A Werewolf's Moon (The Council) (15 page)

I nodded, knowing that I’d be giving him more than just chances for the rest of forever. Quinn had my soul, my life, in his hands. Cripes. And I was actually kind of okay with it.

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” She dropped the rest of her cookie in the glass and tapped her short nails on the counter.
“Spill sister.”

I picked at the raisins for something to do. I didn’t hate them, but I wasn’t a fan either. “It’s nothing important.”

She snorted. “Am I going to find out eventually?”

“Yep,” I said, going for upbeat and carefree.

“Then just save me the suspense.”

“I’d rather wait.” Not really, I just had no clue how to tell her. Blurt it out? Drop hints?

“Fine, then I’ll guess until I get it right…” she stopped tapping her finger nails on the counter, searching my face. “You and Quinn…you…you kissed?”

My eyes went wide. “How did you know?”

“Oh, no.
I was kidding!” she nearly fell off her stool. “I’m right?”

“It’s true,” I finished off my milk.
“But not a big deal.”

She studied me closer, teeth sinking into her bottom lip. “I noticed something the other day. He circles you like a shark. And he’s been in Capeside more than ever.”

“Yeah,” I admitted.
“My own grumpy watchdog.”

Her mouth dropped open, and I knew I was screwed. “His eyes glow!”

I glanced at the ceiling, lord help me.

“Did he bite you?” she grabbed my face in her hands and forced me to make eye contact with her. “Well, did he?”

“We can be friends forever
and
rule together. That’s cool, right?”

Venna was caught between shock and hysterical laughter, wrapping her arms around her middle. She sagged against the counter, gasping for air.
“Ah, ha.
Too much…you and Quinn!”

Green light flashed around us, and
Henry
Langley appeared right next to Venna.

Henry
was tall, English, and very good-looking. He had bright green eyes and sandy brown hair, was every bit as royal acting as the family he came from. But he wasn’t my type. I never went gaga over him like the other girls. Most of the time
Henry
dressed like he’d stepped off the pages of GQ advertisement. He was all polo’s, dark wash denim, and button up shirts. He suited Venna, who was pretty girly with her dresses and sandals, they really complemented each other.

I was a little more rock and roll.

I’m guessing that’s why I landed a badass werewolf with a surly disposition.

“What’s wrong?”
Henry
’s eyes were glowing green. They did this when he was really happy, or worried, or pissed off, just like when Quinn’s glowed gold. “Venna, sweet, is everything all right?”

There was a cool breeze and Quinn was right beside me, eyeing us with confusion. “What’s going on?”

Venna grabbed
Henry
’s outstretched arm for support, “
Pepper
and Quinn,” she stopped laughing long enough to smile at my werewolf. “Quinn marked her.”

Henry
looked over at me, frowning.

I nodded. “Yep, future queen here.”

Then he looked at Quinn, who was glaring at Venna. “Did you plan on saying anything?”

“I was about to,” Quinn grumbled. “But your witch went crazy and you wanted to see what was going on.”

Henry
grinned, “That’s the thing about redheads, one second they’re calm, the next they’re hopping mad.”

“You know you like it.” Venna teased.

“Yeah,”
Henry
chuckled and kissed her so thoroughly I had to look away.

“Get a room,” Quinn crossed his arms.

Venna laughed put some space between her and
Henry
, “Oh, later.”

Henry
nodded with a wide smile, “Yes,”

Quinn and I left the lovebirds in the kitchen and found our way to the dining room. Zane and Flora were sitting in front of a laptop, eyes locked on the screen.

“Action or comedy,” Flora sighed. “Pick one.”

Zane clicked the
mouse, “Action. Bombs go boom!”

She rolled her eyes, “I don’t know why I bother asking anymore.”

“But I’m cool with comedy.” He added, shutting the computer off.
“None of that mushy crap.”

“You cried at the last movie I picked. Admit it. You liked it.”

Zane shook his head, “I told you, it was allergies.”

“Magical people don’t have allergies.”

“Going to the movies?” Quinn asked.

“If we can agree on one.”
Flora eyed Zane and crossed her arms.

“Comedy.”
Zane smiled.

Flora laughed, “Oh, no booms and bombs for you?”

“No, we’ll see it next time.” He said.

I grinned, “Smart boy.”

“Are we ready to go?” The voice belonged to Davy, Flora’s brother.

This was one thing I
was still getting used to. They didn’t show up on the front porch and ring the bell, they just phased right in. Venna and
Henry
had places in the house where phasing wasn’t allowed, like their bedroom, or bathrooms. But everywhere else was game. I couldn’t keep up with it sometimes. It was verging on ridiculous. When I changed into a werewolf, my fist rule would be that no one phased without calling or texting first. Or maybe I could have a special room for phasing with a bell. They could ring it to alert the house after they popped in.

Flora held out her hand and Zane stared at her, “Oh, angel, I think things are moving a little fast.”

“Please, the only reason I want to hold your hand is because you have to be touching us to phase”

Zane grinned, “Aw, now that’s not
nice.”

Davy took Flora’s other hand, “Let’s go.”

“Have fun,” I said, squinting as they disappeared in a flash of gray light.

I sat at the dining room table, and Quinn took the seat next to me, draping his arm across the back of my chair. I was thinking it was going to become a habit, but I couldn’t br
ing myself to mind. I was beat.

It was still barely evening back home, except I felt tired.
Worn out.
I’d had some big, life changing, stuff happen to me. Tomorrow it was only going to get even more interes
ting.

Something was bound to go wrong. I mean, telling your father you were going to move in with a boy was one thing. Telling him that the boy saved your life, turned you
into a werewolf, saved you again, then bit you because you were begging him, so that you didn’t become some other dog’s mate…that was goin
g to take some serious finesse.

Then I was going to complete my transformation, which I was not looking forward to. The whole get
ting sick process disturbed me.

Of
course after…what would happen?

I had the rest of the summer to spend quality time with my dad tha
t I’d probably never see again.

How could I pass that up?

But then there was that need I heard Quinn talking about. He said I’d need him near me to sleep. I’d
want him around all the time.

If I was honest, I already needed him. I wouldn’t survive without him, or the bite that made me his. Except that was my human need. I knew I was safer with him than without. I craved his attention, for a few split seconds, until I caught myself. That was all human. The werewolf need though, I d
idn’t know what that felt like.

“
Pepper
?”
I felt him shift closer and wanted to sing with relief when his hand cupped the back of my neck.
Feeling his skin against mine.
Nothing compared. “You’re warm.”

“I’m fine

“Let’s go back to my place,” he didn’t sound convinced.

“We just got here.”

“We can come back anytime you want.
” The glow in his eyes pleaded.

“First answer a question for me.” I said, turning so I could see him fully.

He inclined his head. “Make it a quick one.”

“After I change, do I have to leave my dad?” I winced at my whiney voice. “I haven’t seen him that much. I know we’re supposed to stay together, but I was hoping to spend some time with him.”

He smiled at me, “We’ll stay the whole summer in Capeside.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we can phase, remember?”

“I don’t know if dad will let me leave just to sleep.” I said, wondering if I could sneak a werewolf into my room without my father noticing.

“He’ll never suspect a thing.” His tone changed, serious, eyes holding my intensely. “But if we tell him about what happened, then we’ll tell him everything. He’ll have to
understand and get used to it.”

“Okay,” I wasn’t sure where Venna and
Henry
had gone. I sent a text telling her Quinn took me home. She texted back, saying she wished I could have stayed, but felt that it was best I went, and that Quinn and I needed some alone time to become better acquainted with each other. I told her I’d be back in a few days. Quinn took us to his place. It was later than I realized. The sun was setting on New York City. The sidewalks teemed with people rushing home from work. We ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant a few blocks down from his place, watching people pass our seats by the window. Afterwards we walked for a while, not really saying much, but we didn’t have to. Both of us were nervous about tomorrow and what it would bring. He was going to meet my dad. I
was going to become a werewolf.

When we got back to his apartment I was tired, wrung out emotionally and physically. I knew the emotional part was from my mom, but the physical part was
probably from something else. It was too soon to tell. I didn’t say anything
to
Quinn, but in the way he watched me, I knew h
e could tell how I was feeling.

It was that feeling you get right before you come down with something. The sluggish mind and maxed out body were key signs. However I knew it wasn’t a cold or the flu. And when the sun went down tomorrow, it
was going to
get
worse, much worse.

I went to bed
early. It was just after nine, but I wanted sleep. He hovered in the doorway for a while. I didn’t have the energy to boot him out. It was nice feeling his presence, just a few feet from me.

I woke up several times to find myself twisted in the covers, my body anxious, like I was going to crawl out of my skin. Even though the sheets were soft, the fabric rubbed against my legs
, and the pillow was too puffy.

And then the nightmare started.

I was at my house in Capeside, having a normal evening with my dad. I got that funny feeling again. I was spooked. No matter how many times my dad told me it was okay, I didn’t believe him. I was worried the werewolf that had tried to break into the house had come back. So I called for Quinn. I screamed his name a thousand times.

But he never came.

He never heard me.

A massive horned monster, fangs dripping of glistening red saliva, crashed through the backdoor. I screamed, seeing him eye my dad, who was no match. The monster lunged for him, eyes
glowing
a deep, dark red.

“
Pepper
!” at first I thought it was my dad yelling for me to run, to leave him to face his fate alone.
Except the voice was deeper, gruff.
“Wake up.”

I forced my eyes open to see a pair of gold ones, “Quinn?”

He let out a heavy sigh, his breath fanned across my face. “Yeah, it’s okay.”

“That thing…the werewolf.
  He attacked.” I glanced around us to see his room, not my house. “I kept calling your name but you never came, and my dad. It hurt my dad.”

“It wasn’t real, you’re safe, and your dad’s safe.” He murmured, sliding his hands around me and pulling me to his chest.

I knew that, but I shuddered and crawled closer, wrapped my arms around his neck and hung on for dear life. Something about what I saw felt wrong, all wrong. I wasn’t one to have nightmares. I couldn’t remember the last one I’d had.

“Why don’t you go back to sleep?”
Quinn asked, sounding tired, his voice sleepy.

“No, it feels better like this.”

He pulled back. I knew he could see me perfectly in the dark. “What feels better?”

“My skin, it feels funny. Too tight, maybe, and I just can’t get comfortable.” I closed my eyes, the feeling of heaviness on my lids unbearable. I listened to his heart beating, his breaths long and slow. It was like a lullaby, soothing the turmoil inside me and I slipped into a dreamless sleep.