She snorted.

“And the touching?”

“Reassuring.”

“You mean exciting.  I could smell what being next to him did to you.”

I stopped straightening the quilt to stare at her.

“So could he,” she said.  She walked around the bed and gripped my arms.  “If you like him, even if he can’t Claim you, tell him.  Tell everyone.  Be happy.”

“Mary, I’m fifteen.  I won’t be sixteen for another few months.  You know what will happen if I tell him or any of them I have a preference.  I’m not ready for that.”

“Stupid human rules,” she said, with a shake of her head.

“Stupid werewolf ways,” I said back at her using the same tone of exasperation.

She laughed and followed me from the room.  I was quiet, thinking of what she’d said as we made our way to the common room.  Did I prefer Thomas?  I liked him, but I’d had crushes on other boys before.  Thomas wasn’t a boy, though.  He wasn’t a man, either.  He was a werewolf.  I needed to remember that.

“Good morning,” Gregory said when we walked into the main room.  He lifted a pot from the stove and brought it to the table.

I peered down at a pot full of oatmeal.

“You cooked?”  I couldn’t keep the surprise from my words.

“Yes,” he said with a smile at Mary.

I glanced at her.  She blushed prettily as her gaze remained locked with Gregory.

“I’ll just take a bowl with me outside.”  I was talking to the room.  Neither paid me any attention as I quickly served myself and left.

Thomas and a group of almost a dozen men faced off in the yard.  I studied his back and wide stance.  His crossed arms and tense jaw told me just as much as the glares from the men he faced.

I took a bite of oatmeal as I walked toward the group.  When I reached Thomas’ side, my stomach executed a wild flip.

“Good morning, Thomas.”

“Good morning,” he said softly, not looking at me.  My pulse leapt as I thought of last night.

Thomas inhaled, then sighed and turned to me.

“Charlene, you should stay inside.”

I scrunched up my face as if considering what he said then shook my head.  He frowned at me.  I lifted my spoon.  “Oatmeal?”

Amusement crept into his gaze.

“What are you doing out here?”

I shrugged and made to eat the oatmeal on the spoon.  Thomas grabbed my hand and fed it to himself.  I blushed, cleared my throat, and got to the point.

“I had a thought last night as I was listening to the little patter of footsteps on the roof.”

Thomas’s gaze grew very serious.

“And that thought gave me an idea.”  I turned to look at his men.  “Why not send them out to find others and spread the word about what’s happening here.”

Several of the men smirked as if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

“When you’re out there, be sure to tell everyone how you found females here and how we’re trying to make this place into a home.”

“Charlene...”  The caution in Thomas’ voice was unmistakable.

“We’ll go,” one of the men said, stepping forward.  Eagerness poured from him.

“Of course, you will.  The thought of finding enough men to break the pack apart and remove me, the terrible human, from your lives is perfect motivation.”

That wiped the smiles from their faces.  Finally, the one who’d challenged Thomas spoke up.

“Why would you suggest this if you know that’s what we intend?”

“Why indeed,” I said.  I smiled, took another bite of oatmeal, and studied them.  “Perhaps I believe there are more of your kind out there interested in what we’re trying to build here.  More than you think.”

“We?” the man said.

“Yes.  We,” Thomas answered.

“Or maybe there’s another reason,” I said with an indifferent shrug.  “You decide.  However, if you go, you have thirty days to send back as many as you can.  The day after you all return, Thomas will accept the new members.  Oh, and you all go or none of you go.  Make your time count.”

The men looked at Thomas.  I glanced at him too.  Sweat beaded his forehead.  Then, he nodded and the men sprinted for the trees.

“Charlene, do you know what you’ve done?” Thomas said

“I gave you a reprieve for a month.”

“No, you’ve doomed the pack.”  He ran his hands through his hair.

“Do you have a headache?”  I’d thought sending his men away would have helped that.

“Yes.  You gave me one.”

I shook my head at him and turned to walk inside.

“I don’t think I’ve doomed the pack, by the way,” I said over my shoulder.

“Oh?”  He sounded close.

“I think I just gave it a real chance.”  I opened the door and took a step inside before I stopped.

Gregory had Mary pinned against the wall, his face buried in the crook of her neck.  Her jean-clad legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders.  Her closed eyes and parted lips conveyed just how much she liked what he was doing to her.

My cheeks heated.

“Congratulations,” Thomas said behind me.

I gave him a startled look, but he remained focused on the couple across the room.

Mary opened her eyes, released her hold on Gregory, and gave Thomas a bright smile.

“Thank you.”

She stepped away from Gregory, who couldn’t seem to let go.  He kept an arm around her shoulders.

Then, I saw the bite mark on her neck.  My stomach dropped.  I’d just lost my friend.

Thirteen

“Congratulations,” I said.

Thomas’ arms suddenly wrapped around me, pulling me back against his chest.

“Liar,” he said softly near my ear.  My skin prickled.

Mary didn’t lose her happy smile.

“Don’t worry, Charlene.  I’m not leaving.  Thomas is staying so we’re staying.”

I nodded, shrugged out of Thomas’ embrace, and went to sit at the table with my cold oatmeal.  Physically, I knew she wasn’t leaving, but I’d watched those two together enough to anticipate what would happen.  She would be spending a lot more time with Gregory.  I didn’t begrudge her that time; it just meant I’d be spending a lot more time alone.

“I was wondering if one of you could talk to Winifred for me.  I’d like to know if she’d be willing to extend an invitation to families who might like to stay here.  Maybe we’ll find a few Elder candidates that way or get a second pack in here that agrees with what we’re doing.”

“Packs typically don’t share territory,” Thomas said, coming to sit beside me.

“Oh.”  When I’d had the thought that we needed to make this place a happy home, I’d counted on the support from other families and packs, a united front against those in Thomas’ pack who didn’t want me here.  Had I really doomed his pack?

“Aren’t Leif and Ann their own pack?”

“They are.  Small packs of two to three generally don’t hold a territory.  It’s too dangerous in such a small group, not from our own kind, but humans.”

What he said made sense.

“Where is Ann?” I said, realizing we hadn’t yet seen her or Leif.

“She had her cub last night and is sleeping.”

“What?  Why didn’t you tell me?”  I really wanted to see it.  Would it be a baby or an actual puppy?  Did it matter?  Both were adorable, and I couldn’t wait to see.

Mary shrugged.  “I didn’t think you’d be interested.  She is really cute, though.”

“She?” Thomas said.

Mary nodded.

“They’re both excited.  Winifred is, too.  She said it might bring more families with young boys.”

I ate the last bite of my oatmeal and took the bowl to the sink.

“Thomas, can you call the rest in to eat?  I’d hate to waste Gregory’s cooking,” I said.

Mary giggled, and Gregory leaned over to kiss her.

*    *    *    *

Over the course of the next several days, I caught Gregory and Mary kissing often, spent time with the new baby, and slept alone in my room despite Thomas’ protests.