Page 6 of Moonlighting with the Werewolf

Nissa arched a dark eyebrow, the gleam in her brown eyes practically daring me to dismiss her from the mission. Must be looking for a fight, and after being riddled with silver bullets, I wasn’t in a pacifist mood myself. I’d rather she use her fists on our enemies than me, though, so I charged on, pretending I’d never considered anything else.

She and I had been friends since our teenage years, when we’d come across one another in the woods. After exchanging tragic backstories, we’d vowed to create a safe community for our kind.

A dimple flashed in her ebony skin as I rattled off orders, punctuating her self-satisfied smile. It was the same expression she gave Diego and me during those first few years together, whenever we attempted to explain she should be careful since she didn’t have the same physical abilities as a male werewolf—right before she proceeded to show us up.

Despite knowing she could handle herself, the protective, sibling-type relationship had been hard for both Diego and me to shake. Once Nissa started dating Tyrese, Diego and I had issued multiple threats, and we’d had another big talk the night before their wedding. It took the guy a couple of years, but he won our trust eventually.

“Follow the trail of blood from the vet clinic to the south end of the forest. Cast a large perimeter and see what you can find.” The sun had set, but wolf-form or human-form, our senses wereheightened, so it shouldn’t be a problem. We had an unknown enemy out there, and they needed to be interrogated and torn limb from limb ASAP. “Sasquatch, check every cave, nook, and cranny.”

Sasquatch dipped his chin, which was the giant dude’s response to most anything. A bow or a slight shake of the head. Maybe a short sentence or two. His long red hair and beard emphasized his old-school Viking warrior vibe, and while he rarely mingled with people, they instinctively shrank away from crossing his path.

“Elias,” I said, and he flattened his arms to his sides as his spine went stick straight. He was beating himself up enough as it was, so I figured I’d give him a chance to redeem himself. “Take me to the site that freaks you out.”

“I didn’t say freaks me o—” My glare cut him short. “Yes, sir.”

A knock echoed through the room, and I sighed. “Whatever it is, tell them it’ll have to wait.”

Diego went to deliver the news but returned with Monica, the elementary school principal. “She says it’s an emergency.”

If this was about the pups gnawing on the desks when their second set of teeth came in, I was going to lose my cool. What did she want me to do? Fit the kids with shock collars? The council had vehemently argued against it, so my hands were tied.

“It’s one of the first graders,” Monica said. “He fell off the rope bridge during recess.” Normal playgrounds didn’t stimulate werewolf children, so we’d installed an obstacle course akin to those found in basic military training. The rope bridge spanned a mile, weaving between treetops about three stories high.

This paper-pushing political stuff was the other sucky part of my position. Not to mention boring as fuck, and I’d assigned a task force so I wouldn’t have to waste my time on it. “I fail to see how that’s an emergency. Tell him to be more careful, but it’sgood for pups to get some bumps and bruises from time to time. Teaches them to be tough.”

Monica shook her head. “You don’t understand. The bone broke the skin and...” Worry flooded her features.

“Spit it out. We’re in a hurry.”

“He’s not healing.”

Not sure who gasped like a Nancy, only that it wasn’t Nissa.

“As in it’s taking a while?” I asked because that didn’t make any sense. Monica shook her head again. “As in he’s not healing at all.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Before heading into the forest,I’d taken Elias along with me to the small room that doubled as our infirmary to check on the pup.

During the first five years of a werewolf’s life, extra strength was the main perk, as well as the biggest issue, depending on whether you were the rambunctious wolf or their caretaker. By the time most pups enrolled in kindergarten, they’d shifted a time or two, but only with the aid of the full moon. Those first few transformations were rough, too, akin to breaking all your bones and being flipped inside out.

But with each passing year, our bodies adapted. Faster than our self-control, that was for sure. Losing one’s temper often meant accidental shifting or that something as simple as a butterfly fluttering into a classroom would result in werewolves perched on desktops and running wild through the hallways. Basically, the younger lot were destructive, temperamental shits, so it was a good thing they were cute.

Sabine, our resident nurse, handled minor injuries that needed tending to. They didn’t happen a lot, but luckily she hadenough supplies to treat the injured first-grader. She’d reset the leg, wrapped it in a splint, and administered pain reliever.

I’d considered calling the vet, but Sabine thought getting the bone in proper alignment would be enough to stimulate healing. She assured me he was fine and that she’d continue to take good care of him with some “tricks of the trade,” so I decided against calling Dr. Ryan just because I wanted to see her again. Especially since I had business to attend to.

Instead of taking the Jeep, I figured a run through the forest would do Elias and me both good. If only my damn ribs didn’t ache like a bitch, my attempts to suck in more oxygen futile.

I rubbed at my side, regretting the climb up the hill and wishing I would’ve asked Sabine for a large dose of pain reliever myself.

“Do you need to rest?” Elias asked.

I shot him a murderous expression, indicating I’d turn him into my own wolfskin rug if he dared to ask one more time. This was the third, and it definitely wasn’t a charm. “As I said before, I’m fine. The bones will finish healing in no time, and even injured, I could easily take out any threat that calls for it. Just take me to the site. Then we’ll discuss the punishment for leaving your post.”

Elias winced, and the sappy organ that pumped blood through my body gave an obnoxious, unnecessary tug. I’d slacked off in sternness as much as my troops had eased up on safety measures. No wonder someone saw us as a target.

“I just wanted to be the hero for once,” Elias said in an admonished tone.

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