SHIFT (Mackenzie Grey #1)

by Karina Espinosa

  “She said she can kick your ass any day of the week, boss!” yelled Bernard.

  Oh man, they were enjoying this. I was about to get my ass handed to me. Great.

  “Bash, we shouldn’t be wasting time on a stupid,” Jonah turned to glare at me, “challenge and better spending it to find Jackson.”

  Sebastian stiffened and his gaze traveled over to Jonah, who even though he was irked by me, was becoming my knight in shining armor. But did I want to be thought of as weak or needing protection from a male wolf? If I started to think about Pack laws and stuff, then I’d just be proving a point that the female wolves were only good at being domestic Lunas and nothing else. And that was not right.

  “Thank you, Jonah,” I started and he turned to me with a look of relief, “but,” and he tensed, “if I challenged Bash, unknowingly might I add, then I need to step up and follow through.”

  For the first time since I met him, Sebastian smiled, a genuine smile at me and I wanted to melt right there where I stood. That’s so lame…

  “Kenz! He’s an Alpha for a reason, damnit Kenzie, listen to common sense!” Jonah yelled and his eyes were wild. He was freaking out and rightfully so.

  “Jonah relax,” I said and I wished I could take my own advice. “I’ll be fine.” I winked at him and he scowled. I pushed past him and the crowd cheered as Sebastian and I bumped fists.

  Let the games begin.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The ripples of his muscles as Sebastian moved was a welcomed distraction. I was able to duck and swerve his punches. Which meant I was on the defense and needed to step my A-game up and try to get a lick in. I’d never had any formal training to fight, but Ollie liked to practice the wrestling moves he saw on TV as a kid, and I was his sparring partner. I’d like to think that it prepared me for this precise moment. Also, I remember a homeless man who avoided a fight with someone in the subway once and told me that if you pretend to be crazy they leave you alone. With a combination of both, I prayed to God I’d win this or at least make it out alive.

  After ducking a right hook, I crawled between Sebastian’s legs and popped up behind him. Wasting no time, I jumped onto his back and got a good grip around his neck with my arms, and wrapped my legs around his thick waist. He tried to fling me off but I held on tight.

  The cheers in the background thundered and I hoped a beat cop wasn’t walking by to hear it. I was glad it was loud enough that no one could hear me screaming—no one except Sebastian at least. Maybe it was nerves, or adrenaline, but I screamed “I’m crazy, I’m crazy!” like a hysterical looney, giving Bash a hard time because I yelled it into his ear.

  “Kenz! Fight fair, damnit!” Bash was growling but nothing he said was getting me off him. I squeezed my arms and tried to choke him—not as easy as it looks, he’s a big guy—but it helped that his body was firm, warm and strong, which made me want to hold on even more.

  “Fine, have it your way,” he said and charged backwards until he slammed my back onto one of the tables. I sucked in a breath as it was completely expelled from my body. I tried to hold on, but with that blow, I was seeing stars and lost my grip on him.

  Sebastian went back into the make-shift circle. Two people grabbed me on either side, and without waiting to see if I was okay, they threw me back into the fight. I slid across the floor and my eyes played catch up. I didn’t see Bash come toward me and pick me up by the front of my sweater.

  “SEBASTIAN!” I heard Jonah roar from the crowd, right before I was slammed back down on the ground. I gurgled a grunt and couldn’t open my eyes. It might not have been the pain, more the fear of fighting, that I lingered a little too long on the floor. When I opened my eyes, Sebastian was in half wolf mode and coming toward me on all fours. Shit.

  I scrambled backwards until I could pick myself up and scurried out of the way. He skidded across the concrete once he missed me and fell into a group of werewolves, giving me the time to regroup. As I edged farther from him, I saw Bernard and Caleb holding Jonah down, who was also in half wolf mode and snapping his canine at us. Amy stood beside them, but I could see the worry and fear etched on her face. That poor girl, I was giving her gray hairs. I needed to wrap this fight up already and quit messing around. I chuckled—as if I actually could.

  Resolved, I stood up straight and grabbed the hem of my sweater and pulled it over my head, exposing everyone to my black sports bra. Whistles resonated around the room and Jonah ripped out a lion like roar. He was pissed. I crouched forward and focused on Sebastian who ran toward me at full speed. Narrowing my eyes, I felt like everything went in slow motion. I felt the wolf peek out of her hiding spot and without her saying a word, I knew she asked me if I wanted her help and she knew I said yes. My upper lip furled up and I growled, showing off my canines. Just as he was half a foot away from me, I swerved to my right and jumped up and onto his back again, bringing him flat on his stomach with unexpected force.

  I had realized during the first half of the fight, Bash was going pretty easy on me. His moves seemed coordinated but careful. He wasn’t trying, and if I could figure that out, so could his wolves and then my whole purpose would be moot. Even if I did win, everyone would know it was because he let me win, which was convenient and all but not what I was going for, so I had to anger him. I succeeded when he wolfed out and that’s when the fight became an actual fight. Now that it was all about me winning, I had a slight problem. Maybe I called out to her or she’s always been around, but I accepted the wolf’s strength and agility to get me to where I was now; on top of Sebastian and pinning him to the ground for my final blow. What might that final blow be, you ask? In my usual Mackenzie fashion, I couldn’t go out without a bang, so I did what all crazy homeless fighters and TV wrestling impersonators did—I went for the nuts.

  With Sebastian thrashing below me, I turned my body to the side and reached over between his legs for the ultimate nut snatch. Take that, Alpha!

  The howl that ripped out of Sebastian made my ears pop and the room went silent. The cheering and friendly howls that boomed seconds ago were now mute. Everything was in a standstill. Jonah bounded towards me and plucked me off Bash. My feet weren’t even touching the ground as he carried me across the main floor and out of sight from everyone who now sneered and growled in my direction. Amy was the only one that was running to keep up with us. He brought me into the room that I had seen Blu emerge from the day I escaped the warehouse and I was right—it was a laundry room. Jonah set me down on one of the folding tables while he began to pace. Amy caught up and barged into the room and shut the door behind her. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling, her face was an unusual neutral.

  “Okay, someone say something because the silence is killing me,” I said through ragged breaths. Jonah froze and stared at me mindlessly.

  “Are you okay, Kenz?” Amy asked, worrying her gloved hands.

  “Yeah, I totally kicked ass out there!” I said with so much excitement that I sounded like a Valley girl for a second.

  Amy laughed nervously. “You so did, Kenzie,” she said and then watched Jonah warily. “See the thing is, you’ve made a lot of big wolfey’s angry out there.” Her gaze traveled back to me and she gave me her ‘oopsie’ face. How did I make a boo boo?

  “I don’t get it, what did I do wrong?”

  “It’s in our nature to defend one of ours—especially from an outsider,” Jonah said as he pursed his lips. “Kenz, you just hurt our Alpha and to make matters worse—you’re a woman, a Luna and a lone-wolf. The Pack is going to want your head on a platter.”

  I sucked in a breath. Shit. That was not supposed to happen.

  “Why does being a woman matter?”

  “Mackenzie, when are you going to get it through that thick head of yours? The Pack hasn’t caught up to modern human times. In this world, women have a place and they are kept in line! Not doing so is insubordinate,” he yelled and I flinched. I should have been pissed—but seeing him so angry, and the
yells from the main floor that filtered in the room made me worry.

  “Jonah?” I got off the table and went to him. “Am I dead meat?” I whispered and could feel a panic attack rising.

  He sighed. “Kenz, I don’t know, but its better if we steer clear from the Pack, they’re going to want a punishment issued.”

  I shivered and he pulled me toward him, wrapping me up in his warmth. I was in my jeans and a sports bra, and with my adrenaline depleted, I was cold.

  With my face smashed to his chest, I mumbled, “I didn’t mean to.”

  He squeezed me even tighter. “I know, Kenz, I know.”

  A knock came at the door and Bernard poked his head in the room. “Can we come in?” I felt Jonah move against me and heard two pairs of feet shuffle in as someone shut the door.

  “What’s going on out there?” Jonah asked and Amy came to stand next to us as she rubbed my arm.

  “It’ll be okay, Kenz,” she whispered to me.

  “It’s chaos. The Lunas took Bash to the infirmary and the captains are trying to keep the Pack under control but…don’t you feel the turmoil? She’s not Pack, Jonah,” Bernard said as he scratched his beard. “This isn’t going to end well, you should call Charles.”

  “He doesn’t need to get involved, this is a Brooklyn Pack matter, not Summit,” Jonah said.

  “I don’t know, I have a feeling Caleb is already doing so.”

  Jonah’s body tensed underneath me and I pulled away. His eyes were flashing gold and he snarled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialed a number and put it to his ear as it rang, waiting for someone to answer.

  “Father,” Jonah clipped out. “It’s under control—no father…he’s a liar and a sneak…Caleb should have never jumped the chain of command and spoken with you…yes, it is the same girl…no, she doesn’t…I will…yes, father. Goodbye.” He hung up and Amy, Bernard and Blu who had also come into the room, were watching Jonah’s conversation intently, while I tried to eavesdrop on his phone call, but was unsuccessful. I didn’t hear anything his father said.

  Jonah sighed. “Well, Caleb’s officially on my shit list,” he said as he ran his hands through his chestnut hair. “He told my father what happened and he wants us to head over to the Estate.”

  Bernard cursed. “This is bad timing, Jonah. We need to be trying to find Jackson, not dealing with this. She’s a liability—no offense.”

  “None taken,” I grumbled and crossed my arms over my chest.

  “I don’t think you know how much danger you’re in, Kenz. We hunt lone-wolves,” he paused, “We don’t usually accommodate strays like we have for you.”

  “Well, what do we do?” I asked.

  “We should be heading to the Estate to talk with my father…but I think we should wait. I haven’t spoken to Bash about what went on at the Summit and I don’t know my father’s position on your particular situation. Until we have more info, we need to wait it out,” Jonah said and tapped his fingers on his chin. “Bern, get me a group of your most trustworthy wolves. Then I need you to get everyone back to work on finding Jackson. I want an update on him in two hours, no exceptions. We better have a lead.”

  Bernard nodded and walked out the room. “What about me, what can I do to help?” Blu asked.

  “I need you to keep an eye on Sebastian and ask him for details on the Summit. He might not reveal them to you but call my cell and put him on the phone. Don’t let anyone in his room to see him, no matter how trusting they seem. Especially Vivian.”

  “Got it,” she said and left the room as well.

  “Why can’t we talk to him ourselves?” Amy asked what I was wondering.

  “Because we need to keep Mackenzie away from the Pack and I won’t leave her side until everyone has settled down,” Jonah said.

  We stood around awkwardly, as if waiting for the next shoe to drop. “So…we’re going to hole up in the laundry room?” I asked, breaking the silence.

  Jonah rolled his eyes. “Of course not. We’re going to look for Jackson.”

  Once Bernard came back with a group of four werewolves, Jonah directed two of them to guard the door and the other two to infiltrate and play spies within the Pack to find out what everyone was planning. Jonah, Amy, Bernard and I left through the back door that led to the small area where the Lunas hung wet clothes. Bernard handed Jonah a brown spray bottle that had a picture of a deer and in bold letters said: SCENT KILLER.

  “What the hell is that?” I exclaimed as he was about to spray me.

  He sighed. “It’s exactly what the bottles says, Kenz, it kills your scent. Hunters use it to sneak up on their prey. In this case, we need it so when the Pack eventually realizes we’re gone, they’ll have a harder time finding us.”

  After a moment, I consented and the four of us were sprayed down. It wasn’t too bad, almost like mosquito repellent. When we finished we met a brick wall of about seven or eight feet that we needed to hop over. Bernard picked Amy up and sat her on the ledge. He climbed over and set her down on the other side. Jonah and I climbed over on our own and I was surprised I was able to do so. Maybe I was still running on adrenaline from the fight or from the news of now having a bounty on my head. Who knows? I was just glad to have Jonah in my corner to back me up because if I didn’t, this might have been a whole different case.

  We took the train back into the city and were close to Times Square when we stopped outside St. Paul’s Cathedral. Everyone had been quiet, probably lost in their own thoughts on the trip over, so I didn’t ask where we were going or why. With a quirked eyebrow, I watched Jonah and Bernard climb the cathedral steps while Amy and I stood back. I wouldn’t say I wasn’t a religious person—I believed—but I didn’t go to church every Sunday. I usually went for holiday services. I knew it would never get me into heaven, but after the Change, I didn’t think I’d be allowed in anyways. There’s no way God would have created a monster like me. I was most likely the devil’s work. I didn’t deserve to enter holy grounds.

  “You two coming?” Jonah called out.

  Amy had other reasons for not going in. She didn’t really look the part with all her tattoos and piercings, they’d think she was the devil.

  “Why are we here?” I questioned.

  “We have to talk to someone who lives here,” he said and didn’t wait for a response. He turned back around and walked into the church.

  Amy shifted uncomfortably next to me. “Are we going in?” she half asked, half groaned. I wanted to say, hell no—no pun intended—but I was kind of curious as to who we were meeting. It had all the fittings of a typical gothic Roman Catholic Church, even the pointy tower-looking thing in the front, but even with all the nice architecture, it appeared a little run down. The grey paint was faded and chipping, and the little bit of lawn area around the cathedral had either patches of dirt with dead plants or overgrown grass and weeds.

  “I think we should go in,” I told Amy and she sighed in resignation.

  We went up the steps and into the darkened church. The pews were crooked and it smelled of incense and burnt out candles with a hint of something old that I couldn’t identify. The only light came from the altar where Jonah and Bernard stood.

  “So…who are we here to see?” I probed as we approached them.

  “Me,” a voice said from behind us and I whirled around to find…nothing.

  “Okay, because that’s not freaky. What the hell was that?”

  “Lucian,” Jonah called out with a smirk. “Stop playing games and come out. We don’t have time for child’s play.”

  “Oh, you’re no fun anymore, Jonah Cadwell,” said the voice again and it had a very delicate British accent. From the darkness by the entrance, a white figure came out and down the middle in between the pews. He was of average height, lean, with blonde hair that was slicked back and came down to just below his shoulders. He was pale, like Edward Cullen pale, and that’s what made my eyes bulge out of their sockets.

  �
�No way,” I gasped and the vampire smirked at me. His black eyes twinkled as he got closer to us and the alter lights hit him. He walked towards us—no, scratch that—he glided to us. It was so graceful and quiet, my jaw dropped and I was having a hard time picking it up. He was scary, definitely giving me the hebbie jebbies, but he was also beautiful. Like a porcelain doll.

  “Well hello, who might you be?” he asked as he approached me. I couldn’t resist a flinch as his cold, clammy hand reached for mine and a shiver ran through me. “Wolf got your tongue?” he mocked and I had to shake myself out of the trance I was in.

  “Mackenzie Grey,” I said and let him place a soft but chilling kiss on the top of my hand.

  “Mackenzie Grey,” he repeated, “what a lovely name.” His eyes lingered on me for a moment, wondering what I was, and then they traveled to Amy who was beside me. “And you?” he said as he raised an eyebrow to Jonah. “Did you bring me a snack?”

  I snarled.

  “No, Lucian. She is our friend and under the protection of the Pack. Don’t touch,” said Jonah as he came down from the middle of the altar to the bottom by the steps where we were.

  Lucian licked his lips as if he were hungry and nodded. “My apologies, young one,” he said as his eyes took in Amy’s small body. After much difficulty, he tore his gaze away. “What do I owe this pleasure, then?”

  Jonah didn’t waste any time. “One of ours is missing. My brother Jackson.”

  The vampires pale hand came up to his mouth with mild horror, but it looked exaggerated. “Oh no, friend, when?”

  “Yesterday. He was on patrol in Central Park with his team. One of our wolves was killed and the other is in critical condition. Do you know what might have caused this?”

  Lucian’s face went neutral and he dug his hands in the pockets of his all black dress pants that matched his black buttoned up shirt. “Did you come here, young wolf, to know who may have caused this, or to accuse me of doing it?” he questioned and his accent was so prim and proper, I had to remember that what he was saying was slightly threatening.