Chapter 17

When we finally reach the garden, four miraculous figures come to meet us, each handsome in their own unique way. Jim stares at me, his gaze of concern.

"What happened, Caleb?" he questions the man beside me, drinking in his face of weariness.

"A Shifter," he narrows his eyes, "was on our property."

The stunning men all rear back in surprise, pure disgust lacing through their features.

"Here?" James erupts, his voice furious.

George shakes his head, Lee looking at the perfectly manicured lawn near his feet. I breathe a quick sigh of relief; I hadn't exited the grounds. Now Caleb can't get mad at me.

"Why didn't you just stay in the garden?" he turns to me, his expression of anger, "if I hadn't look out of the window and seen that gigantic tree, you would have died!"

Obviously I thought too soon. Caleb can get mad at me for anything.

My eyes narrow, my determination showing through the terror.

"What was that white thing?!" I demand, "Tell me now!"

George's eyes widen, his expression suddenly of excitement.

"Caleb" he begins, "if that girl's a Seer, then we might be able to get ourselves a Spier! Imagine what we would be able to do..."

"No," he says fiercely, "I won't allow it. Ever." His face is hard and resolute, his hair sparkling in the beating sun.

I look up at him, at his lightly tanned skin, straight nose, and absolutely gorgeous eyes, and frown.

"Tell me," I nearly growl, invoking an irritated glance from wolfboy himself.

"Okay, we will," he huffs, "come on."

He drags me towards the mansion, the others following behind.

We enter the mansion doors, where I once again am faced with those evil, all knowing eyes. I shut my own in response, not wanting to see their brightness, the terrifying memories they cause.

Caleb glances upwards with me, but doesn't shy away like I do.

"Are those what you saw?" he asks.

I only nod, trying not to gaze into their fiery depths. His face seems to grow more certain as he walks, though darker than usual.

His hand is like a steel bar across my back, not loving and comforting like it usually is... and I hate to admit that I miss it.

We enter the small room once more, with Caleb lifting me up easily and placing my form on the bed. The rest of the pack shuffles inwards, George swinging the door shut with a loud clang.

Immediately the interrogation starts.

"How can you see a Shifter?" Lee asks in amazement.

"Are you a Spier?" James stupidly questions, causing a slap from George.

"Wow, Caleb, picking a Seer as your mate. Aren't you sly," Jim comments with a slight smirk.

"Shut up, everybody!" Caleb roars, causing even Jim to fall silent, "let's answer Berenice's questions first."

He peers into my eyes, disarming me with one glance.

"Go ahead, Berenice," he whispers, somehow making the words seem intimate and exciting, "We will tell you everything you want to know."

I choke on a breath at his close proximity, pulling away slightly. I tilt my head, wondering what exactly I want to know. What I need to know.

Might as well start with the basics.

"What is that white thing?" I inquire, my voice still shaking from fear of the monster.

"It is called a Shifter," Jim speaks up, words flowing like melted butter from his lips, "and they are the sworn enemies of werewolves. They are creatures of chaos, death, and misery, with eyes that mirror true hell. Invisible to the human and werewolf eye, the only way to detect a Shifter in its true form is to smell it. We are the only species that has a powerful enough sense of smell."

"However," Caleb jumps in, "There are some humans able to see these Shifters. We call them Seers. Usually this sight is caused by a near death accident that a Shifter is involved in. That's you, Berenice."

I think back to those burning memories, full of bitterness, fear, and hate. I can remember it now... the white cloud with those terrible eyes, floating in front of me right before wreaking havoc upon us all.

"A Seer can be awakened to become a Spier," George says, his voice tinged with excitement, "One of the six Talents!"

"What is a Spier?" I ask, gazing at the way Caleb's face turns hard at George's words. I grow even more interested, noting his discomfort.

"A Spier is able to conjure a spirit spear, and kill a Shifter in its true form. One can be aligned with every pack, and would complete our own. With you, we would have the six Talents."

He gestures to the four werewolves surrounding him, "Lee is a budding Stealth Talent, which means he can turn fully invisible when he finally develops his skill. James is a Sabertooth Talent, which means he has long, retractable claws that are somewhat like a Sabertooth Tiger's teeth. Caleb is an Earthquake Punch Talent, which pretty much explains itself, and Jim is a Charm Talent. He can charm his opponent within a couple of seconds, and almost hypnotize them into doing his will. And I... I am a Beast Talent."

"What's that?" I wonder, staring into George's almost perfect face, stained with a darkness I can't quite explain.

He is a mirror image of Caleb, but yet they are they so different. How can this be?

"When I morph, I can truly be a beast," he says softly, his menacing eyes scouring my skin. Under his gaze, I feel tingles of terror shiver through my spine.

"Anyways," Jim says, slinging a graceful arm around my thin shoulders, "What else would you like us to explain?"

"How do you become a Spier?" I wonder, "Do you have to be a werewolf? It seems cool..."

Spirit spears? The chance to abolish my parent's murderers, the ones that deprived me of a happy childhood?

Everything seems too crazy, too wild to believe. But somehow, I know that it all is true every time I gaze into their emerald eyes.

"No," Caleb states fiercely, "You are not going to be one. Don't tell her, George"

George looks at Caleb with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

"She deserves to know," he replies, "She made the choice when she decided to run into the forest in the very beginning."

His brown hair glimmers as he makes his way towards me, his emerald eyes unblinking. "You do not have to be a werewolf, yet you will gain immortality. You will be with your loved one forever-"

"I said NO!" Caleb growls, pushing George to the wall, digging his fingers into his throat,

"She is not going to be awakened, so shut up, George!"

Tension mounts in the room as everyone grows silent, my head still spinning from the madness I have launched myself into.

"Why can't I know?" I question, my voice stammering, tinged with fear at Caleb's anger, "Why is it so bad?"

"You only have a fifty percent chance or lower of surviving to be a Spier when you are awakened," James answers quietly.

Caleb shoots a scowl at James, roughly releasing George from his grasp. George takes a step away from Caleb, and smiles.

"Think about it, Berenice."

With these last words, he disappears out of the room, slinking away so fast that even Caleb has no time to slug him with one of his potent fists.

"George..." Caleb moans, putting a hand against his forehead.

He looks up and faces James, Lee, and Jim.

"He doesn't like me very much, does he?"

They all look at each other, and then simultaneously nod.

"But we're behind you all the way!" Jim pumps his fist in the air, "Right, guys?"

"Yeah," James agrees, but Lee stays silent, like he has been almost the entire time.

A piece of his coal black hair falls into his face, his green eyes expressionless.

"It's not my business," Lee says, not looking into Caleb's slightly irritated face.

Jim's face is bent in annoyance also, my expression of pure confusion. He turns to leave, muttering.

"I'm going to practice."

Without another word, he vanishes, leaving uncertainty behind him.