Apex

22 | wolf strong, pack strong

JULY 10

MAUD

On the morning of the Pacific King Whale Watching Company's 50th anniversary, I sat across from Nicki Watson in my favorite coffee shop.

My heart had skipped a beat when he'd first arrived. I hadn't seen him in a month, and I knew straight away that there was something different about him. His skin was a little more tan and blond hair slightly longer, but it wasn't his appearance that made him different. It was something beneath the surface, something I'd yet to identify but knew existed.

As we made idle small talk while waiting for our drinks to arrive, I decided that maybe there was less warmth in his eyes, that he seemed guarded. I wondered if the time he'd spent back home in Seattle changed him, or if it was Friday Island that changed him first. I wondered if I was partially to blame.

Despite these questions (which I didn't dare to ask), I provided Nicki with the entirety of my insight relating to Apex and the developments with Albert. Zachary and I had spent the last few weeks biding our time, waiting until we had the perfect opportunity to set our plan into motion.

"I'm going to confront Albert before the Pacific King celebrations tonight," I said to him after our drinks arrived. "My friend is going to be there to record it all."

"Your friend?" Nicki's terse voice contrasted the mellow indie music playing from the speaker on the wall above our heads. "Don't you mean the guy who was stalking you?"

"Don't fight me on this." I curled my fingers around the warm mug of my chai tea latte. "I know you want to, but I've made my decision. This is happening today."

Nicki's brow constricted. "If you knew I'd fight you, then why bother telling me? Why would you tell me if there wasn't at least a part of you that wanted me to try and stop you?"

Sighing, I folded my hands on the wooden tabletop. "Because you're you. I wanted you to try and understand."

He dragged a hand through his floppy blond hair. "Some guy shows up outside your house in the middle of the night, and you decide it's a good idea to trust him. That doesn't make any sense to me."

"I don't trust him," I clarified dryly. "You don't need to trust someone in order to work with them."

"You do when the stakes are high. Does anyone else know about this?"

By anyone, I knew Nicki was referring to our friends. I hadn't talked to any of them since the banquet at the Whaling Museum. "No. It's better that I handle this on my own."

"You're not a lone wolf, Maud," Nicki said. "I mean, isn't the slogan of this island's high school wolf strong, pack strong?"

"Yeah, but it's not my life philosophy."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. "Just don't do this alone, okay? Can't you see how-"

"This is happening," I interrupted, rising to my feet and taking a step towards the exit. "I just wish I knew I had you in my corner."

The door of the coffee shop slammed shut behind me, the little bell clanging wildly. I hardly got ten yards before Nicki challenged me once again.

"Where are you going?" Nicki fell into step beside me. In the bright morning light, the little white scar on his left eyebrow was barely visible.

"To do what I have to do."

I was too determined to lie to him, but it wouldn't have made a difference anyway. He always seemed to see right through me.