CHAPTER TWO

I feel dizzy. I don't know what to think. I don't know what to feel.

This wolf just appeared out of nowhere and told me a bunch of stuff that makes no sense. I don't know if I believe him.

But at the same time, something about it feels so real. I can't explain it. I just... I get the feeling that he's telling the truth.

I feel like I'm missing something, but I have no idea what.

I decide to go home and try to forget about it for now. I'm sure that I'll figure it out eventually.

I walk home and cross my fingers that my mom is done with her preparations for the evening ahead.

I walk into the kitchen and see my mom is cutting up vegetables for a salad.

I go to the refrigerator and grab a bottle of water, then go to the table to sit down.

Mom sits the knife down on the cutting board and turns to me.

"Where were you?" she asks.

"I went for a walk," I say.

"I've been looking all over for you," she says.

"You should really let me know where you are," she says.

She picks her knife back up and resumes dicing the vegetables.

I want to point out that she couldn't have been looking for me that hard since she's standing in the kitchen cooking, but I resist the urge.

"There's lots still to do to get ready for tonight. I could use your help," she says.

I sigh.

I really don't want to do this. I'm tired and exhausted, and I just want to go upstairs to my bedroom where I can finally relax.

But I know this is not going to happen. I know that if I don't do this, she'll just get angry with me. And I don't want to deal with that.

"What do you want me to do?" I ask.

"Why don't you go put the table settings outside?" she says.

I get up and walk outside. I hear Mom start to work on the salads.

I pick up the plates, utensils and cups and walk to the patio. I place the items on the table and then head back inside.

"I'm going to go upstairs now," I say.

"You'll be down in fifteen minutes?" Mom asks.

"Yes," I say.

I walk up to my bedroom. It's a small room with a single bed, a dresser and a lamp. I don't really have much in the way of possessions.

I sit down on the bed, take off my boots, and, with a huge sigh, lie back.

As my body sinks into bed, I close my eyes. I feel my muscles relax, and I try to erase all thoughts from my mind.

But I can't shut my brain off. I can't erase the thoughts. The thoughts of the wolf. The thoughts of the prophecy.

I find myself lying in bed, staring at the walls. I feel my eyelids getting heavier, and I give in to the darkness.

I wake up with a start. I sit up and look around. At first, I'm confused. I don't know where I am.

And then, I remember. I'm in my room in my mom's pack's house. I'm in my bed. I was supposed to help get ready for the party downstairs.

I jumped up in panic and ran out of the room. I look at the clock. It's 6:30. I'm 15 minutes late. I can't believe I fell asleep. I run downstairs to see the party already in full swing.

Guests are walking around my living room, talking, laughing. I look by the fireplace and see Shelby.

She walks over to me.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

Yeah," I say. "I just fell asleep."

"You look exhausted," Shelby says.

"I am," I say. And it's the truth, though I don't entirely understand why.

"Want to get out of here?" she asks.

"Yeah."

"Come with me," she says.

We walk out the front door and onto the porch. We sit down side by side.

"So what's going on?" She asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, c'mon, Nicole. I've known you practically my whole life. I know when something's up. And something is very obviously up."

I stare at her for a moment. I want to tell her. It would feel so good to have someone to talk to about this. But I'm not sure I should.

"C'mon, Nic, it's me. You can trust me," she says.

Shelby knows me so well. She knows when I'm lying, and she knows when I'm motivated by something else, beyond the obvious.

No one in my pack knows me as well as she does. She's my best friend. If I can't trust her with this, I can't trust anybody.

And that seems like a very lonely way to live.

"It's just... it's been a really long, weird day," I say.

"Weird how?" she asks.

"I met the new alpha," I say.

She stares at me, wide-eyed.

"How am I just hearing about this now?!" she asks. "What happened? Tell me everything!"

"I-- I don't know. It wasn't sure how to explain it."

"Try," she says.

"He was different than I was expecting," I say.

"And..." she prompts, clearly getting impatient.

"He told me the real reason he'd come was to see me."

"Why?" she asks. "Why on earth would he be coming to see you?"

"He said it was because of this prophecy," I say.

"What prophecy?" she asks.

I don't say anything.

"Nic," she says. "Just tell me."

"That's the thing. I don't even know. Not really. He started talking about spirit wolves and origin stories, and then he just stopped."

"Stopped what?"

"Stopped talking. He said that was all he could say for now, but that he would come find me when I was ready."

"Weird," Shelby says.

"Yeah, weird." I agree.

I can tell from the look on her face that Shelby has thoughts she's not sharing. I don't blame her. This is a lot to take in.

But there's a look in her eyes that I can't quite place. And it scares me.