Page 44 of Take Me
You need to get up.
This was the first time she had interrupted my want to sleep in. Since when did she care? All I did was yank the covers higher over my head. Maybe she would get the hint then.
The Guardians are going to pull you from your bed.
“They’re going to get the fight of their lives then,” I muttered back.
When Nalia realized her efforts were futile, she slipped back to the corner of my mind to sleep herself. She wanted to act like she was well-rested but she was just as stressed as I was. She bristled and flew to the surface at any random noise. She was ready to protect us, no matter the cost. All night we had done that. The AC had kicked on loudly and she had practically burst from my skin.
When one of the Guardians entered the perimeter of my yard, I kicked the blankets from me and dragged myself to the shower. As I scrubbed my hair I thought of all the places I had sent my resume to. I wondered if I could call them. Maybe this was silly and I just needed to get a job waiting tables somewhere. That was what a lot of the girls around town did. There were enough restaurants in this college town. I leaned my head against the cool tile and took a deep breath as I considered my options. My parents would never consider that a real job. They would only accept an office position or they would never leave me alone about it. They knew how expensive it was to live in this town and I would have to work probably two jobs in order to keep my head above water. I needed an internship for my degree and graduation was right around the corner.
When someone knocked on the door, Nalia was ready. My claws exploded from my fingers and a growl echoed around the little bathroom.
“Hey, it’s me,” Tracey’s voice squeaked on the other side of the door. I knew one of the Guardians was here and waiting for me to get to school but I had been too lost in my own thoughts to realize that my friend was with them. I could have concentrated on my hearing and known she was with them. I could have used my sense of smell and identified her immediately but between me and my wolf, we were on edge.
I shook my hands out but the claws stayed. Finally I gave up and dried myself off, claws and all. I wrapped the towel around myself. My hands trembled as I opened the bathroom door. Tracey was seated on my bed, with her backpack on the floor. Her bright eyes were filled with concern then worry as they took in my claws.
“Are you scared living here by yourself?”
I shook my head. That was the last thing I was afraid of. “No, I just have a lot on my mind.”
Tracey leaned back on my pillows. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
“How do I get these to go away?” I held my hands up and Nalia sighed in my head.
Sorry, I’ll let go now.
Just like that, the claws were gone and my fingers were back to normal. Tracey frowned. “Tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”
“I’m not afraid of being here alone, I’m afraid of being here when my parents get back. I feel like I’m putting them in danger because I can’t control what is happening in my life.” I dug through my dresser to keep my hands busy.
“That’s why you applied to all those internships,” Tracey muttered behind me.
All I could do was nod my head as I pulled out a pair of jeans and a sweater. Even though I’m not cold, keeping up appearances is important when the temperature outside has dropped. Tracey is all bundled up and I know she wasn’t cold either. “Yeah, but none of them have called me back and my parents will eventually come home. It’ll probably be sooner rather than later.”
“Why do you think that?” The bed let out a squeak as Tracey moved.
I don’t worry about privacy as I drop my towel and get dressed. She’s seen me nude enough times and I know she isn’t weird about it either. “Because they caught Knox on the camera. Now my dad is going to get super protective and my mom will be all up in it like she’s living vicariously through me.”
Tracey snickered and I finally turned around. She’s perched the edge of the bed and looking at her hands. “We might have some jobs around the pack lands that you could apply for. We closed down a lot because of the rogues and what’s going on with Carden, but there are always behind the scenes positions open.”
My shoulders fell as I sighed. It could solve all of my problems but… “I would say yes, but I want to get a job because of my value, not because of being a wolf or being your friend.”
Tracey nodded her head like she knew that’s what I was going to say. “I can keep an eye open for you and send you job listings if you’d like.”
I accept it because I know I have no other options. When my parents get home, I need to have a game plan.
* * *
Because we skipped school, Tracey dragged me to the pack lands. She starts with using the excuse of the Guardians being tired or something silly like that. If Knox heard her say that about him, he would be entirely too upset. He would possibly never admit defeat or exhaustion. I had seen him jog down my road a few times. The first time I had seen him, he told me he had run twelve miles. He wasn’t even sweating.
When I open the car door I could feel the shift in the air. Something exciting was happening. There was a buzz in the air that hadn’t been there as long as I had been a wolf. I looked at Tracey with suspicion and she shrugged innocently.
I kicked her door closed as someone cleared their throat behind me. When I turned around Alice, Rafe’s mother, was standing there.
“It’s been too long since you’ve been back to the pack!” She exclaimed excitedly. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face in a tight braid and she wore dark jeans and a tank top tucked into it.
No need to pretend here.I thought to myself.
