A police photo of a half mutilated body stared back at me. The caption at the top read, 'Mysterious Animal Strikes Again.' All my fears from my own attack, coupled with all the recent issues hit me at once. I began to shake. I recognized those bite marks.
'What are you doing in here?'
Liam's voice made me jump. I spun around, and nervously dropped the album. 'I was just looking for the bathroom.'
'It's across the hall,' he said, his voice hard.
'Right.' I started for the door, when he caught my arm.
'What did you see?' he demanded.
'What? Nothing.' My voice came out high and pinched. His grip tightened and a faint rumble came from his chest. 'Liam, you're scaring me.'
He tilted his head to the side and I realized despite the human guise, only animal looked back. I stumbled, trying to get away from him, but his arm held me fast. 'That book is private.'
'I know. I'm sorry,' I said. My fingers trembled at my side. Liam's demeanor seemed so different, cold. I didn't know what to think. I just wanted to go home.
'What did you see?'
'Just a picture.' I shrugged, trying to brush it off as nothing. The way he was acting made me want to hide what I saw. At that moment, I was afraid of him.
'It's not what you think,' he said.
'I wasn't thinking anything,' I said, although I was pretty sure my tone gave me away. His gaze felt like a weight on my body.
'I have to keep track of anything strange going on that involves animals, Charlotte. It's for our protection. That wasn't me.'
'Of course,' I said, with a nod, feigning a blank face. I couldn't breathe right, strangely becoming aware of every inhale and exhale I took. The picture I saw, of the young man's neck half torn off, had become permanently fixated in my mind. Someone or something did that, and I had a good feeling on the what. 'I think I should probably go home. It's late.'
To my relief, Liam dropped my arm from me. 'I'll drive you.'
I swallowed hard. 'Okay.'
Chapter 9
The trees couldn't pass fast enough, as Liam sped the car down the one lane highway leading up around the preserve, back towards town. My stomach knotted as I kept my focus out the window and not on the way he stiffly gripped the steering wheel. No one had spoken since we left the house which only added to the dreaded suspicion that Liam was hiding something about the photograph.
We wound our way past the lookout point overlooking the stream, when the car began to sputter. 'Damn.' Liam groaned. He let go of the wheel and smacked his forehead. 'We're out of gas. I'm sorry, Charlotte. I think we have enough fumes to make it to the mini mart down the way. It's not too far.'
I sunk back into the seat. Great.
Liam let go of the gas, letting the car coast down the hill and around the bend. It choked and shuddered as we got to the bottom and the road straightened. A small mom and pop station appeared up ahead on the left just as Liam anticipated, and we slowly hobbled in. Once parked, the engine fizzled out.
'I'll be right back,' he said.
Liam took off out the door before I could even say anything. I sighed and leaned back in the plush leather seat. Glancing out the window, I could see him inside, paying the attendant at the register. The man behind the counter seemed pleased to be actually having business at this remote location, for he was smiling and making conversation with Liam.
A shadow moved by the window, startling me. I turned in the seat, but the blind spot blocked my view. Not wanting to remove my seat belt, I ignored it, resting my head against the glass. I couldn't see Liam anymore and my mind went back to the photo. Could Liam do something like that? Would he? His reaction bothered me the most. He seemed so different. My stomach didn't feel right.
A hand slammed down on the roof of the car and I jumped, as a large burly man moved passed, dragging his palm along the hood. He spat on the pavement, and coughed. With hunched shoulders, he moved quickly towards the station, glancing about as if someone might be following him. The uneasy pit in my gut grew. I still didn't see Liam.
I shifted in my seat and rolled down the window, needing some air. The scent of musky pine hit my nose and despite the nervous tangle in my mind, I felt relieved. Liam walked over and leaned his elbow against the sill, pump in his other hand. 'Sorry, got to talking. The guy in there's an old friend of mine. I hope your dad isn't going to be too upset. It's kind of late.'
'Why? Are you afraid of what he'll think of you?'
Liam chuckled. 'Maybe.'
I pulled the little watch head from my pocket. Quarter to six. Dad didn't usually get home from the hospital until seven. 'You're in luck. We still have some time. He won't kill you yet.'
The irony of my word 'kill' got lost in my throat. I needed to stop these thoughts. Liam didn't kill anyone. He was an Alpha. He had to keep track of these things. I really wasn't being fair. My nerves were just messing with me again.
Two loud gunshots snapped me to attention and I froze. Through the front window I saw the attendant collapse out of sight. I tried to scream, but nothing came out. Liam pushed himself off the car and tore across the parking lot to the small building.
'Liam?' My words came out like a garbled squeak. I couldn't breathe or think right.
A pair of large hands landed on the driver's side window and I screamed. The man spat on the ground and then started shaking the handle.
'Open the door!'
I tried to bury myself down in the car. He growled in frustration and moved around to my side. I forgot my window was down. He reached in and grabbed me by the shoulder, placing the tip of his gun to my temple. 'Give me the car!'
Something landed on the roof with a crunch. A hand came down and lifted the gunman up off the ground, hurling him away from me. The man crashed into a hard plastic trash container with a groan. Liam jumped down beside my window, crouching on all fours. His lips rose over his teeth with a low snarl. He turned his head towards me and I gasped. Nothing about him looked human. His eyes burned gold and to my horror, his jaw had shifted forward, giving his entire face a more elongated, wolf look. Sharp canine teeth sliced down, piercing through his curled lips.
I didn't know if I wanted to laugh with relief or pass out from fear.
The gunman groaned as he pushed several pieces of garbage off him, and started to his knees. Liam turned from me, springing from his position, and landed on top of the man. The man tried to scramble away, but Liam caught him by the shirt, and dragged him back.
The man thrashed and hollered. 'Get away from me you freak!'
Liam lifted him up by his collar. With a ripping snarl, he opened his mouth wide, brushing his teeth to the man's neck.
I couldn't look. My heart pounded so fast I couldn't even feel anything but the thunderous rhythm shaking my body. The album picture screamed in my head and I started to hyperventilate.
Another shot crackled across the lot, and to my horror, I watched Liam drop to the pavement.
'Liam!' I cried.
My fingers felt numb as I fought with the door handle. 'Open! Open!'
Tears clouded my vision and I furiously blinked them away. I fidgeted with the door handle. This time, it swung free. My legs seemed to have forgotten how to work. I stumbled out of the car, landing on my hands and
