Page 55 of Stripped

She relaxed into her seat at the kitchen table, a steaming mug clasped in her hands. “I boiled some water, if you want tea.”

“I'm good.” I filled a glass of water and took a seat at the table. “You must be really close to Zane to take over his kitchen while he's sleeping.”

She smiled, not at all put off by my choice of words. “Not really. I mean I know him well enough, but I wouldn't say we're close. I would go into anyone's kitchen and make tea around here. Especially when they're all sleeping after the pack run.”

“Because you're the alpha's wife?”

“Because that's the way the pack works,” she said. “If you lock your door or get annoyed by pack members barging in whenever they feel like it, everyone starts whispering that you've got something to hide.”

“That's obnoxious.”

She grinned. “Totally.”

“So, we could go into any house we wanted and snoop around and no one would complain?”

She considered. “It's kind of an unspoken rule that you don't snoop. Besides, you walk into the wrong house and you're likely to see something you can never unsee. The pack is pretty free and open with sex.”

“Yet, you walked in here.”

Her grin widened. “That's why I knocked. If you were in one of the main rooms getting your freak on, you would have heard me.”

I pulled in a deep breath and steeled myself. Julie was probably the best person to ask. “Do you know where they sell contraceptives around here? Like a morning after, Plan B kind of thing?”

She rubbed her belly. “You sure you're asking the right person?”

“There's got to be something,” I said. “The town would be overrun with babies otherwise.”

She frowned. “Babies are treasured by the pack and there aren't many of them because it's harder for werewolf women to conceive than it is for human women. I've honestly not seen anything in town for preventing pregnancy.”

My stomach dropped. I could not get pregnant. Inconveniently falling for a guy who'd hold me back was one thing. I could walk away from him. I couldn't walk away from a little baby.

“Zane had condoms in his night stand.”

Julie pursed her lips and nodded. “Sure, the local grocery store sells condoms, and over the counter meds. If women in town want birth control pills, I guess they could order them and pick them up in Aspens Whiten. There's not a great need for prescription medicines in a town of werewolves. There's a doctor in town for the broken bones and stitches, but if a wolf needs something more than that, she has to see a doctor in Aspens Whiten and pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy there.”

“So, if a woman here has unprotected sex and wants to make sure she's not stuck with a baby she doesn't want, she has to go all the way to Aspens Whiten to get the medicine she needs?”

Julie nodded. “I guess. Honestly, it's so difficult for werewolf women to conceive, I don't think anyone would advertise it to the pack. Of course,… You know, I've only been part of the pack for a little over a year. You should talk to one of the other women, or Zane when he wakes up. Just don't mention it to Iris. She's telling everyone Zane will be giving her grandbabies soon.”

A wave of guilt washed over me, shocking me. I wasn't ready for a child and there was no reason I should feel guilty, but I could picture Iris' joy at the arrival of a grandchild, how much she'd love that baby, and I felt like I was taking something away from her. I wasn't the right woman for her son and I wouldn't be the one to give her grandbabies.

“Hey,” Julie said. “Don't worry. Once the pack wakes up, I'll help you find someone who can tell you where to get what you need.”

“Thanks.” But in my head, there was a ticking clock and I knew I was running out of time. I'd never needed the pill before, but I knew people who had and I knew I only had five days to use it before it would be too late. “So, why didn't you run with the pack last night?”

She gestured to her belly. “It's dangerous for the baby if I shift, so I stayed home and ate chips and watched a movie.”

“Sounds relaxing.”

She shrugged. “I don't do relaxing well. I hate not being able to run as a wolf.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “Do you like babies?”

“I don't have anything against them,” I said. “Why?”

“I could use a sitter after she's born so I can run with the pack. Since you're the only non-wolf in town…”

“I'd love to,” I said, mostly lying. I had zero experience with babies and I wasn't particularly interested in changing that. “But I'm moving to Denver as soon as this mess with Leopold is cleared up.” Whatever that meant. I'd wanted to go to Denver with money and nothing pulling me back toward Aspens Whiten, but at this point, I'd take just getting there. I'd figure the rest out later. “Any chance Axel will let me leave soon?”

Her eyes widened and she frowned, clearly surprised and displeased. “I thought you and Zane…” She waved a hand in the air in front of her face. “It's none of my business. Axel will want to keep you here at least until Wednesday, when you're supposed to meet with Leopold. He won't want to risk you heading in the direction of Denver only to circle back and cause us trouble.”

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