Page 21 of Emerald Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #2)

sixteen

That good feeling ended as soon as they pulled up in front of the resort hotel where they’d attend the wedding, go to the reception, and sleep. Two enormous, ornate lion statues stood out front like an omen of what was inside.

“My entire family is in that building,” Jo said, voice thick with gloom. “They’re waiting to pick at me, descend upon me with their opinions like a —”

“Pack of wolves?” Cass offered.

Jo gave her a sideways glance. “Not wolves. Those are always a good thing now.”

“Like a bunch of piranhas.”

“Yes! That’s more like it. Sharp teeth. Mean little faces.

I mean, that’s mostly just my mom. I can’t really tell you what to expect with the rest of my family.

With the rest of them I —” Jo paused, thinking back to their life before moving to Hickorywood and becoming part of the Pitch Mountain Pack.

“I’ve never been myself around any of them.

They have no idea who I am. I hid all of myself, even the things I liked watching and doing, so I wouldn't stick out at all. So they all seem okay with me, but it’s a fake me and today we’re, I guess, breaking out more of the real me and it’s scary.

I know the comments I’ve heard at gatherings in the past, so I can guess what some of them think about stuff, and it’s not always good, but I just don’t know what to expect.

All I know is I’m glad you’re here with me this weekend. It’ll be easier to be myself now.”

Jo winced as they stopped speaking, sure they’d spilled too much of themselves in front of Cass. When she didn’t say anything, they glanced over to see her worrying her lip between her teeth. She was definitely thinking about something — probably how nuts she was to join Jo for this whole weekend.

“It’s not the same,” Cass said finally, “since I don’t really understand exactly what it’s been like being in your family, but when I told everyone I was going to become a werewolf, I didn’t know what to expect.

It split about halfway down the middle. After the initial surprise, some were accepting, others were downright angry that I’d want to do such a thing.

I couldn’t have predicted some of the responses I got.

My dad, who had always been so open and understanding with everything in my life — which I’m thankful for — couldn’t accept it. ”

“What happened?”

“Time. And talking. My family tends to sweep all the things we don’t want to talk about under the rug until it’s this huge mass in the center of the room that we’re all pretending isn’t there.

So, I gave him time, but I pushed him to talk about it and he came around — quicker than I thought he would, actually.

Like I said, it’s not the same, but maybe some of those people in there will surprise you. ”

Jo looked back at the lion statues out front. “I hope so. If nothing else, we got my sister, June. She’s cool. We haven’t talked as much lately, but she’s got a good, non-judgemental head on her shoulders.”

Holding onto that thought as they unloaded the car and checked in, Jo braced themselves for all the unknowns they’d have to deal with that weekend.

“Oh and my family doesn’t know I’m nonbinary. They don’t even all know I prefer dating women, so don’t be surprised with all the wrong pronouns,” Jo whispered, spotting a group of relatives in the marbled and museum-like lobby. They could probably dodge that group, but there would be more.

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

Jo shrugged. “It does, but not enough for me to want to rock that boat now. Plus, I know what I’m about.

Can’t misgender me when I know myself. And you know me, right?

So it’s all okay.” They quickened their pace to scoot past the group in the lobby.

“Sorry, I keep dumping more stuff onto you. I know it’s a lot. ”

“Every family is a lot.”

“Yeah, but I swear, mine is —”

“Jolene! You’re just as tiny as the last time I saw you.”

Jo froze, shoulders tensing, and turned around. “Hey,” they said slowly, searching for the name of the woman in front of them. It was one of their dad’s sisters. They hadn’t seen that side of the family that often since they lived much farther up north — even less since their dad had passed.

“I last saw you what, fifteen, sixteen years ago? You still always got your nose buried in a book?”

Jo laughed weakly. “Yeah, something like that.”

They finally placed who she was and sprinkled her name into the conversation so they’d win some points. They caught up on where everyone was living now and what Jo was doing for work.

Then came the question they were dreading, “And who’s this with you?”

Jo gripped their suitcase handle, heart hammering in their chest. They pushed the words out, trying to be the badass Wil had reminded them to be. “My girlfriend, Cass.”

This was about as low stakes as it was going to get this weekend — some random aunt they barely knew.

She got quiet and nodded before pulling her lips into a tight line. “That’s nice. Well, I bet you’re looking forward to seeing everyone so I’ll let you go.”

Jo couldn’t remember what they said after that because their heart was threatening to burst out of their chest, but they made it out and started back down the hallway to their rooms.

“That went fine,” Jo said, trying to unclench their body. “Just got to do that about a billion more times.”

Cass was quiet as they rolled their bags down the hallway and Jo tensed again, bracing themselves for her to say that she should just go back home.

“Is it easier or harder with me here?”

“Easier! Way easier! I never would have been able to tell my family anything like that if you weren’t here.”

“But you wouldn't have to tell them if I wasn’t here.”

Jo stopped and Cass spun around to look at them. “I’m thirty years old, Cass. I’ve got to grow a spine at some point, and having you here is helping a ton. I’m glad you’re here. I just keep waiting for you to bolt because this is messy and we’ve kind of only just met.”

“I’m staying. Why would I leave you?” The way Cass said it made it seem like it was ridiculous to think she would ever leave.

It made Jo feel like the day, like this weekend was possible to survive — maybe even find some things to enjoy. “Let’s get settled in our rooms and I’ll come get you in a little bit, okay? We’re going to kick this wedding’s ass!”

Cass gave them a puzzled look.

“Everything is going to be just fine. Maybe even great.”

Jo waited for their mother to burst in or for their sister to knock on the door, but no one came, and Jo was left to sit in relative peace for close to an hour.

They read on their phone. They dozed. They decompressed from the day so far.

Actually, the afternoon had been great. It was just that the stress Jo had carried with them all this week and this morning called for some major decompressing.

Being bipolar, though, Jo knew that what went up, must come down.

They went to get Cass and tried to collect in their mind all the good things that had happened on the drive up.

The more they could collect, they reasoned, the better protected they’d be for rehearsal and the dinner that would follow, but nothing could stop the swirling in their stomach as they approached the ballroom where the wedding would be the next day.

Their steps slowed and Cass pulled ahead until she noticed Jo was behind her and turned.

“Are you okay?”

“Nervous,” Jo replied.

“You’re going to kick ass, right?”

She said the swear word like it was a foreign language. Jo couldn’t help but smile. “You're right. I’ve got to remember that.”

“Jo’s here!” They heard as soon as they opened the door.

June rushed down the aisle from where she’d been standing next to her husband-to-be, Daniel, under an arch covered with white flowers and vines.

She collided with Jo, hugging them too hard, the way she always had.

Their height difference also meant that June’s clavicle went right into Jo’s neck when they hugged.

“Good to see you too, Junie.” Jo hugged her back, feeling years of distance closing between them.

“No, but, like, it’s really, really good to see you.

” June pulled back enough to look at Jo.

She sighed, a gentle thing, as her head tilted a little to the side like she was lost in thought.

Jo could only imagine what she was thinking until she snapped out of it and bounced on the balls of her feet.

“I’m so happy you’re here! And you!” She turned her attention to Cass.

“The first time our Jo brings anyone home, and she’s tall and hot. ”

Cass held out a hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Cass.”

June took her hand in both of hers. “I’m very happy you’re here, too. We were all wondering who Jo’s mysterious plus one was going to be. Not going to lie, I thought you were just bringing a friend — wait, you two are together, right? I just assumed.”

“Yes, we’re dating,” Jo clarified, feeling a jolt up their spine when the lie left their lips. Telling a random aunt was one thing. Telling June was something else entirely.

“You go off to the mountains and get yourself a girlfriend!”

“You go off to med school and get yourself a husband.”

June beamed. “I have done well for myself. I mean, have you seen him? But, more importantly, wait until you see me tomorrow. I’m trading in my scrubs for a dress that makes me look amazing.

I spend all of my days with my hair in a messy bun and wearing scrubs that have heaven only knows what on them by the end of the day.

Do you know how good it feels to look nice for once? ”

“I don’t. I’m always in hoodies.”

“And those ratty Converse sneakers, like you always wore in high school.”

Jo glanced down to their shoes, rolling one foot to the side. “You know it. Nothing screams 'aging millennial’ like a pair of super old Converse. Or Vans. Brought those, too.”