Page 96 of The Secret Mate Society

"Jake," I said, the name catching in my throat."The monster got him.Ripped out his heart like all the others."

Calder's face went pale."Jake?Your coworker Jake?"

I nodded, tears burning behind my eyes."He… He didn’t deserve this.Nobody deserves this.And the last thing I told him was to mind his own business…"

"When?"Calder asked, his voice tight."When did it happen?"

"They found him early this morning."I looked up at Calder, realization dawning."It must have happened last night.While we were sleeping.My boss delivered the box.”I shook my head.“He said he would’ve rung the bell, but there was a wolf running through the streets.”

Calder’s entire body went rigid.“M-Maybe it was just a stray dog or something…”

“Or that monster,” I whispered.“Either way, it’s getting closer.”I reached for the box, pulling it open.“Jake left this for me in case anything ever happened to him.I… I didn’t think he was that worried about this case catching up with him.”

Inside the box was a dark blue scrapbook, the kind you’d find at a hobby store.But it was well used and worn on the edges.A label on the front read “Monster Sightings”.On top of it was an unsealed envelope with my name written on the front in Jake’s familiar chicken scratch.I picked it up, terrified of what it might contain.Pulling it free, I unfolded the letter and began to read.

Ethan,

If you’re reading this, that means my worst fears have been realized.The monster has caught up with me.I wasn’t careful enough, so I’m leaving this letter as a warning to you.

Run Ethan.Run away from Calder, but don’t make it obvious.He’s not who you think he is.For years I’ve been tracking his kind, following them through the darkest parts of Maine.I’ve seen meetings, caught them running by moonlight, and was nearly attacked by them several times.

But when you told me about his knowledge and the story of him helping you catch this monster, I knew it was too good to be true.

I’ve been watching him, Ethan.Trailing his every move.I saw him on the outskirts of town, having meetings with mysterious people.When I followed them, they disappeared into the night, nothing but howls in their wake.I’ve witnessed his friends, Trevor and Patrick, shifting into dangerous creatures in the woods under a full moon.And I’ve seen him do the same.

There’s a reason he was there that night the heart was left outside of your apartment.I was there too.I saw with my own two eyes what he IS.

Calder is a werewolf.The same one that killed your father.I have a picture of him to prove it inside this envelope.

Just think about it Ethan.He’s always there when something goes wrong, he knows more than he should, and there are details of this case NOBODY should be privy to.But he knows.He’s always known, because he’s the one that killed Marcus Greer.He’s the one that killed those people at the cider mill.He’s the one that killed your father.

And now, if you’re reading this, he’s killed me.

Ask him where he was when I died.Ask him why he knows so much.Ask him why he sneaks out when you’re sleeping in his bed.

I care about you so much, Ethan.I put my life on the line to make sure you stayed safe.Don’t waste this moment.Take the book and go, it has all the evidence you need to reveal his kind to the world.Don’t let them get away with it.

Don’t let my death be in vain.

Stay safe.

-Jake

My hands shook as I looked up from the letter, my gaze coming to rest on Calder’s.His nostrils were flared as he took a step closer to me, breathing deeply.

“That letter…” he growled deep in his chest.“It… It smells like the monster.”He went to grab it, his eyes flashing gold once more.I took a step back, unable to help the gasp that escaped my throat.

“It… It’s you,” I whispered.“It’s always been…you.”

“What?”Calder cocked his head to the side, taking another step toward me.“What are you talking about, Ethan?Let me see that letter.”

"No!"I yelled, clutching Jake's letter to my chest and taking another step back.The table edge pressed against my spine as I retreated."Don't come any closer."

Calder froze, his hand still outstretched toward me.The golden flecks in his eyes seemed to pulse and glow, no longer just a trick of the light.How had I never truly noticed before?

"Ethan, please," he said, his voice softening."Whatever that letter says—it's not true.Let me explain."

"Explain what?That you've been lying to me this whole time?"My voice cracked as tears filled my eyes."That you're the monster that killed my father?That killed Jake?"