Outsider (Outsider Series) (32 page)

Gram was coming out of her room just as I was leaving the bathroom. She smiled at me, “Today’s the big day.”

I tried to smile but I was pretty sure it came out more as a grimace. “Yeah,” I said.

She gave me a sad smile. “There’s nothing to worry about Sophie. I went through my transformation by myself and so have the others for as long as we can remember. You’ll have Caeden with you. You’re lucky,” she said patting my hand. “Come on; let me make you a breakfast before you disappear.”

I followed her into the kitchen and in no time she had my plate piled high with toast, eggs, and bacon.

“How am I supposed to eat all of this?” I asked.

“You transform tonight. You need your strength. Now eat,” she demanded.

The doorbell rang and she went to answer it. She returned with Caeden and promptly made him a plate too.

His hair was still slightly damp. He wore a
hunter green
V-neck
s
weater that hugged all of his muscles. A white t-shirt peeked out underneath when he moved. He was far too perfect. I quickly averted my gaze before either he or Gram noticed the drool pooling in the corner of my mouth. Before he started eating he leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Happy Birthday, baby,” he said.

“Thanks,” I said with a small smile.

“Are you ready for tonight,” he asked while his hands drummed an odd beat on the table.

“I can’t wait,” I said sarcastically. “Doesn’t every eighteen year old girl want a wolf to rip out of her skin?”

He chuckled and shoveled a spoonful of eggs into his mouth.
“You’ll be fine,” he said.

“You usually the word ‘fine’ implies anything but,” I retorted.

“You have an answer for everything don’t you?” he asked as Gram sat down to join us.

“Definitely,” I said and then laughed, “how else do you when an argument?” I took a bite of crunchy, butter drenched toast, and said, “So, what’s the plan for today?”

“Well,” said Caeden swallowing, “not much. I know today’s your birthday and I’d like to do something special but since tonight is your first shift I don’t think that’s going to be possible.”

“As long as I’m with you it will be special,” I said.

He grinned and his dimple peaked out briefly.

Gram chuckled and jumped up. “Sophie, I made you a cake. It’s your
fav
-o-rite!” she
sing
songed. She pulled out a glass covered cake from the refrigerator and sat it on the table in front of me. The scent of
chocolate and peanut butter invaded my senses
.
I could practically taste it on my tongue.

“Yum!” I said, already salivating.

The two tiered cake was slathered in a thick coating of
peanut butter
frosting and “Happy 18
th
Birthday, Sophie,” was written on it in
chocolate
frosting.
Gram had even taken the time to sketch a wolf howling at the moon in the frosting as well.

“I know
its
morning but from the look on your face I’m assuming you want a piece now?” she asked.

“Yes please,” I said shaking my head enthusiastically.

Gram chuckled and grabbed a couple of plates and a cake cutter.

“Wait!” said Caeden.

Gram paused in her actions. “What?” she asked.

“Sophie, has to make a wish first,” he said as if it would be the end of the world if I didn’t blow out some candles.

Gram shook her head. “How silly of me to forget,” she said. She turned around and began digging around in a drawer. She found a box of neon colored candles and proceeded to stick them in the cake. Gram pulled a lighter out of another drawer and lit each candle.

She and Caeden broke into a very loud, very obnoxious, very, very, very, off-key version of the “Happy Birthday” song. I was glad no one else was there to partake in my complete and utter embarrassment. I puffed out my cheeks and blew out the candles making a wish in the process.

“Cake time!” said Caeden patting his flat stomach.

“Is there room in there?” I quipped.

He grinned. “There’s always room for cake,” he said.

“Of course,” I replied just as Gram put a plate of cake in front of me. I took a bite and moaned in ecstasy. “I swear,” I said pointing at the cake with my fork, “that world
pea
ce could be accomplished based just on Gram’s baking.”

She chuckled. “I’m not sure about that.”

“Oh definitely,” I replied. “Nothing in the world can compare to your cakes. It’s like heaven in a confectionary.”
I went to take a second bite and saw that the only
thing
on Caeden’s plate were
a few chocolate
crumbs.
“Really?” I asked. “That quick? That has to be a record.”

He patted his flat stomach and said, “Maybe I should join an eating competition?”

“You’d definitely win,” I commented. “I’ve never seen anyone put away as much food as you can. I’m just waiting for you to swallow a cow hole. Now
that
is as an accomplishment.”

He chuckled. “I’d try that but I don’t think my jaw is big enough to accomplish that feat,” he said.

“Snakes do it,” I said.

“I shift into a wolf not a snake,” he said and crossed his arms. He leaned across to me and said conspiratorially, “You just wait until you shift. You’ll be hungry all the time. And you’ll have an affinity for rare meat.”

“Really? Because I was starting to think that was just an excuse for y
ou boys to eat all the time,” I said.
“I mean Charlotte and Chris eat normal, human-sized, portions.”

“Ugh, you found me out,” he said with a grin.

I finished my cake and then grabbed Caeden’s plate. I washed them both and placed them in the drying rack.

My phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw that it was my dad. As soon as I said hello he and my mom started singing happy birthday. It was just as bad if not worse than Gram and Caeden’s version.

“We miss you,” said my dad.

“I miss you guys too,” I said into the phone.

“It’s been far too long since I’ve seen my baby girl. Now you’re eighteen, having your first shift, and you’ve met your mate. You’re a woman now,” he said getting choked up.

“Don’t worry dad, I’ll always be your baby girl,” I said with a smile.

“I sure hope so,” he said. I heard some shuffling and then, “Sophie, I love you. Your mother is demanding control of the phone now.”

“Love you too, dad,” I said but I wasn’t sure if he heard me because suddenly my mom was on the phone.

“Sophie, tonight is your first shift,” she said.

“Thank you captain obvious,” I said with my usual sarcasm.

“Sophie, don’t be smart with me. Now listen here, it’s going to hurt. It’s going to be the most painful experience of your life. Worse than childbirth and I would know since your head was the size of Pluto.”

“Thank you mom for comparing my head to a planet. I appreciate that,” I said.

She continued on as if I hadn’t said anything. “But when you go through it with a mate it can also be a wondrous experience. You’ll become even more connected than you are now. Have you decided if you’re going to perform the bonding ceremony?”

“Yeah mom,” I said. “We are. I’m ready so don’t even try and talk me out of it.”

“I wasn’t going to do that
. I was just going to say be careful. Being mates already connects you but the bonding ceremony brings you together in ways you can’t possibly imagine. But I’m going to let you both discover that on your own. Just please be careful.”

“What are you implying?” I asked.

She hesitated and I prepared myself for what I knew was going to become a very uncomfortable conversation. “The bonding ceremony can lead to sex. Please don’t let that happen, Sophie. Shifters get pregnant the same way that regular humans do you know? How do you think you came into this world?
When your dad and I bonded those feelings were so overwhelming and what do you know? Nine months later you were here.
”

“Oh my God are you trying to have the sex talk with me?” I asked completely stunned.

Caeden had been taking a sip of water when I said this and spewed droplets of water all across the table.

“Well,” my mom said and I could tell she was completely flustered, “yes. Shifters can’t shift with clothes. So, you’ll already be naked and the temptation might become too great.”

“Mom,” I said with flaming red cheeks, “let me stop you right there. I’m not ready for
that
. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

“Oh thank you Jesus,” she said upon hearing my complete sincerity. “I’ve been worrying myself sick.”

“You have nothing to worry about,” I said.

“Good, good,” she repeated. “Well, now that I have thoroughly embarrassed myself I’ll let you go. You have a lot to prepare for tonight. Happy Birthday.”

“I love you, mommy,” I said.

“I love you, Sophie. I miss you so much. But your father and I made the right choice by sending you there. Even if...” she hesitated. “Even if my family did take you it was still the right choice.”

“Bye mom,” I said and hung up the phone before the waterworks started.

I looked over at Caeden, who was wiping
up his water mess, with red cheeks that matched my own. “What was that about?” he asked.

“You don’t want to know,” I said.

“Probably not,” he conceded. “Let’s go before I make an even bigger mess,” he said tossing the rag into the sink.

“Agreed,” I said taking his hand.

“Bye Gram,” I called.

She came out of her bedroom and pulled me into her arms and away from Caeden. “Oh Sophie,” she said, “so much is going to change after tonight. I’m so proud to call you my granddaughter. I couldn’t have gotten luckier with you. You’re so special and you’re going to make an amazing shifter. You just wait and see. Good luck sweetie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I questioned.

“Yes tomorrow,” she said.

She herded us through the door and then stopped Caeden with a hand on his arm. “If you’re going to be sleeping in Sophie’s bed at night I’d prefer you used the door and not the window.”

Both of our cheeks flamed a brilliant shade of crimson once again. “Yes ma’am,” he said hoarsely.

“Now that that’s settled, enjoy your day.”

* * *

“I can’t believe she
knew,
” I hissed once we were safely ensconced in the
Jeep
and backing out of the driveway.

He chuckled, “It was silly of me to think otherwise. I mean she is a shifter after all. Given her age and her status on the council her hearing and sense of smell has to be far superior than most.
But I guess she let it slide until now because she knows I’m not going to sneak in and steal your virtue.”

I scoffed. “What is it with people and my virtue today?” I asked rhetorically. “And what do
you
mean her ‘status’ on the council?”

“Lucinda is the head of the council of elders. She was married to a Beaumont which means she’s like shifter royalty and you are too.” He cleared his throa
t.

“Good to know,” I mumbled. “But w
hat if I don’t want to be shifter royalty? What if I just want to be plain, old, regular Sophie?”

“Sorry but you can’t pick your parents and your dad is a Beaumont which means you are too. You can’
t run from your name.”

“I don’t even know what that means,” I said.

“I know,” he said.

“Well, are you going to tell me?” I asked.

He started down the lane that led to his house. He ran his hand roughly through his hair and stopped in front of the gate. A moment later the gate swung open. By this time I had given up on an answer but finally he said, “Yes, but later. Let’s have some fun first.”

“Deal,” I said as he pulled into the garage. I noticed that his mom and Bryce’s cars were gone. Bryce I, of course, knew was at school. But I had no idea where his mom could be. “Where’s your mom?” I voiced as he came around to get my door.

“Out. She thought she’d give us the day to ourselves,” he said, taking my hand and leading me towards the civil war era house.

“That was nice of her,” I said.

He smiled and opened the side door that led into a mudroom. “She figured you’d already be stressed enough today about your shift without her hovering.”

“Thanks for bringing that up,” I said.

He took his boots off and I slipped off my sneakers. He gave me a sheepish grin. “Sorry, but we will have to talk about it sometime today.”

“Well sometime will have to wait,” I said.

He pulled me into the family room and onto the plush leather couch. He kissed the top of my head as I reclined against his chest. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything special planned,” he said.