Wolfsong (Green Creek 1)

“Oh my god,” I said faintly.

“You want to keep him for how long now?” Mom asked, squinting at Joe.

“Uhh,” Joe said. “Crap. This isn’t going like I wanted it to. I had everything I needed to say planned out. Hold on.” He reached down and pulled a notecard from his pocket. It was rumpled, the corner ripped. He stared down at it, mouth moving silently as he read whatever the hell he’d written on it. A drop of sweat trickled down his forehead.

This had to be a dream.

“Joe, maybe we should—” I tried.

But he looked up at my mom, a determined set to his jaw. “Hi, Ms. Callaway,” he said. “These flowers are for you.”

I groaned.

“Thank you, Joe,” Mom said, lips twitching. “Is what I said ten minutes ago when you gave them to me and then sat there staring at me while waiting for Ox to get home.”

“Right,” he said. “You’re welcome. Speaking of Ox, I’ve come to talk to you about him.”

“You’re wearing a bow tie,” I said unnecessarily.

He glanced over at me. “Mom said I had to dress up for this.”

I heard a low snort of laughter coming through the open window above the sink.

And I knew.

I stalked over to the window and looked outside.

There, sitting spread out on the grass, were the rest of the Bennetts.

Goddamn fucking werewolves.

“Hello, Ox,” Elizabeth said without a hint of shame. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”

“I will deal with all of you later,” I said.

“Ooh,” Carter said. “I actually just got chills from that.”

“We’re just here for support,” Kelly said. “And to laugh at how embarrassing Joe is.”

“I heard that!” Joe shouted from behind me.

I banged my head on the windowsill.

“Maggie,” Joe said. Then, “May I call you Maggie?”

“Sure.” My mother sounded like she was enjoying this. The traitor. “You can call me Maggie.”

“Good,” Joe said, obviously relieved. “Do you know Ox over there?”

“I’ve heard of him,” Mom said.

“Okay.” Joe glanced down at his card before looking back up at my mother. “There comes a time in every werewolf’s life when he is of age to make certain decisions about his future.”

I wondered if I threw something at him if it’d distract him enough for me to drag him out of the kitchen. I glanced over my shoulder out the window. Carter waved at me. Like an asshole.

“My future,” Joe said, “is Ox.”

Ah god, that made me ache.