The Uprising (Moonlight Wolves Book 3)

by Jasmine B. Waters

  “What the hell was that?!” Steven demanded. “How the fuck could you just leave your own party?”

  “I didn’t leave,” I said truthfully. “I was outside. It was too loud in here.”

  Steven groaned. “Elizabeth, come on!” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you realize how stupid I looked, entertaining everyone by myself? That was our fucking engagement party, and you weren’t even present!”

  “I wasn’t the one who wanted a party,” I shot back. “It was Karen’s idea, and you went along with it.”

  “What kind of girl doesn’t want an engagement party?” Steven glared. “Oh, yeah, I forgot. My manic-depressive fiancée. That’s who.”

  “That’s not fair,” I shot back. “You know I’ve never been as social as you! You know big things make me uncomfortable.”

  “But this is about us,” Steven said. “Elizabeth, you have to compromise with me. We aren’t just eloping, you know.”

  “I wish we could,” I muttered under my breath.

  “What?” Now, Steven looked truly angry. “What did you just say?”

  I shrugged. Suddenly, the will to fight melted, and I shook my head.

  “I just wish we didn’t have to have a big wedding,” I said. “I mean, it’s about us, right? We should be able to decide.”

  Steven sighed. “Elizabeth, you know we can’t do that. My family would freak out.”

  “So? They’re not the ones getting married.”

  Steven groaned and raked a hand through his hair. “Elizabeth that is so not the point. Weddings are about two families joining each other, not just us!”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Well, I don’t want a big wedding,” I said. “It makes me uncomfortable. You know how much I hate being the center of attention.”

  “You’re gonna need to suck it up for a day,” Steven said. He shrugged. “That’s the way weddings are done in my family. You knew that, Elizabeth.”

  I felt my anger come rushing back in hot waves. “No,” I said. I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. “I’m not doing that.”

  “Grow up,” Steven muttered. He turned away from me and grabbed a dish from the sink, roughly soaping it and washing it under the stream of water.

  I snorted in disbelief. “You don’t respect me,” I said.

  Steven dropped the dish in the sink and turned around, putting his hands on his hips. “What did you just say?”

  “I said, you don’t respect me.” I felt my anger growing and growing inside of me like a beast – a beast that I couldn’t control. My heart was pounding against my ribs, and even though I knew I would regret it, I couldn’t help spitting out: “And you never have!”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Steven asked warily. “What are you talking about? Of course, I respect you, Elizabeth. Damn it, I asked you to be my wife!”

  I took a shaky deep breath. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

  Steven crossed the floor in two giant steps and grabbed my arms with his wet, soapy hands. I tried to push him away, but he was stronger, and soon he shook me and pulled me close.

  “No, you can’t play games like this,” Steven growled. “You need to tell me what the fuck you meant. Now, Elizabeth!”

  “Stop yelling,” I said. “Just forget it, okay?”

  “No!” Steven roared. “Damn it, Elizabeth. Tell me!”

  I sighed. “I…I know there was something going on between you and your sister,” I finally said. “Back when we were kids, when you and I first started dating.”

  Steven’s face turned bloodless and white. He released my arms, and I sagged for a moment before wrapping my arms tightly around my body and holding myself.

  “Steven?” I tried nervously. “Are you okay?”

  Steven’s mouth formed a thin, angry line. He pushed past me and stalked up the stairs. When I heard the bedroom door slam, I winced.

  Part of me wanted to run to him and talk to him, make this better. But another part of me – a bigger part of me – felt like that wouldn’t be a good idea. I poured the last of the rum punch into a cup and sat down at the table, sipping slowly. I wondered what I was doing. I wondered if I should have said ‘no’ when Steven asked me to marry him. As much as I wanted to believe that Steven respected me, I’d just gotten almost concrete proof of the opposite. But maybe that was normal – maybe that was how most marriages worked.

  I swallowed and shifted in my chair, feeling uncomfortable. I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do next, but I knew that if I didn’t decide something soon, it would be too late.

  Chapter One

  Elizabeth – Seven Years Ago

  I pushed open the door to my room and gasped. My feet were rooted firmly to the spot, and a shiver inched down my spine.

  Monica was sitting lotus-style on my bed. When she saw me, she smiled.

  “Hey,” Monica said. “God, you took forever to get home! I feel like I’ve been waiting for hours!” Her cheeks were flushed pink.

  “I was just outside,” I said slowly. “How did you get here? I’ve been in the driveway the whole time.”

  “Elizabeth, come on,” Monica said. “We both know you’re not exactly the most observant person in the world.”

  I stared at her. “But … I just … I just went outside a few minutes ago. I didn’t see you come in,” I added. “What’s up?”

  Monica grinned. “You’ve been anxious over Steven and Andrea,” she said softly. She raised an eyebrow. “But I know how you can win Steven – for good.”

  My jaw dropped. “What?”

  “I know all about what’s going on,” Monica continued. “And I know how you can come out on top.” Her grin turned sinister in the low afternoon light.

  I felt myself begin to tremble and shake with fear.

  “Come here, Elizabeth,” Monica said. She beckoned me with a slender finger. “Don’t you want to know?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Why? What happened? Are you okay?” I walked closer to my friend, unable to keep the fear from welling up inside of my chest. “Did something happen between the end of school and now?”

  Monica laughed. Her eyes glittered. “Elizabeth, what are you talking about?” She tossed her blonde hair disdainfully over one shoulder. “I wasn’t in school today. Are you feeling all right?”

  My heart sank, and I sat down on the corner of the bed, feeling afraid of my best friend for what felt like the first time in my life. Monica looked so calm and peaceful. She also looked healthy, with pink cheeks and a mysterious look in her brown eyes. The combination of her petite stature and the way she was sitting made her look ancient and wise.

  “I saw you in homeroom,” I said warily. “You got angry with me when I asked where you’d been.”

  Monica laughed. “God, Elizabeth, stop lying,” she said. “I get it. You’re trying to make me feel guilty. Look, I feel bad that I haven’t been here for you. That’s why I wanna help with Steven.” Her eyes flashed, and she grinned. “I have the perfect idea.”

  I licked my lips. My heart was thudding, and my palms were covered in a cold, unpleasant sweat. “Okay,” I said slowly. “What’s up?”

  Monica shrugged. “You just have to prove that Andrea is insane,” she said calmly. “That’s all. Then Steven will be yours.”

  A wave of nausea washed over me, and I gripped the bedpost, clutching it tightly until my knuckles turned white. “I don’t get it,” I said flatly. “What are you even talking about?”

  Monica laughed again. “Elizabeth, come on,” she said. “I know why you’re worried. You think he doesn’t want you because he’s involved with his sister.”

  I stared at her in disbelief.

  “And she’s crazy,” Monica continued, apparently unruffled by my changing facial expressions. “She’s totally nuts, and we have to prove it.”

  I swallowed uncomfortably. “I…I don’t really see how that’s possible,” I said flatly. “We’re not doctors, Monica. We’re kids, just like Andrea.”
>
  Monica laughed. The sound sent chills down my spine. I wished I could close my eyes, cover my ears with my hands, and sing really loudly to drown her out, but I knew I couldn’t. ‘For fuck’s sake, Elizabeth, pull yourself together,’ I ordered myself. ‘She’s probably been through something really horrible and traumatic, and you’re her best friend! You should help her!’

  “Look, we don’t need to talk about me right now,” I said. “Why don’t you tell me what happened, where you went?”

  “Later,” Monica said calmly. “I wouldn’t worry about that right now.” She raised an eyebrow. “Listen, Elizabeth, I know how we can prove it.”

  I sighed. It was obvious she was dead-set on telling me … well, whatever it was that was on her mind. That wasn’t exactly unusual when it came to Monica. Sometimes, her incredible intelligence was like blinders that kept her eyes straight and narrow, focused on just one thing. Obsessing over it, even. I knew I should be glad that she was back to acting like her old self, but there was something different about her. Something off, like a piece of her personality had changed and become harder. I felt like I knew nothing about her as we sat together.

  “Okay,” I said uncertainly. “Tell me. How are we going to prove that Andrea is insane?”

  Monica chuckled. “That’s the easy part,” she said. “Andrea’s insane because she’s a reincarnated Puritan.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “What?”

  “She’s a reincarnated Puritan,” Monica said in a bossy voice. “She’s a direct descendent of this woman, Prudence Arrowsmith, who devoted her life to hunting witches and ridding the world of them.”

  I sank against the wall. “Monica …”

  “What?” Monica’s brown eyes flashed. “What is it?”

  “That …” I trailed off, biting my lip. ‘That sounds crazy,’ I finished in my head. But I knew I couldn’t say that, not to my best friend. ‘Maybe this is Monica’s way of dealing with whatever trauma she just experienced,’ I thought. Tears of worry and fright came to my eyes, and I blinked them away before she could notice.

  “It’s true,” Monica said confidently. “She’s exactly the same soul as Prudence. Why the hell do you think she hates me so much?”

  ‘Well, for one, you scared the shit out of her last year,’ I thought grimly, biting my lip. But I knew I couldn’t say that to Monica.

  “I don’t know,” I said weakly. “I guess because you’re not crazy about religion like she is.”

  “That’s part of it,” Monica said. She grinned. “But it’s also because she knows me. Our souls have known each other for a very long time, Elizabeth.”

  I stared at her in shock. Every word that came out of Monica’s mouth made her sound more and more deranged. The worst part of it was her infuriating calm, the way she sat there smiling, acting like she was giving me some kind of secret news.

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “How do you know this?” My heart was racing. I wondered if I shouldn’t be recording our conversation. Monica was obviously very sick. My mind began spinning down a frantic path as I wondered what the hell I was going to do when she left. Obviously, I couldn’t call Jamie and Brian. Even if they did care, they weren’t likely to do anything. Maybe I could talk to my mom, but I had a feeling she’d just call the cops. Maybe—

  “You’re not listening,” Monica said peevishly, interrupting my thoughts. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, Elizabeth, it’s really simple. We just have to get Andrea to reveal who she really is, and catch her saying it, and then she’ll probably get locked up or something. It’s that easy.”

  “I …” I trailed off. ‘Yeah, but do you even realize how you sound?’ I thought as I stared at my best friend. ‘You sound totally nuts. And by your logic, how come they wouldn’t lock you up, too?’

  “Don’t be scared, Elizabeth,” Monica said. She reached out and touched me on the shoulder. I tried not to flinch; her thin fingers were as cold as icicles.

  “I’m not really scared,” I lied. “I mean, about Andrea.”

  “I mean, don’t be afraid of her,” Monica continued. “Just because she’s made it her mission to continue the witch hunt of the old days, that doesn’t mean she knows what she’s doing.”

  I gulped. “Are you saying there are witches around here?”

  Monica shrugged.

  I bit my lip. “Monica, we’re best friends,” I said slowly, “but I’m really worried about you. Ever since you came back, you just seem so different,” I said, groping for words and feeling lamer by the second. “I just think something really bad might’ve happened, and maybe this is the way you’re choosing to deal with it.”

  Monica narrowed her eyes. “What? What are you getting at?”

  I blushed. “It’s just … you never talk like this,” I said quietly. “You’re so rational. And now you’re talking about witches and reincarnation. Monica, it’s too much. You know that stuff isn’t real. It’s never been real.”

  Monica raised her eyebrows.

  “And I’m just really worried about you,” I said quickly. “I don’t want anything to be wrong, Monica, but have you thought about maybe seeing a doctor? I could have Steven drive you if you don’t want Jamie and–”

  “Enough,” Monica said. She stood up and glared at me. “If you can’t listen to my advice, fine. But I’m just trying to help!” Her nostrils flared with anger, and she stalked toward the door, yanking it open so hard the wall creaked.

  “Monica, come on,” I said. “You don’t have to go! I’m just worried about you!”

  Monica’s eyes flashed with anger. “Forget it, Elizabeth,” she said. “I can take care of myself!”

  As she stormed out of my room, I felt powerless to stop her. I’d thought that when Monica came back, everything would be better. But now, things seemed worse than ever, and I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do to help.

  Chapter Two

  The next day, I called Steven and asked him to come over. My parents hadn’t come home yet, but I didn’t think they would care. Besides, for once, talking to Steven on the phone didn’t make me nervous. I wasn’t thinking about he and I together; I was worried about Monica.

  When Steven came over, I led him into the kitchen. “I was studying,” I said, clearing my stuff off of the table. “Can I get you anything?”

  Steven stretched. “Yeah,” he said, “I’m starving. Got anything to eat?”

  I burst out laughing.

  “What?” Steven cocked his head to the side and gave me a funny look. “What’s going on?”

  I blushed. “Nothing,” I said. After a pause, I added, “My mom just made a joke the other day about my little brother, after he ate a whole bag of clementines in one sitting. She said teenage boys are like vacuums.”

  Steven snickered. “I ate three sandwiches and two pieces of pizza at lunch,” he said. “And I’m already hungry again.”

  I rolled my eyes. Pulling open the fridge, I grabbed a container of brownies and some leftover chicken salad. When I set the boxes down on the table, Steven ripped the lid off the brownies and immediately ate four, rubbing his stomach and groaning. I felt both slightly embarrassed and intrigued – watching someone eat felt intimate and strange. Goosebumps broke out over my body, and eventually, I took a fork and picked at the chicken salad, too afraid that Steven would ask me something as soon as my mouth was full.

  “So, what’s up?” Steven belched, covering his mouth. “What did you wanna talk about?”

  For a moment, the horrible text I’d seen on Steven’s phone came rushing back to the front of my memory. Closing my eyes, I forced it away.

  “Monica,” I said. “Ever since she got back, she’s…she’s been acting really weird, and I don’t know what to do.”

  “Oh yeah?” Steven raised an eyebrow. “Like what? What did she say?”

  I blushed. I certainly wasn’t going to tell him everything, although I could practically hear Monica’s words of ‘how to win Steven for good’
echoing in my head.

  “Well, that’s the funny thing,” I said slowly, nibbling at a forkful of chicken. “It was kind of about you. Well, not you. I mean, yeah, you, but more about Andrea.”

  Steven narrowed his eyes. “Not this séance shit again,” he muttered under his breath. “God, Mom was about ready to kill Monica when that happened last year. Andrea slept with the lights on for six months after that.”

  I bit my lip. “No, not about that, exactly…” I trailed off. “She just thinks Andrea is reincarnated.”

  “What?”

  “Like, she lived another life in another time,” I explained, feeling stupider by the second.

  “That’s crazy,” Steven said. He snorted. “Everyone knows that’s bullshit.”

  “I know,” I said quickly, suddenly worried that Steven would lump me into Monica’s newfound lunacy. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you about it.”

  “Well, what exactly did she say? And why does she care about my sister?”

  I blushed. I certainly wasn’t going to tell him that.

  “I don’t really know,” I lied. “She was just really on this bender about Andrea, and how Andrea is crazy and needs to be locked up or something.”

  Steven narrowed his eyes. “My sister definitely isn’t crazy,” he said slowly.

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Yeah, of course not,” I agreed. “It’s not really about her, though. It’s Monica I’m worried about. Like, why the fuck does she care about this all of a sudden?”

  Steven sighed. “Look, I know she’s your best friend,” he said slowly, “but she’s always been kind of weird, you know? It’s probably because of her parents.” He rolled his eyes. “They’re total idiots.”

  “They’re not idiots,” I replied. “They’re just kind of unconventional.”

  “Whatever,” Steven said. “My dad says it’s basically the same thing. I mean, why the hell did people like that even choose to have a kid in the first place?”

  I frowned. This wasn’t going the way I’d thought – not at all.

  “So, is that all that’s bothering you?”