I wasn’t sure how it had happened or who had dropped it off, but by some miracle, I had found a letter addressed to me in our mailbox in the morning before Jack was able to bring in the mail. There must have been someone looking out for me.As soon as I read it, I called Matt. I told him that whatever he had planned today had to be canceled. We needed to go to an address that was kind of out of the way and since I didn’t have a car, he needed to take me.Matt was more than willing. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little guilty. I felt like I was using him, just a little. I knew it wasn’t true, but I couldn’t help it. Matt w
I could only stare at my father as I processed what he had just told me. Despite the fact that I had lived with the knowledge that my mother had been dead my entire life, it still hurt when my father confirmed it. I guess a little ember of hope had been lit that my mother was somehow still alive when I had discovered that my father was, in fact, not dead anymore. The grief threatened to consume me and my eyes began to burn with unshed tears. Without saying anything, Matt reached over and grabbed my hand underneath the table. I gripped his hand so tight that it would probably be hurt if he was human. Like my father was human. But he wasn’t human. And neither was my mother. Focusing on something other than my mother’s death helped clear my head a little. At least enough that I was able to ask my father a question. “So, why am I
I had never been more nervous than I was when Matt dropped me off at my house. I knew Jack would be waiting for me. I approached our front door with a heavy heart. The events of last night weighed on me like a cloak of lead, suffocating every breath I took.When I opened the door, Jack was pacing in the living room. His eyes were filled with a mixture of relief and worry as they locked onto mine when I finally stepped inside. I didn’t think it would last long. Anger was never far around the corner. "Where have you been, Celeste? I've been out of my mind with worry," he exclaimed, his voice fraught with concern. But there was a harsh edge to it. I was going to be in for an earful if I didn’t take charge. I closed the door behind me an
After the confrontation with Jack, I needed space. The weight of our conversation hung in the air, suffocating me. I retreated to the sanctuary of my room, seeking solace in solitude. The hot water cascaded over me, washing away the tension that had built up inside me. It was a balm for my weary soul, a temporary respite from the chaos outside. As the steam filled the bathroom, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift. I should have been focusing on what my father had told me. Or maybe what he hadn’t told me. But that’s not what I was thinking about. Only one moment stood out, clear and vivid - the kiss I had shared with Matt. It was like an electric jolt, a spark that had ignited something within me. I could still feel the warmth of his lips against mine, the gentle pressure that spoke volumes. It was a kiss that held promise, potent
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee hung in the air as I stepped into the quaint little coffee shop on the corner. The soft murmur of conversations and the rhythmic hum of the espresso machine provided a comforting soundtrack to the cozy atmosphere. I scanned the room, my eyes finally landing on Matt, who was sitting by the window, his gaze fixed on the passing world outside. A soft beam fell across his face and hair, making it seem like he was glowing. He was beautiful. Taking a deep breath, I approached him. Matt looked up, his eyes meeting mine, and a warm smile spread across his face. "Hey," he said, gesturing to the empty chair across from him. "Glad you could make it." "Of course," I replied, nervously smoothing out the creases in my skirt as I took a seat. Everything had changed with that unexpected kiss the other night. It ha
The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, casting an eerie glow over the desolate streets as Matt tread silently through the night. He was in rather high spirits that night. The date with Celeste had gone great. He was finally getting somewhere. Still, despite the giddiness that coursed through him, he was still on high alert for the rogue as well as the Schreiber family. They had been oddly silent. Usually when they decided something, they struck fast. The anticipation was putting him on edge. Matt moved through the narrow alleys, his senses heightened, and his eyes darting from shadow to shadow. He had been at this for years, and his intuition told him that danger was lurking in the darkness tonight. The wind whispered through the empty streets, carrying with it an unsettling chill. Somewhere in the shadows, Enzo and Nina were following him. H
Matt called me the next evening, his voice more subdued than usual. Only a day had gone by since I’d last seen him, but I missed him, anyway. My heart jumped in my chest at his tone, fear spreading through my veins. Everything between us was still so unsure. I couldn’t help but imagine it collapsing around me again, leaving me even more heartbroken than I was the last time. Our date yesterday was amazing, but I couldn’t help but feel like I’d somehow done something wrong.“Everything okay?” I finally asked, pacing the length of my room.The sound of the TV drifted up the stairs, and I could hear the ins-and-outs of the game even with my door closed. Jack and his friends we spread over the couches, watching hockey, and drinking beer. I had to go downstairs soon to get their dinner ready, not wanting to anger Jack when he was finally letting me be with Matt.“What do you mean?”“You sound tired,” I ventured, afraid I might inadvertently start a fight. Hopefully, he took it for what it w
Luckily, Jack agreed to let me attend Matt’s game. As long as I sent him pictures with Fiona and came home well before midnight, I was free to go. A part of me wanted to argue further. It seemed silly that I had to prove to him I was with Fiona the whole time, but I didn’t want him to change his mind and try to stop me from going. Plus, I planned on defying him, anyway. I might have had plans to watch the game with Fiona, but I knew Matt wanted to take me out later, just the two of us.“I can’t believe you and Matt are dating!” Fiona gushed, not for the first time, as we neared the rink.My cheeks warmed. “We’re not offici
EpilogueThe sounds of plates clinking together, and the low hum of chit-chat, merged into the background as I listened to Fiona describe her latest assignment. She was stuck in a geography class that she needed for distribution, and it was driving her nuts. Her professor was a mean, curmudgeonly old man, and a notoriously difficult marker.“He gave me a C–. A C–! That was not a C worthy paper.”Jack nodded. “I read it. It was pretty good.”She rounded on him. “Pretty good?”He put his hands up, a small smile on his lips. “Really pretty good?”She huffed but turned back to me. “Your brother is a pain in the ass.”I smiled. “You’re telling me.” They’d only been together for a few years, but they already bickered like an old married couple. Matt and I were actually married, but we didn’t even bicker like that. It was as endearing as it was exhausting.Matt sank into his seat beside me and slid me a cup of coffee. I threw him a grateful look. Our peacekeeping duties had kept us late the
MattThe nerves made me jittery, and I bounced my knee so hard it rattled the bench. Seth gave me a knowing look before bending over to finish tying his skates. I focused on taping my stick, letting muscle memory take over. All the guys knew what I planned to do tonight, and they kept throwing me knowing looks as I tried to stay calm.It was the last home game before playoffs started. A part of me kept thinking that I should wait, but an even greater part of me didn’t want to wait one more second. If life had taught me anything, it was that we didn’t know how much time we might have. I didn’t want to waste another second of it. I especially didn’t want to waste time just because I was afraid.“Dude, stop vibrating the bench,” our goalie James called. “I’m trying to focus.”“Sorry,” I answered. If there was one rule in hockey, it was to not mess with the goalie, especially right before a game. If he needed to focus, then I just needed to find a way to chill the fuck out.Enzo gave me a
The arena was buzzing with energy as Matt got the puck and darted forward to take advantage of the breakaway. He sent the puck into the corner of the net, and I jumped to my feet. Beside me Fiona screamed so loud, heads turned in our direction. Jack cringed slightly, throwing her a bemused look.It was the first home game of the year, and Matt was giving everything he had to make sure the team got a win. Around us, the school cheered as he skated by, knocking fists with his teammates. It was his second goal of the night, his first a tricky tip in after Seth’s initial shot rebounded. It was 3-1 with only four minutes left in the third period.“He’s playing great,” Nina said from my other side as the cheering died down, and we took our seats again.“He is.” Over on the bench, Enzo stood in a dark suit, his head bent as he talked to one of his players.He and Nina were staying one more year. Even though Nina graduated in the spring, her father was giving her the year to clean up the town
“Are you ready for this?” Jack asked, his eyes trailing over my face, looking for any signs of fear or hesitation. I schooled my features into a blank mask. Sure, I was nervous, but he didn’t need to see that. He already hated that he’d gotten me involved. Too bad I was the only one that could do this, and I’d do anything to get the Schreibers out of our town.I took a deep breath and gazed up at the towering mansion. It was on the outskirts of town, far enough away that I’d never seen it, but still close enough for the Schreibers to cause havoc. The house seemed quiet, but I knew our grandfather lurked inside. Him and whoever survived the fight.“I’m ready,” I said, keeping my voice steady. Matt and the rest of the Peacekeepers had already surrounded the house. They were keeping their distance but staying close enough just in case we needed them. It made me feel better knowing he was out there. I knew, without a doubt, that Matt would do anything to keep me safe. Just like I’d do any
Jack“Hey!” Jack called, running to catch up with Fiona. She stopped walking and turned to give him a curious look. “I’ll walk you home,” he said when he reached her side.She gave him a bemused look. Technically, her place was only five minutes from campus, but that didn’t mean she should walk alone at night. Plus, he hadn’t seen her since she moved back in with her roommate, and he wanted a moment alone with her.“Alright,” she said with a shrug. “If you insist.”He smiled. “Better safe than sorry.”“Bye,” Celeste called, waving at them. She gave him a knowing smile, and he glowered at her. She clearly knew something was going on, but it wasn’t her business. They needed to figure this out for themselves.She and Matt were headed in the opposite direction, back toward the house. Matt was still haunting the halls. Everywhere Jack went, there he was. In the bathroom, when he needed to piss. In the kitchen, when he was hungry. Even in the living room at night, making out with his sister
“I promise to protect this town,” Jack said, his hand over his heart. “I promise to fight for peace, and to not rest until it is achieved. I promise to treat all life as equal. I devote myself to this cause from now until my last breath.”Nina dipped her head in acknowledgement, and Jack let his hand drop to his side. I stepped forward next and repeated the oath. It was the same words every person in this room had recited when they agreed to become a Peacekeeper. It wasn’t something to take lightly, and I didn’t plan to.“I devote myself to this cause from now until my last breath,” I said, stepping back beside my brother. Fiona stood at his other side. She took the oath first, saying the words with the utmost confidence.I locked eyes with Matt, and he gave me a proud smile, his eyes gleaming. Our friends sat around the room, and, as if given some invisible cue, they all began to hoot and clap. They stood up and slapped the three of us on the back. I got pulled into hugs, one after t
Matt closed my bedroom door behind us and leaned his crutches against the wall. He hobbled over to the bed and sank down onto the mattress with a soft groan. “Just as I remember it,” he said, jumping a little. “So soft.”Downstairs, Fiona, and Jack were rifling around in the kitchen. They offered to make us something, but neither of us were very hungry.Matt lay back and stretched his arms over his head, his shirt riding up just enough to reveal the smooth skin along his waistline. His hip bones dipped down into his cargo pants and I bit my lip, desperate to get my hands on him, but still worried about his wounds. Sure, he was up and moving around, but that didn’t mean he should be doing physical activity. I didn’t know a lot about werewolf healing, but I wasn’t willing to risk him.“I missed this room,” he continued, turning to look at me through hooded eyes.The purple bedspread brought back a flood of memories. I’d spent so much of my life in this room. I had so many memories, and
MattI held onto Celeste’s hand, leaning heavily on the two crutches I had propped under my opposite arm. A feeling of intense déjà vu swept through me as I watched Seth step forward and light the pyre. Around us, others did the same until dark smoke rose into the blue spring sky. I hoped this was the last funeral I ever had to go to, at least for a long while.Celeste had a blank expression on her face that worried me more than anything. Beside her, Jack and Fiona stood holding hands. Fiona was crying, and Jack had a stricken look on his face. As one, he and Celeste let go of our hands and stepped forward. They lit the last pyre.“Goodbye dad,” Celeste said, just loud enough for me to hear. My heart squeezed.Jack didn’t speak, he just lowered his gaze and stepped back beside Fiona. She immediately took his hand, but he didn’t look up from his shoes. I understood the warring emotions he was feeling. He hated his father for abandoning him, and he felt guilty that he got killed right i
Those of us still on our feet spent the rest of the day tending to the wounded. God, there were so many of them. Every wound I saw, every cry of pain I heard, felt like a knife to the gut. Everywhere I went, I saw pain, death, and gore.It was all too much.“Hey,” Jack said, giving me a concerned look. “Take a break if you need to.”He was still covered in blood, and I could barely stand to look at him. He’d taken a few minutes to wipe most of it off his face, but he hadn’t stopped to change his clothes. None of us had. There hadn’t been time.“I can’t.”I couldn’t get my father’s face out of my mind. Jack took me to his body shortly after the fight ended, tears in his eyes. I allowed myself to cry only for a minute before I helped him move the body to the small grassy area behind the church. That was where we were laying out the dead before we’d give them all proper funerals.There were already too many bodies out there. Seth had collapsed beside Jenna’s bloody form and hadn’t moved