He clucked his tongue. “I want to hate her for what she did to you, but I feel bad for her. Daniel’s evil. And she just doesn’t see it.”
I felt sorry for her, too. Hopefully she’d learn from the mess she’d made.
During the drive to the woods, Zack was quiet. Too quiet. I wanted to keep him talking, so I didn’t have to think about how unavailable he was. Or how I was being stalked by a crazed newly-made werewolf or that if I wasn’t careful, I could become a slave.
“That you know of, have there been any other werewolves around here besides Daniel and the two scouts?” I asked.
“I’ve noticed others over the last couple years, since I matured. But you mean lately?”
I nodded.
“When we first moved in with Aunt Cara, I ran across a couple wolves in the woods. As soon as they saw me, they took off running. I have no idea who they were and haven’t seen them since. I thought I sensed wolf a few times on errands for my mom. Once at the bank and another time at the grocery store. There were always too many people around, so I couldn’t locate where the energy was coming from.”
“If you sense an energy, it could easily be coming from a shape-shifter too, right?”
“I guess so,” Zack answered. “But I’m thinking that since they’re weaker, sensing their energy isn’t as easy. Like with you. Are you thinking of your parents?”
“Maybe.” I averted my gaze.
“If you find out they’re human, you won’t be able to tell them what’s going on. If they’re shifters, they’re in danger too. You should be prepared either way.”
Zack parked and we bailed from my car, in a hurry to feel the wind. As soon as we were in the tree covering, we ran. When we stopped, I realized Zack had turned into a wolf.
Shift, he told me as he raced past trees. Try something new.
As I kept up with Zack, I pictured a lion. My body vibrated a moment, my step faltered, and then I was on all fours. I sprinted to catch up with him.
Zack slowed until I was running beside him. Nice. I guess you like cats. You’re the total opposite of me.
What a tool. Why did he take every opportunity to remind me how different we were and that it wasn’t going to happen between us? Just when I felt like I might forgive him, he’d do it again. I veered off to get away before I swiped at him. Zack followed.
As we sprinted through the forest, I quickly bored of being a lion. Cheetahs were supposed to be fast, weren’t they? I slowed to a stop, intending to morph. My body quivered and nausea rose up. My eyes blurred as I watched Zack become a boy again.
“Go to your human form first. Do it now!”
I fell to the ground, trees swirling around me as I shifted back to human. Thankfully, I’d worn all natural fibers.
He loomed over me, grasping my hand. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. The nausea is passing.” I used the back of my hand to wipe the perspiration from my forehead.
“Human is your other half. It stabilizes you. Always go back before shifting into anything else.”
“Got it.” Something pulled at me. Something different. Something I needed to see. My eyes drifted to his chest, down his abdomen. “You look nice.”
Zack’s hands shot below his hips to cover his junk, but it was too late. I’d seen it all.
I sat up and grinned. “Now we’re even.”
“Where are my clothes?” He morphed back into a wolf and disappeared into the trees.
I turned into a cheetah, quickly catching up to him.
I saw more of you than you saw of me, Zack bragged silently.
You keep telling yourself that. I laughed which ended up sounding like a cross between a meow and a hiss.
After a few minutes of racing through the forest, Zack suggested we head home. He didn’t want to risk running into Daniel, just in case he decided to switch forests, too. And there were at least two other werewolves around to be wary of.
“You’re improving.” The engine purred to life and Zack put it in drive. “And you morphed twice. Not as tired tonight?”
“I’m good,” I said, enjoying the open window and the breeze on my face.
He glanced over at me. “Um, Autumn…”
Usually confidence oozed from Zack, but now he seemed a little uncertain. Would he apologize? Perhaps say he’d changed his mind, because he can’t stop thinking about kissing me again? That he wants to be with me despite the danger. Forever.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Did you do my homework or do I still need to do it tonight?”
I’d worked myself up into impossible fantasies and the only thing on his mind was homework? I sighed and turned toward the window, the air drying the would-be tears from my eyes. “I did it earlier. How did you ever manage without me, Zack?”