Marked (The Pack) Read Online Free

clothing change when Louise shouted from downstairs for me to hurry up and come eat. I tugged at the designer shirt and shorts that were cast offs from a rich friend’s closet. Sometimes I missed the days when I didn’t think much about what I was wearing, but last year I’d learned that dressing the part of popular was a big thing, huge actually. I had to have something familiar to hang on to since the rest of my life seemed to be tumbling out of control.
    I came down for breakfast and felt Louise eyeballing my shorts. They were probably shorter than she would have liked, but she didn’t say anything. Nor did she mention the flash of skin visible below the hem of my shirt. We both hunched over a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table without saying much at all.
    With breakfast done and our bowls in the dishwasher, I headed for the front door while Louise gathered her keys and a giant tote bag. My hand had barely closed over the knob when a knock on the door made me jump back. Another knock sounded, and I stood there briefly before slowly opening the door to face a man in a khaki uniform. In the drive was a tan car with the words “sheriff” emblazoned on the side. For a minute I couldn’t swallow.
    “Hey Sheriff, what’s up?”
    Louise had walked up behind me and held on to the edge of the door. The sheriff glanced at me, then back at Louise.
    “Just wanted to let you know that a woman was killed sometime last night, about five miles from here on the other side of the lake.
    Beside me Louise stilled. “What happened?”
    “Looks like some kind of wild animals. Figured with you having all those kids at the camp you’d need to know.”
    The sheriff was speaking to Louise but staring at me and a droplet of sweat started to form in the curve of my lower back.
    Louise seemed to notice the sheriff’s scrutiny of me.
    “This is my niece, Alexis. She’s staying here for the summer.”
    “You out last night? Hear anything?”
    “I…” My voice cracked. Did the crazy sheriff think I knew what had happened to the woman just because I was new here?
    “Alexis and I were home all last night.”
    Were we? I went to bed at ten and didn’t see my aunt again until this morning.
    “Alright then,” the sheriff said turning, “let me know if you hear anything today from your campers or workers.”
    “I will.”
    The sheriff got in his car and Louise left the door open.
    “I didn’t get the keys. I’ll be right back.”
    I followed her to the kitchen where the keys hung on a rack on the wall.
    “Why is he asking if I know anything? I’ve only been here two days.”
    “I’m sure he thought you might have met some friends and been out at night.”
    “Well obviously this isn’t the place to be out at night if some wild animal is killing people.”
    Louise turned to me with keys in hand. “You’re right. This isn’t the place to be out after dark,” she paused briefly. “You’ll be wise to remember that.”
    She strode back toward the door, but I was frozen in place. What the hell did she mean by that?

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    At exactly eight o’clock, we pulled into the gravel parking area of the cabin my aunt used as an office for the day camp. At the bottom of the hill I could see a lake with a wooden pier jutting into the water. A few jet skis and a boat were tied onto one of posts and the sight helped my feelings a little. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if we could do a few water sports during the day.
    Aunt Louise scattered gravel with her quick steps to the office and I followed along. I’d noticed the three girls on the front porch of the building before I’d ever opened the car door. One thing I’d learned in the city was to make a quick assessment of people and situations. I got the immediate sense that whatever happened with this group could define the rest of my summer. Two of them could have stepped from the pages of a magazine. The third seemed to be planning a séance or her next ritual. Her