Page 24

Chapter 24

MADELINE

When my alarm rings it's the worst sound I've ever heard. I almost throw the phone across the room to silence it. That's not a good sign for a day when I've chosen to do nothing but relax.

I curl up in bed, unable to sleep or get up. My body refuses to obey, leaving me to wallow in my thoughts. I assumed I'd feel better after a week or two, but nothing has changed.

Seeing Nate every day feels like a dagger plunged into my chest. The sad thing is I don't die from it, so the pain just keeps coming."Fuck this, I'm going to do something fun."

I know enough about myself to recognize that isolation will only make things worse.

The old me might have spent days pining over Nate, waiting for him to come to his senses. But I've learned that my happiness can't depend on someone else's choices.

I yawn loudly before stretching and moving around. A flash of memories hit me and I begin to imagine Nate's body pressed against mine, like it was that night. The memories are so sharp I almost burst into wretched sobs.

“Fuck,” I groan, before I go to splash waters on my face. I let the water bring me back to the world of the living, which it does.

My next stop is the kitchen, where I make a hot cup of coffee. As soon as I put the pot on, my phone starts to ring. Please don't be Nate. Please don't be Nate.

I glance at the phone and I slump in relief. “Hey girl, how are you?” Hannah says excitedly. Her cheerfulness makes me feel a bit better.

“I'm okay,” I stifle a yawn. “How are you?”

“Great, already at my favorite spot in the world. You said something about not going to work today, didn’t you?”

“Yup,” I respond, waiting for the coffee pot as it works its magic.

“Come meet me then, we can spend the day here.”

It feels nice to have people who care about me this much. Nate certainly doesn't. “That sounds like a great idea,” I sigh. “Being cooped up at home won’t do me a lot of good.”

“Exactly. I'll be waiting for you, okay? Bring your supplies.”

I agree and I wait until my coffee is ready before moving again. I pour it into a mug and waste no time slurping it. The dark liquid gold perks me up with life and energy.

I head back to the bedroom and pick out a pretty sundress with flower patterns. Once I’m dressed, my mood lifts a bit and suddenly don't feel as dull as when I woke.

The weather outside helps a lot. It's still early morning, but the sun is quickly ascending. Its bright light greets me, pushing through fluffy clouds. Thankfully, today is looking like the perfect mix of brightness and cool breezes.

Outside the knitting store is unusually busy today. I navigate through the crowd and head into the shop. Hannah sees me and rushes to hug me. “Hi!”

“Hi,” I respond, happy to see her.

She leads me to a section that usually stores old looms. Instead, I see a circle of comfortable chairs and a coffee table.

“What's this?” I ask.

“Lucca and I cleared out the machines to create a space for customers to sit and knit. I don't know about you, but I'd love a cozy place to sit and knit in a store.”

“This is wonderful,” I gush, finding a comfortable chair and happily hauling out my stuff. I notice an old TV hanging above us on one of the pillars. “There's even a TV!”

“It’s always been there,” Hannah explains. “Lucca doesn't use it much, though. Let’s see if it still works.” She turns it on and the first thing we see is a news broadcast. Hannah is just about to switch the channel when I stop her.

“Wait!”

My sudden outburst shocks her, but I'm too engrossed in the image on the screen to notice her reaction.

“Jeez, you scared the shit out of me. What is it?”

I point at the mugshot on the TV. “That’s the guy who stalked me.”

Hannah's jaw almost drops to the floor. “What the hell? I didn't know anyone was stalking you.”

“It's a long story,” I reply, leaning back in the chair.

Hannah takes one last look at the TV and turns it off. She sits beside me and sets her chin on a fist, eager to listen. “Tell me everything.”

I sigh. “Where to start? Remember that evening we had dinner together? When I was ready to bitch about Nate?”

“Of course,” Hannah answers, nodding.

“Well, that's when Nate and I caught the guy. He tried to attack us but Nate took him down.”

“Holy shit!” she exclaims. “How long has he been stalking you?”

“Since I got to town, I guess. I've been getting letters, and at first I thought it was a prank because they were dumb love confessions. They got worse, but I still didn't take them seriously.”

“No, Madeline. That's when you need to tell someone right away.”

“I know, I was dumb to ignore it,” I admit. “Nate already lectured me about this, but yeah, that's the whole story.”

“He's not a wolf, right?”

“Nope, he isn't.”

Hannah seems to breathe again. “That sounds intense. I'm glad the danger is over.”

I’m silent, reliving the episode.“Is it?”

Hannah's eyes flare. “What are you not telling me?”

It'll be safer if I just tell her. “Do you remember the trinket you gave me that night?”

“How could I forget? You acted like I was giving you a silver bullet.”

“Yeah …” I rub the back of my neck. “I'm sorry about that.”

“Maybe I'm the one who should apologize,” Hannah counters. “I can't just pass along things I find here at the store; someone may be looking for it. I’m not mention this, but I found a ring. When Nate came, he freaked out too. He said it smelled like gasoline and—”

“Gunpowder,” I finish.

“What's that about anyway?”

“The short story is the hunters lead me to come here; they smell exactly like that.”

The shock leaves Hannah frozen for a while. “What?” she whispers, frozen. “Why are you only telling me this now?”

“Because I didn't want you or anyone else to panic.”

“Of course I’m going to panic. This is a big deal. Are you saying hunters have been coming into my shop?” Hannah looks around as if trying to sniff one out.

“Hey,” I say, drawing her attention back to me. “Breathe, okay?”

Hannah takes a few deep breaths and sits back, trying to make sense of what she just heard. “Sorry, this is pretty creepy stuff.”

“You don't have to apologize, I'm the one dumping on you.” I try to focus on knitting to help keep my mind straight. “The guy who dropped the trinket, do you remember what he looked like?”

“No, but the smell will tip me off if anyone comes in smelling like that. I'll be on the lookout.”

“That's all I can ask. I don't think he’ll show up here again, but you can never be too sure.”

Hannah shakes her head. “Man, I can't wait until the full moon comes. I hate that we only get to enjoy one night. I'd love to transform for a whole week.”

I share her laughter. “Two days isn't far, but I understand what you mean.”

“How will this trip be for you and Nate?” Hannah asks. “Won’t it be awkward?”

I shrug. “I wouldn't know, I don't plan on being there.”

“What do you mean?” Hannah’s brow climbs, surprised.

"I think I'll just disappear into the woods for a while. I need to clear my head without worrying about pack dynamics or Nate. I need to reconnect with my wolf without all these human complications. Sometimes being alone is the best way to get my head straight."

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. I planned to knit until the full moon anyway, but I think I'll be better alone. It's not like anything will happen to me there.”

“What about the hunters?” Hannah asks. It feels like I've helped her unlock a fear she has long forgotten.

"I'll be careful," I promise. "I know there's some risk, but I'm not naive about it. I'll stay alert and stay away from any unfamiliar scents. My wolf senses will be heightened, which gives me an advantage if anything doesn’t seem right."

My friend still doesn't seem convinced, but she realizes that my mind is made up.

“Look,” I say, squeezing her hand. “I won’t do anything stupid. I just want to be in wolf form on my own. My head isn't in a good place and getting away by myself could help. Besides, it won’t be so stressful since the full moon won’t be out yet for a few days.”

Hannah releases a heavy sigh. “I can't tell you what to do, but I can help. There's a spot deep in the woods where lone wolves go to transform. It's safe from regular people, so you’ll be fine. I’ll send you directions.”

“That would be amazing, Hannah.”

“I'm trusting you to be safe. Do you understand?”

I nod, laughing. “I'll be perfectly fine, don’t worry.”