"And nothing," I insisted, shaking my head. "It's complicated."
"Girl, it's only complicated if you make it complicated." Tavi held up her glass for Krystal to clink.
I frowned, frustration welling up inside me. They didn't understand. They couldn't. "It is complicated. I?—"
The words stuck in my throat. I couldn't explain, couldn't put into words the tangled mess of emotions and fears that Nathan stirred up in me. The risk of getting hurt again, of losing someone else I cared about...
I cut myself off, taking another long swig of my beer.
Krystal nudged me, her expression softening. "Just saying, you look at him like he hung the damn moon."
Heat crept up my neck, and I rolled my eyes, hoping to hide the truth of her words. But I didn't argue. I couldn't.
Thankfully, they seemed to sense my discomfort. The conversation shifted, turningto lighter topics. Soon, we were laughing and reminiscing, the earlier tension forgotten.
The upbeat notes of a familiar song blasted through the bar's speakers, and Krystal's face lit up. She grabbed my hand, tugging me out of the booth. "Come on, we're dancing."
I laughed, shaking my head even as I let her drag me onto the dance floor. "I'm not drunk enough for this."
"Too bad," Krystal grinned, spinning me around. "Live a little, Rissa!"
And for once, I did. I let the music wash over me, let myself get lost in the beat and the movement. No worries, no hesitation. Just the joy of being with my friends, of letting go.
I saw Tavi, her phone out and pointed in our direction. She was recording us, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Gavin's going to love this," she mouthed, winking.
I rolled my eyes but didn't stop dancing. If Gavin wanted to tease me later, so be it. Right now, I was having too much fun to care.
We danced until our feet ached and our cheeks hurt from laughing. By the time we stumbled off the dance floor, breathless and giddy, I felt lighter than I had in weeks. The weight of my thoughts, of my complicated feelings for Nathan, was momentarily forgotten.
It was late when we finally left the bar, piling into Tavi's car. She was the designated driver for the night, and Krystal's house was on the way, so she'd be dropping her off first.
But as we pulled up to Krystal’s curb, something was off. The porch light flickered, casting eerie shadows across the front of the house. And the door...
"I know I locked that before we left," Krystal muttered, frowning at the slightly ajar front door.
A cold chill crawled down my back, sobering me instantly. "Maybe Bryce left it open?" I suggested, but even as I said it, I knew it wasn't right.
Krystal shook her head. "He's at Nathan's, remember?"
Tavi's hands tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles white. "I don't likethis."
Neither did I. Something was wrong here, very wrong. I could feel it in my gut, a sickening sense of dread.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the rapid pounding of my heart. "I'm a decent tracker," I said slowly, my mind racing. "Not as good as Ula, but I can hold my own." I met Tavi's eyes in the rearview mirror, my resolve hardening. "I'll shift and check it out."
I stepped out of the car, the cool night air hitting my skin as I stripped off my clothes. In seconds, I shifted, my human form melting away as sleek black fur rippled across my body.
Krystal and Tavi moved beside me. I could sense their wolves, ready to shift at a moment’s notice, at any sign from me.
I padded forward, my paws silent on the pavement. As I neared the house, I caught a scent that made my hackles rise. It was wolf, but also not quite. There was something else mixed in, something decayed and rotten that turned my stomach.
Behind me, I heard the soft tapping of Krystal's fingers on her phone. Shewas calling for backup, probably Nathan and Gavin. Good. We might need it.
I nosed the door open, every muscle tense and ready to spring. The coppery scent of blood hit me like a wave, and a low growl rumbled in my throat at the sight that greeted me.
The house was wrecked. Couch cushions were slashed, white stuffing spilling out like gore. The fridge lay on its side, contents strewn across the floor. And the blood...deer blood, from the scent, was splashed across the walls, pooling on the hardwood.
"What the hell?" Tavi whispered with shock and anger. "Who does something like this?"
