The sound of clanging pots stirred me from my murky state of consciousness. Where was I? My hand moved to my scar. The rough, dry skin told me no one had reopened my wound. Had I imagined the whole thing?
A soothing combination of scents hit my nose, chamomile, honey, and pine. Musky pine. My eyes flew open and I sat up, shifting to put my feet on the floor. I instantly regretted doing the latter. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, the movement on my ankle killing me.
Liam appeared at my side, ushering me to lean back on the couch against the pillows. "It's okay. Relax. I'm making you some tea."
"Wolves drink tea?"
Liam smiled down at me. "It calms the nerves," he said. He moved back away from me and headed into the kitchen. I heard him turn the water on and off and then place what must have been the pot on the stove.
I turned my head to the side of the pillow as I took in the room. A small scuffed up coffee table sat in front of where I lay on the couch. The rest of the living area appeared sparse, except for a few large body sized pillows haphazardly thrown about the floor. At the far end of the wall, a large stone fireplace reached up, disappearing through the thick beams that ran horizontally along the ceiling.
"Where are we?" I asked.
Liam returned, sitting down on the coffee table across from me, and extended a large steaming mug. "My house," he said, placing a matching cup down beside him.
I slowly took the mug from him and paused to inhale the sweet damp steam. It did help. "You have a house?" I asked.
Liam smirked slightly and then leaned forward on his knees. "Don't act so surprised."
I took a sip of the tea, rolled its smooth taste over my tongue, and then swallowed. "Sorry," I said. "It's just, I'm trying to wrap my head around this whole," I paused, "wolf thing." I nervously tapped the handle of my mug. "I didn't imagine that, did I?"
"No," Liam said. The corner of his lip turned up. "And I'm not always in wolf form, Charlotte." He motioned with his head for me to look at the way he was dressed. My gaze followed, noticing the way he sat made his faded gray tee shirt hug his abs. I quickly looked up, and covered by drinking some more tea. The subject needed to be changed.
"So what happened? How did I get here?" Strange, how I could have meant that in more ways than one.
"You passed out. After I scared the other wolf off, I carried you here. You're hurt."
He reached for my ankle, but I tucked it back under me with a wince. "So there was another wolf?"
"Yes, but not like me. That one was purely animal. He probably sensed your injuries, figuring on an easy meal."
My jaw dropped. "He was going to eat me?" My stomach coiled.
Liam took the mug from me and placed it down next to his. "Wolves don't usually attack humans. It had to be desperate. I could tell my scent confused him."
"Because you look human?"
"Yes."
I didn't want to ask Liam if he had reacted like a wolf to communicate to the other one properly, or if instinct had dictated that. The whole thing made me feel numb. I wanted to wake up.
Liam offered my cup back, but I shook my head. "Why do you look human? Are you some kind of werewolf?"
"I don't know."
"But a wolf bit you. You were once human."
Liam stared down at his sneakers as steam rose off his untouched tea. "I never said a wolf bit me."
My jaw dropped just as the front door to the living room slammed open. A heavy clamber of footsteps and male voices filled the air. Liam put his finger to his lips, and then took off over to stop them before they entered the doorway.
"Ah, Liam. Thank God you're here." I recognized the voice as Steve's.
"Guys, this isn't the time. I need you outside."
"But, Liam. I saw tracks. Something's out there." He must have tried to move past Liam, because Liam's arm shot up and blocked the door jam. "What's going on?"
Byron leaned over and his face broke into a grin. "Hi, Charlotte."
I sank down into the couch and buried my head under the pillow. "Go away."
"Come on you guys. You heard her."
"Since when does she rule the house?" I couldn't tell who said it, but a low gurgling snarl came from somewhere deep in Liam's chest. "Leaving," the voice said and the front door opened and then clicked softly back in place.
"But what about the tracks?" Steve asked.
"Solitary wolf from what I could tell. Met him down by the river. I would have smelt others if there were more. He was desperate. Something must have scared him our way, but I'll be checking into it. Don't worry."
I saw Steve nod and then he peeked down under Liam's arm. "Bye Charlotte," he said with a little wave.
"Get out of here," Liam said, as he dropped his arm and playfully shoved Steve towards the door. Byron took the opportunity to slip in and gave a quick wave too. "All of you," Liam said, pointing. "Now."
Byron chuckled, but I heard the door open and close again. Liam made his way back over to where I lay. He sat down next to me on the edge of the couch, instead of the coffee table this time. He touched my arm. "You okay?"
I peeked around the edge of the pillow that I held over most of my face and muttered, "Is it safe?"
Liam chuckled. "Yeah. Sorry about that."
"Are they...?"
"Wolves?" he asked. "Yes, but they were bitten."
I took a moment to roll that around in my head, but it still didn't make sense. If Liam hadn't been attacked, what did that really mean? My nerves started to go haywire and I extended my hand towards my mug sitting on the edge of the coffee table.
"Want me to heat it up?" Liam handed me the cup. I shook my head and took a long, deep sip.
"Do they live here?"
"Yes."
I expected as much, although I did feel guilty about getting them kicked out of their own home. Liam seemed to read my thoughts.
"It's still my house, Charlotte. I took them in. They need to follow my rules. Besides, outside isn't exactly a punishment for a wolf." The corner of his mouth lifted and for the first time I saw how even that small gesture had an animalistic undertone. "They're fine."
I swallowed and took another sip of my tea. "So if you're in charge of them, would that make you their Alpha?"
Liam chortled a small laugh and then rubbed his forehead. "Yeah."
"What?" I asked. "You don't sound too thrilled."
He shrugged and then brushed a stray hair from my cheek. It made me shiver. "I never asked for this. My brother's the one who always wanted power and control. Even as pups. I'd rather just hang out, hunt, and do my own thing."
"More of a solitary wolf," I said, purposely ignoring the fact that he said he had once been a pup. My mind wouldn't grip that, at least not yet.
He smiled. "Maybe that's why I turned human."
I sat up a little bit further without trying to move my foot. "Wait a minute, you mean you were a wolf first?" My mind tried to catch up with what that meant. I knew he said he was a wolf, but he couldn't mean he really was wolf. He meant, werewolf, right?
Liam cleared his throat and looked a little uncomfortable. "Yeah," he said. "I was born a wolf. When I was about three in wolf years, I woke up one morning human. Scared the life out of me, but yeah."
I think I stared at him in shock for a good two minutes, not even knowing what to say. "So you were three, out in the woods, human, all by yourself?
"Well, no. My brother was with me and soon after we ran into a guy named Thomas who sort of adopted us. Long story."
"Okay." I rubbed my forehead trying to get all of this to sink in. "But, how did this happen? I know how the werewolf thing works." I think. "Don't you have to be bitten or something? I mean, you were like bitten by human were you?"
Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "No. I don't know why I turned human. I've searched for a reason for years, but still haven't found the answer. Guess I'm just a freak."
"Maybe," I said, teasing. His knuckles rested on my cheek and I had to admit, it felt really nice. The scent of him so close combined with the sweet tea felt like home. I saw Liam swallow hard, as his gaze searched mine. I thought he might kiss me, but instead he asked, "All of this isn't making you run away?"
"Can't. Bad ankle."
The grin on Liam's face grew.
"What?" I asked, feigning innocence. He shook his head, but didn't answer. His hand still lingered on my jaw and I heard the rush of my pulse in my ears.
"So did your brother change?" I asked, trying to say focused on the conversation. It seemed strange that I never met him, if he had.
The tips of Liam's fingers turned cold on my skin and he slowly retracted them back into his lap. "He did." Liam fidgeted and quickly got up.
The sudden absence of his touch and mood change left me feeling empty and exposed. Part of me knew I shouldn't ask, but I did. "Where is he now?"
"Dead."
The answer came too quick. He wouldn't look at me.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
He scooped the mug up from the table and brought it back into the kitchen. I heard the liquid pour into the sink, along with the clang of the ceramic mug. I felt terrible. I didn't know what to say.
"Maybe I should go," I said, pushing myself up into a full sitting position. Walking would still hurt, but I'd live. "My dad will be home soon and he'll be wondering where I am."
"No. Please don't." He rounded the couch and sat back down on the coffee table. His legs opened to each side of mine and he took my hands. "I just don't want to talk about my brother." His expression seemed sad, lost. "I don't want you to leave."
"Why do you care so much about me? Is it my scar?"
His fingers squeezed mine. "I didn't know about your scar when I first met you. I liked you then."
A feeling of defensiveness came over me out of nowhere and I didn't know why. "Cause if you think just because a wolf bit me I'm going to go all canine on you, I'll save you the trouble now. I'm not. It happened eleven years ago. Nothing. So if all I am is some pet project of yours, you might as well forget it. I'm human and always will be."
Maybe I really should have left.
Liam's lower lip caught mine and all the air vanished from my lungs. I couldn't even remember what I just said, and when he pulled back, I realized I had closed my eyes.
His chest rumbled a few inches from mine. I could tell he struggled to remain in human form. I didn't move.
"Maybe you shouldn't kiss me," I whispered.
"I'd rather die."
My chest swelled and every wall in me crumbled. Fingers found my hair and I reciprocated, threading mine up around his ears. I pulled him close. Something stirred in me, under the skin, but I ignored it, pressing into the kiss. Nothing else existed.
The front door banged open, ruining my thought. The clamber of boots and squeaky sneakers entered the front hall.
"What the?" Liam broke the kiss with a groan. "I told you guys I was busy. That means - I'm busy."
Steve, a little pale, and slightly out of breath, leaned over, resting his hands on his knees. "The tracks. Woods. Outside."
"I told you, I saw the wolf," Liam said, his tone annoyed. "It's nothing, just a stray. Seriously you guys," he motioned to me, "come on."
"No," Byron said from the foyer behind Steve. He entered the living room and clapped Steve across the shoulder. "Smooth explanation, dude."
"You didn't chase that guy for five miles." Steve panted. "I did. Man, whoever it is, he's fast."
"And stupid," Flynt said, leaning against the door jam. "If he thinks he's messing with us."
"Woah, wait," Liam said. "What are you guys talking about?"
"The wolf tracks by the river are human," Byron said.
"What?"
Flynt nodded to Liam. "It's true. The wolf tracks run up through the back of the woods. We followed them. They circle up, leading here, to the house. When they get to the outskirts of the yard, the tracks turn human. I saw it myself. It couldn't have been the same wolf you saw."
"Someone's watching us," Byron said.
"Another werewolf," I said with a gasp. My hand clapped over my mouth, but not fast enough. The guys looked horrified.
"She knows," Liam said.
I didn't dare read their expressions, hiding my face in my hands.
"Cool," Steve said.
I forced a little smile, letting my arms drop to my lap. Byron grinned, Flynt and Eldridge appeared concerned.
"Did she...?" Eldridge asked.
"No," Liam said.
"Did I what?" Then it hit me. They think I turned into a wolf. My stomach turned. "Can I use your bathroom?" I needed a moment to breathe. Frankly I was surprised I was taking this as well as I was. I shifted myself onto my ankle, and I stood up. It hurt.
Byron pointed down the hall.
"You okay?" Liam asked.
"Peachy." I forced a smile.
I wondered if I looked as green as I felt. Limping in the most nondramatic way possible under the circumstances, I searched for the bathroom. Several doors aligned the left side of the hall, but one of them on the right had been left open. Not wanting to pry where I shouldn't be, I went there first. I found the switch on the wall and watched as one bulb in a group of three flickered in protest. It illuminated the room in a dull glow. A round marble sink, decorated with cracks and the weather of age, sat along a wall that was crumbling with dusty paint chips.
Not the Garden of Eden, but at least I found the bathroom.
I turned the rusty faucet on, and splashed the cool water on my face, trying to let everything sink in. Werewolves existed and now according to Byron and Steve, something strange was going on. My own creepy feeling of being followed swept over me, and I couldn't help but wonder if my presence had something to do with the tracks. Paranoia began to settle in. I knew it. But if there really were werewolves, was it that absurd to think that wolves had been following me all of my life? What if they were waiting for me to turn into a wolf?
The thought scared me.
Cupping some more water, I doused my cheeks again, and forced myself to regain composure. I needed to put things into perspective. I could deal with all of this. One thing at a time.
A faint brush of cool air tickled my hair from across the hall, catching my attention. A door stood, slightly ajar. For some reason, my curiosity spiked. I turned off the water, emerging from the bathroom, and slipped across the way.
The contrast from the hall lighting to the darkened room made me blink. The breeze came from an open window on the far side of the room. It appeared to be a study of sorts. Bookshelves aligned the adjacent walls from where I stood and a large antique, burgundy colored desk faced the view outside. Aside from the smooth wisp of air circulating, the place cast an odor of moldy paper and age.
Several pages of an album fluttered up from the desk, catching my attention, and I started over. The floorboards creaked under my feet, causing me to pause in hopes that no one heard. When I didn't hear anything, I continued over and flipped the large leather book open.
My stomach fell.
A police photo of a half mutilated body stared back at me. The caption at the top read, "Mysterious Animal Strikes Again." All my fears from my own attack, coupled with all the recent issues hit me at once. I began to shake. I recognized those bite marks.
"What are you doing in here?"
Liam's voice made me jump. I spun around, and nervously dropped the album. "I was just looking for the bathroom."
"It's across the hall," he said, his voice hard.
"Right." I started for the door, when he caught my arm.
"What did you see?" he demanded.
"What? Nothing." My voice came out high and pinched. His grip tightened and a faint rumble came from his chest. "Liam, you're scaring me."
He tilted his head to the side and I realized despite the human guise, only animal looked back. I stumbled, trying to get away from him, but his arm held me fast. "That book is private."
"I know. I'm sorry," I said. My fingers trembled at my side. Liam's demeanor seemed so different, cold. I didn't know what to think. I just wanted to go home.
"What did you see?"
"Just a picture." I shrugged, trying to brush it off as nothing. The way he was acting made me want to hide what I saw. At that moment, I was afraid of him.
"It's not what you think," he said.
"I wasn't thinking anything," I said, although I was pretty sure my tone gave me away. His gaze felt like a weight on my body.
"I have to keep track of anything strange going on that involves animals, Charlotte. It's for our protection. That wasn't me."
"Of course," I said, with a nod, feigning a blank face. I couldn't breathe right, strangely becoming aware of every inhale and exhale I took. The picture I saw, of the young man's neck half torn off, had become permanently fixated in my mind. Someone or something did that, and I had a good feeling on the what. "I think I should probably go home. It's late."
To my relief, Liam dropped my arm from me. "I'll drive you."
I swallowed hard. "Okay."