“No, Haley!" A voice bellowed behind me. I turned to see Randolf walking towards us. "Clara will ride with me."
His tone was cold and dismissive, and I felt a pang of frustration. “But Clara wants to ride with me. Are you sure—”
Randolf cut me off with a sharp look. “It’s her birthday. Let her have this. Find something else to do, will you?"
Anxiety still tugged at my heart, but I nodded hesitantly. I crouched in front of Clara, who had a bright smile on her face again.
She kissed my cheek, her tiny lips brushing against my skin. “I’ll be okay, Mama. I love you.”
I tried to smile for her sake, though my heart ached. “I love you too, sweetheart. Have fun.”
In a flash, Randolf had morphed into his wolf form. Clara waved goodbye at me, as she climbed onto the back of the giant wolf. Randolf’s form loomed over me for a moment, and then disappeared into the woods. I watched them until they were out of sight, still feeling very uneasy.