SHIFT (Mackenzie Grey #1)

by Karina Espinosa

I closed the door behind us and leaned against it. “What the hell is going on?” James exclaimed in a loud whisper.

  I flinched. Not because he scared me, but because I would have to come up with a really good lie to cover this up. And no matter what happened between us, James was still someone I wouldn’t want to lie to. “Well?” he prompted.

  Come on, Kenz…think. “They’re cops,” I blurted and almost rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. Cops? Really? That’s the best I could do…geez.

  “Cops? What did you do?” he asked with concern.

  “Nothing, I just…I was on patrol with Michaels last week and was involved in a hostage situation. They’re just keeping an eye on me because the guys are still at large.”

  “Oh my God, Kenz, are you okay?” he pulled me into a tight hug and I let him. I sagged into his embrace and it wasn’t because he believed me, but because everything from the past couple days was now catching up to me. I needed some form of comfort, even if it was from the douchebag who cheated on me.

  “I’m fine, I just want to get home so I can get away from all of this,” I sighed into the crook of his neck. He kissed the top of my head and with his fingers, he rubbed circles in the middle of my back. I missed this, the familiarity. But I needed to cut it out, no point in getting comfortable with something that wasn’t real; no matter how much I wanted it to be.

  I pulled away and he tucked my wild strands of hair behind my ear. “So why did those guys jump me on campus?” he asked and that was going to be a little harder to cover up, so I needed to deflect.

  “I don’t know, but I need a favor from you.”

  “Anything, Kenzie,” he said, his voice so soft and warm that I wanted to curl up in it, but I knew it wasn’t real, it’s just something I’m used to.

  “Can you start packing up your stuff so we can head out soon?” I asked because either way, we were going home and soon. Whether Sebastian let me or not, I was going home and getting away from all the crazy here in the city.

  “Of course,” he said and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead.

  I went back to the living room and quietly shut the bedroom door so James wouldn’t hear or see what was going on, in case things got out of control, like they were now. I walked in to an unstable Jonah and a growling Sebastian. And their emotions were directed at me. What the hell did I do this time?

  Amy stood behind Jackson, pretending to help him keep control of the two wolves but all she was doing was talking shit.

  “Keep the pissing contest to a minimum, you jerk offs,” she said as I cleared my throat behind her. She turned and met me with a megawatt smile. She was having too much fun.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Oh yeah, you know, the usual,” she said and winked.

  I went to stand beside Jackson and he exhaled a sigh of relief when he saw me. “What took you so long? I don’t know what you did to get their panties in a twist, but I can’t control an Alpha if he loses it too,” he said and there was real worry in his expression.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled and snapped my fingers in front of Sebastian’s face. “Dude, get over yourself. I’m going home and there’s nothing either of you can do about it. I don’t talk to my parents much and I only see them during summer and winter break,” I said and that stole their attention.

  “I’m coming with you,” Sebastian said.

  “Bash, you can’t,” Jackson interjected. “You have the Summit in two days to attend and you haven’t prepared.” Sebastian growled at him and I started to get a little worried. How pissed could this Alpha be?

  “I’ll go,” Jonah volunteered and we all looked at him.

  “You think you can control yourself?” Jackson questioned but Jonah only nodded. “She’s going to be there with her boyfriend, Jonah, be truthful with yourself. We can’t afford to have any slip ups with the council coming in a few days.”

  “The council?” I asked, trying to ignore the rest.

  “Wolves have two main councils, the European and the American. When a Summit is called, that means something serious is going down and all the Alphas meet. Luckily,” Jackson said as he watched Sebastian, “this is just an American Summit, but we still need to be careful.”

  I nodded and watched Jonah who was watching me. Sebastian’s growl broke our stare off and he snarled. “Fine. Jonah, you’ll go with them but do not interact. Watch from a distance and report directly to me—constantly.”

  I rolled my eyes. This was too dramatic for something that wasn’t even a big deal. “I still don’t get why I need to be watched like a hawk. I think I at least deserve to know what’s going on,” I said. Something was off with this whole scenario. Maybe they were trying to recruit me for their Pack, but they wouldn’t be acting as if I was in witness protection either. Something was going on and it may have something to do with this Summit if my gut was of any use.

  “We aren’t the only monsters that lurk in the night, Mackenzie. If we…accidentally exposed you, then you’re not safe to wander around on your own,” Jonah said and it was the most he’d said since they arrived.

  “Exposed me? What, did you guys put out a memo about me?” I laughed, but I was the only one.

  “We didn’t recover you in the most discreet of ways,” Sebastian said and he seemed ashamed. You’re damn right you didn’t. I thought as I watched the three of them divert their eyes. I’m surprised no one noticed the scene outside of Pete’s on Friday night. I was lucky to still have my job after that whole fiasco. Amy had told Big John I got sick and would be out until after winter break.

  “So what? Are other wolves looking for me?” I asked and wondered what other Packs might be established in New York City.

  “No, but lone wolves are fair game to Vampires and other creatures of the night.”

  I choked on saliva as I stared at the three of them, hoping they were joking.

  “Vampires? Really?” I said unconvinced. This couldn’t be real…well I was a werewolf so it made sense but, no, still didn’t believe it.

  “This isn’t a joke, Mackenzie and if you value your life, you’d take this seriously,” Jonah said.

  Amy came to me then and nearly squealed in my ear. “Oh my gosh, Kenz, this is like Twilight!” Jesus, effin Christ. God, I hope she doesn’t make me watch that movie again.

  “Take it down a notch, would ya?” I said to Amy and tried to look relaxed, something I was far from being. It’s easy to joke about this stuff when you’re oblivious to the truths. I’d always speculated but never thought it was possible (which was outrageous, considering what I am) but when you’re ignorant, it’s easy to pretend. Now, not so much.

  “Sorry,” she mouthed to me and I nodded. I knew she didn’t mean to get excited—if I was her I would have too—but unfortunately it’s not her, it’s me.

  Maybe Jane Hancock wasn’t as crazy as I thought.

  Chapter Nine

  We packed up James’ Prius with the few things we had taken from our flat. Jonah would follow us there in a beat up 4Runner that he’d come in, while Sebastian and Jackson went back to Brooklyn by train. The ride up was mostly quiet with no one wanting to ask questions or bring up the three brutes who had paid us a visit. Mainly because James was around and there was no way I was telling him anything, which made this trip packed with sniffles, sighs, and shifting in our seats—awkward.

  The drive upstate to Cold Springs, New York was only about an hour and a half from the city and that’s with light traffic, but it was also the perfect opportunity to bring up my new acting role to Amy. I still hadn’t told her that I was playing girlfriend for the next two weeks.

  “So Amy, how are you feeling?” I asked as I turned around to face her. She was sitting in the backseat behind James.

  “Uh…fine, why?” she arched an eyebrow at me.

  “Oh, no reason, just wondering—”

  “Mackenzie Grey, please don’t beat around the bush, you suck at it,” she cut me off.

  I sighed. “Okay, fine,
if anyone asks, James and I are still together, got it?” I said, skipping all the BS. I should know better than to sugarcoat things with Amy, or with anyone for that matter.

  “What?” Or maybe I should have. “Are you crazy? That piece of scum!”

  “Hey! I’m right here you know,” James interjected but she ignored him.

  “That bastard cheated on you with blow-up Barbie and you’re going to do him a solid so he doesn’t tell Nana?” she exclaimed and there was no need to go into details with her. She figured it out. This was going to be Amy’s fourth Christmas with us and she’d met the Carson’s. James was the only boy in a family overflowing with women and they watched over him like a hawk. If it wasn’t because he and I had been best friends since we were five, I don’t think they would have accepted me. James rarely had any girlfriends in high school, but when he did, they never lasted. If the sisters didn’t make them cry and run for the hills—Nana did.

  “I didn’t cheat! And Diana isn’t a blow—okay, I didn’t cheat, I swear!”

  “Oh shut it, Carson, your opinion doesn’t count for diddly squat. You can sing that tune till cows fly and it still won’t ring true,” Amy said as she glared at the back of his head. “But you,” she pointed to me, “need to call this off. I knew something wasn’t right with us carpooling with this fool. It would have been cheaper if we’d just taken the train.”

  “Amy, it’s only for two weeks, don’t worry. It’ll be over before you know it and no funny business. James promised, right?” I looked at James who was staring out at the road ahead.

  “Well we have to sell this performance, so some hand-holding and cuddling may be required. Maybe even a kiss or two,” he said sheepishly.

  My nostrils flared. “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I said through my teeth. He better be joking because I was about to lose it. This was not part of the deal and there’s no way I would agree to it. “You might as well tell them the truth when we arrive because I never agreed to that.”

  “You might not have agreed but you should have known we would have to, Kenz. My family has seen us together, even before we dated. They know how close we were.”

  He wasn’t lying there. James and I had always had a special friendship. Even before things got romantic, we were always holding hands, having sleepovers—in a platonic way of course—and we were inseparable, but things change, and I didn’t think I could handle acting that way again. Not after being in a relationship with him.

  “No kissing, James. Hand-holding and very little cuddling,” I said and retreated into myself for the rest of the trip while Amy and James bickered. I wish I’d ridden with Jonah.

  As soon as I saw the sign that said ‘Welcome to Cold Springs’ I smiled at the wave of relief that crashed into me. Twenty-four hours earlier, I wasn’t too sure I’d actually make it home. I wasn’t very close with my parents—nothing was wrong with them, I loved them unconditionally and sometimes I missed them more than I normally would. There was just a little disconnect, I guess. We talked the bare minimum and saw each other only for summer and winter breaks. I called once a week to check in and the conversations never lasted more than fifteen minutes. Unlike my brother Ollie, I could talk to him for hours.

  “Home sweet home,” I mumbled under my breath and sagged into my seat.

  Within five minutes, James was already pulling into the tiny driveway and my mom waved at us from the kitchen window.

  “Shhh!” I said to Amy and James, they were still at each other’s throats and I didn’t want to look suspicious.

  My mother and father emerged from the front door of our small brick house. My dad wore his usual long sleeve fishing shirt and jeans, and my mom sported a pair of ratty jeans and a red sweater.

  “Honey!” she said and engulfed me in a hug that always felt forced. Okay, I was over-exaggerating, I was never a touchy-feely kind of person, much less a hugger.

  “Hey Ma,” I said and my dad came around and patted my back. I guess I got it from him, he wasn’t big on hugs either. “Dad,” I nodded at him.

  “How was the ride up?”

  “Not bad, the traffic was surprisingly light,” James said as he shook hands with my father and hugged my mom, lifting her off her feet. I caught Amy rolling her eyes, so I nudged her.

  “Well that’s good. And why is Amy all quiet back there?” My dad looked around James for her and she came up to greet my parents as well. Amy was different in appearance, but my folks didn’t care, if anything they loved her like she was one of their own.

  Once the greetings were done, James kissed my cheek. “Well, I’ll see you guys later, I better go say hi to my folks,” he said and waved us off as he walked next door to his house.

  We went inside and it felt so warm and homey. Nothing fancy and it kind of smelled like old people, but I loved it. It was home.

  “I have you both set up in your room, Kenzie,” my mom said.

  “What about Ollie’s room?” I asked and someone grabbed me from behind and lifted me off the ground. He twirled me around and I squealed with excitement. My acute hearing kicked in and I heard heavy thuds run up the driveway.

  “Amy, tell my brother to put me down!” I yelled so Jonah could hear me. We’d left the front door open so I was sure he was watching and thought I was in danger. He didn’t come in, so I guess he got the message.

  Ollie put me down and I turned around quickly, almost knocking him down with the barrel of a hug I gave him. Okay, so maybe I am a hugger with certain people. If I see very little of my parents, it’s even less with my brother. It’s always a treat when we get to hang out.

  “How many times have I asked you not to call me Ollie anymore?” he grinned at me.

  “Oh please, that’ll never happen. Oliver is an old man’s name, it doesn’t suit you,” I said and lightly punched him in the arm. I couldn’t actually punch him, he’d fly out to the front lawn, and that’s saying something because my brother was in the Army. Standing at six feet five inches tall, he’s all muscle and bulk. He stood before me in his ACU uniform so he must have just gotten in as well.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” I asked. We’d just spoken last week and he hadn’t mentioned anything. He was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas and he didn’t always have the leave time to come home for the holidays.

  “I wanted to surprise you, Sissy-Pop,” he said as he ruffled my hair and I tried to duck away. “Oh snap, I didn’t even see you, Red,” he teased and picked Amy up in a swallowing hug.

  For the next couple hours until dinner was ready, Ollie, Amy and I hung out in my room and we caught up on life, joking and plain out bull-shitting the time away. It’d been at least a year since the last time I saw him. Ollie was about two years older than me, so we always got along and had the same circle of friends.

  “So are you and Carson still together?” he asked and Amy snorted.

  “Way to be discreet,” I glared and then turned to my brother. “Well, it’s complicated.” I tried to avoid his eyes because my brother was protective of me. It didn’t seem like it to an outsider looking in because we joked a lot, but unless you wanted to be handled by Ollie, it was better if you did right by me.

  “Did he do something to you, Kenz?” he said and I saw the dark glare he shot at me, scaring me into telling the truth.

  “No, Ollie, relax,” I rolled my eyes. “Can we talk about this another time?”

  “No, we will talk about it now. Amy what did he do?” He was on his feet in a flash. Shit.

  “He cheated and now has her pretending they’re still together for Nana.” That little snitch.

  “That piece of shit loser. He think’s because he’s living in the city he can get all the ass he wants?” Oliver said as he ran downstairs. We hustled out of my room behind him and I caught up to my brother on the sidewalk as he was heading for the Carson’s house.

  I snatched the sleeve of the sweater he had changed into, and with a burst of my wolf strength, I pulled him to a st
op, standing in between him and his destination.

  “Ollie, stop! You can’t do this. I’m old enough to handle myself, please, I’m okay,” I said but I saw the fury in his eyes. After all, I was his baby sister. If a girl broke his heart, I’d want to kick her ass too.

  Jonah had been parked in his 4Runner across the street and I heard his car door open and slam shut. This can’t be good.

  My insides floated into a mob of butterflies as he walked toward us, strutting in his brown leather jacket, jeans and boots. His eyes shone golden and I didn’t know if he heard what we’d been talking about. I hoped not, because I told him James and I were dating and I kind of wanted to keep it that way. You know, avoid temptation and all.

  “What’s going on?” Jonah said as he stepped beside me, staring my brother down. Ollie wasn’t the Alpha male type, but he wasn’t a punk either. This could only end badly.

  Oliver sized him up and scoffed. “None of your business.” Damn, wrong answer.

  “When it comes to Mackenzie, it becomes my business,” Jonah said and his words came out like silk. It made me want to lean into him. Sweet baby Jesus, something was seriously wrong with my hormones.

  My brother looked at him more closely, trying to place who he was. “Who the hell are you and how do you know my sister?”

  “I’m a friend from school. What’s going on here?”

  “A friend from school? All the way out in Cold Springs? I don’t think so. Mackenzie?” Ollie questioned me and I was stuck. Like a deer caught in headlights, I stood there dumbfounded.

  “He’s a friend I invited,” Amy saved the day. “He didn’t have anyone to spend the holidays with so I told him to tag along.”

  After marinating her answer, Ollie stuck out his hand to Jonah, “Oliver Grey.”

  “Jonah Cadwell.” They shook hands and I felt like I could breathe once more. Jonah was about to ask what was going on again, when I gave my brother ‘the look.’ He knew what it meant—keep your mouth shut.

  “My bad. My lovely sister knows how much I hate her…boyfriend,” he said through a tight smile, “I was hoping she’d kicked his ass to the curb by now.” Which wasn’t far from the truth. Ollie had never cared for James, said he seemed too flakey and unfortunately, he was right.