I nod, letting him help me sit up.
“I’m fine,” I say, licking my dry lips. “I wasn’t prepared for anybody to touch me. I think I just passed out for a second.”
“A few seconds.” He starts to gather up out things, grabbing my bag and book in his hands. “We’re going home.”
“No, Andrew,” I protest, my voice steadier than I expect after blacking out. “I promise I’m fine. I was just surprised.”
The last thing I want to do is to leave the beach because someone accidentally tripped over me and I freaked out. Everybody already thinks I’m weird. I don’t need one more reason for the kids at school to look at me differently. Andrew won’t even be there to protect me this year.
“Are you sure?”
I nod.
He reluctantly hands me back my bag and book and gets up, turning back to his friend who tripped over me.
“Watch where you’re going,” Andrew grinds out.
Even from here, I can see that Andrew is furious. His entire body is tensed up and both hands are making a tight fist.
“It was an accident.” I shrug. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry, Penelope.” The boy grimaces at Andrew’s hard stare and shoots me an apologetic look.
“It’s okay,” I say, more for Andrew’s benefit than anyone else. “I’m fine.”
Eventually, the guys go back to playing football, but they move further away from me, making me feel even more like a freak.
I’ll never fit in.
Chapter Three
Meeting Liam.
PENELOPE.
I relax in the bayside window of the room Paige and I share in our family’s two-story home. Paige is gone, she’s hanging out with some of her friends. She wanted me to come, but I declined.
I hate hanging out with Paige’s friends. Not that they’re not nice—they are, but they’re her friends. I feel like the third wheel when I hang out with them. I’d much prefer to stay at home, in my bedroom, hiding from the world.
I shift my MacBook sitting in my lap, and I pull something up on Netflix. I need the distraction tonight.
It was a rough day today. Passing out in front of all of Andrew’s friends at the beach was humiliating. When Andrew told Mom once we got back, she freaked out and had Dad do an exam on me just to make sure nothing was wrong.
My dad’s a doctor—a general practitioner. He used to be a surgeon, but he was gone a lot. He gave up his prestigious job at the hospital when I was just a baby so he could stay home more. He’s always been around to me.
I sigh, leaning my head against the window.
Why am I such a mess?
I get that feeling on the back of my neck again. That tingling sensation.
Somebody is watching me.
I peer out the window and see a pair of glowing yellow eyes looking up at me through the darkness. They’re standing in just the right spot, so I can’t really see them. Just the outline of a body and the eyes.
Eyes aren’t yellow.
Well, I guess eyes aren’t purple either.
I shut my computer and get up from the bench.
Tonight, I’m going to see exactly who has been watching me.
When I make my way down the stairs, I catch sight of my parents sitting in the living room together, watching some movie.
“I’m going for a walk,” I yell.
“At this time?” Mom asks.
I glance at my phone and see that it’s just 9:30. My curfew isn’t until midnight.
“She’ll be fine,” Dad says, then turns to me. “Just don’t be gone long, okay?”
“I won’t,” I promise, then walk out the front door.
The boy isn’t standing there anymore, but I know where to go to find him. It’s as if some force is pulling me. Maybe that should frighten me, but it doesn’t. I just follow the pull, my heart racing faster and faster with every step I take.
I find the boy sitting on a bench at the beach—the same beach I had gone to earlier today.
Taking a seat beside him, I’m careful to keep a lot of distance between us. I still can’t believe I followed a stranger in the dark. It’s like I’m asking to get kidnapped.
“Have you been following me?”
It’s not the first thing I meant to say, but I’m not upset I said it. I want to know.
“Yes,” he answers.
Great.
At least my stalker is honest about it.
“Why?” I ask.
He’s quiet for a moment, so I finally look at him.
I hadn’t looked at him before this. Just his silhouette outside my window.
The first thing I notice is that his eyes aren’t yellow at all—they’re light brown.
I feel something when our eyes meet. Something I can’t explain. It’s like my stomach has tightened and my chest has started squeezing my heart. It’s like I am looking into my future. I push that thought aside for a later time, though, and focus on now.
“I’m Liam Mutatio.” His deep voice resonates through me, and the second he says his name chills break out on my skin.
Seriously?
What is wrong with me? This is my stalker.
It’s then I realize I’m still staring into his eyes, so I shift my gaze to his hair. It’s a beautiful dirty blond color and is cut short—not too short, just long enough for me to run my fingers through it.
The guy is tall. Maybe even taller than Andrew, though it’s hard to tell when we’re sitting down.
“What’s your name?” Liam’s question interrupts my scan of his body.
“Penelope.”
“Penelope,” he repeats.
When he says my name, I feel it. My entire body relaxes, and even though I could be in danger right now, I feel safe with him.
This is crazy.
“Why have you been following me?” I ask, once my heart stops racing so fast.
“Your eyes…” His voice trails off.
I roll my eyes in response. “Yeah, they’re purple.”
“No,” Liam counters, shaking his head. “They were purple. They’re pink now.”
Certainly he’s mistaken though. My eyes can’t change colors.
“Your eyes were yellow earlier,” I say.
“That’s my wolf.” His lips quirk in a smile and he rubs his hand over his jaw. My eyes track the movement before I register what he said.
His… Wolf?
Is this boy serious?
“What are you?” He tilts his head to the side as he studies me. “I’ve been trying to figure it out. Your smell is unique, and your family is all human. I’ve been trying to place it, but I can’t.”
“What do you mean what am I?”
“I mean what kind of supernatural are you?”
Supernatural?
Okay, this guy is insane.
Literally insane.
I stand up and brush the sand from my legs.
“I think I should go home now,” I say as I take a step back. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t follow me around anymore.”
The guy stands and I see how right I was. He is taller than Andrew.
“You’re shorter than I thought.” He’s frowning at me, like he disproves of my height.
My eyes widen and I look up at him.
He’s at least a foot and a half taller than me.
I swallow hard.
“I’m not that short,” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest, ready to defend myself.
“Are you even five feet?”
“I’m four eleven and a half.”
“The half doesn’t count.” Liam smirks, rocking back on his heels.
I roll my eyes. Again. “It so does.”
“Your eyes are black now.”
“What?” I ask, feeling confused. But then I remember… this guy thinks he’s a wolf. He’s completely off his rocker and probably escaped from a mental institution or something.
“They’re purple again,” Liam observes aloud. “Th
at’s kind of cool. I’ve never seen anybody’s eyes change colors before.”
“Did you forget to take your meds this morning?” I back away from him slightly.
I probably shouldn’t antagonize the crazy person.
His eyes widen, as if he’s just realizing that I do, indeed, think he’s insane.
“You have no idea, do you?” he asks, his voice low.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I don’t have time to listen to this anymore.” I back up another step. “It was very nice to meet you, Liam.”
He groans when I say his name, as if me saying it had the same effect as him saying my name earlier.
I don’t stick around though. I just turn and walk quickly toward my house.
And I definitely won’t think of Liam anymore.
Or how big his brown eyes are.
Or how cute his smile is.
And those dimples.
Nope.
Not thinking of any of that.
AIDEN.
I can’t believe I have to drive to Jacksonville to get Liam.
What the heck is he even doing here?
He won’t answer any of his phone calls or text messages, so I’m the one who had to drive here to pick him up.
It’s not hard to find Liam. I just follow his scent and find it all over this one neighborhood close to the beach. There are a lot of humans that pass through here, but I also smell something else. It’s not a wolf, but it’s not human. I’ve definitely never smelled a supernatural like this before.
My wolf surfaces and it actually takes an effort to stop myself from transforming. I haven’t had such little control since I was ten and first started shifting. Still, my wolf is in control of me now, and he’s on the move. I follow the scent toward the beach. I can smell Liam too.
Stopping about thirty feet away, I spy Liam sitting on the beach next to this black-haired girl.
When I see her, I’m unable to move. It’s like my feet have cemented to the ground. My heart is racing and my stomach is tight.
“Penelope,” the girl says, after Liam asks what her name is.
Penelope.
The scent… it’s her. She’s not human.
But what is she?
Mine, my wolf growls.
Yes, she is.
She’s my mate.
Is she the reason Liam stayed here?
I try to read his thoughts, but he’s blocking them. I doubt he even knows that I’m here.
Why is he being so stupid? Any shifter could sneak up on him right now and kill him. He would be completely unaware because he’s busy chatting with my mate.
Why is he talking to her? Is it because of her smell? It must be. He’s curious.
One thing is certain.
I am not leaving Jacksonville without this girl.
She’s mine.
After a few minutes, the girl gets up to leave. When I see her face, my breath ceases.
She’s the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Her skin is flawless, her eyes are…
Purple?
She has purple eyes.
It reaffirms the fact that she’s not human. Humans don’t have purple eyes, but neither do shifters.
Maybe she’s a succubus. That would explain her charm.
No, she’s too short to be a succubus, I realize when Liam stands up next to her.
I hear her tell him she’s four feet, eleven and a half inches. She looks offended when Liam calls her short.
This girl is tiny. She’s going to need a lot of protection.
I will protect her with my life.
She turns her back toward Liam and begins walking toward the neighborhood I was just in. Liam follows her, and I follow Liam. I want to make sure my mate gets home safely. It’s late at night and while this neighborhood seems safe, I know looks can be deceiving.
Once she walks into the house, I approach Liam.
“What is she?” I ask.
Liam jumps.
I actually scared him?
Wow, he really is off his game.
“My mate,” Liam answers, once he sees that it’s me. “And I’m not leaving.”
“She’s my mate,” I counter.
He turns to me, his eye wide. “That’s not possible.”
“You think I don’t know my mate when I see her?” I ask, shaking my head in disbelief.
“No. Of course you know.” Liam scratches his head and stares at me. “It’s just… wolves don’t share mates.”
He’s right.
Wolves are too possessive to share a mate. Plus, we have no need to share mates, as wolves have many males and females. The only shifters I can think of who do share mates are dragons, but that’s because only one in four dragons are female.
“It’s strange.” Liam’s voice is filled with confusion. “I don’t feel jealous that she’s your mate too.”
I evaluate my reaction before I respond. “Neither do I.”
The thought hadn’t crossed my mind until he said it.
“What do we do?” I ask.
“We’re not leaving here without her.” Liam turns to stare at the house our mate entered.
I nod. “We will protect her.”
“Always.”
Chapter Four
Mine?
PENELOPE.
It’s been a couple of nights since I met Liam on the beach, and I definitely haven’t thought about him.
Nope.
Not once.
At least, that’s what I tell myself, but by telling myself not to think about him, aren’t I just thinking about him?
Tonight, my house is noisy and full of people. Well, not full, but we do have company. My mom and dad invited a family over.
My dad works with another doctor that has a large family too. They have five kids, all pretty close in age to us, so they come over every once in a while for dinner and game night. It’s always super loud and chaotic.
“Hey, Little P.”
I look up to see a pair of blue eyes eagerly watching me. I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes.
They have a son named Brian. He’s the same age as Paige and me. He goes to our school, so I see him a lot, but he’s a little too flirty for my taste. At least with me. He never flirts with Paige.
“It’s Penelope,” I say, frowning.
Why does my family and this one boy insist on calling me ‘Little P’? I hate the nickname so much.
I turn to walk away from Brian, but I hear footsteps behind me and know that he is following.
“So, how have you been?” he asks. “I haven’t heard from you this summer. You haven’t responded to any of my DM’s.”
Paige, who is standing close by, laughs. “Brian, if a girl doesn’t respond, it’s probably because she’s just not interested.”
If only I were brave enough to say that to him. I want to tell him that I’m not interested, but I can’t seem to bring myself to say the words. In my head they sound so cruel.
“Little P is just playing hard to get,” Brain says, then winks at me.
Dear Lord, this boy is frustrating.
My face grows warm.
“See, she’s blushing.” He reaches out a hand toward me, so I scream, backing away.
Was he seriously about to touch me?
“Hey,” Paige says, stepping between Brian and me. “Touch her and I will kick your butt.”
“I wasn’t going to,” Brian replies, his face red. He’s frowning as he looks over Paige at me. “I’m sorry, Penelope.”
I don’t respond because I don’t know what to say. If I tell him it’s okay, he will just try to touch me again. That’s the last thing I want. I want his private thoughts to stay private, and if he knew exactly what touching me would do, I don’t think he’d want to touch me either.
I turn around and walk out the back door of my house. I just need a moment to breathe. There are too many people, too many voices.
Deciding to take a walk, I head off toward
the ocean. I try to tell myself that I’m doing this to clear my head, but I kind of want to see Liam again. I’ve wanted to see him again ever since I left him on the beach that night. I didn’t even get his number.
His number?
He was insane. Why would I get his number?
Yet, I still feel so drawn to him. Like a moth to a flame.
The moon is nearly full tonight, and I watch it as I walk down the street.
There is a part of me that has always felt drawn to the moon—like it’s calling out for me, waiting for something. I feel like the moon can speak to my soul. It instantly calms my nerves, and for the first time since I left Liam on the beach, I feel content.
Disappointment fills me when I don’t see Liam sitting on the bench, but maybe it’s for the best. Whatever I feel for him, it’s not normal. I walk past the bench and take a seat on the sand close to the water. I keep looking at the moon in awe.
As I sit there, I feel a familiar tingle at the back of my neck.
I’m being watched again.
“Go away,” I call out.
“Excuse me?” A voice responds behind me.
An unfamiliar voice.
I quickly turn around and see there is a boy walking toward me, but it’s most definitely not Liam.
“Oh my gosh. I am so sorry,” I say. “I thought you were somebody else.”
“Is somebody bothering you?” he asks, his nostrils flaring.
“No.” I wave my hand in a dismissal.
He sits down beside me in the sand. He’s a little too close for comfort, so I scoot a little away from him. I don’t want to accidentally touch.
“I’m Aiden Wolfe.”
Wolfe?
Liam claimed to be a wolf.
“Do you know a guy named Liam?”
He nods. “He’s my alpha.”
His…
Alpha?
I look at the boy sitting next to me. His dark brown hair is a little bit shaggy, but I get the feeling it’s not normal for him to keep his hair thing long. It’s like… maybe he hasn’t had time to cut it or something. His eyes are a brilliant color of bright blue.
Except…
His eyes flash yellow as he studies me.
I’m seeing things.
I close my eyes and rub them. When I open them, his eyes are blue again.
Different (Shifter Academy Book 1) Page 2
