What is Vance's deal? Do you really think Rachel will confront him if he doesn't stop by the next day?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: “Hey, um, Rachel?” I slowed down my charge and turned to see Kyle looking at me with… hope or something close to it in his eyes. “Oh hey” I said back. “Were you still up for the grand tour at some point? I figure you’ve already been around pretty much the whole place - but maybe?” He asked as we kept walking. We approached the courtyard and were hit with direct sunlight. “Yeah, sure, I’m still up for it. When were you thinking?” I asked back. I was very curious about this very odd guy. We slowed our walk to a crawling pace. “Great!” He exclaimed. “Maybe, after school today? Can we meet right back here?” “Rachel,” Sean said from a few paces away, beckoning me over. I turned back to Kyle, “Sorry, I’ve got some plans off campus after school. Maybe tomorrow, like Break?” Kyle seemed to just notice Sean’s approach and quickly said, “Okay, see yeah,” before retreating back the way we came. Sean walked up to me, uneasy. “That’s not him right? The guy who was givin
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: I found Ally in Trigonometry and she pointed at a seat in front of her that she had saved for me. Class went by quickly. I felt really engaged and challenged. I really did see why so many people loved Mr. Yoo. He just explained things in a way that made sense. I participated quite a bit and really felt comfortable asking questions and giving my answers. Mr. Yoo ended class ten minutes early, so we had some time to do our homework, chat, or whatever we liked. I saw Bella start work on her homework, and it cued Ally and I to do the same. “This is probably really smart of you to do some homework now, you know. Since you’ll be home late because of your date,” Ally said, elongating the ‘a’ to sound more like ‘daaayte.’ “Yeah, yeah Ally,” I said back trying to brush her off but just smiling like a giant idiot instead. It made us both laugh. Someone nearby got out of their seat and Simon moved to it. “Care to share what’s so funny?” Simon asked while sitting down
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: He held my hand all the way to his car and opened the front passenger side door for me. It felt really intimate and old school. But really sweet. We were now driving down, out of the student parking lot. He had his signal on to make a left turn, and after a break in traffic we turned onto the street. He glanced over and smiled at me. My palms started to sweat, I had been so excited for this and now suddenly I was overcome with nervousness. He made another turn and turned up the radio in the car, some song by The Weeknd was playing and he started singing along to it. Scratch that, belting along to it. And his voice was awful! It somehow made him more real to me, like not everything about it was totally perfect. His comfort singing like this in front of me, not holding back was really endearing. It made me smile, and I tried to hold in a chuckle. “Excuse me?” Sean asked, in a teasing tone, “Are you laughing at moi?” I just laughed him off and started singing along
CHAPTER NINETEEN: The next day was Friday. I woke up still giddy over my date (dates?) with Sean the day prior. I was in an amazing mood. Not even Meg’s snapping words could bring me down or get me to retaliate. She was super weirded out by it. She could normally rile me up in the morning. Loving sleep, hating mornings, and comments about the acne on my face were a dangerous combination that Meg always seemed to light a match to. But today my giddiness from spending so much time with Sean worked as a fire extinguisher. “God, you’re weird today,” Meg announced as I exited the shower. She went into the bathroom after me, probably to put on make-up. Meg and her best friend had recently started playing around with makeup and if she wasn’t so mean to me all the time maybe I would help her out with it. Today mom started at work early so she was gone. It was my responsibility on Fridays to walk Meg to her friend’s house by the elementary school, where her friend’s mom would be waiting
CHAPTER TWENTY: Jake didn’t try talking or messaging me back the whole ride to Pacific. I relaxed a little in my seat. I glanced over at him a few times over the course of the drive, but he always seemed to be looking elsewhere, shoulders down like a guilty puppy. When we pulled up to Pacific, he got up first and took a step towards the back of the bus to let me pass, not saying a word or giving me a single glance. I led the group off the bus and into the school. Once inside Melanie caught up to Angela, June and I. “So, how is Anthony this morning? Positively glowing now that you finally gave in?” Angela teased, elbowing Melanie gently. Melanie turned pink all over, the blush immediately contrasting with her dark almond eyes. She playfully swatted Angela away. “You are the one who is to blame for all this you know,” June pointed out to Angela. “She probably would’ve never spoken to him again if it weren’t for that party you dragged us to last weekend. They’ve been texting for days
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Film went by pretty quickly today. We started a new movie, another classic featuring Gene Wilder, See No Evil, Hear No Evil. It was hilarious. I enjoyed the movie, and really enjoyed Sean’s laughter. He seemed to be smiling at the funny parts an instant before they happened, I’m pretty sure he had to have seen this one before. But he was still enthralled by it. A few times he looked over to wink at me or nudge my shoulder. He was totally at ease. Maxine stayed pretty focused on the movie but I noticed she sighed a few times. She was holding her head up, resting against her fists, like she was having a hard time staying awake. I worried about her. What had happened earlier? Why did she specifically want to talk to me at lunch today? I think she was trying to be lighthearted earlier in her request, but it weighed on me. I couldn’t help but keep an eye on her through the movie when I wasn’t totally entranced. And it was very easy for me to get entranced by screens.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: After class I waved to Kyle and made my way out to the courtyard in search of Ally. I couldn’t find her right away and started to text her, asking her where she was. As I waited for her reply I ran into Maxine and Marsha on their way to their favorite bench. Maxine still looked like something weighed on her, even with the small smile she wore while listening intently to Marsha. Ally hadn’t messaged back and I thought I could use this time to check in on Maxine a little. “Hey,” I said to both of them, and sat down next to them. “Hey!” Marsha said in her usual cheery tone, Max smiled at me in greeting. “So, how goes it?” I asked them. “Well, Maxie here is having a rough day, but I think she’s wiped out talking about it?” she pushed her shoulder into Maxine in question. “Yeah, I need a break,” she decided, “Someone distract me.” Marsha looked at me and I motioned for her to go first. “Well I guess my skill for endless chattering does actually come in ha
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: I decided to get to class and go to the office after school. We walked up to Mr. Hall’s class as people were walking in the door. As I walked in I immediately spotted Sean at an empty table, waving us over. “Got here early,” he said, winking at me. He seemed like he was back in good spirits. “Have a seat,” he said to both of us. I sat next to him, facing the front of the classroom, with Ally on my other side. Marsha and Maxine walked in next with Angela. I saw her face fall a bit when she realized that there wasn’t room for her this time, but she made a small smile and sat at the table next to us. Marsha and Maxine sat down. “Are we getting a special escort at every class now, or just this one?” Maxine asked, addressing Sean. “Well, any friend of my girl is a friend of mine,” he retorted comfortably. “Alright, you’ll do. For now,” Maxine responded, making Sean laugh. Class went by fairly quickly. Sean and I wrote notes to each other on a sheet of pa
CHAPTER 147 - Rachel~ I dreamed about the moon. Like I have a hundred times now. But this time it was full, and lit up everything around the forest. I recognized the area, it was our packlands. But parts were slightly different. We didn’t have a lake. I ran over in wolf form to see a lovely lady by the lake. I recognized her right away. Selene. “Rachel! Angeline!” She greeted us. “It’s been a while!” We padded over and sat next to her. “We’re all so proud of you and the pack. And I’m especially excited for your little one, she’s going to be a strong, strong wolf,” she said gleefully. I let out a surprised sound. “Yes! Sorry to spoil the surprise, I know it’s very early. But yes, it’s a girl. And you both are going to raise her to be tough and caring like her mom,” she said with pride. I rested my head on her arm. She got quiet for a while and I looked up at her after a few minutes, seeing an odd look on her face. “I’m sorry - I wish I was just meeting you with som
CHAPTER 146: Rachel~ My skin was itching to get back to Jake. Knowing they were likely out of their cells and making adjustments to our plan gave me some hope, but every touch from this disgusting being made me want to scream. Alright, on my mark, I heard Jake say. Wait. What? I looked around and confirmed Jake wasn’t around. And his voice sounded like it was coming from… in my head? Paul drags me along further and starts unlocking a door. We’ve got to be getting closer to wherever they’re keeping Meg and my mom. Could I- could I be getting some connection to him? Like how the others link? Jake?, I ask the ethos. There’s nothing for a minute. Rachel?, Jake asks back. Woah. How are you doing that?, he asks. I don’t know, I just heard you, I explained. Paul hauled the heavy door open and I gasped. My mom and sister were on the ground in a heap like forgotten laundry. I fell forward and reached into the cell they were in, trying to grab my mom’s hand. “Dove, g
CHAPTER 145: Jake~ As much as I think this could work, Aamon is absolutely livid that Rachel is about to be out of sight. Things have been working as she planned so far. Simon screaming down here brought Rosalind down as thought. I have to give it to the guy - he played ‘seizure guy’ very well. Then in the middle of things there was some shouting up top. Likely from the fire Elise set. Which meant that Kyle was pretending to surrender himself and if Rachel was right, Paul wouldn’t be able to fight the urge to have groveling at his feet. Which left Sophie. She was right outside my cell, watching Rosalind move Paul around in this cell, trying spells to stop him from freaking out, not realizing Ally had thrown him something he now had in his cheek like a squirrel that would ward off unwanted magic. “They’re kind of a mess, aren’t they?” I say beside her. “I would have expected more from a Luna in training…” She turned to face me with a look of defiance. “Desperate times…” I t
CHAPTER 144: Rachel~ “Sophie,” I say the name with charged disgust I can’t hide. “You couldn’t just leave and go find something else to do, huh? You had to stick around and try to take what’s mine.” “Yours?!” She screeches. “You mean what you stole from me! I’m supposed to be Luna. Me! I lost my mom and then my dad, and what? You just waltz along and get what’s mine? NEVER.” “So what? Trying to hurt me before by hiring Max wasn’t enough? Now you have to get some more help to do what you can’t handle? Typical Sophie. Can’t do a da*n thing by yourself. You have to wave daddy’s money around to get anything done. Pathetic,” I sneer. She sputters unintelligible words. I’m getting under her skin. “Enough,” Vance’s mom says, her voice cutting through everything. “You can play around when we’re done with our deal.” Sophie bares her teeth at me then turns. At the same time the door down to the dungeon opens again. Who could possibly be joining in on this nonsense? There’s two sets of s
CHAPTER 143: Jake~ It’s the Luna ceremony today. Rachel started getting into the spirit yesterday. She glows around here. And the pack members love her. Even those who were vocally against cross-species interactions. They know what she did out there that day and what she gave up without expecting anything in return. While a few left, including Tiffany’s family - which was expected anyway since Evan’s rejection - things were very different than I had thought they’d ever be. After she came back we all had made plans to leave and start our own little pack, but everyone surprised me. Now here we were. A pack pioneering acceptance of all kinds of love. We even had two newly mated couples join us from up north. A witch and a wolf, and a wolf and a vampire. The last one was nuts to me, but Jeanette had a totally clean background and a highly trusted wolf for a mate. If we ever grow to the point of needing a Delta, I have my eye on her mate, Juniper. A knock comes to the door and
CHAPTER 142: Rachel~ One Month Later It’s moving day. The thought hits me right when I open my eyes. It makes me smile right away in the early morning light. I guess I was too excited to wait for my alarm to go off. I look over and see Meg asleep in her bed, her head to the side, mouth open, and a soft snore coming out when she exhales. It’s all going to be different now. My phone lights up to my side and I don’t even need to read it before I know it’s from Jake. He likely feels that I’m awake. We’ve been getting more in tune lately. I think the bond is on hyperdrive for us. I’m not even a werewolf but I seem to know things too. I know when something’s upsetting him even if I am outside with the pack pups and he’s in his office, and I know when he’s anxiously pacing in his room even if I’m in the kitchen entertaining a visiting pack. We’re still learning about our bond. And he hasn’t even marked me yet, so who knows how much could change. When I came back to life after Th
CHAPTER 141: Rachel~ It felt like nothing. No. Warmth. Dark but warm. Cozy like being wrapped up in my favorite fuzzy blanket at home. Like I’m huddled in warmth on a stormy cold day. “Rachel,” I hear a lovely voice saying my name slowly, like the lyrics of a song I know. I stir. It’s just so cozy here. Can’t I rest just a little longer? “Rachel,” the voice says again. This time there’s a hand on my arm. The feeling has me trying to wake before I can make the decision to do it. “Rachel,” it says once more. It’s dark but warm. But I have to go. I start to stir, to look for the source of the voice. Who is it? Light surrounds me and it feels just as cozy and warm as before but its so bright. My eyes try to open but it’s just too bright. Then a shadow appears, making it darker. I open my eyes and they adjust to see- Oh, it’s not a shadow. It’s a person. I know this person. My mind is groggy like I’ve woken up from a deep stage of sleep. I’m slow. My synapses
CHAPTER 140: Evan~ I kept expecting her to wake up in Jake’s arms. That somehow, his tears would bring her back. But she just lay there, like a ragdoll, in his arms. If it weren’t for how strikingly pale she looked, I would have told anyone she was sleeping. But she didn’t wake up. It’s hours later and Nick was barely able to get Jake inside. We cleared the field as best we could, bringing in the injured and putting the dead together. Amber had removed all traces of The Collective while we had sat there with Jake. I don’t like how shell shocked she was. She didn’t seem to be actually experiencing all of this and I worry for when those feelings will surface. I know she didn’t like those people. But they still raised her. She told me about jokes and kindnesses that she received in little bursts along the years. She’s basically just lost her family. But she doesn’t want to talk about it. She hasn’t even cried about it. And I can’t say I don’t understand that. I can’t even im
CHAPTER 139: Kyle~ I woke up next to the red wolf. Everyone was screaming or howling. It was chaotic and loud, which made everything that much more disorienting. What I saw next killed me. Rachel out on the field alone, with all the shadow Dementor things charging at her. “Rachel!” I’m screaming but no one can hear me. I look to see Jake crawling towards her from too far away. He won’t get there in time. How did it get this bad? How long was I out for? I flail about, my arms and legs pushing to move but I’m not coordinated or strong enough to get anywhere. “Why is no one helping her?!” I scream again, my voice cracking, my throat raw. The red wolf just tugs on my shirt again, trying to bring me inside the packhouse. I have barely any magic left but I send it to the wolf trying to drag me away. “Let go!” I scream. “We have to help her!” I look around frantically for anyone I recognize. Where is Ally? Evan? Nick? There’s so many wolves and people rushing back, I can’t