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I dabbed it behind my knees because that seemed less likely to destroy my social life than applying it on my neck. Then I covered almost everything with the pheromone blocker.

The resulting scent profile, as far as my human nose could tell, was expensive soap layered over a garden center.

Hudson hadn’t reacted with alarm when he approached me, which counted as success.

I had caught Aunt Karen watching me several times, but she also watched the condiment tables in case someone mishandled mayonnaise, so I was trying not to be too paranoid about it.

Just in case I hadn’t figured out the correct scent profile for a shifter, I had a wolf tooth in my back pocket. Amazon claimed it was genuine. The listing also offered packs of twelve for crafting, which undermined its mystique. I had bought it because, well, why the hell not? I was obsessed with the idea of scent around the shifters, and having an actual wolf tooth might help me smell more like one. Then again, it might also make me look like a fucking weirdo if someone discovered it.

Only time would tell.

I had tried to research transformation biology, pack etiquette, enhanced metabolism, territorial behavior, healing rates, scent marking, and whether wolves could detect lies by heart rate. The internet provided hundreds of answers and very little information.

I had also begun exercising. Nothing drastic, though. I wasn’t running marathons or deadlifting furniture. I walked faster, added short jogging intervals, and followed beginner cardio videos in my living room while a cheerful instructor promised I was stronger than I thought.

My daily check-ins with Hudson helped. Reminding him to eat forced me to confront my own nutritional fraud, especially after he began returning the favor. I now ate breakfast often enough that I could call it a habit. I carried protein bars in my purse and had even eaten an entire sandwich before driving here.

My body didn’t know what to make of the attention. I had more energy, which annoyed me to no end because it suggested responsible adults had been right about nutrition and exercise.

Beside me, Hudson adjusted the blanket across his knees. “Why are you smiling?”

“I was thinking about food. Did you eat dinner?”

“Yes.”

“What did you have?”

“Chicken, potatoes, two rolls, salad, and part of Trevor’s brownie treasure.”

I nodded. “Acceptable.”

He leaned closer. “What did you eat?”

“I had a sandwich before I left.”

“What kind?”

“Turkey.”

“With?”

“Bread.”

He cocked an eyebrow.

“And mustard,” I added. “I included a condiment.”

“That makes it a complete meal.”

“Thank you.”

Before he could continue, Patty dropped into the chair on my other side. “You smell weird.”

My entire body went on alert, every muscle clenching. Hudson looked over.

Patty held up her hands defensively. “I’m just saying, I’ve never smelled a perfume like this.” She leaned in close to me and took a big sniff. “You smell like a scared pine tree right before it goes through the woodchipper.”

Hudson laughed, and I forced myself to join in. “That was the goal.”