'There's something about you too.'
Liam shook, as he settled his forehead softly against mine, and closed his eyes. His warm breath on my face too familiar. 'No, I mean, you are right. There really is something about you...something different.'
I tried to speak, but he pressed his lips to mine. All the air dissipated from my lungs and I grasped onto his frayed shirt to keep from falling over. Logic and instinct tangled in a roaring battle, but at that moment I didn't care. I returned his kiss with a hunger of my own.
Liam's eyes went wide and they instantly pooled gold. What ever had been dormant inside me unbelievably ignored that little fact. I stood up on the box, pressing for more.
'Charlotte?' Liam groaned, his voice so low it sounded more a growl.
I heard something loud rip by the neckline of my shirt where Liam held me. I pulled back, stunned. Looking down at the small neckline, I gasped. Five long tear marks streaked down the fabric on my shoulder. Ice fell over my body and I looked at Liam, too shocked to be terrified. His irises burned amber and a set of long sharp canine teeth protruded past his lips. I didn't know who looked more horrified. He turned away from me and nearly stumbled over a box. His entire body trembled.
I couldn't speak or move as I stared at his back. That couldn't have been real. Cold, numbness gripped my body. I imagined it. My childhood delusions had finally caught up with me. Maybe I did need medication. I tried to swallow, but I couldn't. Nothing in me worked.
'Liam?' My voice trembled and I realize my hands shook. Protectively, I tucked them around my chest.
He didn't respond. His body had become a statue, facing the back wall. Part of me didn't want to know why. 'Liam...' I tried again.
'I'm sorry, Charlotte,' he said. The low hoarseness, gone, now replaced with a pinched, painful sound. 'I shouldn't have kissed you. It was stupid of me to think I could without change...' Liam stopped mid sentence and turned to me. An audible sigh escaped me and I realized I had been holding my breath. His features were normal. I tried to convince myself I imagined it, but Liam blew that theory when he stepped up next to me and reached for the torn material around my shoulder.
'It...it's okay. I'm not hurt. I'm okay.'
Liam's fingers froze on my collar bone and his complexion flushed white. Had I said something wrong? I couldn't fathom what. 'What? What'd I do?'
'Is this your scar?'
My hand darted to the spot on my shoulder. 'Yes, that's my scar. Why? What's wrong? I told you before. It doesn't hurt. It looks a lot worse than it is.'
'I don't believe it.' His shook his head back and forth. 'It can't be. That's impossible. That's...'
Liam's chest rose and fell in short hard gasps as he backed away from me towards the kitchen door. He looked completely freaked. 'Liam? Please, what's wrong?'
'I...I have to go.'
I took a step towards him and he nearly burst through the kitchen door to get away from me. Everyone stared, even Ty. Eldridge tore himself from the game and joined Liam's side. It hurt. I didn't know what I did or why he was acting like this. I thought he liked me. We just kissed.
The guys moved to the front door with merely a nod from Liam and hurried outside.
'I'm sorry,' he said. He looked hesitant, as if he struggled with something, but the fear I saw in his eyes overpowered it. Before I could stop him, he had turned from me, and disappeared into the night.
Chapter 6
Hot damp breath gurgled across my cheek and the grass scratched my skin. I could hear the others. The scampering in the leaves, the rough wisps of panting that grew louder with each step. The one closest to me went first and his jowls ripped my shoulder. My own fear buried my screams as I sealed my eyes shut, waiting for it to be over. The pain made me dizzy. It seemed to last forever.
'Charlotte.'
My lids flew open at the sound of Liam's voice. Had he come to save me? Only the wolf looked back at me, his lips curled in a familiar smirk, but razor sharp canines shown down.
I started to shake. 'No, no, no!' I thrashed and scrambled to get up off the cafeteria bench. My tray fell to the floor with a crash and Ty grabbed my arm. The entire room went silent.
'Let go of me!'
'Charlotte, it's Ty. It's okay. Relax.'
I froze and the school lunchroom came back into focus. My chest rose and fell erratically and I felt cold drips of sweat run down my back. My lower lip trembled as my eyes misted over. I buried my head in my hands.
Someone else joined us, but I didn't bother to see who. 'Take her down to the nurse's office. She may have had a panic attack.'
'Yes, Mr. Atterson,' Ty said. Her arm circled around me, ushering me to stand. 'Come on, Charlotte.'
'No. I'm fine. I just...' I rubbed my temples. What happened?
'You're not fine,' Ty said, holding my arm fast. 'You're coming with me to the health office.'
'I've just had a lot on my mind.' Ty gave me a look that said, 'argue and die', so I groaned and stood up. 'All right, lead the way.'
'Think of it this way, we'll get out of Chemistry.'
I rolled my eyes.
The class bell rang as we entered the small nurse's room and I took a seat on the hard metal cot. I felt ridiculous, not to mention embarrassed. The nurse did her thing and checked my vitals. Everything turned out normal, but she did allow Ty and me to stay through class. I even convinced her not to call Dad for fear of amplifying the stress.
I lay back on the small bed and turned to Ty. 'Am I a freak?'
'What? No. Everyone has a panic attack at least once in her life. It's not a big deal.'
I shook my head. 'No, I mean with Liam. Am I that much of a freak that even a freak doesn't want me?'
Ty's face fell. 'Charlotte...'
'I know. I need to stop thinking about that. Just can't help it. I don't know what I did wrong.'
'You didn't do anything wrong.'
'Then why'd he leave me? I thought he liked me, Ty. I thought we actually shared something that night. I feel so stupid.' Anger burned inside me and my eyes stung. 'I never want to see him again.'
'You really like him a lot, don't you?'
I didn't answer.
'I'm sorry, Charlotte. I don't know what to say. It's his loss.'
'Yeah.'
I fiddled with the loose hem of my jeans, trying to convince myself I really felt that way. Liam's words, 'there really is something different about you' hurt more than I wanted to admit. All my life I'd felt left out and alone, like no one understood. Liam, by far the strangest person I ever met, and he proved me right. My head hurt.
'Ty?' I asked, looking up from my jeans. 'Did you see anything strange about Liam that night? I mean, besides the whole freaking out and running from the house thing?' My fingers still jittered and I tucked them in my lap.
'Um.' Her gaze shifted to the door the nurse left open when she left for lunch. She quickly got up and shut it. 'What exactly do you mean by 'strange'?'
'You know,' I whispered. 'The eyes and my shirt for starters? Did you see my shirt, Ty?'
Her lips tightened into a hard line as if contemplating exactly what to say and she twisted her locket around her thumb. 'Okay, I saw the eyes.' Her face sallowed. 'I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, it's just you've been so upset. I just didn't want to make it worse.'
I broke into a quick fit of laughter and rubbed my head.
'That bad?'
'Ty, you have no idea how relieved this makes me feel. I've doubted my sanity for weeks. This means I'm
