Page 38 of My Girlfriend is a Werewolf

Despite his love for Mom, he’d have done whatever it took to keep Athena safe. And she could do no less for her family.Please don’t let it come to that.

Those thoughts chased her that night as she ran with her sister, in a place a fair distance from home, where no one could see them. An abandoned property, the house long boarded and not visible from the road.

Her distraction had her stumbling into a stream and snorting out water. Missing the fat rabbit that hopped in her path. Lying down and sighing in the moonlight.

Her actions didn’t go unnoticed.

The next morning, once they’d flipped back into human skin, her sister called her out as they dressed in the clothes they’d left in the trunk of Selene’s car.

“What’s got you looking so mopey?” Selene asked as they drove back to town. “I thought you said everything was okay.”

“Better than okay. Great. I’m just tired.”

“Are you? Has something happened? Is this about the doctor?”

“I haven’t seen or heard anything since I left the city.”

“Then this must be about the guy who rescued you.”

“Hardly rescued.”

“Nice avoidance and clarification. You’re pining over the boyfriend.”

“I don’t pine.”

“It’s not a crime to admit you miss him.”

“How can I miss him when we’ve only been apart a day?”

“In that case, since it’s no big deal, spend the day at the farm. We can sneak you in. That tiny visit with Mom yesterday was barely enough to catch up. And you missed Ares entirely sincehe was at work until dinner.” They’d left late afternoon to ensure they didn’t have a tail for their nocturnal jaunt. Ares had stuck around and hid himself in the basement to keep an ear on their mother.

“It’s too risky.”

“Not if we put you in the trunk again where no one can see you,” Selene countered.

“I can’t. Derek’s coming to pick me up around nine.”

“Text him and ask him to come later.”

When Athena bit her lip, trying to figure out an excuse, Selene sang, “Athena’s in love.”

“Am not!” Was she? No denying she couldn’t wait to see him. Thought of him constantly.

“I cannot wait to meet the guy who finally has you acting like a schoolgirl,” Selene crowed while laughing.

“I’m almost thirty. Hardly a child,” Athena had pointed out.

“Fine, you’re a grown-ass woman who is giddy in love.” Selena slapped the steering wheel and snorted. “Hot damn he must be special.”

“He is,” her soft admission.

“When can we meet him?”

“When it’s safe.”

“And how will you know it’s safe to come out of hiding?”

Athena had no clue. They’d had no issues at the farm. Not at his grandparents’ or her family’s. The dark web posting with a bounty appeared to have disappeared, or at least didn’t show anywhere Derek looked. But as he noted, he didn’t have access to all the forums or message boards.

---