Getting up for school the next morning was no different than the last. Even when everything had changed I still woke up and put my jeans on one leg at a time and got downstairs just in time for Drew to pass me a plate of eggs. I started scooping up my eggs until I looked up to see the face drew was making. It was a mixture of sympathy and I have something to say but I won’t.
“Get it over with” I huffed staring at my eggs.
“Just be careful, I know this is new and scary but this is where you’re supposed to be. It’ll all work out, give Alex the benefit of the doubt.” Drew stated. What does he think I’ve been doing the past two days?! I finished my eggs without another word, grabbed my backpack and was out the door. When I hopped in the tuck I could have sworn I heard twigs crunching out into the woods. Either way I was running late so with that I sped to school. Not two seconds into pulling into the parking lot I saw the whole “pack” (which sounds totally weird to say) leaning against some huge ass tree by Liam’s truck. Before I got a chance to get out Avery met me as a swung my door opened. I braced myself to deal with the creepy.
“OMG! Did you finish the Bio homework” she rambled excessively. “I totally spaced and I need someone to cheat off of.” She explained with a smile. I was more grateful for the normal then she would ever know so I reached into my bag to pull out the worksheet.
“You saved my life, literally. I hate that class so why do the homework, right?” she joked in a giggle as we walked over to her brother’s truck to join everyone else.
“Dude, you honestly smell like shit, go home and shower first next time” Wyatt shouted laughing at Alex who in all honestly looked pretty out of it. This I could handle, the normal teenage group of friends. So much to the point I even chimed into the conversation.
“That’s probably my uncles fault ” I explained, “ you left so late last night he kind of talked your ear off.”
After I chimed in I think I could feel everyone relax a little bit, even Liam seemed to shrug out of it while his face held the strong crude emotion.
“You coming over to Alex’s tonight Mackenzie?” Wyatt pitched in the silence “ We are gonna do some running and shit, its actually pretty fun.” As he finished Alex shot him a glare I’m assuming having to do with my “no creepy stuff” clause in our agreement.
“You don’t have to do anything if you come, just watch and hang out. You know like friends do, we can all just hang out.” He said in a low enough voice for only me to hear.
“Uhh yeah, I’ll see” I spoke. I hated saying no to Wyatt who seemed so genuine in the offer not really realizing why this is so different for me. My answer seemed to satisfy everyone as we headed into the building for classes.
The rest of the day seemed to go by without a catch. Most of us had few classes together but I enjoyed the normalcy of Avery talking my ear off about anything and everything in our mutual classes. Last class of the day Bio seemed to take forever. I had to mentally contemplate between if I was excited for class to be over or nervous to go over to Alex’s house afterwards. I had a feeling this no creepy rule is going to be broken more quickly then I would have liked. When I finally decided I needed to know I leaned over my seat and whispered to Avery.
“So completely theoretically if I wanted you to tell me about this running thing at Alex’s house and what exactly it is what would you say” As I began to talk Avery’s face lit up not even trying to hide her excitement.
“Well, completely theoretically its one of the best perks. We all go into the woods behind his house and change. There isn’t a lot more to it than that, we just kind of run around and hang out in our wolf. It helps us when we can change without having to fight or do anything with it, by changing for really no reason it makes it easier and easier for when we really need to. If you wanna try..”
“No, I don’t wanna “Try” but I’m thinking ill come. Keep the peace ya know? I feel like lately everyone’s looking at me and I could really use the tension to come down alittle bit.” I said with a small smile. While Avery semed alittle shocked I began to talk over her, what I had to say seemed to put her at ease.
The last 20 minutes of the lecture was spent me staring out the window ignoring the periotic table. That’s when I saw it. Outside behind a firm stalkly evergreen tree the eyes of a wolf were looking back at me. I couldn’t make myself look away, it was mesmerizing. The wolf was grey with streaks of black coming at its feet and its tail. It looked like something straight out of a nature magazine, king of the forest. Looking at him made me feel safe, my fist instinct was thinking it must be Alex. Without giving it much thought I told Avery I had to go to the bathroom and walked out of class. The pull to the wolf was un-natural but at this point I was at no stage of caring what anyone else thought, I just had to see him. I walked out the back from the janitors utility door. Looking around I knew what I saw before but didn’t really understand what this need was to see the beast.
“Hey Mackenzie” A familiar voice cooed at me from behind. I whipped my head around to see Isaiah standing in the woods not far from where I had seen the huge wolf. Instantly I became aware of how much of a bad idea this was, keeping my eyes locked on Isaiah I called Alex from inside my pocket hoping he wasn’t very studious and checked his phone.
“Im not supposed to, what do…” I couldn’t even fisnish before he stepped closer. His eyes not taking the stare off of mine was making it harder to focus.
“ I’m not going to hurt you or anything like that, remember last time we met we were friends. Cant we just be friends again? He asked in a numbing voice. It seemed so easy, like there was no reason for me not to say yes. Yet something in the back of my head made me refrain from answering.
“From what I have heard those mutts have had you in harms way one to many times lately. I can protect you Mackenzie. Just come over here and let me” He stated slowly taking steps closer as if I was a wild animal. I figured I might as well try, as I opened my mouth to speak and step closer a huge shadow blocked the sun as I was thrown backwards.
“Get. The. Hell. Away.” Alex spoke in almost a snarl stepping in front of me. Without having Isaiah so close to me my head began to clear as I noticed the rest of the pack was here as well. Surprising Liam was the one closest to me as he got down to my level and looked straight at me.
“You good?” was all he said and my spaced out nodding seemed to be enough for him as he stepped up to stand with Alex.
“You’re so outnumbered here Isaiah, just leave now and stay away from her. She’s apart of us there’s nothing you can do about it go back while you can still walk” Alex huffed out looking like he was ready to fight. Surprisingly Isaiah didn’t seem too scared.
“I don’t think that decision should be up to you dog. What do ya say should we ask our friend Mackenzie?” he shoved with a smile. “I’ve been nothing but a friend to her unlike all of you. That’s all you want right Mackenzie? I can be a friend for you. Just look at me and tell me what you want” He stated talking louder as if it would help me hear him over Alex.
Charolette who was the closest one to me at the time harshly spoke without taking her eyes off him.
“Do not under any circumstances look him in the eyes girl. You hear me? Keep it together back there, we may not be perfect but were here for you.” That pulled me back in alittle bit. While charlotte hasn’t had a lot to say to me since ive arrived her utter protective nature and truth was something needed. Finally I could talk.
“Just leave Isaiah, I don’t want you anywhere near me ”As I hesitated thinking if I said the right thing all pack eyes other than Alex’s turned to me in acceptance. I had said the right thing.
“Well now, that I can assure you was not what you wanted to say Mackenzie. As yes I may be outnumber I have skill this little pack has never seen before and I strongly urge you to change your mind for you own benefit.” While I’m sure he still stared at me I kept my eyes focused on Avery who was standing on the other side of Alex far away from Isaiah. The moment he realized I chose not to answer I understood what he meant.
