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27

Bo

Jack keeps his word.

On the evening of the first full moon since my freedom, he knocks on the door of the RV.

I just finished my dinner of microwave ramen noodles and was trying to ignore the tingling in my bones that precedes the call of the moon.

When I open my door to find the wolf waiting, barefoot and only wearing a pair of athletic shorts, I still have trouble believing he’s here to keep his promise.

“Sun sets in twenty. You coming?” His words ride a growl, but I suspect that’s more from the urge to change than because he’s angry.

“Yes, sir.”

Jack scowls.

“Gods, don’t call me sir. I’m not an alpha, and I don’t want to be.”

I turn over his words and what I know about Jack as I tug off my shirt and pants before following him outside.

He’s a lone wolf in a town with two packs, and from his tone, the guy has no respect for alphas.

I’d hazard I’m not the only one who’s had negative experiences with a pack.

Tonight, it’ll just be the two of us then, and that’s fine by me.

“You heading out?”

I jerk my chin to the side at the question and find Ame exiting the library, cradling her black cat.

Suddenly, I’m wishing I’d kept my pants on until we made it to the tree line.

The witch has seen me in less, but that doesn’t mean I should be strolling around their property in boxers.

And as if the gods want to compound my embarrassment, Mor follows her sister, blinking slowly as she catches sight of me.

Luckily, the dying light should hide most of my blush.

“Yeah. Bo is coming with me. We’ll be back before sunrise.” Jack plucks Lucky from his mate’s arms and sets the cat on the ground despite its meow of protest. Then he tugs Ame into an embrace and kisses her deep.

I avert my eyes, not because I think the two care about privacy, but because I can’t help the pang of envy deep in my gut as I observe their affection.

What would it be like to love and be loved in return the way those two do?

Could I ever hope to find that kind of happiness, or am I doomed to walk my life alone?

“Bo.”

At the sound of my name, I climb from my dark thoughts and find Mor’s eyes are still on me.

“Jack will watch your back, and I don’t think anyone will bother you, but if they do, come back here.” She stands on the top step of the porch, her arms crossed, red hair loose around her shoulders in a fiery riot.

“This is my territory. You’re safe here.”

I gape at her, this witch who keeps giving to me.

She’s claiming she’ll protect me.

Me. A grotesque monster who strikes fear into the hearts of those who look upon my mythic form.

And Mor offers me safe haven.

“Thank you,” I finally choke out.

She nods, then turns on her heel to go back inside, Ame soon following after.

When I face Jack again, he’s breathing heavy, and I would swear he’s gotten taller.

“Come,” he rumbles, then lopes toward the woods as the last glow of sun disappears and the moon takes over the sky.

When I catch up to Jack, he’s stripped off his shorts and taken on the form of a large gray wolf.

Praying to both The Clawed One and The Finned One that Jack remains open-minded, I shuck off my boxers and let the moon drag my beast to the forefront.

I don’t know if the glowing orb has a softer call to me than a full-blooded wolf, but I still always know her phases and drown in her song.

Jack doesn’t flinch away from me or growl in challenge as I lumber to my feet.

Four webbed paws dig into the freshly fallen leaves.

The wolf snorts, then dives into the forest with a howl.

A welcoming sound.

Come , he seems to say.

Run with me .

My heart clenches, and I shake my massive head to rid myself of the sentimental feeling.

I don’t want emotions slowing me down on this night.

I just want to run as I’ve never gotten to before.

And we do. Jack leads me northwest, into the mountains, farther from civilization.

We hunt small critters and race one another.

We leap over streams and find cliff edges to gaze up at the moon and howl our appreciation.

The sound I emit isn’t as smooth as Jack’s, but he still sings with me.

Is this what it’s like to have family?

To have a brother?

Another scent reaches my nose.

Wolf.

Jack tenses and turns toward the trees.

The werewolf steps out, moves more curious than aggressive.

The beast’s focus is on me.

It scents the air, then sits and lets out a yip.

Like a question.

I shuffle forward, breathing in deeper until my moon-drunk mind identifies the newcomer.

Griffy .

I let out a bark that sounds more seal than wolf, but the bartender replies with his own and wags his tail.

Jack huffs, picking up on the lack of tension, and he trots back into the woods.

Griffy comes with us, joining our full moon run.

I hear other howls throughout the course of the night.

Members of the official packs.

Likely they sense us here.

I wonder if Jack’s presence keeps them away.

Then a massive gray wolf steps from between the trees in front of our group, and I rethink my theory.

This werewolf isn’t one I know—at least not by scent.

But I can tell they’re powerful.

An alpha?

The mythic’s eyes are trained on me, and it gives the beginnings of a growl.

Probably in response to my not-quite-a-wolf appearance.

Then something strange happens to Jack.

Shadows shift and meld to him, and when they dissipate, a wolfman looms over all of us.

The night I was freed from the statue, I thought I’d imagined the nightmare creature.

But here he is, Jack in a third form.

“Friend,” he snarls, saliva dripping from a snout I don’t think was meant to speak words.

“Mine.”

Did he just claim me?

It seems so because after a heavy sigh, the powerful gray wolf sinks back into the shadows.

Griffy trots by me, letting out a farewell bark before heading in the same direction as the gray wolf.

With another swirl of shadows, Jack resumes full wolf form and takes the lead, directing us back toward the library as the moon makes its descent.

We skirt around the statue garden and find our clothes hanging from the branches where we left them.

Or at least, Jack’s shorts are where he left them.

My boxers have a raccoon sitting on them.

I grumble at the rodent.

It chitters back.

I nudge it with my paw.

The thing takes its time waddling away.

Back in my human form, dressed in boxers now probably infested with fleas, I face Jack, who already has his sights set on the house where his mate sleeps.

“Thank you,” I rasp.

Jack nods. “It’s a standing invitation.”

There’s a sudden pressure behind my eyes that I blink away.

“You sure? That gray one didn’t seem happy about it.”

Jack scoffs.

“Baron can shove it.”

“Is he an alpha?”

“Of the Folk Haven wolf pack.” Jack confirms my suspicions.

“He’s not a good guy?” The last Folk Haven alpha wasn’t cruel, but he made it clear I wasn’t welcome.

Jack sighs, the deep exhale hinting at a long story he doesn’t feel like telling.

“He’s a decent alpha as far as I can tell.”

“But you don’t like him?”

Jack shrugs.

“It’s complicated.” His eyes flick to me, then back to the house, and he starts walking.

“He’s my dad.”

“Oh.” That’s not what I was expecting him to say.

But if anyone knows about complicated father-son relationships, it’s me.

I let him go with no more questions, pointing my feet toward the RV.

And I let my mind revel in the experience of finally running free on the night of the full moon with something resembling a pack.