Sam have their hands full...but maybe we can help them together."
"Help them?"
"Yes! Once we show you around, you can help us um...tame them? Ya. I think that's what it's called. A Wolf Tamer!"
"Wolf...Tamer," I repeated.
"Dolly will explain more, but you'll help the wolves here...and maybe if you're good, you can meet my friends who named each of the wolves!"
"Friends. That means I'll have more friends!"
"Mhm!" Ian declared, but held my hands tightly. "But…I'm your first and best friend forever!"
"Of course!" I cheered.
"Meow!" Muffin chipped in.
"You too, Muffin," Ian said with a laugh. "Oh ya. When's your birthday, Harper?"
"It passed already."
"Huh? You mean months ago?"
"No. September 5th."
"EH?! That was one week ago. Wait..." He trailed off and frowned, but I shrugged.
"Ya. That's the day the man was being mean. He said he'd get me a cake when the nice mom was there. I really wanted one...but deep down I really wanted to see my family again."
Ian's frown deepened and Muffin hopped onto his shoulder just so he could move to give me a hug.
"Dolly said she's going to get a nice area for your family. They don't really have anywhere to put them...you know. The ashes."
I understood, but it didn't take away the hurt his words delivered to my beating heart.
"I still miss them," I whispered and pulled back to stare at him with teary eyes. "Will I always miss them? I don't want to forget them...but it's hard to miss them all the time."
"It gets better," Ian admitted with a sad smile. "Dolly says with time."
"Time," I repeated the single word.
"Don't worry, Harper. I'll ask Dolly to make you a cake!"
"You don't have to. It's over now."
"Harper is getting a nice cake!" he declared. "No excuses."
I couldn't help but smile. "When's your birthday?"
"May 5th."
"We should celebrate together!"
"It was MONTHS ago, Harper," he reasoned.
"Ian gets a cake!" I declared with happiness. We laughed and clapped our hands.
"We'll share a cake!" he encouraged. "Dolly makes really good ones."
"We should hurry up and change then!"
"I'll race you!" Ian replied and rushed to the other side of the bed to get his pajamas.
"HEY! You're cheating," I pointed out as he already was lifting his shirt up. He had his pajama top on by the time I got my long sleeve shirt off. "Why are long sleeve shirts so hard to take off!"
"They're not hard!" Ian replied and looked at me. He stared for a long five seconds before he turned around.
"What?"
"Um..." Ian began and it looked like his ears were red. "Carter told me I should turn around whenever a lady is changing."
"Why?"
"For...um...privacy! Manners or something like that."
"Oh. Okay." I didn't really care. Brother never needed to do that, but it sounded cool. "Thank you, Ian!"
I took advantage by changing quickly, and before I knew it, I was done.
"I WIN!"
"I gave you a head-start, silly," Ian said and laughed.
"You put your shirt on wrong," I pointed out and he looked down to see the back tag was sticking out in the front.
"Aww, man! Clothes are confusing."
"I know!" I agreed. "I'll help you."
It wasn't long before I helped him fix it and we were cheering in success before the door opened to reveal Dolly, Sam, and Officer O'Neil.
We high five one another as we declared, "Teamwork!"
"Were you two helping one another?" Dolly inquired.
"Ya!" I replied and pointed to Ian's Batman top. "Ian wore his shirt backward."
"By accident!" Ian stressed. "I was being a man and giving Harper privacy!"
"Were you, kiddo? That's really good," Sam praised.
I looked around the room, noticing Officer O’Neil was here which surely meant something had been decided on. "Do I get to stay here?"
Dolly smiled and walked over to us.
"Well," she began as she crouched down in front of me. "We'll have to do a really big dinner celebration for Harper's...new home!"
"YEAH!" we cheered and hugged Dolly with all our might. "I have a family!" I cheered.
"Harper's my friend forever!" Ian added.
Dolly laughed as she hugged us both, and I moved to hug Sam and then Officer O'Neil. "Wait. Does that mean I won't see you ever again, Officer O'Neil?"
I looked at him with wide eyes that were beginning to fill with tears.
He smiled and crouched down just to press his forehead against mine.
"What about this? Whenever you want me to come over and I'm not working, I'll drop by." he offered. "And you can just call me O'Neil, Harper."
"YEAH!" I beamed at the news and hugged him. He lifted me up and gave me a bear hug before lowering me back down.
"Why don't we go help set the table for Dolly?"
"Okay!" we cheered and headed to the door, but Ian stopped and turned to look at the three adults as Muffin reached my feet. I picked her up as Ian cleared his throat.
"Reika!" he declared like the name was an announcement. "That's Harper’s imaginary friend's name. She's really nice."
All three of them were quiet, but they nodded in understanding.
"Good!" Ian replied and reached for my hand. "Let's go, Harper."
"Okay! We should get Muffin some food!"
"Meow!"
"Sure!" Ian agreed as we skipped down the hallway, hand in hand.
"Wolf shifter."
Yes. We're a wolf shifter...I guess. Not a weird mutt, or a dog, or anything like that. We have to keep it a secret if we want to stay here forever with Ian. No one can know. Just you and me.
A smile formed on my lips at the idea of finally having a place to stay and a new family. For the first time in a very long time, I was happy.
Happy to be alive.