Page 67 of It All Started with a Bite

“Congratulations on not eating anyone.”

I grimaced. “Thanks. I think.”

Samuel had told me I would feel the full moon’s influence for a while yet. Although my skin still felt tight and my bones ached, it wasn’t nearly as bad as yesterday.

The banshee’s smile faltered slightly. “You did resist eating things, right? I mean, living things?”

“If you mean did I kill Thumper or Bambi, the answer is no. I only chased them.”

“Oh.” Charlene looked embarrassed. “Of course.”

“I did murder a steak sandwich afterward though.”

Bo flicked his tail accusingly. “I knew I could smell steak on your breath!”

I’d been forced to spend a good hour last night recounting how my first pack run had gone to my dog and my best friend. Though I’d been careful to omit the gory details of my actual transformation, Bo’s wary look told me he’d guessed it hadn’t been a walk in the park.

“By the way, Caroline and Aunt Lucille want to know the recipe for those protein bars and muffins you made,” I’d told Ellie.

She’d blinked. “They do?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe I should open a bakery.” Her face had brightened. “A bakery for werewolves.”

I’d been tempted to remind my best friend that there seemed to be plenty of those in Amberford but hadn’t had the courage to shatter her dreams.

Fred emerged from the back room. His eyes widened at the sight of me. “Oh, hey Abby.” He faltered, his expression turning hopeful. “Can I get your autograph?”

I stared. “Why?”

Fred’s brimstone smell got stronger. “Because you’re a white wolf, of course!”

Charlene nodded enthusiastically and shyly pushed a notepad and a pen my way. I looked from it to them.

“How did you guys find out?” I asked suspiciously.

“The pixie who delivers our morning papers told us,” Fred said. “Her cousins were in the forest last night. It’s all over town.”

I groaned. That explained the occasional faint light trails I’d spotted in the trees last night.

“Ted is never gonna believe this,” Fred added enthusiastically as I reluctantly signed the notepad.

“Ted knows about the supernatural world in Amberford?” I asked carefully.

“My mom accidentally transformed into her demon at a family dinner once,” Fred said. “Almost gave Uncle Herbert a heart attack. Everyone else was cool with it.”

No wonder Ted looked like he could deal with anything a Pennington & Graves employee could throw at him.

A piercing shriek suddenly echoed through the building, making us all jump and sending Bo diving between my legs. Though nowhere near as bad as Charlene’s screech, the sound still felt like it was drilling into my skull.

My newly enhanced hearing was not helping.

The sound died down. I lowered my hands from my ears.

“What the hell was that?!”

Bo emerged from where he’d stuck his head between my knees. “It sounded like an angry ghost.”

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