Four

I head back towards the house, but the wolf nudges my hand. "Do you want a good rub?" I ask, reaching out to stroke him between his ears. He's incredibly soft.

"Alright, wolf's friend, I have to go inside and start dinner for my parents," I inform him. "If you're still here later, we can talk some more." I shake my head, realizing how strange it is to be talking to a wolf as if it understands me.

Entering the house and heading to the kitchen to check the refrigerator, I hear a knock on the door. I wonder who could be here since my father and Page are both at work. Curious, I open the door and am taken aback.

"Andrew, what are you doing here?" I ask, surprised. We've finished our paper and have been practicing the play at school, so why would he come over at eight o'clock in the evening?

"I came to see if you'd like to grab some food with Kade, Shaylee, and me," he explains. "Oh, um, sorry, I promised my dad and Page that I would stay in tonight and cook for them," I reply, turning to go back inside. However, Andrew blocks the door. "I already spoke to your dad and Page, and they're okay with it," he says.

"How do you even know who my father is?" I question skeptically. "Billie, your father is the town doctor, and everyone knows who Page is," he responds.

I realize he's right, and it's hard to argue with that. "Tonight won't work for me," I state, feeling an inexplicable desire to see if the wolf is still outside after dinner. "He'll still be there," Andrew whispers.

"What?" I ask, confused. "You know who I'm talking about. I won't repeat myself. Now come on and join us. I won't keep you out past your bedtime," he demands, and I don't appreciate his tone.

"I don't know who you think you are, Andrew, but demanding me won't get you anywhere. I said no, thank you, and I meant it," I assert, noticing a change in his eyes. They briefly turn dark black before returning to their usual light brown. That was strange, but what he does next is even stranger.

Andrew crouches his shoulders and growls at me before charging towards me. Before I can shut the door, he lifts me over his shoulders and carries me to his car. "Are you out of your mind? Put me down now!" I yell at him.

"No, you're coming with us, and then I'll bring you back home," Andrew declares. I can't understand why he acted like he hated me when I first moved here, yet now he can't seem to stay away from me. Boys are so confusing.

As he drives, I realize I left my phone in my car. "I won't hurt you, Billie," he says, as if he knows what I was searching for. "How do I know that?" I ask, and he just side-eyes me.

The rest of the journey is silent, and we eventually arrive at a massive house in the middle of nowhere. "Where are we?" I inquire. "My home," Andrew replies. "What? I thought we were meeting Kade and Shaylee for dinner?" I question.

"They're inside, Billie. Relax. Despite what you think of me, I won't hurt you," Andrew assures me. However, I can't shake the feeling that he could harm me.

We enter his house, and I'm taken aback by its opulence. The chandelier in the foyer alone is worth more than my car. "It's just a house, Billie," Andrew says, and I turn to look at him. "I was just admiring it. Is that a problem?" I ask.

He leads me to another room where Shaylee is sitting with her brother Caci, whom I hadn't noticed before. He's quite handsome. As soon as that thought crosses my mind, Andrew growls softly behind me. "What the hell?"

"I told you Shaylee and Kade would be here," he says, too close to my neck. I try to step away, but he's too fast and holds onto my shirt, keeping me in place.

"Is everyone hungry?" Andrew asks, turning us towards yet another room. This time, it's a dining area with a large table made of gorgeous oak wood. It could easily seat 20 people or more.

"So, Andrew, you managed to convince the girl to come," Caci remarks, earning a stern look from Andrew and a swat to the back of the head from Sally. I chuckle a little.

Andrew pulls out a chair for me, and I'm overwhelmed by his kindness. What has gotten into him these past few days? It seems like ever since I started seeing the wolf, Andrew has been showing up at odd times and being unusually nice to me. It's probably just a coincidence, but it makes me wonder.

I take a seat in the chair that Andrew offers me and realize that Shaylee is sitting right beside me. "So, do you have any idea what this is all about?" I inquire.

"No, Caci, Andrew's brother, asked me to join him for dinner tonight and mentioned that they had something to tell us," Shaylee responds.

"You two seemed quite close. I got the impression that he's interested in me," I inform Shaylee, who dismisses it with a wave of her hand.

I laugh at her response and then turn around when someone calls my name. "Yes?" I responded. I don't recognize the person who called my name, but they appear to be a parent.

"Your mother is on the phone for you," the lady informs me. I'm momentarily confused, but then I realize she means Page. How did Page know to call her? I get up and follow the lady into a hallway where there's a phone placed on a table. It's rare to see phones in homes nowadays.

"Hello," I say into the receiver. "Hello, dear. I heard that you'll be staying at the Board's house tonight. Is that correct?" Page asks me.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know where you got that information, but it's not correct. Andrew approached me at home and said it was okay with you and Dad if I had dinner with him and some friends, but that's all I know," I explained to her.

"Well, it seems like you and Shaylee have made quite an impression on Mrs. Board. She would like you girls to spend the night and go shopping with her in the morning," Page informs me.

"This is the first I'm hearing of it," I tell Page, and when I turn around, Andrew is standing there.

"May I?" Andrew asks, extending his hand for the phone. "Page, Andrew wants to speak with you," I informed my stepmother before handing him the phone.

"Hello, Mrs. Green. I just wanted to let you know that Billie and Shaylee will be staying with my sister, Rose. I didn't have time to discuss it with Billie before my mother called to arrange it," Andrew tells Page, then stays on the line for a moment, presumably downplaying whatever Page is saying. "Oh, yes, ma'am, she'll be in good hands, and I assure you we won't be at the house tonight," Andrew adds.

What is all of this about? Andrew hands the phone back to me a moment later. "Are you okay with this, Billie?" Page asks me.

"Well, I guess I'll have to be because it seems like I don't have a choice in the matter," I whisper to her.

"If you want to come home, just let me know, and I'll come and get you. I assume you left your phone at home?" Page asks.

"Yes, I think I left it in my car," I replied. "Your dad and I will bring your car over to the Board's. That way, you'll have it and your phone," Page tells me, and I'm incredibly grateful to her at this moment. "That would be great, thank you, Page."

"You're welcome," she says before we hang up. Once we're off the phone, I turn to Andrew, who is still watching me intently. "Why are you doing all of this?" I ask him.

"You'll understand everything tonight. Please, just trust me. I don't intend to harm you," he reassures me. This is the second time he's said that tonight. I don't press for further answers. I simply follow him back into the dining room and take my seat next to Shaylee.

"Are you alright?" Shaylee asks me. "Yes, but did you know about the sleeping arrangements?" I inquire.

"I just found out myself," Shaylee replies. "Where's his sister?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders. Shaylee doesn't seem too concerned about tonight's arrangements, so I suppose I should try to relax a little.

Our food is served shortly after. Cheeseburgers and fries. It's strange because that's exactly what I had planned for dinner tonight. I guess even wealthy boys like Andrew enjoy greasy food every now and then.

"So, Billie, what's your favorite food in the world?" Caci asks me. I pondered for a moment, and if I had to choose, it would be pizza.

"Pizza," I told him.

"Really, over a big, juicy steak?" he questions.

"Yes, even over a big, juicy steak," I reply. I leave out the part about rarely having steak while growing up with my mother. We were poor until she met her new husband two years ago.

"Alright, enough with the questions, Caci. Let the girl eat," Andrew interjects, putting an end to the interrogation.

After that, we all eat in silence. Ice cream is served for dessert once we clear the table. Rich people are so peculiar.

I take a bite of my ice cream and it's absolutely delicious. "Is this homemade?" I ask aloud.

"Yes, our cook prepares everything from scratch," Andrew informs me. "Well, aren't you guys spoiled?" I mutter.

"So, you guys mentioned that we'll be staying with your sister tonight, but I don't see her," Shaylee remarks, attempting to change the subject.

"It's all part of the plan. You and Billie will share a room, don't worry. We just lied about our sister being here. As you know, Shaylee, she's older than us and currently away at college," Caci explains.

I glance at Shaylee and shake my head. "We don't have a choice," Andrew tells me. I don't understand what he hopes to gain from having me stay here.

"If you guys don't start explaining, I'm walking out that door," I say directly to Andrew.

"Be patient, little mouse. You'll find out soon enough," he tells me with a smirk.

"Little mouse?" I whisper to myself.

A bell rings from somewhere, and a minute later, a maid-like woman enters the dining room where we're all finishing our ice cream. She hands me my keys and phone. Ah, it must have been the doorbell. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, miss," the lady says before scurrying off towards the living area.

"Alright, ladies, would you like to join us outside for a while?" Kade asks. He's been rather quiet tonight. I wonder what his role is in all of this.

"Sure," Shaylee and I respond simultaneously, and we all get up from the table and follow the guys out the back door.

"Let's start a fire in the fire pit," Caci suggests, walking over to a seating area with a fire pit in the center. The backyard is stunning.

Caci gets the fire going, and then the guys have us sit down. Andrew suddenly appears quite nervous. What is happening?

"Okay, ladies, we have something to show you. After we show you, we'll explain everything," Andrew says, stepping back from the fire. The two brothers move apart slightly, and Kade positions himself in the middle of them. They both reach into their pockets and pull out small objects. Andrew holds up a necklace, while Caci holds up a bracelet. They both have a similar design, with a delicate chain and a small charm in the shape of a moon.

"These are for you," Andrew says, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "They're a symbol of our connection, of the bond we share."

I look at Shaylee, who seems just as confused as I am. "What do you mean?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

Andrew takes a step forward, his eyes locked on mine. "Billie, Shaylee, we're not just ordinary guys. We come from a long line of guardians, protectors of a secret world that exists alongside our own. And you two, you're a part of that world too."

I feel my heart skip a beat as I try to process his words. A secret world? Guardians? It all sounds so fantastical, like something out of a movie. But the intensity in Andrew's eyes tells me that he believes every word he's saying.

"We've been watching over you, guiding you, without you even knowing it," Caci adds, his voice filled with a mix of pride and responsibility. "But now, it's time for you to embrace your true selves, to join us in protecting the balance between our world and the hidden one."

I glance at Shaylee, and she looks just as bewildered as I am. "But why us?" I ask, my voice trembling. "Why are we a part of this?"

Andrew takes a deep breath, his gaze never leaving mine. "Because you both possess a unique power, a power that is essential in maintaining the harmony between the two worlds. You are the chosen ones, the ones destined to fulfill a prophecy that has been foretold for centuries."

I feel a mix of fear and excitement coursing through my veins. This is all so overwhelming, so unexpected. But deep down, there's a part of me that feels a strange sense of belonging, as if this is where I'm meant to be.

Shaylee reaches out and takes the bracelet from Caci's hand, her fingers tracing the intricate design. "What do we do now?" she asks, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and determination.

Andrew smiles, a genuine smile that reaches his eyes. "Now, we train. We learn to harness our powers, to protect the balance, and to fulfill our destiny. Together."

I look at the necklace in Andrew's hand, feeling a surge of courage and determination. "Count me in," I say, my voice steady. "I'm ready to embrace this new world and discover who I truly am."

Shaylee nods, her eyes shining with determination. "Me too. We're in this together, Billie."

The fire crackles in the background, casting a warm glow over our faces. As we put on the necklace and bracelet, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and adventure. Little did I know that this was just the beginning of a journey that would change our lives forever.