Page 42 of Wolf's Whisper

Janelle clears her throat, drawing my attention back to her. Her eyes lock with mine, and it feels like the world had gone quiet for a moment. "Wolf," she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don’t have to decide right now. But just know… we want you around. Not because we need a protector, but because we—because I—want you here."

I feel my chest tighten again, but it wasn’t from worry or fear this time. It was hope, pure and warm and terrifying all at once. I nod slowly, unable to form words just yet.

"Okay!" Abel interrupts loudly, breaking the tension as only a twelve-year-old could. "If Wolf’s coming with us, can she help me build my Lego city? 'Cause Dillon keeps messing it up."

"I do not!" Dillon shouts defensively from the other side of the car.

"Do too!" Abel shot back.

"Do not!"

"You literally stomped on it yesterday, Dillon!" Abel accuses, glaring at his younger brother with all the fury a twelve-year-old could muster.

"It was an accident!" Dillon whine, his face scrunching up in frustration. "I tripped!"

"Tripped my butt," Abel mutter under his breath, crossing his arms like a mini adult.

Janelle sighs and pinch the bridge of her nose, though I could see the faintest hint of a smirk on her lips. "Boys, enough. If Wolf agrees to help, it's going to be under the condition that there are no fights. Got it?"

Both boys eye each other warily before mumbling reluctant "Got its" under their breath. Chloe claps her hands together as if she'd just won a prize. "Yay! Wolf’s gonna stay!"

I stand and lean against the car, looking over at Janelle with a helpless shrug. "Guess I don’t really have much of a choice here, huh?”

Just then Chloe and all her innocent wonder asks, “What will Wolf be to us?”

Janelle pauses, her cheeks flushing a light pink as she glances at me, clearly caught off guard by her daughter’s question. "Well, um…" she starts, fumbling for words.

"Obviously, I’ll be a part of the Lego construction crew," I said quickly, trying to deflect and ease the sudden tension in the air. I shoot Chloe a playful wink. "You need an expert builder if you’re gonna make a city that can survive Dillon’s...accidents."

Chloe giggles, but her big blue eyes—so much like her mom’s—were still fixed on me with curious intensity. "Noooo, I mean like… is she family?"

Janelle lets out a soft laugh that was half-nervous and half-endearing. "Chloe, honey, Wolf is…" She trailed off again, looking at me like she was silently asking for backup.

I could feel my heart thudding in my chest. Family. That word carries weight. I wasn’t sure I was ready to bear but looking at Chloe’s hopeful face and Janelle’s uncertain smile, I knew the answer mattered. Not just to the kids, but to Janelle too.

Before I can get another work out, Chloe shocked us all, “Is she like how you and Dad were? Because I saw you kissing in the hallway.”

The world froze. Janelle's face turned beet red, her eyes wide as saucers, while I choke on air. Abel and Dillon's heads whip around so fast I was surprised they didn’t sprain something.

"You kissed Wolf?!" Abel exclaims, his voice a mix of horror and fascination, like he’d just witnessed the greatest plot twist in his young life. "When? Where? Why didn’t I see it?"

"Yeah!" Dillon chimed in, now completely invested. "Is Wolf your girlfriend?!"

Janelle looks like she wants the ground to swallow her whole. "Kids, that's not—"

"Wait a second," I interrupt, trying—and failing—to stifle a laugh at Janelle’s mortified expression. "Let’s rewind here for a minute. Chloe, you ‘saw' us kissing?"

Chloe nods enthusiastically, her pigtails bouncing. "Uh-huh! In the hallway when you thought nobody was looking!"

I rub the back of my neck, trying to figure out how to navigate this minefield without making things worse. "Well, uh, that’s…news to me," I said, glancing at Janelle, who was now covering her face with both hands.

"Mom kissed Wolf!" Abel declares like he’d just announced the winning touchdown at the Super Bowl. "This is so weird!"

"It’s not weird," Dillon argues, though his nose scrunches up like he wasn’t sure he believed himself. "It’s kinda cool. Like…action movie cool."

"Action movie?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. That was a new one.

"Yeah!" Dillon grins. "You’re like the secret agent who saves Mom, and then you guys fall in love and fight bad guys together."

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