I turned my attention to my body, and found it clad in a soft, white nightgown unlike anything I’ve ever owned. Where were my clothes? What was I doing here? Where was here?
My internal freak-out was interrupted by a door opening on the opposite side of the room. A cloud of steam billowed out of the room that must have been a bathroom. A tall, shirtless man appeared out of the fog, and stopped short in the doorway when his blue eyes met mine
Those eyes!
The events of the attack came rushing back all at once.
The wolf bite.
The strange man strangling me.
The second wolf finding me.
And this man, right in front of me, promising to keep me safe.
I whipped the covers off my legs. There was a thick bandage taped around much of my calf. I ran my fingers along the soft, white gauze. Who did this? Whoever it was, they clearly knew what they were doing when it came to first aid.
I looked back at the man, and then the woman. My eyes bounced between the two until I made the connection. That’s why she looked so familiar. She looked just like the man who’d saved me in the woods.
Wait, was I saved?
Or was I captured?
“Who are you?” I finally voiced one of the thousands of questions running through my head.
The man stayed silent, his gaze fixed on my bare legs. My stomach knotted, and I quickly covered myself again. He seemed to snap out of the daze he’d been in and instead turned his intense eyes to the woman.
“Evey? What are you doing in here?”
The woman fidgeted in her seat and averted her eyes.
“I wanted to check on her,” she said with a shrug.
The man sighed and ran a big hand down his face. “I told you to stay away for now.” The irritation was evident in his voice, but surprisingly, a note of tenderness was there too. Who was this man?
“I know what you said Abey, but I was worried about her after the condition you brought her home in.”
“I know you’re concerned Evey, but I told you–”
“Hello? Could you stop talking about me like I’m not here? Who are you, and where am I?”
Both of their blue eyes locked on me, and I felt like a specimen underneath a microscope. My skin itched with their intense stares, and I worried the sheet between my fingers. No matter what I tried to concentrate on, my eyes were drawn to the man’s. Abey, she’d called him. His eyes seared through mine and seemed to burrow into my soul. I felt bared before him despite how I’d covered myself.
Why was he getting to me like this?
“My name is Evelyn, but everybody calls me Evey,” the woman said, interrupting my staring match with the man. “And that’s my brother, Abraham,” she added with a nod in the man’s direction.
Abraham.
Finally, there was a name I could attach to the handsome man. My eyes left Evey’s, once again drawn to Abraham. Upon closer inspection, I saw his thick, dark hair was wet, some strands sticking to the sides of his face. My gaze traveled lower, down his throat, and to his sculpted chest. As I watched, a single drop of water ran from between his pectoral muscles, following a trail down his torso, between his abs and disappeared at the waistband of the gray sweatpants he wore.
Abraham took a faltering step forward before he seemed to restrain himself. His hands tightened along with his jaw, and he swallowed, and closed his eyes. A second later, his denim blue eyes snapped open, and he stalked out the door to his right. It shut behind him and left the room in silence.
“Well, that was strange,” Evey commented. “He’s not very talkative, but he’s usually much more polite than that.”
I looked back and found her staring at the door Abraham had escaped through with a confused look. My eyes watched the door too, waiting (hoping) for Abraham to come back.
Get a grip, Montgomery.
“Abey said your name’s Elizabeth?” Evey asked.
She looked remarkably like Abraham. Although there were many similarities, the main difference was all her softness compared to his hardness. Her features were small and delicate, but her hair and eyes were clearly a family trait.
“Yes. My name’s Elizabeth.” With another glance around the large room, I added, “How did I get here? Where is here anyway?”
Evey smiled. “Abraham brought you here. You’re in our lodge near Asheville.”
I let out a small sigh of relief. He hadn’t taken me far at least.
“You and Abraham’s lodge?”
A soft, tinkling laugh left her rosebud mouth. “Well, I guess technically it’s Abraham’s, but he shares it with all of us.”
“All of you? How many are there?”
Evey’s head tipped back as she tapped a dainty finger against her chin. “Let’s see, there’s us five, and then maybe another five or ten guards that live here full time? The rest of the pack live in their own houses on the property.”
One word stuck out above the rest.
“Pack?” I asked incredulously.
Evey nodded her head slowly, her eyes serious and sad.
“Yes, pack.”
I almost didn’t want to ask, but knew I needed the answer.
“Pack of what, exactly?”
Evey’s eyes searched my face, and she was silent for a minute.
With a sigh, she responded. “Pack of werewolves.”
Chapter 4
Evey let out a wind-chime-laugh. “Catchin’ flies?”
I picked my jaw up off my lap. “Beg pardon?”
She had to be joking.
Werewolves were not a thing.
Evey giggled again and rose gracefully to her feet. She couldn’t have been more than 5’3”.
“We’re a pack of werewolves. Wanna’ see?”
Without warning, she reached for the hem of her shirt, and yanked it over her head. With her dark brown hair mussed, she stood there proud as a peacock in her lime green bra.
I shielded my eyes when she reached for the zipper of her jeans.
“Have you lost your mind?” I shrieked. “What are you doing? Keep your clothes on!”
Another giggle. “I gotta’ take my clothes off before I shift if I don’t wanna’ ruin em’.”
Dread churned in my stomach. Was this whole house insane? Who were these people?
“Shift?” I squeaked.
“Sure, silly. Into a werewolf.”
My hand fell limp onto my lap.
This is insane.
There’s no way this is real.
When Evey reached for her only remaining garment, her underwear, I turned my head the other way.
She giggled again. “You better get used to this.”
“What does that mean?”
A loud crack filled the room, and I turned to Evey again. She’d crouched down on all fours, and I watched in equal parts horror and fascination as tufts of black-tipped gray fur sprouted from her smooth skin. She tipped her head back as her nose elongated and grew.
Bones shifted beneath her tan skin, and a few muffled snaps later, where Evey once stood was now a very large wolf with dark blue eyes. I gasped, and scrambled backward on the bed, my heart racing.
For a moment I was back in the woods, broken and bleeding. I could almost feel the cold, wet leaves beneath me, feel the razor sharp teeth tear into my skin.
I shook my head to clear those thoughts and centered myself in the here and now. This wolf has blue eyes-not black. This wolf hasn’t tried to harm me. This wolf is apparently a werewolf. But, if she’s a werewolf, does that mean...
I lost that thought as the large carnivore came trotting over to the end of the bed. My back pressed against the headboard as I tried to get as far away from it, and its huge teeth, as possible. When it placed two big paws on the mattress, I finally got a good look.
The underside of the wolf was mostly white, with a similarly colored muzzle. Its back was covered in thick, coarse looking salt and pepper fur. As I watched, the animal cocked its head–big
ears straight in the air, bright eyes focused on me.
Abraham came walking back in carrying a serving tray loaded with food and drinks, a small smile curving one corner of his lips. As soon as he saw the wolf standing there that smile vanished.
He set the tray down with a slam and turned to the beast with hands on his hips.
“Evelyn! What were you thinking?”
The wolf’s ears flattened, and she let out a soft whine.
“Don’t give me that. Look at her!” he demanded, thrusting an arm in my direction.
The wolf’s big head swung my way, her eyes met mine as she let out a series of mournful yips.
Moments later, I watched incredulously as the fur receded into her skin. Her snout shrank, legs elongating, and stretching out. A minute or two later, there stood Evey, naked as the day she was born.
I averted my gaze again as Evey didn’t seem to be in any hurry to cover up.
“What were you thinking?” Abraham repeated.
A soft sigh drifted through the room.
“I was just tryin’ to show her I was tellin’ the truth about werewolves.”
They were silent a moment.
“And what truth have you told her?” His voice was rougher than before.
“I just told her we’re werewolves. Nothin’ else,” she answered quickly.
He responded with a long, masculine sigh. My skin tingled, and I knew he was looking at me. His gaze was like a physical caress. I fought off a shiver and kept my face resolutely turned away from the squabbling siblings.
“Can you at least put your clothes back on?” He tsked. “You’re making Elizabeth uncomfortable.”
My heart thumped an extra beat when he said my name.
Not the time, Montgomery.
“Sorry, Elizabeth,” Evey said.
“It’s okay,” I replied automatically.
“No, really. That was stupid of me. You just found out werewolves were real, and could probably have used some time to think that over before I shifted right in front of you.”
Could I have used some time to process that information? Would it have mattered? Would werewolves have been an easier concept to swallow if I’d had time to think about it? Probably not. Truthfully, the idea is still pretty unbelievable.
But I saw it.
“You can turn around now.”
Her soft voice broke through my endless questioning. I turned to see her clothed again, her face a picture of contrition.
“With all you’ve been through, I shouldn’t have been so insensitive. Will you forgive me?”
I stared at her dumbfounded. I’m positive I’d never received such a sincere, and articulate apology. How could I not forgive her?
“Of course.”
A brilliant smile lit up her face, and I mirrored her happiness. My eyes automatically sought Abraham’s, and found him holding the tray again, his gaze fixed on me.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” He brought the tray over and slid it onto my lap. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I brought a few different things.”
A few was a gross understatement.
There were cups of water, juice, sweet tea, and soda next to dishes holding sandwiches, salads, pasta, and grilled chicken as well as three steaming bowls, each containing a different kind of soup.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked,” he repeated.
“Did you cook all that?” Evey asked incredulously.
Abraham narrowed his eyes at his sister. “Yes, I did.”
“All by yourself?”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “Okay, I had help. But I did make most of it.”
I tried to hide my smile behind the glass of sweet tea when Evey let out a satisfied guffaw.
“Thank you, Abraham.”
His cerulean eyes found mine instantly. His lips tipped into a shy smile, and Evey gasped.
I looked back, but her laser gaze was not on me. She was looking at Abraham. Her eyes widened along with a megawatt grin, her face almost glowing with happiness.
“Oh, Abey!” She squealed.
“Evey! Can I see you in private for a moment?” Abraham didn’t wait for an answer. He grabbed Evey’s arm and dragged her out of the room.
The sudden silence was unnerving. But since when has being alone been weird for me? Maybe I had a head wound–
With a gasp, I slapped my hand over my forehead, harder than I’d meant to.
“Ow!” I yelped and rubbed my stinging skin.
Abraham abruptly opened the door and stuck his head in. “Everything all right?” His concern drew his dark brows together.
“How long have I been here?” I ignored his question.
He stepped through the doorway, and Evey peeked her head in after him.
“Since last night.”
I’d been here a whole day?!
I pushed the tray away, and wrenched myself from the bed, gasping in pain when I put weight on my wounded leg. The room spun, and for a moment, I thought I might pass out again.
“Elizabeth?” Abraham’s concerned voice rang out.
He took a step toward me, but I held up a hand in protest. I would get there under my own steam, or I wouldn’t get there at all. I didn’t need his help.
It took me a while, but I finally made it to the bathroom, and in front of the large vanity mirror. With shaking hands, I traced a butterfly bandage that partially covered an angry red line across my forehead. It didn’t look as bad as I expected after smashing my face into the forest floor.
Upon further inspection, I realized I was also clean. My hair and skin held no reminders of my mad dash through the forest or my fight with the wolf/man duo.
A thought I should have had long before now popped into my head, and I met Abraham's eyes in the mirror. “Have you already called the police? We need to report my attack.”
Abraham shook his head stiffly. “The police can’t help.”
I ran his words over and over through my mind until with sickening clarity, I finally understood. “It was a werewolf that attacked me, wasn’t it?”
“We believe so,” Abraham replied.
“But it wasn’t you?”
He stiffened. “No. It was not me.”
My mind was running at top speed as I rapidly made connections.
“You were the wolf with the blue eyes?”
Abraham relaxed slightly. “Yes.”
“Then who attacked me?” I demanded.
He took a step forward, but stopped dead in his tracks when I leveled him with a glare. His hands slowly rose in front of him.
“We don’t know. We’re working on it.”
“How? How are you working on it? And who’s ‘we’? Are you working with the police?”
“No, I told you, the police can’t help. My pack and I have been investigating this for a while now–”
“‘A while’?” I interrupted. “As in, since a few hours ago when I was attacked?”
Abraham shook his head slowly, a lock of dark hair falling over one eye.
“No. ‘A while’ as in, since we found the first victim about a year ago.”
First victim.
A year ago.
My heart stopped.
“How many?”
He knew exactly what I meant. “You were the fifth.”
I staggered back, my behind hitting the granite countertop.
“He’s attacked four other women? Where are they? Are they here too?”
Abraham’s eyes turned hollow, and he shook his head again.
“No. They’re all dead.”
“And the police don’t know about this?”
“The police know about the other murders, but they have even fewer leads than we do. We at least know it’s a werewolf doing this.”
My legs buckled, and only through sheer willpower did I remain standing. Four dead. I was supposed to be the fifth. I should be dead. Why wasn’t I dead?
“How did I survive?”
“Calvin interrupted him.�
��
“Who’s Calvin? I only remember you,” I admit.
“He’s my cousin, and one of my pack enforcers. He took off after him, and I went to you.”
I was quiet while processing all this. Someone had intervened when I thought I’d been all alone. Then Abraham showed up and brought me here. I looked in the mirror again and fingered my blonde hair.
“How did I get clean? Who dressed me? Whose nightgown is this?” I asked, pinching the white cotton material between two fingers.
His hands shot up again.
“It was Evey. I had her clean you up. You were filthy.”
Heat rose in my cheeks, and I looked away. “Yeah, well, you try running for your life through the pitch dark woods and see how you look at the end of it.”
Abraham closed the distance between us and placed his large hands on my shoulders. I tensed at the contact, and he slowly released me. “It was more than that,” he admitted. His electric blue eyes met mine in the mirror.
“What was?”
“You weren’t just covered in dirt and leaves. You were also soaked in urine. We had to bathe you.”
I whirled around to face him. “Covered in urine?!” I screeched.
His jaw ticked as he averted his angry gaze.
“It’s how we knew it was the same guy. He marks all his victims.”
I was shocked into silence. A rare occurrence for me.
“Come on. You’re probably hungry and thirsty.”
His supposition was correct, and as soon as he mentioned it, my stomach gurgled. A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest, and my breath caught in my throat. Damn that sound was appealing.
He followed me as I painfully made my way back to the bed, and once again placed the tray on my lap. I started out slow, but eventually ate everything on the tray.
I finally sat back, and rested against the headboard, my hand covering my full stomach. When I looked to the siblings, they were both staring at me.
“Still hungry?” Abraham asked, eliciting a bark of laughter from Evey.
My face heated, and I snatched my hand off my distended belly.
“Don’t worry, we all eat like pigs around here,” Evey reassured.
Or maybe she thought she was reassuring me. She wasn’t.
“Thanks, Evey,” I deadpanned.
Shift (Southern Werewolves Book 1) Page 3