Once I get home, I throw my bag on the table and head out to the barn, taking April with me.

At the stable door, I pause to look behind me over my shoulder to see if our visitor is here, but there is no sign of the wolf.

I see paw prints pressed into the snow, a trail leading from the edge of the woods and I follow with my eyes as it swerves its way over to were I stand.

It looks like it paced out side of the door for a while, and my eyes drift over to a yellow piddle on either of the corners of the barn. Prints disappear behind the corner, and I assume that the wolf went all the way around to mark the stable. I just hope he isn't trying to get inside to Jaxon.

He pops his head out as I shut the door behind be, April running up to him with a happy bark. Jaxon leans his head down and pricks his ears so they can stiff each other, and I smile as I drag out my boy's tack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I make April sit at the arenas entrance while I ride Jax over the jumps that I set up, so she doesn't become a distraction or get trampled trying to chase us. As I did yesterday, I take him a few times around and bring him in before he sweats.

I cool him out and walk him back to his stall, setting his tack back on its racks for a cleaning. Pulling my phone out of my jacket pocket, I scroll through my music until I find a song, and grab a rag from the brush box to start polishing the English saddle.

Once I've finished, I kiss Jaxon goodbye and head out.

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I feel a pair of eyes on me and I turn, finding a shadow among the snow closer than before, watching with dark eyes.

I smile at the wolf, and it pricks its ears, watching me with a careful stillness, as if I was a butterfly it didn't want to disturb. After a minute of staring like this, April wiggles out of the barn door, having said her goodbye to Jax as well.

She sees the wolf, and her hackles rise. She growls and tries to lunge towards the shadow, but I reach out and grab her collar with an iron grip.

"Stop it." I warn her, yanking her back to my side.

The wolf watches wearily a moment more before giving another howl like the day before, and disappearing back into the trees like a ghost.

~~~~~~~~~

My dad comes home early.

I had just finished making dinner when my father's truck pulls up, the headlights beaming in through the window, the engine cutting soon after.

He walks through the door with a smile on his face, breifcase in his hands which he drops on the floor, arms open for a hug.

I go to him and let him pull me in, his laughter like sunshine in my hair.

"Oh my baby girl, I feel like I never get to see you anymore!" He exlaims, pulling back to study me, then smiling again. "As beautiful as your mother still I see."

My father is my favorite of my parents, even though he is always away, when he is home, he makes it a point to hang out with me.

He owns a lumber company, so his work is stressful, but whenever he come home, he's as cheery as ever.

"You don't get to see me," I say matter-of-factly, pulling away to take his brief case to the table to set it down.

April bounds up and jumps on him, her paws coming up to his shoulders, her tail wagging happily as she kisses his face.

Dad laughs. "April, down girl!" He says, giving her a gentle shove off of him, then bending to pet her head.

I sigh. "Is mom coming home soon too?"

He takes his coat off and hangs it up next to mine, kicking his boots off. "No, she's gotta work late tonight. Looks like its just you and me kiddo!"

He walks over and lifts the top off of the homemade chicken noodle soup, taking a whiff. "Mmm, smells good. Ready to eat?"

I shrug, a smile coming to my lips. "Sure." I love it when I get to spend time with my dad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So hows school here been, bud?" My dad asks as we sit on the couch, watching some reality show.

I shrug. "I assume you haven't gotten a call from the principal. They probably called mom yesterday."

"What happened?" He asks, sipping his soup.

"I don't like this one teacher, so I talked back."

"Did she deserve it?" I nod, making him smile. "Well then, don't worry about it, she deserved it." This is why I love my dad. "So, how's the beast?" He means Jaxon.

I smile. "He's fine. A little lonely, but he'll be alright I think, with all the attention that I give him."

He nods, sipping his soup. "Well maybe we can talk mom into getting another one to keep him busy while you're away. Any falls lately?"

I shake my head, both in answer, and disbelief. "No, no accidents. And another horse? You think mom is going to allow that? It would just become more luggage for her, like me and Jax already are."

He sighs. "I know she's busy, but she loves you. We both do, which is why we're always working, so you can have a better life. If it would make you happy, I'll take you with me one of these weekends to go horse shopping."

I give a small smile. "I don't know, maybe not. I feel like it would take my time away from my boy, so I think I'm gonna have to say no to this one. This time at least."

He shrugs. "What ever you want, bud."

We stays quiet for a moment to watch Jerry Springer as two hoe bags "fight" each other.

"They hit like pansies." I point out, and my dad nods.

"Yep, they do. Probably can't get a good swing with that damn wig that keeps falling into her eyes."

"Nah, they're just idiots who can't even punch right."

~~~~~

After a few hours, we say good night, but he stops me at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Your mom made plans Friday with one of her clients. Some big, rich family, and we're all supposed to be going there for dinner. She wants to take you dress shopping tomorrow after school."

I groan. "You're joking." He isn't joking. "Great. Cool. Well I'll see you later, night."

"Love you, bud."

"Love you too." I sigh, trudging up the stairs. Great. Now I have to cancel my date with Hunter... Oh well, keeps him guessing I suppose, wouldn't want to be too predictable for him, now would I?

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

A picture of the black wolf the first time that Kaden saw it is posted.

~A.