The next morning, Holly and I head into the dining hall for breakfast. We’ve decided to play this cool, not hang out in our little “pack” as Tricia called it. That would signal fear, closing our ranks. Whatever is happening here, not everyone is affected. I’m not sure I’d know if I was—I’m already prone to mood swings and making out with guys I’ve just met. Logan’s testosterone is definitely spiking, but only around Elijah, which is normal for werewolves. Maybe as adolescent werewolves, we’re already too high on hormones to notice an increase. I don’t see anything with Holly and Allan, though. Whatever is happening, it only impacts some campers. Why? Well, that’s the question, isn’t it?
“You can have breakfast with Elijah if you want,” Holly says as we walk to the dining hall. “You two don’t need a third wheel.”
“You’re not a third wheel,” I say. “You’re a second wheel. Unless that’s a polite brush-off . . .”
“Definitely not.”
“Then it’s you and me for breakfast. I want to hear about your Sabrina training.”
As we walk through the dining hall, I spot Elijah. Damn it.
I just told Holly I was going to have breakfast with her—just her—but I
do need to speak to Elijah about last night
I’m still figuring this out when he looks over. He goes still, as if trying to decide whether to join us or hang out with others. I glance his way, ready to motion that I need to speak to him a moment. Yet as I turn, he wheels, and I’m left looking at his back. Then he makes an exaggerated show of checking his watch and stiffening in a “Shit, I forgot something” way before he lopes off down the other hall.
Did Elijah just dodge me?
Did he duck out before I could pounce and insist on eating with him?
Annoyance darts through me. I’ve done nothing to suggest I’m that kind of girl. Sure, I hauled him to talk to Logan when I first discovered he was a werewolf, but after that, he was free to leave. Logan made it clear he’d like Elijah to leave. It was Elijah who tagged along. It was also Elijah who invited me on the kitchen raid. I’d been the one watching the time, not wanting to make Holly stay up late waiting for me. He’d been the one delaying my departure until the last possible moment.
I’m overanalyzing this, aren’t I?
Elijah wants to have breakfast with someone else, and rather than say so, he pretended not to see me. That isn’t cool, but he doesn’t know me well enough to realize he could just say, “Catch you later.” He overreacted, and now I’m overreacting.
I do need to speak to him about what happened with Logan, but my brother’s right—no one realizes Elijah’s a werewolf, so he’s in no immediate danger. I’ll warn him later.
I forget Elijah and gather my breakfast. No one comments on my overflowing plate this time. I hear the whispers, though, snaking down the line.
She’s a werewolf.
The Alpha’s daughter. Her brother’s here, too.
Oh, did you hear about the vampire? Vampire?
I also catch other whispers.
I’d do her.
Oh yeah, I hear werewolves like it rough.
She’s cute, but have you seen her brother? Damn . . .
Whatever is happening here, the heightened sex drive is at least as strong as the heightened aggression, and so far, those two haven’t overlapped, thankfully. I’ve barely even formed that thought before a guy says, “Hey, I thought you were coming to my room last night.”
He’s talking to a girl ahead in line, who’s giggling with another girl.
When she doesn’t respond, he surges forward. “Hey!” he says. “I’m talking to you.”
He grabs for her arm, and I’m setting my plate down, ready to run interference, but the girl tosses his hand off easily.
“I changed my mind,” she says. “Especially since you apparently found company elsewhere.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, in that fake belligerent tone that says he knows exactly what she means and he’s wondering how he got caught.
“You found someone else,” she says, “and so did I.” “What? Who?”
The girl puts a hand behind her friend’s neck and kisses her. The guys nearby break out in hoots and cheers, and even her would-be suitor eases back with, “Hell, if you’d told me that, I’d have said bring her along.”
There’s a round of laughter.
Holly shakes her head, and we break from line to find a table.
“Why do I feel like I’ve stumbled into a bad teen sex comedy?” I mutter. “Better than a bad teen horror movie,” Holly says.
“True enough. I just hope the camp supplies condoms.”
“They covered that in the orientation. They’re with the bandages, insect repellent and other first aid supplies.”
“Excellent.”
From the sounds of it, whatever’s going on with the girls is heating up, and the ring around them grows as others walk over to watch and yell encouragement.
“Not my idea of breakfast entertainment,” I say. “Dinner theater, maybe, but it’s too early for that shit.”
Holly laughs. “Agreed. Want to see if we can sneak outside to eat?” I do.
On the way out, I spot Logan, but he’s with Allan on the other side of the buffet table fracas. I catch his eye just long enough to wave. Then I follow Holly out. No one comes after us, and we eat at a picnic table outside.
I want to get to know Holly better, so I ask questions. I don’t get much. She said earlier that she has the most boring, happy family imaginable, and she sticks to that. Her family is great, very close and loving. She’s just an average girl with an average life. Nothing else to say, really.
That could be true but . . . I feel as if she’s dodging and deflecting, and that stings a little. I’m not asking for her life story. I’m not trying to intrude. I’m just reaching out, showing interest because I am interested, but a door has been slammed, in the nicest, politest way.
So we talk about the Sabrinas. If I’m hoping for insight into Holly and her life that way, I don’t get it. Maybe there’s nothing to tell. Or maybe I haven’t earned it yet. I accept that.
After breakfast, other campers wander outside. Apparently, scheduled activities for the morning have been canceled while the counselors call an emergency staff meeting to discuss behavior issues. To me, that sounds a whole lot more like the prison guards retreating to a locked room and letting
the inmates run wild until the warden shows up. They’re waiting for Paige.
Despite the counselors retreating, it’s a quiet morning. Allan comes out around ten and says Logan’s in his room, talking to Mason, and most of the campers are holed up organizing a party, judging by what he overheard.
It’s nearly eleven when I go inside to hunt down a midmorning snack. Holly says they put out bowls of granola bars and fruit for us to graze on, and I am in serious need of grazing.
I’m looking for the bowls when I catch a familiar scent. I turn to see Elijah poised just inside the doorway.
“Hey,” I say, heading over to him. “I’m snack-hunting right now, but you and I need to chat.”
He backs up fast, his hands rising to ward me off.
I stop short. “What the hell’s that for? Do I look like I’m running over to throw myself on you?”
“No, no.”
My annoyance from earlier surges. “I didn’t fail to notice you running from me this morning, Elijah. I was turning to say hello. That’s it. Say hello and let you know I planned to eat breakfast with Holly. I’m not a leech. I don’t cling to real boyfriends, let alone fake ones.”
“Yeah . . . about that . . .” He inhales, not meeting my eyes. “I don’t think the girlfriend stuff is a good idea.”
My heart stutters, and I have to remind myself I wasn’t really dating Elijah. Don’t take this personally. It was a relationship of convenience, and if it’s no longer convenient for one party, that’s fine. Even if it doesn’t feel fine.
“You’re great, Kate,” he begins, “but—”
“Whoa!” I lift my hands. “You’re my fake boyfriend. You don’t need to dump me for real. You’ve changed your mind. That’s cool. Done. We are no longer a pretend couple. Now, I really do need to talk to you. Help me find a snack and—”
“No,” he cuts in. “I . . . It’s not just the dating thing. I . . . I don’t think
any of this is a good idea. I’m sorry.”
He turns and strides into the hall. I stand there, stunned. Then I jog after him, staying well back, so it’s clear I’m not chasing him.
“Elijah,” I call. “I need to talk to you. It has nothing to do with us.” He shakes his head and breaks into a lope.
“Elijah!” I call.
“Take a hint,” a voice says behind me, and I turn to see a counselor.
Behind her, the others stream into the dining hall as if their meeting is done. “You got dumped,” she says. “Deal with it. Don’t humiliate yourself by
chasing him.”
“No, I—” I blink hard, forcing myself to change mental gears. “When is Paige coming?”
“That’s Ms. Winterbourne to you.”
“Paige is a family friend.” I force a smile, trying to sound casual. “Well, aren’t you special.”
I swallow a retort and ask, calmly, “When is Ms. Winterbourne arriving?” “She’s not.” The counselor starts walking off. “Her kid woke up puking
sick, and apparently, he needs his mommy. She’s coming tomorrow.”
“Wait.” I jog after her. “I really need to speak to her. Can I use my cell?
I’ll skip my evening call.”
“Will you?” She turns to me. “You might be special where you come from, Miss Werewolf Princess, but to me, you’re nothing but a spoiled little bitch-dog. One who needs to be taught a lesson.”
I stare at her. Just stare as she wheels and swans off to join the others. Okay, something is definitely wrong here, and it’s getting worse.
The whole situation is getting worse, and Paige isn’t coming. I need to find Logan.