Page 59 of My Boyfriend Marks Trees
Everything will be all right.
He’d take care of his little princess. His little wolf.
Greta leaned against him and sighed. Athena uttered a noise and looked in the direction of the farm.
Head back?
He bobbed his head.
In a minute.The little one needed comforting.
He nosed her over, checking to make sure she’d not suffered. No blood and she didn’t flinch, so most likely no bruising either. She’d stopped shaking and seemed curious about her new shape, holding out her paws to examine. Her tail flicked, and her head turned and kept turning as she spun in a circle trying to catch it.
He chuffed in amusement.
Greta plopped on her furry butt, and her tongue lolled.
Everything will be just fine.
The pup’s little body stiffened, but he didn’t stress, even as they heard the huff of someone breathing hard and the crunch of snow. He knew who came.
Our mate.
The little pup leaned against him shivering, not in cold, he suspected, but fear. Fear of what her mother might say or think. He nuzzled her to show she would always be welcome with him. Athena matched his actions on the other side. Flanking the little pup, they waited for Charlotte and Derek to step into view, the flashlights they held to pierce the storm’s darkness wavering as they bobbed with their movement. Once the lights steadied, it spotlighted the trio of wolves.
He held his head high and with pride. He refused to cower and hide.
The question being, would Charly accept him as he was?
Chapter 16
The moment Aresdisappeared into the forest looking for Greta, Charlotte wanted to follow. Grams sensed it, so while she outfitted Derek with a bag full of supplies—blankets, socks, flashlights, matches, even food and water—she also layered Charlotte in one of Gramps’ winter coats and long johns. Footwear proved tricky, as her feet were smaller than Athena’s but larger than Grams’. They had to stuff the toes of Athena’s boots to keep them on. The hat and mittens fit fine.
Bundled and feeling like the Michelin Man, she’d trailed after Derek as he hiked quickly into the woods, following the fading tracks Ares left behind. The snow still came down thick, but the wind had died down, so at least it didn’t sting the face. Visibility remained poor, however, and once they entered the forest, it turned dark, despite it being midafternoon.
As they walked—and Charlotte huffed from the exertion of clomping in oversized gear—she found herself asking, “What’s it like being in a relationship with a werewolf?”
Derek took a second to reply. “Depends on what you mean. Is Athena different from other women I dated? Yes, it’s part of what attracted me to her. But even if she hadn’t been a wolf, I think we would have meshed because it’s her personality I love.”
“You’re not afraid she’ll hurt you when she…” Charlotte paused for lack of a word. “Changes?”
“Werewolves, or lycans as they prefer to be called, aren’t savage beasts.”
“Barry is.”
“But that’s not because of his genetics. He’s an asshole in general.”
“How did you find out about her? I honestly never suspected Barry had another side to him, and we dated for just over a year.”
“There are subtle indications. Athena’s got an excellent sense of smell and insane hearing. She has this thing when she’s excited; her foot will start tapping. And she’s always chasing stuff around the yard.”
“I haven’t noticed any of those things with Ares.”
“Ares does a better job of keeping his wolf side in check.”
“Will your baby be a wolf?”
“Most likely. And I kind of hope so, even as it scares me.”