Remember

RORY

Somehow, Everett and I went from having an explosive fight this morning to attending a party together in the evening.

I’m really curious about what changed while I was at school because his attitude toward me seems completely different.

But I don’t want to accidentally say something that might stir up any more issues.

I would love to get through this night without any conflict and walk away with some fond memories to look back on.

After all, this is my first proper high school party—something I was always hoping to experience before school ended for good.

And one thing I need in order to enjoy the full party experience is a ~drink~.

Everett and I walk over to the massive keg that is situated in the middle of the backyard, and he fills a red cup for each of us.

I take a sip and shudder at the taste, which I can most accurately describe as dirty, lukewarm bath water.

The stuff we drink back at the packhouse is ~way~ nicer. But that’s not stopping everyone at the party from throwing back cup after cup.

“The more you drink, the better it tastes,” Everett says, chugging his down. “It’s like magic.”

As I’m taking another sip, I suddenly hear someone screaming my name at the top of their lungs. “RORY! YOU CAME!!!”

It’s Freya.

I scan the backyard for her, finally spotting her in the pool, swimming over to the edge to greet us.

She pushes herself out of the water and emerges, dripping onto the concrete, looking like a movie star in her little red bikini.

“Freya!” I squeal. “You look amazing.”

“I’m so glad you guys are here.” She turns to face Everett. “Everett, as I live and breathe! Did she have to drag you here kicking and screaming?”

“I like a good party as much as the next guy,” Everett says. “What are you guys up to?”

“We’re playing water basketball,” Freya says gleefully. “Every time the other team scores a point, you have to drink.”

I love humanity for always finding a way to make literally ~anything~ a drinking game.

“We’re totally getting our asses handed to us over here,” Freya says. “Pretty soon I’ll be passed out in the pool. We could use a big strong guy like you on our team.”

“Sounds like fun,” Everett says, totally shocking me again. I was sure that he would want no part in this.

“But you don’t have a suit,” I say to him.

“It looks like half the team is playing in their boxers,” Everett says. “Do you wanna play too?”

I shake my head. I know better than to participate in ~any~ kind of team sports with my little curse…

“Suit yourself,” Everett says.

With that, he pulls his shirt off, tossing it on a deck chair next to us.

His half-naked form manages to capture the attention of the party really quickly. Even the strongest boys in my grade look skinny and lanky compared to Everett.

As Everett strips down to his boxers, Freya leans over to me and whispers, “Oh my God.”

“I know,” I whisper back. “It’s ridiculous.”

“I totally get it now,” she says. “I would ~never~ hang out with you either if I had ~that~ to come home to.”

Everett dives into the pool, and within minutes, the entire game has turned around.

The other team, who were practically sober when we arrived, are downing drinks with every point Everett scores against them.

After a while, nearly everyone at the party has gathered around the pool to watch him dominate, occasionally bursting into cheers of “Everett! Everett!”

I thought I would enjoy introducing him to the people in my high school, but it’s honestly hard to watch all these girls in my grade drooling over him.

High school was always my escape from life in a werewolf pack, where I never truly felt like I fit in. But Everett, who has hardly set foot outside of pack borders, is now the most popular guy here!

He’s getting all the attention from them, and not giving any to me.

I’m desperate for this game to end so he can put his clothes back on and everyone can mind their own business again. But it just keeps going and going…

Freya manages to steal the ball from someone on the other side and pass it to Everett. She throws it too high, and instead of jumping for it, Everett grabs Skye and hoists her in the air.

She catches it and dunks it in the basket.

The whole team piles on Everett and Skye in raucous celebration.

~Alright, that’s it.~

~I can’t watch this anymore.~

If I stay any longer, the jealousy will eat me alive.

I walk back over to the keg, refill my empty cup of beer, and walk into Oliver’s house.

I know that I’m overreacting, but I can’t help but feel furious at Everett right now. He’s never shown any interest in hanging out with my friends before, and now it’s like he’s the goddess-damned class president.

I’m desperate for a moment alone, so I carve my way through Oliver’s kitchen and up a set of stairs.

There’s a door on the right that’s already ajar, and I push it open to find myself in Oliver’s bedroom.

It looks exactly how I would have expected: covered in posters of his favorite basketball players and a few cute couple pictures of him and Bethany.

I sit down on the bed and sink my head into my hands.

I feel so ashamed. I know I should be happy that Everett is getting along so well with everyone, but I’m starting to feel that I was happier when he was just my little secret.

I hear footsteps coming down the hall. I can’t help but hope that it’s Everett, but lifting my head out of my hands, I see Jax appearing in the doorframe.

~At least it’s a friendly face…~

“Hey!” I say to him.

“Hey, Rory,” he says, walking into the room, closing the door behind him, and taking a seat on the bed. “I didn’t know you were here. It’s good to see you.”

“You, too,” I say. And I mean it. I haven’t spent time with Jax at all since he quit the debate team. He’s been super busy and a little standoffish to everyone.

He’s starting to look a little different, too. His face is a bit leaner and more pale, and the whites of his eyes are tinged with yellow. I wonder if the pressure of his internship is stressing him out too much…

I haven’t even had a chance to ask him about it, so I take this as the perfect opportunity.

“How’s the job going?” I ask. “Freya tells me that it’s kind of a big deal.”

“I don’t want to be the guy who talks about work at a party,” he says. His tone is jovial, but for a moment, I can detect a flicker of darkness in his eyes.

~Huh…~

It must be ~really~ stressful.

“I’m surprised you came,” he says to me. “You normally rush straight home to that boyfriend of yours.”

“Actually, he’s here,” I say, pointing toward the window where there’s a view of the swimming pool.

“Really?” Jax suddenly lurches toward the window and peers outside, looking for Everett. When he spots him, he turns back to me.

“I didn’t think this was his kind of scene,” Jax says.

“Well, it’s my scene,” I say. “So I think he’s trying to make an effort with my friends.”

“Looks like he’s making more of an effort with your friends than with you,” Jax says, looking out the window again. “In fact, he’s looking awfully cozy with some of the girls in that pool.”

“He’s just playing a game,” I say, trying to disguise any trace of jealousy in my voice.

“I can tell that it makes you uncomfortable,” Jax says. “You’re not a very good liar.”

“I’m better than you think I am,” I say.

Jax is staring me dead in the eyes as he speaks. I stare back at him. There’s something strange about his expression. It almost reminds me of how he looked when he was possessed by Nemesis.

But she’s dead now. I made sure of that. There’s no way she’s taken control of him again.

“I know what will make ~him~ jealous,” Jax says. “Let’s get out of here together. There’s a great spot a few miles from here at the top of a big hill with an amazing view of the whole city.”

“No, Jax,” I say. “I’m not leaving with you.”

He sits back down on the bed, and I feel his hand slide onto my waist.

“Come with me,” he says. “I promise it’ll drive him crazy.”

I grab hold of his hand and try to force him off of me, but he’s not budging.

The darkness flickers in his eyes again.

EVERETT

Surprisingly, I’m having a damn good time at this party, kicking everyone’s asses at water basketball.

And I won’t lie, I enjoy every opportunity that I get to dunk on Aurora’s ex-boyfriend Eddie.

He seems like a good enough guy, but the thought of him kissing my mate makes me want to dunk ~him~ in the basket instead of the ball.

But eventually it’s clear that the game needs to come to an end. Everyone on the opposing team is just ~too~ drunk to continue playing.

When I push myself out of the water, I scan the yard and realize that Aurora is nowhere to be found.

Shaking out my dripping wet hair, I go looking for her. I sniff the air, following her scent into Oliver’s house and up a set of stairs, arriving at a closed door.

I push it open to find Jax and Aurora sitting on the bed. My heart drops into my stomach when I see that he has his arms around her.

~“Mine,”~ Chaos growls inside my head.

My palms clench into fists. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.

Chaos is ready to emerge and tear that kid to shreds.

And I’m not sure if I’m strong enough to stop him.