Page 48 of It All Started with a Bite

“Don’t mind the teeth, dear,” an elderly werewolf said cheerfully through her dentures. She tugged me close with bone-breaking strength and kissed my cheek. “Silver bullets are hell on dental work.”

“Aunt Lucille used to be a pack enforcer during Victoria’s days as the alpha’s mate,” Caroline explained in a low voice at my expression. “She took a couple of shots when someone attempted to eliminate Samuel’s father.”

I swallowed hard. Assassination attempts had not been on the agenda of things Samuel had said might happen to me. I was wondering why I hadn’t heard anything about Victoria’s husband when an elderly gentleman in tweed introduced himself as Uncle Frederick and peered at me curiously through thick glasses.

“Do you like bugs?”

I blinked at the unexpected question. “Not especially.”

Uncle Frederick deflated. “Oh. I was going to show you my collection.”

I saw the encouraging looks the other pack members were giving me.

“I like butterflies,” I volunteered hesitantly.

Uncle Frederick perked up. “Splendid!”

Though I tried my best, I couldn’t remember half the names of the pack members who greeted me next.

“Don’t worry,” Caroline reassured. “You’ll soon get to know them by their scent.”

That statement warranted a drink. I eyed the wine bottle on the table with a calculating look. A heavy sigh distracted me.

“It’s been so long since we’ve had a luna,” an elderly woman named Margaret confided. She hesitated and shot an awkward look at me. “In all honesty, we expected Samuel would end up with one of the Lupton girls?—”

“Margaret,” someone cut in sharply. “We agreed not to talk about that.”

I turned.

Victoria had appeared with Pearl. The Hawthorne matriarch wore a beautiful cocktail dress that matched the diamond-encrusted ribbon around the cat’s neck.

“Hi,” Bo panted at Pearl.

The cat jumped out of Victoria’s arms and swished her tail in acknowledgment before bumping noses gently with the Husky.

Someone gasped and dropped a glass. The rest of the Hawthornes gaped, equally shocked.

“What?” Pearl said irritably at their stares.

“That’s a first,” Caroline said, deadpan. “I was expecting you to shred him to pieces.”

Pearl sniffed haughtily. “The mutt is under my protection.” She placed a proprietary paw on Bo’s flank in a way that made my hackles rise a little.

My fool of a dog grinned and wagged his tail. “I am?”

“Yes.”

The tail wagging intensified. “Wanna come over to my place for playtime?”

“Does Abby serve caviar?”

“No.”

“Then, no.”

I decided to bring the conversation back on track. “Who are the Luptons?”

Victoria exchanged a guarded look with Caroline and a few of the elderly Hawthornes. “Now might not be the best time to?—”

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