“I am not in your pack. I am your mentor.” He glanced out the window. “Speaking of potential.”
“He’s happy with what he has, and who knows? They might make him the mayor of White Dunes.”
The large werewolf climbed out of the van before grabbing his luggage and guitar case. He and the driver talked for a little while, both nodding and waving goodbye.
“I see he brought the guitar,” Mosavi said, taking a deep breath through his nose while grabbing another cigar for our guest.
I opened the door, and Darryl slipped inside, dropping his things before pulling me into a crushing hug.
“Jeez, look at you.” He let go and examined me further. “You’re gonna be one big fucker.”
“It will be quite a sight to behold,” Mosavi said, catching Darryl’s attention. “The birth of a new elder.”
“Darius.”
“Darryl,” the mayor replied, and they gave each other an approving nod. They weren’t chummy by any means, but they also didn’t hate each other anymore. “Smoke?”
“Can’t say no to that.” He took the roll of tobacco and looked around. “I thought I had the wrong address for a second. This place is huge!”
“It still doesn’t feel big enough with six werewolves living here,” I said, nodding to the back french doors that were now at the far end of the dining room instead of the end of the hallway. “You should see the backyard.”
Halloween Night
“Yer not gonna wear yer costume?” Roscoe asked, adjusting himself in his tight leather thong while fanning out a gray fur cape. He wore shiny faux plate greaves and gauntlets with an overly elaborate greatsword slung over his shoulder as he examined himself in the mirror. Earlier, Austin had been all too eager to help him wax away some of his face so he could draw on realistic-looking battle scars. I don’t think I’d ever heard Roscoe scream so loud.
“I think he wore a little more than that in the game,” I said.
“He did?” Roscoe scratched his head. “This is exactly what he looked like when Adam was playin’.”
“Adam likes to use slutty mods. You do look hot though.”
“Come on, Tarnished.” He held up a leather suit of armor with his other hand. “Don’t you want yer… ample reward?”
“Sorry. I’m not feeling up to it. All I wanna do lately is sleep.”
Roscoe leaned his fake sword against the wall before sitting next to me on our new bed. As much as he expressed his disapproval, he’d fall asleep almost instantly once he laid down.
“You don’t gotta wear nothin’ if ya don’t want to. It’s yer night, ya know.”
“We don’t know that yet. I’ve been feeling like shit for weeks now, and nothing’s really changed.” I looked over at him again. “I hope you don’t leave.”
“Now, stop that.” He removed his gauntlet and slipped his arm around me. “We’ve been through this already.” He sighed and stood, removing his costume until he was wearing nothing. “I’ve been thinkin’ that it ain’t normal for you to feel like this for so long.”
“Then why am I still like this? Is there something wrong with me?”
“Yup.” He pointed to my shirt. “Take off yer clothes.”
“I don’t wanna have sex right now.”
“We ain’t. Take ‘em off.”
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him before standing and removing my clothing. “Okay?”
“Let’s go outside.”
“It’s cold.”
“Dude, yer covered in fur right now. No excuses. Let’s go.”
