Burnout (Shifter High #3)

Chapter 1

Last day.

Henley

When I wake up, the bed beside me is empty. I frown, wondering where Parker went.

I’m just doing a quick perimeter check, he says through our mate bond. I thought I’d be back before you woke up.

In the months since Blaze, a psychopathic phoenix who tried kidnapping me and was killed for his crimes, a lot has changed.

For one, I’m married.

Parker and I were engaged for about a week before he got impatient and decided we shouldn’t delay getting married.

So, we didn’t. Parker’s mom, Amanda, threw together a wedding, and the whole pack came.

My dad wasn’t thrilled by it, but he was easily soothed by the promise that we’d live with him until after graduation.

It was easy enough. Parker moved his things, and we’ve been fine living here, but I am ready for us to have our own space.

Graduation is this week. Today is our last day of school, and it’s so, so weird to think about. It feels like yesterday when Dad dropped me off for my first day of school. Though to be fair, I hadn’t been to a public school until my senior year.

Another thing that has changed is that I have more family now, and not just because I married Parker and his family became mine. I also have an uncle.

My Uncle Ferno, who is technically a king, has come to visit once a month ever since he found out that I’m alive.

He has taught me a lot, like how to block the thoughts of humans.

That is the only reason why Parker and I went back to public school.

It was another stipulation in our getting married before graduation—his dad insisted.

Parker hated that part the most, but he would’ve agreed to almost anything our parents asked.

I grab a quick shower and get dressed before heading down to the kitchen. Parker comes through the back door carrying a bag of food. He holds it up.

“Mom sent breakfast—she says it’s to celebrate our last day of high school,” Parker says.

Amanda frequently sends food for us, not that I mind. My mother-in-law loves to cook, and she shows her love for others by making copious amounts of food. I love everything she makes, and neither Parker nor I wants to make breakfast before school.

He sets the bag down on the table and starts pulling out dishes. I get us both something to drink, and then we sit down to eat at the dining room table.

“Where is your dad?” Parker asks.

Sometimes my dad will join us for breakfast when he’s not working.

“At work,” I answer. “He’s in the middle of a forty eight hour shift.”

Parker frowns. And because he’s not blocking his thoughts, I can tell exactly what he’s thinking. He loathes the idea that Dad left me at home when I was growing up. He’s sad because it had to be lonely. His thoughts only make me love him more.

I don’t begrudge my father for working a lot. He had to make a living, and he took care of me the best he knew how.

We finish up our breakfast and clean up before heading to school. Parker tosses me the keys, and I sigh before getting in the driver’s seat.

I got my license last month, but driving isn’t something I’m super comfortable with. Parker knows this, so he’s made me drive everywhere since I got my license. Our small Montana town is the perfect place to practice, so I can’t complain too much.

“I thought husbands were supposed to drive their wives around,” I tease as I start his Jeep.

“I will drive you around—once you’re comfortable driving yourself,” he says.

He’s stubborn and won’t be changing his mind. I know that he’s doing it for me, so I don’t argue. But I still don’t enjoy it.

Parker snorts.

I put the car in drive, but I glance at him before taking my foot off the brake. “What?”

“You calling me stubborn is hysterical considering how stubborn you are,” he says.

I narrow my eyes. “Those are private thoughts, Parker Thorne.”

He buckles his seatbelt. “Then you shouldn’t be thinking them so loudly.”

As I take off, I carefully block him off from reading my thoughts—that was another thing Uncle Ferno taught me. Now, I can privately think about how stubborn my alpha husband is, and he’ll be none the wiser.

Parker chuckles. “You might keep me from your thoughts, but I still know you.”

I drop the wall, knowing he hates it when I block my thoughts from him. Besides, I’m not actually mad at him. I’m incapable of being mad at the man—he’s too cute.

“Are you ready for our last day of school?” I ask, changing the subject before he teases me more about my thoughts.

“Yes.” His head lolls back, and he sighs in relief. “I still can’t believe Dad made us go back to school.”

“Hey, it was your choice,” I remind him.

“And I wouldn’t change my choice.” Parker sits up straighter. “I’d much rather be happily married to you, even if it meant finishing out school with a bunch of humans.”

While we hadn’t announced our marriage, it was pretty obvious by the giant ring on my finger.

Uncle Ferno taught me how to block thoughts before we went back to school, but it’s not exactly easy.

I sometimes still struggle, and the day we came to school married was particularly rough.

Parker was about ready to pack up and move us across the country, away from his dad and pack rules.

But I talked him down, and things have gotten better.

“It’s good practice for me to be around them,” I remind him.

He grunts but doesn’t reply.

Parker wants to protect me from ever being around humans, but it’s not exactly something he can do. Even islands that are mostly supernatural have humans living there. Besides, Parker’s pack is here. And our family. It’s not like we can just leave, not when Parker has alpha duties.

“August has been helping with alpha duties.” Parker crosses his arms over his chest.

August is Parker’s younger brother. He turned sixteen a few months ago. While Parker will be the one to take over his pack as alpha, his younger siblings will help as much as they can. And so will his betas—Will and Blaine.

“I won’t be taking over the pack for a while anyway. My dad is still young and healthy,” Parker says.

Parker has been saying stuff like that a lot lately. It’s strange considering when we first found out we were mates, he was always busy with alpha duties. Now, he avoids them as much as possible. I wonder what’s going on…

“Are you excited for Friday?” Parker asks, cutting off my thoughts.

I swallow hard at the mention.

We’re graduating on Friday. And then on Saturday, we’re leaving for the summer. We’re packing up our Jeep and traveling to Florida to spend a few months with Uncle Ferno. And, to be honest, I’m a little nervous.

Uncle Ferno is a king. And it’s still so weird to think about it. But we still have one important topic that we haven’t discussed.

My parents.

He hasn’t brought up my biological mom and dad, and I’m too scared to ask him about them. I’m not sure that I’m ready to talk about it yet, but it’s not something I can avoid forever.

“It’ll be nice,” I finally say.

And it will. I’m more than ready to graduate. The last few months since Parker and I got married have been great. Well… except for the part where we have to go to school. Our last few months of high school have dragged on. It’s why I’m glad that today is the last day of senior year.

Parker and I can finally start our lives without our parents being so involved. Everything we’ve done so far has been to please them. Public school. Living with my dad. But now, we’re free.

Or, we will be. As soon as Friday comes.

When we arrive at school, Will and Blaine are waiting for us in the parking lot.

I park the Jeep—it’s crooked, but it’s in the lines.

Parker chuckles at my parking job, but he doesn’t comment on it as he gets out.

He is over to my side before I can even think about reaching for the handle.

He opens my door and helps me out of the vehicle.

When I’m safely on the ground, he gives me a swoon worthy kiss before he slips an arm around my waist and tucks me into his side.

“I was hoping that marriage would make the two of you less prone to PDA.” Will wrinkles his nose in disgust.

I grin at our grumpy friend. “You’re just in a bad mood because you’re going to miss me passing you notes during first and second period.”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh, yes. I’m completely heartbroken. How will I survive without you explaining in great detail what the girls in our class think about me?”

I stick my tongue out at him. “I only do it because I know it annoys you.”

“So they’re not thinking about me?” he perks up.

I cringe. “No, they are.”

And it’s absolutely disgusting, especially when they think about kissing him. He’s like a brother to me, and I’d rather not think about that.

Honestly, the Will in their thoughts is way less grumpy and way more romantic than in reality. If only they knew he was waiting for his soulmate and didn’t stand a chance. Eh, that’d probably make them love him more.

“You’re not supposed to listen to thoughts during class.” Parker gives me a stern look.

I grin up at him. “Yes, but class is boring, so I sometimes listen. There is this particular redhead in first period who has a major crush on Will. She’s imagined their first kiss in a multitude of ways—each time it gets more creative.”

Parker sighs and says through our mate bond, You enjoy riling him up too much.

I grin, not bothering to respond. He knows me so well.

Will speeds up so he can get further ahead, not wanting to hear my teasing anymore. Blaine grins at me before he runs to catch up with Will.

“What am I going to do with you?” Parker asks, shaking his head.

“I have a few ideas,” I say.

Parker narrows his eyes. “We still have to get through an entire day of school before we can go home. And my mom wants us to come over early tonight.”