Page 12 of Emerald Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #2)

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After their shift, Jo was in the back of the bakery working on a new batch of macarons when Harry came in from the front and announced, “You’ve got a visitor.”

Billie shot them a look. “Don’t leave this room without cleaning up your station first.”

“I will. I will,” Jo promised, doing their best to tidy their area quickly and wipe their hands on their already messy apron.

There were signs of baking all over their shirt when they took off their apron, but it was likely Krista out there waiting for them, and she wouldn’t mind how Jo looked.

They stepped out of the bakery, blinking as they adjusted to the noise out front. Classical music was playing and the sun glinted off the chandelier in the middle of the room. They scanned the room for Krista, ready to spot her rainbow hair, but instead she saw — “Cass?”

Waving, she stood off to the side of the counter, out of the way of customers. Jo glanced away to not make eye contact, only to notice the little yellow birds on her shirt. Cute. They dropped their eyes to her shoes as she approached.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she said.

Jo looked up. “Cass! No, you’re not interrupting anything. I’m just making a batch of macarons in the back, but I can step away for a moment!”

She looked like she was going to reply, but nothing came out. The two of them stood there, looking at each other. Jo held their breath, wondering why this felt awkward again.

“Do you want to —“ Jo pointed towards an open table.

“Oh! Yeah! Sure. I’ll just —“ Cass stiffly walked over and took her seat.

Jo flopped down in the seat across from her. They locked eyes and Jo had to look away.

“It’s wonderful that you’re working on your macarons,” Cass said. “How are they coming out?”

“Not too bad, actually!” Jo replied, feeling a swell of pride. “I tweaked my recipe a little and the consistency was way better than it has been. I could go grab one for you!” They stood up. “Oh, but you don’t like sweets, do you?”

“I’d try one.”

“Okay! Give me a second and I’ll — back — I’ll be right back.

” Jo scurried back into the kitchen. The second the doors swung shut behind them, they paused, staring straight ahead with wide eyes.

Why was this so awkward? It hadn’t been the other day when they were all hanging out.

Was it because they were alone and last time Wil and Krista had been there, too?

Was this the start of the annoying friend crush?

They realized Billie was staring at them.

“You stuck or something?” she asked.

“Just getting some macarons!” Jo dashed over and grabbed two of the better-looking ones before going back out front, stopping at the cases to grab a hand pie, too.

They presented the small haul once they got back to the table. “Some macarons to try and also a hand pie, you know, since you like savory stuff, and you haven’t been here before and I wanted to give you a taste of what talented people can make here and not just the weird, blobby things I make.”

“They look nice,” Cass said, picking up a creamy white macaron. “What flavor are they?”

“Vanilla bean. I wanted to focus on the construction more than the flavors today. Also, I didn’t feel like scrubbing dye off my hands later tonight.”

Cass stuck the entire thing in her mouth, her cheeks puffing out as she chewed.

Jo watched for a reaction, but she gave nothing away until she swallowed and gave a thumbs up.

“It was delicious.”

“Yeah? Not bad? Even though it’s sweet and not savory?”

“I really enjoyed it.”

“And you’re not just saying that to be nice?” Jo laughed to cover up their nerves.

“I don’t lie.”

“Somehow I actually believe that.”

“You should, because I never lie.” Cass maintained her neutral expression until a quick burst of laughter slipped out. “It was really good, though.”

“Awesome! You want the other one, too?” they asked, but Cass was already chewing it by the time the question left their lips. They pushed the hand pie towards her. “And something savory for after all that.”

Cass shook her head. “I don’t think I want anything else. It might take away the flavor.”

“You’re sweet, but they’re not that good.”

Cass looked over at her, their eyes meeting. “You think I’m sweet?”

Jo hadn’t expected that and felt warm from the sincere question. “Well yeah. You’re nice. You helped me come back from the wolf.” An image flashed in their mind of Cass naked and hovering above them in the moonlight, and they had to look away. “And we had a great time together the other day.”

“Thank you. You’re sweet, too.” She reached for the pie and Jo tracked the movement of her hands instead of looking at her face. “I don’t want to lose the flavor, but this also looks very good. Do you help make these, too?”

“Sometimes, I’ll chop what goes inside, but the meat is handled by my packmate, Lock, and the pastry is made by Emmaline or Billie."

“The meat comes from my pack’s butcher shop.”

“I think I knew that, but hadn’t really put it all together. That’s cool — packs supporting packs.”

“I’ll have to come by more often so I can support you, too. And the bakery.” She took a bite of the hand pie. “This is great, too, but the macaron was better.”

Jo started to deflect the compliment, but instead said, “I was about to say, ‘no, you’re just being nice,’ but then I remembered you don’t lie.” They laughed. “So, you must mean it and I just have to sit here and listen to your nice words without being negative.”

Cass laughed, too. “Exactly. Now you’re catching on. Speaking of catchy things, can we talk about your new additions to the playlist because they’ve been swimming in my head all day?”

Jo lit up from both the compliment and the mention of the playlist, and dove in to a long ramble about the songs they’d added and why they were the best. Cass bobbed her head as she listened, smiling the entire time, and jumping in with a comment here and there.

When Jo finally stopped to take a big breath, Cass launched into her own discussion of what she was thinking of adding next, and Jo realized the awkwardness from earlier was gone.

Nope, still no friend crush. Jo was sure they were safe from it this time. They liked their blossoming friendship with Cass. It felt special and, even though they’d only hung out a few times, significant. Cass was going to be important in their life, they could already tell.

A hike in the woods was one of Jo’s favorite things — unless it was nearing sundown with the mosquitoes in full force in the middle of summer.

Not even fifteen minutes into their hike with Alpha Parisa, Jo was a sweaty mess, soaking through their t-shirt.

Alpha Parisa was glistening, not sweating, and her outfit was as put together as her outfits always were.

If Jo was a raccoon in a trash can doing their best, Alpha Parisa was an actual adult human.

While Jo was wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt from a brewery downtown, Alpha Parisa had traded in her usual vintage dresses for tailored shorts and a cherry red top with a scalloped collar.

Jo knew the two of them couldn’t be more different from each other and, while they cared for their Alpha a great deal, she was still intimidating to be around.

Alpha Parisa was a force to be reckoned with.

Jo had learned the extent to which that applied when, the previous year, an Alpha challenger had attempted to take control of the Pitch Mountain Pack from her.

Jo hadn’t been there at the duel, a werewolf tradition where they fought for control of the pack, but they’d heard stories from Beta Seraphine and it only made Alpha Parisa seem more untouchable than before.

“What are your thoughts and feelings about the upcoming full moon run?” she asked, slowing so Jo didn’t need to take such big steps to keep up with her.

“Half excited. Half nervous. Half embarrassed.”

“That’s three halves.” She chuckled.

“I contain multitudes. But really, I do get excited, like everyone else, but I know it’d be a wholly different experience if I could come back on my own and if I could remember anything we did as a pack.”

“So, same as last month, then?”

Jo sighed. “Same as last month. Nothing’s changing!”

“You are changing, though. You might not notice it yet, but you and your wolf are growing more in sync.”

“Doesn’t feel like it,” Jo muttered, then asked, “Do I at least seem like I’m having fun? From the parts you can remember before the full moon wolf fully takes over?”

“Absolutely,” she replied, tone gentle. “You’re always right in the middle of everyone, having a great time.

From our last run, I remember you playing in that river that cuts through the forest with Harry and Wilma.

Edgar, too, chased you until you pounced off a tree and landed on his back, tackling him.

” She laughed. “These memories you’ll carry with you in time, too. ”

“But it’s taking too much time.”

“Your wolf is taking the time it needs, and so are you. It’s not an instant process. We have to grow together.” She patted Jo on the shoulder. “Everyone grows at their own pace.”

“Speak for yourself. Some of us stopped growing in the fourth grade.” Jo laughed. “But I get what you’re saying. I know, I know. I’m just impatient. I want to soak up everything about being a wolf already.”

“You are, just at your own pace.” They fell in step together in silence for a moment before she added, “How is everything else? Bakery? Friends?” She paused. “Family?”

“Bakery life is still great. It’s still my favorite job I’ve had, especially now that Emmaline and Billie let me do more.”

“And your macarons?”

“Are a hot mess.”

“Not from what I hear. Sera speaks quite highly of your flavors, and Billie’s noticed that your construction is getting better. They’ll be ready for the cases out front in no time, if that’s something you want.”

“Yes, I want that!” They blurted. “I mean, in time, yes that’s something I’d like to happen.”

Alpha Parisa smiled. “It’s good to have goals, and that’s a lovely one. I take great pride in watching you grow, you know.”

Jo felt a swell of warmth in their chest. “Thanks. And, like, friends are going great, too. I’m getting close with folks in the Crooked Creek Pack, too, which is nice. Family is — family is what it is. Can’t change other people, am I right?”

“No, you surely cannot.”

Jo clenched their fist. “It’s frustrating, but at least I have all y’all.

I just wish my mom didn’t make me feel so small and worthless.

I’m a totally different person here than I am there or when I have to talk to her.

I feel cut in half. I want to be the same person everywhere.

I want to be this person everywhere.” They sighed again.

“I need to make it through the wedding in one piece, enjoying what I can, and then I’ll be back here with no more trips back there for the foreseeable future. ”

The trail narrowed and Alpha Parisa let Jo go first to set the pace.

“Find joy in the small moments, if possible,” she started, “and leave everything else that does not serve you once you drive away from that place.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“We’ll be eagerly waiting for you to return home.”

“Big same.” The mention of home reminded Jo of the other topic they needed to bring up today — Dolly needed a permanent home, something more than a box outside of Violet Moon.

They tried to summon their courage, but came up short, and the two of them ended up talking about Jo’s macaron recipe and Alpha Parisa’s Persian bread recipes as they wrapped up their slow hike through the woods.

Jo waited until the pack house was in sight to finally ask. “Have you ever thought about the pack having a pet?”

“The thought has crossed my mind once or twice. Why do you ask?”

“There’s a cat! Bakery! At the bakery. A cat.

She’s really sweet, and I don’t want to push it or anything, but I think she’d be a great pet for all of us.

I’d take responsibility for her and she could stay mostly in my room until she’s comfortable - or y’all are all comfortable.

And her name’s Dolly. I’ve been feeding her for a while now.

Wil feeds her, too. I made her a house to keep her dry with all the thunderstorms, but I think she needs a real home.

” Jo took a deep breath to fill their empty lungs with air. “What do you think?”

She smiled, and Jo felt hopeful. “I think we’ll have to run it by the pack, like all of our big decisions, and we’ll go from there.”