7

"I admit I was very surprised by what Kayler said to me. That I'm his? This is the last straw. Kayler looks at me confidently, apparently not joking or playing a prank. But hey! I'm not some damn piece of furniture for him to label as his.

'I am not yours!' I pushed him, but as expected, it didn't work. He's stronger than me.

He held my chin with a bit of force but without hurting me, making me look at him. Damn, his deep eyes always make it easy to get lost in them, and I feel calm.

'You are mine. Period. It's not up for discussion.'

I glared at him, determined not to be weak under his gaze. But apparently, my brain isn't processing the information because I accidentally glanced at his lips.

What do they taste like?

Oh, God!

I shook my head and pulled away from his grasp. He smiled playfully and circled the truck to get back to his seat and start the engine. I think we'll be late for school.

'From now on, I'll drive you home. Every day,' he emphasized the last part.

I immediately turned to look at him. Who does he think he is? My dad?

'Hey, don't overdo it,' I said, bewildered. 'I'll get back on my own; I don't need your company.'

He parked in the school lot and turned off the car. I was still waiting for a response from him. I won't let him keep me under surveillance or always drive me to and from school. I know he's irresistible, but he has a girlfriend, and besides, it's weird. I feel like he and his group are hiding something. Something big.

'I'm sorry, Carolina, but I found you, and now I won't let anyone hurt you. You're in danger,' he confessed, but then I saw him tense up as he said the last part.

In danger?

'What do you mean?' I questioned, frowning. 'What's this about finding me and me being in danger?'

He seemed thoughtful. Then he looked at me, and all I saw in his eyes was concern.

Concern?

'I see the time hasn't come yet,' he murmured to himself.

I frowned.

The time? What time?

Oh, no. This is too confusing.

'You know what? I'm leaving. Keep your weird thoughts to yourself,' I snapped, getting out of the car and closing the door.

As I walked away, several guys and girls stared at me. I knew it wasn't a good idea to come with Kayler. I ignored them and quickly walked to my classroom. When I got there, I noticed Anne was sitting next to my seat.

I couldn't talk to her yesterday.

I walked to my seat and sat down. Anne looked up and smiled at me.

'Hi, Carolina.'

'Hi, Anne. Sorry about yesterday,' I said quickly.

She shook her head, laughing.

'It doesn't matter. You did what no one else has done in this school. You stood up to Paige.'

No one?

Now I remember what Anne said yesterday before things got physical; she said something about Paige being dangerous.

'Anne, why did you say Paige was dangerous?' I asked. 'It wasn't literal, was it?'

At least I should know what I'm up against.

She hesitated.

'Tell me,' I smiled.

She sighed and leaned closer to me.

'There are rumors that they're "weird",' she made air quotes. 'They say the last person who disobeyed them... didn't live to tell the tale,' she swallowed hard. 'It was a guy who broke up with Paige in front of the whole school, and she, as expected, got very angry. The next morning, the guy was found dead in the forest.'

Oh, God. That's terrible. Very terrible.

'The strange thing is that the guy had animal marks. Scratches, bites, a disfigured face, and other things,' she explained.

I winced. Poor guy.

'And what killed him?' I asked.

She shrugged.

'It was never known. That was three years ago; I still didn't have anything with Kayler,' she said. 'The strangest thing was that the next day, Paige appeared as if nothing had happened, smiling.'

I raised my eyebrows. Everything is very mysterious. Anne returned to her original position because the teacher and the other students were coming in.

I confess, knowing this story scared me. Poor guy. Anne said it was an animal—could it have been a wolf? But of course, the same ones that tried to kill me? Could Kayler be right? Am I in danger? Could it have something to do with the house I'm living in? Besides, it's in the middle of the forest.

I leaned toward Anne's seat to ask her a question. When she noticed me, she leaned in a bit more.

'Anne, do you know where that guy lived?'

She tried to remember and then nodded.

'Yes, in the same house you're living in now.'

I opened my eyes in astonishment and settled back into my seat.

He lived in that house. Oh, God. I'm wolf food, I know it.

---

I sat with Anne at a table in the back to eat our lunches. I couldn't focus on classes because of everything Anne told me. Something tells me I walked right into the lion's den. And that wolf will come back. Supposedly, Kayler will protect me, but how can he fight against four wolves? It's impossible. But he seemed very confident; maybe I'll ask him some questions later. Something tells me he knows much more than he says.

I took a sip of my juice.

'There’s Paige...' Anne murmured, looking behind me.

I followed her gaze. Yes, there she was, sitting next to Kayler. I rolled my eyes seeing her so close to him. But something caught my attention. Paige's shoulder seemed injured as she had a bandage on it.

'What happened to her shoulder?' Anne asked behind me. The same question I have.

The same.

Kayler looked at me as if making sure I was okay... I think. I held his gaze; he knows I have questions and many doubts that he'll have to answer sooner or later. But now he wasn't looking at me with those piercing, furious eyes; he was looking at me with... pity?

I looked away and turned back to Anne, who was still eating. I wasn't even hungry. Too much information for one day. First, Kayler tells me I'm in danger, then the dead guy who lived in my house, then Paige's injured shoulder, very suspicious considering that's where I stabbed the wolf that tried to kill me, and finally Kayler's pity-filled gaze. This is too much. I prefer my peaceful life before.

My phone vibrated, announcing a message; I checked it, and it was from a number marked as private. What I read next left me cold, paralyzed, and speechless:

From: Private number

Be careful, Carolina; the forest will be your new enemy. Stay away from Kayler, or your death will be even more painful than I had planned."