Estranged Billionaire Wolf

Lacey's phone kept buzzing, and she had to stop ignoring it. She turned over in bed and reached for the nightstand next to her. She still had thick, blurry eyes. She made no effort to identify the potential caller. She picked up the phone reluctantly and swaps the icon to the "accept call" position.

"Hello…" her voice sounded groggy.

"Hey, Lacey," Detective Carl Jones responded from the other end. "Don't tell me you are still in bed," he added.

"Carl, is that you?" she asked in a low cracking voice like one with hesitation in her voice.

"Yes, it's me…" Detective Jones replied hastily without hesitation. "We need to talk it's very…"

Lacey emits a sharp sibilant sound. She couldn't let Detective Jones finish what he had to say. He hung up the call on him and tossed back her phone on the cabinet. She was still upset with Detective Jones from last night.

Detective Jones is over-protective since he met her. He couldn't help but call once more but before Lacey's phone would buzz and buzz repeatedly, she declined the call sending Detective Jones' call straight to voice mail.

Her hands were extended as she sat up. She sighed. Suddenly, her attention was pulled to the wall clock. "Fuck!" she cried out sliding down her bed.

It's past 10 in the morning and she was supposed to be up before now. She didn't get to sleep early last night. Having a lot of fun is what she can't get to miss on her 22nd birthday. Too bad she forgot to set the alarm for her morning class that was meant to start by 9:30 Am.

Lacey Williams was admitted into the University of New York to study Psychology. She got her acceptance letter two nights before her parents and older brother were murdered in their mansion. She needs to keep up with a good grades if she must retain her admission.

She couldn't help but did what she could to get ready for her morning class.

*****

Lacey moved furtively. Her footsteps were stealthy that no one even heard her walk through the back door of the lecture hall. She slowly took her seat at the back pew and quietly placed her backpack on the floor.

She bends and held the zipper of her backpack. As the slide goes over the zipper, the zipper makes a zipping sound drawing the attention of a Cat.

Cat turned around and glanced at her with both eyebrows raised to her hairline. "When did you arrive?" she whispered.

Cat is a close friend of Lacey. Although she missed Lacey's 22nd birthday, she has always been there for Lacey especially helping her to solve complex theories in their field of major.

Lectures have begun an hour ago before the arrival of Lacey. Prof Wong was taken them in a Sociology course for the semester which is one of Lacey's electives to pursue a major in psychology.

Lacey slightly raised her head and whispered, "Just now."

"Don't you make a sound when you move?" Cat whispered once more.

"Not always." Lacey snickered under her breath. She brought out her laptop from her backpack and placed it on the desk.

Cat turned once more rolling her eyes at Lacey. "How was the birthday?"

"You missed it." Lacey sneered.

"I'm sorry… I will make it up to you."

"Don't forget my gift you know I can't…"

Lacey's words were silenced as the sound of a dominant footstep echoed against the concrete walls of the lecture hall. When she raised her head, she saw Prof. Wong approaching.

His face wasn't bright. Standing next to Lacey, his shadow hovered over her. He cast a condensed gaze on her, "Why interrupting my class with your whispering?"

"I'm sorry Prof. Wong," Lacey silenced her reply. She lowered her head and started to pick her fingers.

Prof. Wong switched his attention to Cat, "I don't want to…"

The loud buzzing sound from Lacey's phone interrupted Prof. Wong. Before Lacey could silence her phone, Prof. Wong angrily snatched it from her. "You know the rules." He turned and started walking down the pews.

This has never happened to Lacey. Yes, she isn't a freshman anymore and College isn't a High School where classroom teachers will get to seize the phone of their students until their classes are over for the day. But Prof. Wong's rule is simple: 'silence or switch off your phone before joining my class. Failure to comply will result in confiscation.'

Lacey hissed silently as she watched Prof. Wong walked down the pew.

Cat turned and whispered, "You will get it. I assure you that."

***

Finally, Prof. Wong was done with his class. He packed his review materials into his laptop bag. As he was about to put his laptop inside the bag, Lacey walked up to him and politely demanded her phone.

"I know you still have two more classes for today. Come to my office and have your phone once you're done."

"This isn't a high school," Lacey blurted out.

Her response pissed Prof. Wong off. It's written on his face. He giggled with a fake smile that can't even get to Lacey as he opened his mouth to speak. "You're right. This isn't a high school and I would have loved to invite your parents to discuss how to discipline you. However, as you can see, no one has the time to host parents' and pupils' discussions in the principal's office because you know what? This isn't a high school. And you know what? I can't reach your parents where there are. They're too far from our world. And you know…"

Lacey couldn't let Prof. Wong continue to disrespect the memories of her late parents. She gnawed at the bottom of her lips and lashed out in anger. "You better watch your mouth!"

Today wasn't a good day for Lacey. As she angrily walked out on Prof. Wong, Cat made a sigh of relief and chased after her.

"Hey Lacey!" she called out. "Wait up!"

Lacey didn't bother to stop or even look back. She continued walking down the hallway leading to the exit.

"Come on girl, don't be like that!"

Cat ran as fast as she could to catch up with her. When she was about to speak further, Lacey swirled. "I can't believe Prof. Wong has to say that about my parents." A strong feeling of annoyance was written on Lacey's face as she expresses her displeasure.

"I understand how you feel. You are pissed with him for bringing up your parents." Cat opened up trying to make up for Prof. Wong's lash words.

Lacey furrows her brows. "He has no right to keep my phone after his class. He should give it back."

"What do you intend to do," Cat asked sternly.

"I have no idea."

Their moments were suddenly interrupted by Prof. Wong. He lowered his head and cleared his throat. When he raised his head, his eyes seared Cat. "Here is your phone," he said handing Lacey back her phone.

Lacey didn't wait for him to repeat himself. He quickly took her phone and hissed silently. She's not trained to be this way but she never wants anyone to invade her privacy. She has often told Detective Jones, 'I'm a very private person. Stop tailing me in the name of protecting me.'

Oftentimes, Detective Jones would put a tail on Lacey or tail her himself because she doesn't want her to get hurt. For the same reason, he got glock17 for Lacey and licensed it under her name.

"Look Lacey, I don't mean to get you upset. I'm sorry if my actions have provoked you." Prof. Wong apologized expressing remorse.

"You are just trying to do your job. I get it…" Lacey raised her eyebrows to her hairline and continued. "No offense but leave my late parents out of this." She turned and started walking toward the exit.

Cat followed her cue. "Girl, you have to slow down your roll. Prof. Wong might get obsessed with you and will give you an F," she whispered.

"This is America, we have rights and he won't dare to do that."

The buzzing of Lacey's phone continued. Perhaps, this was the reason Prof. Wong had to return Lacey's phone. He can't keep up with the continuous calling that comes in every few seconds.

Lacey excused herself and moved to a corner. She swiped the icon to accept the call. As she placed the phone on her ear, she yelled out in anger, "Why are you still calling me, Carl?"

"Lacey, you have to hear me out…" Detective Jones spoke without hesitation. "It's about the robbers…" he paused for a while with hesitation in his voice.

For the first time hearing Carl's voice today, he got her attention over the phone. "What about them and why is there hesitation in your voice?"

"They escaped," Detective Jones muttered.

Lacey's body tensed up. "What?"

"That's why I have been calling you. Perhaps you can sniff them out of hiding."

Detective Jones understood what Lacey could do with her wolf abilities. Since she was the one that caught them, perhaps she could catch up with their scent with her enhanced sense of smell.

Before Lacey would say "Perhaps you would have chosen not to go easy with them," a horrific scream escaped down the hallway.

She quickly flicks around. Her gaze was drawn to Prof. Wong lying in the pool of his blood.

It was Cat's scream that got her attention when Prof. Wong's blood flowed down to where Cat was standing. Feeling something liquid and thick under her foot made her scream like a banshee on seeing the disemboweled corpse of Prof. Wong.

"Oh no!" Lacey cried out.

How could this happen without her knowing? As she quickly drew near, her gaze was drawn to Prof. Wong's heart lying next to him.

"Lacey, are you there? What's going on over there?" Detective Jones asked on the other end. He heard the scream in the background.

Since there was no response from Lacey, he quickly picked up his talkie and radioed his precinct. He didn't end the call with Lacey but left the call going to know if Lacey would respond.

A sob escaped Lacey's lips. This isn't just an ordinary attack on Prof. Wong. She had indeed said mean words to him a few minutes ago, she never expected him to end up dead with his heart ripped out.

As she was still trying to figure out who was behind this homicide, she caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure staring with glowing yellow eyes in the dark corner of the hallway.

"Hey, you!" she points to the shadowy figure.

She could tell that the mysterious figure was a werewolf like her but it was very hard to see the face. All she could see was a figure hiding his face behind a mask and a hood.

"Lacey… talk to me," Detective Jones continued calling out from the other end.

Lacey didn't pay attention. She knew he would tell her not to go after the shadowy figure if she did tell him what she was up against at the moment. She slides her phone into her side jeans pocket and went after the shadowy figure.

Getting close to the shadowy figure, something didn't feel right. When she stretched her hand to grab the shadowy figure, it was as if her hand went through a smoke. She couldn't touch the figure.

"Bloody hell!"

She stared with disbelief and tried to grab the figure again but this time, she was zapped as if she was electrocuted. The reeling sound that came with the zap made her unable to spring back to her feet.

All she could hear in her head was a harsh whispering, "We're coming for you."

When she raised her head to look, the figure was no more.

Multiple voices echoed continuously in her head. "We are not far… we're near and we're watching."

"Make it stop!" she cried out rolling on the floor.

"Who are you talking to?" Carl asked curiously.

"Can't you hear the voices?" Lacey's voice was dry with nervousness.

When she tried to spring back to her feet, she was too feeble to do so. It was as if all her strength has been drained. Her breath started to fade. She began gasping for air nonstop. Lacey's eyes gleamed with horror as the day closed in on her forever.