The Enigma (The Loup-Garou Series Book 1)

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  She repeated her question and he seemed to relax a bit. Logan glanced down to his meal. “I’m still hungry. I was just thinking.”

  “Dare I ask about what?” she asked before stuffing the last of the fries into her mouth.

  He shook his head and bit into one more chicken tender. “Nothing of importance,” he mumbled through a full mouth.

  After that, he ate ravenously and downed all of his drink. Katey let him eat in peace while she waited patiently.

  Now that she was in a spot that had service, she checked her phone and calculated when she would arrive home. It’d be late, that was for certain, but the few hours less of sleep was worth it if she could spend a few more minutes with Logan. Even in the silence, she enjoyed his company. Especially since he didn’t seem to mind that she stared at him a little more than what would have been considered normal.

  Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, she asked, “Were you thinking about how Morrisville has changed since you were here last?”

  Logan winced at the utterance of the town’s name, crumbled up the flimsy cardboard carton and tossed it in their to-go bag. “What do you mean?”

  “Just now while you were staring off into space.”

  Logan seemed unsure at first, but then nodded. “Yes. I was thinking about just that.”

  Katey heard the apprehension. He wasn’t very good at lying. “Has it changed much?”

  Logan snorted a laugh and nodded, conveying the immense truth of the statement. “Yes, it has changed a lot.”

  She leaned forward on her elbows. “How?”

  Logan looked to her and she not only heard the apprehension this time, but saw it in his eyes. “There are so many things that it’s hard to list them all in one sitting. But it used to be very different, I assure you.”

  Katey dropped it at that. Pushing him harder into the conversation wouldn’t have been wise. Not so soon. If he didn’t want to talk about it, then she wasn’t going to make him, even though she desperately wanted to know. She wanted to know everything about him, his family, his life before Crestucky, and his life before she met him. There was so much she felt like she didn’t know.

  “Do you have any siblings?” she asked.

  “No. I’m an only child. I presume you are?”

  Katey nodded. “Yep. What about aunts and uncles and stuff like that?”

  Logan smiled wryly and looked away as a car whizzed past the drive-in, headlights blazing down the road. “I suppose I do.”

  She tilted her head. “How do you suppose? Don’t you know for sure if your parents had siblings?”

  He opened his mouth to answer, but paused a second before words came out to betray him. Then he said, “I have close family friends who act like relatives.”

  “Like the teachers?”

  Logan turned back to her with a new restrained enthusiasm. “Exactly.”

  “Do you think it’d be appropriate if I called them by their first names too?”

  He laughed at that. “I don’t know how much they would appreciate that just yet.”

  “Just yet?”

  Logan cleared his throat and tossed his empty drink in the to-go bag as well, using it as a trash can. “It’s a little informal to address them by their first names.”

  Katey nodded. “Oh, I get it. Well, you know I’ll probably never be able to think of them the same way again. Now instead of thinking ‘Mr. Dubose’, I’m going to think ‘Darren’ instead.”

  Logan shrugged. “As long as it’s in your own thoughts, I don’t see the problem.”

  Katey gripped her arms against a gust of cold wind. “I can’t remember if I said it before, but thank you for paying for my meal.”

  “You have mentioned it twice already. And for the third time, you are welcome.” Logan leaned forward on his elbows, mimicking her posture. “Though, I would hardly consider it at meal. A small drink, kid cheeseburger, and a large fry.”

  Katey grinned and shrugged. “I like fries.”

  “Evidently.”

  “Why do you talk so formal?”

  Logan glanced away to the parking lot as if he heard something and then back to her. “I don’t mean to seem like I’m cutting our evening short, but do you have to be home by a certain time?”

  Katey ignored the way he so smoothly avoided her question and shook her head. “Not really.”

  “Wouldn’t your foster parents be upset about you getting home so late?”

  Katey snorted and rolled her eyes. “Mary would get upset if I washed the dishes the wrong way. Staying out isn’t going to hurt any. If anything, it would help.”

  “I presume Mary is your foster mother?”

  “Yeah. And besides, she’s not even home.”

  “Why is she not home?”

  “She went out of town for the holidays.”

  A deep frown formed between his brows. “And she didn’t take you with her?”

  “No. Why should she? It’s not like her family or boyfriend would want to see me anyway.”

  “But she left you home alone? How long will she be gone?”

  Katey felt a little frightened by the way he was taking this so seriously. “Not until after New Year’s, I think.” Logan’s nostrils flared and Katey shrunk back a bit. “What’s wrong?”

  “What kind of a parent would leave their ward home alone for that long?”

  “She’s done it tons of times before. Really, Logan, it’s not that big of a deal.”

  Logan sighed and made a visible effort to calm down, raking his hands through is dark hair. “It does to me.”

  “I’m touched by your concern, but really, it’s not a big deal.”

  Logan was silent for a while and Katey waited, watching the way his eyes reflected the inner workings of his mind. He was obviously formulating a plan of some sort and she didn’t know whether to dread it or not.

  “Can I be so bold as to escort you home to make sure you get there safely?” he asked.

  Katey looked at him suspiciously. “Why?”

  “Would it be so hard to believe that I might care if you get home safely or not?”

  “I don’t need anyone’s help in protecting me,” Katey replied defensively.

  “You may not need it, but I’d like to give it.”

  She laughed. “Stubborn one, aren’t you?”

  “Look who’s talking.”

  Katey couldn’t keep up her walls against Logan, no matter how hard she tried. Somehow, he would break through. Just one look, a few sweet words and she was hopelessly gone. Had there even been a time where she turned him down? Would there ever be?

  The thought made Katey question his motives. Was he just another suave Casanova like Eric, or was he truly different from the rest. Her heart, as naïve and reckless as it was, wanted to believe that Logan would never betray her, never violate her or make her do anything she didn’t really want. He seemed honorable, a genuine gentleman in speech and manner. He was the kind of guy she had always wanted, always dreamed of. She trusted him explicitly.

  Finally, she nodded. “Ok. You can follow me home.”

  ***

  Katey’s headlights illuminated the entrance sign into Lunar Estates and the tidal wave of anxiety hit her. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw Logan right on her tail. He was cloaked in the night, barely visible at all except for his own single headlight on his motorcycle, but he was there nonetheless.

  Suddenly, she thought of all the things that could happen. Would he just drive away after making sure she was inside the house? Would he come inside and stay for a while? She smacked her forehead when she remembered that the house was a total wreck. What if he did come inside, assume that she was a slob and decided not to ask her on a second date?

  Katey rounded the corner, pulled into her driveway and quickly cut off the engine and headlights. Looking again in her mirrors, she saw Logan pulled up alongside the curb near her mailbox, sitting erect in his seat, fully at attention like a meerkat searching for danger.


  After grabbing her bag from the passenger seat, she slipped out of the vehicle and stood in the driveway. Katey was unsure whether to go ahead and walk up to the porch or wait for Logan to say goodnight. A wave of heat flashed down her spine when the notion of a goodnight kiss came to mind. She’d never been kissed.

  “So, this is where you live?”

  Logan’s voice startled her. She spun and found him close beside her, his motorcycle helmet tucked under one arm and his backpack still strapped to his back.

  “Yep. For now anyway,” Katey muttered as she pulled out her keys from the side pocket on her bag. Her hands were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped them.

  Without any word or cue, they started up the front walk together, their steps slow and patient. Katey’s heart beat hard in her chest and she feared that Logan could hear every thud.

  When they came to the door, Logan held open the screen door so it wouldn’t be hitting her arm as she turned the key in the lock. She could feel Logan standing unbearably close to her.

  Through her rattled nerves, Katey managed to swing the door open. The amber light from the street lamp fell across the beige carpet that was riddled with stains.

  Katey paused again and looked to Logan. He seemed to be staring into the dark void of her home, that pensive look back in his eyes.

  “What is it?” Katey asked.

  He sighed and turned to her with the utmost seriousness. “I’m really sorry I’m about to ask this, but would you mind if I stayed the night? I don’t believe it’s right for you to be staying home alone like this.”

  Katey was taken aback by the request and her eyes narrowed questionably upon him. Was he serious? She had only met him four days ago and he’s offering to spend the night? It didn’t make sense to her how he could be so concerned for her yet he hardly knew her. I’m a big girl, aren’t I? I’ve become tough. I can take being alone, can’t I?

  “I did tell you I could take care of myself.”

  “I have yet to see proof of that.” His tone turned aggressive. “If I left you right now, I’d be worried all night. I’d feel guilty knowing that I could have been here for you, but I wasn’t.”

  “You talk like I’m a five-year old.”

  “I know you’re not and I don’t mean to seem that way. I’m just concerned, is all.”

  “What about your parents? They’ll wonder where you are.”

  He shrugged. “I’ll let them know I decided to stay with a friend for the night. I’ve done it before. They’ll understand.”

  Katey stepped over the threshold and flipped on the porch light so she could better see the distraught lost puppy look on his face.

  The truth was that Katey wanted him to stay. The loneliness that once recharged her batteries was now draining them. The weekend was hell and she blamed Logan for it. He had ruined her somehow.

  Letting him stay the night meant that she would be admitting such weaknesses and opening doors for other temptations that were not on her agenda. But from the look in his eyes, it wasn’t in his either. Whether she understood it or not, liked it or not, he was worried for her.

  “You’re sleeping on the couch then.”

  “I wouldn’t expect any more than that,” her muttered, a sliver of relief in his tone.

  Katey gave him a weak smile and stepped aside to let him in. “I’ll have to warn you though. The house is a bit of a mess.”

  She flicked on the living room light to reveal exactly what she meant. Logan let out a whistle as she dropped her bag and shut the door.

  “A bit?” he quipped.

  “I was going to clean up after school, but some guy took me to a graveyard, so I haven’t had the time.”

  Logan chuckled. “Likely excuse.”

  She giggled and began to hurriedly clean up the trash around the room, stacking up pizza boxes in her arms and wadding up dirty napkins and paper in her fists. Katey heard Logan set down his things as she made her way towards the kitchen.

  “Does Mary not clean?” he questioned from the front door. He hadn’t ventured very far into the house yet so as not to get in her way.

  “Not really. I do most of it.”

  After finally giving up on the idea that the house would be guest-worthy in just a few mere minutes of furious cleaning, Katey strode to the coat closet and pulled down two pillows and a blanket from the top shelf. She tossed them on the couch and looked up to see his gaze was no longer taking in the messy house, but solely focused on her.

  If this were a cheesy romance movie, Katey thought, we would be running into each other’s arms right about now and kiss. Good thing this isn’t a movie.

  She glanced at the clock and saw it was about her normal time to wind down for bed. Not only that, but she had a few assignments to complete for school that she couldn’t afford to put off for Logan’s sake.

  “Just make yourself at home,” she said quickly. “There’s not much in the fridge, but there’s a deep freezer in the garage with frozen pizzas if you get hungry during the night or something. If you need to use the bathroom, there’s one right through that hall. I’ll be in my bedroom,” she continued as she walked past him, trying to ignore the inexplicable urge to stay in the living room with him. “If anyone jumps through my window, you’ll be the first to know.”

  Katey didn’t wait for his reply, but scurried to her room, shut the door and locked it behind her. Only then could she breathe again.

  She leaned against the bedroom door, feeling the cool wood against her palms and forehead as if it would somehow bring her closer to Logan. She closed her eyes and listened in the dark of her room. Listened for anything.

  But Logan was deftly silent as he moved about the house. How she wished she hadn’t been so nervous and stayed with him just a little longer. She tried to comfort herself with the thought that he would be there in the morning.

  Katey sluggishly changed into her pajamas and decided to take a shower early in the morning since Logan would be listening in the next room. Then, Katey sat down to her desk and finished up the last bit of homework while softly listening to her rock music.

  Just before turning in for the night, Katey noticed the lights were off in the living room. Curiously, she cracked open her door a little and peeked through to see what Logan was doing. He was lying on the couch, the blanket wrapped around him and hugging one of the pillows. But his back was facing her, so she couldn’t tell if he was actually asleep or not. She watched his back and shoulders rise and fall with his steady breathing and couldn’t help but smile a bit. At least one of them was comfortable.

  Katey closed the door, but stayed her hand from locking it.

  Sleep came upon her quicker than she had anticipated, despite her muddled thoughts. Yet, she was started awake when she heard some noises in the early hours of the morning. It sounded as if someone were moving around the house and rummaging through the cupboards and refrigerator.

  She stumbled out of bed and dragged herself to her door, opening it just enough to poke her head out. The lights were still off and she couldn’t see much of anything in the darkness. The sun still hadn’t risen, but she could tell by the pale blue of the sky through the open shades of the kitchen window above the sink that it soon would. Squinting into the dim light, Katey tried to make out any shapes, as she had left her glasses on the nightstand and could hardly see anything clear past the tip of her nose.

  “Logan…” she choked out, standing by her door frame. “Logan… what are you doing?” Katey asked tiredly.

  “Nothing, just go back to bed,” he whispered from the kitchen.

  Katey sighed and did as he said, too tired to press the matter further. She did say to make himself at home after all. She shuffled back into her bed and covered herself with her pillows and blankets and tried to push away her mild curiosity.

  Katey made sure her body was covered with extra blankets and that they were wrapped tightly around herself, like a mother would tuck in their child late at night. She never had
anyone do that for her personally so she had learned to do it for herself.

  As the last of her consciousness drifted away, her thoughts turned towards the lonely ache that she felt for the family she never knew.

  She had lied to Logan the evening before when she said that she didn’t miss her parents. She did. She missed them without even knowing why. She always felt like that part of herself was missing and just barely eluding her grasp. She had never felt like she belonged in any family. The loneliness was a bitter thing that she had learned to cope with over the years. But, it never became easier. Not until she met Logan.

  Sleep claimed her once more.

  Chapter 9

  Katey opened her eyes to see she was standing in the cabin again. It was the same cabin every time. She turned and gazed around at the catastrophic mess that someone or something had made. Tables were overturned, broken glass and porcelain lay scattered about the floor and deep red stains over everything. She could smell fire smoke and the iron-like stench of blood. Upholstery had been ripped to shreds, showing the white cotton stuffing underneath. Anything that had once resembled wood furniture was broken into splinters. The wooden floor beneath her feet was even missing some boards and broken in places.

  Katey stepped carefully through the mess, watching and waiting. She always appeared right around now. She always does. The sun was just beginning to rise through the windows, shedding orange and rosy light upon the disheveled cabin. Katey looked up to the front door that was ajar and saw her.

  The woman was standing there, beaming radiantly. Her blonde hair reached down past her waist and smoky eyes seemed to dance at the sight of her. What struck Katey the most was her extremely fair skin and dazzling white evening gown. The woman seemed to glow in the morning light, filling Katey’s heart with warmth and love.

  Katey took a cautious step forward, but as soon as she did the woman turned and walked out the front door. Katey burst forth in a run after the woman, knocking over anything that was in her way. She was determined to catch her this time.