Phase

by E. C. Newman

  I smiled faintly.

  She paused, watching me. “You OK?”

  I nodded.

  “You sure?”

  I nodded again.

  “Well, don’t go anywhere without me, all right? Summer won’t try much if there’s both of us. And I can drop her pretty quick.”

  “Don’t worry. Avoidance is my new motto.” I took a bite of chicken salad, chewing slowly. I wasn’t hungry. I had to be ill. “So what were you going to tell me?” I tried not to think about Summer or the bloody wolf or Gil.

  “Oh. You know what I found out?” Her eyes lit with mystery.

  “Hmm?” I focused on my applesauce.

  “About other packs?”

  OK, she had my attention. I looked around to see if anyone was close. The guys always ate across the cafeteria. I lifted my brows at Jules, then glanced at the guys.

  “Too loud. They can’t hear. So, there are other packs. Of shifters. Not really nearby, think they said the closest was in North Carolina.”

  “No way.”

  “Yup. Anyway, the reason they’re so secretive, other than the fact that humans are notorious for persecuting those that are different…”

  Couldn’t really argue that one. Holocaust, Crusades, high school.

  “Sometimes other packs go looking for new, better territory, like here, and we have to protect our area,” she said.

  “Like a gang?” I was on edge for some reason.

  “Exactly.” She looked really alive with all her new information. “Sometimes other Alphas’ll send a scout to survey, and we have to dissuade him.”

  “Dissuade?” I didn’t like where this was going.

  “Remember the dead wolf in town?” She sobered, but light in her eyes didn’t dim.

  “Yeah, the dead…” My voice broke. “That was a shifter?” I dropped my voice as low as I could.

  “Yeah. Sniffing out Gregory.”

  “Then…who…how?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Micah.”

  My belly twisted. “Micah killed someone?”

  “Yeah. Apparently, there was a fight and shifters always fight to the death over territory.” She shrugged.

  “How can you be so…?” I was horrified. And the smell of my food made me nauseous.

  “It happens,” she replied. “As much as I don’t like the guy, Micah wouldn’t fight unless he had to. Unlike Aidan who likes to fight for any reason.”

  I pushed my lunch away.

  “Soph?”

  “I’m sorry I just can’t… I can’t be OK with that.”

  Jules continued chewing, her eyes never leaving me. She swallowed. “To save you, I’d kill someone.”

  “Don’t say that!”

  She looked embarrassed. “You wouldn’t do that for me? Or your folks?”

  “But, but the other shifter… He wasn’t threatening—”

  “New pack takes over. It’s the laws of the wilderness. Submit, or go rogue and be killed.”

  My head spun. I closed my eyes and the moment I did, I remembered Micah, beat-up and bruised. It’d happened after that weekend. He hadn’t fallen. He’d killed someone.

  Micah Reade, seventeen years old, a killer.

  I turned to look over at the guys. They were all talking and laughing. Micah grinned at something Nick said.

  It couldn’t be possible.

  My gaze, as usual, found Ezra. He smiled for a second at Nick before catching me staring. He raised his eyebrows in question. I looked away quickly.

  Ezra was the second. Did that mean he would kill too?

  “I thought…” Jules brought my attention back to her. “I thought you’d think it was cool.”

  “What?”

  “Whatever adjective you’d use for us weirdos.” She dropped her gaze. “I’m gonna go.”

  “No, Jules, please…”

  She got up and left. I didn’t have it in me to follow.

  * * *

  “Hey.” Ezra came up to me after Chemistry 2. We pretty much always walked to Spanish together now. Friends.

  “Hi.”

  “What’s up with you?”

  I glanced over at him. “What do you mean?”

  “You didn’t say a word all class. Which never happens, unless we have a test and even then, you usually mutter something under your breath.”

  I must have looked shocked, because he grinned.

  “Superior hearing, remember?”

  “Oh.”

  “And at lunch, you had a weird look on your face.”

  “Sorry.”

  “No reason to say you’re sorry.” He waited as we got to the foreign language hall before speaking again. “Not going to explain?”

  “Nothing to explain,” I replied, unable to pretend to be anything but how I was feeling. In shock.

  He touched my arm before we entered the classroom. “You’re a crap liar.”

  I dared to meet his eyes and forced a smile. “It’s one of my good qualities. I’m fine, Ez, really.”

  “Yeah right,” he grumbled and waited for me to go in first.

  What was I supposed to say? Oh I’m great! By the way, killed any shifters lately?

  * * *

  Jules and I didn’t meet up after school like we usually did. I felt bad, but really just wanted to go home and sleep.

  I got an e-mail from her that night.

  Soph,

  Hope we’re OK.

  J

  P.S. Naomi’s the only one I’d contemplate doing any damage to.

  I smiled in spite of it all.

  * * *

  I jumped when Jules came up to my locker the next morning. I hadn’t even heard her.

  “Hi,” I greeted with a smile. I’d gone to bed at eight. Lots of sleep meant a much happier Sophie. Even if a happier Sophie was trying not to think about all the stuff that was going wrong around me.

  “Hey.”

  OK, no smile from Jules. Not even happy eyes. Her voice rippled with something.

  “What?”

  She looked around covertly. For the rest of them was my guess. She grabbed my arm and led me toward the outside doors.

  “Jules?”

  “Micah thinks it’s you.”

  I stopped dead in my tracks. “It’s me… Wait, the stuff with Naomi?”

  She nodded. “It’s bullshit, but since you’re the only human who knows…” She pressed her lips together, her face getting pinchy. “It’ll blow over.”

  “Does everyone believe that?”

  She shook her head. “Aidan does ’cause, you know, he’s a mindless drone. Naomi still blames me.” She rolled her eyes. “Nick seems on the fence. And Gil, he doesn’t much like you lately.”

  I closed my eyes. All my happy, got-enough-sleep feelings vanished in a flash. “And Ezra?”

  “Oh, he’s with me on this. Not in a million years would you do something like that.”

  I blinked and smiled gratefully at her. “Yeah?”

  “Of course. He kept saying that you sucked at lying.” She laughed then stopped. “I’m telling you because I don’t want you to just be by yourself. I don’t know if Mr. Holier-Than-All would actually do anything, but Aidan’s a short fuse. So, you know, make sure I’m around. Or Ezra.”

  I pressed my hand over my heart to feel its heavy pound. “Really?”

  “Soph, it’s gonna be fine. You didn’t do it.” Her gaze darted down the hall for a second, then back. “So you have nothing to worry about. You’re not worried, are you?”

  “Of course I’m worried,” I snapped, tired and frustrated. “I have wolves angry at me. Wolves!”

  Jules looked taken aback then her eyes narrowed. “I get it. Don’t go off on me.”

  I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It’s just, I think it’s a bigger deal than you realize.”

  She started toward class and mindful of her warning, I followed her.

  We got the GHS newspaper when we walked into class. I sat down, not even looking at it.


  “Oh shit.” Jules had flipped the newspaper to the back. She handed it to me, pointing out something.

  To J,

  Our love is forbidden, but that doesn’t stop me. We are so different, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll always be yours.

  S

  Like I didn’t feel awful already.

  “Just icing on the cake.” Jules groaned. “Betcha it’s Summer.”

  “That we’re different…” I said. “That sounds…”

  She grabbed the paper back and looked at it. “I didn’t think about that. You think?” She seemed concerned. “No.”

  “I feel like I need to wear a sign that says I Like Boys.” I rested my head on my desk.

  “Maybe a tattoo?”

  I glared at her, and she laughed.

  * * *

  I’d called them “guard dogs” before and that’s exactly what they were. Jules stuck to my side through English and took me to my second period…and Ezra, who, after class, walked me to Show Choir.

  “So, the newspaper?” he asked.

  “Wasn’t me.”

  He chuckled, but it didn’t sound easy.

  “It’s the same person, isn’t it?”

  “I don’t know.” He looked a little worried. “It’s kinda funny.”

  “Yeah, you’re not the one being outed falsely.”

  “Yeah, right. You don’t think I hear the rumors about me and Nick? And the rest of the guys?”

  I felt my face heat because I’d thought the same not too long ago. He laughed again.

  “You guys are more affectionate than most guys,” I said as calmly as I could.

  He shrugged. “Brothers. It’s a wolf thing,” he whispered the last part with a mischievous grin. I smiled tentatively back.

  Micah and Aidan were standing across from my classroom with arms crossed, looking like the imposing predators they could be. Ezra placed his hand on my back.

  “Newspaper?” Micah said.

  I shook my head.

  “You know how absurd that is, Mic,” Ezra said. “You know she’s not like that.” His hand slid to my waist, and he held me to his side. The males locked glares.

  After a few seconds, I whispered, “What are you doing?”

  “For lack of a better term, marking my territory.” He shot me a grin.

  “What?”

  “You’re fine. Jules’ll be here after class.” He paused, his gaze drifting from my eyes to my lips.

  I swayed even closer, anticipating something amazing, but I wasn’t sure what. I heard a cleared throat from either Micah or Aidan. Ezra’s eyes sparked, and he pulled me into his arms for an impossible-to-breathe hug. The ferocity of his grip told me he was making a point. Which sucked, because being in Ezra’s arms, even painfully, was really nice.

  “Later,” he spoke against my brow and let go of me abruptly, then urged me toward my classroom. I walked through the door and looked back to see all the guys were gone.

  When I got out of class, I didn’t see Jules or Ezra around. My stomach clenched. Then I took a deep breath. “Honestly, you’ve survived seventeen years without them. You’re fine,” I told myself out loud, heading to the outside doors to get the fresh air my stressed-out brain needed. As I slipped out into the autumn sunshine, I smiled, truly happy.

  Then someone cornered me against a brick wall, and two purplish eyes glared at me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Aidan?” I gasped. “What are you doing?”

  “I have no idea.” He gripped my shoulders tight and pushed me hard against the building. “No idea what you think you’re doing.” His voice was lower than normal, gravelly and very wolflike. “But you’ll stop. I’ll make you.”

  My cardigan caught on the bricks. “It wasn’t me.”

  He growled and pushed his lower body against mine so I was pinned.

  “Aidan…” I softened my voice even though I felt like shrieking.

  His eyes glowed with rage, and I started struggling in earnest, terror gripping me. I opened my mouth to scream, but he pressed his thumb against my throat, cutting off my air. I wheezed.

  “We can make it look like an accident, you know,” he said, still with a growling whisper. “The pack’s done it before.”

  I shook my head, my eyes watering as I tried to breathe.

  “The pack is everything. And you’re ripping us apart.” His thumb pushed harder.

  He dropped me. I fell to the ground, gasping and panting while my lungs stopped burning.

  “That’s because I’m nice,” he told me, crossing his arms over his chest. “But next time…”

  “Sophie?” I heard my name and it sounded like the Hallelujah chorus. I scrambled over to look around the building and saw Jules, who was grinning. When she saw me, the grin dropped. She dashed over. “What happened?”

  Aidan had disappeared.

  She inhaled deeply. “What the hell?”

  I shook my head. “Please, just help me up.”

  She reached for my hands and tugged me to my feet, her gaze scouring my face and neck. “He hurt you.” Rage glowed in her eyes.

  “I’m fine. He just…was warning me.”

  “Asshole. I’ll kill him.” She started away.

  I grabbed her arm. “Don’t leave me.”

  The glow faded, and she hugged me tightly, almost too tightly. “I’m sorry. The teacher kept me late after class. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s fine. Let’s get to class.” My trembling decreased. “Do I look OK?”

  She touched my neck gingerly. “It’s gonna bruise.”

  “Great. It’ll look like hickeys.” I smiled. My default mode.

  Her smile seemed strained, but she wrapped her arm around my waist as we headed to class. I insisted on stopping by the bathroom first and washing off my neck. I knew the smell of Aidan infuriated Jules, and I didn’t want to start a fight. He had about fifty pounds on her. And if Jules could smell him, so could Ezra. I couldn’t fathom the idea of either Ezra or Jules getting hurt.

  I made it through fourth, lunch and then fifth period without any encounters. I sat in sixth next to Ezra, who didn’t notice the Aidan smell or at least didn’t say anything, and I almost forgot the drama. I was sitting next to Ezra Varden. I didn’t care that he was close because wolves were out for my blood. To have him glance over once in a while, smiling reassuringly at me, was thrilling.

  Like we’re friends.

  It hit me then. Ezra was my friend. Watching out for me. If he didn’t like me somewhat, he wouldn’t stick up for me like he had.

  Ezra and I were friends.

  With everything going wrong, it was one bright spot in the day.

  “I think he’s into torture,” Ezra said to me when class ended.

  “What?” I jumped, my thoughts never very far from Aidan and his attack.

  “Señor McAlister,” he replied. “Who’d you think I was talking about?”

  “N-nothing. Nobody.”

  “Let’s get you to your car in one piece.”

  I shuddered.

  He winced. “Sorry, bad choice of words.”

  We walked out to see Micah, Aidan, Naomi, and Gil in the hall. Jules was there too. My stomach turned and I wished I hadn’t had lunch. Aidan glowered at me. I covered my throat with my hand, protecting it.

  “Human.” Micah had his arms crossed, standing full at his six feet. “Care to confess?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Jules shrugged and moved to my other side.

  Micah, with a deep sigh, led the pack outside. Everyone followed, my gaze never leaving Aidan’s back.

  “Now what?” Ezra muttered.

  We went through the double doors and saw that the pack had clustered at the side of the building, staring.

  Graffiti. In red paint. Some sort of symbol that reminded me of cave drawings. But it was definitely something like a wolf. Underneath the figure was a statement that said simply, “Cry Wolf.”

  “Stil
l deny it?” Micah stepped toward me. Ezra and Jules pushed me back behind them.

  “How would Sophie even know that symbol? She was too far away to see any of that. It has to be someone else. Someone pack.” But Ezra didn’t seem convinced.

  The pack growled in response, and Naomi said, “Of course it is. It’s her.” She pointed at Jules. “Everything was fine till she showed up.”

  “Grow up, brat!” Jules snapped. “Why would I ever…?”

  Nick came out of the school doors and tossed something at Micah’s feet. Two spray paint cans, used, if the red paint on the nozzles was any indication. I really felt like throwing up.

  Micah snarled, “Where’d you find it?”

  “Jules’s locker.”

  “How the hell did you even get into my locker?” Jules’s hands clenched.

  Nick’s smile was so dark, it didn’t even look like him. “Can hear the lock click the right combination.”

  “Do you honestly think I’d be stupid enough to leave evidence in my own locker?”

  Nick flinched.

  “Give me some credit. I didn’t grow up in the suburbs!” She didn’t have to yell to make her point. Her angry voice was scarier. Low and cold.

  “Sophie knows your combination,” Aidan said. “She admitted it.”

  Ezra scoffed. “You’re saying that Sophie spray-painted a symbol she couldn’t have ever even seen and stuck the paint cans in her best friend’s locker? Are you an idiot?”

  Aidan snarled and started forward, but Micah restrained him. “She did admit to knowing your combination.”

  “Do you think she’s stupid enough to admit that and then do something like frame me?” Jules took my hand. “You are idiots.”

  Micah’s jaw ticked. “This plus the personal ad today? Doesn’t look good.”

  “Personal ad?” Naomi looked over at Micah.

  “Our forbidden love.” Jules was contemptuous. “Twenty bucks that was Summer. She can’t stand either of us, and Sophie did run into her car yesterday.”

  “Summer knows about us?” Micah asked. “Unlikely.”