Convince Me: Chapter 1: 2P Werewolf Canada and Reader:

The feeling of ivory keys vibrating with life under your sweaty fingertips, the music humming through the wooden instrument into the small room filled your ears and your heart with the delicate sound that sang from piano.  The memory tempted you away from the real world; drowning out the cold and the intrusive sound of your boots scrunching through fresh snow and the howling wolves, trying to forget the note.

It was meant to be a sharp contrast in the song, bringing it all together in a final glory. But your fingers fumbled and fell, first plinking the right key but pressing down the wrong key; playing louder than your beating heart, drowning out the disapproving “tsks”, and ending in an echoing taunt that would haunt you.  

Even more than that, the committee members had slowly risen from their chairs as your tears slowly fell down your cheeks into the snow, uttering words you could barely grasp now as they ushered you out of the room.

You had failed.

No words could escape your tight throat, so you had bowed and rushed away, past buildings, past people, past your life at the edge of the forest until thick snow covered trees swallowed and shaded you from the gleaming moonlight, leaving you with only your thoughts and your aching heart.  Though you never thought of yourself as perfect, right now you felt far from it.

“Why?” you rasped silently, your breath coming out as steam in the cold December air.

How could your life work be messed up so quickly, so quietly? One minute, for once, you were brimming with confidence, everything going smoothly as your fingers danced across the keys, but one glance at the committee and you faltered. You had been too confident.

You cursed yourself, biting your tongue and stifling a sob that had risen from your throat.  You continued your journey, trying to ignore the noises of the woods, rustling branches, unknown footsteps in the snow, and the howl of wolves.

Long hollow notes floated in the wind, rising from strong lungs and escaping through sharp gleaming incisors ready to tear into anything that provoked them.  It sent a shiver down your spine.

But your feet kept moving, deeper and deeper into the forest, mindlessly tottering around the trees as your blank gaze surveyed only the pure white snow. The last place you wanted to be was home.  You did not want to face the piano that sat in your living room.  It only reminded you that you had spent hours playing it, only to mess up. The next time you touched it, it would be covered in dust and out of tune.  

A sudden howl broke through the trees.  It was close by and for a minute you wanted to head back. You could curl up and thaw under a mountain of warm blankets, eat whatever you wanted, and for once avoid responsibilities.

Why did you even play anyway? Once upon a time people said you had potential.  You were good, talented.  What would they say now? They would scorn you like the judges did, silently agreeing that you weren’t good enough.   Anger built inside you, bubbling throughout your body and clouding your eyes with more hot tears.

You lashed out, kicking a tree. Vibrating pain shot through your leg when it made contact with the harder substance.  You hissed and more tears fell, and during that time where you were more focused on pain than memories; you decided to head back home.  

It was a longer walk than you expected, but it was mostly caused by nerves. Now you were more aware of what was happening around you.   A shiver went up your spine every time a twig snapped, panic building at every dark shadow and your feet moving just a little bit faster when a wolf’s howl broke the air.

Soon you were running and glancing over your shoulder at every turn.  It could be the blood pumping through your ears or what sounded like heavy steps which were indeed strong paws pounding through the snow as it made chase, growing closer and closer with every heartbeat and puff of misty air as branches cut through cold numbing skin and aching muscles screamed for release.

If you were to trip or stumble into the soft snow and rest; taking a moment to fill your burning lungs with fresh cold air it would stop any hope of returning home.  You would succumb to the wolf you were positive was chasing you.  A long lone howl pierced the air.
Through the trees you saw a glimpse of matted fur, gleaming with fresh blood that clung to its large muscled body.  This was no ordinary sized wolf. His sheer size crashed through larger branches without the help of his jaws.

There was a large heart-breaking crack, more large branches breaking, crunching into the snow as heavy raspy breaths were heard coming closer and closer until a large weight crashed against you; pinning you in the snow with long sharp claws that could slice through delicate skin, a shock of pain going up your spine that made you cry out it pain.

The hot, meat stained breath was now slithering down your neck. Gooey and foamy saliva dripped from large yellow incisors that had shown no mercy as they tore through meat and bone.  They were now poised delicately at your neck waiting for one wrong move, one last cry.  Then everything would be over.

You would no longer feel the warm wet stain spreading across your pants leg, see dark brown ravenous eyes full of burning hatred and hunger that searched for some other emotion than fear, nor hear the low rough snarl that hummed from the wolf.

“Why shouldn’t I kill you?” he growled.

You noticed the increase of pressure on your neck, but kept quiet, your mind spinning with some sort of excuse, something that would remove this unusual wolf from your broken body and stop the silent tears from running down your cold stinging cheeks.

“Convince me!” he barked.

You thought it was the end, that his teeth would cut through your neck and he would quench his hunger; dying the snow red and filling his stomach for another week, but you were able to gasp out an answer.

“I live at the edge of the forest,” you said.  The idea had been a sudden burst.  He was running from something, injured and hungry.  Your house was a close solitude.

There was silence.  You were sure he could hear your heart thudding in your chest, silent gasping sobs tumbling from your lips like breaths, and your thoughts that cried for mercy and help.  The sharp pressure was lifted from your neck, but he still towered over you.

“Go on,” he rumbled.

Excuses flowed.  “I have a first-aid kit and plenty of meat, and a working fireplace and plenty of blankets and…and,” you words tumbled when he stuck a large black nose in your hair, taking quick sniffs before he climbed off.

“You’ve convinced me,” he said, and slowly the weight was lifted.

You would’ve let out a sob, relief flooding through you as the monster treaded away into the forest. Instead you sat up; pain rippling through your back as well as cold, watching as the monster slowly circled you while hiding amongst the shadows and its large shadow contorted.  At first you thought it was a trick of the eye, but it shrunk.

A gasp erupted from the shadows and the figure fell. “Get over here,” he growled.

You forced yourself over and gasped.  What lay in the shadows was human but with the ears, tail, and teeth of a wolf.  His chest had four large bleeding gashes and his breathing was irregular, but he was still able to reach a large rough hand out for help. “Come on, you’re not as injured as me.”

You carefully wrapped your hand around his.  It was surprisingly warm and strong.  Muscles flexed when he hoisted himself up and rested on your shoulder.  Walking out into the moonlight, his strawberry blonde hair was dulled and raggedy like his fur and his eyes still held their hungry gleam.

“What…are you?” you asked tentatively, though the answer was obvious enough to be silenced by his glare.


A werewolf.