Phase

by E. C. Newman

  Had I turned it on in the hallway?

  I heard my voice. I was talking to Mom.

  “No,” I said quickly, “It’s after that.”

  I heard the squeaky sound of the tape being forwarded. Micah hit Play again. Lots of wind sounds. Outside.

  “Soon.” I tried to sound confident. As the time passed, I felt less and less sure.

  “Keys.” That was Aidan.

  “No, before that, I talked to Summer, she admitted that—”

  “You’ve stalled enough,” Micah answered, tossing the recorder away into the woods.

  I heard it hit a tree. “No, it’s on there, I promise. She admitted that she put that DVD in my bag.”

  “Then where did she get the DVD?” Micah asked.

  I looked at Naomi. Her eyes pleaded with me. I couldn’t say it.

  “You’re accusing my sister?” Ezra came to the edge of the hole. His voice shook.

  I started babbling, “I don’t want to, but she gave the DVD to Summer to give to GTV and then took it back after they copied it and was supposed to stick it in Jules’s bag, but because Summer saw me with you, she put it in my bag. After we…” I bit my lip. “When I saw you this morning.”

  He remembered how we’d kissed that morning too. I could see it in his face. That kiss, that moment felt like a million years ago.

  “It’s on there,” I continued, my voice trembling. “I swear.”

  I realized what must have happened. I’d taped when the machine was supposed to be off, like with Mom on the phone and I’d hit another button when I’d hoped to record. My great plan hadn’t worked.

  Ezra stepped back from the hole as Micah moved toward it. I plopped down on the ground, defeated. My ankle was killing me, and I couldn’t stop crying.

  “Please, Ezra, you know I didn’t do it. Why would I? I love Jules, and you know how I feel about you.”

  “This is not a court of human law. You are guilty,” Micah said. “The sentence is death. And as Alpha, I will carry out this punishment.” He paused. “Your family will have a body. You will be found in the river. Animal attack.”

  “Please.” Tears streamed down my cheeks. This couldn’t be happening. I was seventeen years old. “Don’t do this.” I couldn’t breathe.

  “I protest this.” Ezra.

  “On what grounds?”

  “On the grounds that it’s bullshit!” Ezra said. “We don’t know anything for sure. Why would Sophie put the DVD into her own bag? She’s not stupid.”

  He did believe me.

  “And I’m not saying Naomi did this either. Summer Harlan is manipulative and she could—”

  “Ezra, we know you’ve claimed her. It’s clouding your thinking.” Micah pulled his shirt off. He was going to change.

  “It’s not Sophie!” Was Naomi going to admit it? “It was Jules. Maybe Sophie helped, but Jules is the one who’s breaking up our pack!”

  “Naomi,” Micah growled.

  “Jules is the one that messed everything up. We don’t have to—” She broke off, her eyes wide with anger and fear.

  What was she scared of? It dawned on me. She didn’t want me to be killed. She didn’t want that on her hands.

  I heard a cracking sound. Micah had begun to phase.

  “Dammit, Mic!” Ezra growled. “If it was her, why did she do it? Why would she decide to tell the world and risk her life? It makes no sense! Pack law says that the second can protest a judgment by the Alpha if he finds fault with it. We have not proven that Sophie did it.”

  Another long pause.

  “It is noted,” Micah said slowly, his breathing heavy. “Does anyone else?”

  “I swear on everything that is sacred in the world, I didn’t do any of it. I would never betray you guys.” I wiped my eyes.

  Micah continued phasing. Ezra leaped toward him, but was pinned down by Nick and Aidan.

  I tried to climb out of the hole and fell back again. I scrambled back to my feet, so scared and surprisingly, so angry. “Why did you do it, Naomi?”

  Everyone froze.

  “Why?”

  “I didn’t do anything,” she snapped at me. “I’ve never done anything to you.”

  “You hate Jules. I know. You hate that I know everything and she and I are best friends.” I kept talking. “And it sucks that Micah wants Jules and you’re alone, but this isn’t the way,”

  “She doesn’t belong here!” Naomi shouted. “She ruined everything.”

  “Which is why you said this.” Jules appeared at the hole, my recorder in hand and pushed a button.

  I couldn’t hear anything except the wind blowing. The recording sounded like it was in a tunnel. I leaned closer and thought that I could hear something else, but the sound was too muffled.

  But the entire pack was frozen in place, listening.

  Superior hearing.

  I heard the last bit. One word.

  “Bitch.”

  Summer, from the argument she’d had with Naomi. I’d taped that.

  I let out a sigh of relief, loud in the quiet. I tried to see them, but clouds had covered the sun, darkening the clearing. I could only see the tops of heads.

  “You didn’t do it.” Jules was talking to me.

  I stumbled over to her. “I didn’t.” I wiped my eyes.

  “I heard you. You never lied. You didn’t do any of it.” Her voice shook.

  I reached for her hand.

  “You stupid, nosy-ass human!” The voice was female, but rough. Naomi’s nose had stretched, and she was covered with fur. I blinked once, and she was a wolf.

  I pressed my back against the side, pushing as if I could get any deeper. Naomi-wolf leaped into the hole, heading for me.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I couldn’t run with my ankle, and where could I go? I let out a strangled scream and put my hands out to fend off teeth and claws. But I didn’t close my eyes. Another body slammed into Naomi, knocking her off course. A white wolf. Jules.

  She hit Naomi so hard that they went sprawling over to the far side of the hole. Jules found her feet first and bit Naomi’s neck.

  I’d seen one wolf fight before this. But that had been sparring. This was not sparring. Front paws with claws extended slashed at furry bellies. Teeth dug into throats, and the pounding of large bodies colliding overshadowed the sound of the river.

  Blood-stained fur.

  They flipped and pinned each other down, their growls reverberating. They rolled around, coming closer. I pushed myself deeper into the dirt wall when I saw two hands in front of my face. I grabbed them and was pulled up so fast, I got lightheaded.

  I landed on the ground, gasping, with Gil on one side and Ezra squatting next to me. His eyes met mine. Feral.

  “Stay here.” He stood and as he pulled off his shirt, he shouted at Gil, “Stay with her!”

  When I looked back to the hole, a golden wolf joined the fight. The rest of them had phased too. Six wolves. The guys were trying to get between Jules and Naomi. Micah, a large black wolf, was attempting to pin Jules down. Ezra grabbed Naomi’s scruff in his mouth and yanked her back. A chocolate-brown wolf—Aidan—and one that was fox-colored—Nick—weren’t doing much except getting in the way.

  Naomi stopped struggling and just lay there. Micah had successfully pinned Jules, but she was growling.

  I heard the bone-cracking sound. I unbuttoned my sweater and tossed it toward Jules, who put it on as she stood, her focus still on Naomi. Gil threw random articles of clothing into the hole, and I kept my eyes on the ground, shivering in my shirt as the pack dressed. Gil pushed the board in so they could climb out.

  I scrambled away as they came out. I didn’t want to be anywhere nearby. Ezra had put on his jeans and given his T-shirt to Naomi, which hit her at midthigh. He grabbed his sister, dragging her along like she weighed nothing. My adrenaline left me, and I plunked down onto the ground.

  Someone sat nearby, and I tensed. Did I still have to defend myself?

 
In my sweater and her jeans, Jules sat close beside me, her hair matted, with some stuck to her forehead. Exposed by the half-open cardigan, three parallel scratches bled on her chest. She looked wild. Everyone still breathed heavily. The atmosphere hadn’t settled one bit.

  In her brother’s T-shirt, Naomi stood alone, her gaze in our direction.

  Micah approached her. “Naomi, did you do it?”

  She didn’t say anything.

  “Tell the truth. Did you get that DVD? Did you risk exposing us?” His voice rose with each word. “And the graffiti?”

  “Who cares if the stupid humans know? We could run this damn town if we liked. We’re stronger, faster, better than humans. I’m sick of pack secrets.” She spoke with venom, but her shoulders were slumped. She knew.

  Micah’s hand clenched. “You went against family.”

  Naomi pointed at Jules. “She’s not my family. Ezra’s family. And even he believed her over me.” She jerked her head in my direction.

  I couldn’t tell what Ezra was thinking. He stared at his sister like he didn’t recognize her.

  “I should kill you now for what you’ve done.” Micah stood over her, and Naomi cowered. “But you’re young. I’ll deal with you tomorrow. You will remain in your room until punishment is decided.”

  “You’re not my father.” She glowered at Jules and me.

  “I’m Alpha,” he replied, his tone darkening. “Who is being more than merciful right now. Don’t push it.”

  She sneered and hurried toward the house.

  “Aidan? Nick?” Micah called. “Follow her. Make sure she doesn’t run.”

  Aidan ran off after her. Nick looked over at me.

  “Sorry, Sophie,” he said quietly and followed Aidan.

  Micah walked over to Jules and me. We both stood.

  “We’ll deal with her tomorrow.” Micah paused, shame pulling down the corners of his mouth. He hesitated, and I realized I’d never before seen him at a loss for words. “I’m sorry. I—”

  “Thank you,” I replied, still watching Jules. “I know it was pack.” I was on autopilot. Be forgiving. Be polite. I couldn’t comprehend much of anything.

  “Yes, but…” He touched my arm.

  I flinched, backing up. His hand dropped. I didn’t doubt that he was sorry. But a large black wolf would have been my executioner. I couldn’t let go of that so quickly.

  “I am sorry.”

  I nodded, accepting his apology.

  He turned to Ezra. “Ez…”

  Ezra growled.

  “Come back to the house when you’re ready, man. We’ll talk.” Micah gripped his shoulder. “You’re a good second.” With one glance at Jules, he left the clearing. Gil ran past us after his brother. He looked back at me and gave me a timid smile that I could see even in the shadows.

  Then he left too. Only Jules, Ezra, and I remained. I took Jules’s hand.

  “I could kill her,” she said through clenched teeth. She squeezed my hand tightly. “I’m so sorry.” She pulled me into a hug.

  That’s when it hit me. I was safe.

  Then I heard a low growl.

  Jules looked at Ezra. “I don’t care if you think she’s yours now. She was mine first.”

  I had no idea what she was talking about. Jules slipped her arm around my shoulders. “Forgive me?” she asked, her attention back to me.

  Maybe I was too soft. I’m sure Connie or Mary-Beth would have told me to make her pay, to make her grovel. I’d been through the worst these last few days. And her betrayal had broken me.

  But I loved her. I nodded and smiled weakly.

  “I will make it up to you. I promise.”

  I shook my head. “You’re my best friend. We’re good.”

  “You believed her. Even at the end, didn’t you?” she asked Ezra.

  His green eyes flickered. “I…” He swallowed. He met my gaze.

  Jules dropped her arm from my shoulders. “I’m going to wash off.” She went to the river, leaving me alone with Ezra, but still in her eyeline.

  “Sophie?” he asked.

  Without Jules, I felt exposed. “I can’t talk about this right now.”

  His face fell.

  “Jules…” I ran over to her, grabbing her arm. “Let’s go. I have to get back to my parents. I’m grounded.”

  She didn’t argue, so we left the clearing. I looked back once to see Ezra completely deflated. Jules was easy to forgive. She was used to being betrayed, and besides, I shouldn’t have read her journal.

  But Ezra…it hurt too much still.

  Jules headed straight to my car.

  “How did you know where…?”

  She tapped her nose. I nodded and unlocked my car. I pulled out my phone from my pocket, but it was broken. Not surprising.

  “What am I gonna tell them?”

  Jules shrugged. “I don’t know.” She offered me her phone.

  I brushed my hair out of my face and pressed Send.

  “Hello?” Mom answered on the first ring.

  “Mom?”

  “Sophia Hannah Todd, you better—”

  “I’m sorry.” I tried not to cry. “Jules and I had to talk. And my phone broke.”

  “Do you expect me to believe that?”

  “It’s broken,” I looked at my ankle. “When I fell. Again. My ankle—”

  “You are in so much trouble.” Mom was beyond angry. “You come home now.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “We didn’t know what happened to you! You could have been hurt or worse… We’ll talk when you get home.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She hung up. I gave the phone back to Jules. I started crying. Jules wrapped her arms around me, hugging me.

  “I can talk to them?”

  “What would you say? I suppose being grounded for the rest of my life is better than what could have happened.” I wiped my nose and eyes. “Jules…can you drive?”

  “’Course.”

  We got into my car, and I looked down at myself. “I look awful.” My clothes were dirty, and my arms were scratched. Probably would bruise soon enough.

  “We can tell them that we went out to the woods and ran around?” Jules pulled out and got onto the road.

  “I’m in so much trouble. And you can’t show up to my house looking like that.”

  She was just as grubby as me. “Good point,” she said. “I’ll stop at the house.”

  “I—”

  “You’re safe. They won’t hurt you.”

  I nodded, telling myself the same thing.

  She parked at the end of the driveway and undid her seatbelt. “Stay here. I’ll be in and out in no time.” She paused. “Maybe I should take you to the emergency room. Or to Dr. Reade.”

  “No.” He might not be a shifter himself, but I couldn’t stand to be around any of them.

  Jules nodded. She started to get out of the car.

  I reached out and grabbed her arm. “Don’t leave me alone.” My voice trembled.

  She shook her head, touching my hand with hers. “Two minutes. You’re fine.” She squeezed my shoulder and got out of the car.

  I got out too, afraid of being trapped in the closed space of the car. I leaned against the door and tried to settle my breathing.

  A twig broke, and I spun around to look into the trees. “Who’s there?” I called hoarsely.

  No answer. And I waited. The presence, because it definitely didn’t leave, didn’t threaten, didn’t get closer. It just stayed there.

  Watching. The longer time passed, I realized it wasn’t out to get me. I felt guarded. Protected. I shook my head, not sure I could even trust my thoughts. My heart slowed down some. I felt a small modicum of peace.

  I heard footsteps and swung back to see Jules jogging up, cleaner. She tossed me my sweater.

  “See, you’re fine.” She smiled at me. She stopped, sniffing.

  “Who is it?”

  “Huh? Oh, nothing.�
�� She got back into my car.

  I got in as well and, as we drove off, I saw Ezra trudge from the trees to his house. He glanced at us once before heading inside.

  Jules didn’t speak, and I didn’t offer much for about half the drive. It was still too much, too overwhelming. I was safe, but my brain wouldn’t shut off.

  Finally, we were nearer town, I asked, “What will they do with Naomi?”

  Jules answered first with a growl, then said, “I don’t know. They won’t kill her. She’s pack. I really don’t know what happens for something like this. Nothing good.” She glanced over at me. “You really do look awful.”

  “I’m so beat,” I replied, smiling at her bluntness. “I haven’t slept decently in days, and yet I can’t imagine sleeping tonight either.” I stared out the window. “Jules?”

  “Mmm?”

  “What was all that stuff between you and Ezra?” Just saying his name brought the image of his hurt expression. “This ‘mine’ business?”

  She took a deep breath. “Wolf thing. Without even realizing it, I claimed you as mine when we because friends. My territory. I know. It’s archaic.”

  “Yours? Like a mate?”

  She chuckled. “No, I’m still straight.” She shot me a smile. “It’s weird. With humans, even friends, there’s an ownership recognized in the pack. And you were mine. When I left you yesterday, I relinquished my claim on you. And apparently Ezra moved in.”

  “Moved in?”

  “On my territory because I gave you up. I’m sorry.”

  “I know.” I squeezed her free hand. “Well, didn’t he give me up today?”

  “I don’t know. He was angry, we all were about the video. But he never seemed to completely sold that you did it. He was so quiet.” She sighed. “I know he hurt you, and I’m totally copacetic with you not wanting to talk to him. But he was hurting too. I can’t read guys, but I could read him.”

  “He thought it was me.”

  He couldn’t stand to hear me speak. He had to get away from me. That would hurt forever.

  “We all did. It seemed so obvious that it was you. No one wants to think it’s one of their own.”

  “Yeah.”

  “If he thought it, he didn’t think it all the time.” She chuckled. “Cannot believe I’m defending him. Just, maybe talk to him in a day or two?” She parked in my driveway.