Watching them go, my brain went into overdrive trying to process recent information, or lack thereof. Even with all my questions, I didn't see any better options. Before I could turn back to my sister, she threw an arm around me.
"What do we do?" she asked.
"I don't know, but my gut tells me this is the best place for us. For now. I certainly have no interest in trying to figure all this out on our own, especially without Dad."
Am?lie nodded. "Me, either. Still, I don't like some of these feelings I'm having, and I think I'm hungrier than I've ever been."
I couldn't help but smile. Even though she was twenty months older, I was usually the leader. "Are you up for this? I have to say, it's not where I saw my life going."
Although I wanted to throw myself on the ground in a full-blown toddler tantrum, our destiny seemed out of our hands. I wasn't going to roll over and accept defeat, or worse, end up in a battle without allies. After seeing those vampires, I knew we wouldn't last long without help. Pushing back concerns about the creatures we were now and what that meant, I straightened my spine.
"I truly think we're safest here, especially until we hear from Dad."
"If we hear from Dad," Am?lie said.
I clutched her hand and touched my forehead to hers. "At least we have each other."
Walking toward the kitchen with Madeleine, and flanked on either side by Rafe and Rowan, I tried to calm my nerves. I wasn't sure how long we'd been here and what it meant to be a werewolf. It still sounded so absurd, even in my own mind, to say the word.
Werewolf.
Everything I knew was based on fiction books and movies, but none of it made me excited to embrace this new creature lurking within me. Werewolves were mad beasts with sharp fangs and big teeth. I shuddered at the thought.
"Are you okay?" Madeleine whispered.
Before I could answer, we were in the kitchen. A few more male faces filled the room. Total, there might have been fifteen of us. We were ushered to a table. Rowan and Rafe each pulled out a chair and we sat. Water and steaming bowls of beef stew were placed in front of us. Madeleine didn't hesitate to pick up a spoon and dig in. I watched for a second, and then took a few nibbles. In no time, my bowl was empty and my stomach full.
Rafe sat next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Do you feel better?"
I did, and it wasn't just from the food. His touch sent a ripple of heat through me, which was oddly comforting. "I do."
"So, when does training start?" Madeleine asked.
Leave it to her to get right down to business. I'd prefer to have a few more questions answered and take a few days to ease into our new life.
Rowan chuckled. "A bit later. The hardest part will be shifting, so we'll start with that. Then, we'll work on fighting and the best tactics to use against vampires and other creatures. Vampires, specifically, can be tricky. And, if you didn't notice, they're hard to kill."
I didn't remember much from that night, but nothing could erase the image of a sword halfway through a man's neck. To make matters worse, Rowan mentioned other creatures. Then, another thing he said reverberated through my mind, begging for an answer.
"Did you say something about shifting? I assume you're talking about when we turn into werewolves." Why was the word so hard to say out loud? "Wait," I said after further thought. "Doesn't that depend on the full moon?"
"No, we shift when we want. There are a few species who stay in wolf form, though not many, but we won't introduce you to those until you have more experience," Rafe said.
I opened my mouth to ask more questions, but then clamped it shut. Every thought running through my head felt juvenile or stupid. Then again, for a newbie in this world, what question wouldn't be stupid? It's not like I had any experience. Yet, I was oddly calm. Shouldn't I be freaking out? Maybe if Madeleine wasn't here, I'd be more alarmed.
"So, when do we start?" Madeleine asked again.
Even though I loved her, I wanted to strangle her. I often admired her impetuous tendencies; at least until she pulled me along for the ride.
"How about now?" Rafe asked, pushing his chair back.
Madeleine collected her bowl, spoon, and cup and headed to the sink before I could even begin to stand. Why did she always go full steam ahead?
"Let me help," Rowan said, taking my things and motioning me to follow.
"Thanks."
Rafe and Madeleine were already heading out of the room.
"Guess my sister is adjusting a little quicker than I am."
"Don't worry, you'll find your groove. Rafe and I were turned at the same time, not that long ago, and we're still learning. Actually, you'll find you always have something to learn because the threat keeps changing." Rowan put his hand on the small of my back. "This way."
His touch felt reassuring, but it definitely created a different response than when his brother touched me.
"We'll show you to your room first. You'll want to put on some tennis shoes and pack a bag of extra clothes. Grab a towel, too."
Although the shoes made sense, I wasn't sure why we'd need extra clothes, but I kept moving. Up ahead, Madeleine chatted up Rafe. I couldn't hear anything, but I could tell my sister was hanging on every word he said; the way she tilted her body into his and occasionally reached out to touch his arm. She even swung her ponytail a couple times.
I shook my head at the sight and took in a deep breath. Madeleine and Rafe turned and went through a doorway, and Rowan and I joined them. It was a modest room with bunk beds, a desk, a trunk, and a dresser.
"The bathroom's down the hall on your right, so you know. For now, just grab some tennis shoes and those bags in the corner. They should have everything you need."
How did they know our sizes? It was one of the million questions bombarding my brain, and quite low on the list in importance. But it was one I could handle. Madeleine and I actually wore the same size shoes, so we each grabbed a pair and a bag and followed the boys. They led us outside. I didn't know what day or time it was. Although I guessed it must be early evening based on the setting sun.
An extended cab pickup was parked in the driveway. Rafe opened the driver's side door and motioned toward the back seat. I went in first and Madeleine followed. Closing us inside, he got up front to drive while Rowan crawled into the passenger's seat.
"We're going to head into the woods for some cover. Some of our friends will protect our perimeter just in case."
Madeleine and I nodded. I reached over and squeezed her hand, thinking how sad it was we hadn't held hands this much since we were little kids.
"Are we really doing this?" I whispered.
She never looked my way, staring straight ahead. "Yes. What choice do we have?"
Following her lead, I sat up straighter and pushed my shoulders back. She was right; we didn't have any options. At least we were together. And, until we heard otherwise, there was still hope Dad was alive. Collapsing into an emotional pile of goo wouldn't help anyone.
Mom's face filled my head and heart. We hadn't had a chance to grieve or even bury her. It didn't feel real that she was gone. Then, I remembered an earlier consideration. Wouldn't people be looking for us? At some point, police must've shown up. At the very least, friends would've noticed when Madeleine and I didn't come to school.
Lost in my thoughts, Rowan's voice in the otherwise silent car startled me. "The easiest way to shift, especially when you're new, is to be scared or angry. Later, you can do it with less pain and simple concentration."
Pain? My eyes widened, and I shot a glance at my sister to see if she had the same reaction to the word.
"It'll be okay," she whispered, with no change in expression.
"We're here," Rafe announced as the car slowed to a stop.
It was darker now, and we were in a dirt parking lot. Rafe got out and opened the back door. As Madeleine and I exited the car, I took in our surroundings. There wasn't much to look at other than some dirt, trees, and an obscure path.
"We'll
hike in a little way before we start training. There's water and a few energy bars in your bag in case you need them."
Rafe grabbed a couple of backpacks from the bed of the truck and tossed one to Rowan. I saw a trailhead with a brown marker sign and gate and turned toward it.
"No, we're going this way," Rafe said.
Readjusting, I noticed the group heading in the opposite direction. We appeared to be going off trail. I was a trail sort of girl, someone who appreciated rules and structure. But I wasn't going anywhere alone. With a sigh, I caught up.
***
Any other night, I'd be thrilled at the prospect of heading into the woods with two hot guys. My friends would be salivating over Rafe and Rowan. But, no, as fate would have it, I was heading into the woods to learn how to shift into a werewolf for the first time.
Every time fear crept into my brain, I pushed it aside. I could tell Am?lie was barely keeping it together. She stuck to me like glue, and her eyes widened at every new sound. An owl hooted a few feet into our walk, and she almost fell over. Focusing on her need kept me from giving into my own concerns. I remembered the sound of terror in Mom's voice when she faced those vampires. Nobody was going to take anything else away from me; at least, not without a fight. I had to protect my sister. If that meant being a werewolf, then I was going to be the best one I could be. I didn't have time for fear or questions.
With my mind racing, I almost ran into the back of Rafe when he stopped.
"This looks like a good spot to get started," he said, throwing his backpack to the ground.
Am?lie and I tossed our bags into the same area. When I turned around to see what to do next, I stood face-to-face with the biggest wolf I'd ever seen. Before I could react, Am?lie screamed. Throwing my head in her direction, I noticed another wolf circling her. When it lurched forward, I jumped over to protect my sister.
With the movement came a thousand stabbing pains and an intense headache.
"Good job, Madeleine."
It was Rafe's voice, but I couldn't see him anywhere.
Pushing through the pain, I spun around and tried to find my sister. She was huddled against a tree with her right arm over her face. I walked over to comfort her, and she scrambled away and wailed.
"It's me!" I yelled, but all I heard was growling. Then, it hit me; I'd transformed.
"Quiet your mind. Walk over slowly." This time it was Rowan's voice.
They were in my head. I wanted to swat their voices away like a circling bee, but I remembered Mom always said a bee would strike if threatened. Freaking out wasn't going to help my sister, no matter how much I wanted to give into the temptation.
I calmed myself, slowed my motions, and concentrated on pushing my thoughts to her. "Am?lie, it's Madeleine. Can you understand?"
She tilted her head and relaxed her body. "Madeleine?"
I edged closer but left some space for comfort.
With exaggerated footsteps, she walked toward me, extending her trembling hand. Her eyes narrowed, but she maintained her ground. I didn't move, worried it would send her huddling back against the tree. My heart raced, beating at a much faster pace than usual. I lowered myself to the ground-a movement very similar to the one we'd taught our dog to do for a treat-and she closed the distance. Falling on one knee and then the other, she laid a hand on my head. My pulse rate slowed, and I felt myself slip away.
"Madeleine, can you hear me?"
As I peeled my eyes open, Rowan's face came into view.
"What happened?" I managed as I tried to sit up.
"You turned, but you passed out when you changed back," Am?lie said.
More aware of my surroundings, I felt a blanket draped over me. I clutched it close. It was all that was between the cold air and me; somewhere along the way, I'd lost my clothes. My sister's face came into view as she knelt beside me.
"Did you turn?" I asked, still trying to shake off the fogginess in my head.
"No," Rafe answered instead as he reached a hand out.
I took it, and he pulled me to standing. At first, I thought I might collapse again, but he put an arm around my mid-section, and I leaned into him for support.
"Actually, your sister is an interesting one," he whispered into my ear.
Interesting? I wasn't sure what they meant. And why did the way he looked at her bother me so much?
"Why don't we head back to the house? Training will start early, and I'm sure you both need some sleep." Rowan grabbed the bags and tossed me some clothes. "You might feel more comfortable if you put these on first."
I caught them mid-air but lost my coverage in the process. Refusing to acknowledge my nakedness or how much of it the guys had seen, I gathered the clothes and turned away from everyone. Am?lie came over and held the blanket up so I'd have some privacy. Although it made sense that my clothes didn't survive the shift, public nudity was not on my bucket list. I chalked it up to another thing I'd have to accept.
Once I dressed, we made our way back to the car. None of us said a word. I couldn't wait to get back to the house and interrogate Am?lie about the night's events. As questions darted around my brain, the interior of the back seat closed in on me. Before I could panic, Am?lie began stroking my hair. By the time we pulled into the driveway, I was calmer.
Everything was dark and quiet in the house when we arrived. It was the perfect excuse to head to our room. We exchanged good nights with Rafe and Rowan and closed our door.
"Please, fill in some details. I remember coming toward you, and then, well, nothing." I'd never fainted before, and I didn't like the loss of control.
"Something happened when I touched you. Rafe and Rowan weren't totally sure what to make of it. I heard your voice in my head, as well as your heart racing. I was worried about you, and I wanted to make you feel better." She paced the room, using exaggerated hand movements. "They said they'd never seen anything like it."
I tried to replay the evening's events in my mind. "You looked so scared, and I knew I had to try to communicate with you. You seemed to hear me, but I wasn't totally sure. Did you hear Rafe and Rowan?"
She stood by the window, wringing her hands while she swayed back and forth. "I heard garbled noises, like a television show on in the background, but I couldn't make out anything until your voice came through."
Was it because we were sisters? I hadn't heard any voices until I was in wolf form, but she'd never shifted.
"How long was I out?"
"Not long. Rafe and Rowan came up within a few minutes. I didn't even notice them shift back," she said. Her body finally stopped moving, but I could see wetness around her eyes. "I don't know what to think about any of this. Mom's dead, Madeleine. She's gone! We have no clue where Dad is, or if he's even alive."
She collapsed on the bed. I walked over and sat next to her.
"Oh, and there are vampires running around; ones who want to kill us. As if that wasn't enough, we're werewolves. It's like a horrible nightmare."
I held her as she emptied her tears. Although I wanted to do more, to say something to make it all better, I couldn't find the words. It was too much. Everything before the vampires attacked was another lifetime; nothing about it seemed real anymore. Only one option remained: survival.
My body was being moved, but I fought the sensation, determined to stay wrapped in Rafe's arms. Resistance was futile, as the person refused to give up.
"Come on, we have a lot to do today."
Rafe slipped away as Madeleine's voice broke through. It was a dream. Disappointed, I opened my eyes. "All right, all right, I'm getting up." I swatted at her hand and then sat up.
Light had only just begun to filter into the room. Looking around, I didn't see any kind of clock. "What time is it?"
"I have no clue. Rafe popped in about fifteen minutes ago."
His name brought back images from last night, both real and not. I threw the covers off and pulled my knees to my chest, not quite ready to face another day of werewolf lore and
training. My stomach had other ideas, sounding out in protest to my slow movements.
"Guess you're hungry," Madeleine said. "I smell bacon, so I say we follow the scent. I laid some clothes at the end of your bed. The dresser is full of the basics, so not a lot of choices. Are you okay if I head to the kitchen and you meet me there?"
Grabbing the house uniform-all anyone seemed to wear were dark gray or black workout pants and tank tops-I nodded.
"See you in a few."
When she left the room, I gathered my stuff and headed to the bathroom. Nobody was milling about the hall, so I assumed everyone was at breakfast. Worried taking time for a shower would mean a missed meal, I changed quickly and washed my face. My reflection caused an abrupt halt to my morning activity. I reached up and touched my face, surprised by its softness. My brown hair had flecks of gold I'd never noticed before, and my eyes were a more intense shade of blue. After everything I'd been through, I expected to see a ragged image staring back. Instead, for the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. Madeleine was always the more obvious stunner, with her raven hair and bright blue eyes.
Still, if Madeleine decided she wanted Rafe, I didn't think I could compete.
Wow. Where'd that thought come from? Why was I so drawn to him? Our lives were complicated enough right now without me mooning over some boy. Shaking off my feelings, I brushed my teeth and hair-thanks to the supplies found in the small kit left on my bed with my clothes.
When I opened the door to the bathroom, Rowan stood there with a closed hand raised. I threw my hand to my chest and let out a squeal.
"Sorry, I was just about to knock. I didn't see you or Madeleine in your room and thought one of you might be in here."
Exhaling, I smiled. "Just me. Madeleine already left for breakfast."
"Okay, want to walk there with me?"
I nodded and followed. When I was around Rafe, heat rushed through my body. Rowan provided a sense of safety-a warmth quite different in intensity-and I was grateful. I heard the buzz of activity before we entered the kitchen: pots clanging, people chatting, a tea kettle screaming. My eyes darted to where my sister and Rafe were sitting. I couldn't suppress a moment of jealousy when I saw no empty seats around them.
"We better get some grub before it's gone," Rowan said, directing me toward the counter.