Intertwined

Mary Ann. Trust me.

First, he knew her name. The knowledge jolted her. Second, the words themselves were threatening. But the way he said them, so matter-of-factly, lent them a truth that all the shouting in the world couldn’t have provided. If she didn’t answer, he would force her. With claws, with teeth. Whatever was required.

He stalked toward her, slow and sure, closing the distance between them. What do you know of the boy?

He reached her and rose up, placing his front paws beside her temples, boxing her in.

The blood rushed from her head and pooled in her legs, making her head dizzy and her limbs all the heavier. “What boy?” she managed to gasp out.

I believe his name is Aden.

This was about Aden? “Why do you want to know about him?”

He ignored the question. You spoke to him. What did you talk about?

“Nothing personal, I swear. All I know is that he’s a new student at my school. You’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

Again, he ignored her. What about the other boy? The one you escorted to the stadium.

“That’s Tucker. I’m dating him. Kind of. Maybe. It might be over. I think. Are you planning on hurting him?”

Suddenly the wolf growled, another of those low and menacing rumbles that danced over her nerve endings as delicately as a flutter of wings yet still managed to cut her up and leave her bare. Then she heard why he was suddenly ready to slaughter. Footsteps pounded through the grass, crunching against leaves and acorns. He stiffened and swung around, ready to face the threat.

Aden suddenly burst from the trees, sweat glistening over his face and causing the shirt Tucker had taunted him about to stick to his chest.

“Mary Ann,” he gasped out. “What’s wrong?” Then he spotted the wolf and stilled, ready to defend and protect. “Move around the tree. Slowly.” Gaze never leaving his foe, he bent and withdrew two daggers from his boots.

Her jaw dropped. He carried daggers?

The wolf reared back on its haunches, preparing to attack.

“No, please no,” she cried out. “Don’t fight.” Not once, in all her life, had she ever pictured herself in the middle of something like this.

“Go home, Mary Ann,” Aden demanded. He crouched, determined. “Now.”

Tell him to leave us, the wolf snarled at her without removing his focus from Aden. Why wouldn’t he tell Aden himself? Could he not talk to two people at once? Or did he not want Aden to know what he was? And why was she asking herself all these questions? A battle was about to take place!

“A-Aden,” she began, attempting to move between them. The wolf twisted, blocking her path. “Don’t fight him,” she couldn’t help but plead, suddenly unsure of whom she was speaking to. All she knew was that there would be a bloodbath if one of them didn’t walk away. “Please, don’t fight him. I’m fine. We’re all fine. Let’s just go our separate ways. Okay? Please.”

Neither boy—wolf, whatever—listened to her. They circled each other, intent, panting viciously.

“Stop it, Eve,” Aden snapped, his harsh voice like a boom amidst the silence. “I need quiet.”

Eve?

Then Aden froze, blinked as if confused. He glanced at Mary Ann to ensure she was there, and frowned. “I can hear them.”

She, too, blinked in confusion. “Who?”

Enough! the wolf roared. Tell. Him. To. Go.

“He wants you to go,” she told Aden on a trembling breath. “Please go. I’ll be fine, I swear.”

“You can talk to it?” Thankfully, he didn’t sound horrified. Didn’t gaze at her as if she were insane.

“I—”

Do not say another word to him or I’ll tear out his throat. Understand?

She pressed her lips together, a small whimper escaping. Never had she felt more helpless or scared. She had no idea what to do.

“Is he threatening you?” Aden asked, soft but fierce. Not waiting for her reply, he raised his blades, the silver tips gleaming menacingly in the sunlight. “C’mere, big boy, and we’ll see if you like playing with someone more your size.”

My pleasure.

“No!” she shouted as the wolf leapt forward. Aden met him midair. Only, they didn’t collide. Aden disappeared. Actually disappeared. There one moment, gone the next.

The wolf fell to the ground, twitching, moaning. Both blades thumped uselessly beside him. Mary Ann rushed to his side, unsure of what had happened or how to react. Maybe she was in shock. There was no blood, so he hadn’t been cut.

With a shaky arm, she reached out and brushed her palm against his muzzle. Why are you touching him? common sense shouted. Run! She stayed put, her concern greater than her sense of survival. “Are you okay?”

His eyes popped open, no longer green but laced with all the colors Aden’s eyes sometimes possessed. He jolted to his feet, unsteady, swaying. Slowly he backed away from her.

When he passed the line of trees, he swung around and ran.

CHAPTER 7

I saw her. Saw the girl.

Me, too.

Did you recognize her? I know I’ve seen her before.

Sorry, Eve, but I didn’t.

Aden wanted to scream. There was too much noise in his head, so much he could barely process it. The glide of wind against the trees, the high-pitched chirps of nearby birds. The buzz of locusts, the song of the crickets. The croaks of the frogs.

Grunting, he forced the wolf’s big body into motion. It was hard, moving his front legs in sync with his back legs, but he managed it, only stumbling a few times. He’d never overtaken the form of an animal before and wasn’t sure he was doing it right. But there was no time to stop and ponder how to go about it. If he didn’t hurry, he would be late. And if he was late, Dan would not allow him to attend school tomorrow.

How did you do that? the wolf snarled, his voice joining the clamor of the others. Get out of my head! Out of my body!

The creature knew he was there. Could feel him. That had never happened before, either. He would have thought the animal’s more primitive mind unable to process the human language. For the most part, at least.

I’m not an animal, curse you.

What are you? he thought.

Wolf. Man. Werewolf. Now get out of me!

A…shape-shifter?

Aden hadn’t known such things existed. Not in reality. Considering what he himself could do, he probably should have. Made him wonder what else was out there. Legends told of vampires, dragons, monsters and all kinds of other creatures.

Out! Now!

Even with those infuriated snarls, the run soon proved to be invigorating. Strengthening. Air danced through his fur, caressing all the way to the hair shaft. His gaze plowed the distance as though it were insignificant, taking in every detail, nothing missed. Colors were more vivid, and dust motes…wow. They were like snowflakes, glittering all around him.