by Rachel Hera
“It’s late. Noah will show you out,” Carlos said,
“It’s fine, we know the way,” Cole waved Noah down. Noah just raised an eyebrow, covering a snort with a cough, clearly amused that the fox thought he had any authority over any of us. But the fox still turned to Carlos, “Thank you for your time.”
“A human would respond saying ‘anytime,’ but as I’ve said, wolves tend to keep to themselves, and I don’t intend to give you a false sense of hospitality,” Carlos nodded at Jason, who opened the door as the foxes neared.
“Wolves,” Cole acknowledged us with a curt nod as he helped Marissa to her feet. They headed for the door.
“Have a good night,” Philip said to the three of us, then followed the other two as they left. Noah went into the hall after them, making sure that they didn’t linger any longer than they needed to. He returned shortly after we heard the sound of the front door closing and clicking into place.
“So who wants to guess what this so-called mission is?” the Alpha asked, going to the window and closing the blinds. “What supernatural phenomenon lurks in this small town of Eiden?”
“I’ve smelled a few other types of supernaturals out there, too,” Jason scratched his head. “A necromancer, a witch, and a half-demon. A vampire. It’s… diverse. The supernatural population here.”
“So the foxes could be here to deal with any of them,” Carlos put his hand to his chin, rubbing his fingers over his mouth as he mulled something over. “Have Dante look into it, would you, Blake?”
“Of course,” I answered. Dante had proven on more than one occasion that he could find anything through the use of his computer. Fox shape-shifters were good at two things: researching and covering their own tails. They had a fair degree of stealth, and most were definitely conniving, and that was probably the reason why they leant their powers out to other supernaturals. They liked for others to be in their debt, because there were so many things other supernaturals could do that they themselves couldn’t. They had speed, but no strength or heightened senses. Their entire identity as a race was based on being three steps ahead.
But we had Dante, who was more than just a tech-genius, though you really had to wonder how well he would fair in a head-to-head battle with those who practically had it in their genetic make-up to discover what a person wants to keep hidden the most. And these foxes appeared young and slightly unaware. I liked to think that Dante would win.
“What will we do if we find out why they’re here?” Jason asked.
“Maybe we’ll impose a little more,” Noah chuckled.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Carlos rolled his eyes. “But I’d rather know what’s on everyone’s agenda around here. Jason, look into the other supernaturals and give Dante a hand in gathering info, alright?”
“So Dante’s really going to be staying here, too?” Jason asked. Down the hall, we heard the basement door open. Several footsteps echoed down the hall, separating as they went in different directions.
“Dante needs to stay here,” Noah told his son. “He’s probably as much of a target as our dear Alpha here, considering he tracks everyone down for us.”
“Lucky son of a bitch gets to spend time with the two of us,” Jason grinned at me.
“When you’re not off in London visiting your pregnant girlfriend,” Kaya walked into the room. She took a deep breath, “The foxes, huh? The one from the ice cream place was here, too, then?”
I just shrugged. “Apparently, they want us to keep our noses out of their business.”
“With you guys around, as if,” she snorted. “I should have known though. Since Blake wanted to move here, it’s only a given the Pack would fall into the middle of something like this.”
“Just be on the lookout,” Carlos sighed. “Well, I’m turning in early.”
“Geezer,” Noah said, stifling a yawn. It wasn’t all that early. Eleven o’clock was nearing.
The Alpha just rolled his eyes, chuckling as he left the room.
“Are you guys going to bed? Don’t you have school tomorrow?” Kaya teased Jason and I as she walked away.
“I do, actually,” I pulled out my phone to glance at the clock. “Ten hours until I get to see my mate again. I think I’m going to go to bed, too.”
“I think this is the first time Blake’s ever looked forward to school,” Jason laughed.
Down the hall, I heard Noah whisper to Michael, “I think this is the first time Blake’s looked forward to anything.”
Chapter 7: Maddie
“Three attractive guys?” I laughed, looking at myself in the mirror. I was just about ready for bed, after I washed my make-up off, anyway. But that could wait until I finished on the phone.
“Well, and a rather attractive girl,” Evelyn added. “You left too early, Maddie. You should have seen them.”
“You’re definitely making me wish I had,” I frowned as I leaned closer to the mirror. Was that a bruise or –I rubbed the shadow on my face, relieved that it was just a little bit of dirt. Probably ash or something from the small fire at Kristy’s place that we’d had. She’d wanted to roast marshmallows, since this gorgeous weather wasn’t going to last much longer. I couldn’t blame her.
“Oh, you still might,” she said suddenly. “Two of them will be coming to our school.”
“Well, almost in time for the fair,” I pursed my lips and released them. “Weird time to move. The semester just started, what, three weeks ago?”
“Well, I’m sure they have their reasons,” Evelyn sighed. “Shayne texted me while I was at work.”
“And?”
“We’ve got another date this weekend,” she sounded like she was smiling. I was happy for her. “He’s planning on toning it down a bit.”
I laughed, “Oh, good.”
“As far as I know, it’s just a walk through town. Nothing extravagant.”
“So maybe I should do my own little walk this weekend, and finally meet the guy you’ve been hiding?” I joked.
My comment was met with silence, which took me a little off-guard.
“Evelyn?”
“Sorry, it’s just… I’m a little scared, Maddie. You know I don’t have a lot of self-confidence. I’m worried he’s going to see you and realize a girl like me isn’t his type.”
“Evelyn, a girl like you is every man’s type. They’re just too stupid to realize it,” I told her. “And if he gives you up so easily, he’s not worth your time.”
“You’ll meet him,” she promised. “Just… let’s just wait a while?”
“Fine,” I sighed. “Anyway, I’m going to go to bed. Sleep tight, Evelyn. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Night,” she replied. I waited a few seconds to see if she’d say anything else before hanging up the phone. I went into the hallway, putting the phone back on the charger before going and washing my face.
* * *
“You need to stop sleeping in,” my mother told me in front of the school. “Be happy that I had the morning off.”
“Thanks mom,” I said, glancing at her as we sat in the van. She had no idea about my reoccurring dreams. I was willing to gamble that she, like Evelyn, would also chalk it up to the stories I read.
“You’re welcome,” she said. “Have a good day at school. Tell Evelyn I say hi.”
“Of course,” I opened the door and got out, waving as she drove off.
I glanced at the time. Twenty minutes until the buses would arrive. My stomach growled, and I headed inside, intent on getting something from the cafeteria. The muffins filled the hallway with their warm scents, and as I neared I knew I’d be buying one. Maybe I’d get a carton of milk, too.
“Maddie,” Maegan fell into step beside me. “Slept in again?”
“How’d you guess?” I felt another yawn come along, fighting to suppress it. My eyes watered as it won the battle.
“It’s written all over your face,” she teased. “Getting a muffin today, hm?”
/>
“Yeah,” I replied, not bothering to figure out how she knew, since we hadn’t even entered the cafeteria yet. Maegan always seemed to know, ever since we were little. Evelyn said we were all just really predictable, and Maegan picked up on our usual tendencies.
“Hey, Maddie –have you seen those two before?” she grabbed my arm, nodding down the hall. I’d been looking but not seeing in my sleep-deprived state. I never slept properly after those dreams. I woke up every hour until my mother came and kicked me out of bed. But Maegan got my attention, and my gaze focused on two guys standing just outside the cafeteria door, eating the breakfast fajitas that they sold inside. She was right –I didn’t recognize them, though I had a vague idea of who they were.
“They must be the ones Evelyn was talking about,” I glanced at Maegan. “They just moved into town.”
“Hmm,” was all she said. “Anyway, I need to grab something from my locker, so I’ll catch up with you in a bit, okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, nodding at the two guys as I slipped into the cafeteria. Had I not been so tired, maybe I would have flirted with them, but it wasn’t like they were going to move out of town as fast as they moved in, so I figured I had plenty of time to strike up a conversation over the next two semesters.
There was only a line of three people, so getting my muffin and milk didn’t take long. Figuring I should go to my locker and drop off everything I didn’t need for the first two periods, I headed in the direction Maegan had gone off in. She had chemistry when I had math, so our lockers were pretty close together. I went to the stairwell, the doors propped open, and headed up the stairs. I could hear people talking , the sound echoing up and down.
“I knew they were here, but I didn’t know they had a mission here. I thought they were just like us. Kinda just… drawn to the area.”
I paused, recognizing the voice. It was Maegan.
“Well, if you hear anything, let us know,” a guy said. Him, I didn’t recognize.
“Will do,” she replied.
Footsteps started coming down the stairs, and I looked up to see the two new guys walking down. I continued up, past them, sparing them a glance. They barely looked at me as they went on their way. When I got up to the next floor, Maegan was gone. I ended up finding her at her locker. It was wide-open, and she was crouched, digging through her bag to retrieve her water bottle. She was given a faulty locker with no hooks to hang her bag or coat on –not that she’d need a coat until late October. But she didn’t really seem to pay it any mind.
“Enjoying your muffin?” she asked as I approached.
I looked down at it in my hand, not yet having a chance to actually take a bite.
“I’m enjoying looking at it,” I answered, going to my locker, which was almost directly opposite of hers on the other side of the hallway. I wondered if I should ask her about the two guys. I mean, it had been her talking to them, right?
“Something wrong?” she asked.
I glanced at her over my shoulder as I opened my locker. It was like she was lining me up for the question –I could ask. But, instead, I opened my bag, setting my milk on the top shelf in my locker and pulling out the notebooks I wouldn’t need. “No. I’m just tired still.”
“If you say so,” she answered.
I regretted not asking a little bit, but shrugged it off. It was probably nothing anyway.
Chapter 8: Evelyn
At school the next day, I was surprised to see Blake. Well, not so much surprised to see him as surprised to find him leaning against my locker. Deliberately, by the looks of it, as his face lit up when he spotted me. Somehow, I found it irritating. It felt like he was intentionally seeking me out, and I didn’t understand why.
“Good morning,” he greeted.
“Morning,” I crossed my arms. “I see you found my locker. I’m not even going to ask how.”
“I asked around. You’re pretty popular,” he shrugged before giving me a smile. He had nice teeth, I realized. I almost scowled at myself. I hated that I found him so attractive. But it wasn’t just me. There were more girls in this hallway than ever before, and they were all staring him down.
“I doubt it,” I said, waiting for him to get away from my locker so I could get in and gather what I needed for first period. He didn’t move.
“I thought I’d take you up on your offer. This school is pretty big,” he said, cocking his head to the side. “Show me around?”
“I’ll show him around,” I heard a girl say down the hall. Her friends giggled. I glanced over my shoulder to see Olivia, from work, with a group of her friends.
“Class is about to start,” I pointed out.
“At lunch, then?” he suggested.
“I’m sure any number of girls would want to show you around, Blake,” I snorted.
“You remembered my name,” he grinned.
“Don’t take it to heart, I know eighty percent of the student body by name,” I told him. “Now, excuse me, I’d like to drop off my things.”
“Of course,” he said, finally stepping aside. “Anyway, just a quick tour. I have no idea where the art room is.”
“Down the hall, make a left, third door on your right,” I opened my locker, shoving my school bag in and taking out my gym bag. “It says ‘art room’ on the door. Hard to miss.”
“See? This is why I chose to come to you,” he laughed.
“Blake,” Jason appeared, dressed and ready for gym class. That was almost more surprising than Blake being at my locker. He greeted me with a small smile. “Hey, Evelyn.”
“Jason,” I acknowledged him with a small nod.
He turned back to Blake, “So I spoke with Dante. He said he’ll be in town around lunch, if we want to meet up.”
“Lunch,” Blake looked at me, a look of disappointment quickly finding a home on his face.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I shook my head, closing my locker. “I never actually agreed in the first place.
“Rain check?” he asked.
“We’ll see,” I said, heading for the ladies’ change room.
Just as I finished getting changed, Kristy walked in, dropping her gym bag beside mine and starting to pull out her clothes. “Morning.”
“Morning,” I said, sitting on the bench to wait for her. “How was your weekend?”
“Long. I worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and my mom’s been away, so I have the entire house to myself and you know how I’m, like, a clean freak sometimes?” she babbled. “So, naturally, I cleaned the house top to bottom.”
“I need to hire you one day,” I joked.
“Please, don’t,” she laughed. Chantelle walked in, joining me and Kristy. Kristy greeted her, then turned back to me, “Anyway, I’m not sure if you saw them, but there are two really attractive guys by your locker.”
“Oh, she saw them,” a girl interrupted our conversation. “But she practically turned down the one.”
“Evelyn,” Kristy turned on me with a mocking tone of offense. “How dare you?”
“I don’t see the big deal. He might be attractive, I guess, but he’s also turning out to be way too assertive.”
“Assertive?” another girl snorted. “He ignored everybody that came up to him except you.”
“Even worse,” I made a face. “He’s inconsiderate and rude.”
“Are you placing him in the same category as Cole?” Chantelle asked. “Because, last time I checked, you use those same words to describe Cole.”
“No,” I said slowly. “But, only because Cole has quite a longer history at being inconsiderate and rude than Blake does.”
They just laughed. Laughter that died slowly when Marissa walked in. I took the opportunity to get out of the change room. While I waited for the Kristy and Chantelle, I went and filled up my water bottle.
“Surprised to see us so soon?” Jason slid into place beside me
I twisted the cap onto my bottle tightly, “Surprised is one word.”
“And another word?” he asked.
“Put me on the spot like this, and surprised is the only word,” I looked at him. I got good vibes from Jason. Much different than the vibes I got from Blake. Not that I got bad vibes from Blake. I hated myself for admitting it, even if only to myself, but the most accurate description of what Blake made me feel was hot under the collar.
And it kind of scared me, to be quite honest.
“Kaya was right. You’re witty,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I exhaled loudly. “So what’s Blake’s deal?”
“Blake’s… deal?” he questioned.
“According to my sources, Blake’s rude to everybody. So why’s he being nice to me?”
“Blake is rude to everybody,” he agreed. “But trust me when I say his intentions are not evil.”
“Well, whatever the intentions, he can forget them. He’s making me uncomfortable,” I told him, waving Kristy and Chantelle over as they exited the change room.
“I’ll let him know,” Jason promised.
“Thank you.”
“Just to let you know, I’m rude to everybody, too,” he told me.
I shook my head, fighting a laugh, “Well, screw your intentions, too.”
He just laughed.
“Going to introduce us?” Kristy asked as they approached.
“No. Jason’s a dick,” I said, earning another laugh.
“Jason, huh?” Philip, too, had migrated over.
“Jason, meet Kristy and Chantelle. Vice versa. And this is Philip. Philip, Jason has just moved to the area. Feel free to treat him just like the new kid he is. Take his money, push him around. Go hard.”
“Then this is going to be fun,” Philip joked. He held out his hand, “Nice to meet you.”
“Wish I could say the same,” Jason replied, ignoring the gesture. Man, he wasn’t kidding when he said he was rude.
