Page 22

His voice was genuine and I hated myself and this curse a little more for not being able to be the brother Rook deserved. He was a good man.

I was barely a man.

Or at least that's how I've felt most days. My wolf side seemed to be in charge of me more and more. I was hoping this move was just what I needed to find my center and maybe Rook would find a potion or something to help.

He was great at his job but my curse wasn't one in the usual textbooks. At least not any that I've borrowed from his home library.

"What's for dinner? I could grill out some steaks," he offered as we stopped at the meat counter.

"It has been a while since I've had cooked beef," I answered, finally throwing him a bone, so to speak. "I've got the sides covered, meet you at my place?"

"You're on." Rook smiled at me.

I gave him a small one back and left him there to get the rest of my food. My wolf was itching to come out the more I spent time in town. While I didn't have full control, there were a few times that I could keep him at bay.

But only for so long and the change was coming. Fast.

There was a little bit of a line and only one cashier that was older than dirt. My foot bounced as I waited my turn and I was second guessing my life choices at the moment.

"I've got this," Rook said, coming up to stand beside me. The cashier looked up and smiled at him. Great, my brother was eye candy for the elderly.

"Want some cash?" I asked, even though I was ready to bolt. My wolf wanted out and there was no way that I was going to stay for this awkward exchange when it was my turn.

"Nah, get out of here." He smiled and took over my cart, winking at the old lady, getting a giggle from her. She barely noticed as I slipped away.

I didn’t hesitate to power walk to the exit, dodging a mother and her kids as they came into the store, the little boy pointing at my twitching ears.

When I was over halfway towards the field on the south side of the store, I was already in mid-shift. The change no longer hurt, it was almost freeing but just as my paws were about to hit dirt, a familiar scent stopped me in my tracks. It was faint, almost nonexistent, but my nose picked it up.

Caramel, tart green apples, and a hint of omega sweetness to round it out. My shift finally finished, my wolf taking over.

‘Mate?’ he rumbled in my head. I couldn’t deny that he was right. The scent hit me right in the chest, my entire world shifting to focus on locating that delicious scent.

There were only two people walking close by. The woman hummed a tune that sounded like "Zombie," by the Cranberries and the man next to her bobbed his head along. There was something familiar about her.

I stalked behind them as they walked, trying to figure out what to do. My wolf wanted to scoop her up and run away to our house. Or maybe take her to the woods and show her our wolf.

Wait… I know that witch.

Was it my neighbor? The one that kept to herself? She was the popular talk of the town after her latest chicken fiasco, so it wasn’t hard to miss her.

Until now, we’d had a yard between us. Now that I was closing the space between us, her scent was getting stronger.

I had been in my head a lot since the move and getting the place fixed up but missing something this important, my head must have been up my ass. How did we not realize and try to talk to her before now?

My wolf’s excitement had the shift coming on faster. I was forced to veer away and give into the magic taking over.

Once the shift was complete, I crept into the woods to keep an eye on them on the way home. I wasn't going to let anything happen to her now that I knew she was mine.

I was on high alert, so when the humming stopped for a second as she tripped on seemingly nothing, I was already starting to bolt to her. Her companion caught her before I could burst from my forest cover. I breathed a little easier that she was in good hands.

Even if I was a bit jealous they weren’t my own.

A growl echoed out of me at the thought of her in danger. She froze, then picked up her pace, looking around for the source of the menacing sound.

Great, now I've scared her. There was no way that I could get close to her now.

I stayed in the shadows and tracked them until I knew that they were safely home before heading for my back door. The doggy door pushed open and I ignored the indignity of the situation.