Page 49 of It All Started with a Bite

“Now’s the perfect time,” I interrupted coolly.

Victoria sighed at my frown. “Pack alphas rarely meet their fated mates. Hence why packs usually arrange marriages between their children.” She faltered. “You’re the first luna we’ve had in three generations, Abby. The last one was my mother.”

Surprise jolted me at this. I hadn’t realized lunas were so uncommon.

“The Luptons are an old pack from Connecticut,” Caroline explained cagily. “There were discussions about whether one of their daughters would be a good fit for Samuel.”

“Discussions which are now irrelevant.” Samuel appeared beside me, his expression tight. He passed me a glass of wine and pressed a possessive hand to the small of my back.

His touch ignited my skin and made my breath catch.

Caroline noted my reaction and gave me a shrewd smile.

Kent spoke. “There’s something I’ve been wondering about.” The werewolf enforcer was studying me with a focused look. “Does anyone else think Abby’s scent is unusual?”

“I do,” Aunt Lucille said promptly.

Uncle Frederick and Margaret nodded in agreement.

“Excuse me, Abby.” Caroline leaned in and took a careful sniff of my neck before I could react. Surprise widened her eyes as she straightened. “You’re right.”

I became the subject of a battery of intense stares.

“What’s different about my scent?” I asked warily.

“It’s stronger and wilder than it should be for a newly turned werewolf.” Samuel wrinkled his brow. “Even more so than it was yesterday.”

“And sweeter too.” Victoria was observing me with an odd expression. “My mother was a luna and she did not smell like you.”

“Is it my shampoo?” I grimaced at their leaden looks. “Okay, not my shampoo, then.”

“Maybe it’s related to your super-werewolf abilities,” Bo suggested.

Caroline stared. “What super-werewolf abilities?”

“Dinner is served,” Bernard announced from the doorway before I could respond.

A bevy of uniformed staff filed into the room with serving carts exuding a host of delicious smells. My stomach grumbled. I blushed.

Samuel smiled and offered me his arm. “Shall we?”

The mate bond sparked as I took it.

“This is going better than I expected,” Bo whispered as we headed for the table. “Although I’m still worried about the way your heart is behaving.”

I decided not to address that statement. And he was right. So far, the Hawthornes hadn’t turned out to be the meddlesome busybodies Samuel and Victoria had intimated they were.

Maybe tonight’s dinner wouldn’t be as bad as I feared.

16

Witches and Missing Skulls

Didi’s BMWpurred along Providence Row as we headed away from downtown Amberford. I shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat and did my best to ignore the headache squeezing my skull. It wasn’t just my hangover that was getting to me.

My skin felt too tight for my body, my jaw ached from trying to stop what I suspected were fangs from sprouting from my gums, and my hair was threatening to go Shania-wild again.

The full moon was tonight and my inner wolf was evidently more than ready to greet the world.

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