“That’s not what I meant. Maybe that was poor word choice.” He fidgeted with his pencil, rolling it between his hands. “You’re very… involved with my family and… the deeper you get, the harder it’s going to be later.”
I shot out of my chair to loom over him. “I knew the situation from the beginning. But if I get in too deep, it’s on me, so you don’t need to feel guilty.”
My throat felt thick and swollen. It’s not like I was under the delusion that Zack and his wonderful family were mine to keep, but I didn’t want to be limited in how much I was allowed to love while I had them.
He stood, too. “I’m thinking of you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“You’re really pissing me off, Zack.” A fresh round of tears waited just behind my eyes to be set free. I backed away as someone entered the room and lowered my voice to a hiss. “If you’ve changed your mind and don’t want to be with me, then just say so.”
The sounds of the classroom filling up were drowned out by the roaring in my head. I plopped down in my chair next to Zack, turning away to avoid looking at him. But I could feel his gaze on me. How dare he pull that crap on me again? He’d been pushing me away since I’d first laid eyes on him. Last time I’d checked, our plan was to enjoy each other and deal with his leaving when we had to. Was he rethinking that or just losing interest in me?
I glanced over at Zack, searching for the answer in his face. His eyes had darkened and the planes of his face hardened. But I couldn’t tell if it was anger, dislike or frustration.
The teacher cleared his throat and raised one brow. “Autumn, Zack. Would you prefer we leave the room so you can work things out? Or may I go ahead and get class started?”
My face heated and I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head.
“That’s a relief,” Mr. Hagar said dryly. “Please use a number two pencil. Anyone who doesn’t have one, raise your hand.”
Right! The quiz. Crap, I’d totally forgotten about that. I whipped out my pencil and resigned myself to doing poorly on the test since I was an emotional mess and hadn’t even studied.
As it turned out, my data absorption was tenfold since I’d hit shape-shifter maturity. I was pretty sure I’d answered all the questions correctly. At least there were benefits to being a shape-shifter, along with the drawbacks — like slavery or being killed.
Seconds before the end of class, I hesitated before rising. I wasn’t sure if Zack would walk with me or flee from my wrath. When the bell rang and his eyes locked on mine, tranquil waters replaced the earlier stormy ones.
Without a word, he reached for my hand and escorted me to my next class where he pressed a kiss to my forehead. Was he going to treat me like a little sister now? Whatever. I spun and stalked into the classroom without speaking a word to him.
When school let out, Zack was waiting for me by the Mustang with a look on his face that warned me things weren’t right. Was he ready to let me go now?
My stomach sank.
~~~
Chapter Seven
As I approached my car, Zack met me halfway. He stopped when we were a couple feet apart and I held my breath. Then his face softened and his arms opened for me. I dropped the backpack, stepped into his embrace and buried my face in his chest.
“I’m sorry.” He kissed the top of my head. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I want to save you from the pain but… looks like I’m making it worse and you’re just as screwed as the rest of us. If you still want to come with me, I’d really like you there.”
I raised my face to see him. “Okay, but please stop trying to save me.”
He sighed and squeezed me closer.
The tension dissipated as I leaned into him to drink in his musky scent. “So you still want to double date tomorrow?” I asked when we broke contact.
“Your call. I just want to be with you.” His fingertips caressed the nape of my neck.
Shivers danced on my skin. “We already told them we would.”
“Then it’s a double date.” Taking a deep breath, he released me. “But only if my mom is okay. Otherwise, I need to stay at the hospital.”
I nodded. “Of course.” I hoped for some miracle that she was feeling better. For her sake, as well as Zack’s.
† † †
Years ago, a friend of mine from the neighborhood had been in a car accident and I’d talked my parents into letting me visit her in the hospital. I remembered the pungent smells of antiseptics and cleaning solvents, the nurses in their colorful scrubs and sensible shoes.
But my friend had been dealing with broken bones and abrasions in the emergency room. I hadn’t been exposed to the diseases and illnesses of the terminal ward.
I could smell it now, the decay of life.
Zack wheeled Favianne through the double doors and over the worn linoleum to the waiting room. He relinquished the wheelchair to me when a nurse at the counter motioned him toward a stack of paperwork. I parked his mom near an empty chair, made sure she was comfortable, then sat next to her.
“How are you feeling?” My stomach sank at her pallid complexion. The only color on her face was in the dark circles under her eyes.
“I’ve been better.” She readjusted herself in the chair.
I could hear her lungs wheezing and the slow thump of her heart straining. At least she’d finally agreed to get medical help. I glanced over at Zack, wondering what was taking so long.
“Relax, sweetheart,” she rasped, like she was holding back a cough. “They’ll take me in soon.”
Zack turned around and headed our way, followed by a heavyset nurse. She grasped the handles of Favianne’s chair and glided it toward another set of double doors. Zack and I followed.
“I thought I told you not to come back,” the nurse chided.
Favianne laughed softly. “I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to irritate you, Winnie.”
“You didn’t have to go to such extremes. A phone call would suffice.”
Favianne laughed again. “You can blame it on Zack who coerced me into coming.”
“You got yourself a good boy there. He’s growing up just fine.” Winnie continued through the doorway of a small room and stopped at a narrow bed.
Zack scooped up his mother from the chair and gingerly laid her on the mattress. I secured a spot in the corner, away from the machines and other equipment, and watched Winnie take her blood pressure. I just hoped they could help her. And fast.
After taking her temperature, Winnie occasionally asked Favianne questions, like how long which symptoms had been going on, then made notes in a file.
Zack joined me in the corner to get out of Winnie’s way. He pressed his back against the far wall and held my hand while Winnie prepared a needle. Moments later, a vial began filling with blood.
“How ya feelin’, honey? Breathing easier?” Winnie asked as she removed the full vial.
Favianne nodded and smiled, but her droopy lids betrayed her exhaustion.
“The doctor will see you soon.” Winnie deftly applied a bandage to Favianne’s arm, patted her hand and shuffled out.
Zack and I crowded around the bed, being careful of the various contraptions. Although his face appeared calm, I could tell it was an act. His jaw was tight and a thin line kept appearing between his brows.
She squeezed his hand, then closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
I stayed by Favianne’s bed, trying to look like all the waiting wasn’t driving me half crazy while Zack paced the small room, pausing now and then to peer out into the hallway.
After several laps, he stopped in the doorway and blew out a breath. “Dr. Preston, thank you for seeing her so quickly.”
A man came into view wearing a white medical coat and a tight smile. After shaking Zack’s hand, the doctor flipped open Favianne’s chart. He positioned a stethoscope to her chest and a moment later shook his head, his lips thinning into a straight line.
“I’m ordering an x-ray stat,” he said.
“Meanwhile I’ll put a rush on the lab work. The culture takes about seventy-two hours, but if it’s pneumonia, which I suspect it is, we’ll see enough evidence in the x-ray to start her on antibiotics right away.”
Zack nodded.
“I’m not going to lie to you, son. I wish you’d brought her in sooner.” The doctor sighed. “You can stay a couple more minutes, then you’ll need to go to the waiting room while we do x-rays. I’ll have a look at them and speak with you as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, sir,” Zack replied.
† † †
I sorted through the magazines in the waiting area, looking for anything that wasn’t about parenting or health. Just as I gave up and abandoned the stack, I felt a familiar energy.
Werewolf.
Trying to avoid sudden moves that might draw the werewolf’s attention, I slowly dragged my eyes across the gray-blue rug and the off-white walls to a girl sitting just several yards away at the other end of the room.
As if sensing my eyes on her, she looked up from her own magazine and gave me a friendly smile. I returned it, but on the inside I was freaking out. Yeah, Zack said my scent would be difficult to pick up, but at some point that would change and I didn’t know when that would be.
She was the first female I’d come across and seemed far less intimidating than Charles or Renzo, but probably every bit as dangerous as them.
I grabbed a fitness magazine and let my dark hair fall forward to conceal my gaze. As I watched her on the sly, I quickly became fascinated by her flawless toffee-colored skin and tight curls that cascaded over her shoulders. Spaghetti straps curved over imposing yet feminine shoulders and held up a red, sweetheart neckline tank top. Black skinny jeans sat below a tiny waist and molded to her lean hips. She couldn’t have been much older than me.
“Don’t stare. We don’t want to call attention to ourselves,” Zack said so quietly at my temple that I almost hadn’t heard it.
A girl that pretty wouldn’t give our stares a second thought. She had to be used to it. But I averted my gaze to avoid any further interaction with her. As my eyes scanned the thin pages of the magazine I’d grabbed, instead of seeing the text before me, in my mind I saw the image of the girl. Who was she? Why was she there?
I was dying to talk to Zack, see if he recognized the she-wolf. But we couldn’t risk her sensing the energy that silent communication created. So I shifted in my chair, a ball of angst growing in the pit of my stomach.
Winnie approached and we rose from our chairs. “Dr. Preston is looking at your mother’s x-rays now. He’ll be ready for you shortly.” She gave Zack a reassuring smile and turned, the crisp fabric of her uniform whispering to the rhythm of her stride. We sat again, resuming our vigil.
After what seemed an eternity, we were led into an office with maroon carpet and cream walls. Zack and I each took an overstuffed chair opposite the doctor who sat behind a wide, wooden desk.
“It’s pneumonia, but it’s more advanced than I’d thought,” Dr. Preston began. My stomach tightened at his grave expression. “We’ve already started her on antibiotics, but with her compromised immune system, there’s no telling how quickly she’ll get better. If she gets better. She’ll stay overnight for observation and, hopefully, we’ll know more in the morning.”
“Thank you.” Zack’s voice sounded strained.
“Go home. If there are any complications, Winnie will call you.”
Zack shook his head. “No way. If there’s a chance she won’t make it through the night, I’m not going anywhere.”
“It’s not that bad. Yet. If the antibiotics don’t kick in soon, tomorrow could be a different story. But that’s tomorrow. Get a good night’s rest. You can call us in the morning and we’ll give you an update.”
Zack frowned. “No, thanks. I’ll stay.”
I ran my hand lightly over his arm. “If she’s really okay for tonight, you should get some sleep. What if she needs you tomorrow and you’re too wasted to be any use to her?”
“Um… Yeah, I guess you’re right.” His brows lowered, like he was still struggling with the idea.
I laced my fingers with his. “You’re not abandoning her. You’re just taking care of yourself, so you can do the same for her.”
He nodded and we rose together. Favianne didn’t stir as we crept into her room, but we said our good-byes to her anyway and took off. On the way home, Zack gazed silently out the passenger window while I drove.
“Since everyone knows I’m sleeping at your house, I don’t have to sneak in later, right?” I asked, stopping alongside the curb in front of his house. He nodded and reached for the door handle. “After my shower, I’ll come back, okay? Unless… unless you’d prefer to be alone.”
“No.” He swept a thumb across my cheek and his gaze fell on my mouth. “I want you with me.”
Well, if you ask like that…
Twenty minutes later, I returned wearing a soft, faded gray T-shirt and pink flannel lounge pants. Zack was camped out on the front steps. From the curb, vestiges of Aunt Cara’s earlier dinner tickled my nose. Lasagna probably. I was sorry to have missed it.
I lowered to sit next to him. My ears picked up on sounds inside the house — machine guns blaring from a video game as Mac and Trevor playfully threatened to kill each other, and Cara warning her younger boys it was bedtime. My body told me it was much later, like the kids should’ve been in bed hours ago. For all the energy I lacked, I may as well have been a slug.
“I slipped out to the woods while you were gone, so that’s done,” he said, bumping shoulders with me.
Right. Werewolves needed to run and morph every night. Since I didn’t have the same compulsion, it was easy to forget. I would’ve loved to go for a run and morph, whether I needed to or not, but I didn’t love the idea of losing out on time with Zack. I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.
The silence soothed me and the summer breeze warmed my skin. Angling my head to the right, I saw the full moon casting light through the dim streets. A couple blocks down, a dark figure slowly made its way toward us. By the gait and cowboy hat, I knew the man was Charles — the last person I wanted to intrude on my blissful moment with Zack. I silently warned him and he nodded, wrapping his hand around mine.
We waited as the werewolf strolled along the concrete in his own time.
“Howdy, neighbor,” he said, pausing in front of the steps.
“Hello,” Zack replied.
I smiled, but only enough not to appear rude.
“I was passing by earlier when you were carrying someone into the car. Your mother?”
“Yes, she had an appointment with her doctor.”
Charles nodded and glanced toward the street as he continued silently. Is she going to be all right?
Zack ran a hand through his hair. To be honest, I have no clue. Depends on how she responds to treatment, but she’s been sick for a long time, so…
“I see.” Charles nodded once. “I hope she feels better soon.”
“Thank you. Me too,” Zack said.
“Well…” Charles tipped his hat, smiled again and continued walking. “Good night.”
Zack sat rigid next to me and I couldn’t blame him. Charles reminded me of a vulture waiting for death so he could descend upon his prey. How would Favianne do during the night? It was too soon for her to go. Much too soon.
Chapter Eight
My eyes fluttered open as the morning sunlight strayed between the curtain panels. My head was on Zack’s chest, my arm slung over his ribs, and our legs were entwined. I snuggled closer against Zack.
If only I could stay this way forever. Alas, we had school. Ugh. I preferred the mall to studying any day. But on this particular Friday, clothes shopping and classes were the last things on my mind. I wondered how Favianne had fared through the night and what the doctor would tell us.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Zack rolled on top of me, pinning my arms over my head and nibbling on my neck
. “Mmm. This has to last me through the rest of the day.”
“Why?” Wouldn’t we be together the next few hours?
“You’re dropping me off at the hospital before you go to school, right?” His tongue flicked my earlobe, sending a tremor through me. “I won’t see you until after your last class.”
Tingles spread all the way to my toes as he trailed kisses down my neck and to my shoulder. “You’re not going to school? I thought maybe Cara would spend the day with your mom and you’d see her after.”
“Autumn, my mom’s in the hospital.” His head popped up and he raised his brows as if waiting for it to sink in. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Right.” I blinked, trying to get with the program.
“Aunt Cara’s been really worried, so she won’t be able to stay away. But since she’ll have other things to do, like pick up the boys, I want to make sure my mom is never alone.”
With Zack on top of me, concentrating on anything but the feel of his hand at my waist was a herculean task. “Did you call and check on her already?”
“Yeah. They think the antibiotics are working.” He rested his chin on my shoulder, his breath sending goose bumps over my skin.
“That’s great news, Zack.” I closed my eyes, wanting to stretch the minutes and keep him with me longer. “I wish I could miss school without them calling my parents.”
“If they’re shape-shifters, they’re probably on the run. The last thing they need is for you to throw them off track by getting into trouble at school.”
“So now you believe they’re shape-shifters?” Just great. Because stressing over whether Favianne lived another day wasn’t enough. Now I could worry if my parents would get captured by werewolves.
“I said if. I still think they’re human, but I can’t ignore how you barely smell like a shifter.” His mouth slanted over mine and my lips parted for him. Just as our tongues brushed, he abruptly withdrew. “Maybe they’re shifters and practically scentless like you. I have no idea. But if they are shape-shifters and school calls them, they’ll ask why you weren’t in school. You’ll have to lie or you can tell them you were with me. If they already know I’m a werewolf, hanging out with me isn’t going to sit well with them.”