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“What arrived?” Uncle Roy called from the frontdesk. He gave the air a suspicious sniff as if expecting to smell something dangerous emanating from the package.

“The sign!” Beth looked toward Grandmother Musgrove for confirmation. “At least, I hope so. It’s sign-shaped. And Luna said she’d sent it express. Paid top dollar so it would get here fast!”

“It’s about time,” Uncle Roy grumbled. “Been sign-less for almost two months now.”

Oliver’s grip tightened on the cardboard. He wanted to rip into it, but he didn’t want to do it with anyone else around. He didn’t know what his response was going to be, but he didn’t want to have it in front of these people.

Grandmother arrived next to him. “Don’t keep us in suspense. Show us our new sign.”

Oliver hesitated. Then he knelt and tore the cardboard off with careful claws. He’d be fine, he assured himself as he sliced through the layer of bubble wrap and yet another layer of cardboard. Whatever he felt, he’d just school his expression into anger. He’d gotten good at that in the past year.

The last of the packing fell away. Oliver held up the sign as the others crowded around it.

Grandmother hummed, squeezing the wood. “Sturdy.”

“Won’t hold up to another car,” Uncle Roy said gruffly.

Beth made a small chirp. “That’s so cute! Don’t you guys think this is so cute? I’m going to take a photo.Is that okay?”

Grandmother said something. Oliver didn’t hear it. Blood rushed through his ears.

It was a wolf sitting in an armchair. A fire roared behind him. The wolf had thick dark eyebrows standing out on his brown fur. His legs were crossed, a party-hat mug raised halfway to his muzzle.

Grandmother’s hand on his arm brought him back to himself.

“It’s you,” she said, pleased.

Oliver grunted. He wanted to point out that she’d never seen him shift fully. But his vision was swimming, the roaring in his ears making his head spin. He let out a pained grunt as pressure built in his chest.

Grandmother’s voice drifted over him, alarmed. “Oliver?”

Oliver opened his mouth to respond. But a wave of pain rushed through his chest, white-hot and overwhelming.

He fell forward and was unconscious by the time he hit the floor.

Twenty-Eight

Warm sand was between her toes. The sun shone on her bare stomach. Exotic food was available at all hours, with drinks waiting at the bar.

It was the kind of day Luna would’ve given anything for a month ago. Now it felt… empty. Her old college friends were down below, playing volleyball on the long patch of sand that would host her wedding tomorrow afternoon. Luna had given her wedding planner a reasonably sized portfolio and told her to go nuts, but she’d still had to sign off on the final decisions. This time tomorrow, the sand would be filled with tasteful yet sturdy white chairs. There would be an archway covered in lace and real flowers, though Luna could no longer remember what kind. Nor could she remember what they were serving, since it had been such a hassle getting everyone’s dietary requirements that she just told the chef to go nuts, too.

As long as everybody has a good time, Luna had said,then I’m happy.

It was still true. Sort of. But there was still that emptiness as she watched her old college friends giggle and throw a ball around, sleek and picture-perfect in their stylish bikinis.

Clancy fell into the deck chair beside her. “Loser sitting all by herself says what?”

“What? Oh, screw you.” Luna leaned over and shoved him. Clancy snorted, feigning falling off the deck chair before settling back into place.

“Seriously,” Clancy said, with the irony-soaked tone of a boy who had never been serious in his life. “What are you doing? Hec’s over there. Your friends are down there. The bar’s back there. It’s the night before your wedding, you should be doing… I don’t know. Something. Not sitting on the balcony staring out at the ocean like you’re waiting for your long-lost love.”

Luna laughed. It came out much more bitter than she intended. She twisted her engagement ring, working it up and down over the cut Oliver had given her. She couldn’t stop fidgeting with it. At this rate, she was going to open it back up.

Clancy looked nervous. He gave her a hopeful nudge. “Go on and play some volleyball. Everyone flew to Bali to see you.”

“Everyone flew to Bali to have a party,” Luna replied.

Clancy frowned. “What are you talking about?”