The Wolf Witch - 4. Becky Simpson

Becky couldn't stop thinking about Oliver. Finding her at the club was one thing, but rescuing her had embarrassed her, so she'd snuck out and taken a cab home. Now, in bed, her eyes closed, Oliver's face shot into view - good-looking, mysterious, and charming. His wavy dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes had dominated her thoughts all night. She felt helpless and giddy like she might be sick.

She smiled as her eyelids fluttered shut, sinking into a deep sleep. In her dreams, she saw his tall, athletic frame, his strong arms grabbing the man and throwing him aside. A strange sensation stirred within her as she drifted deeper, certain she would see Oliver again and know him intimately. She was glad she had taken the time to welcome him to the neighborhood.

Becky sighed as she woke up the next morning. Her head ached, but her dreams had been filled with Oliver's handsome face. It made her feel alive, yet she knew she had to let go. Relationships were always her downfall. She wanted change, but stress and crippling headaches often made it difficult. Her temper could ignite in an instant, but she had learned to keep her emotions hidden unless it suited her.

Lying in bed, she thought back to when she was sixteen. Anger and depression had taken hold of her suddenly. Sometimes, a rage would overtake her—what her parents had dismissed as temper tantrums. School had been overwhelming, and doctors had prescribed medication for depression, but it never worked. She had stopped taking it altogether.

A year later, her parents took her to a scientist friend of theirs. He had created a concoction she could drink whenever she needed to calm down. She hadn't intended to continue taking it forever but it kept her steady, kept her from spiraling. She had never questioned what was in it, only that it saved her from going downhill.

She wondered if her parents still saw their scientist friend. She remembered him as being strange and seedy. In the past, they had met him at parties or called him over when she needed a stronger dose. Then, as she got older, his visits stopped. She hadn't questioned it before but lately, curiosity gnawed at her.

Once, when the rage had been uncontrollable, she had wrecked an old boyfriend’s car. She had taken her medicine just in time, stopping things from escalating further. The concoction had allowed her to live a normal life but she needed to take it regularly, especially before going out. It was safer that way.

She got up and made a cup of tea. Her mood was off so she decided to take her medicine. Dating wasn’t helping her situation.

Curling up on the sofa, she flipped through a magazine. An advert caught her eye:

"Do you have an illness that needs to be cured? If your answer is yes, then contact me today."

She felt an instant jolt of recognition as if the ad had been placed just for her. Grabbing a pen, she circled it and took the magazine to her bedroom so she wouldn’t forget. She would call the number after her shower.

A smile tugged at her lips. Maybe this was the change she needed, a chance for happiness. She deserved it. Perhaps this would be her big break. Hope flickered within her—something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She had little to complain about. She had built a career she was proud of. Her fashion designs were gaining recognition, and recently, she had been asked to create dresses for someone famous—at least, that’s what she had been told. She worked for herself, taking orders through fashion shows she entered. It was a life she had carved out on her own, and that mattered.

Still, her thoughts drifted back to Oliver. His gentle grin lingered in her mind. She laughed softly as she imagined them kissing but then she pushed the thought out of her mind.

Oh, come on! Stop this thing with men, Becky!

She needed to focus on keeping her dark thoughts at bay. The rage inside her could hurt someone one day, and she couldn’t let it ruin her life. She would have to live without romance.

Sighing, she pulled her hair into a bun and stepped into the shower, pretending with a determined smile—for now—that her life was normal.

To be continued...