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I wrote in my journal and waited for time to pass after we returned to the hotel. Michael tried calling Caleb, which went straight to voicemail. He left Caleb a message to call him back when he had a chance. I spent the time trying to figure out how I would get out without Michael. It was going to be impossible.
“What do you want to do for dinner tonight?” he asked just as his phone rang. He glanced down. “It’s Caleb.”
The perfect moment had just landed in my lap. “You talk to him and I’ll go grab us some dinner.” I grabbed the keys and my purse, slipping the wolf book under it so he wouldn’t see. “I’ll surprise you with something local that’s really good.” I didn’t give him a chance to reply. I kissed his cheek. “Answer the phone, silly. You know how Caleb is.” I winked and forced myself to walk a normal pace out the door without looking back.
In the hall I broke into a run, taking the stairs to save time. Outside I walked to the Jeep and glanced at our hotel room window. Michael stood by the window, phone to his ear. I waved and smiled before unlocking the Jeep and pulling out of the parking lot.
I took the same route Michael had driven earlier. My hands shook against the steering wheel so I gripped it tightly to try and stop the tremors. I might be scared but Marcus was risking everything to talk to me.
The sun had started its decent. I had about twenty, maybe twenty-five minutes before Michael would start to worry and begin calling and looking for me.
I slowed the Jeep as I turned on the road just before Saint Andrews. Butterflies hammered against the inside of my stomach when I saw Marcus sitting on the steps waiting. I swallowed and pulled the Jeep to the curb. It took several deep breaths to physically calm myself. I grabbed my bag and slipped it over my shoulder, only pausing to stuff the Wolf Book inside. I had no idea why I brought it, except I was somehow, magically, hoping to draw strength from it.
He was alone. At least nobody seemed to be hiding behind a bush or in the cemetery. I tried to make my face unreadable as I walked over and sat down beside him. I planned to stay in plain sight and if the need to protect myself arose, I had the taser Michael had given me in my bag, the knife on my belt, and the words of the Wolf Book in my head. I figured I could manage.
“You came.” Marcus smirked. “I, uh, wasn’t sure you would.”
“I did. Now what did you want to tell me?” I was hesitant to be his buddy.
He chuffed. “You’ve no idea, do you?”
I had somewhat of an idea. I just wasn’t going to tell him.
“How old are you? Seventeen?”
He obviously didn’t know as much as he thought he did. “About that.”
“When did you get your file?”
“Yesterday.”
“Oh... so you just found out about Rebekah?” He reached for my knee but dropped his hand before touching me.
“Yeah.”
Marcus rocked his feet back and forth. He sighed, his big chest rising and dropping. “She was good. There’s not a lot of good in this group here.”
“Group of Grollics?”
He gave me a funny look. “Of course. What you think we are? A bunch of half breeds?”
“You can mix?” By the annoyed look on his face, I’d hit a nerve. “I... I don’t know much about werewo-Grollics.”
“You seriously don’t know anything?”
I played with my keys for a moment, debating what I should reveal. In the end, I didn’t know much anyway and saw no point in trying to hide that. “I know about the birthmark below you collar bone and you can shift. Michael’s different.”
“Yeah, he’s the enemy.”
“He’s not. If you—”
“He’s part of the Higher Coven. Or somewhere close to it. It’s obvious by the way he walks and holds himself. I can’t imagine he let you come here alone.” He glanced up the road. “Is he hiding somewhere or got you on a mike?”
“No.” I sighed and watched the setting sun. “He thinks I’m grabbing dinner.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
Marcus stood. “Let’s take a walk.”
“No. I’m more comfortable staying here.” I reached inside my bag, my fingers touching the taser.
“I just figured we could walk through the cemetery as we talk.” He remained standing, waiting for me to get up and follow him, which I had no intention of doing. He eventually figured that out “Fine. What do you want to know?”
The question threw me. He had been the one so adamant about helping me and now he seemed annoyed that I wanted information. It didn’t make sense. “Why did Rob say I shouldn’t be here?”
“Because you shouldn’t. We’re controlled by a...an alpha.” He tilted his head. “Does that make sense?” When I nodded, he continued. “We’re not allowed to let you here. If you show up, you’re supposed to be toast.” He made a line with his hand across his neck.
“Then why aren’t you doing the same? If you’re controlled by the alpha?” I stood, slipping my purse over my shoulder. Suddenly my gut was telling me I needed to leave soon.
“I am.”
“You’re what?”
“Controlled by the alpha.”
“Rebekah wasn’t.” I had no idea how I knew that, but I just did.
He spat. “That’s because she wasn’t a Grollic.”
My eyebrows pushed together. I opened my mouth but nothing came out.
“She stuck around because of Rob.” He snorted. “Took the beatings. All of it.”
Someone beat Rebekah?
“Rob’s going to come after you. He wants you dead.” He gave me the once over. “Maybe Rebekah stuck around because she was waiting for you.”
“I doubt it.” I checked my watch. I didn’t like where this conversation was going. “Look. I need to get going. Michael’s going to start worrying. We’re leaving. I promise we won’t come back. I won’t tick off your alpha anymore.” I started for the Jeep.
Marcus’ hand came up and blocked my chest. “You’re not going anywhere.”
I pushed his arm away. “Don’t.” I reached in my purse and pulled out the taser-thing.
He laughed and kicked it out of my hand before I could even find the on-switch. It flew in the air in a perfect arc and landed down the sidewalk, shattering into about fifty pieces.
I shook my hand, pretty sure he’d broken a finger.
“You don’t stand a chance against me. As a Grollic or human.” He snarled and then shoved me down against the stairs. Flexing his large biceps, he pulled a gun out from behind him, jamming the barrel against my forehead. “Get up and walk!”
Panic thrashed through me. In snippets, I tried to think of what to say to stop him. If I managed to speak in the language to control the Grollics, would it work on him in human form? My legs shaking, I still found the courage to stand. Terror hadn’t frozen me to the spot, although it should have. I realized my mistake now. I should never have trusted a Grollic. In my experience, they were all terrible monsters. Not one was worth saving. Anger burned inside. I clenched my fists and started marching in the direction he pointed – toward the cemetery. I knew I wasn’t invincible; that a gun would kill me, but at that point, I was hoping for options to show up as I went. Staying still or resisting would only get me killed faster.
He stayed close to me, the gun pressing into my back, right behind my heart. “Stop!” he barked when we reached Rebekah’s gravestone.
I froze. The anger I had felt just a moment before had liquefied to fear as we walked through the rows of marble stones. I needed the anger back. It was the only way I could try to control him the way the wolf book had taught me.
Marcus’ hand squeezed my shoulder. He shoved me down to my knees.
The barrel of the gun now pressed against the base of my skull.
I shut my eyes tight. “Please d—”
The gun flew away from my temple as Marcus stumbled away from me. He rolled on the ground and crouched, ready to pounce.
“Stay away from her!” A voice hissed.
My head swiveled toward the sound. Not Michael. I turned around, still on my knees.
Robert.
A very angry looking, yellow eyed Robert.
Marcus laughed. “Buddy!” He straightened. “I was wondering when you would get here. You want to finish it yourself?”
“What’re you doing, Marcus?” Robert glared at him. “I thought—”
“You thought wrong.” Marcus took a step forward, his body rigid with anger. He jabbed a finger at me. “That bitch needs to die. She’ll destroy all of us.”
“I’m your acting Alpha and I’m telling you to stand down.” Robert’s eyes never left Marcus.
“And I’m telling you, you’re wrong. Think of the law.” Marcus studied Robert’s eyes, chest heaving, as if he was waiting for some change. When he realized that Robert wasn’t going to change his view, he charged.
The sound of bone impacting bone made me cringe. They wrestled back and forth in front of me, blood flowing freely from punches and flinging into the air, to land on the gravestones around me. I wedged myself tight against Rebekah’s stone, trying to understand what was going on. Robert was fighting for me? Why?
“I’ll kill you too.” Marcus had gained ground, and had managed to throw Robert to the ground. The back of his head hit an upraised stone, breaking a piece of it off. His eyes went out of focus, switching from yellow back to hazel. He was still alive, but dazed.
Marcus grabbed the chunk of marble and held it high over his head. “You’re just like her. Weak.”
Robert gritted his teeth, filling up with some kind of energy that came out of nowhere, his eyes burning like fire. “My mother was never weak!” He threw Marcus off of him and attacked, his body starting to shift into wolf form.
Marcus rolled out of the way and began shifting as well.
“Don’t change!” I shouted my hands pushing straight out in front of me, trying to will them to stop.
They both froze and looked at me with bewildered animal eyes – like a deer in headlights.
Marcus recovered faster than Robert, racing toward him like a football player ready to tackle his opponent. Robert reached for something on the ground by him and held it close to him as Marcus jumped.
I jerked and covered my ears as the gunshot echoed in the nearly silent cemetery.
Red wetness began to cover Marcus’ back. He rolled off of Robert, clutching his chest. “W-Why?” His eyes faded back to their human blue. “I’m your pack, your brother.”
“We are brothers.” Robert got up, gun still trained on Marcus. He moved close to me, protectively standing in front. He fired the gun again and Marcus’s head fell back, his eyes staring vacantly up at the sky. “But you’re not my blood.”
