Marked (The Pack)

by Cox, Suzanne

  I looked at Brynna as we went through the gate. “I guess I know that. I told Myles the other night I’d help see if Channing had the symbol and that was it. But, I don’t know, it seems like the right thing to do.”

  “It could be dangerous for you. I think Myles is wrong to ask you to be a part of it.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Brynna nodded, then she was gone.

  I followed the path that led to the lake then eventually to Louise’s house. I thought I should be afraid about tomorrow, part of my brain told me I should. But I wasn’t, not really.

  ***

  “What happened last night?”

  I stopped, the forkful of mashed potatoes half way to my mouth, as I stared across the table at Louise. I’d missed breakfast because I’d overslept, then gotten up to find my aunt had gone to the grocery store. I’d cleaned my room and washed my clothes then finally made the call to Celina. I’d convinced her I wanted to talk about our disagreement, that I didn’t want any hard feelings. Celina had agreed. Louise hadn’t questioned me about last night while we had prepared lunch together. Now, suddenly, she seemed to have something on her mind.

  I put the fork on my plate and grabbed hold of my iced tea. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean I had a not-so-nice phone call this morning from one of our neighbors about you and your friends.”

  I felt a sickness in the bottom of my stomach and I took a sip of my drink. “Really?”

  “Yes, really.

  “Are you sure it was me?”

  “Is that all you have to say? I’m asking right now if it was you. I’d like to know why you and those so-called friends you run around with tried to attack a child. Do you realize he could have been killed?”

  Staring at my plate, I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

  “I’m waiting for some sort of explanation.”

  “I didn’t know they were going to do that. I was following them through the woods and wondering where they were going. Then, there we were, in the yard. But I got between them. I wouldn’t let them hurt the boy, Aunt Louise. You know I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Do I?”

  I jerked my head. “You have to know I wouldn’t hurt anyone, especially a little kid.”

  “All I know is that when you’re with a pack, no matter whether it’s large or small, you’re part of them. Eventually, you might not be able to control yourself and even if you can, you might not be able to stop them. The boy’s father told me what you did to protect him, but he wasn’t happy that it happened at all. This is the very reason we try to stop the Fenryrians from spreading their virus. They have too much blood lust, too much desire for the kill. It’s not what we believe. It’s wrong. I hope you don’t choose to be part of it.”

  “I’m not choosing that.” I shook my head, pushing my plate away.

  “Aren’t you?”

  “I’m not choosing anything.” I shoved my chair back and hurried to the stairs, taking them two at a time.

  “You will have to choose, eventually.” I thought I heard Louise’s words, but I wasn’t sure if it was her or my own mind telling me.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Downstairs someone rang the doorbell and I sat up, dropping the book I’d been reading onto the bed. I’d decided to sequester myself in my room. Louise had shouted once that she had to run back to the grocery and asked if I want to go, but I’d declined. Louise had gone and returned not long ago. From below I heard a familiar voice floating up the stair,

  “Alexis.”

  I was already on my way down when Louise called. At the bottom of the stairs I paused. Eric stood in the foyer shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

  “You have company. You two can go in the living room. I’m working in the kitchen.”

  Louise passed me on the way to the kitchen and arched an eyebrow.

  Eric caught my hand as I led him to the living room. I dropped onto the sofa and he eased down beside me. I glanced at his neatly pressed khaki shorts and pullover shirt, then at my own ragged, cutoff denim shorts and faded, baggy t-shirt. Somewhere along the way this summer I’d given up worrying about wearing certain clothes or looking a certain way. When I got home to Chicago, I didn’t know if I wanted to try and do that again. Of course, it would mean finding new people to hang around with, but I figured I’d being doing that anyway.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  I smiled. “About how different things will be when I get home.”

  He squeezed my hand. “I’m not looking forward to that. Will you leave soon?”

  “In a week or two, my mom and stepdad have extended their vacation a bit.”

  “Did that make you mad?”

  For a moment I remembered how desperate I was to go home when I first got here. It seemed a lifetime ago.

  “No, not now. When I first came, I’d have been furious if they’d told me I’d have to stay here longer. I’ve gotten used to it now, so I don’t mind.”

  He brought my hand to his lips. His touch always made my insides begin to take on a life of their own. I tried to school my face in hopes he couldn’t see what he was doing to me, but I don’t think I could hide what I was feeling. It was too much. Too strong. It was an underwater current that dragged you below the surface then pulled you away from shore, out of shallows, into the deep.

  “I’m glad you’ll be here longer. I wish your parents would stay another month. We could go to school together. I only moved here last year, but I think you’d like the school. It’s small and everybody knows each other. Probably nothing like Chicago.”

  Sitting sideways facing Eric, I leaned my shoulder against the back of the sofa resting my head near his.

  “That would be nice. I had to work hard to be popular at my school, maybe even be somebody I’m not.” I sighed rubbing my cheek slightly against the fabric of the sofa. “Probably because deep down, I’m just weird.”

  He’d turned and leaned toward me to kiss my lips. My heart thudded in my chest and I was amazed that it could beat so and yet still feel like it was melting away with the rest of my insides.

  Eric pressed his lips below my ear then whispered. “You’re not weird, Alexis. You’re special.”

  I smiled, leaning back to look into the stormy blue eyes that had pulled me into this from the very instant I saw them. Our mouths were only inches apart. “Is there a difference?”

  He kissed me again, longer, and for a moment I forgot about Louise in the kitchen as the room around me began to spin and disappear until there was nothing left except Eric and me. His hand cupped the side of my face while my heart thundered in my chest. His tongue flicked across my lips then inside my mouth. It was startling and sent a rush of heat through my middle. I grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him closer. A husky gasp escaped from somewhere deep in his throat. In the kitchen a pot clattered onto the counter. Eric pulled away. I tried to follow his mouth with mine, to not break the connection, but he put a hand on my shoulder to ease me back.

  “Sorry, we have to remember we’re not alone. For a second there I completely forgot.”

  “Me too.” I whispered. “I forgot everything.”

  He laughed softly. “Yeah, you have that effect on me too.”

  “Do I?”

  He put a hand on top of mine that still clenched his shirt. “You know you do. And yes there is a difference between weird and special. You are not weird.”

  When I was with him I did feel special. But if he knew the truth, the real truth, he’d know I was more than just weird. I was a freak of nature.

  “Eric, do you want to eat dinner with us? I’ve just warmed leftovers from lunch, but you’re welcome to stay,” Louise shouted from the kitchen.

  “Thank you, Ms Miller, I’d like that.”

  We got up from the sofa, Eric still holding onto my hand. I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was five o’clock. Somehow I had to get Eric to go home so that I could make it to my meeting
with Celina by seven. Too bad it wasn’t something I could cancel, because I’d much rather spend time with Eric. I couldn’t believe I was actually trying to figure out how to nicely tell him he had to leave.

  ***

  “You and your dad did a good job on remodeling the cabins by the lake.”

  “Thanks. My dad’s been doing carpentry work for my whole life. His dad taught him and now he’s teaching me.”

  “It’s a good skill to have.”

  Taking the last bite from my plate, I marveled at how easily Eric was able to handle dinner with Louise. I wanted to add that their carpentry business must pay really well, judging by the expensive cars I frequently saw Eric and his dad driving. But I held my tongue, knowing that somewhere I’d heard discussing people’s financial business at the dinner table was inappropriate.

  Eric pushed back his plate. “Thank you for the meal, Ms. Miller. I better get home.”

  “Come back any time.”

  “Thanks.”

  I followed Eric to the front door and walked onto the porch with him. He faced me taking both my hands in his.

  “I wish I could stay longer, but I’ve got to get home and help my dad get the truck loaded for a job we’re doing tomorrow.”

  I nodded, thankful that I hadn’t had to find a reason to get him to leave. “I hope to see you again soon.”

  He kissed my forehead. “You will.” Then he brought both of my hands to his lips, kissed them and let me go, trotting down the steps and climbing into a huge shiny red truck.

  I watched him drive away, then turned and went inside to help Louise clean up. She was at the sink rinsing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher.

  I gathered the rest of the dishes off the table and carried them to the sink then took a damp dishrag and began wiping the table.

  “I like him. He’s very nice.” Louise said.

  “Yes he is nice.”

  “How long have you been seeing him?”

  “We’re not really seeing each other, not like dating or anything.”

  She gave me a doubtful look. “That’s not the way it seemed to me.”

  “It’s just that when I first met him, Channing liked him. But he wasn’t interested in her. I didn’t think it would be right to like him. Channing finally accepted that he wasn’t interested, so we’re seeing each other a little.” I paused. “It’s scary, though, not knowing if I’ll transform uncontrollably for some reason.”

  At the sink Louise still held the same plate in her hands, the water running over it, but she wasn’t moving.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Louise put the plate in the sink and turned off the water. “Think about it, Alexis. Channing liked him and invited him to her parties. Do you think he could have the virus?’

  I laughed. “No. I haven’t thought that for a minute. He’s never gone when they ran as a pack. I’ve never seen him at anytime. And he never liked Channing, so they didn’t spend time together.”

  Louise nodded. “That’s good. It would certainly make life more difficult if he was infected. We should have the anti-viral soon. We’ll be injecting people here, so I guess if he did have it we’d soon be changing him back to his human-only form. And we’ll work on helping you control your transforming.”

  Spraying cleaner on top of the counters, I glanced at her, then began wiping up the liquid. “I’m meeting Myles and Brynna about seven to ride four-wheelers, if that’s okay.”

  “That’s fine.” Louise closed the door of the dishwasher and turned it on. “I thought you and Brynna didn’t get along.”

  I kept my eyes on the counter, not stopping my circular cleaning motion. “Well, Myles invited her and I want to go ride. We’ll be riding and not talking anyway.”

  Louise had leaned against the edge of the sink. “Maybe the two of you will get along eventually.”

  I tossed the rag into the sink. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll be going home soon and I probably won’t see her again.”

  “I thought you said you wanted to come and help with summer camp next year.”

  “Maybe I will. But that’s a whole year away.”

  Louise was quiet for a moment. “I guess you’re right.” She pushed away from the sink. “I’m going up to work on the computer for awhile. Don’t stay out too late.”

  “I won’t.”

  Louise left and I sat in a chair at the table. I didn’t want to think about next summer or next week. I had wanted so badly to go back to Chicago most of the summer, but now I’d really rather stay here with Eric. That was impossible, though, because even Louise would be leaving soon. With a sigh I got up from the table. There wasn’t much to be done except ask Eric to come visit me and maybe I could come visit him sometime. Right now I had to focus on Celina and helping Myles and Brynna collect the blood samples. I laughed softly to myself. I never expected to be worried about wrestling with werewolves and drawing blood when I’d left Chicago. Things had really changed. Running my previous fight with Celina through my mind, I remembered how strong she was and hoped we’d be able to do what was needed. And for the first time, I wondered what I’d gotten myself into.

  Chapter Thirty

  Sweat trickled along my eyebrow. I let go of the ATV’s handlebar with one hand and swiped the drop before it rolled into my eye. The dying rays of the sun clung to the skyline while the heat and humidity pressed on me like a weight. Ahead was the pier at the day camp where Celina sat waiting. The fear I thought I didn’t have hit me at once. I swallowed hard to shove it away.

  “I’d like to hear what you have to say to me.” Celina said as she met me before I could swing completely off the ATV.

  “I don’t want you to be mad at me because I don’t go along with everything you do.”

  Celina sneered. “Mad at you? I don’t care about you. Just don’t ever get in my way again, or you’ll get hurt.”

  Over Celina’s shoulder I saw Myles and Brynna closing in on us. Celina heard their footsteps and swung around.

  “What is this?”

  Unsure what to do next, but certain I didn’t want to leave Celina an opening, I wrapped my arms around her from behind in a bear hug. She made a cry that was half shriek and half howl before she slammed herself and me to the ground. Brynna was on top of us in seconds, digging in a bag. Beneath my grip Celina squirmed. I could feel muscles and skin pulsing as she began to transform. I tightened my grip. Above me Myles caught Celina’s arms and held tight trying to give Brynna a chance to get the blood.

  “Do something, Myles. She’s changing. I can’t hold her.”

  I felt my own body began to swarm with twitching energy. Oh no, I thought, I can’t control my becoming. Before I could complete the thought, Celina and I had both transformed, our bodies rolling across the ground. I clamped my teeth onto Celina’s throat and held tight, willing Myles to be able to send her back to human form so we could end this. Teeth gnashed at my head, blood spattering the grass. Still in human form, Myles fell on top of us. I could see the concentration on his face, but nothing seemed to happen.

  Then I heard a sound, a song almost. At first I thought it was in my head, but then it permeated the air around me, notes hanging on the moist, ever darkening air. The words made no sense. Maybe they weren’t even real words. They echoed in my mind until my whole body began to burn, then I felt myself inexplicable losing my wolf form. In my grasp Celina also contorted returning to her human body. Myles’ shirt hit me in the face. I slid into it as he grasped the other girl and with his superior strength kept Celina still while I pulled her arm straight. Brynna plunged the needle in and shoved a rubber topped tube into the plastic piece attached to the needle. When one tube filled, she snatched it off and slammed another in its place until she had dropped three tubes of blood in her bag. She produced a liquid filled syringe and punched the needle into another vein in Celina’s arm. Pressing the plunger, she sent the liquid coursing through the girl’s body. Within minutes Celina’s eyes closed and her angry breathing c
almed. She slept.

  Rolling away I realized the singing had stopped. Raina stood five feet away and she didn’t look especially happy. She came toward us with quick steps, the beads around her neck clattering.

  “What do you three think you’re doing?”

  Myles crossed his arms in front of his shirtless chest. “We found out Celina had the mutated virus. We knew it would be easier for us to get a blood sample from her because she knows us and wouldn’t expect trouble.”

  “But trouble there was, yes?”

  Carefully closing her bag, Brynna stood. “Yes, there was a bit of trouble. Some people obviously don’t have the skills they think they do.” She glared at Myles who scuffed his foot against the grass. “We’re glad for your help. Now I’ve got to get this blood to a lab.”

  Raina bent over the sleeping girl and covered her with her shawl. “Take her home,” she said to Myles. “Then all of you come back to Louise’s house.”

  Lifting Celina off the ground as if she weighed nothing, Myles ran to the wooded path and quickly disappeared in a near blur while Brynna hurried away in the other direction.

  Raina turned to me. “I’ll ride back with you.”

  “Will Celina be okay? What did Brynna give her?”

  “I don’t know, likely something to make her sleep and forget what happened. But I imagine she’ll know something did indeed happen. She and the others will come for you three.”

  I paused with my hand on the start button of the ATV and twisted to try and see Raina. “What do you mean? Myles didn’t say anything about somebody coming after us if we did this.”

  “You think you’ll get the blood and try to stop their spread of the virus and they won’t mind?”

  “I don’t know. I thought it was something they did all the time. The Fenryrians bite some people and the Lycernians change them back.”

  “Maybe you think it’s like a game.”

  I shrugged.

  “It’s no game.” Raina reached past me and pressed the button to start the engine. I gassed the machine sending us flying down the path.