Law of the Pack Page 2

  Samia eyes me warily. “ I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “I’m going out tonight,” I say, ignoring her concern. “If anyone asks, I’m at home sleeping.”

  Samia is set to retort, but Coby plants a kiss on her lips instead. “Leave him be. You heard him- we’ll know as soon as he knows.”

  I head for the cove despite the worsening storm. Tonight, I have to pay a visit to the house on the cliff.

  Chapter Four: Seeing Things

  Margot

  I lie in bed listening to the onslaught of rain pounding on the skylight. I went to bed early to escape the swirling vortex of crazy that is my mother. She was pacing the kitchen and muttering things such as, ‘why did I come back? This was a mistake.’ I’m actually worried she is having some kind of breakdown, but she shut herself in the conservatory with her art and a glass of wine, so I left her to her own therapy.

  A door bangs somewhere meaning a window has been left open. I tiptoe through the hallway, unsure if Mum is asleep or not. The bathroom door bangs once more and a freezing gust of air licks at my bare legs. I quickly close the small window and rush back to my room.

  The weather has put a stop to any sleep, so I decide to embrace it. I throw the curtains wide to watch the wind batter the trees and shrubs in the back garden, but as a flash of lightning illuminates the sky, it also reveals a pair of glowing eyes. A tall form is silhouetted in the bushes right outside my window. I scream and fall backward in shock, slamming my back on the tiled floor. By the time I get up and look out of the window once more the eyes are gone.

  Mum flies into the room, flicking on the light, eyes wide with worry. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  I sit on my bed, palming the small of my back. “I opened the curtains and thought I saw something in the bushes. It was nothing.”

  Mum peers through the glass at the storm-battered garden. “What did you think you saw?”

  I hold my hands out. “I dunno, a person. Well, I thought I saw glowing eyes. It was nothing, just a trick of the light.”

  Mum draws the curtains in one swift movement. “Well, try and get back to sleep.”

  She turns off the light as she leaves, closing my door tightly. I wait just long enough for her to make it back to her room before heading upstairs for a cup of tea. I turn on the small lamp on the dresser and flick the kettle on. I can’t resist taking another peak at the back garden. As I cup my hands around my eyes and lean against the glass, I see Mum stalking around the garden in her pyjamas. Her head darts one way, then the other, and she takes off running toward the front of the house.

  I race to the conservatory and bang on the glass. She’s going to catch her death out there or get struck by lightning. She waves a hand dismissively before heading in the front door.

  “Have you lost your mind?” I ask, as she drips rainwater all over the floor and dries her hair on a tea towel. “Why did you go out there?”

  “To check, of course.”

  “I told you it was my eyes playing tricks on me.”

  She shrugs, “You can never be too sure in a new place. I hope that’s camomile,” she says, pointing to my mug. “You need to get some rest.”

  Chapter Five: A Second Opinion

  Beau

  The door opens and Dad strides into my room. “What time did you roll in last night?”

  “Late,” I groan, squinting against the sunlight streaming through the crack in the curtains.

  He lifts my sodden clothes from the chair, a confused look gracing his weathered face. “Where were you? I know you weren’t with Samia and Coby.”

  I sit up on my elbows. “I, uh, actually wanted to talk to you about that.”

  Dad’s brow rises in shock. In the last few years, it’s not often that I talk to him about anything. “I met a girl yesterday and I think she may--”

  “Ah, I see,” Dad says, smirking. “Coming to your old man for some advice on the opposite sex.”

  I sigh. “Seriously?”

  Dad laughs out loud. “Hey, I’ve been around.”

  I get that he’s trying to make it less awkward, but at this moment I need to be serious. “I’m twenty. We’re past that kind of advice. I’m trying to tell you someth--”

  A pounding on the door interrupts me.

  Dad gets to his feet and holds up a finger. “Give me a sec. I think it’s Harry about the mower. It’s important we get it fixed.”

  I watch him leave and listen as he talks to someone about ordering parts.

  “Not as important as what I need to tell you,” I mutter under my breath.

  Maybe it’s a sign that I shouldn’t tell him anything yet. I throw on some clothes and climb out of the window. I think it’s time I fill in the people who will listen- Coby and Samia.

  ***

  “You want us to suss out some girl with you?” Samia asks, eyeing Coby warily. “This doesn’t sit right with me, Beau.”

  “There’s something about Margot, but I can’t put my finger on it. I’m pretty sure her mother is from The Estate. Margot said her mother left Hallow Cove with her Dad when she was pregnant with her, and I’m certain she is one of us.”

  Coby fiddles with the fuse on a toaster. Since they moved into their own cabin he has been Mr Fix It and acting like my Dad. “You reckon the girl is around our age? The only person to leave The Estate about twenty years ago was Trina Yeo, and if we are dealing with Trina Yeo you better let Penny know.”

  Why are they so level-headed? I know they’re right and that we should go to Penny, but I also don’t want to drag up history unless I’m sure, especially as it concerns Penny’s family.

  “What if I go to Penny, rub history in her face, and I turn out to be wrong? Please, just come with me today and give me your opinion. I’ll take it from there.”

  Samia sighs. “Fine, but if this comes back to bite you in the ass, don’t pull us under the bus with you.”

  Coby nudges me playfully. “I’m up for it. I wanna see the girl who has got your panties in a twist.”

  Chapter Six: Saved by a Wolf

  Margot

  Mum is up and dressed in workout gear before I even roll out of bed. “The storm has subsided,” she exclaims, pointing toward the blue sky through the sky-light. “How about we take a little walk about the cove and have a chat? I think it’s time I explained some things.”

  I throw on some shorts and trainers as quickly as physically possible. I’ve been waiting for this ‘chat’ for the longest time. She told me she’d tell me all about her life here when we returned. I was starting to think it was a ruse to get me to pack up my life and move once again.

  For the first ten minutes, we walk in silence with some fresh hot chocolates from the stand. Mum clearly has an internal battle raging.

  She points toward the church steeple in the distance. “Shall we head in that direction. The road to the church is much quieter.”

  I follow obligingly, waiting for her to say something… anything.

  “Ah, crap,” she says, feeling her pockets. “I think I left my wallet at the hot chocolate stand. Do you mind a little backtrack with me?”

  “I’ll just carry on to the church and you can meet me there,” I say.

  Mum glances up the road uneasily, but smiles in agreement. She hands me her hot chocolate and jogs back down the way we came.

  I knew something would come up. I’m not saying she planned it at all, just that I reckon the universe doesn’t want me to hear the truth about why this place has such an effect on Mum.

  I slowly wander up the road alone, sipping my own hot chocolate and stealing a taste of Mum’s. As I stop to look at some horses in a paddock, a funny feeling comes over me. I can’t explain it; a heavy sensation and not a good one.

  Turning on the spot, I see a man following me. I know he’s following me because he stops when I stop and grins. He wears a denim waistcoat with no shirt underneath and he has symbol tattoos on his chest. He looks gaunt and pale, his thin face drawing in all the more as he smirks. He has to be in his forties despite his lack of teeth.

  I turn away and walk faster toward the church.

  “Slow down there, pretty one,” he calls after me. My skin contracts at the sound of his voice.

  “My Mum’s waiting for me just up ahead.”

  He laughs. “Your bitch Mum is back at the cove.” I spin on my heels to face him, fear taking hold of me. “You see, I sensed you yesterday. Couldn’t be, I thought. Yet, here you are. I can almost taste it on you. We knew something was coming.”

  He takes a step closer, and I back away. “I’m going to call the cops,” I retort, fumbling for my phone in my pocket.

  “No need for that, pretty one. This won’t take any time at all.”

  He holds his hands out at me and whispers words under his breath, but before he can finish whatever he is saying, something bursts from the treeline. I shriek and fall backwards as the largest wolf I have ever seen takes out the man in one pounce. Two others breach the treeline a second later, stalking back and forth.

  They are huge.

  Too huge.

  The horses in the paddock start going crazy. I feel paralysed with shock, unable to move from my position on the floor. For a moment, the wolf looks right at me. I know those eyes. I saw the same colour in the ones I thought I’d imagined in the garden. Only there wasn’t a wolf then, just what I thought was a figure of a man. The creepy man hangs like a rag doll in the wolf’s mouth and it darts off into the woodland, the other two following suit.

  It is over as quickly as it began. I lie on the ground in a daze. What did I just see?

  A man runs into the paddock to try and calm the horses. “Are you okay? What on Earth happened here?”

  “It was a dog,” I call back. “
A big dog.”

  The man growls. “I bet it was that feral thing from the farm down the road. Did it hurt you?”

  I shake my head and get to my feet, eyes on the treeline for any sign of movement. ‘No, it saved me,’ I think to myself. ‘I just don’t know what from.’

  ***

  Of course, the man called the cops, and what else could I do but oblige when he asked me to stick around and give a statement?

  Mum arrived just minutes after the attack… would I even call it that? I’m sure that creepy man would. Was he dead? He had been planning on hurting me, hadn’t he?

  Of course, he had been.

  The police officer arrives, apparently bored with the fall out between the farmers over the dog. I’m guessing it’s not the first time they’ve been called about this.

  “And you saw the dog?” he asks me.

  “It ran by me and into the woods.”

  The man waves a finger at the police officer’s notebook. “It knocked her over. Spilt her drink all over the road. Write that down.”

  The police officer eyes me for a moment. “Breed?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. It happened so fast. It was brown.”

  “See? It’s the dog from the farm again,” the man crows.

  “Can we go now?” Mum asks the officer. “I think all of this is a bit unnecessary.”

  The officer waves us away, and we quickly leave him to deal with the angry farmer.

  “That was a bit dramatic,” Mum scoffs. “ The joys of small town life.”

  I force a laugh, but secretly my heart is about to pound right out of my chest. How do I explain any of this to her?

  “Are you sure you’re alright?” she asks, looking me over. “Come on, let’s go back home. I’ll get you another drink on the way.”

  Despite being gutted that I don’t get to learn about Mum’s past today, I’m happy to head home and away from the woods.

  Chapter Seven: Urban Legend or Reality

  Margot

  “It’s getting late, shall we get takeout?” Mum asks, pulling some notes out of her treat jar. Yes, the award winning artist has a treat jar of odd notes and coins. Like I said, we don’t live lavishly. “I fancy tacos, but the restaurant by the carpark doesn’t deliver.”

  “I’ll go.” I pluck the money from her fingers. “I’m a little tired, so the cold air will wake me up a bit.”

  I throw on my coat and jog down the stairs before she can protest. I’m actually the opposite of tired, I’m restless and jittery. Sitting still feels impossible after today. I want to tell Mum, but how do I tell her what I saw? Do I even understand what I saw?

  Mum opens the window. “Straight there and back, please. I don’t want cold tacos.”

  The taco restaurant is super busy, so I have to wait for a good while before I can pick up the order. I take a seat on one of the benches near the till and eavesdrop on the conversations around me. It’s only when someone mentions ‘horses being spooked’ that I take a real interest.

  A waitress pours drinks behind the counter as she chats to a chef. “Harold said the dog from the dairy farm got loose again and ran off into the woods, but dogs don’t go near those woods.”

  The chef sharpens his knives. “What are you on about? Why wouldn’t they go near the woods?”

  “You’re new here, but you’ll hear the stories soon enough. As kids, we’d dare each other to go into the woods because there have always been spooky stories about wolves.”

  The chef laughs. “Like the Beast of Bodmin Moor?”

  “No, isn’t that supposed to be a big cat? We’re talking about big wolves.”

  “Have you ever seen one?” he asks her, a teasing grin on his face.

  She shrugs. “No, but the dogs don’t go into those woods. I’m telling you, they know something.”

  “Isn’t there a community up there?”

  “It’s called The Estate. It’s a weird set up if you ask me. They live like a commune. The kids even get homeschooled there and they don’t really mingle with any of the locals.” The waitress hands the drinks off to another server. “Seriously, my little brother swore he saw a wolf the size of a car in those woods.”

  They disappear into the kitchen, and I feel the blood rush to my head. Okay, so I’m not crazy. I saw what I saw. I’ve only been here three weeks and I’ve seen three in broad daylight. How is this not a bigger issue for Hallow Cove? Spooky stories are one thing, but three larger than life ‘Hulk’ wolves on the road to the church is another.

  The restaurant suddenly feels claustrophobic. I need to move and ease my restlessness, so I decide to stroll across the beach whilst I wait. The cove is alight with colourful string lights that hang between every building on the front. The sea is at high tide, so only half of the sand is accessible. Once again, my eyes are drawn to the mysterious woods atop the cliff. The moonlight illuminates them, casting them in a silver glow. Is there a wolf stalking through there right now? As I think it, a figure emerges at the top of the private access staircase. They stop mid step, casting a look across the beach. Despite the darkness, I am sure they’re looking right at me.

  It’s Beau. I can only see the shape of the figure, but somehow, I know it is the man I met just once before. Before I know what I’m doing, my legs are jogging in the direction of the steps. If anyone knows what type of things are in those woods it’ll be someone who lives in them, right?

  As I draw closer, I can see that my instincts were right. Beau picks up speed, taking the steps two at a time to meet me. His hair is down tonight. I hadn’t realised it is as long as it is. It falls perfectly around his face. Most women would die for natural hair like his. Mine is thin and can’t make up its mind if I’m a redhead or a brunette. I self-consciously tuck the loose strands behind my ears.

  “Hey, Margot,” Beau says, effortlessly leaping the chain at the bottom of the steps.

  “I was hoping to see you,” I say, trying to build up to ask the big questions and potentially make myself seem like a crazy person.

  “That sounds ominous,” he says, his smile falling away..

  He flicks his hair back from his face and his brown eyes catch the glint of the string lights. I physically startle from the orange glow they have, a glow I recognise. The image of that wolf with the man in its mouth flashes to the forefront of my mind.

  The same eyes.

  How can that be? Actually, I think I’ve known the truth all along. The spooky stories are about more than just wolves in the woods.

  Werewolves.

  Nothing else can explain the size, the speed. Am I really suggesting that the creatures of myth and legend are true?

  I step away from Beau. “Actually, I have a takeout order to pick up. I’m late.”

  I hurry away, but Beau runs after me, grabbing my arm. “Margot, is everything alright?”

  His eyes meet mine once again. This time, I study them properly. The hint of amber in his almost black irises is undeniable, but more importantly, I can’t ignore that they appear to be kind eyes. The wolf saved me. I don’t know what that vile man was planning, but I know it wasn’t good. I know what Beau is and I know what he did for me, but I just can’t find the words.

  “I know your eyes,” I finally state. He licks his lips as if anticipating something. “I saw them today.”

  Beau steps closer, peering down at me. “What are you saying?”

  I rub my temples and take a step away to clear the heady scent of sunshine and the fresh musk of his skin from my nose. “You were at Church Road.”

  He inhales sharply. The both of us stare at each other for a long moment.

  “Do you really believe what you told the officer?” he asks. My skin goose pimples from his ‘sort of’ admittance. “That you saw a big dog?”

  I laugh into the air. “Of course not, but who’d believe the truth?”

  “It seems you do,” he says with a grin playing at the corner of his mouth.

  I hold my purse to my chest to put a barrier between us. “Because the truth is standing right in front of me.”

  Beau nods. “I wondered if she had told you or kept you in the dark,” he states, keeping pace with me.