Change of Plans (15 page)

She wiped at her tears, “I’m
not crying because of you, I’m crying for you. There’s a difference. I wish I
had known back then, I maybe could have done something about it. You should
never have had to go through that.”

I smiled at her concern.
“It’s okay, Allie. It was a long time ago. Just promise me something.”

“Anything,” she responded
without hesitation.

“On Thursday, when you
shift, you have to stay relaxed. Otherwise it will hurt, and there’s only so
much pain I can take away through the bond.” Her face darkened, scared. I
wasn’t trying to scare her, but even thinking about my first shift, I can
remember the pain.

Thursday was also a full
moon, which meant the pull to shift would be even more powerful. It also meant
that Allie would be extremely powerful. Very few Wolves shifted on a full moon,
but the ones that did were ones that were talked about for generations. Another
reason for my dad to be scared of her, not that he would admit it.

Allie put back all of her
photos, carefully closing the lid before sliding it back under her bed. She
pulled me downstairs to watch TV with Brody. After order Chinese food for all
of us, she walked into the living room, automatically coming toward me. I
pulled her down onto the leather love seat with me. It was a close fit, but I
didn’t mind.

“Allie, what about going to
school tomorrow?” Brody asked her.

“Really?” she asked, perking
up.

Brody and I shared a glance.
He was waiting for me to decide. “Yeah, I guess that’s fine, your emotions are
under control. Under one condition though, you stay with me or Brody at all
times.” She nodded her head and kissed me out of enthusiasm, much to Brody’s
dismay.

Let’s just hope nobody cried Wolf tomorrow.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Back
to School Blues

Allie

Usually on a night like
tonight, I would be with Matt. But here I was with the last people on earth I
expected to be with together. It wasn’t that I wasn’t having a good time, but
Matt was always there for me and now I felt like I was abandoning him. It was
strange how the one person who you relied on could always change so easily,
without even realizing it.

After all the food was eaten,
which was a lot of food considering we’re werewolves, we put in a movie. It was
a gory, action movie that I had never seen. When the boys were calling out to
the screen during a super gory scene, I rolled my eyes. Boys will be boys.

I ended up falling asleep
halfway through the movie. Although it may sound like an easy task, it was
anything but with Caleb jumping up and down under me anytime someone was
killed. And he said I was too into it when it came to movies. It was probably
payback for the chick flick on our first date.

When I woke up I was still
tucked in Caleb’s arms on the love seat. Brody wasn’t on the couch anymore. I
wonder what my dad would think if he knew that his daughter had their boyfriend
sleeping over. Then again, he probably wouldn’t care.

Through the windows, the sun
was just starting to peak over the horizon, signaling a new day. Caleb groaned,
shifting under me, and his arms tightened around my waist. I was so use to
sleeping with Caleb now that I don’t remember what it was like not sleeping
with him.

“Caleb,” I whispered and
lightly shook his shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“We should get up, I have to
take a shower before school.” I tried to get up, but his arms tightened again
and pulled me back down.

“Five more minutes,” he
grumbled as he nuzzled his head into my neck. Yeah, and he said I was bad in
the mornings.

“Caleb, we don’t have five-“
My protest was cut short as he gently kissed my neck. His lips slowly trailed a
line until they were at my jaw line. I melted like putty in his arms. When I
sighed against him, he pulled his head back.

“Sure we don’t have five
minutes?” he asked seductively.

Nope, this was a bad idea, a
very bad idea. I quickly kissed him, but before he could deepen it I pulled
away and hopped off his lap. “Yup, I’m positive. I’m going to shower and you
can take one after.”

“Or we could save water and
take one together?” I knew he was kidding, but really? As I passed the couch, I
plucked one of the red pillows and threw it at him. He easily caught it and
grinned.

When I came out of my shower
in just a towel, I wasn’t that shocked to see Caleb waiting on the bed. It
still didn’t make me feel comfortable though. Walking toward my closet, I
purposefully swayed my hips a little more, just to mess with him. I got the
response I wanted when he couldn’t resist following me into my closet.

I looked over my shoulder
innocently at him, “What, are you going to help me pick out my outfit?”

He smirked, “Yup, we’re
going to match like Barbie and Ken.”

“Yeah, dark-haired, werewolf
Barbie and Ken. Maybe we’ll even get our dream house,” I said sarcastically.
“Now, out so I can get dressed.” I pointed to the bathroom door. He stole a
kiss and backed up before I could swat him away.

“Love you, babe,” he said,
just to push my buttons, but I knew he meant it.

“Yeah, yeah, now shower. You
better not make me late on my first day back,”

When he finished showering
and opened the door, I was right outside the door. Brushing past him, I plugged
in a blow dryer. I hadn’t expected him to take so long in the shower. I thought
guys were supposed to be quick getting ready. I had just finished drying my
hair when Caleb stepped back into the bathroom, brushing his teeth.

Caleb ended up waiting
twenty minutes as I threw more products in my hair, threw on some mascara and
lip gloss, and changed my boots. Twice. It was hard to work in such a small
space, and eventually Caleb just sat at my desk, waiting.

“Babe, we
gotta
go,” he complained.

“I know, I just can’t find
my jacket,” I said as I looked in my closet again for my brown leather jacket.

“This one?” Caleb asked,
reaching under the bed to get something.

Looking at the jacket in his
hand, I felt stupid. I swear I had looked there. “Yes, thank you.” I grabbed it
out of his hand after giving him a quick kiss. “Alright, let’s go.”

Downstairs, Brody was just
leaving. I didn’t have time to make breakfast, but I grabbed some breakfast
bars for Caleb me. Walking past the foyer, Caleb grabbed my keys.

“Are we taking my car?” I
asked. He nodded, not slowing down. “Why?”

“Because you have an awesome
car,” he said simply. That was true, I did.

At school, Caleb parked in
the senior parking lot and got out to open the door for me. A lot full of
people were looking at us as we got out. Caleb didn't really mind, he was use
to people looking at him, but I burrowed into my side, intimidated at the many
pair of eyes. He threw his arm around my shoulders and led me into school,
oblivious to the stares and whispers.

Today went a lot differently
than other days. We walked into first period together, and during the video
about some dead poet, I didn't mind Caleb messing with my hair for once. It
actually felt really good, especially with my growing headache. I thought I
would be able to handle the constant noise, but it was a little much for my
liking.

Caleb, sensing my
discomfort, tried to take away as much as he could. Our classmates, busy
texting, were unconcerned by our charade. I didn’t mind Caleb taking away the
emotions, but when he leaned forward and kissed my neck, I tensed up. I looked
around to see if anyone had noticed, but no one was looking at us.

“Stop,” I told Caleb as he
tried to kiss me again.

“Fine, but it’s going to
cost you,” he laughed, remembering our conversation from last week. God, it was
only last week when Caleb asked me out.

“What this time?”

“Hmm, you’ll find out
later,” he promised. I nodded, anything to get him to stop embarrassing me.
When the bell rang, I tried to race out, but Caleb caught me by my wrist.

“Not so fast,” he said.
“Remember the deal, you have to be with me or Brody at all times.”

“Than who’s going to be with
me next period?”

“Brody got his schedule
changed.” He said as we walked toward the locker rooms. He kissed my cheek.
“Have fun in gym, babe.”

I glared at him, watching
him walk away in his jeans that hugged all the right places. I changed quickly,
and when I got to the gym, Brody was already there talking to the coach. With
the blow of the whistle, we all headed outside to do our lap.

“Whoa,” Brody said as he
pulled me back to slow down. “If you keep running that fast they’ll think
you’re Flash.” I hadn’t realized that I’d been going that fast. Maybe it was a
good idea to have Brody or Caleb with me at all times.

Brody and I still finished
our lap quickly, heading inside to catch up on make up
work
which
was growing and growing. Brody tried to help me as much as he
could, but school was never really his thing. The bell pierced the air, adding
fuel to my never-ending headache. Caleb was waiting for me at the library door,
concern covering his face. I shook my head no, already sensing his question to
if I wanted to go home. It was just now that I was starting to feel normal
again.

Caleb, as always, lived up
to his promise. In return for my kindly asking him to stop bothering my in
English, Caleb decided he wanted to finish what we started. So, in third
period, instead of putting up books, as a good library assistant should, Caleb
pulled me toward the back of the library and we made out all period.

The rest of the day went by
in a similar fashion. Caleb and Brody stopping me when I became too
Wolfie
, eating lunch in the library again, dealing with the
stares and the ‘Are you dating Caleb Winters?’

We ran into Matt a couple
times. I didn’t get the chance to talk to him much, but he seemed to be
avoiding me for the most part. I understood why, he was probably hearing
about me and Caleb dating all day,
but it still hurt.

Sierra was also at school.
For the most part, she made herself invisible, but I caught her a couple times
looking at
me and Caleb
. At the end of the day, Brody
had to stay after school for something and Caleb had practice. He handed me my
keys before heading to practice saying he’ll get a ride home with Brody.

The lot was nearly empty by
the time I got out there, probably due to Caleb’s overly long goodbye kiss. My
boots clacked against the concrete as I crossed the lot. A single car was
driving by when I threw my backpack in my car. I felt weird tingles at the back
of my neck like a bad omen. Catching a whiff of something, I recognized a very
familiar scent, yet I couldn’t place it. But before I could react, there was a
sharp pinch in my back.

And the world went black.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Gone
Girl

Caleb

It’s Wednesday.

Allie’s been gone for two
and a half days.

We have no leads to where
she is. Although I assumed my dad and Mr. Griffin were behind it.

And she shifts tomorrow
night.

After practice on Monday, we
were pulling out of the parking lot when I saw Al’s car still there. “Brody
stop!” I lurched forward as he slammed on the breaks. I was out of the car
before it fully stopped moving. Her car was unlocked, and her backpack was in
the passenger seat. Nothing
seem
disturbed, but there
was a scent nearby.

A
scent just like the one in Allie’s house.

     
I
ran back to the car, where Brody looked concerned. “What’s going on?”

     
“Allie’s
gone,” I responded simply, even though I was freaking out on the inside. I
should never have left her. Picking up my phone, I quickly dialed Matt.

     
“Caleb?”
he asked confused, I never called him.

     
I
skipped formalities, “Is Allie with you?”

     
“No,
I thought she was with you. Is she missing?”

     
“Yes,
call me back if she shows up,” I snapped before hanging up the phone.

     
Brody
was already on his way back to the house, well past the speed limit. We called
an emergency pack meeting. My dad, ever the alpha, came as well, forging
concern, but I could see the calculating gleam in his eyes.
There
was no way to call him out on it without challenging him for the rank, and with
the state of mind I was in
,
I would lose
.

     
Every
pack member was looking for her. Groups of two were always in the woods looking
for her, one on Wolf form, the other not. I haven’t been sleeping. Anyone who
asked me something would get snapped at. Pack members were constantly in and
out of the Underwood’s house, reporting back to me and catching some sleep
before their next shift.

     
Wednesday
passed without another lead. I was starting to lose hope. As soon as the sun
went down, Allie would start to shift if she wasn’t already feeling the pull
now. I kept waiting for Mrs. Griffin to come by, but she never did. My
conscience got louder and louder as more fingers pointed to her. I sent Brody
over to their house, thinking he would be able to get in because he’s Sierra’s
pair. He came back with something, but not Sierra’s mom. Instead we got Sierra
herself.

     
I
growled as soon as she walked through the door. Running my hands through my
unwashed hair, I glared at Brody. My temper was already shooting through the
roof, and bringing Sierra here was not a good idea. She was the last person I
want to see right now.

     
Her blonde hair
was as curled as ever, but her face said she had aged years in the past couple
of days. Just like me. She ducked her head and put out both hands, fully
submitting. It calmed my Wolf, but not me. “Before you get all growly,” she
said. “I think I might know where Allie is.”