They were fidgety and eyeing other’s food through the window.
I crept over to them, not knowing how they’d respond to me—or me to them. They seemed sincerely hungry.
“I thought you were at Brandon’s,” I said.
“Uh…we were,” Leopold said.
“What are you guys doing hanging out here?” I asked.
“Just getting some air,” Hunter replied.
“Where is Ryder?” I wondered aloud.
“He’s out somewhere,” Leopold replied.
“By himself?”
“He’s a big boy,” Hunter said.
“Well, why don’t you go inside and eat instead of drooling outside?”
They just hung outside instead of going in.
“You don’t have any money,” I said. Often, I’d given money to the homeless in our area, and though these two didn’t look as down and out, they did seem like they hadn’t eaten in days. And if they were truly werewolves, their hunger was more significant than most.
“I thought Brandon was paying you to work.”
“He was, but Ryder took it,” Leopold lamented, embarrassed.
I opened the door. “C’mon,” I said.
They followed me into the restaurant.
“You don’t have to do this,” Leopold said.
“How else are you going to eat? Table for three,” I said.
They eyed the menu as if they hadn’t eaten in days.
“Get whatever you like,” I said.
“You don’t have to do this,” Leopold repeated.
“It’s okay.”
They each ordered a few sandwiches as the waiter looked at them.
“Nothing for me,” I said.
“We’re sharing,” Hunter said as if apologizing for their huge order.
“I thought Brandon and his grandmother were giving you meals,” I said.
“They were…” Hunter said.
“He just stopped? That doesn’t make any sense. Brandon is gracious, not cruel.”
“He takes all the food,” Leopold finally admitted.
“Brandon does?” I asked, shocked.
Hunter shook his head.
“Oh, Ryder. I should have known.” This time I shook my head.
The waiter brought over two large sodas while I texted my friends. They were running late, so I took the opportunity to pump Ryder’s friends for information.
“So, are you excited about the Werewolf Fest?” I asked.
“Yes,” Leopold said. “It will be a blast.”
“Why are you both so interested in werewolves?” I questioned.
“Same reason everyone else is,” Hunter replied.
“But you don’t live in Legend’s Run. Huntington doesn’t have a werewolf legend, does it?” I pressed.
“It does, but it’s not as known.”
“Really?” I wasn’t as surprised as I should have been.
“Yes, it’s not like you guys own werewolves or anything,” Hunter said.
“Be nice,” Leopold said.
“I mean the legend thing.” Hunter sighed. “It happened in Huntington, too.”
“What happened?”
“Werewolves. Apparently your Legend’s Run werewolf—or werewolves—made his way to Huntington.”
“So, that is why you are interested?” I asked. “Because of one of Huntington’s historical residents?”
“It is still happening,” Hunter said quietly.
“Ssh!” Leopold said.
Just then the waiter brought their several plates of food. The guys immediately began wolfing down their meals.
“Maybe it isn’t such a good idea that you guys are in town,” I said. “Just because Ryder wants to be here doesn’t mean you both have to be as well.”
They both chewed their food and gulped their sodas.
“I know he’s bent on finding…girlfriends,” I said.
They continued eating and didn’t respond.
“I just don’t want trouble for you,” I continued.
“You mean for you?” Hunter corrected.
“Shh,” Leopold scolded his friend.
“For any of us,” I shot back.
My phone buzzed with a text from Ivy informing me they had arrived at the coffee shop a few doors down.
I picked up the check and looked at it. I dug in my purse and got out enough money for the bill and the tip. I placed it on top of the check.
Leopold grabbed my hand.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “I guess I know why he likes you.”
I felt awkward and blushed slightly. “You don’t have to tell him about this,” I said as I rose.
“Trust me,” Hunter said. “He’ll know. He knows everything.”
I felt a sudden chill go through me as I headed out of the restaurant.
FIFTEEN
werewolf fest
I was heading outside to walk Champ when I spotted Nash sauntering up my driveway. “Hey, Celeste,” he said.
“Oh…hi,” I said.
“I really have to thank you and Brandon for what you both have done,” he said. “You know, he really is like you—generous.”
I half smiled. I was pleased that Nash was so appreciative about Brandon and recognized the wonderful traits I saw.
“But—I’m also sorry. I was so obsessed with becoming cured, I couldn’t see beyond that. What it really meant for you—Brandon—the town. I guess I should have tried to help.”
“There’s nothing you can do about it now,” I said.
“Well, at least we know the cure works. No side effects. All we have to do is have Brandon take it,” he said.
“There are other werewolves in town. I told you. Brandon won’t take the serum.”
“What are you talking about? He has to.”
“You know what I’m talking about. I already told you this. Tonight at the fest. Ryder and his friends are planning to try to convert me.”
Nash groaned. “What did I do? I should have waited like you asked.”
“I understand why you did that. I’m not sure what I would have done.”
“I know what you would have done,” Nash said. “You would have waited another day just because I asked you to. And because it might have been the right thing to do. That’s who you are. But I’m not like you, am I?”
“It was a difficult choice,” I said.
“It was right there in front of me. I didn’t want to be a werewolf. Not even for one more night. That’s all I was thinking about.”
“I understand.”
“But I can help you out now. I am still strong and can protect you and Ivy and Abby.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “We are going to stay at my house tonight. And those guys think we’ll be at the fest, so they’ll never know where we really are.”
“I’ll come over, too. I’ll be your bodyguard.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said. But it did sound like a good idea to have someone with us.
“I insist. It’s the least I can do.”
“So Brandon will be a werewolf alone—trying to ward off those guys, and you’ll come to my house and watch movies? No, I’d rather you keep an eye out at the fest, just in case Brandon needs help.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, and maybe you could bring Jake and Dylan, too. We might need the extra muscle.” “I am still so surprised you aren’t going to the festival tonight,” my mom said when she got home from work. I was straightening up the family room and double-checking that we had enough snacks for the evening.
“We’re not into werewolves,” I told her.
“But they’ll be showing movies, and people will be dressing up in costumes. I would think you’d want to do it, if only to see everyone in town. Besides, when we took you and your sister last time it came around, you loved it.”
“I was seven,” I said, putting a stack of movies next to the TV. But the truth was, I did love it then, and I knew I would
have loved it this time, too. If I didn’t think we were in serious danger, I would be having the time of my life. Not only would I be hanging out with my friends, watching scary werewolf movies and eating such treats as bloodred licorice and French-fried fangs, but Brandon would be able to be in front of everyone in his lycan form and they’d just think he was dressing for the festival. I did feel awful missing the best event in this town in ten years. I’d have to wait until I was twenty-seven to attend the next one. However, I knew I was doing the right thing.
It was after eight. Ivy and Abby still hadn’t shown up. I was starting to get worried. Had Ryder already gotten to them? I texted Ivy.
I waited a few minutes until she texted back.
With Jake at the fest. Sorry. We just got here. He wanted to enter the contest. PDHM.
Please Don’t Hate Me? My best friends stood me up—and now I was going to be all alone. I’m sure I’d be safe at home—but what if I wasn’t?
I had to go now, too. Fuming, I rushed to put on my Red Riding Hood outfit from Halloween. Who knew, but it might also protect me from Ryder finding me. I grabbed my purse and keys and jumped into my car and headed straight for the Werewolf Festival.
There was a lot of traffic as I approached downtown—the location of the festival. Everything was decorated with balloons, and I could already see werewolves of all shapes and sizes walking up and down the street.
The last time I attended the fest, I was seven, and I remembered sitting out on the lawn with my family. Even Juliette enjoyed it. But now I was approaching the fest on my own, trying to find my own real werewolf. All kinds of werewolves roamed the street—masked ones, painted ones, cartoon ones.
Food and souvenir vendors lined the street, and a huge white tent was in the middle park area. The main street was closed to traffic, but I could see from where I was that all spaces in view were occupied. If I couldn’t find a parking place, I’d be stuck driving around all night and wouldn’t be able to catch up to my friends.
I called Brandon as I sat in traffic.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m at the fest. Are you having fun with your friends?”
“What friends? They stood me up. They are here somewhere.”
“Here?” he asked. “Where are you?”
“Trying to find a parking space.”
“I’m by Sixth Street. There are some empty lots.”
I passed a guy who was parking and drove toward Sixth Street. I saw Brandon on the corner, pointing to a vacant space.
I pulled in, and Brandon kindly gave the lot owner money.
I took a moment to catch my breath. Brandon was standing in the lot, barefoot and shirtless, his chest heaving like he’d run a race. His hair was wildly long and untamed. I ran up to him and kissed him.
“What happened to your plans?” he asked when we drew apart.
“They didn’t come,” I said, disappointed. “So I’m here.”
“Well, I guess we tried,” he said. “I’ll just have to keep an eye out for you. You promise not to leave my side?”
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” I said.
We walked a few blocks to the entrance of the festival.
I called Ivy, but she didn’t answer.
Then I called Abby. She didn’t answer her phone, either.
“How am I going to find them?” I asked.
The whole town was out for the festival.
It really was a splendid event, if I hadn’t been so distracted by everything.
“Do you know where Ryder is?” I asked.
“I tried to get him to meet me—so we could go together. But he ditched me, too.”
“We’ve both been stood up tonight,” I said.
“I’d much rather be with you,” he said. “Under the full moonlight. It really agrees with you. You are so beautiful.”
I couldn’t help but blush and leaned into him, giving him a tight squeeze.
Just then we heard screaming.
“What’s that?” I asked.
Fear shot through me. All I could think of was Ivy and Abby being attacked by Ryder and his friends.
We raced in the direction of the scream and when we arrived, we saw that it was only a few girls riding a mini–roller coaster.
“I guess I’m a bit jumpy,” I said.
I heard someone call my name from behind me.
“Celeste!”
I turned around. It was Ivy, Abby, Dylan, and Jake. Dylan and Jake were dressed haphazardly as werewolves, with drawn-on beards and plastic fangs. And Ivy and Abby both were pretty as damsels in distress, with torn outfits.
“We are so sorry,” Ivy said.
“Will you forgive us?” Abby asked.
I was angry. How could I not be? But I had other things to worry about now.
“Finally, we are all here,” I said. “We need to stick together. There is safety in numbers.”
“Afraid a werewolf will get us?” Ivy asked, giggling.
“Yes,” I said truthfully.
“Well, Brandon can save us,” Abby said. “He’s always doing that—and tonight he even looks like a werewolf.”
“The costume contest is going to be in an hour,” Abby said. “How about having some fun until then?!”
We all headed for the rides, where we bought tickets and rode the Octopus, the Scrambler, and finally the Ferris wheel. When Brandon and I were at the top, the ride stopped to let another group on. We looked around from our bird’s-eye view to see if we could spot any real werewolves.
“I don’t see them,” I said.
“It’s hard when everyone looks like werewolves.”
“That’s what they were counting on,” I said.
As the Ferris wheel started up again, an announcement came over the loudspeaker calling all contestants to the stage to enter the werewolf costume contest.
We all headed over. One by one, the boys filled out the entry forms and took their places onstage. So did Ryder’s crew.
Many people participated. The contestants walked across the stage in front of the howling crowd.
The two judges were local radio celebrities who made notes as they examined the contestants.
After several rounds of eliminations, five contestants were chosen to stand onstage: Ryder, Leopold, Hunter, Nash, and Brandon.
No one knew that four of the five were really werewolves—and the fifth used to be one.
The emcee pulled at Hunter’s red beard. “This seems real,” he said. “Did you grow this just for the contest?”
The crowd laughed.
“Yes,” Hunter said. “And the fangs, too.” He grinned, flashing his wolf fangs. The emcee stepped back.
“Wow—those look real. I think there’s a wolf out there tonight that is missing some teeth.”
The crowd laughed again.
“The four runners-up will win fifty dollars each,” the emcee continued. “And our grand-prize winner will take home one hundred.
“And now, for our grand-prize winner, the Legend’s Run werewolf for the evening goes to…Nash Hamilton!”
Ivy, Abby, Jake, and Dylan cheered with delight at Nash’s victory. I couldn’t believe the irony. Nash was the winner? The only one who wasn’t a werewolf? I had to crack up inside. It was really so odd that the real werewolves weren’t recognized as such. And it appeared Nash was really excited by his victory, as he threw his hands in the air, while Leopold and Hunter seemed disappointed and scoffed as they left the stage. I watched Ryder glare at Brandon as they walked backstage. Within a moment, the real werewolves disappeared.
Brandon eventually found us standing in the waiting area. When Nash joined us, Ivy and Abby congratulated him on his prize.
“Where is Ryder?” I asked.
“I don’t know. He slipped out,” Nash said.
“That means he could be anywhere.” I was concerned.
“I know.” Nash shook his head in frustration. “I should have kept my eye on him.”
/> “We’re going to the candy stand,” Ivy said.
“And we’re going to the movie,” Abby said. “We can all meet up in fifteen minutes.”
“No,” I said, “we have to stay together.”
But my friends and their boyfriends were already heading off in separate directions.
“What do we do now?” I asked Brandon.
He looked around as if he was longing to have fun like everyone else.
“We should be able to enjoy this,” I told him. “But instead…”
“Well, why can’t we? As long as you are next to me, nothing can happen to you.”
He grabbed my hand tightly.
“Let’s at least enjoy some of the fest,” he said.
He led me to the games while I glanced around, thinking at any moment Ryder would be stalking me.
Brandon and I played some of the games and soon we were lost in our own world, laughing, talking, and winning a prize.
“Pick one out from the top row,” the carnival operator said to Brandon.
“It’s for you,” he told me. “Pick out whichever one you want.”
Stuffed bears in every color lined the wall. “I’d like that one,” I said, pointing to a cute pink one.
The carnival operator pulled the teddy down and handed it to me. I squeezed it with all my might, then gave my handsome boyfriend a squeeze, too.
“I love it,” I said.
When we released our embrace, I turned around and bumped into someone.
“Excuse me,” I said.
“Excuse me.” The voice was deep and calm. I looked up. It was Ryder.
He took my hand. “I was hoping I would bump into you tonight.” His wolf fangs caught the moonlight.
I pulled back my hand, but he didn’t let go. Ryder’s short, spiky hair was long and wavy. He had a thin layer of dark facial hair, and his eyes were intensely gray.
I was afraid he was going to try to bite me.
“Hey—” Brandon said, moving toward Ryder. “Let her go.”
Ryder caressed my hand before releasing it. “I guess no one believes we are werewolves,” he said.
I backed away, and Brandon stood between us.
“I saw your friends earlier,” Ryder said. “We are going to meet up later. Maybe you can join us, too. I was hoping we could all be one happy family.”