Entangled

Chapter 2

Caleb

I looked for the new girl at lunch but didn't see her in the cafeteria, and there was no way I was going to ask Ford if he'd heard anything about her. I would never hear the end of it if I did.

And since I didn't want everyone else to think I was some kind of stalker, I kept my questions to myself even after I heard about what had happened with Mia in the hallway this morning.

One thing I was sure about: There was something about the new girl that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Luckily, at track practice after school, I didn't have much time to think about anything other than how Coach Carson seemed determined to make each of us cough up a lung.

That was helpful, I guessed.

"Seriously, whoever thought it was a good idea to let that man be in charge of minors has got a screw loose," I said, my voice bouncing around the shower room.

This got a laugh from a couple of the other guys, even if they looked half-ready to pass out.

As for me, I could have run for another few miles, but not because I was some kind of superhero. That was the way it always was after I had shifted, at least when I did it between full moons. You would think all that running around last night would have made me tired or sore, but for a few days after shifting, I always felt better.

About everything, actually.

That was why I had left the end-of-summer party early. I had made some excuse to Ford about needing to babysit my little sister, but I had sneaked off to run loose, instead. I didn't like lying to him, but the alternative could get both of us into deep trouble if anyone ever found out, though I never did anything all that interesting when I shifted.

As a wolf, all I ever did was ramble through the woods, just enjoying the freedom of it, but even if I didn't hurt anyone, I was still breaking the rules.

I called up the memory of the wind in my fur, the taste of the woodsy air on my tongue. It was easier than I expected. These days, I could remember almost all of what happened while I was shifted, at least when I did it between full moons. I wasn't sure if that was weird, and it wasn't like I could ask my Mom or anyone else about it.

I hoped the effects of last night's shift would stay with me for a while, maybe long enough to put off the next out-of-bounds run for a whole week, if I was lucky. The urge would inevitably hit me again, but for now, I didn't want to think about what it would be like to feel the restlessness tearing at my muscles again, knowing how useless it was to try and resist the urge to sneak off and run free.

Deep down, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist it. I'd been trying to off and on for the past couple of months, ever since I accidentally wolfed out during an early-morning jog.

The trouble was, it was just too damn fun not to give into temptation.

I rinsed off, toweled up, and headed over to my locker to pull on some fresh clothes.

"I give her a B+," Zach said. "Tops."

Paul snorted. "Man, get your eyes checked. That girl's an A."

I had an idea of who they were talking about, and something about it was already rubbing me the wrong way even though it was really none of my business.

"A-minus, maybe." In the corner of my eye, I saw Zach shake his head as he rolled on some deodorant. "She'd be hotter if she didn't dress like she was on her way to granny's funeral."

Another guy, Joey, snorted. "Come on. You know old lady Alderwood's not kicking the bucket anytime soon. That old bitch's gonna live forever."

"She's an Alderwood?" I heard myself ask. Something about the sharpness in my voice made the guys pause, so I added, "I mean, that's what I heard."