Shifted #Wattys2016

LIV

Maxine

Felix was spending the night at Julie's house—my house—tonight. Julie set some ground rules. Felix has to sleep in a separate bed, and the door has to be cracked when we are together in a room.

It took a ton of convincing on both ends. Julie wasn't thrilled initially, especially because she knew we'd stay up later than she would. From what Felix had told me, Bloom was fine with the idea, and it was Emmett that took convincing. Finally he caved after we promised not to do what every other teenager in the world wanted to do. Besides, we both knew what the dangers were.

I laid on my bed, and Felix laid in the air up mattress a foot below me.

We said goodnight. Then after a few seconds, Felix or I would think of something else to say, and we'd laugh and tell a few stories and then it'd get silent again, and we'd sleep again.

And then we'd remember something else.

Before either of us knew it, it was well past midnight, and we both valued our sleep.

I shut my eyes and fell asleep.

I woke in the middle of the night from a bad dream. I whispered to Felix, trying to get him to wake up. "Felix, wake up." I didn't want to admit it, but I was scared. My heart was pounding and I was terrified to close my eyes again.

"Hm...?"

"Felix, please wake up."

"What's wrong?" His voice still had that groggy edge to it.

"I had a really bad dream."

Felix shuffled around on the air mattress, the whole thing making a ton of noise. He stood up and I cowered. He told me to scoot over and he sat beside me, over the sheets. He pulled a throw blanket over his legs.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "What happened?"

I sighed. "I don't know if it was a dream or not. But there was this man, just floating over me, almost like a ghost. And it... it didn't touch me, but I think I woke up from him because he was just staring at me. And then I started to swat him away and he dissipated."

Felix held me tighter. "I'm here. Nothing's going to happen to you with me here."

I laid my head on his shoulder. Just a sheet between us.

A few days after, the pack held a meeting to discuss what to do about the murder Greyson had committed. One of us needed to talk to him, but the question was who.

"I'll go." Felix said. "I'm his brother. We're still family."

"No." Emmett shot him down immediately. "You're family. Brothers. That's why you're not going."

"You're not going, and neither am I." Bloom said. "Ronnie's over there, we've practically watched her grow up. He'd use that against us."

"I'll go!" Caven said, smiling.

We all shook our heads.

I had been silent for the duration of the discussion. I had an idea, but I was almost sure it'd be shot down. At this point, though, we were desperate for anything.

"I'll go." I said quietly, unsure if anyone actually heard me.

The three of them—Emmett, Bloom, and Felix—exchanged a few quick glances. Finally, Bloom spoke. "We can't ask that of you."

"He has nothing against me. I mean, maybe Felix. But I can handle it."

"No, it's too dangerous." Felix said, putting his hand in mine. "I refuse to let you go."

"It might be our only option." Emmett said. He turned to me, a pained expression on his face. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't."

Felix looked at Emmett. "Are you really okay with this?"

Emmett sighed. "I'm not crazy about the idea but we don't have any other options. It's she's up for it..." He looked at me. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Someone's got to do it."

"Okay. It's settled."

I stepped carefully into the clearing. Greyson was already here, waiting for me. It still took me by surprise how similar Greyson and Felix looked. I smirked. "Well, right away there's something different between you and I," I said.

"Oh yeah?" Greyson quirked an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

"I came here alone, and you did not. That's breaking the deal." I turned around to start to leave.

Greyson called after me. "Wait!"

I stopped walking, but did not turn around.

"They'll leave. They're leaving now."

I turned around and walked back towards Greyson. "Are you armed?"

"I don't know, why don't you pat me down?" He suggested.

I stepped closer to him and patted down his sides, avoiding his eyes. I patted his pockets, then patted down his legs. I've seen movies where people hide contraband in their socks, and it wouldn't surprise me if Greyson had.

I found nothing.

"What about you?" Greyson asked, eyeing me up. "Mind if I check you for any weaponry?"

I raised my eyebrows. "That sounds like a great excuse to feel me up."

Greyson shrugged and I rolled my eyes. "Just do it."

He ran his hands over my sides, then my pockets. Didn't bother with my legs. I had nothing to hide in my shorts. Greyson then went to my chest, cupping my breasts.

"They're real, if that's what you're wondering." I mumbled.

He let go. "Of course they are. You're too young for them not to be."

I stepped back, crossing my arms over my chest. Greyson put his hands in his pockets. "So why are we really meeting? I know it wasn't just for you to feel me up." He smirked.

"Oh please. I'm here to talk to you. Mano a mano."

"But what about, I wonder. Have you... given up on Felix? Came for me? Are you... quitting the old pack and joining mine? Are you leaving and Kansas and giving me a kiss goodbye?"

"None of the above. I'm actually here to talk to you about that girl who was killed... Seemed... human, but also wolf... Just wondering if you have anything to say about it?"

"What are you saying? Do you think I killed the girl? That'd be such a rude this to propose."

"It's not really my idea, parse. But we do believe it was you. Are we wrong?"

Greyson didn't answer.

"I'll take that as a no. So now what we need to do is come to an agreement. You are not to harm another person. And if you do, we will not be so pleasant in dealing with it. Understand?"

"You all take the fun out of everything, but I promise, I'll be good."

"Then we're done here." I turned and started towalk off. I wanted to run. I wanted to get as far away from here as possibleand as soon as possible. I still felt Greyson's eyes on me.