Did I mention wolves were strong?
Sundance was still in his wolf form. I guessed the venom paralyzed even his ability to change. He looked like a taxidermized shell of his former self—his eyes open, and his canines exposed.
“Some of the lupangus’s venom touched him,” Butch said, coming out from behind the curtain in a pair of royal blue sweatpants. The color meant he belonged to Legacy house, the same as the rest of my pack and me.
For a minute, I listened to Butch tell Dr. Nonna the story as the others chimed in when they thought of something important. I needed to see my dad. Behind the curtain, I shifted. Pulled on sweatpants and snuck out of the infirmary. Barefoot and shirtless, I headed along the musty and shadowy corridors filled with velvet wallpaper and pictures of people who lived hundreds of years ago. When I reached a set of stairs, I went down. Deep beneath the Academy was my father’s office. The smell of damp earth and decaying books filled the dusty air.
The Academy was so enormous, it took ten minutes to get to my father, even at a jog. I wasn’t winded. Physical fatigue was rare in wolf bloods. A blessing from the Shade, I thought, and I was glad I didn’t still have the other wolves in my head. That kind of thinking could get me into trouble.
A sympathizer. That was what I’d be called.
At my father’s office, I read the title on the open door. PROTECTIVE SERVICES. It might as well say “custodian” for all my dad thought of his day job. At the Academy, his official position was to keep the grounds, students, and teachers safe, but he believed he should be running the school. His role as Alpha of the Shade Keepers was prestigious, and he strutted around like everyone should respect the powerful position he held. I knew him too well to respect him.
When my dad saw me, he waved me in and indicated I should sit.
I snarled internally and went over to one of the cherry-red leather chairs and fell into it, draping one leg over the arm.
My father used the swivel on his chair to turn away, speaking in hushed tones to someone on the phone.
Part of me wanted to eavesdrop. Instead, I debated whether or not to tell him off. Too soon, Dad hung up and came back around.
“Did Sundance make it to the infirmary?” He sounded concerned, but I knew he didn’t care.
“Yeah, Doc Nonna is treating him,” I said, squeezing my hands into fists at my sides. “What’s the mission?” I decided not to call him out on what he’d done with the monster. It would only lead to more tension, and I didn’t need that in my life.
“Sit up straight,” he snapped, his eyes flashing to wolf. Now that I was part of the Keepers, he had power over me, though I still held dominance over my little pack—at least until I allowed myself to become part of the Shade Keeper’s pack.
Reluctantly I did as he asked, resting my bare feet on his lush black carpet.
“Good.” He donned a pair of wire-rimmed glasses and picked up a pen. “There’s a girl who needs to die.” He paused and jotted something down. “Her name is Moonlight Valene,” he said and handed me what he’d written.
The last name was familiar, of course. “As in Dean Valene?” He’d written an address in Wildwood.
“You’ll find her there. I want your pack to hunt her down and kill her.” He crossed his hands over his chest and sat back like we were discussing the weather.
I set down the paper like it was on fire. “Why?” I asked. If I was going to kill someone, I needed more.
My father leaned forward. “You are part of our community’s most elite pack now.” His eyebrows narrowed. “Are you already questioning orders? Did I make a mistake by ensuring your admittance?”
I ground my teeth together. “No, sir,” I snapped and stood, giving him a salute. Questions pummeled my brain. Who was this girl that the Shade Keepers would order her dead? What did she do? And on and on.
Dad rolled his eyes. “Good. Get it done quickly. No excuses.” He picked up the phone and pressed a button. “That’ll be all,” he said and waved me away.
I straightened and headed out of his office. I’d killed before. That was one of my secrets, and my father knew it, but I knew his too. Would I become like him?
At the moment, the answer seemed easy.
Yes.
Chapter Two
Diana
One more customer and I was done for the night.
Mercifully, he was gorgeous. Tall with the exact right amount of muscles bulging around his navy tee. The shirt seemed to enhance them, and I thought about what it would be like to lick his abs and then shook that random thought away. What the heck? I wasn’t that kind of girl. Still, I couldn’t help admiring him. Dark hair that was longer than what was in style hung in his eyes. When the light struck it just right, there was a hint of red.
Dangerous, my inner voice whispered.
“Hey,” he said when it was his turn at the counter.
“Hi. What can I get you?” I was supposed to say, “Welcome to Wildwood Coffee. How can I make your day bright?” But I was too tired.
He pushed his hair out of his eyes, and my heart might have momentarily stopped. They were… unreal. Bright yellow around the edges that faded into green and then blue. Someone might say they were hazel, but that description didn’t do them justice. Maybe it was because of the dark lashes framing his eyes. I didn’t know, but I was gawking.
My thighs began to quiver when he smiled. His lips were kissable. From somewhere deep inside came one word. Mine. It’d been months since I kissed anyone. My mind tallied while I waited for him to respond, and I didn’t like the answer—more than a year. I hadn’t kissed or been kissed since the end of my sophomore year. Then, it hadn’t been great either. I’d just turned sixteen, and the boy had been all lips and too much slobber. But this guy? Those lips?
Mine!
I shook away the word since it wasn’t right. He might be a serial killer for all I knew.
The guy was suddenly laughing and flashed his toothpaste-commercial white teeth. Thankfully, they weren’t straight but slightly crooked. It made him seem more real, not an illusion. He said something, but I missed the words.
My insides fluttered to life in a way none of the boys at Wildwood High could muster. Was he new to town? A senior? No, he looked too mature for high school. But still. Oh, please be a new student, I thought.
He waved a hand in front of my face, his smile getting bigger, so it reached his eyes.
“Sorry, what?” I said, shifting from one foot to the other and blinking furiously.
“Coffee,” he said.
“What kind?” I hovered over the register, waiting to push buttons.
“Just plain coffee, thanks, uh,” he bent down to read my nametag. “Diana. That’s a pretty name.”
“Thanks,” I said but was still stuck on his order. “Did you want cream or sugar with that? Maybe a pump of caramel?” I lifted a brow. “Whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon?”
He was back to chuckling, and some of the pressure weighing on my chest lifted. “Coffee. Black. That’s it.”
“Oh, okay.” The heat started at my collarbones and rushed up to my neck like my veins were on fire. I fanned myself and quickly rang him up. “That’ll be a dollar twelve.”
He handed me a five, and the tips of our fingers brushed.
There was a flash, and I saw in my mind two wolves running through Wildwood’s treacherous forest. One was black and the other silver. The silver one, which was slightly smaller, turned back and nipped at the black one, and they started to play, wrestling among the brush. Another moment and the vision was gone.
Weird. I really needed to get some sleep. Between work, school, and taking care of my mom, there wasn’t enough time. I bit my lip as I stuck his money in the drawer, made the change, and handed it back. “Just a sec.” I couldn’t meet his eyes, feeling too self-conscious. At the coffee station, I filled a regular cup. My hands were shaking, and there was a giddiness in my throat. After putting on the lid, I turned and placed the coffe
e on the counter in front of him. “Here you are.”
“Thanks, Diana.” He’d used my name twice, but I didn’t know his.
“Sure. What’s your name?” There was a noise from behind me, and I knew it was Ember. She’d been in the back and was probably dying over the beautiful man, the same as me.
“Wyatt,” he said and stuck out his hand.
“That’s unique. Nice to meet you,” I said. Instead of shaking his hand, like a regular person, I grabbed his fingers. No doubt, my face was redder than chili pepper. Too late, I tried to correct my mistake.
He pulled back and picked up the cup. “You too,” he said. Then he stepped back. “Have a great night.” He walked backward a few paces before spinning around.
“Thanks, you, too,” I said and watched him go through the front door.
“You’re the biggest dork,” Ember said, slapping my arm.
“I know,” I moaned, bending over, leaning against the chrome countertop and hanging my head. I was a little lightheaded. “But you saw him, right? He was totally gorgeous. I think I might be on fire.”
Ember squeezed my arm but didn’t say anything.
Someone cleared their throat.
I glanced up. Wyatt was back. “Hey,” I said, a new level of mortification burning my cheeks. I tried to play it cool. “Did you forget something? A donut, maybe?”
He had a strange look on his face. One I couldn’t read. Then he smiled. “Want to get something to eat after your shift tonight?”
My thighs turned to jelly. He was Captain America with longer and darker hair. I thought if he tried, he might even be able to pull off a man-bun. I swear I was melting.
“Um.” I did want to go with him. Bad. But Ember and I had racquetball. “I would, yes, but I have plans at the rec center tonight.” My lips were trembling.
“Some other time, then.” His smile disappeared, and my heart clenched. “See ya, Diana.”
“Bye,” I managed, grabbing hold of the counter like it was my life-line.
When he was gone, Ember blew out her breath. “I changed my mind. You’re not a dork, but the world’s most enormous idiot,” she said, glaring.
“But we do have plans,” I said, leaning against the counter to stay upright. There was a girl code, and I didn’t want to break it at the first sign of a beautiful man.
“When a guy like that asks you out, you screw the code and go for it. Damn, girl. I love you, but I would’ve canceled in a second for a hottie like him.”
Ember was right. Idiot was putting it mildly. “Stupid,” I said and followed her to the back where I hung up my apron. I walked over to the clock and punched my time card. “Do you still want to play?”
She removed her apron and grabbed her timecard. “Definitely. I need to feed my dog babies, and then I’ll meet you there.” She smiled. “Thank you for your friendship. Not that I ever doubted you loved me, but we are good. Remember that next time, okay?” She put a hand on my shoulder.
My mouth was dry, and I was still internally kicking myself. But whatever. Aside from running outside and chasing the guy, nothing more could be done. “Okay. See you at eight,” I said and headed to the employee exit.
“Yep,” Ember called. She mumbled something under her breath. Probably calling me an idiot again.
Not that I blamed her.
I hurried to my old Camry. The bronze paint was faded, and all the rims were missing, not to mention there was a dent in the back driver's side where a car slammed into me last winter after a scary snowstorm. It also had more than two hundred thousand miles on it, but thankfully, the thing kept going.
As I backed out of my spot, I headed right onto Dewar Drive and continued until I hit Summit, where I took another right, followed by another right onto Reagan. I passed the Wildwood Recreation Center and went a little further until I turned left onto Whitewater.
The house I shared with my mom sat on the left, midway down the street. The large trees of the Shade hover gloomily in the background. Thankfully there was a chain-link fence with barbed wire along the top to keep animals in and wayward children out—for the most part. On either side of my street, the houses shone with care, except our house. It was bleak, and everyone called it an eyesore. It wasn't always like that. At one time, the paint color had been white. Now it was gray and dingy. The screen door hung loose and swayed in the constant breeze that blew in this part of Wyoming. Carefully, I pulled into the crumbling concrete driveway and parked.
Dead grass crunched under my feet until I reached the stairs. Along the rusty rails that made up the exterior of our full-length porch grew wild sunflowers, the only spot of color in our sad front yard. Since it was early September, they passed the roof and seemed to be looking down on me. Judging.
I sighed. It’d been a long day. After school, I worked, spending a couple of hours making double decaf half-caf’s, iced caramel macchiatos with two dashes of cinnamon, lattes, and about a hundred other orders. It was rare for someone to come in and order plain coffee or even tea for that matter. But Wyatt had. Just thinking about him set my heart ablaze.
Before I reached the door, I heard the TV. Sounded like Teen Wolf. My mom had a thing for one of the actors. There must’ve been a marathon. I pushed open the screen, holding it with my back while turning the key in the lock. Then I twisted the handle, lifted up on it, and kicked the bottom of the door. If anyone tried to break in, they’d have one hell of a time.
“Hey, Mom,” I said upon entering. Inside, our house was like a cave. Dark with a slight stench of fish, which I knew was actually rotting potatoes. Mom always bought them because they were cheap and then never got around to cooking them.
“How was school? Work?” she asked, pushing herself into a sitting position. Her hair was flat on one side like she’d been lying on it all day.
I bit back a retort. Mom was just a shell of her prior self. Her golden locks were the same color as mine, though there was some gray at the roots. Even without makeup, it was apparent she had been beautiful. With a flash of the light from the TV, I saw her eyes. Dark blue. Not like mine, which were light blue. Mom called them icy.
“Good,” I said, tossing my backpack at the bottom of the stairs before taking the day-old bagels I purchased from work to the kitchen and placed them on the counter. “Have you eaten today?” There weren’t any dishes in the sink. That meant probably not.
“I’m not hungry.”
I watched her lie back down. “How about a bagel with some strawberry cream cheese?” I took out one with blueberries and smeared some of the cream cheese on it. Grabbed a napkin and walked the bagel out to her. “Here. You need to eat.”
“Thank you, Di. You’re too good to me.” She took the bagel but didn’t look at it.
I fought down another sigh. “Did you get any of the laundry done?” I asked without hope.
“Laundry? Shoot. No. I forgot.” She shook her head, already distracted.
Before Dad left, she’d talked about opening her own bakery. She’d been the talk of the town with her delicious cookies, cakes, and various other sweet treats. Now, she was rail thin, as though nothing appealed to her.
In the laundry room, I separated the lights from the darks, tossed in a load, threw in some soap, and started the washing machine. Thoughts of Wyatt filled my mind as I rehearsed all the better ways I could’ve handled the situation. There were at least a dozen. “I’ve got my karate class at seven, and then I’m going to play racquetball with Ember,” I hollered. “I should be home around nine-thirty. Do you need anything?”
“Uh-huh,” Mom said, still distracted. She heard me but not what I said.
Running upstairs, I threw my bag on the bed. I had homework in history, math, and English. They would have to wait until after I got home. Kicking off my shoes, I changed into my workout clothes, then headed to the bathroom to run a brush through my hair and put it back in a ponytail.
Back downstairs, I went into the kitchen for some water. Bills sat on the kitch
en table, unopened. Even with me working full-time and Mom on unemployment, we struggled. I kept telling Mom we should move. This house was too big for the two of us—and too expensive. She wouldn’t budge. Karate classes and the rec center were the first things I wanted to give up, but Mom wouldn’t hear it. Last year I discovered the reasons. My Dad paid for those things. More than once, I debated not going just to spite him, but I liked karate. I enjoyed playing racquetball. Giving them up would be like giving up a part of myself, and I’d already done enough of that.
With a sigh, I pushed away the bills. It was too late to call on them today, but I would get to them soon.
I put some cream cheese on a plain bagel and ate it all. Downstairs, I kissed my mom on the cheek and rushed to the door with my racquet.
“Stay out of the forest, Di. No matter what. Promise me.” She was more alert than I’d seen her in weeks.
“I promise, Mom.” I studied her a moment, thinking not for the first time that she harbored secrets. Clung to them like letting go would kill her. I decided to ask her about it. “What’s wrong with the forest?”
“Nothing,” she said and went back to watching her show.
It was always the same. “Okay.” I darted out the door.
Karate class was great, the same as always. Kicking ass and sparring helped alleviate all of the tension.
At eight, Ember showed up, and we played racquetball for an hour. She didn’t tease me as badly as I thought she would about the guy in the café and what a fool I’d made of myself.
“Thanks, Ember. This was fun. Same time Friday?” I asked when we reached her car.
“We’re already on the schedule.” Her eyes twinkled. “Unless that guy comes back and asks you out again. Then you say yes, got it?” She slapped my arm.
“Yeah,” I said and laughed, hugging her. “You’re the best.”
I watched her get into her car and then made my way over to mine. Even after nine, the parking lot was pretty full. Noises and shouts could be heard from inside the building, but out here, it was quiet. I glanced up at the night sky. The moon was nearly full and hung brightly. Millions of stars shone. It was one of the best things about living in a small town like Wildwood. The night sky was glorious.
Initiation (Wolf Blood Academy Book 1) Page 2
