Page 42 of My Girlfriend is a Werewolf

She glanced at Frank, who’d risen to his feet and appeared pale.

“You stay here,” she ordered.

“You can’t tell me what?—”

Smack. She hit hard enough he reeled. Another good hook to the jaw and he was out cold.

One less idiot to handle.

She exited the barn and snuck up to the house via the rear, the driveway out of her line of sight. Several car doors slammed, but she’d only heard one car. Could be visitors. Should she take a peek to see if she panicked for nothing?

A male voice spoke, but she couldn’t quite make out the words at this distance. Hearing the crunch of gravel, she ducked behind the chicken coop as a guy in combats with no badging sauntered into the yard. The guy scanned the area before his lips moved, obviously reporting.

So not a friendly visitor.

Fuck and double fuck.

The options were limited. She could run, take off on foot with no supplies, not even her phone, which she’d left in the house. Or confront whoever waited inside.

Or…

She remembered the keys Frank had tossed on the kitchen table. If she could get her hands on those, she’d have wheels. Her phone was charging on the kitchen counter as well. She’d have no cash, but she could at least send Derek and her family messages. However, that plan required her taking out the guy guarding the yard.

She couldn’t sneak up on him. He’d see her coming the moment she popped out from behind the coop. How to distract him? And quickly. The front door had slammed shut, meaning whoever visited had gone inside with Grams and Gramps. She could only hope they weren’t all talk and could handle themselves. It helped that she knew they wanted her and not them.

The clucking of the hens gave her an idea. Ronnie the rooster sat atop the coop. Not allowed in with his ladies but that didn’t stop him from keeping an eye on them as they pecked away.

“Sorry, Grams,” she muttered as she waited for the guy to look the opposite way before unlatching the side gate. It swung open, and she ducked away just in time.

A glance showed the guy frowning at the coop, most likely wondering if he’d miss its open door. Out strutted a chicken, a scrawny one who liked to peck if she saw you going for her eggs. Another followed. They spread out from the coop, necks bobbing, looking for food.

Ronnie fluttered down to watch over his flock, which moved toward the back door, sensing or smelling the bucket of grain kept just inside.

The guy shooed at the hen that waddled too close.

Ronnie took exception.

The rooster let out a sound and flapped his stubby wings as he went after the guy. The fellow could have shot it, or probably even given it a good kick but, like most people, had a brain fart when confronted by something small, feathery, and hostile. He stepped away. Ronnie darted in. The guy retreated some more and shouted into his mic, “There’s a fucking bird attacking me.”

He moved around the corner of the farmhouse, rooster in chase, giving Athena the opening she needed.

The kitchen door didn’t creak as Athena slipped in, and she shut it just as quietly to avoid being heard. The kitchen seemed awfully silent, and a glance at the stove showed no display. The power was off in the house, too. Might explain why they’d had no warning, seeing how Grams had motion detectors and cameras set up to watch those entering the property.

Seeing the car keys on the table, she wrapped her fist around them lest they jingle, and stuffed them into her pocket, along with her phone. The murmur of voices drew her to the hall where she could hear a male voice in the living room.

A voice she knew.

Dr. Rogers tried to cajole Grams and Gramps into revealing her presence.

“Are you sure? I have it on good authority you have a woman staying here. Name of Athena. Platinum-blonde hair, although she might have dyed it. Twenty-nine but could pass for younger. I believe she’s involved with your grandson.”

“Nope. Wrong farm. Our Derek’s single,” Grams announced.

“And gay,” Gramps added. “Likes the boys, he does.”

Athena slapped a hand over her mouth lest she laugh at the lie.

“You should know Athena is dangerous. Not the type of person you want around.” Rogers changed tactics.

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