Page 24 of My Girlfriend is a Werewolf

“Unless they break in and go through my stuff and find something I forgot.”

Her lips pursed. “Hopefully that doesn’t happen.”

“Even if they do figure out we went to the farm, they’ll have a hard time because Grams don’t like strangers.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t go. I wouldn’t want to bring trouble to them.”

He snorted. “Don’t say that to Grams. She’d be insulted.”

“We should warn her, though.”

“I was planning to. She’s always looking for a reason to buy more guns.”

She blinked. “How many does she own?”

“Let’s just say she could outfit a militia.”

Athena shook her head. “I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone.”

“I promise she and Gramps are good people despite some of their beliefs.”

“Oh, I believe you. My family is different than most as well. We just don’t collect weapons or set booby traps.” Her lips twitched. “Although I’ll bet Ares would be interested.”

“Older or younger brother?” he asked.

“Middle child. Selene is the baby.”

“Must have been cool having siblings growing up.”

“Sometimes. Other times we were screaming and yelling and fighting. Dad used to let us go at it, but Mom had this thing about us talking it out, hugging, and apologizing.”

“Which was better?” he asked.

“Honestly, when Ares tore the head off my favorite Barbie, I took great pleasure in hiding his video games and making him beg for their return.”

“I sometimes wished I had siblings growing up, but when Mom left, Dad wasn’t interested in dating. Still isn’t. My mother broke him.”

“And my mom never recovered from my father dying.” She paused before adding, “I think the hardest part was his death was preventable. He was shot while hiking in the forest.”

“Jeezus, that’s fucking shit,” he exclaimed. “Sorry, I mean that sucks.”

“Yeah, it does. For a while, she wouldn’t let us leave the yard she was so terrified we’d be taken from her too.”

He spotted the gas station up ahead. “Almost there. Gramps should be along any minute.”

Athena cocked her head as if listening, and yet once more he heard nothing. “What is it?”

“Sounds like someone lost their muffler.”

Her hearing must be good. “That’s Gramps. He drives an old Ford and does most of the repairs himself. He’s patched the exhaust system I don’t know how many times, but he won’t replace the baffles. Says a truck should growl.”

“I’m surprised the cops haven’t given him a ticket.”

“They have, but he’s got a friend who’s good at making them go away.”

“Useful.”

He pointed. “There he is.”

---