Page 11 of Emerald Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #2)

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After another day spent in bed or asleep on the couch, Jo got fed up with their own brain and, feeling the fog beginning to lift, forced themselves to climb the rest of the way out.

They painted with Wil, went to work, texted Krista, sent more songs to Cass, and spent as much time with the pack as possible.

It was exhausting, but worth it. The sludge that held them back got lighter and Jo could nearly see the end of the tunnel.

By the time it cleared, the episode had been more tiring than some others, but it hadn’t lasted long, so Jo counted their blessings — and immediately made plans to celebrate being back to themselves.

Which is how, early in the morning, Jo found themselves standing outside the Pitch Mountain Pack house with Wil, both of them dressed for a walk in the woods.

Wil knew what she was about and had refused a proper hike. Instead, she’d steered Jo towards a path they’d walked before that was long, but a lot less strenuous, and Jo had agreed because they could care less what they did. They just wanted to be outside with their friends.

A familiar hatchback started up the dirt driveway and Jo waved at Cass and Krista as they got closer. They bounced down the front steps when the car pulled up.

“Good morning!” Jo yelled, still waving as Cass rolled down the driver’s side window.

Krista leaned across Cass’ lap to wave from the passenger side. Her rainbow hair was freshly dyed and it matched her bubbly greeting, “Morning, morning!”

Cass and Wil’s greetings were not as enthusiastic, but no less friendly, reminding Jo that they’d known each other from before, just like how Jo should have remembered Cass, but didn’t.

They shook the thought from their head as they climbed into the backseat.

They knew Cass now. That was what mattered.

Cass grinned at Jo. “I brought binoculars. There’s a pair for you, too. Just in case.”

“Perfect. You know, I downloaded that app you told me about — the one where you can log the birds you see. I’ve only added, like, four since I last saw you, and I’m only thirty percent sure I got them right, but it’s something,” Jo said as they got in the backseat with Wil.

“It’s definitely more than something. It’s wonderful.” Cass had a pleased smile on her face as she turned to face the steering wheel after making sure everyone was safely buckled.

As they drove towards the trailhead, Krista and Jo caught each other up on what they’d been reading lately, as though they hadn’t been texting reactions to one another throughout the week, excitedly interrupting each other and talking over each other in a way that Jo knew would bother other people, but for them, it worked.

When they’d gotten it all out of their systems, Krista asked Wil about her art and any upcoming shows. Cass perked up at Wil’s answer about another show coming up the following month.

“So you’re the pack’s Gamma, help run the bakery, and you’re a successful artist? That’s impressive,” Cass commented. “How do you find the time?”

Wil grinned. “I hear from Jo that you work at the butcher shop and a flower shop, in addition to making time to go birding and go back to graduate school. How do you find the time?”

“Jo mentioned that about me?”

Wil glanced over at Jo. “They talk about you a lot lately.”

Jo’s eyes widened at the traitorous comment. “No more than I talk about any of my other friends!”

“Yeah, okay,” Wil replied, clearly unconvinced. She turned her attention back to Cass. “I find that when you’re a werewolf, you have a lot more time for everything.”

“And all of y’all are doing way more than me,” Krista added with a laugh. “I use all my extra werewolf life to read.”

The group kept chatting and Jo fell quiet, thinking back to the past few days and wondering if they really had been talking about Cass more than they thought they had.

Their cheeks grew warm as they realized Wil was right.

When they weren’t texting with Cass, they were bringing her up in conversation with other people.

Was it another friend crush? It had to be, but when Jo checked for all the typical symptoms, nothing was there.

They’d been texting a lot and sharing songs, but there weren’t any telltale signs of an impending friend crush.

Jo wasn’t busy making an awkward fool of themselves, and they’d been texting her a normal amount.

Was it a normal amount? Suddenly worried, Jo hoped it had been a normal amount of texting.

Jo looked back at their messages and counted how many they’d sent versus how many Cass sent.

It was about the same. See? Totally normal.

Cass wasn’t acting any different, either, so it was nothing else besides having a really great new friend. Jo settled back against the seat and smiled.

After they arrived and started down the trail, Jo was glad that this group of four could work in any configuration.

They could talk to Krista for hours, could find comfortable company with Wil, and could chat about their days or birds with Cass, watching her light up the more she spoke.

Wil and Cass had a lot to talk about, too, mostly catching up on pack life and getting to know each other better.

Even Wil and Krista could chat for a while, but Jo figured that was due to Krista’s ability to talk to nearly anybody. She had a gift.

“Oh, got a bluejay over there. Fairly common, but still special,” Cass explained.

Jo followed her pointed finger, squinting, without seeing anything. Cass handed over a pair of binoculars without them having to ask.

Stepping forward on the trail with slow, careful steps to try and keep up some while they searched the trees, Jo peered through the binoculars, feeling dizzy from swinging them around too quickly. They didn’t notice until they were already tipping over that they had lost their balance.

Cass caught Jo before they fell over, her face inches from theirs. Jo could feel her breath on their cheek. “Are you alright?”

“Fine, just embarrassed.” Jo laughed. “Trying to do too many things at once. Also, spinning around while looking through binoculars is not a good idea.”

They started to gain their footing on their own, but Cass lifted them up like they were as light as a bag of flour. Dangling with their feet in the air, Jo couldn’t help but laugh. “I am, like, so small compared to you.”

”It’s like lifting a baby.”

”I’m not that light! I’ve got meat on my bones.”

She set them down on the ground slowly, making sure they weren’t in danger of toppling over again.

“See! Good as ever. No danger of tipping anymore.” Jo made a show of digging their shoes into the ground.

Cass laughed. “You’re cute.”

”What?”

”You’re cute,” she repeated, looking them in the eye.

Jo felt warm under the intensity of her stare. “No I’m not,” was all they could manage to say in response.

Cass shrugged, making a noncommittal sort of noise before taking the first step to rejoin the other two.

“You’re cute, too!” Jo blurted.

She turned around.

”In a ‘you’re a giant, but in a nice, friendly way’ sort of cute,” they added, words jumbling together.

She smiled. “Let’s catch up with the others again, yeah?”

“Sure thing.” Jo took two smaller steps to match Cass’ one and tried to forget what had just tumbled out of their mouth. This was bordering on friend crush and all the related awkwardness, but, in reality, all of this was more Jo trying to match Cass’ sincerity, which felt strange in its own right.

As they fell in step next to her, which was easier to do because Cass deliberately slowed her pace for them, the weirdness fell away and was replaced by a familiar calm, the one Jo felt while texting Cass all week.

It wasn’t a friend crush because nothing awkward stuck around.

Jo wasn’t being clingy and weird and Cass was just one big, friendly giant that Jo was happy to be around.

The good feelings continued well into the evening when the four of them found themselves at Jo and Krista’s favorite bar, Snake and Ivy, a hole in the wall that looked more like a taxidermy shop and an apothecary than a bar.

It was run by Jamie, one of Jo’s favorite people in town because she acted like everyone annoyed her, but she was deeply sweet and thoughtful.

She also made incredible drinks, including special stronger cocktails for the werewolf patrons.

The bar didn’t have a menu. Patrons told Jamie what mood they were in and she made them what she thought they needed.

For Jo, Jaime always got it just right. That night, they were sipping on a summery gin drink that was supposed to have grapefruit, but since it interacted with their medication, Jaime had made it with a yuzu syrup she’d made herself.

Jo thought it was about a hundred times tastier than grapefruit would have been anyway.

”So how’s that ‘and they were roommates’ fic I recommended treating you?” Krista leaned in towards Jo.

“God, what a good trope. I like it just fine when they’re butting heads as roommates and still fall in love, but there’s something so sugary sweet about friends to lovers roommates where neither of them realize they’re dating until they’re already deep in it.”

“Right? And the wedding guest chapter!”

”I was kicking my feet and biting my fist, I swear. I was basically screaming for them to just hold hands already.”

”So spicy. Hand holding.” Krista laughed.

”Look, sex in fiction is great and all, but sometimes I just need those longing glances or the brush of some fingertips. That’s the good stuff.”

”But then they gotta —“ Krista made an awkward gesture with her hands.

Jo grabbed her hands and shoved them into her lap while Krista laughed. “I mean, yeah, obviously that’s great, too.”

”What was with that gesture?” Wil asked, raising an eyebrow.

Krista and Jo burst with more laughter.

“Look, my asexual ass doesn’t know what I’m doing when it comes to sexy stuff,” Krista said.

Wil raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

”You’ve already been drinking,” Jo pointed out.

”I’ll drink more to that, then.” Wil tilted her drink in Krista’s direction.

”Oh! Another ace buddy! I knew I liked you.” Krista bounced in her seat. “You and my little demi friend over here.” She bumped her shoulder into Jo.

”Demi in a deep dry spell.”

”You’ll find someone you’ll connect with,” Krista said. “Just like Cass will soon, too!”

”I enjoy sex.” Cass took a sip of her drink. “I’m very good at it.”

”Cass!” Krista hissed, scandalized. “That’s the most I’ve ever heard you say on the topic during our whole friendship and it’s so, so, I don’t know, confident.”

Cass shrugged. “Just stating facts.”

”You’re so damn cool sometimes,” Krista said.

”I’m not trying to be.”

”And that’s what makes you so cool!” Krista’s drink sloshed as she gestured with her hands. “I could never be cool. I have no chill.”

”Me neither,” Jo agreed. “Too much —“ They wiggled their hands around wildly. “Of all this to have any chill. Not like Wil. Wil’s cool, too. You got the whole artist thing going on. Effortlessly cool.”

Wil chuckled. “Art takes effort.”

”Yeah, but not the being chill about it part. That’s all you. Save some confidence for the rest of us, will you?”

Wil sipped her drink and smiled. “I’ll be sure to pass some around once we’ve had another round. Bottoms up! I’m going up to the bar for more. Who wants in?”