First Shift (The Wolves of Rock Falls Book 1)

by AJ Skelly

  My memories of Megan kept playing over in my head, twisting my heart up more while I tried to come to terms with things. I wondered what she was talking to Mr. Carmichael about. Was she begging him to intervene somehow? I sat for nearly an hour, just being still by the creek, sifting through my own thoughts.

  My pocket buzzed and startled me. It was Megan. Heat rushed over me at her name on the screen.

  “Sam?”

  “Hey, you ready for me to come back by?”

  “Yes. Also, do you mind if we stay for dinner? I think Grandpa could use the company. And I’ll make pasta Alfredo.”

  “As if I need to be bribed to eat your cooking.” I couldn’t stop the grin that came with it. She laughed, and it didn’t sound strained. That was good!

  “All right. See you in a few minutes. And, Sam?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you. For giving me time with Grandpa.”

  “Of course.”

  ****

  Five minutes later, I was parked in the Carmichael’s driveway. Megan was fairly upbeat on the phone. I was more curious than ever but doing my best not to get my hopes up. She would leave me. That would be the end of it. I knocked on the door, and Megan answered.

  Her smile reached her eyes. She looked…at peace. They must have had some conversation. I wasn’t sure how to act. Things had been so awkward all day.

  “Hey,” she said softly.

  I smiled back, strained. “Hey, yourself.” She shut the door behind me and then looked at me, hesitating. I cocked my head to the side, not sure what she was thinking, not sure what to expect. She bit the corner of her lip and then braced one arm against my chest and reached up on tiptoe to kiss my cheek. I gulped as a mad stampede of bulls charged around my stomach. Not what I was expecting at all, but I’d take it!

  “Good conversation then?” I managed. She grinned.

  “Definitely. Come on. You can play Grandpa a game of checkers in the kitchen while I fix dinner.”

  ****

  The moon was edging its way up the sky as we drove back to the cabin. Megan was thoughtful, but the tension had ebbed from her shoulders. She was relaxed, her chin propped in her hand, staring out the window as we left the edges of town and entered the stretch of lonely highway back toward the forest.

  “So…” I began, “do I get details of today’s conversation with Grandpa?” I was dying of curiosity.

  Meg blinked and looked over at me. One corner of her mouth tipped up. She looked down at my hand, hesitated a second, and then slid hers over mine. My heart immediately galloped in my chest, and I flipped my hand over, lacing our fingers together.

  “We talked about a lot of stuff. Being a wolf, being human…kissing.”

  I grimaced. “You told your grandpa what I did, didn’t you?” I cringed at what Mr. Carmichael must think of me, though he’d given no indication of his displeasure as he beat me at checkers or later during dinner.

  “What we did,” she replied. “It came up in conversation.”

  “And?”

  “And it gave me a lot to think about.”

  And she was done elaborating. I guess it couldn’t have been all bad. She was holding my hand. I gave it a gentle squeeze, but let the conversation drop. She’d tell me more if she wanted me to know. I hoped she wanted me to know.

  ****

  She still couldn’t shift when she tried once we were back at the cabin.

  “She’s still in there, but she can’t get out,” Megan’s voice broke. Her tears didn’t fall, but she wasn’t happy that her wolf was trapped inside. “Do you need to let yours out for a while? Don’t feel like you can’t if you need to,” she offered with the slightest wobble in her voice. My heart broke all over again. I hesitated a moment, but then carefully held my arms out for a hug. When she stepped inside the circle of my arms without reserve, I tightened them around her.

  “I’m fine. I’d rather be in here with you,” I whispered to her hair.

  She sighed against my chest.

  “I think I’m going to turn in.” It was nine o’clock. Early, but Meg usually liked to be in bed by ten.

  “All right.” I wondered if she’d end up in my bed again. I doubted it but couldn’t help the hope that surfaced. I’d just as happily accept an invitation to hers. I was desperate to be with her—to be hers for keeps. She pulled back and looked at me—really looked at me. I suddenly felt naked as her eyes searched over my face. Vulnerability crawled across my features and I let it show. Everything I was feeling—the hurt, confusion, my love for her—I let her see it. She smoothed a piece of hair off my forehead, and I stayed still as a statue.

  She came up on tiptoe, and I held my breath as she pressed a soft kiss to my lips. My eyes slid closed as I branded the touch of them into my memory. She pulled back as her hands slid down my arms as she moved away. Cold air rushed to fill the void she left.

  “Good night, Sam.”

  If she had nightmares, they were silent. I remained alone.

  Chapter 48

  Megan

  Wednesday morning wasn’t as stilted as Tuesday. It was still a little awkward, but the tension was no longer palpable. I threw up again before we left the cabin.

  I caught myself staring at Sam that afternoon in class. I knew he knew I was staring, but he just let me after a quick glance in my direction to be sure I was okay. I stared to the point where I was jerked from my reverie to sudden mortification when Mrs. Oliver called on me.

  “Megan, I’d like to see you for a minute after class.”

  I had no idea what she had said prior to her calling my name. My face flamed, and I nodded then quickly ducked my head back to my open textbook and my forgotten notebook. Sam squeezed my knee under the table, and I felt all the embarrassment and confusion bubble up again.

  “I’ll meet you in the hallway,” Sam whispered as the bell rang. I nodded again and gathered my books before trudging to the front of the room where Mrs. Oliver waited by her desk. Her face was concerned as she stood and leaned a hip against her desk.

  “Megan, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you calling your name out. You were looking pretty dazed, and that’s not like you. I wanted to be sure you’re okay. I know you and Sam have been dating…and you guys appear serious. Really serious. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but does your grandpa know how serious you two are?”

  I looked into the concerned eyes of my teacher and couldn’t help the snort that escaped. I wasn’t trying to be irreverent or disrespectful. If it had been anyone besides Mrs. Oliver, I would have been tempted to roll my eyes and head to my next class, but I knew Mrs. Oliver genuinely cared.

  “You seem to be so aware of each other. The way people do when they’ve been married for years and know each other’s habits and routines. But you don’t look very happy today. And you spent half the class staring at Sam. Everything okay? Did something happen?”

  My lips curved up in spite of my world galloping toward a black hole of crazy. “Mrs. Oliver, I appreciate that you’re concerned. I do. Sam and I are dating. We’re working through some things. Nothing like that has happened. And yes, my grandpa knows. He’s actually encouraging me to date Sam.”

  Her eyebrows were still trying to meet, but the rest of her face relaxed. “All right. I’m glad about that. If you need to talk, I’m available.” She nodded.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Oliver. It’s nice to know you’re looking out for me.” And it was. I meant it. She had no idea what was going on, but it was nice that she noticed and cared enough to ask. And it was interesting that Sam and I reminded her of an old married couple…

  Sam smiled sadly when I exited the classroom. He took my hand and steered me toward my last class of the day. I knew he’d heard everything Mrs. Oliver had said, and he was giving me space to comment or let it go. The ball was in my court.

  The ball was entirely in my court.

  Chapter 49

  Sam

  “You have everything you need?” I asked Megan as D
ad and I were poised to head out to our meeting with Victor Atwood.

  “I’m good. I’ve got my homework. Cade said he brought a few action movies.” She rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

  I chuckled. “We shouldn’t be too long.” I let myself sweep a few fingers over her cheek before tucking some hair behind her ear.

  “Okay. Be safe.”

  “I’ll do my best.” With a quick grin, I bent toward her, but hesitated, not sure if we were still kissing or not. She didn’t make me wonder but reached up and kissed me on the lips. Not super quick, and not lingering, but warm and…promising? I searched her face for further clues, but she only smiled.

  “I’ll see you when you get back.”

  I squeezed her fingers, then we headed out of the kitchen to the living room where the others waited.

  “I’m going to introduce her to some proper zombie horror,” Cade announced.

  “I’m going to prepare my sermon in the other room,” Rev quipped dryly while Mom laughed.

  “We should only be a couple hours or so, I’d think,” Dad said to Mom. “See you in a bit.” Dad kissed Mom quickly and then we were out the door and into Dad’s old truck.

  I wouldn’t be surprised if we got early snow overnight—one of the reasons for the truck. The temperature had dropped even lower and hovered in the low thirties.

  “How are things going with Megan?” Dad asked as we rolled past the Come back to Rock Falls sign heading out of town. We were going to meet Atwood one town over at a restaurant run by Jerry and Lisa Grassey, a couple from our pack.

  I sighed. My chest was heavy. “I don’t think I have enough time to convince her to stay. I know she cares about me, but I don’t know that it’s enough.” It was liberating to say this to my father. I wasn’t scared of his anger or his disapproval anymore. I was still wary of them, but I didn’t fear them.

  “I’m sorry, son.”

  “I know it messes up a lot of things. I’m sorry, too.” Dread threaded its fingers through me. Both at losing Megan and trying to navigate the muddy pack waters that would follow.

  “We’ll figure it out. I’m sorry you’ll have to go through the pain of her leaving.” Dad’s voice dipped low like it did when he was feeling deep things.

  “Is there anything else I can do to keep her a wolf?” It was an empty hope, I knew.

  Dad shook his head. “If there is, neither Rev nor I have found it. I’ve had him searching through all the old accounts for anything that might help.”

  “Really? I didn’t know that.”

  One of Dad’s cheeks lifted in a lopsided grin. “I know I’m gruff and probably not as gentle as I should be. And I definitely haven’t treated you as I should, but I’ve never wanted you to be in pain. There’s still a little time. Work your magic.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  We rode on in companionable silence for another fifteen minutes when Wolf suddenly came alert and the hair on the back of my neck rose.

  “Dad?”

  “I know. I feel it, too,” Dad said, voice tight and knuckles white on the steering wheel. We both scanned the darkening landscape around the truck. Much like all the area outside town, there was a small open space between the road and the forest that lurked on all sides. It was impossible to glimpse much beyond a few feet into the darkened underbrush as we sped by.

  “There’s a service road up there.” I squinted where he indicated about thirty feet ahead, searching for the cause of the raised hackles. “Is that a—”

  Dad didn’t finish his sentence but cursed instead as a black truck obliterated gravel beneath its tires, spinning out of the service road, and like a predator lying in wait, turned and rocketed straight for us. Dad spun the wheel, trying to move us between the looming vehicle and the ditch. I glanced behind us and my heart pounded. Another truck crushed the pavement and was gaining ground by the second.

  We jerked and bounced as Dad whipped the truck through the ditch on the left side of the road. The black truck in front of us screamed down the pavement, eating it like fire.

  “Sam!” Dad shouted. I braced for impact as Dad’s arm flew out in front of me as meager protection. The black truck slammed into the front corner of the truck as the gray truck behind us careened into the side of the truck bed. My head smacked against the window, and I felt something sharp stab my side. My vision swam, and everything went black. I reached blindly for Dad, but the blackness took me before I found him.

  Chapter 50

  Megan

  The zombie horror movie that Cade had brought was ridiculous. It was some foreign film from some decade past.

  “Do you really watch this for enjoyment?” I asked while cringing at the bad special effects.

  Cade laughed. “Not really. It’s more something to pass the time. I enjoy the evolution of the horror film. This is some classic bad.”

  “Obviously.” I smiled then glanced back down at my English paper. We were supposed to turn them in tomorrow. Mine was probably as good as it was going to get. I’d been working on homework off and on while Cade played the movie and tinkered with his own homework. He glanced over.

  “I’d offer to look over your paper, but I don’t have the same appreciation of the Oxford comma that Sam does.” He grinned.

  “That’s okay. He actually already went over it earlier this week. I’m just a perfectionist when it comes to my grades.” I sighed. It was a miracle that I still had A’s, though a few had sunk to A minuses, after the past few weeks with their various distractions.

  “So what do you want to do after high school?”

  I pursed my lips. “Before…all of this happened—” I gestured around and Cade nodded, getting my drift. “—Rachel and I planned to set up a delivery bakery sort of thing. You know, run it out of one of our kitchens. Kind of an online delivery service for bread and cookies and stuff. We want to turn it into an actual bakery after that. We’re wanting to take some business classes while running the online stuff and getting more notoriety. But it will probably depend some on what happens—” I cut off and looked sharply at Cade, realizing I may have overstepped myself.

  “If you stay wolf or not?” he finished quietly, his steady eyes locked on mine, sympathy lingering in their depths.

  I nodded, emotion roiling up my throat again.

  “Sorry. Touchy subject.”

  We were quiet a minute as some guy lopped off a zombie’s head with a samurai sword.

  “You know Sam is in love with you, don’t you?” he said. I looked up at him. “He’s been pretty much in love with you for years. I’m not trying to make you feel bad or guilty; I thought you should know that he loved you a long time before he bit you.”

  My heart thumped in my chest. I didn’t know how to respond to the echo of Grandpa’s words.

  “Cade, I couldn’t shift last night.” It was out of my mouth before I even consciously thought it.

  He whistled between his teeth. His expression was more serious than ever before.

  “Well, that explains Sam’s mood then.”

  I worried my lower lip. “I hate this. I hate wanting to be human and still missing the wolf. I am so confused that I can’t even hear my own thoughts inside my head. I want to be with Sam, but am torn because I’m so young, and I’m terrified I’m going to make the wrong decision or for the wrong reasons. It’s like the world is sitting on my shoulders, and I’m cracking under its weight.” I blinked rapidly to chase the threatening tears away.

  “Megan,” Cade started and then hesitated. “You don’t owe Sam Wolfe a single thing.” He took a breath. “Unless you love him. Then maybe you owe yourself something.”

  Chapter 51

  Sam

  I sneezed myself awake into a splitting headache. The pain bobbed behind my eyes as something fibrous tickled my nose. I held my breath to keep from sneezing again and possibly losing my eyeballs with the force of the pounding. I was groggy. So groggy. I slit my eyes open and found swampy darkness. My nose tickled again. I
moved my head and my face hit rough material. I yanked my eyes fully open and was met with darkness. Two seconds more and the rough weave of fabric came into focus.

  A crash sounded somewhere to my right and with startling clarity, memories of the wreck flooded my brain. I gasped for air and fought to stay upright, seated on something cold and hard, hands tied behind my back, my body propped against what felt like rough boards. There was a bag over my head.

  Dad? I tried using the link. Nothing. Immediately I started wiggling my wrists in their restraints.

  I stretched out with my ears, feeling my senses slowly returning to me. I still felt disoriented and out of joint. I didn’t think it should be taking me this long to heal from wreck injuries that appeared to be mostly superficial. My side still hurt, but it was tender, not a raging pain. Adrenaline rushed my system as I considered the possibility that they had drugged me. Whoever they were.

  Voices sounded from my right where the crash had originated. My ears, normally tuned to perceive minute sounds at great distances, felt stuffed with cotton. I could hear the voices but could not distinguish the words. It made my skin feel itchy and my heart picked up. I relied heavily on my hearing. Could I even shift? Had I been given some sort of suppressant?

  I searched out Wolf; he was there, but dormant. I couldn’t rouse him. Panic clawed its way down my limbs, and I took a deep breath. I’d never been without my wolf.

  Sam? The faintest echo of sound in my brain.

  Dad! Where are you?

  …here…but…you?

  His voice in my head was patchy, but I was thankful it was working at all. I felt the ropes start to give.