Page 41 of Accidentally Wedded To A Werewolf

Luna startled. She’d completely forgotten about the lemons. She placed the next half in the squeezer, mind racing. The woman Oliver had been dreaming about, theone with dark hair and a bright smile, who had triggered all those terrible emotions… was that her?

“I didn’t know things like that happened anymore,” she admitted. “Did they catch her?”

“She’s in jail,” Sabine confirmed. “Life sentence.”

Luna sagged in relief. “Good.”

“I’m just glad we found out about Claw Haven,” Sabine said, bending down to slot the cutting board under the sink. “The mayor’s family were old friends with Grandmother. Once he heard about our situation, he reached out. It wasn’t our only option, but Grandmother liked the idea of a fresh start in a town that celebrates monsters instead of just tolerating them. Everyone’s been so welcoming. And they’ve really helped, even with Oliver turning down any of the big things. Beth’s chocolates, Jackson consulting for free. Claw Haven knows how hard it can be to get started.”

Sabine dropped a massive bag of sugar on the counter next to her. “Alright! Let’s get this party rocking.”

Luna kept squeezing lemons, nodding along to Sabine’s instructions and watching her pour sugar into a saucepan. But Sabine’s words kept rolling over in her head:Everybody’s been so welcoming. Claw Haven knows how hard it can be to get started.

She found Oliver fixing a bedframe in room 8. His nose wrinkled as she walked in. “Why do you stink of lemon?”

Luna wiped her hands on her jeans.Obviously, she hadn’t scrubbed as hard as she thought. She’d been distracted, eager to get out of the kitchen and find him.

“Can you take me into town after you’re done? I want to talk to that bookstore lady.”

Oliver looked up from the wooden slat he’d been sliding into place. “Why?”

Luna rolled her eyes. “I want to look into her online store stuff, okay? It’s not a big deal.”

She leaned on the doorway, all casual. If this was anyone else, they would’ve bought it. But Oliver just stared at her with an unreadable expression.

“Thought you weren’t that bored,” he said.

“Maybe I am,” Luna replied. “It’sreallyboring here.”

She examined her nails. He was still watching her with an intensity that made her nervous. Like he could see right through her. For a moment, she panicked that he’d call her out on it. She almost wanted him to. For him to drag it out of her:fine, I wanted to help. Are you happy?

She felt a strange rush of disappointment when he turned back to the bedframe, fixing the slat into place.

“Give me five minutes,” he said.

Twelve

The bond rejoiced the second Luna walked into the room.

Cut it out, Oliver told it sternly.

The bond pulsed once, as if in rebellion. Oliver crossed his arms tight over his warm chest, sitting back against the couch. He already had the full moon jitters to deal with tonight. He didn’t need more bond bullshit.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said.

Luna gave him a judgy look. As did everyone else in the room because Luna had insisted that this should be a family event.It’s Musgrove Inn, she’d pointed out when she floated the idea last night.Not Oliver Inn. Everybody should see what’s going into it.

And everyone had agreed and filed into the common room like they didn’t have better things to do tonight. Like everyone wasn’t twitchy and fidgeting with the full moon, ready to wolf out and roam the forest.

“Take all the time you want,” Grandmother said,pulling her long sleeves over her hands. “We have a busy night ahead, is all.”

Luna brightened. “Of course!”

She struck a pose next to the whiteboard she’d dragged Oliver into town to get two days ago. It had a towel draped over it, thick and fluffy since Luna had talked them into buying better ones for the guests.

“In one word,” she started. “How would you describe Musgrove Inn?”

“Drafty,” Ben called.

---