by Holly Hook
"We have to keep doing what we're doing," Tyler says, drawing close to me. "You still keep me calm, but that's just because the curse has sort of jumped to you. But even though it's clinging to you, it hasn't claimed you yet. Beckah, you're still my best hope, and I hate that all this pressure is on you."
I hold the lantern up to Tyler. Its warm light falls on us both.
Yes. I am.
As I watch from the corner of my eye, the rose bush remains still and as it is. It seems to die in spurts, then.
It might be gone by the next round of death, and that could be two months from now. Or a week.
"Tyler, do you want me to...stay here tonight?" I ask. My heart races as I think of what this night can be like. "We still need to fall completely in love. Maybe we can—"
He holds up his hand. "That wouldn't be right. To coerce you into any sort of situation even because of a curse wouldn't be a good thing to do. If we ever take the next step, I want nothing like the curse between us. And besides, I don't know if having that kind of intimate contact with me will speed up any part of the curse that might be clinging to you. I don't know how it works."
My heart's still racing, and I know what I want with Tyler. I've already seen his bare form, his perfect, bare form, and I want to have more of it. My body burns under my coat, and just the thought of my form against Tyler's is intensifying the heat. How am I supposed to hold back?
"But I want to," I say. "We need to make this work, anyway. It can't hurt you, can it?"
Tyler studies my form, gaze first stopping on my lips and then trailing downward. "I...I might hurt you, and if I do that, I'll never forgive myself. Just my strength and the fact that I sometimes lose control could make any lovemaking end badly."
I sigh, forcing the fire to extinguish. Of course now is not the time for love. "We can still stay here together, can't we? If I calm you down—"
But Tyler takes my hand. "Beckah, the moment you leave me, the moment the beast is going to come out. If we stay together tonight, the hunger will grow and grow in the background, and then I'll go wild when we separate in the morning. And then people will be out and about in Tower. Right now, everyone is inside. It would be safest for me to hunt during these hours."
I swallow down my disappointment. He's right. Now isn't the time for love. Now is the time for protecting the people of Tower from the curse. Again.
Tyler has to work out his growing aggression. And he has to do it now.
He extends his hands as I place down the lantern next to the sick rose bush. The remaining blossoms are still bright, crackling, and full of life, making my hair stand on end. But the rest is dying, shoving the Rose Pack's humanity into the last living parts.
"What are we going to do?" I ask.
"What we're still doing," Tyler says. "I'll take you home. Lock yourself and Gia inside. I'll get as far from your cabin as I can before I let the transformation come over me."
CHAPTER TEN
Tyler is gone that night, and when he's back the next day for school, he seems okay.
He must have had a good hunt, then. A hunt that didn't involve any humans.
He and the Rose Gang, still missing Alan, still hang around their usual spots at Tower High School. Most people still avoid them and don't know why. Tyler waves, offering me his usual everything is A-OK smile, and I know that he and the others have adjusted to this new level of the curse.
They won't, next time.
Their humanity still exists, but only in an oasis that will dry up during the next drought. The more I think about it, the more I hate Sarah. She couldn't have expected a kid to undo the sins of his parents and fall in love at the same time. She meant to make Tyler lose his humanity forever just to hurt the Roses. And now it's not even working because the Roses have forsaken their son.
But now we're going to hurt them in the way they deserve.
Tyler's parents don't dare come back to school, though I have the feeling they've cut off Tyler's cash, because whenever I appear at the vacation house to do homework over the next week, the snacks that normally cover the counter are dwindling. Tyler doesn't talk about it even when he meets me, Gavin, and Marion after school, and he doesn't have any more episodes of his curse worsening.
And we don't talk about the scratch I got, either. And the longer I wait, the worse I feel, but Marion and Gavin are looking forward to the holiday break so much that I can't bear to cast yet another dark cloud over it.
If Marion and Gavin will have to kill me with silver-tipped arrows, I don't want them to dwell on that nightmare over the holiday. The next full moon being on January 8, I decide that if we haven't lifted the curse by then, that we'll tell them, together, what they may face after the new year. That will give them time to prepare.
And us.
Just the thought makes me tear up.
Gavin might have to shoot me and Tyler.
He might have to shoot Chaz and Valerie and Cammie, too.
Or worse—I might have to do the deed myself, if the curse can't get a grip on me after all.
I can't bear to tell Mom over the phone during her weekly calls. She doesn't tell me much about her and Dad, but I sense she's been standing up to his crap at last. The thought of them separating hasn't been easy to assimilate into everything else going on, but the longer that Mom hints that Dad is losing control of his temper, and even throwing things over breakfast the other day, the more I want to yell at her to leave. Dad will have to solve his own emotional problems, just like the rest of us.
Will does a lot of interviewing around town, gathering information, and making copies of incriminating documents on his laptop. On Thursday he meets me as I'm leaving for school, and his rental car is parked beside Gavin's.
"Hey," I say, starting to get used to his presence.
"I wanted to thank you again for bringing this story to my attention," he says. "I'm heading back to New York later this afternoon to write my draft, and I'll let you know when it comes out. It might be just before the holiday. My boss is excited about this story." Will grins. For him this could be a project that propels his career, and I know that as a journalist he's probably had a hard time landing a job in the first place.
"No. Thank you for coming out here," I say.
He shakes his head. "I can't believe this has been ignored for so long."
"Did the Roses try to bribe you?" I ask.
A dark look comes over Will's face. "I'm not at liberty to say. I'll be back next month sometime to follow this developing story, and I'll probably have reinforcements. I also might be calling some agencies with some tips in the meantime. Media likes to be competitive." He grins, and I know the unspoken answer to his question.
I'm glowing inside as hope fills me. "Thanks. Have a safe trip."
* * * * *
Tyler seems to have adjusted to the new stage in the curse so well that I wonder if the curse is even there anymore, and I ask him before school every morning, not caring that the school can see me talking to him (although from a distance, as I'm still supposed to be dating Gavin.)
"I'm doing okay, for now," he always tells me in a quiet voice, which carries all the meaning I need. The curse is still there, but it's been on the same plateau and is stable for now. I have to be satisfied with that.
But I still eye the silver arrows Gavin keeps in the back of his truck with his crossbow. He hasn't been parking on the hunter side of the lot without the weapons stashed behind his seats every morning.
"I really hope we don't have to use that stuff ever again," he says.
I gulp. "We haven't practiced lately."
Neither of us have wanted to because that means admitting to ourselves that something will be very wrong with Tyler and the Rose Pack soon. And in my case, possibly me.
"It's been so cold," Gavin always says.
"Yeah," I always agree.
The rest of the week goes like that, and then we're doing our last Christmas Walk before the break is due to start. The Art Club is tired by then, b
ut Tyler plays his part in the library/special effects room with the rest of the Rose Gang. His parents don't dare show up again. They must suspect that the damage is done or that Tyler hasn't been successful in putting the spotlight on them.
Or they're just plain scared to face the "monster" that is their son.
We spend the Sunday of break cleaning up the school so that it's not still decked out for the holidays when people come back at the start of January. My phone buzzes with a text, but it doesn't come through thanks to the crappy signal, but I can see that it's Gia.
"I've got to get back home," I say to Tyler, who takes down the garland next to me.
"What's wrong?" he asks.
"I don't know. Gia never just texts me," I say.
Then Marion and Gavin run up to us, and Marion's got a smile splitting her face. She also holds up her phone, and I know that something is going down.
"Grandma just told me the local news is running a story about Tower," she hisses, looking up and down the hall. "I guess Will tipped them off that they need to do that to not look like shit when The Tiger comes out with their own."
"Are you serious?" I ask, unable to believe our luck.
"Serious," she says. "The story just ran, and they didn't interview her, but she's calling the station and letting them know that she has some juicy information. And so do we. I think things are just getting warmed up."
"And we still haven't even started a federal investigation yet," Tyler says. "I'm wondering how we do that without me saying I broke in."
"To your own house," I say. "Send it anonymously."
"They'll know it was me. Who else could guess my parents' passwords? I'll get painted as trying to steal my parents' fortune early."
I gulp. Tyler has a good point. This whole thing is a mess. But Gavin speaks before I can.
"Disgruntled employees?" he asks. "I'm sure everyone loves working for them. There are a lot of candidates in this town."
"We should all get back to Gia's," I say. "We're just about done with the cleanup."
Mr. Bright parades through the school and rushes us, and I know he's heard the news and is eager to go find out exactly what happened, too. We wrap up storing all the decorations in the small bus garage and set out for home, with me, Marion, Gavin, and the Rose Gang riding in the truck. Gavin drives Marion home, and hangs out with us at Gia's cabin as sits on the leather couch, waiting for the 11PM local news recap.
Yes. They've done a story, interviewing a few elderly residents around town and a woman who is trying to raise three kids by herself and struggling to make rent every month. It's not a huge story, but I know it has the potential to get bigger. A lot bigger. There's no mention of the giant scam, just hardship, but it's a start.
Of course, the Roses did not respond to asks for an interview.
"That's something," Gia says, turning off the TV for the night. "I can't wait for the other story to come out."
And it does.
I get on my phone and check The Tiger every morning, and the first official day of our winter break, I find the story we've all been waiting for.
Montana Town Besieged By Rent Gouging.
And I read the article.
Though Will hasn't provided undeniable proof of the scam, he strongly hints that property taxes went up mysteriously in tandem with the rent.
Good.
I'm satisfied by the time I finish reading and I eye my phone, knowing I gave Will my permission to spread my email address around. The storm is about to begin, at least right after the holiday.
But the full moon is in a little over two weeks. We don't have much time to drive the Roses completely out of town. What if the shaming doesn't work fast enough?
"Beckah, I am so proud of you. Extra pancakes," Gia says, giddy as she serves me breakfast.
"Mmm. Thanks," I say, tapping out a response to a reporter from another social justice magazine who wants to run another story. "Sorry I'm on my phone so much. Tyler got cut off his parents' phone plan after the incident, so me and Marion are handling everything on this front."
"You picked a great guy," Gia says. "He's not like his parents after all. Beckah, I wish I could take some of that off you. You're working so hard."
I finish the email and take a bite as another comes into my inbox.
I have more then one person to save.
But I can't tell Gia I might be doomed. Only working hard takes my thoughts from it. If I stop and think, I will go insane, knowing my life could almost be at a sort of end. Why isn't the curse lifting already? Why is it taking so long?
Was Sarah lying?
She couldn't have been. Why make the curse take effect over a period of time and involve a receptacle for Tyler's humanity if she didn't intend for it to be lifted?
I've got to have hope.
And do everything I can.
* * * * *
Also, the last thing I want to do is put a black mark on the holidays, because the day before Christmas Eve, there's a knock on the cabin's front door.
"Who's that?" I ask Gia, but she flashes me an evil grin.
I have to answer. I do, half-expecting it to be Tyler telling me the curse is finally gone, thanks to like ten more reporters doing stories and promising to descend on town after the start of the new year.
But when I open the door, Mom stands there, wrapped up in winter gear and holding a couple pieces of luggage.
"What?" I start. She's so familiar, yet so strange. Mom still has her mousy hair and freckles that are a faded version of Gia's, but she has dark circles under her eyes like she's exhausted from traveling. "Mom!"
She pours in to hugs from both me and Gia. They planned this. I can't believe it. Here I was, thinking I'd be spending the holiday without her or Dad, and here she is.
"I'm so glad to see you."
"Wow. What a surprise."
My heart swells since I haven't seen Mom in person in about three months. She sets down her luggage, which I take into the other spare room that Gia probably saved in case she had to take her own mother in. She's staying with us for the holidays.
I'm glad, because next month—
I don't want to think about it. If the curse does take me, how long will I have any control over myself? How long will I be safe around Mom or Gia or anyone else?
We have to make this holiday extra special. But one question hangs, and I know I have to ask it. "Where's Dad?"
Mom studies the room as if she's not sure what to say. "We agreed to spend some time apart this year in the hope that things will calm down. He said he needed to spend some time alone upstate for the holiday, and hopefully after that happens he will feel better mentally and calm down."
"Does he have depression?" I grip the edge of the couch. "Something he can take medication for?"
Mom shakes her head. "I don't know. He's been very agitated lately and I think he might have job burnout on top of everything else. The company suffered major losses last quarter, and he's taking it out on everything unrelated to his work."
I gulp. "Oh."
"That's why you and I and Gia are spending the holiday together. How are things?"
"Very good." Mom's met Tyler. She must have, if Tyler got my father to send me here. I have to reassure her that she and Dad didn't send me to a monster. "I'm making awesome friends here, and Tyler Rose is smart and funny." Well, when the curse isn't bothering him.
"I'm glad you've adjusted well. No other problems, other than the move?" Mom asks.
It's such an innocent question that I wonder if Mom even knows why Dad sent me here in the first place. Tyler seemed to indicate that both my parents knew something was weird about him, but when I confronted him last, he only mentioned talking to my dad about his curse itself. He never mentioned what my mom said about the deal. So I'm wondering if Mom even believed what Tyler told her about werewolves.
I swallow, wanting to spill everything. "No other problems." I won't ruin this holiday even if I need to give them the truth.
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Dad isn't here.
It's not like Mom to go off by herself. He was never possessive, but he's always left us the hints that we need him or we're going to go under.
Gia, Mom, and I spend the night catching up on everything, though Mom never really opens up about her problems with Dad. I'm getting that his sending me away did nothing to ease their tensions, and just made her face the fact that Dad has never treated me all that well. Or her, for that matter. Heck, he didn't even want me home for the holidays and wanted me to be a pawn in our family's future. There's no way I want to go back to that, and over the next few days I'm getting that Mom has no intention of doing so, either.
But the next few days are awesome, and Mom even gets to meet Tyler, Marion, Gavin, and the Rose Pack when they all come over for dinner. Tyler's eyes widen when he sees my mom standing there, and he greets her warmly and with eye contact. They even hug, practically giving away that they've met before.
“So,” Mom says as we sit. “How do you like Tyler's stories?”
“Stories?” I ask, trying not to watch as Tyler's shoulders slump.
I get it. Tyler did tell Mom he was a werewolf, but she doesn't believe it. So he gave me the truth about that. But didn't she see him shift? I know for sure that Dad witnessed it.
“Yes. His entertaining stories,” Mom says, still oblivious as she reaches across the table for some butter.
“They're great,” I say. Is Mom in denial? Tyler's eyes are wide as he studies her. He can't believe this, either. “Tyler used to compete in spelling bees, so he's good with words.”
Your parents saw me shift.
I swallow. She's dived into denial, all right, or Dad drove her there to make her feel crazy. I'm going to go with the latter because he's an expert gaslighter. Of course he'd do that to make Mom feel like she was wrong to try to stop me from going to Tower. Can I get any angrier with him?
"Your father and Tyler talked a bit when we bumped into each other at the hike," Mom says quickly. For a moment, doubt comes over her face, but she blinks and smiles again. “He and your dad talked for a while longer while I went ahead. Your dad picked that rose that I flattened and gave to you. He was surprised that someone from the Rose family was way out here in Tower when they were originally from Chicago and were running a lot of housing projects in the city. They used to be clients of your father's.”
