My brother-in-law was so homely and human that he made the werewolf beside me seem even more dangerously beautiful. Emphasis on dangerous. Despite my wolf’s complaints, I yanked my hand free of Wolfie’s and got to my feet, dusting off the back of my jeans and turning away from the alpha without a backward glance.
“Rounds go okay?” I asked, and Dale was quick to gratify my curiosity. When I turned to wave goodbye to Wolfie a minute later, the alpha merely looked amused by my escape, rather than angry, so I let my brother-in-law draw me toward his minivan, where a sodden Keith was already waiting in the back seat. My nephew had sunken into avid contemplation of a hand-held gaming device, and in that instant he looked as entirely normal as his father did. I could almost imagine that Keith wasn’t a young werewolf, and that I wouldn’t have to figure out how to help him change into wolf form and then how to protect him from my father. But as I got into the car, the kid’s eyes turned up to meet mine in the rear-view mirror, and I could see the hint of worry in his face. “We’ll talk soon,” I mouthed, and my nephew smirked briefly before turning back to his game.
I’d never been part of a normal family before, and despite Brooke’s absence, I could almost touch the solidity of the unit she’d left behind. I offered to help Dale cook dinner, and it felt comfortable to be chatting about our day as I chopped carrots and he sautéed up a stir fry. Keith was his usual, uncommunicative self over dinner, but when Dale was called back to the hospital in the middle of the meal, my nephew volunteered to help me wash up the skillet and rinse the dishes before they went into the dishwasher. Despite Milo’s visit, I was surprised to realize that the packless ache in my stomach had nearly entirely fled.
“So, which one of those guys are you dating?” Keith asked out of the blue as he ferried a load of plates from table to sink.
That pulled me out of my happy, pack-filled glow and my eyebrows shot up. “I’m not dating either one!” I exclaimed. While literally true, the words felt a bit off as they bounced around the kitchen.
“Hmm,” my nephew hummed noncommittally. “You definitely like one of them.”
“We’re not all in high school, Keith,” I retorted, but couldn’t help smiling at the kid who suddenly reminded me of his mother. Brooke had always known exactly what everyone was feeling in our household, and Keith had evidently inherited the knack. Even though I’d lost my sister far too soon, it felt more sweet than bitter to notice those traits in her son. “Wouldn’t you rather talk about your problem?” I deflected, figuring we might as well get the Talk over with while Keith was feeling happy and I wasn’t drooping with exhaustion.
“Naw,” Keith answered. “We’ve got all day tomorrow while Dad’s at work and I’m home sick. Right now, I’m more interested in your loooove life.” He drew out the word in the way only a teenager could, and I laughed despite myself. But I still shook my head, refusing to dish up any more information.
“Girls always like the bad boys,” Keith concluded. “That’s a shame. Chase is a pretty cool guy.”
A day ago, I would have agreed with Keith that it was too bad. But I was starting to realize that Wolfie possessed a depth that the bad-guy image didn’t begin to cover. Not that I was interested in either one of them, of course.
Right, my wolf responded, pulling me out of my thoughts. I would have liked to think she was agreeing about my lack of interest in the young alpha, but I knew sarcasm when I heard it.
Focus, I reminded my wolf. And myself.
Chapter 10
I had thought it was a good idea to hike up the mountain with Keith before explaining werewolf culture and helping him through his first shift. The uphill climb would smooth out the boy’s jitters, and if my nephew freaked out about his wolf form, he’d have a long way to run before he could do any damage.
The flaw in my plan only became apparent as we crested the ridge. There lay Wolfie in canine form, lounging in the same ray of sunlight he’d been enjoying two days before. The wolf barked a welcome as we came closer, and I rolled my eyes, trying to decide whether to turn around and go home.
“That’s Chase’s dog,” Keith explained, sitting down beside the alpha werewolf to give him a belly rub. “He’s harmless,” my nephew continued, as if my reaction was due to fear of being bitten by a strange dog. I wished a dog bite was the only thing I had to worry about.
The day was already off to a bad start, but I figured I’d better ignore the alpha and barrel on through. “So …” I stretched out the word, trying to figure out how to begin. “If your mother was still alive, she’d be the one telling you this,” I started. “Well, it really should be your father, but …”