Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The reason I smelled like Len brought my thoughts back to the real issue.
“Actually, something did happen after school.”
Sam’s hold on me tightened fractionally, and he inhaled against my skin. Fighting the urge to shiver and kiss him, I pulled back and met his gaze.
“While I was waiting for Mom, I saw that goth girl again—the one from the ice cream parlor with the heavy perfume. She was standing across the street, watching everyone get picked up. It wasn’t a big deal until she moved, and I saw the knife strapped to her leg under her coat.“
Sam frowned. Not quite the reaction I’d expected.
“This is Wisconsin, a state full of hunters. Seeing a knife normally wouldn’t freak me out, but after the news about the body being skinned?” I shook my head. “Thankfully, Len came out of the school and waited with me until Mom showed up.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“Me too. I would have rather talked to you than Len.”
Sam reached up and brushed the same spot Len had touched.
Coincidence? Not likely. But it still wasn’t real proof. I needed something tangible.
“The most upsetting part of today is what happened after Mom picked me up, though,” I continued.
“She brought up moving to my Grandma’s again.
This murder has her really freaked out.” I hesitated briefly.
“I didn’t tell her about seeing the goth girl or the knife.
She’d have our bags packed in two seconds. ”
Sam’s expression shifted, showing real worry as he looked from me to my house. He didn’t say anything for several seconds.
“My dad knows people at the police department. Would it help if someone watched the neighborhood at night?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“I’ll talk to him. You talk to your mom.”
“Any chance you can come over for dinner?”
“I want to, but my parents still need my help. But I promise I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”
“Dinner!” Mom called out the door, interrupting us.
Sam quickly let go of me, even while his expression said he didn’t want to.
“You’d better go,” he said.
I didn’t want to, but he was right. Risking Mom’s wrath, I darted in to kiss his cheek and then hurried home.
Mom shook her head at me as I approached, but waited until the door was closed to say anything.
“I saw that.”
“It was earned,” I said, taking off my jacket. “He’s going to ask his dad, who knows people at the police station, about having someone patrol our neighborhood at night. Sweet, right?”
“Did Sam say what he’s been doing these past few days?”
I paused, straightening my shoes after taking them off. “I forgot to ask.”
She sighed and motioned to the salad on the table. I didn’t mind. The ice cream calories had been worth it.
After dinner, I escaped to my room to do more werewolf research.
A site I’d previously written off as crazy had the same information as the non-fiction books, plus more.
According to the author, werewolves and Urbat both lived in packs.
However, the key difference between them was that werewolves had many packs, each led by a pack leader, whereas only one ruled the Urbat.
Led versus ruled being the key.
Pack leaders were meant to guide and keep their pack safe.
Werewolves could leave packs of their own free will.
Some could choose no packs. Those without packs were called forlorn.
And every werewolf, whether a pack leader, member, or forlorn, had a special telepathic connection with the werewolf Elders.
It didn’t say how many elders there were, but it was always more than one.
Urbat didn’t have any of that. No hierarchical leadership.
No mental connections outside of their mate.
And no rules around claiming a mate. It was a free-for-all, whether human, werewolf, or their own kind.
They didn’t need permission from anyone, not even the female involved.
They sounded awful. If goth girl were an Urbat, no wonder she carried a knife.
Werewolves had rules, but only for human mates. Pretty much, they couldn’t. Not without elder approval.
Did that mean Sam had asked an Elder for permission to bite me?
I thought back to that night, how he’d snuck into the house when Mom was outside, then how those two men had shown up to “talk to me” about the attack and began to suspect Sam hadn’t asked first.
What did that mean, though? Would he be in trouble? Would I?
I couldn’t find the answers anywhere.
Tuesday was pretty much a repeat of Monday. More murder talk. More speculation. More disciplinary notices for not paying attention during class.
Near the end of the day, I started to feel anxious, which was weird since I hadn’t considered goth girl might be out there waiting for me again until I started to feel anxious.
Just before the final bell, I pulled out my reader to remind Mom not to be late and saw she’d already messaged.
I’m going to be late again. If you can find a ride with a friend, take it, and let me know.
What friends, I thought, glancing at my pathetic contact list.
I sent a message to Mirae, but she couldn’t—she had after-school lessons. She suggested I reach out to Len, who had his own car.
I hesitated, debating whether to just wait for Mom.
The bell rang before I decided. I hurriedly packed my things and left with everyone else, hoping to find someone who lived near me. I remembered a girl three blocks over who—
“Hey, Clarity.”
I jumped at the sound of Len’s voice.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said.
“You didn’t. I mean, you did, but it wasn’t you. I was thinking and not paying attention.”
“I noticed.”
He walked with me toward the main doors.
“Were afterschool activities canceled again?” I asked.
“No. You seemed pretty freaked out yesterday, and since I have time before practice, I thought I’d hang out with you until your ride came.”
He really was a sweet guy, and I knew I needed to tell him I wasn’t interested. But, as we cleared the main doors and joined the chaos of waiting students, I knew it wasn’t the right time or place.
“Thanks. I’m hoping I won’t be the last one today,” I said.
“Even if you are, it’s not a big deal. The guys know where I am.”
My worry spiked, which was odd because I honestly didn’t care if the rest of his team knew he was waiting with me. Then some doubt so intense that I struggled not to fold under its weight blanketed me.
Len reached out and brushed my hair back like he had yesterday.
Jealousy hit me hard, and I suddenly understood none of these feelings were mine.
Excited, I looked around for Sam.
He was leaning against his truck on the other side of the pickup line, but he wasn’t watching me. He was staring at Len, his face completely impassive.
With a grin, I glanced at Len.
“You’re off the hook. My ride’s here. See you tomorrow!”
Not waiting for his response, I darted between the waiting cars and jogged toward Sam.
The ache in my chest as he watched me could have been either of us.
All I knew was that he’d once again appeared when I needed him.
“You have amazing timing as always,” I said, stopping in front of him. “Any chance you can give me a ride home?”
“Yeah. Will your mom get mad?”
“I don’t think so. She’s running late again and told me to get a ride.”
He led me to the other side of his truck and opened the door for me. The emotions from before vanished as he took my bag and offered me his hand to step in. The way his fingers brushed mine and how he leaned in to set my bag on the seat made my pulse skip.
He glanced at me. My gaze dipped to his mouth.
I saw awareness flicker in his gaze before he withdrew and closed the door.
This is it. Sam and I are finally going to be alone again.
Yes, I was breaking Mom’s rule, but for good reason. I was running out of time to test him and knew I wouldn’t get a better opportunity than I had now.
Anticipation built as Sam walked around and got in.
My heart started to race as he pulled out of the lot, heading toward our neighborhood. Nerves were wrecking me, but I was determined.
I needed to know if last time was a fluke.
I needed to know if it would feel the same.
Intense.
Consuming.
Desperate.
“Can you pull over? Please?” I asked, already unbuckling.
He immediately signaled and parked on the side of the street.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
I moved to kneel on the seat beside him, and he reached out to steady me. My balance wasn’t the best on a normal day. Now, with my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest and nerves making my hands shake, I needed the support.
His palm warmed my side, enticing me.
Our gazes locked.
I felt a hint of curiosity.
His? Or mine, because I needed to know if kissing him was as amazing as I remembered?
I set my hand on his opposite shoulder and awkwardly attempted to straddle his lap.
A wave of desire hit me hard, and my knee slipped on the seat.
Sam grabbed my hips and lifted me easily, settling my weight on his thighs. Right where I wanted to be. Well, not exactly where I wanted to be. The steering wheel was pressing into my lower back, but his mouth was only inches from mine now, so I could live with it.
“Clarity,” he said roughly. “What are you doing?”
His fingers twitched, gripping me more firmly, as I looked at his mouth.
“Can I kiss you, Sam?”
Need spiraled through me, tightening its hold, making me desperate to feel his lips on mine. I didn’t act on it, though. I waited for his answer.
He murmured one choked word.
“Yes.”
Sliding my hands from his shoulders to his chest, I leaned in and brushed my lips against his. My head started to swim with those same emotions I’d felt at the haunted house. Need. Hunger. Desperation.
Sam’s hand slid up my side and captured the back of my neck, the subtle pressure adding to the kiss.
His firm lips teased mine as his scent surrounded me. I lost myself to Sam. The heat of his chest under my hands. The way his fingers cradled my neck.
Needing more, I parted my lips and invited him in. Our tongues touched. Hunger devoured me, turning the kiss from slow and sweet to all-consuming.