Fair enough, I thought. “We can’t tell anyone where we’re going,” I explained, hoping this wouldn’t make her change her mind.
She frowned and wrinkled her forehead. “Of course not.” She leaned in with a small smile. “Everyone in this town talks too much. And I’m guessing you don’t want Chael to know,” she whispered conspiratorially.
I pinched my lips.
She pulled back and shrugged. “I’m okay with breaking a rule or two.” She tapped her ever-present bow against her leg.
“He probably wouldn’t care anyway,” I said.
She cocked her head to the side.
“We should get going. It’s a long drive,” I said, not wanting to explain any further. Ms. Elsie still had Henry from our overnight trip to Colorado. I’d leave him with her until we made it back.
“Are you bringing that with us?” I asked as I followed, studying the bow in her hand and the bag of arrows on her back. “They come everywhere with me.”
I didn’t ask any more about them when we piled into her car, me in the passenger seat, Sera behind the wheel.
“Where to?” she asked.
I gave her the address Charlotte Rowe provided me. “It’s a bit of a drive,” I admitted.
She nodded. “We’ll stop at the store outside of the commune for some snacks. Can’t have a road trip without snacks.”
For the first time since I woke up that morning, I smiled, genuinely. “My thoughts exactly. God, I hope they have some chocolate.” I crossed my fingers.
Sera eyed me but didn’t say anything. I sent a quick text to Charlotte Rowe to let her know when to expect us at her home.
Charlotte Rowe: Perfect. Here’s the code to let yourself in, in case I’m not home yet. This meeting might go a little long. #61845
I stuffed my phone back into my bag right as we pulled into the store parking lot. Sera and I both went in, and both of us immediately went to the junk food aisle. I grabbed every piece of chocolate I could get my hands on before paying and heading back to the car.
“Mmm,” I groaned after taking my first bite of the peanut butter and chocolate cup I got. “This is heaven. Chocolate really is the eighth wonder of the world.” I stared at the half-eaten Reese’s peanut butter cup in my hand. “Why doesn’t our store at the commune haveanychocolate? Chael or Ms. Elsie has to tell someone to pick some up at the outside store for me.”
I frowned, confused.
“Chocolate isn’t our thing,” Sera said.
“It should be everybody’s thing,” I retorted. “I mean, unless someone has an allergy, of course. Like, Henry. He can’t eat chocolate because it’d kill him.”
“Yeah.”
I chewed the last morsel of my treat and gave Sera a curious look at the odd tone in her voice.
“It’s notourthing,” she said again.
I gasped and covered my mouth. “Oh my god,” I exclaimed. “You’re wolves.”
“Shifters,” she corrected.
“Almost the same thing.” I remembered back to that first night Chael came over to my house. I’d offered him some hot cocoa, and he mentioned not liking it. I didn’t think much of it because my head was too frazzled with thoughts of him being in my house. But I recalled that he’d gone over to Henry.
Chocolate’s not for us.Or something like that, he’d told Henry.
“You’re all allergic to chocolate.” I turned sharply toward Sera. “That’s why you don’t carry it at the store.” I balled my fist against my forehead. “You all must hate me constantly asking for something that could kill you.”
Sera chuckled. “It’s not that serious.”
“But it is,” I insisted. “I kept grumbling about the lack of chocolate. Meanwhile, you all were being so kind to me. I’m so sorry.”
