Shadowed Instincts (14 page)

“It wasn’t me.”

Melanie turned in her seat at the breakfast table to see
Declan standing in the doorway. She narrowed her eyes at him, then turned back
to her bagel. She had been alone in the room, deep in thought, going over all
possible scenarios in her mind. All avenues led her back to Declan.

“Mel, look at me, please.”

“Leave me alone, Declan.”

Taking the seat across the table from her, he said, “I
swear, Melanie, I didn’t do any of the stuff you’re accusing me of. I do like
you, but God, I wouldn’t kill someone to get you!”

He slammed his palm on the table with the last word and
Melanie flinched. She looked up from her plate with an arched brow. Declan
deflated and slouched back in his chair.

“I don’t think you’d kill Jeremy just to get me, Declan.”

“I swear, I-”

“But,” she said, cutting him off, “I
do
think you’d
do anything to be alpha. You figured you could get Jeremy out of the way,
eventually win me over and become alpha through me.”

“That’s ridiculous, Melanie.”

She stood abruptly and pointed her finger at him. “Stay away
from me. And stay the hell away from Jeremy if you know what’s good for you.”

Stomping from the room, Melanie broke into a sprint as soon
as she was out of his line of sight. She flew up the stairs and into the
bathroom, slamming and locking it behind her. She took a few deep breaths and
splashed some cold water on her face.

After she had calmed down, she went back to Jeremy’s room to
resume her bedside vigil. She sat down and took his hand, kissing it. Jeremy’s
eyes fluttered open and he slowly turned his head in her direction.

“Hey, you,” he said weakly.

“Hey. How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck. What happened?”

“Well, you’re close. You totaled my Jeep.”

“Oh, God, Mel. I’m so sorry.”

“Hush. It’s just a car. You’re okay and that’s all that
really matters.”

“Chris?”

“He’s fine. He’s got a bump on his head.
He
was
actually wearing a seatbelt. What were you thinking?”

“What do you mean? I had on my seatbelt.”

“No, you didn’t. You were thrown from the car during the
accident.”

“Mel,” he said attempting to sit up straighter but failing. Giving
up and leaning back against the pillows, he said, “Tell me everything that
happened.”

“Well, Chris said you were speeding. He said you wanted to
see how fast the Jeep could go and a big white dog jumped out in front of you.
You swerved to miss it and rolled the jeep a few times. You were thrown from
the car. You have a cracked rib, along with several scrapes and bruises.”

“A white dog?”

“Yes,” Melanie said meaningfully. “I’ve already accused
Declan and he’s denying it, of course.”

“I just…I don’t remember anything. I can’t believe I would
drive so recklessly, and without a seat belt, especially. I must have hit my
head or something. Did you tell your dad about our suspicions?”

She nodded. “And Chad, too. They refused to believe it, but
after everything that has happened, how else can they explain it?”

“I don’t know,” he said, sighing and laying his head back on
the pillow. “Maybe I have a concussion. My head is pounding like crazy.”

“That might be a side effect of the tranquilizer.”

“What?”

“Chad had to shoot you up with a tranquilizer. He was scared
you’d shift in front of Chris. You were delirious.”

“Ugh. Okay. I think I need to sleep for a few more hours.
Will you sit with me for a while? At least until I fall asleep?”

“Of course,” she said gently brushing his hair back from his
forehead. “I love you, Jeremy.”

“Love you, too,” he mumbled as the warm tendrils of sleep
pulled him under.

*~*~*

“How’s Jeremy?” Melanie heard as soon as she stepped foot
into the entertainment room.

Tara jumped up from the couch where she had been waiting for
Melanie. She ran forward and threw her arms around her. Melanie returned her
hug and Tara grunted.

“Oh, sorry,” Melanie said, remembering her enhanced
strength. She released Tara quickly and took a step back.

“Wow,” Tara said, rolling her shoulders. “You’ve gotten
strong.”

“Yeah,” Melanie hedged. “I’ve been working out some.”

“Anyway, how is Jeremy? Did he wake up?”

“Yes. I think he’s going to be fine. He’s just a little
groggy still, so he wanted to go back to sleep. How’s Chris?”

“Amazingly well. He just got a bump on the head. He’s
upstairs taking a nap.”

“That’s good. What do you want to do while they sleep?”

“I don’t care. I saw Declan earlier and asked him if he
wanted to wait with me. He was acting weird, like he couldn’t get away from me
fast enough.”

“I bet,” Melanie said under her breath.

“What?” Tara asked.

“Nothing. Nothing. I think we should hang out, just the two
of us. You’re leaving Sunday, which means we only have two days left.”

“I know. Then I won’t see you again until what? August?”

“Something like that. I don’t think we have a set date yet.
But definitely before school starts.”

Melanie turned her head to look through the windows, out
into the backyard. She wasn’t lying, exactly. She had no intention of staying
in Wilkes past the summer, but her parents didn’t know that. She was walking a
thin line between lies and the truth with all of them.

“It’s a beautiful day outside,” Tara said, coming to stand
beside her. “Do you want to go for a hike in the woods?”

“Oh, I don’t kn-”

“That sounds like a fine idea.”

They both turned toward the voice and found Darren standing
in the doorway.
Oh crap,
Melanie thought,
I hope he didn’t hear me
telling Tara I was definitely coming home in August.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked aloud. “No wild animals
we should worry about?”

Darren raised his eyebrows and smiled at her stress on the
word animals
.
“It’s fine. You shouldn’t run into any
animals
while
you’re out there. The noise will scare them away.”

With the fear of Tara spotting one of the weres put to rest,
she was fast warming up to the idea of a hike. She’d been cooped up in the
house for too long. She looked at Tara and nodded.

“Great,” Tara said. “Let me go throw on some sneakers and I’ll
be right back.”

“Ok, I’ll meet you out back,” Melanie said, grabbing
Darren’s arm and steering him toward the back of the house.

“Are you sure it’s okay? I know the sentinels are out in
full force since the attack on Jeremy.”

“They’ll hear you from a mile away, Melanie. Don’t worry,
they know how to stay out of sight.”

“What about Declan?”

“What about him?”

“What if he’s out there?”

“Melanie, I still don’t believe that boy would do anything
to hurt anyone. I’ve known him his whole life. Besides, according to your own
theory, he wants you, right? So he’s not going to hurt you even if you are
right. Which I highly doubt.”

“You can’t ignore the facts, dad.”

Darren just grunted and left her by the back door. She
walked out into the late morning sunshine and stretched her arms wide. The air
was fresh and clean, and she inhaled deeply. Hearing the door behind her open,
she turned quickly to see Tara walk out, pulling Chris behind her.

“Hey, look who I found!” Tara exclaimed, mouthing the word
“sorry” at Melanie where Chris couldn’t see. “He’s lonely and bored and wants
to come with us on our hike.”

“I don’t want to interfere with your girl time. I can just
stay here,” he said in a low voice.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Chris. Come with us. But only if you
feel up to it. How is your head?”

“It’s good, thanks Mel. Hardly hurts anymore. I was lucky.”

“Yeah, and so was Jeremy, thank God,” Melanie said.

“Yeah. He was.”

“You sure you’re okay? You sound a little down.”

Chris took a deep breath and exhaled with a smile. “I’m
fine. Just thinking about what might have happened. A hike with two beautiful
girls sounds like just the right medicine.”

They took their time exploring all the trails. The dappled
sunlight shining through the leaves made everything appear magical. They talked
and laughed, just enjoying the company and the scenery. They were turning to
head back toward the house when Melanie heard it.

“Stop,” she said quietly.

“What is it?” Tara whispered.

“Shh. I heard something, like a twig snapping.”

Melanie peered through the trees in the direction of the
noise she heard. In the distance, with her enhanced vision, she saw a flash of
white fur just before it disappeared. Her lips tightened and she tried to relax
her face before she turned to face her friends again.

“Must’ve been a bird or a squirrel or something. Let’s go,”
she said, leading the way down the trail that led back to the house.

I swear,
she thought,
if I catch Declan spying on
me and my friends again, I’m going to lose it.

“I’m telling you, dad, he was out there, following us. It’s
creepy! Can’t you make him back off?”

“I thought you didn’t like it when I used my alpha power?”

“That’s not what I meant! You are his alpha. His dad is your
best friend and beta. Do something!” At her father’s slight scowl, she added,
“Please,” at a much lower volume.

Melanie slumped down in the chair across the desk from him.
She had barged into his office unannounced, uninvited, and practically
screaming like a banshee. Her emotions were all over the place and she didn’t
seem to have any control over them.

“I’m sorry,” she said after a few moments of silence passed.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“Breathe, Melanie. Everything is going to be fine. I
promise, we’ll figure out who is targeting Jeremy, whether it be Declan or not.
As to your erratic emotions, well, that’s an easy one. Tomorrow is a full
moon.”

“Is it always like this for cynanthropes at their first
shift?”

“There are always heightened senses and emotions, yes. What
you’re experiencing, however, is extremely exaggerated due to the amount of
stress you’re under. Normally, this is a time of discovery and wonder. That’s
why I wanted you here this week. I wanted to make this as easy as possible for
you and to make sure you wouldn’t be alone. I’m so sorry it’s not working out
that way.”

Melanie waved her hand in dismissal of his words. “It is not
your fault. I don’t blame you at all.”

“Thank you for saying that. Let me deal with the threat
against Jeremy and your suspicions about Declan. You need to concentrate on
yourself right now. Try taking deep breaths to relax when you feel anxious or
angry. You have to let go of the tension. I’m afraid your mother didn’t think
things through when she agreed to let your friends stay until Sunday. You could
shift at any time within the next thirty six hours or so, so be on the lookout
for any signs or symptoms. Do you know what they are?”

“Yeah, Jeremy told me. Itchy, creepy-crawly feeling. Pulling
muscles, like a Charlie horse. I’ve got it.”

“This is serious, Melanie. If you start to feel twitchy or
odd, make sure you leave your friends immediately. Don’t think you can wait
until the muscle cramps. It’s different for everyone and first shifts tend to
be erratic. You could have starts and stops and there is no way to know when
exactly you will complete the change. Come find me and I will help you.”

“Okay, Dad. I promise.”

“Thanks, sweetheart. Now go find your friends and have some
fun. I saw Jeremy in the entertainment room earlier. He woke up and was looking
for you.”

“He got out of bed?”

Darren just laughed and shooed her from the room. “Like
anything would stop him,” he said under his breath after she left the room.

Melanie ran down the hall to the entertainment room and
found Jeremy, Tara and Chris all sitting on the couch watching a reality T.V.
show. Jeremy turned his head in her direction and smiled brightly as she ran
over to sit down next to him on the couch, pausing only to give a brief wave to
her friends.

“What are you doing out of bed? You’re supposed to be
resting.”

“Aww, don’t be mad, Mel. I was so bored up there. I wanted
to see you.”

Jeremy put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in
close. She tried to remain stiff and unyielding, so he just leaned over and
softly kissed the side of her neck. He slowly nibbled his way up to her ear and
whispered, “I love you,” before pulling away and looking back at the
television.

Melanie shivered, then relaxed into his embrace. Laying her
head on his shoulder, she let her eyes wander over to Tara and Chris. Tara was
curled up against him and they were both in a relaxed position, totally
engrossed in the show they were watching.

“Declan was in the woods,” Melanie whispered quietly, so the
others wouldn’t hear. When Jeremy stiffened, she added quickly, “He didn’t do
anything. I barely saw a flash of white fur before he was gone.”

Jeremy nodded and pulled her tighter against him. They sat
in a comfortable silence for about an hour. When the show ended, Tara used the
remote to click off the television. Chris stood up and stretched, giving Jeremy
a questioning look.

“Dude, what did your mom and dad say about the accident? Are
they coming to get you?”

Jeremy blushed slightly. “I didn’t exactly tell them. I
don’t want to leave Mel.”

Chris’s gaze shot to Melanie. “Won’t your parents tell them
what happened?”

“Well,” Melanie hedged, looking down at her leg and picking
off some imaginary lint, “I kinda told them that he did tell them, and that
they are cool as long as Jeremy’s okay.”

Melanie glanced up and caught Tara’s narrowed gaze.
Uh
oh,
Melanie thought, her eyes widening.
She totally knows I’m lying.
Shit!

“That’s cool, man,” Chris continued, oblivious to the
exchange. “I’m hungry. Hey babe, you want to go scrounge around the kitchen for
a snack?”

Taking his extended hand, Tara said, “Sure. Melanie, I’ll
talk to you later.”

The pointed look she gave Melanie told her they would be
talking later and she wasn’t going to enjoy it. She nodded her head at Tara as
Chris pulled her from the room.

“Crap. Crap. Crap!”

“What? What’s the matter?” Jeremy asked.

“Tara could tell I was lying to Chris. What am I going to
say when she asks about it? Because trust me, she
will
ask about it.”

“Crap.”

“Exactly. I don’t think I can come up with a plausible
excuse for lying. I mean, why else wouldn’t my parents call yours? And why
would I lie about telling them in the first place?”

“Just stick as close to the truth as possible. If necessary,
you can always use the old ‘family secret’ again.”

“God, I hate this!” Melanie almost shouted, sitting up
straight and bouncing her knee. “I hate lying to my best friend. I hate keeping
secrets and I hate the fact that someone is always trying to hurt us! When will
it end?!”

“Melanie, you need to calm down, baby. Take a few deep
breaths.”

Jeremy sat up gingerly and placed his hands on her
shoulders, turning her slightly toward him so he could look into her eyes. He
took a slow, deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. He
repeated it again and again until she was breathing in time with him and the
tension left her body.

“Sorry,” she said, slumping back against the couch. “That’s
been happening a lot lately. Dad said I could shift any time within the next
day and a half.”

Jeremy leaned back and put his arm back around her shoulder.
“I get it. The same thing happened to me. I punched a guy in the face the day
before my first shift.”

“What? Why have I never heard this story before?” Melanie
said, smiling.

“Because,” he said tapping a finger to the tip of her nose,
“I am always trying to impress you, and that wasn’t my finest moment.”

“What happened?”

“Well, it was stupid, really. His girlfriend had the locker
next to mine. Every time I went to my locker, he would be leaning against it,
waiting for her to get her stuff and primp in the mirror. It didn’t matter how
many times I asked him to move, he ignored me like I wasn’t there. I was late
to class three times that month because his dumb girlfriend had to put on
makeup.

“The day before my first shift, I was wound tight and I saw
him there and just lost it. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked
him away from my locker. He called me an asshole. Me. After a solid two and a
half months of him blocking my locker and ignoring me, I was the asshole. I
decked him right in the mouth.”

Melanie laughed. “Sounds like he deserved it. Did you get
into trouble?”

“No,” Jeremy smirked. “He never told anyone and neither did
his girlfriend. I guess he had to uphold his image or something. But he never blocked
my locker again.”

“I bet.” Melanie sighed and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Thanks for calming me down.”

“Anytime. I’ll always be there for you, Mel.”