Page 8 of It All Started with a Bite

I realized I was getting chummy with the guy who’d turned me into a human Sasquatch and resumed scowling.

“Can we focus?” I gestured at my hairy self. “What exactly is happening to me? I mean, how can I become a werewolf overnight? I was a perfectly normal human yesterday!”

“Normal is questionable,” Bo muttered.

I cut my eyes to the Husky. He gulped and avoided my stare.

I glowered at Hugh. “Start talking.”

Hugh cleared his throat. “Well, when a werewolf bites someone?—”

I showed him my fist. “If you finish that sentence with ‘and that’s how babies are made,’ I swear to God I will punch you again.”

“Right.” Hugh scratched his cheek. “The short version is it’s not actually that hard to turn a human into a werewolf by biting them. It depends on the cycle of the moon.” He paused, like he was choosing his next words carefully. “The good news is, Samuel can help you control your transformation since he’s an alpha. The, er, the bad news is—” He stopped, a sheen of sweat suddenly beading his forehead.

“What’s the bad news?” I asked dangerously.

“You’ll have to join our pack. That’s kinda nonnegotiable.” A brittle smile stretched Hugh’s lips. “Also, the next full moon is in three days. That’s when you’ll shift fully for the first time.”

I closed my eyes and counted to ten. It didn’t help. I opened them again and glared at the asshole on the couch.

“Take me to your brother. Right now!”

“Don’t you have a meeting with the auditors this morning?” Ellie said worriedly.

Acid reflux hit my chest hard. I’d forgotten about the damn auditors.

“Turning into a werewolf sounds like a legit excuse to call in sick,” Ellie said.

“My boss will kill me if I do,” I groaned. I cut my eyes to Hugh. “How long will it take for your brother to turn me back to normal?”

“I don’t know.” He flinched when I took a threatening step toward him. “Maybe an hour!” he warbled.

“We better get going then.”

“You should wear some kind of disguise before you go anywhere.” Ellie chewed her lip. “Halloween was a month ago.”

I looked down at my pajamas and hairy everything.

“She’s right,” Hugh said. “You look pretty frightful, if I say so myself.”

Bo nodded. “Ditto. I don’t want this news out on tonight’s social howl.”

I scowled and stomped out of the living room, hairy toes and all.

“Don’t forget to grab a hat!” Ellie called out after me.

“And maybe a paper bag for your face,” Hugh added.

“Bro,” Bo said.

I slammed my bedroom door so hard the walls shook.

4

The Hawthornes

“This isn’t working.”

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