Page 23 of Haunted By the Shadow of Death

My palms were sweating as Charlie, Kicks, and I walked up the stairs. Everyone had been invited, but I didn’t know how many would actually come. Evangeline had insisted on preparing as if the whole pack would show up, and now we’d have nothing but wasted food.

We walked in the doors and suddenly bodies were jumping up from behind tables, partitions, and walls, yelling out, “Happy birthday!”

Charlie’s smile was so wide it nearly split his face in two.

He looked up at me. “They’re all here for me?” he asked, as if he couldn’t believe that so many people would come for his birthday.

“Yes. It’s your party. Who else would they be here for?” It was a battle not to cry from happiness. I’d been terrified of coming here, being accepted, having Charlie accepted. Yet they were all here, celebrating my child’s birthday.

Coming here was the right choice. I’d finally found him a pack that he could grow up with. We were home. It would be okay.

“Let’s greet your guests,” I said to him, although I wasn’t sure where to start. I didn’t know most of the people here myself.

Kicks stepped closer, holding out his hand to Charlie as I hesitated. “Come on, we’ll do it together,” he said.

He glanced back at me when I didn’t move to go with them.

“I’m good. You two go ahead.” Charlie was a shifter now. I wanted the pack to see him as one, without the reminder of his human sister always there. I wanted them to embrace him the way they’d never accept me.

Evangeline popped out of the crowd and appeared by my side before I’d stood there alone long enough to feel awkward.

“I told you we’d need lots of food.” She leaned a little closer, her nostrils flaring. “Wow, how long and hard were you two going at it?”

“What do you mean?” I said, glancing around, hoping not too many people were listening to this. It was one thing for them to believe Kicks wanted me and another to have the whole place think we were banging like bunnies.

“You and Kicks have obviously found your groove and worn it out pretty good.” She laughed.

I’d wanted his scent, but could he have overdone it? I scanned the crowd to see if anyone was looking at us.

“Don’t worry,” Evangeline said. “With this much talking and noise, it makes it hard to single out one voice.” She stared at me as if waiting for details.

“You could say we had a moment.” That was all she was getting. There was no way I was divulging the lows I was stooping to.

“That must’ve been one hell of a moment. You guys must really click in bed, because I’ve never smelled such a strong scent on anyone that he’s slept with, ever. If you were a fire hydrant, and he were a dog, there wouldn’t be a dry spot on you.”

Ever? Did that include his past mate? No matter how much I wanted that tidbit confirmed, I bit my tongue. He’d loved her and she was gone. It felt too sacred to gossip over, even if part of me wanted some snippet to prove he cared for me on some level.

It shouldn’t matter anyway, since we hadn’t even slept together. I was getting wrapped up in my own charade.

“Maybe it just rubs off on me stronger for some reason. Maybe it interacts with humans differently.”

“Nope,” she said. “It’s actually the reverse. Humans don’t hold on to the scent as well. The only way you could smell that strongly of him is if he’s utterly obsessed with you. I wish I had a guy as interested in me as he must be in you.” She fell silent, her forehead furrowing as she sipped a glass of wine.

I grabbed a glass off a nearby tray, feeling the need to join her. The more she said, the more of a con artist I felt. I was going to have to tell her when we were alone.

“Come on,” she said, motioning to the room. “I’ll introduce you to everyone you haven’t met yet so they don’t have to crane their necks from across the room and pretend they aren’t staring.”

At least half the pack was in the building, and the other half was lingering out on the lawn. I’d already forgotten the names of most of the people I’d said hello to. I spoke to so many people I barely had a chance to eat. By the second hour, no one was looking at me weird or hesitantly anymore. It was as if they’d taken my measure and decided what they’d heard couldn’t be true. I was no longer a monster.

I’d gotten cornered by an older couple asking me questions about what New York was like before Death Day when Evangeline called out from the center of the room, “Everyone! It’s time for the cake!”

A path was made as two shifters carried out a large cake that would put the most over-the-top wedding to shame. It had three different tiers, with a train running up tracks around it. It was lit up with six candles that looked as big as small logs. Evangeline didn’t seem to do anything small.

Charlie ran over from where he’d been playing with his new friends as we all gathered around the cake.

His face was pure joy, and then a little worry line marred his forehead. “Where’s Piper’s candles?”

“I don’t need candles. It’s your birthday, Charlie. Go ahead, blow them out.” I would’ve blown them out for him just to move the attention back off me.

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