Wolves at the Door (5 page)

I gave it everything I had, but the back of my hand slowly drew closer to the table. I strained even harder, putting my weight into it. Except for the trembling that went all the way to my toes, our arms didn’t move either direction, as if suspended in time.

As I struggled to overpower him, everything but Zack vanished from my vision. I strove against his force to raise my hand, but his arm wouldn’t budge. After a long moment, my strength faded. I let go and my knuckles slammed into the table.

“Ow!” I stood, shaking out my hand. “That freakin’ hurt.”

He dumped his chair, stood and grabbed my hand to examine it. “Broke the skin. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to hurt you,” he whispered, kissing my sore knuckles.

Butterflies in my stomach did twists and turns, sending tiny shivers through my limbs. “It’s okay. The pain is already gone.”

Zack leaned in to drop a kiss on the end of my nose. He closed his eyes, then inhaled and exhaled deeply, like he was trying to regain control. “We should go.”

He was right; we couldn’t get ourselves into trouble. Resigned to keeping my hands off him for the moment, I headed up the stairs. His voice stopped me halfway up.

“Hey, Autumn?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re
really
strong.”

I blinked. “You beat me, just like last time.”

“No, this wasn’t nearly as easy.” He leaned an arm on top of the railing and looked up at me. “You’ll be able to beat me soon.”

I tilted my head. “I’ll get stronger with time, but so will you.”

He shook his head. “I’ve already finished with my initial power surge and won’t change much. You have a few more weeks before you level out. Do the math.”

“Maybe I’ve already leveled out.”

“Our abilities increase along with our scent and your scent is still weak, which means all your powers have a ways to go.”

“But you don’t have any real life experience with shape-shifters, other than me. Just the box of books your dad left for you. Maybe they’re
inaccurate.” I shrugged, not knowing what else to say, then darted up to my room to get into my sweats.

† † †

Zack parked my Mustang in a deserted area under the cover of thick-trunked trees. We’d picked a different part of the forest to avoid Renzo and Charles, but switching playgrounds was no guarantee we’d be alone.

I rolled down my window to listen and breathed in the scent of pine and sage.
There were no humans or werewolves close by that I could hear or smell.

“I think we’re safe.” Zack jerked his head toward the trees. “Before you morph, I’ll patrol the area just to make sure.”

“There’s a more efficient way to find out.” I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and feel the night air rushing past me. But with Charles and the new werewolf in town, making sure we were alone had to come above all else.

I climbed out of the car, making a beeline for the cover of the woods. Once surrounded by brush and leaves, I scanned the area again, then stopped. I pictured myself as a hawk and felt the familiar vibration begin in my toes, then shimmy up my legs, stomach and arms. I glanced down. My hands had all but disappeared.

For the tiniest measurement of time, I was nothing and weightless. An instant later, I exploded into a physical presence again, long feathers lifting me off the ground and my wings cutting through the air until I soared above the treetops. Wind ruffled my feathers and tickled my skin.

Freedom.

From high above, I scanned the woods for movement. For Charles or Renzo in their human or wolf forms. Other than a couple deer, a coyote and a family of raccoons, there wasn’t a soul in sight.
All clear. I’m going to change into a wolf while we’re still alone
.

Don’t forget to go human first
, he reminded me, then he morphed.

Yeah, like I need reminding.
Last time I’d tried to turn into something else without first going human, I got violently ill. I could become any animal I wanted, but my primary form was human so I needed my foundation between morphs. It grounded me.

As I drifted down toward the treetops, my eagle eyes spied a rat scurrying along a tree branch. The urge to swoop and snag my prey rose up and I stifled it. I could give in to the desires of whatever shape I held, but once I turned human, I knew my belly would regret eating a rat, especially a raw one.

I glided down toward the soft dirt near Zack. As soon as I touched ground, I mentally shed myself of my bird skin. The trembling began, and then the floating sensation. And, finally, nothing. For a split second, I was myself again before I shifted right into a wolf.

I took off after Zack, following his scent toward the heartbeat of the forest.

A rabbit scampered in my path. Instinct drove me to hunt it down and I almost veered off to follow. I made a mental note to have a snack before going out next time and morphing into a carnivore.

The forest echoed with paws pounding against the dirt floor. In the distance, leaves crunched and I wondered how far ahead Zack was. A moment later, I practically collided into him as he whooshed across my path. I skidded and turned to follow. As I trailed behind him, the scent of the rabbit invaded my nose.

You’re not going to eat that thing, are you?
I asked.

I’m hungry
, he told me. In the near pitch-black night, all I could see was his bushy tail.

Zack, really
?
I asked. He slowed to a trot and I caught up, eyeing him.
Gross
.
Maybe you don’t think so right now, but when you’re human again, you might regret eating raw meat.
Not that I was one to talk since I’d almost snagged it for myself.

He spun to face me.
You’re probably right.

I moved alongside him, rubbing my fur against his.

Zack licked my ear and I nuzzled against him. Why did that feel so good? Made me wonder what else would feel different as a wolf…

If we were both in our wolf form, then technically we were the same species. At least for the moment. Would the mixing species thing still apply? I nudged him with my shoulder and he nipped the fur at my neck.

I turned into him, my tongue whipping out to lick his muzzle, then I rolled over onto my back. He stalked closer, his eyes dark as his throat rumbled. With a paw on my chest, he nuzzled my neck, his breath coming faster.

Zack froze, hovering over me. He waited a beat as if contemplating his next move, then he slowly backed away.
Fooling around like this is a terrible idea.
When I almost ate that rabbit, didn’t I just prove I couldn’t be trusted in my wolf form?

Yes, and obviously, so had I.

† † †

On the drive home, I didn’t say much. I was too shocked at how close we’d come to having wild wolf sex. Zack was quiet too, which made me wonder if he was holding back again.

I swiveled in the passenger seat to face him. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

“Well…” He looked at me uncertainly.

Oh, geez, how bad was it? I inwardly groaned. “You promised no secrets.”

His gaze left the road, long enough to eye me. “Time’s running out. Only a few weeks until graduation. I need to start planning my escape.
Charles would see it as a red flag if one day I suddenly left my house with luggage. He would see that. Renzo, too. I’d never get away.”

My stomach pinched before I stared out the window, not wanting to have this conversation.

“I was thinking of bringing something over to your house every day, just one item I could hide in my pocket or under my shirt,” Zack continued. “Eventually, I’d have a decent amount of stuff there. When it’s time to go, I’ll just pull my Jeep all the way into your driveway, so I’m right next to your bedroom window, then load up where they can’t see and get to the freeway as fast as I can.”

I wanted Zack to be safe, even if it meant
him being nowhere near me. But to
help
him leave? It was unbearable. “You can do that easier from your own house.”

“Not really. My aunt and uncle park their cars in the driveway, so I’d have to carry my stuff to the curb. Charles could be watching two blocks away and I wouldn’t sense him. He’d be all over me long before I made it to the car.”

At least when we went to the woods, we could ensure we weren’t being followed. At his house, we couldn’t possibly know when Charles was around. “Maybe there’s a cave in the woods or somewhere we could hide your stuff?”

“If my clothes give off a scent and they find my stash, then they’ll know what I’m up to,” Zack explained.

“Why not just hide things in your Jeep?” Anywhere but at my house. That would be a constant reminder. I gazed out the window, hoping the topic would die. At least for the next few weeks, I wanted to live in denial.

“I can put a few things in there,” he said. “But if I fill up a duffle bag, Charles will ask questions. That’s strictly for just a few emergency getaway items, in case I can’t get to your house and have to leave with whatever I have on me.”

A burning sensation started behind my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. The inevitable was coming, deep down I knew that, but talking about it….

Still, I needed him to be safe, even though I didn’t want him to leave. “What if my parents really are shifters and not human? How will I explain the werewolf scent in my room when they pop in for one of their random visits?”

“Still think they’re human. But in case I’m wrong, we’ll seal everything in bags and hide them really well,” he said.

I was about to suggest sealing the bags for the woods, but we’d risk animals tearing into them and letting loose Zack’s scent. “Good thinking.”

I squeezed my eyes against the burning tears. Being involved in his plans made his leaving all too real.

~~~

Chapter Four

Zack, Maya and Trevor beat me to our usual spot at lunch the next day. After I slapped a sandwich onto my tray, along with an apple and a fizzy peach drink, I headed to our table.

When I glimpsed John waving me over, I detoured. As soon as I got close enough, he snatched the tray from my hands, grinning as he placed it in front of his own.

“Sit for a minute,” John demanded.

I obliged, but glanced over my shoulder at Zack.
I just got hijacked. Be there soon.

“What are you doing with your old car?” John asked.

“Selling it. Haven’t got around to posting an ad. Why?” I bit into my apple.

“You could sell it to me.” John grinned.

He was out of his mind to want my old, decrepit car. A full blown frown crimped my forehead as I chewed hurriedly and swallowed. “You should hold out for something better.”

Zack’s scent wafted into my nose and my tummy did a little flip as he rested his hands on my shoulders.

“No denying it’s seen better days,” Zack said from behind me. “But I can attest it’s been well maintained.”

“How much are you selling it for?” John asked. Apparently,
Zack’s endorsement trumped my bashing.

Zack’s thumbs gently dug into my shoulder muscles and my lids sagged in ecstasy. “My boss always says that any running car is worth a thousand minimum.” The tips of his fingers traced my spine.

“Sold!” John slammed his palm onto the table.

“What?” I jolted, wondering if Zack had distracted me on purpose. I couldn’t believe he’d just sold that piece of crap to a
friend
. “No, John, you don’t want it. Trust me.”

“If he doesn’t want it, I’ll take it,” Ashley said.

Oh, just great. Having another potential buyer upped the car’s market value. No chance of talking John out of it now. But I’d try. “I’ll feel horrible if it breaks down on you. You guys should save up and get a real car.”

“That
is
a real car.” John’s tone sounded a little desperate. “You know how hard it is to find something cheap that actually has an engine? Look, I’m working part time and taking the bus is sucking the life out of me. I need something now and yours is in my budget.”