The Enigma (The Loup-Garou Series Book 1)

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  “Oh… I’m sorry,” he said softly, his tone laced with sympathy. Katey almost detected a hint of empathy as well.

  “No, it’s okay. I was told they died in a car accident before I was a year old. I’ve been hopping around foster homes ever since. I don’t really remember them.” Katey wrapped her arms around her stomach and saw a bench up ahead, shaded by a tall evergreen. They hadn’t been walking long, but her feet started to ache a little. She sat down on the hard metal, the edges biting into her flesh and creaking under her weight. She wasn’t so sure that it wouldn’t collapse.

  Logan sat down next to her, making the iron wail under the strain. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

  Katey shrugged. “I got used to it. It was never fun. Some homes were good. Some were bad. I admit I wasn’t the best foster kid in the system. I made it difficult for my guardians sometimes. When I was real little, I made a bet with myself to see how fast I could get kicked out of a home.”

  “So you were a very mischievous child I assume?” he asked with a hint of humor in his voice.

  “Oh yeah,” she laughed. “I was a total mess. I’m not that way anymore though. I’m just ready to get out on my own,” Katey replied.

  She leaned over and rested her elbows on her knees. Logan did the same and rubbed his palms together thoughtfully.

  “Yes, you’re eighteen now. The world is at your fingertips. What will you do?”

  Katey shrugged again. “I don’t know for sure. All I know is I want to get out of this town.”

  Logan tilted his head curiously. “Too small for you?”

  “It’s not necessarily that. I guess…” Katey’s voice drifted off aimlessly as she tried to think of the real reason she wanted to get away. Mary was a conversation for another day. “I guess I just want to find where I fit in.”

  A light glittered in Logan’s dazzling blue eyes and he smiled. “I know exactly what you mean.”

  “You want to get out of here too?”

  Logan shook his head. “No. I’m happy where I am. But I understand that need to find your place. I went through the same thing.”

  Katey propped her chin in her hands and gazed at him as if he held the secret to all her problems. “What did you do?”

  “I realized that we don’t have to go out finding the place we belong. We make it ourselves right where we are at now.”

  “So profound,” she quipped with a grin.

  Logan laughed and leaned back against the bench, his gaze falling to the trees that surrounded the cemetery.

  What he said truly was profound and it made Katey wonder if her plans to leave Crestucky were even valid anymore. Getting away from Mary wouldn’t be hard once she moved out and she didn’t have to leave her friends behind. Whether her future lay at the ballroom dance studio or the bookstore, she didn’t know. Logan made her want to believe there really was a place for her here.

  Katey peeked back over her shoulder at him and couldn’t help but think about how truly wise he was for his age. The way he spoke and carried himself, she would have guessed he was much older.

  And the longer they sat together on that bench, the more comfortable she became. Katey even forgot why she had been nervous around him in the first place. Now that all the coincidences of the day had been explained, she felt more free to enjoy his company rather than avoid it.

  “Do you have plans for college?” she asked, breaking the silence between them.

  Logan didn’t look at her, but pursed his lips thoughtfully. “I’ve thought about it. But I don’t think I could find a major that suited me. What about you?”

  Katey shook her head, making her hair tumble and dance around her face. “Nope. After I’m done with high school, I’m done.”

  He turned to her and stretched his arm out over the back of the bench. “But, you know getting a good job means having a degree.”

  Katey leaned back, her shoulder blades lightly touching the material of his jacket sleeve. “Not necessarily. I can get a great job doing something I like and not need a degree for it.” She flicked her hand at him. “That’s some weighty advice for someone who isn’t going to college either.”

  Logan gave her a cunning half smile like he found her sassiness amusing. “I don’t have to take my own advice.”

  Katey nodded. “Ah. It’s the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ kind of thing.”

  “Exactly.”

  Katey giggled. “Well, no offense, but I won’t be taking that advice. I hate school anyway. I’ve never been good at academics.”

  Logan shifted and crossed his legs at the knees. “I don’t know if I believe that. You seem pretty smart to me.”

  “You haven’t seen my last progress report card.”

  Logan shrugged. “I don’t need to see it to make my own assumptions about your intelligence… So, if academics aren’t your forte, then what is?”

  Katey sighed and pondered that for a moment, gazing out over the green field speckled with tombstones. How odd it felt to have a conversation about futures in the presence of lives cut short. Some of those who were buried here might not have had the convenience of such choices in their destinies. Katey felt a surge of gratitude for the few privileges she had, even as an orphan.

  “I don’t have many hobbies. I guess the closest thing is ballroom dancing.”

  Logan leaned away from her and shot her a look of incredulity. “Really?”

  Katey beamed with pride and nodded. “Yep. I volunteer at the studio on Main Street every Saturday. Me and two of my friends teach private and individual lessons.”

  “I would have never guessed you danced.”

  “I’m not that great at it. I’ve been doing it for a few years now, but I trip over my feet all the time.”

  Logan grinned, his white teeth sparkling in the evening light. “I bet you dance beautifully.”

  A blush rose to her cheeks. “You know, if you’re trying to butter me up for something, you should probably stop, because it’s working.”

  Logan gave a deep belly laugh and shook his head. “No, I’m not. Is it against the law to compliment a lady?”

  Katey couldn’t recall a time before this moment when someone had called her a lady in such a sweet voice. “No, I guess it’s not.” She cleared her throat to dislodge the emotional lump that had formed. “So what do you do besides haunt graveyards and meet random unsuspecting high school girls?”

  “Very funny.” Logan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, making Katey giggle again. “I don’t do that as often as you’d think. I don’t do too much. I guess my equivalent of ballroom dance would be paintballing with my family.”

  Katey’s eyes brightened with enthusiasm. “I’ve never been paintballing before. Is it fun?”

  Logan’s eyes lit up and turned to her. “Oh, it’s lots of fun. Or, at least to me it is. Maybe I’ll take you to do that someday.”

  Katey smiled and lowered her gaze to the grass just beyond their feet. “You don’t do sports or anything? You’re pretty well built for that.”

  “No, not really. Just wrestling sometimes,” he replied nonchalantly.

  Katey gawked up at him. “Wrestling?” she asked.

  “Yep. I’m the north side undefeated champion. Haven’t lost a single match yet. I do it at bars sometimes to make a little extra cash,” he said, seeming so modest about it.

  “Fascinating,” Katey replied with thick sarcasm.

  “You don’t sound fascinated.”

  “Oh, no, I totally am. Tell me, Mr. Pro-Wrestler, what do you do to prepare for a match?”

  “I actually take a shower just minutes before the match starts and I don’t dry off from it,” he replied. “And I listen to some heavy metal rock music to get my blood pumping, ya know?”

  “That’s not very interesting.”

  “Who said my routine had to be interesting?”

  Katey giggled again and shook her head. “No one did, I’m just messing with you. But you’re pretty good at it, the
n?”

  Logan nodded. “Yes, not to be too proud, but I am.”

  They watched a few gray birds hop across the grass in search for bugs to eat.

  “What else are you good at?” Katey asked.

  Logan turned pensive. “Nothing else, really. There are plenty of things I like to do, but I wouldn’t consider myself good at them.”

  “Like what?”

  Logan raised his eyebrows wryly and replied, “Taking a girl on a date to a graveyard out in the middle of nowhere to talk and get to know her.”

  Katey was caught off guard and stuttered a bit. “Wait, this is a date?”

  Logan took a breath. “I believe I’ve said too much… So, do you like romance movies or anything?”

  Still mentally stumbling over the idea that this was a date, Katey shook herself out of her reflections and sighed. “Ummm… Not really. Why, do you?”

  Katey could suddenly feel the strain between them. The conversation had segued too many times and if they had been in a plane, she would have thought they were spiraling out of control.

  “I do, actually.”

  Katey gave him a little of suspicion. She didn’t know a single guy who actually enjoyed romance movies or chick flicks. On top of that, she had absolutely no idea why Logan was asking such a question. Was he planning their second date, if indeed this was their first?

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Because I like to think that I will someday be the guy in that movie, who gets the beautiful girl and lives happily ever after.”

  Katey laughed sardonically. “See, I used to think that way about those movies too. That’s why I’d rather watch a horror flick than a romance.”

  Logan looked to her with cool, steel blue eyes. “What do you mean?”

  “Because romance movies and books don’t tell a lick of truth about how life really is. Life isn’t a movie. And it’s not a book. Life is just… life. And besides, you should have no trouble finding a beautiful girl to ride off into the sunset with or watch those cheesy movies with.” Katey crossed her arms over her stomach and looked out over the graveyard and the forest beyond.

  “Why do you say that?” he asked, a note of authentic concern in his voice.

  Katey turned back to Logan. “Have you looked in a mirror lately? Or better yet, have you seen the way the girls in class were looking at you?”

  He seemed to pause, as if thinking about it. He shook his head slowly. “No, not really. Why? Is there something wrong with the way I look?”

  “No, nothing’s wrong and that’s my point. Every girl in class couldn’t stop staring at you today, giving you goo-goo eyes and all.”

  “Huh?” Logan’s face contorted with utter confusion and Katey laughed.

  “Don’t play dumb. If you ask any girl in that high school to go out with you, even if they’re taken already, they’d take you up in a heartbeat.” If that wasn’t blunt enough, Katey didn’t know what would be.

  Logan looked up at the sky, but there was still a lost look in his eyes that Katey wondered about. Either way, he didn’t seem concerned about what her comment.

  “Whatever you say,” he said softly.

  Her feet were feeling better so Katey stood up and started walking along the path once again. Logan followed close beside her, both of them silent for a while. They had touched on quite a few sensitive topics already and neither of them were ready to resume just yet until they had recovered.

  The chorus of birdsong was shattered with an electric chime. Katey paused and looked to Logan who was reaching deep into his jacket pocket to pull out his cellphone. After tapping a few times on the screen to unlock it, the notification appeared that he received a text message.

  Katey took a step away to give him some privacy, but she could have sworn she saw the name “Dustin” as the sender. She watched his face as it changed from confusion to mild annoyance.

  “Mind if I ask who texted you?”

  Logan didn’t reply to the text and held down the power button on his phone to shut it down. “Just my family wondering where I am. I apologize. I should have turned my phone off earlier so we wouldn’t be interrupted.”

  So proper.

  Katey shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’m surprised you can get any signal out here. I left my cell phone in the jeep because it’d be useless out here.”

  Logan nodded, merely to acknowledge that she had spoke, but from the distant look in his eye, his mind was on something else. And it was bothering him.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  Logan looked down to her as they curved around a corner of the cemetery, completing their lap around the field. A new glint appeared in his gaze that made Katey feel far more than she thought was possible. She felt weightless under his stare and braced herself for what would proceed.

  “Do you believe in fate?” he asked, his tone carefully even and unassuming. She couldn’t read into the question more than what the words truly stated. If he had spoken it in any other tone, lilting or jesting, she might have over analyzed it completely.

  “Not really,” she replied. “We all have choices. It’s just like you said before about making your own place where you’re at in the world. It makes sense. I don’t think anything is really pre-destined.”

  “Just like you had a choice to come out here with me.”

  “And just like you had a choice to approach me on Friday.”

  “But you made the choice to be there. Would you have been there that night if you knew I would have been?”

  Katey looked up to Logan, whose expression was willing a truthful answer out of her. “Yes… Would you?”

  She hated to admit such a thing, but if it were honesty Logan wanted, he would get it. She wouldn’t sugar coat anything for him. Not anymore. If he asked her why, she would tell him everything. About the depression, the suicide attempts, all of it. She’d take the risk of over sharing and being awkward for the chance to confide in him.

  “I still would have.”

  Katey tilted her head. “Why?”

  “Because it’s been a pleasure knowing you so far.”

  Katey couldn’t help but blush a bit. “And if I turn out to be a jerk?”

  “I don’t think you will.” His voice was so soft and gentle.

  “And why is that?”

  “This is going to sound corny, but I can see it in your eyes. You’re not mean spirited by design.”

  They stopped walking and gazed at each other, their eyes locking. Katey felt a warm sensation in her stomach, prodding her to do things she could hardly describe. She had never seen such eyes emanating so much pure, raw emotion as his did.

  “You’re right… That does sound corny.”

  Logan inched closer, their eyes never breaking hold. Katey’s heart thrummed wildly against her ribs, her breath puffing out of her nostrils shakily.

  Something happened in that moment as he stepped closer, his chin tilted down in a determined way that wasn’t threatening by any means, but enticing and invigorating. Katey thought her breakthrough had come and gone, leaving her mostly healed and ready to begin life, but Logan’s eyes flashed with an intensity that proved her wrong.

  A whole new level of feeling had opened up for her, awakening a part of her that she didn’t know existed. It was overwhelming, but she longed for more. And somehow, she knew that Logan could give her more.

  He came even closer, their bodies nearly touching now. She tried not to think, not to move. But she couldn’t will herself to stay silent.

  “It’s getting dark,” she stated softly.

  Logan blinked and looked to the sky. The sun was making a slow descent to the western horizon, set the atmosphere ablaze in sunset shades of orange and crimson. Katey had barely noticed the change in time. How long had they been there?

  “Do you have a curfew?” Logan asked, glancing down to the phone.

  “No, but I probably need to be headed home soon. It’s a long drive back to Crestucky.”

 
As if to top add insult to injury, Katey’s stomach gurgled in protest that it hadn’t been fed since fifth period when Mr. Keith gave her that soda.

  Logan glanced down at her belly. “Are you hungry? I know a place in town we can eat.”

  Katey gestured weakly behind her. “Like, in Crestucky or in that town?”

  “In Morrisville.”

  Katey detected a hint of resentment when he spoke the name of the town, but didn’t bother to ask why.

  She bit her lip anxiously, trying to make the decision. Her heart said to follow Logan to the ends of the earth, but her common sense screamed that she needed to jump in her jeep and race home before she proved him wrong about her being a jerk.

  Her heart won.

  “Does this place have fries?”

  Chapter 8

  Night had settled in around them, but under the bright white lights of the drive in outdoor diner, Katey could see clear as day. The moon was less than full now and only a few stars had made their appearance, but there was something else in the sky that captivated Logan’s full attention.

  Katey munched on the last of her fries, watching Logan. He seemed distracted, almost disconnected as his gaze was fixed on the street. There were only a couple of other cars parked around the drive in, but the customers chose to eat out of their cars rather than brave the dropping temperature of the night air. It didn’t bother Katey, and Logan’s mind was on anything else but the cold.

  She wondered what he could have been thinking about so intently to make him nearly forget that he had a half eaten carton of chicken tenders in his hand and nearly a full cup of ice water sitting on the table beside him.

  “Are you not hungry anymore?” she asked timidly, hoping that her intrusion wouldn’t be taken wrong.

  Logan blinked for what seemed the first time in half an hour and turned to her with an expression like he had just woken up from a dream. “I beg your pardon?” he asked.

  Katey smiled, glad to hear his voice after sitting in silence for so long. Eating gave them a chance to be quiet together, but she was anything but comfortable. The silence was like an ever-tightening noose around her neck and if Logan hadn’t broken away from his reverie, she might have exploded with all the secret thoughts she had been stewing over since they received their food.