Second Fate

The end of the beginning

My unfinished homework was strewn across the simple wooden desk which Jenny had bought to encourage my efforts at school. Not that there were any to speak of so far, but she'd hoped for me to busy myself with essays and math while I was grounded for my newest disappearing act.

I was putting the desk to good use - even if it wasn't exactly schoolwork which I was using it for. Currently, I had built a nailcare station on top of it and was drawing the tiniest frogs onto the white base on my fingernails. The natural sunlight spilling in through the window of the cabin made the table the perfect place for my set-up; but it also meant that I got easily distracted whenever I spied a curly top of chestnut hair outside.

Within seconds, I had cleared the room and blew through the living room, where Cara was washing dishes.

Her mouth opened when she saw me, probably because she thought I was attempting an escape from home-jail.

"I'll be back soon", I promised my golden-haired roommate in my trustworthiest voice. "I'm just going to talk to Vine for a bit."

"What, all of a sudden?", she repeated in confusion, hands plastered with foam up to her elbows. "Did the neighbors invite you over?"

Don't worry, you're not missing out on any shifter action. "No, I just saw him walk by the cabin."

"You shouldn't bother him too much, Nina, okay? I think you're coming on a little strong."

"He hasn't shot me down yet."

The look of pity she gave me made me grimace.

"Not in words, exactly", I added quietly.

Her sky-blue eyes didn't seem any less worried after my admission. "Just be ... your best version. Don't ... I don't know, don't make it so I have to apologize to the pack."

"You need to relax. I'm not a kid, I know how to behave."

"I'm not saying that, it's just ... they're not human. And you're intruding a lot." Caitlyn seemed to grow uncomfortable with the topic, but as usual she was decided to do the right thing. Which, in this case, was to warn me about annoying a pack of wolf shifters.

If she went over almost daily, it was fine. But if I dared to show an interest ... my mood threatened to turn sour.

"I'm not annoying them - why do you act like they're only your friends?"

"It's just different, Nina. I belong to the pack, but around you, they have to be careful." When I opened my mouth to protest, she continued with growing strictness: "You shouldn't even know what they are. And if it hadn't been for that night, you would've never known."

I glared at her, expressing what I felt about that statement with my dark eyes. "You wouldn't have told me? Ever?"

"It would have gotten you and me and the whole pack in trouble, you know that."

Not willing to listen to more of her I'm a very special shifter too routine, I muttered "will be back" to my foster sister once more. Then I passed the door, slammed it shut behind me and ran like it wasn't a scorching hot summer day.

The owner of the distracting curls had already passed the small cabin which was home to me and Caitlyn, and was currently walking up to the road next to the main house. His broad-shouldered silhouette weaved through the tree line, coming in and out of sight.

I gathered all the air in my lungs to shout. "Wait up, Vine!"

The 18-year-old turned around with mild surprise on his face, and waited patiently for me to catch up. He was wearing washed out jeans, which had seen better times, matched with a dark blue t-shirt. Despite the hot and humid weather, his skin showed no signs of sweat or surnburn.