SPENCER
Looking into the bathroom mirror, I ran my eyes from the top of my head to the tip of my high heel shoes, then nodded, satisfied, and opened the door. The moment I took a step over the threshold, I saw Finn coming right at me. It was too late for any of us to step back, and we crashed into each other.
I lost my balance, and he grabbed me by my arms to stop me from hitting the opposite wall.
“I’m sorry. I . . .” His eyes traveled up and down my body and stopped on my face. “You were right.” He pulled me back into the bathroom, closed the door, and pushed me against it. “You do look even prettier than usual.” His lips crashed into mine, then moved down my chin to my neck and his hand slid up my thigh and snuck between the door and my body.
My arms locked around his torso, and my fingers crawled up his back, pushing him closer. Panting, he pressed his body against mine, and our lips collided.
Moments later, when he started pulling back, I held him tighter, refusing to let go.
“Spencer,” he whispered, his lips now wandering around my ear. “It’s your mom. She just opened her door. She’s calling for you.”
“What?” I dropped my hands. “I didn’t hear anything.”
“We have to go,” he murmured, his lips moving down my jawline.
“Okay.” Catching my breath, I pulled away and glanced into the mirror. “Me first.” I brushed my fingers through the messed-up parts of my hair, gave him a brief kiss, and walked out.
* * *
I don’t know why Mom decided to take the back seat. Sitting next to Finn the whole ride was like torture. He looked so damn hot I could barely control my breathing. I had to squeeze my locked-together fingers to suppress the urge to take his hand or put my hand on his strong forearm and then move it up, over his folded on the elbow sleeve, and feel his muscles through that fine shirt that matched the color of his eyes, and—Cut it out!
Finn’s chest heaved. He cleared his throat, then resting his elbow on the open window, he rubbed the corner of his eyebrow with the back of his index finger.
Oh, God. Does he feel my feelings?
I slightly turned my head.
“Sorry,” I said quietly, so only he could hear me.
His shoulders shook from the soundless laughter.
When we finally arrived, I quickly got out of the car while Finn walked around to open the door for Mom.
It was a French bistro. A table was prepared for us next to a big window. Covered with a dark chocolate tablecloth, it had lit candles on it and a small bouquet in a rectangular, thin-glass vase.
Shortly after the waiter took our order, he came back with drinks: alcoholic champagne for Mom and Finn, and as I was underage, the alcohol-free one for me. When he left, Mom changed our glasses, then dropped a piece of bread into her now alcohol-free champagne glass and called the waiter back.
“Sorry,” she smiled. “I’m so clumsy. Can I get a new one?” She held her glass for the waiter to take it away.
“Of course, madam.”
Finn grinned.
“Mom?” I raised my eyebrows as the waiter left. “Wow.”
“What?” she shrugged. “It’s not every day you turn eighteen. You can’t celebrate it with some . . .” she waved her hand, “. . . soda.”
Mom was spoiling me these last few days, and it made me wonder if it was her way to apologize for lying to me my whole life about what I was, or if she thought that I must be freaking out since the full moon was only two days away, and she wanted to distract me, make me relax.
If it was the first reason, then it sure bugged me the past month. But right now, it was the last thing that bothered me. It was the full moon that scared the hell out of me, and I couldn’t be luckier, and more grateful for having Finn, and for him showing up at the last moment. I can’t even imagine what would happen if I hadn’t met him. Would Mom still have kept it a secret from me until the last minute?
We talked and laughed, and it was a beautiful evening. Though I couldn’t help but notice that sometimes even when Mom laughed, her eyes remained sad.
We were finishing the dessert when something drew my attention to the window. I glanced at the street. A guy was coming out of his car. Facing the window, he leaned on the hood and moved his searching, narrowed eyes around. The moment I came into his view, he straightened up as if he recognized me. I held my breath for a second, then understood why. I recognized him too. It was the blond, blue-eyed guy from the gas station.
I looked away, and when I glanced out the window again, the guy wasn’t there. My eyes traveled around, and I saw him walk into the bistro. He eyed the room like he was looking for a vacant table. But the place was full. He glanced at me, then at Finn, then frowned and went back to his car and leaned on the hood again.
Finn, who was sitting with his back to the window and talking to Mom, suddenly clutched my hand under the table. We looked at each other, and I saw the gold lining his pupils.
“Finn?” I stared at him. “Your eyes.”
His jaw tightened.
“We have to go.”
“What’s going on?” Mom looked at us from one to another.
“There’s a wolf nearby. We need to go. Now.”
I glanced at the street. The guy was there, and his eyes were still fixed on me.
Mom grabbed her purse and was about to get up, but Finn stopped her.
“Clare, don’t rush. I’m sure that the wolf sensed me too, and he will be looking for me. Try not to attract attention.”
He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and dropped the money on the table. Mom drew herself up, and so did I, and I wore a smile as Finn put his hand around my back and led me to the exit.
Before getting into the car, I glanced back and saw that the guy was staring at us. Was it him? Was he the wolf?
After we took off, I looked into the side mirror, and then through the rear window of the car to see if the guy was following us. But the road behind us was clear.
While we drove, I kept thinking about what had just happened.
In the restaurant, when I saw the guy come out of his car, it looked like he was searching the area for something. But the moment he saw me, he stared at me as if he had found what he was looking for. Finn, who didn’t see him at all, grabbed my hand the moment the guy walked out of the bistro. Was it a coincidence? Or the guy was the wolf, and he sensed—Who? Did he sense me? Or Finn. Or both of us?
I tried to remember the details of what happened back at the gas station. While his friend was filling the tank, the guy was in the car, and he checked me out with a smug grin. But after, when he walked by me to the shop, he frowned at me.
Then he suddenly finds my phone and beams at me like a kid who just saw his dream toy?
And what if he was the wolf? I still had no clue why it was so dangerous to meet other werewolves. I’ve been lied to my entire life and judging by Mom’s reaction, I was sure now that Mom once again hiding something from me. And so was Finn. And I was furious with both of them.
The moment we walked into the house, I rounded on them.
“What the bloody hell is going on?” I shouted. “I’m sick of your secrets. Can someone explain to me WHY meeting other wolves is so dangerous?” I glared at Finn, then at Mom.
The two of them exchanged a meaningful glance.
“Honey, we’re not . . .” Mom smiled nervously. “Me and you, we were always careful about meeting other witches, and maybe Finn has his reasons—” Looking at her, Finn shook his head, and she stopped talking.
“Clare, let me.” He sighed. “Spencer, the thing is . . . you’re not allowed to exist.”
“Excuse me?” I frowned at him.
Mom gaped at Finn, completely terrified. But Finn gave her a reassuring look, and after a moment of hesitation, she nodded.
“Werewolves and witches are not allowed to have kids together. That’s an absolute law. But here you are. And if any wolf or witch finds out, you’ll be in danger.”
“What kind of danger?” I was starting to get a really bad feeling about all this.
“They’ll try to capture you and your mother. And then, they’ll punish you.”
“Punish how?” I scoffed. “This can’t be true? You’re a wolf, aren’t you? And all you do is help me to . . . Wait a minute. Is that why you avoid other wolves? Because if they find out you’re harboring us, they’ll punish you? Or . . . Finn, why are you helping me?”
“The answer to your first question is yes, if they find us, we’re doomed. All three of us. And to your question about why I want to help you. I have a few reasons.” He gave me a tender look. “All important to me. And here’s one. I’m like you. I was born from a wolf and a warlock.”
“What?” I gaped at him. “Why didn't you tell me this before?”
I glanced at the bracelet around my wrist. Then I remembered what he said to me this morning when I asked about the private property sign: My mom liked to run, and my father chose this place for her, so she could shift and run freely.
“Your father . . . wasn’t a werewolf.”
“No. He was a warlock.”
“Does this mean you’re a warlock too?”
“No. I don’t have magic.”
“No? But if you don’t have magic, you’re a wolf, just like them. Why would you hide? Would they still punish you?”
“Oh, they already did. And I’m not really hiding. They know I exist. I just don’t like meeting them. It reopens the wound I’ve been trying to mend my entire life.”
Something was telling me that I already knew the answer to my next question, and I was terrified to hear it, but I asked it anyway.
“You said they already punished you.” My heart was beating its way out of my chest. “How?”
“Spencer.” He shook his head. “I think it’s enough for today. I answered your question. Now you know why—”
“No. I want you to tell me.”
Finn exchanged another glance with Mom, who folded her arms over her chest and looked down.
Finn gave me a curt nod.
“They killed my parents. For breaking the law.”
“Oh my God.” Guessing the answer didn’t help. I was stunned all the same. “Finn, I am . . .”
“I just want you to know that we’re not overreacting. And we need to be very careful.”
But my pulse was beating so loud against my temples I barely heard him. Is that why we’ve been running our entire life?
“Mom?” I turned my shocked face to her. She didn’t look at me. “Mom, I could’ve given us away at any moment. You should’ve told me. Mom, look at me.”
She did. “I was trying to protect you,” she said, her lips trembling. “I wanted you to have as normal a life as possible, without constant fear.”
“By putting yourself in danger? When I met Finn, I had no idea who he was. I didn’t even know werewolves existed. What if it was some other wolf who sensed me?”
“No. They wouldn’t,” said Finn. “Remember I told you that I only sensed you because we had a special connection? This is the connection. We are both hybrids. We are the same.”
“Are we? You don’t have magic, and I’m not a wolf yet, but you sensed me anyway.”
“It doesn’t matter. I may not be able to do magic, but I have warlock blood. We both have it in our genes.”
“I hope you’re right.” I looked into his eyes, and he gave me his wordless comfort.
I dropped down on the couch and clutched the edge of my seat.
Breathe, Spencer. This is just another twist in your fucked up life.
“Clare, would you like something to drink?” Finn asked, looking at Mom’s pale, strained face.
She nodded.
“Wine?”
“I think I need something stronger.”
Finn poured whiskey into two crystal glasses and handed one to Mom. She took a sip from it and sat down next to me.
“What if he, or she, whoever it was, followed us?” she asked.
“No one followed us. I was watching the road.” Finn gulped from his glass and sank into the armchair. “Wolves are territorial animals. Trespassing on someone’s territory without permission equals attack. There are no packs around here. Someone was probably just passing through the town. Not knowing how many wolves he could come against; he wouldn’t risk getting close. Not alone, and not even with a partner. You’re safe here.”
I took off my shoes, pulled my feet on the couch, and curled up in the corner.
“Honey,” Mom said quietly, rubbing my ankle. “You’ll be okay.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about.”
“You don’t need to worry about anything.” With his glass between his hands, Finn rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “Spencer, the only thing that matters now is your transition. Focus on that, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Right. And after I shift, every werewolf would be able to sniff me out.” I said with sarcasm.
“Even then, as long as you don’t use magic in front of others, you’re safe.”
He sounded pretty convincing, but still, all I could think about was the great danger I was putting them in by simply sitting on this couch.
But Finn’s assured tone combined with whiskey seemed to be working on Mom. Her body was more relaxed, and her weariness after the long day was showing now. She emptied her glass and got up.
“I could use some rest.” She kissed me on the forehead and headed to her room.
Finn put his glass down, and the moment we heard her close the door behind her, he moved to my side and pulled me into his arms.
“I need you to trust me,” he murmured, as I dropped my head on his chest. “I’ll always protect you.”
“That’s what scares me. You lived a normal life, and here I am, a freak of nature, who showed up on your doorstep to ruin—”
“My life was never normal. The fact that they let me live doesn’t mean that they’re okay with who I am. I’m an outcast. That’s the reason I could never join a pack and be among my kind even if I wanted to. The sound of my last name alone made them growl every time they heard it, and I growled back, and it took a big effort not to rip their heads off for what they did to my parents.” He put his thumb under my chin, pushed it up, and locked his eyes on mine. “I couldn’t have protected them. I was just a baby then. But I’m a man now, and I’ll rip anyone who would try to hurt you to pieces. Do you hear me?”
I drew my face closer and kissed him.
“Come here.” He took me by my waist and sat me on top of him.
My hands rushed up to his neck, and my fingers dived into his hair.
“Back in the car, I wanted to hold your hand too,” he whispered. “And I could barely keep my eyes away from your gorgeous legs.”
“Are you a mind reader?” I brushed my lips against his.
“I can feel you. Especially when you’re that close.” His hand moved up my thigh and snuck under my dress.
“Ooh, right now, I feel you too,” my smiling lips touched his cheekbone.
“Just say the word,” He smirked. “And I’m all yours.”
I turned my head to face him, and his lips crashed into mine.
I pulled back after a long moment.
“How about a date?” I breathed out.
“In ten seconds.”
“In my bedroom.”
“You go first.”