You Never Series Book 1: You Never Knew Me

LYRIC

For the first half of the ride, the bus is pretty full, and I’m hypervigilant of my surroundings. I know the alpha won’t be looking for me on a bus with humans, but I stay alert regardless.

It’s good I do. There’s a wolf on the bus. I can smell their scent. The thing is, I have no idea who it could be. I’m not going to walk up and down the aisle to determine where it’s coming from. It’s too obvious, and I’d be like a walking billboard.

By now, it’s more than likely my father is looking for me. He probably has word out to all the local packs and has asked them to spread the word. Could it have reached this far already?

I look at each person from my seat. For the majority, I only see the backs of their heads, and that’s fine. That means they’re not looking for a runaway she-wolf. Some people, though, like me, have turned sideways in their seats, giving them a view of the whole bus.

One woman stares at me openly, her eyes narrowed. “Should I get off at the next stop?” I ask Sadie. ~“No. There’s nowhere to go.”~

I look out the window. She’s right. We’re passing through open fields, and the next town we come across is bound to be small. There will be nowhere to hide.

The woman stands up, gets out of her seat, and walks down the aisle toward me, swaying with the movement of the bus. There’s no one beside me, so she sits down. “We have to talk,” she says.

My heart is beating a mile a minute. I close my eyes and inhale slowly, trying to calm myself. And that’s when I realize she’s not a wolf—but she’s been near one. Momentarily dazed, I open my eyes and look at her. “Can I help you?” I ask.

“My friend over there and I have a bet.” She tilts her head toward a guy who’s probably in his early twenties. “He says you’re a natural blonde, but I’ve never seen a person with hair the color of yours. Which one of us is right?”

I turn my gaze toward her friend, who has now turned in his seat. He lifts his hand to ruffle his russet-colored hair and then waves. The unmistakable scent of wolf wafts toward me. It’s him.

We’re coming up to a station and I’m debating whether I should get off at this stop or not. I can always take another bus. The woman stands up. “She’s not saying anything,” she calls out to her friend, who also stands.

“Women,” he says, smiling. “Always so mysterious. You never know what they’re hiding.” He stares into my eyes for a moment, and a chill runs down my spine. Then he looks at the woman. “Come on, this is our stop.”

“Keep your secrets,” she mutters as she walks back up the aisle. The bus slows, stops, and the pair get off along with several other people.

I relax against the seatback and let out a sigh. But as the bus pulls away, the wolf with the russet-colored hair is staring up at my window. He grins and gives me a salute. Shit.

As we travel farther east, the bus slowly empties. There are still about ten people left, and as nighttime hits, everyone who’s left settles in for the night. I doze occasionally, but every noise and braking of the bus has me wide awake once more. It’s a long night.

***

We arrive in Rochester at midday on the third day. I’m tired and burned out. I walk from the bus depot, carrying my gear, and head down the dirty streets. The city is huge and loud, unlike anything I’m used to, and the smells of water, fish, vehicles, humans, and food are overpowering. The overwhelming energy the city offers intimidates me, and my ears and nose feel assaulted. How will I ever get used to it? How will Sadie?

I find a nice park with trees, flowers, and a water fountain. Children run around, laughing as they chase one another, and I find a bench and sit back and relax. Here, the noises and smells are reduced, and I feel my shoulders releasing their tension.

It’s July. The weather is warm, and the sun is sinking lower in the sky. It’s getting late, so I grab up my gear and start walking again. I need to eat and then find a boarding house or a cheap room somewhere. I’d rather not be out in the open, exposed to anyone who could potentially get word back to my father.

~That already happened on the bus, and I’m not ready for a confrontation. Not yet.

After wolfing down a Philly steak sandwich with chips, I get the heads-up on a boarding house not far from the college that takes in students waiting on the dorms.

The place is a huge Victorian house with a wraparound porch. It’s adorable, even if it is painted in gaudy colors. There are bright green shutters and yellow window sashes, and the house itself is hot pink! It looks like a toddler chose the color palette.

A tiny little gray-haired lady about as round as she is tall comes out of the back with a dish towel in her hand when I ring the bell sitting on a small reception desk. Her blue eyes twinkle with a smile, and she seems to be one of those types that never have a bad day.

“Hello, hello!” she greets me. “You must be here for a room.”

I smile back at her and set my gear down beside me. “Yes. For three weeks at least. I’m enrolled at the college, but I’m early, so I can find a job and get situated.”

“Happens every year. You’re one of the ambitious ones. Good for you! Let me see.” She opens a book and looks through it. “I can give you the room at the very top. Used to be the attic, but we had it extended and put in a private bath. There’s air conditioning up there, so you won’t get too hot. It’s a big room, but the roof slants in some spaces.”

“It sounds fine! You should have seen the room I had back home!” I grin. “And a private bath? Heaven!”

The price is a steal. I not only get the room but also have free breakfast and dinner. I pay for the three weeks now, so I don’t have to worry about having a roof over my head, and the woman hands me a printed receipt.

She walks toward the stairs. “Grab your stuff and follow me. My name is Mildred, but everyone calls me Milly,” she says, climbing the stairs with a surprisingly light step.

“I’m Lyric. That’s all anyone calls me,” I say deadpan.

Milly chuckles. “I think it’s a pretty name. It suits you—a pretty name for a pretty girl.”

I blush. “Thank you.” I’m still not used to compliments, but it’s so nice to hear them!

Milly shows me to a room at the top of the stairs. It may be an attic, but it’s huge! And though the roof does slant, there are large dormers that open the space up. On one side of the room, there’s a double bed with night tables and lamps. Plus, there’s a TV hanging on the wall. A small loveseat sits in a corner on the other side of the room, with a coffee table in front of it—perfect for studying or conversing with a friend.

The bathroom has a large walk-in shower and a nice vanity and commode. There’s also a bathtub. I really can’t believe my luck.

Milly hands me two keys, one for my room and one for the front door. “Someone’s always at the front desk if you have any questions.” She smiles. “It’s nice to meet you, Lyric,” she says before closing the door and leaving me to settle.

I call Mr. Marshall to let him know I’ve made it safely to Rochester, and it’s nice to hear his familiar voice. Apparently, there has been no word since making my complaint to the high council, but Mr. Marshall says an investigation is most likely pending. It just takes time.

I tell him about the wolf on the bus, but he doesn’t seem too concerned. “There’s a lot of space between the pack and where you are,” he says, deliberately cryptic in case someone overhears. “Just lie low and study. Allow yourself to be you, Lyric. You’ve never been able to do so.”

I sink onto the bed. “I know, but it’s hard. My father isn’t the type to sit back and only ask a few questions about where I am. He’s planning something. I just wish I knew what it is.”

We disconnect with a promise on both ends to keep each other informed. Sadie assures me we’re safe for now, but something is definitely brewing. I can feel it, and Sadie can too.