Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (Charlaine Harris) (Kitty Norville 2.50)

"Yeah, but tomorrow is the pack Christmas party. There won't be time for a decent run!" Jake knew he was whining, and in a bratty kid way rather than the way a submissive wolf was supposed to, but he couldn't help it.

"Jake, a little girl is missing! Isn't that more important?"

"She's human, right? Not a member of the pack?"

"What difference does that make?"

"Are you kidding? If she's human, let the other humans worry about it. "

Felicia came back into the kitchen, having changed into all black. As in a black Labrador retriever. She padded over to Brian, who put the harness on her, and fitted the phone and other things into the harness pockets.

"Good hunting, Mom," Ruby said, putting her arms around the big dog.

"Thanks, sweetie," Felicia replied in the odd voice some werewolves were able to muster, even while in other forms. Jake hadn't even come close to mastering the technique himself. "I'll be back before Santa comes. You go watch Rudolph. "

"Jake," Brian said, "will you keep Ruby company for a few minutes?"

"Yeah, sure. " He followed the little girl back into the living room, but stayed close enough to the door to the kitchen to listen in. He'd learned years before that he was good at eavesdropping, without knowing why his hearing was so much sharper than normal. Than normal human hearing, he corrected himself.

"Can you believe that?" Felicia said, half-growling. "More worried about a run than a lost child?"

"He's a teenager," Brian said. "He thinks the world revolves around him. "

"I think you're wasting your time wit

h him, Brian. He's not right for the pack. "

Jake silently flipped her the bird, even if she couldn't see it. See if he ever helped her put up her junky manger scene again.

"Give him time," Brian said soothingly.

"I won't let him ruin Ruby's Christmas!"

"Ruby likes him. "

She snorted, though it was more of a snuffling while she was in that form. "That's something in his favor anyway. "

A car horn sounded from the driveway.

Brian said, "There's Dave. You better go. Good hunting, love. "

Felicia barked in response, and Jake heard Brian opening the door for her to bound out to the car. He scooted over to the television so he could pretend to care about a singing, candy-ass reindeer.

Brian came to the doorway. "Jake, could you come in here?"

"Sure. "

He followed the pack leader, and the two of them sat down at the kitchen table.

"Look," Jake said, "maybe I could go out by myself. A lot of the guys are taking their first solo tonight. "

"I talked to your teachers about that possibility. "

"Really?" he said eagerly. "I'm ready, I know I am. "

"What's the pack's first rule for a run?"

"Stay away from humans. "