Shadowed Instincts

by Wendi Wilson

  “What about you, Chris? Do your parents know you’re here?”

  “Yeah, I called them. They’re cool with it as long as I graduate on time.”

  The conversations drifted to other topics amongst the dinner guests and Melanie looked around the table with a satisfied grin. Her birthday just kept getting better and better.

  She blushed when she thought about her time with Jeremy on the boat. He noticed and nudged her knee with his. They shared a secret smile and when Melanie looked up, she caught Declan’s frown. He immediately wiped it from his face when she frowned back at him.

  Jeremy leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I know you’ll want to hang out with Tara tonight, but can you squeeze in a few minutes for me after dinner? I have a present for you.” His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke and she shivered.

  “A present?” she whispered back. “I thought our day on the lake was my present.”

  Knowing sensitive ears could hear them, she picked her words carefully. She heard a grunt from Declan, but ignored it. He could think what he wanted.

  “It was a great day,” he said, equally mindful of their company, “but I got you a real present. I just want us to be alone when I give it to you.”

  At that, Declan choked on the soda he was sipping and spewed it across the table. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

  “Declan?” Willow said with a perplexed look on her face.

  “Sorry,” Declan choked out. “Went down the wrong pipe. Excuse me.” He got up and walked from the room, still coughing.

  Jeremy looked at Melanie, confused. “Later,” she mouthed and turned back to her food as conversation at the table started to pick back up.

  *~*~*

  “What do you mean, he knows?”

  They were out by the pond, watching the sun setting over the trees. Jeremy and Melanie had walked out to be alone so he could give her his gift. As they walked, he had asked her about Declan’s strange behavior.

  “Well, I didn’t tell him, if that’s what you’re thinking.” The look on his face told her that’s exactly what he’d thought. “Jeremy! Seriously? What, you think I just announced it to Declan, of all people?”

  His face fell a little. “I’m sorry, Mel. I know you wouldn’t do that. But how did he find out?”

  Melanie blushed and gritted her teeth. “He…smelled us.”

  “What? What do you mean?”

  “Well, apparently, when two cynanthropes do it, they secrete pheromones that other weres can smell.”

  Jeremy grinned, despite his shock. “Did you just say ‘do it’?”

  “Shut up!” she retorted, trying not to smile.

  He bumped shoulders with her, then asked, “So any time we make love, anyone who comes near us will know?”

  “Yep,” she said miserably, the smile dropping from her face. “He was so hostile and judgmental. He called it ‘birthday sex’ and said a real man would let me get cleaned up before going near anyone else.”

  “What the hell?” Jeremy raged, his hands balling into fists and his face turning red. “What an assho-”

  “I took care of it,” Melanie interrupted, placing her hands on his shoulders and forcing him to look into her eyes. “He won’t be saying anything like that to me again.”

  Some of the steam left Jeremy and he looked at her with an arched brow. “What did you do?”

  “I slapped him into next week. I’m pretty sure his grandkids felt it.”

  “I wish I could have been there for that,” Jeremy said wistfully, looking back at the sky.

  “Enough of that,” Melanie said, taking a step back and holding out her hand. “I want my present.”

  Jeremy pulled a small square box from his pocket and placed it in her hand. Melanie’s heart rate accelerated as she stared at it. It was a jewelry box. No one, other than her mom, had ever given her jewelry before.

  “Are you going to open it or just stare at the box all night?” Jeremy asked playfully when she didn’t move an inch.

  “Oh, sorry.” She laughed nervously. “I was just surprised. I didn’t know what to expect, and this is…”

  “Just open it, Mel,” he said when she trailed off.

  She took a deep breath and slowly lifted the lid on box. The breath left her in a whoosh when she saw the delicate bracelet coiled inside. It was silver and had a crescent moon pendant. Pulling it from the box, Melanie noticed the pendant was studded with tiny diamonds.

  “Jeremy, how…this is too much.”

  “Melanie,” Jeremy said, taking the bracelet from her and clasping it around her wrist. “I love you. I’ll do anything to make you smile. Do you like it?”

  “Like it?” Melanie asked, a little bewildered. “I love it. It’s gorgeous. But it’s too much. I don’t even want to think about what this must have cost you. I don’t need expensive jewelry to make me happy. I just need you.”

  Jeremy smiled. “And that’s one of the many reasons I love you so much. Don’t worry. It didn’t cost me anything.” At her confused look, he continued, “I told my mom that I wanted to get you something amazing for your birthday and she gave me this. It belonged to my grandmother.”

  “What? Oh, now I really can’t accept this. An heirloom, Jeremy? Seriously? This belongs to your wife, not your teenaged girlfriend.”

  He stilled her hands as she tried, unsuccessfully, to remove the bracelet on her own. Jeremy wrapped his arms around her and she hugged him back. They stood in the embrace for several minutes before he spoke again.

  “Melanie, listen to me,” he said, finally breaking the silence. “You may not be my wife, but you are my mate. This bracelet has been passed to the males in my line to gift to their mates for generations. That’s why Mom gave it to me.”

  “But what if-”

  He cut her off with a finger to her lips. “No buts. I’ll make a deal with you, if it’ll make you feel better. If for some reason we ever break up, you can give it back to me. Does that sound acceptable?”

  She looked into his eyes doubtfully. “And you’ll actually take it back?”

  “Promise,” he said crossing his heart with his finger.

  “Okay,” Melanie finally said after a few seconds of silence. “I’ll accept it.”

  She held up her arm and watched as the diamonds sparkled in the final rays of the setting sun. “Thank you, Jeremy. I love it.”

  “I love you,” he said, pulling her close and kissing her softly.

  Chapter 21

  “So, what’s the story with Declan?”

  “You mean the guy talking to your boyfriend?”

  “Hey, look but don’t touch. That’s my motto. He’s so hot.”

  Melanie and Tara were standing in the corner of the entertainment room, looking through the song choices on the jukebox when Tara turned around and started the conversation. Declan, Jeremy, and Chris were standing by the pool table, flipping a coin to see who would play the first game.

  Melanie saw Declan turn their way to shoot a sexy grin in Tara’s direction when Chris looked down at the coin on the table. Thankfully, Tara wasn’t looking either, having turned back to her perusal of the jukebox. Noticing that Melanie was the only one paying attention, he turned that grin on her.

  “I don’t know, Tara. I guess he’s okay to look at, but he’s a jackhole. I would steer clear if I were you.”

  At that, Declan’s face fell and it was Melanie’s turn to smirk. Jeremy burst into laughter and Chris just looked confused. Jeremy shot Melanie an air “high-five” from across the room.

  “I wonder what’s so funny over there,” Tara commented after she picked her song and turned back around.

  “I don’t know,” Melanie said innocently. “Let’s go find out.”

  When the girls reached the table, they both put their arms around their respective boyfriends, which prompted Declan to complain, “Aw, come on, guys. None of that, now. You’re making me feel like a fifth wheel.”

  “Good,
you deserve it,” Melanie whispered under her breath, knowing he would hear it.

  Declan shot her an apologetic look and turned to make his shot. “I tried to apologize,” he whispered.

  Melanie’s hearing was improving by the day and she could barely make out his words. Tara and Chris stood on the other side of the pool table, oblivious to the conversation going on in front of them. Melanie decided to let it drop for the time being.

  “So, Declan, are you any good at this game?” she asked, loud enough to bring her friends back into the conversation.

  “I’m pretty good,” he responded with a grateful smile.

  “Can you explain the rules to me?” she asked innocently. “You have to hit that white one and knock it into the colored and striped ones, right?”

  Jeremy rolled his eyes and Tara hid her grin in Chris’s chest as Declan slowly and patiently explained the rules of eight-ball to Melanie. As she followed his instructions on how to hold the stick, he took advantage of the situation by leaning over Melanie and wrapping his arms around her to show her the proper way to aim.

  Melanie stood up and turned to him with wide eyes, “Wow. You’re a really good teacher. Will you play me? Maybe give me some pointers?”

  “Of course,” Declan said. “I’ll even let you break.”

  “Break?” she asked, with a confused look on her face. Strange noises were escaping Tara as she shoved her face harder into Chris’s chest.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Declan asked. At Melanie’s shrug, he explained, “Breaking is how you start the game. You hit the cue, er, white ball into the others and try to break them up and get one in a pocket.”

  “I’ve got five bucks on Melanie,” Jeremy said, slapping a bill down on the table.

  “Jeremy, don’t,” she whined. “I don’t want you to lose your money.”

  “I believe in you, babe. Just try your best.”

  Declan shot Jeremy one of his signature smirks and slapped a five dollar bill on top of his. “You’re on.”

  While Declan racked the balls in preparation for Melanie’s break, she took up her position at the other end of the table. She shot Jeremy a wink, then smiled at Tara, who finally got herself under control and turned to watch the game.

  Melanie methodically chalked the tip of her cue stick and ran her hand down the cone of talc chalk on a nearby shelf. Declan looked a little confused as she took aim, pausing briefly to smile up at him before taking the shot with enough speed and precision to bust up the triangle of balls. Two stripes and one solid landed in various pockets.

  “Nice shot,” Declan murmured.

  “Thanks,” Melanie replied, lining up her next shot. “Fourteen in the corner pocket,” she added before sending the green striped ball flying down the table. It landed in the pocket with a thud.

  Declan’s eyes narrowed as she wandered to the other side of the table and said, “Combination, fifteen to the nine to the side pocket.”

  And so it went, until Melanie had made all of her stripes and was shooting the eight ball. After it dropped, Melanie gently laid her stick on the table as Jeremy collected the ten dollars. Declan had a disbelieving look on his face, which quickly turned into a self-deprecating smile.

  “I don’t suppose that was beginner’s luck, was it?”

  “Not quite,” Tara butted in with a chuckle. “You just got schooled by the Rocket Roller Rink all-time pool champion. While the rest of us were roller skating, she was learning to play pool.”

  “I’ve heard the stories,” Jeremy added, wrapping his arms around Melanie’s waist, “but to actually see it was amazing. You’re amazing.” He gave her a light peck on the lips.

  Melanie turned in his arms so that he was to her back, and Tara and Chris were behind her as well. “Now we’re even,” she mouthed, then gave him an impish grin.

  Declan gave a small nod and turned to leave. “You kids have fun, but don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he called over his shoulder before walking through the door.

  *~*~*

  “I wonder what the boys are doing.”

  Melanie and Tara were hanging out in Melanie’s room, eating junk food and watching funny videos on Tara’s phone. They’d had a lot of fun hanging out with Jeremy and Chris earlier, but now it was girl time.

  “What I wonder,” Tara replied, throwing her phone down on the bed, “is what you’re hiding from me.”

  “What?” Melanie kept her face as blank as possible.

  “Wow. You’ve really improved. Anybody besides me, and maybe your mom, might actually believe that innocent look.”

  “What are you talking about, Tara?”

  “Melanie, you are my best friend and I love you, but you can’t lie for shit and I know you’re hiding something. Spill it!”

  Melanie started to panic, then realized that there was one secret she could, and even wanted to share with her best friend. Holding out one pinky to Tara, she said, “Okay, but you are sworn to secrecy.”

  “Seriously? Since when do we have to pinky swear? You know I wouldn’t-”

  “Just do it!” Melanie interrupted impatiently.

  Rolling her eyes, Tara wrapped her pinky around Melanie’s and said, “Fine. I pinky-swear never to repeat what you’re about to tell me.”

  Releasing Tara’s finger, Melanie jumped up and ran to the door. She swung it open and stepped into the hall, looking both directions before stepping back in and closing the door. She locked it and walked back over to the bed.

  “Melanie, what are you doing?”

  “Give me a sec,” Melanie said, grabbing her phone from the nightstand and walking back to the door. She turned on her music streaming app and, turning the volume up, set it on the floor by the door. Then she walked back and sat on the bed next to Tara.

  “What was all that about?”

  “I was just making sure no one can eavesdrop. There are too many ears in this place.”

  “Now I really am intrigued. Speak. Now.”

  Leaning in close so she could lower her voice, Melanie said, “Jeremy and I made love today.”

  “What?!” Tara screeched.

  Melanie slapped a palm over her mouth and whispered urgently, “Be quiet, Tara. Seriously.”

  Tara nodded and Melanie removed her hand. “Tell me everything.”

  Chapter 22

  The next morning, Melanie left Tara sleeping in her bed and slipped quietly from the room. She tiptoed to her parents’ room and tapped on the door with her fingertips. She didn’t want to wake them, but she needed to talk to her dad. She heard soft footsteps on the other side.

  “Dad?” she called softly.

  The door swung open and Darren stood there, fully dressed. Elaine was sitting on the bed, putting in her earrings. Melanie heaved a relieved sigh that they were both dressed and she hadn’t interrupted anything. She gagged a little at the thought.

  “Can we talk for a minute?” she asked as Darren held out an arm to invite her in.

  “What is it, honey?” Elaine asked, patting the bed beside her.

  As Melanie took a seat, she looked at Darren and asked, “Is it safe for Tara and Chris to be here? I mean, I am so happy to see them, but won’t they figure out that things here are not exactly…normal?”

  “Don’t worry, Melanie,” Darren said, walking forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve had visitors before and everyone in the pack knows the protocol. No shifting within the community. Only the sentries need to shift for their lookout duties and they can do that far out in the woods where no one will see them. Our kind have lived for centuries without being noticed. We can do it for a week, darlin’.”

  Melanie let out a breath in relief. “Okay, if you’re sure…” She trailed off and pulled each of them into a hug. “Thank you so much! That was the best birthday present, ever!”

  “Well,” Elaine said with a soft smile on her lips, “that was my present to you. Your dad never got a chance to give you his.”

  Melanie looked at
her dad expectantly. “You got me something else?”

  He grinned. “Of course I did. I wasn’t able to give you anything for your first sixteen birthdays. I wasn’t about to miss the chance this year. It’s downstairs.”

  Darren opened the door and held up his arm for the ladies to precede him out. Melanie felt a little weird going downstairs in her pajamas, but her parents looked so excited, she didn’t want to ask them to wait for her to change. She followed her mom down the stairs and Darren took up the rear.

  They walked to the foyer, where Elaine stopped and shot a huge grin at Melanie. Darren stopped and smiled lovingly at both of them. Melanie shifted her weight from foot to foot, the anticipation building.

  “Melanie,” Darren said quietly, “you’ll never know how amazing it is to have the both of you here, in my home. It has been my dream since the moment I found out about you. A dream that you’ve helped come true. So, thank you. I love you, darlin’.”

  Melanie looked over his shoulder at her mom as he leaned in and awkwardly hugged her. Elaine’s eyes grew misty as Melanie hugged him back. As he pulled away, he pressed something metal into her hand. She looked down and her eyes grew wide.

  “No way,” she said glancing up from the set of keys in her hand to look back and forth between them. “No freaking way!”

  Darren smiled big, showing all his teeth, as he swung the front door open and motioned Melanie to walk out. She took a few shuffling steps to the door, gasped, and fell against the doorjamb when her eyes adjusted to the bright morning light.

  “Oh. My. God.”

  Sitting in the driveway, next to Darren’s SUV, was a black Jeep Wrangler with a big red bow on the hood. Melanie ran across the porch and down the steps, stopping beside it with her mouth hanging open. The top was off and it had purple roll bars, seat covers, and accents on the wheels. She looked at her parents, who were embracing on the porch.

  “You can close your mouth, honey,” her mom called out with a laugh.

  “This is seriously for me?”

  Darren let go of Elaine and walked down the steps to stand beside Melanie. He took her hand and kissed it. “Happy birthday, Melanie.”