by May, W. J.
“Like hell it hasn’t.” Caleb’s crossed his arms over his chest.
“What are you talking about?” I asked. It seemed like they were moments away from tearing each other apart and I was the only one in the house to stop them. Not an enviable position for me.
Caleb didn’t even glance in my direction. “Michael’s my understudy. He’s not yours. No lapdog is going to come around and take him away from this coven.”
“She’s not a lapdog,” Michael hissed. “You think she’s the weapon you need against the Grollics. I’d watch what you say.”
“Why? She’s not going anywhere. The Grollics don’t want her, her family didn’t want her. We’re the only ones she has.”
I expected to feel shock at the words, an immediate stab to the heart or something. I didn’t have the chance, because Michael defended me before I even realized Caleb had hurt my feelings.
“She only needs me. Push me too far, Caleb, and I’ll walk away and never come back.”
Caleb grabbed Michael by the throat and lift his off his feet.
“Stop it!” I screamed desperately scratching at Caleb’s arm, trying to force him to release Michael. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Caleb was supposed to be excited about the book. He’s the one who had been pushing for me to see it. I was graduating soon and today was supposed to be a fantastic memorable day. “Let go of him!”
Caleb released his grip and took a step back. Michael charged at him the moment he touched the ground. He tackled Caleb around the waist and the two of them went flying, crashing into a table and against the wall. They rolled on the ground and bumped into the couch. Michael stood first and using both hands, picked Caleb up by his throat.
Caleb grabbed and thrashed against Michael’s hands but could not break free. I watched in horror. Could Michael kill Caleb? Would he?
“Are you done?” Michael said in a quiet, demanding voice.
Caleb stopped struggling and gave a curt, almost unnoticeable, nod.
Michael let him go and turned away. The anger inside him burned his eyes a bright blue that I had never seen. I stepped back as he came closer.
Caleb straightened his clothes. “She’s not worth losing your family over, Michael.”
Michael ignored Caleb as he put his arm around me and led me through the kitchen to the back door.
“She’s just the messenger. She’ll turn on you for her pack. You’ll be left with nothing. Or worse, left for dead.”
We left the house and headed back to the pool house in silence. My mind was reeling. What did Caleb mean?
Michael held the door open for me. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” His eyes had turned back to their normal shade of blue. “Caleb’s a dickhead. He’s just mad you wouldn’t tell him what it says in the book.”
What? Michael was the one who told Caleb he could wait. “Why didn’t you let me tell him Bentos wrote the book? That it’s his journal?”
Michael slammed the door. “You said you wanted today to be about your graduation! If you tell Caleb the book’s a journal, he’s going to want you to read it and tell him what it says! He wouldn’t be satisfied – he never is.” He threw his hands in the air.
So Michael had fought with Caleb because I said I wanted to focus on graduation today? That didn’t make sense. There had to be something more. I knew it. “Will it change things if Caleb knows Bentos wrote the journal?”
Michael let out an exasperated sigh. “Tell him after the ceremony, then. It won’t change anything if he knows that information later today or after we leave. Do what you want.”
I nodded my head, as if it made total sense. None of it did, but Michael was obviously in no mood to talk and I had a feeling that if what was really going on would hurt me in any way, he’d protect me from it until his dying breath, which also meant it was going to be difficult to find out the truth.
A knock on our door made me jump.
Grace walked in hands full of bags, oblivious to the tension between Michael and I. “You ready for me to do your hair, Rouge?”
“Where you just at the house?” Michael asked her.
“Hello to you too, brother.” Grace laughed. “I haven’t been inside the house yet. I left to grab some hair products and run a few errands. Why? What’s up?”
“Nothing.” He grabbed his car keys off the small table by the door. “I’ll get out of here and let you get ready.” He brushed past her for the door and then paused a moment before turning around. He glanced at me but wouldn’t look me in the eye. “Have fun. What time do I need to be back to pick Rouge up?”
Grace waved her hand as she dug through one of the bags. “Rouge and I can drive together in my car. You can go with Sarah and Caleb.” She glanced up when he snorted. “Or on your own if you want?” Her last line came out more as a question than a comment.
Michael nodded. “See you there.” He disappeared out the door.
Grace held up three kinds of hair irons. “You want it curly? Straight? Or both?”
If Michael wasn’t going to say anything to Grace, neither would I. “What do you think?” I grabbed one of the stool chairs and set it by the counter. “Do we need anything from the bathroom?”
“Nope. I have it all here.” She set several brushes, combs, hair products on the counter. “Sit and let me play dress up!”
Grace straightened my hair, applied my make-up and got my dress out, babbling the whole time. It was a blessing. It gave me time to let everything settle and regain my equilibrium. She did her hair and then ran back to the house to get dressed as I changed.
I waited impatiently for her to return. I had no intention of going inside the house to get her. I just wanted to get out of the pool house and stop thinking about the Wolf Book and all the chaos that surrounded it.
The book lay on the coffee table where Michael had put it this morning before everything had blown up uncontrollably. I checked my watch. We didn’t have to be at the school for another twenty minutes. I ran the warm, worn leather binding over my hand.
What would happen if I read the first page, just to see what Bentos had written? Would it give answers to what had happened this morning?
Grace’s silhouette passed by the windows as she came back up to the pool house. It would have to wait. I set the Wolf Book on top of the diary I had started writing. If I kept the two books together I could pack them later that evening to take along in the Jeep. I made a mental note to write something in my journal after graduation. I should be trying to capture my feelings while they were fresh, not later on when I would just tell the story and forget the emotions I had felt while it happened.
Chapter 7
As Grace and I drove to the high school in her little yellow Beetle for the last time, I sat quiet, staring out the window lost in thoughts of uncertainty. I tried not to think about what Caleb had said but I couldn’t shake the fact that he was hiding something, and Michael was too. I felt cheated. A little voice inside told me that I was hiding things as well. We all had secrets.
Grace chattered on about what the other girls would be wearing, that she was looking forward to taking a few courses in university next fall. I nearly laughed out loud when I tuned in to what she was saying. I knew she wasn’t interested in the classes, but the boys that would be on campus.
“I’m ready for a little fun,” she said. “These high school boys are much too young and can’t handle anything. I need to find a nice young professor and play around a little.”
I turned away from the window and stared at her. I’d hit the nail on the head. I giggled and tried to keep a straight face at the same time. “Interesting concept you have there on your university education.”
“You go ahead and laugh!” She shook a finger at me teasingly. “You have Michael and I’ve had no one since Seth left.”
“Excuse me?” Seth was part of the Higher Coven, like a way younger brother to Caleb. He had helped us out last January
but had also lost his partner Tatianna, in a fight with the werewolves. “You and Seth?” He was younger than Caleb, but still…
“Oops, I could have sworn I told you.” She grinned at me slyly.
“You told me nothing!” Seth seemed to be quite the lady’s man but there was a unique connection between him and Grace. This morning’s incident forgotten, I pushed her for info. “What happened?”
“Not much.”
“Liar!” I laughed.
“Okay. Maybe a bit of… lustful-limbo.”
“Lustful limbo?” I laughed again. ‘Seriously? Did Seth or you call it that?” Another thought crossed my mind. “Is this your first time with Seth?”
She hesitated before grinning. “No, and don’t you dare tell Michael! He would be furious!”
Forget Michael, Caleb would be beyond furious if he knew. At least I wasn’t the only one in the doghouse. “So, what’s he like?” Virgin me knew nothing, but Seth seemed so knowledgeable. So did Grace, even if she didn’t act like she was.
“Mmmm… Excellent! Very thorough and very enjoyable!” She glanced at me and then back to the road. “You and Michael still haven’t?”
“No.” I thought back to that morning, and how mad Michael had seemed. Combined with the mark that I was sure would make him run away from me screaming, it felt like we were probably never going to.
“I think I am going to need to be mated with someone like Seth.” Grace must have sensed something was up and threw me a curve ball.
I laughed as I pressed my hands against my cheeks. “I wouldn’t tell Michael or Caleb that, I’m pretty sure both of them would tear Seth apart!”
“I’m not interested in Seth, just someone like him – or at least with his qualities in the bedroom department!” She laughed her Tinkerbelle laugh, the mischief still in her eyes. “One day you are going to understand what I mean.” She shot a glance at my shoulder. “The beast inside needs to be released and satisfied.”
I stared at her wide eyed. Did she mean the Grollic in me? She knew about the birthmark on my shoulder blade but if I was a Grollic it would have been just below my collarbone and I hadn’t turned into a Grollic on my eighteenth birthday. So, we effectively had no idea what it meant. Or was she just teasing me about my lack of experience and I’d turn into a beast once I had a taste for it?
Thankfully the school came into sight. I pushed the thoughts out of my mind as we pulled into our usual parking spot and then made our way towards the gymnasium. Students, faculty and family were arriving at the same time. Rushing, we made our way to find our cap and gowns on the racks inside the gym. Grace found hers and brought them to me.
“I’ll be right back; I just need to do something for a moment. Can you hold my gown and cap?”
“Sure, where are you going?”
Grace leaned in and whispered, “Going to put your diploma beside mine so we can sit together and receive our diplomas together. I’ll be right back, no one will notice me. Scouts honor.” She held up two fingers and then walked out of the gym. She returned shortly after, and winking at me as she put her cap and gown on. “Good to go.”
I laughed as not even a hair had been misplaced from her perfectly styled head.
“Attention students,” Ms. Graid picked up her microphone “Can everyone get into alphabetical order so we could head into the auditorium? The graduation ceremony will be commencing in ten minutes.”
Grace took my hand and led me to line up to the right of her. Then she scratched her head, and switched me to the other side. In single file the students made their way to their spots inside the auditorium that was already full of parents, family and friends.
I twisted in my seat, trying to find Michael. It seemed near impossible amidst the sea of faces behind us. “Do you know where…?” I asked Grace suddenly afraid the argument this morning would stop him from coming.
She sat quiet and then turned to look to her left. I followed her direction. Sarah stood up and waved in our direction, about ten rows back from us. Michael sat beside but there was no sign of Caleb. I didn’t care, my only focus was on the blond blue eyed boy who smiled at me. The pendant around my neck warmed against my skin.
The vice president of the school came on stage and began speaking to everyone. Several teachers and coaches stood up to make speeches, and finally the President began calling the graduates names. Grace and I cheered as Simon stood on stage to accept his diploma; he turned and opened his gown to reveal a hot pink Speedo underneath with a Superman S painted on his chest. The auditorium erupted in laughter.
I waited for Damon’s name to be mentioned. Guilt washed over me that no one seemed to notice his absence, believing he had left school or moved. He had kidnapped and planned to kill me. Instead, he was lying on the bottom of the lake near Caleb’s cottage. He had attacked me in Grollic form, but I had no idea if his body would ever be found, and if it was, if it would still be in werewolf form.
“Rouge Thomas.” A voice called over the loud speaker, followed by Grace Nightly. I couldn’t stop myself from grinning as we stood. Grace had gotten our seats mixed so we quickly switched around as we walked up the aisle towards the stage. We shook hands and accepted our diplomas, and walked off stage…feeling nothing. This massive moment I had been waiting so long for didn’t feel so monumental. It kind of felt like… no big deal. What a let-down.
As we walked off stage, Simon let out a loud whistle. I looked at Sarah and Michael who were clapping politely. Sarah held up her camera so Grace and I leaned in together for the far away photo. As we walked to the side of the stage, I tried to figure out why I was disappointed. I did feel a sense of liberty as I took my diploma and joined the rest of the graduates. I tried to drum up some excitement. This was it! I was free! The last string that had held me to the system had been cut. I was now officially free to move about the world!
Except all I wanted to do was head back to the pool house and read Bento’s wolf book.
After what seemed like forever, everyone had received their diplomas, the President of the school introduced us officially, as graduates. We all moved our tassels to the other side of our hats and then threw them up in the air as the audience clapped. It was silly. Everyone around me laughed and hugged each other. I should be doing the same thing. All the people I loved were here to share it with me. I tried not to check my while standing beside Grace as she hugged classmates and joined in on photos.
We were dismissed to the gymnasium to meet with family and friends. Michael and Sarah were already inside the gymnasium when we walked in. I momentarily wondered how they had beat most of the crowd of parents, but quickly squashed the thought as the method was quite obvious. Sarah gave Grace a quick hug and handed her a little box. She turned to me and hugged me tightly.
“Congratulations dear.” She kissed me on the forehead as she handed me a larger present. “Don’t bother opening it now. It’s a picture frame to put your diploma in. Thought you might like to hang it up.”
“Thank you Sarah, that was very sweet of you.” I hugged her before turning to Michael. I’d hidden behind Grace when we walked in because I suddenly felt shy and uncomfortable. Whatever had happened that morning had changed something between us. I had no idea how to get back to the way we had been. I slowly brought my gaze to his face.
In one motion he stepped toward me and swooped me into his arms, swinging me around. He set me down and grinned. “Congrats!” He handed me a small box.
“Open it now, Rouge!” Grace leaned over my shoulder to see.
I lifted the lid. Inside lay a lovely silver pocketknife inside. I lifted it up and turned it over to see it. There was a sterling mark and an inscription.
It read: Freedom – the opportunity to choose... all my love Michael
“It’s beautiful Michael, thank you.”
A quick smile crossed his lips. “I’d planned to have a card to show that your university courses would be paid for but I when I called to see what courses you were taking at t
he registrar’s office, they said you weren’t enrolled.”
Crap. That was supposed to be something we would talk about as we headed out East. I swallowed and glanced at Grace’s surprised face. “I was going to tell you, I just hadn’t… yet.” I looked down at the pocketknife in my hand.
Grace squeezed in between me and Michael. She put her arms around both of us. “Can we talk about this later? Maybe we could just celebrate the moment?”
Sarah squeezed my hand. “You kids enjoy yourselves, I’m going to head back to the house and meet up with Caleb.” She nodded at Michael and Grace before heading to the exit.
Awkward silence followed as we watched her leave. I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, prepared to argue with Michael a second time that day if I had to.
Simon came running over and jumped in front of the three of us wearing a pair of sneakers, his gown flapping open to show off the Speedo and superman S on his chest. It was impossible not to laugh as he’d now tied his gown to look like a cape. He gave Grace a big hug and when he noticed the look on Michael’s face, proceeded to shake my hand. I laughed and leaned in to hug him. He gave me a quick squeeze back but then released me. “Sorry, Michael. Not trying to hone in on your girl.”
Grace swatted him on the back of the head. “Michael’s only joking. That’s his look all the time.” I heard her mutter, “Miserable. Like Caleb.”
If I heard that, Michael had definitely heard it.
“When are you heading down to Florida?” Grace asked Simon.
“About three weeks. I figured I might as well learn how to surf before I get to university. My folks bought me a surfboard for graduation! I have the coolest parents in the world!”
I saw Michael raise an eyebrow. “Way to go. That’s fantastic you are continuing your education.” He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “Where are you going? University of Miami? What do you planning on studying?”
Simon waved his hand. “I didn’t even try for one of the big schools. I’m going to get into hotel management. I got this cool job at a flashy hotel down in Miami. I get to do a lot of hopping and I think my Dad said I’ll have to ring a huge brass bell. He keeps laughing when he’s talking about it. Probably can’t handle the fact that I’m going.”
