by Amy Miles
Zack glanced at the window. “It’s dark. Let’s go for a walk.”
“Why?”
“So I can show you.” He rose from the sofa.
We left the house together and I walked with him in silence, trying not to think about the reason for our outing. Why was I even going with him into the woods when the whole idea was absurd?
He led me to my spot in the clearing and stopped in the center. How did he know where to go? The little hairs on my arm stood at attention as chills swept over my body. No, it couldn’t be. “How did you know I was changing?”
Zack bent one leg with the other bearing his weight, hands in his pocket. “For days, I kept catching a hint of something extra when I got really close to you, something not human. Since it was so faint, I kept thinking it was my imagination. I found myself following you, just to see if maybe I could catch you doing something superhuman.”
That explained why Zack always seemed to be everywhere. He’d been watching, but not because he liked me. He’d probably never like me. My throat tightened.
Oblivious, as usual, to my inner turmoil, Zack continued. “Every time I tried to go in for a better whiff, you were onto me. I couldn’t satisfy my nose without you thinking I was a perv. So when I walked you home after dinner last night, I poked around while you went upstairs. Your sweater was draped over the couch, so I sniffed that and anything else I could find. I still wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling. Like, I just knew.”
“Knew what?”
“You’re not human.”
Considering my strength and other abilities, not being human wasn’t a stretch. I took a shaky breath. “And you’re not human either?”
“No. I told you about that our first day of car shopping.” The corners of his mouth lifted. “But you didn’t believe me.”
“Of course I didn’t believe you.” Werewolf. Werewolf. Werewolf. The word echoed in my head, but the idea was too crazy for me to fully let it in.
“Oh, and I forgive you for laughing at me,” he said dryly. “But, in all fairness, you looked way hot that night and I’m still a guy.” He gave me a lopsided smile.
Right. I’d told the wolf about Zack stuttering when he’d seen me.
“You’re the black wolf,” I said, trying to make myself believe what I’d just said. I covered my face and squeezed my eyes shut, disappointed that the connection I felt with the wolf probably wasn’t felt by Zack. Wait, was I going to buy into this and believe in werewolves? I took a step back. “This is getting out of hand. I’m not sure about this whole supernatural thing. It’s too much. I think… I think I need to go.”
“You want to see me change into a wolf?”
No, because then it would be real. “Y-yes.”
“Damn.” He pointed to his pants. “When I morph, I’ll leave a pile of clothes. When I turn back, I’ll be naked. Before I become human again, I’ll bark twice so you can turn around.”
“You’re going to morph right now?”
He closed his eyes and spread his arms like wings, his body shimmering. Then he disappeared. That lasted a split second before the black wolf stood on all fours, a pile of clothes at his paws.
There he was. My wolf. With his beautiful green eyes. I had to be losing my mind. But Zack just changed into a freaking wolf, which meant werewolves existed and I was perfectly sane. How was that possible?
He barked, but I only stared. He barked two more times. Still, I couldn’t move.
The wolf locked the pants in his teeth and dragged them into a clump of bushes. A moment later, Zack emerged wearing them, still naked from the waist up. Since his boxers were still on the ground, I knew they weren’t on him. At a time like this, I really didn’t need to know he was going commando.
A spattering of hairs over Zack’s chest made a narrow trail leading into the waist of his jeans. His chest was well-defined; above his hips, the muscles at his sides flared up and out. I swallowed. At that moment, I couldn’t think of anything more beautiful than him.
Plucking his boxers off the grass, Zack shoved them into his back pocket, then slipped his arms through the shirt, leaving the front unbuttoned. “You were supposed to turn around.”
His voice distracted me from his washboard stomach and brought me to the present.
Oh. My. God. Zack was a werewolf. It had been him, the black wolf, every night in the woods. The werewolf theory fit with Jeff’s story that Daniel had been dragged away by a wolf, before Daniel’s drastic change.
“We ran together. I talked to you as a wolf. Trusted you. All this time, you knew and I didn’t. You should’ve told me.” I glared at him. “You sneaky—”
“I couldn’t tell you.” His voice rose, matching mine in volume, his hands balled into fists. “You were a human.”
“According to you, I’m not human.”
“I didn’t know that at the time. Besides,” his muscles relaxed, a smile forming, “I did tell you.”
“You were joking and knew I wouldn’t believe it.” We were getting nowhere and I was no closer to finding out about myself than before.
“We don’t reveal ourselves to mortals. The penalty is death. When I realized you weren’t human, I tried to tell you, but you shut me down. You weren’t ready.”
I searched my memory for anytime he’d hinted, then gasped in disgust.
“Informing me that I stunk was your way of telling me you were a werewolf? Are you kidding me?” I breathed deeply to keep from slapping him.
He opened his mouth, but shut it when I held up a hand.
“Never mind.” I squeezed my eyes shut for an instant in an effort to wipe away the frustration. Now was the time for prying information from Zack, not arguing. “Let’s move on. You said we can’t reveal ourselves to mortals. Where does your mom fit into all this? Does she know?”
“No. At first, I thought I was coming down with something and didn’t want to worry her. By the time I figured it out, I didn’t want to burden her with all the things that went with it. Then I learned some werewolf law and realized I couldn’t tell her because she’s human.” He gave a quick laugh as he bent down to put on his socks and shoes. “All this time, I haven’t been able to tell anyone.”
He’d been all alone in his weirdness, unless… “So someone bit you? Is that how you turned?”
“No, my mom had no clue she was marrying a werewolf.”
Which of my parents were supernatural? Did the other know? Maybe it wasn’t hereditary in my case. For all I knew, they could be human and I would be alone in this, too. Except for Zack, but he wasn’t exactly a friend. More like he was just fulfilling a duty.
So what was I? My head spun with too many questions that weren’t going to get answered tonight. Suddenly, my limbs sagged and I just wanted to crawl into bed. “Do you ever wish you were just a normal person?”
“It is what it is. I deal.” He slipped on a shoe and glanced up at me. “And so will you.”
But I didn’t want to anymore. Not tonight. “I’m going home.” I turned to leave.
Zack leaped up, leaving his laces untied. “What?”
“Maybe I just need a good night’s sleep.” I shook my head, my throat aching.
He grasped my hand and pulled me to face him. “It’s a lot to absorb and you’re confused. You’ll get through this, just like I did.”
I nodded, staring at his chest. His beautiful, smooth chest.
He pressed me closer and stroked my hair. “Soon, it’ll all be second nature and you’ll wonder how you ever survived as a mere human.”
“Why don’t you like me?” I mumbled into his shirt.
Zack chuckled softly in my ear. “I just morphed into a wolf right in front of you and you ask that?” He gently pushed me away, turning around to tie his shoe. “It doesn’t matter if I like you. I’m not staying here and wherever I go, you can’t come with me.”
“Why?” I sounded pathetic, but at that point didn’t care.
He stood and stepped toward me. “I don’t have much experien
ce with… whatever you are — none, actually. I suspect you’re a shifter. If I’m right, couple months from now, you’ll be lucky if you’re still alive.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Lucky if I’m still alive?” I squeaked.
“Yeah, you’re in enough danger without hanging out with a werewolf.”
“How would I be in danger, just because I’m a shape-shifter hanging out with you?”
Pacing a few feet from me, he ran a hand through his hair, then spun and faced me again, his expression solemn. “I don’t know for sure what you are.”
“But you have a pretty good hunch I’m a shifter or you wouldn’t have suggested it.”
“Yes.” He surveyed the forest. “We should finish the conversation at your house. Daniel could be lurking.”
Back at my house, we settled in my living room, me on the sofa with my legs curled underneath me and Zack in the recliner.
“Why is it dangerous to be a shape-shifter? Explain,” I demanded, locking my fingers together so I wouldn’t chew my nails.
“Werewolves don’t get along with shifters. We either hunt them for sport or use them as slaves. Which is why you can never let Daniel get close to you again. He didn’t figure it out today, because your scent is still so light. He probably doesn’t even know about shape-shifters yet. But if he pulls something and you fight back, he’ll see how strong you are and know something’s up.”
I’d been feeling like a wuss for getting pinned by Daniel, but now relief washed over me that I hadn’t struggled more. He would’ve figured it out and I’d be toast right now.
“The man in the cowboy hat and the guy in black — the ones we saw at the dealerships? If we see either of those guys again, you have to remember to stay away from them. If they smell you…” Zack pressed his lips into a straight line.
“I could become a slave?” I cut him off before he could finish. “If you have no experience with shifters, how do you know they’re slaves? It’s ridiculous to think slavery would still be going on in this day and age.”
“There’s always been slavery of one kind or another throughout history. Besides, werewolves are old-school. They still have a king and they follow werewolf law above human law.”
A chill ran up my spine, imagining one of those guys taking me prisoner. “They’re creepy. I’d avoid them anyway, even if you didn’t say a thing.”
“Good. Your scent will probably get more noticeable as you get older and stronger. So long as you keep your distance, you’ll be fine. I think. If Daniel figures it out and tells the scouts about you—”
“Scouts?” So much to learn.
“Both those men were scouts.” He rose to sit on the arm of the recliner, probably so he didn’t have to crane his neck to see me. “They search for new blood, more men for King Mortimer’s army. Young werewolves like me aren’t allowed to be on their own. We’re either part of a pack where we can be observed or we become scouts and do the king’s bidding. He runs a tight ship. Do you have anything to drink?”
“Yeah, sorry.” I jumped up and made a dash into the kitchen. “Why such control over everyone?” I asked as I disappeared behind the fridge door.
“I guess any stray wolf is seen as a potential threat who could start his own pack and rise up against him one day.”
“Root beer?” I asked.
“Sure.”
I didn’t like where this conversation was going. “So they’re going to take you away to be part of a pack?” After snagging a can from the fridge door, I headed back to Zack.
“That’s the plan. I’m eighteen, which means I’m under the king’s rule now.”
I handed him the soda and began to pace. “Sounds like werewolves aren’t free either. We’re all subject to the werewolf king, right? Except some are treated better than others.”
He popped the can and took a sip. “True, but at least I have some rights and privileges. You’ll have none. For instance, as far as I know, there’s no werewolf law preventing Daniel from hurting a shape-shifter. It’s totally legal for him to kill you.”
I swallowed. “Thank God for human law and that he thinks I’m human, huh?”
“Yep.” He pushed himself off the recliner arm and relocated at the fireplace. “Let’s keep it that way.”
I’d been so pissed at my parents for carting me from city to city, but that seemed so trivial now. Potential slavery was a much bigger problem. My eyes stung and I averted my gaze. “So if they knew about me, I’d be taken from my family and forced to work all hours and live in squalor?”
He nodded, his expression gave. “Best-case scenario, yeah.”
I wanted to weep at what the worst-case scenario might be. I couldn’t think about that though. I had to learn everything I could in order to survive. For that, I needed to know everything about werewolves. “So what now? You’re eighteen. Why haven’t they taken you already?”
“We’re allowed to finish school and I’ll be able to spend some time with my mom after that. But once she…” He trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.
I chewed my lip. I wouldn’t want to be in Zack’s predicament, about to lose another parent. “You handle the situation with your mom well.”
“What choice do I have?” He stared down at his feet a moment, then back at me, his eyes red-rimmed. “Charles — the cowboy you met — wasn’t too bad. He said I could stay until my mom’s gone, hang around a few days after the memorial service. The other guy, William, wanted to take me now.”
“Leave a mother without a son during her last days? That’s disgusting,” I said, anger rising on Zack’s behalf. I flopped back onto the sofa.
“I told him to talk to Charles. I don’t think he appreciated that. I’m pretty sure he’s the one who bit Daniel so he’d have someone here on his side. Someone at school to spy on me.”
Right. They could multiply anytime they wanted. Just great. “To spy?”
“Yeah.” Zack’s eyes darkened as he picked up a vase from the mantle, then set it down. “Or to steal me from Charles and take credit for me as a new recruit. I don’t know. Werewolves have anger issues and they’re prone to fighting, but they still have laws they have to follow. The more likely theory is that William’s planning something and didn’t want to get his hands dirty. An experienced scout can’t break the law, but the king is more lenient on new wolves.”
“So turning Daniel gives William someone to do his dirty work?” I asked.
“Exactly.” He returned to the recliner and sat on the edge of the seat.
“And he turned Daniel of all people,” I said. “Anyone else wouldn’t be obsessing on me and I wouldn’t have to worry about being discovered.” It felt like the walls were closing in on me. The more I learned, the less room I had to live any kind of a normal life. I clenched a fist, my jaw tight. “Is there anything good about being a shape-shifter? Anything at all?”
Zack shook his head. “Other than versatility in shape, no.”
I glared at him. “Seriously? That’s all you got? Could you make this anymore depressing or harder for me?”
“I’m trying to help.” He crushed the now empty can of root beer. “Don’t kill the messenger.”
“Sorry.” I pressed my fingertips to my temples in hopes of holding off the threatening headache. “I know you didn’t.” There had to be a way for me to get out of this mess alive. My thoughts drifted to the first time I’d seen that man at the dealership.
“Can you guys talk telepathically?” I asked. “Is that why you and Cowboy Hat just stared at each other?”
“Yeah. We had an entire conversation right there.”
“I knew something was up.” While I was immensely relieved Zack hadn’t gotten involved with drug dealers, the scouts didn’t seem any nicer. “Could you talk telepathically with me?”
“Most likely.”
As much as I would’ve loved to try it out with Zack right then, there were more important things on my mind and I didn’t want to be distract
ed. I waved a hand to dismiss the subject. “Let’s do that later. I’m more concerned with the scouts and you.”
If they were all like Charles and William, we didn’t stand a chance. My stomach sank.
“I’m okay for right now. You, on the other hand...” He pressed his lips together for a moment. “We need to get you figured out. See if you really are a shape-shifter. If so, you need to get used to morphing. If someone comes at you, you’ll need to be a bear or something to fight. That ability is probably the only thing that will save you.”
“I just change into a bear and that’s it?” Could it be that easy?
He lifted a shoulder and shook his head. “I don’t know. We have all the other superhuman abilities you have, except we’re stronger. At least as a bear, you stand a chance. Maybe. In your human form, Daniel will easily overtake you. From now on, you go nowhere without me. Understand?”
“Okay.” But what would I do once Zack left town? Maybe the other werewolves would leave too. Maybe they’d take Daniel with them.
“You can’t sleep here alone. Either you spend the night at my house or I stay here.” He groaned. “I’ll have to explain it to my mom in such a way that she doesn’t start making wedding plans.”
I gave him a dirty look. “Because being stuck to me is so terrible?”
“No.” Zack shook his head. “I just don’t want to lie to her.”
“Then tell her the truth.”
“What?” His eyes bulged.
After dealing with my parents’ paranoia for so many years, I’d become the expert on spinning the truth. “Tell her my parents are out-of-town and my ex-boyfriend is stalking me. It’s all true.”
“And what are we going to do with you when I’m at work?”
I mulled that over a moment, tapping my lip with my index finger. “If your mom knows my situation, maybe she’ll be okay with me hanging out at your house. After I finish my homework, I can help Cara and your mom with whatever they need.”
“When your parents come back, you’ll stay with them. You’d be safer among humans. We tend to avoid anything that might bring in the police and expose us.”
“Wait. Why do you assume my parents are human?” I tried to think how that could be possible. “If I was born this way, wouldn’t they be shape-shifters too?”