Sassy Ever After: Bite My Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) (2 page)

A
fter a meal
that Jayden managed to make in one pan over the fire, I’m stuffed. I toss a new log into the embers and crouch down. Air whooshes out of my lungs as I blow so flames will catch, and the fire crackles in response. I say, “Jayden, you continue to amaze me with your cooking skills. If the family thing doesn’t work out, be my wife?”

Alisha says, “Agreed. I never expected all that food mixed together would taste good. Even Chelsea ate it.” Chelsea is all about food islands on her plate and is used to our teasing.

“I have to admit that was really yummy,” says Chelsea. “What’s the trick?”

“Butter. Lots of butter,” says Jayden.

Sweat trickles down my forehead from the heat of the fire, and I remove the oversized fleece I tied around my waist in case I needed it to ward off the night chill. I glance over at Alisha, who is always cold. She borrowed a flannel shirt to put on over her T-shirt, but I bet she’d like more covering. I ask, “Do you need another layer?”

“I’d love one.” She reaches out to take my jacket from me. The zipper rasps as she tugs it up to her chin and holds her hands out to the heat of the flames. I step away to cool off and gaze out at the forest. The sky is at the edge of the darkness that will soon envelop us, and I hear the faint howl of a wolf again. A tiny shiver of desire races down my spine, and my wolf begs to be let out to explore the possibilities. Maybe I can take a quick run later tonight to check things out. I shake my head at my lack of willpower.

Jayden interrupts my thoughts. “I think it’s time for gourmet s’mores.”

I turn to give her my attention. “Gourmet?”

“Yup. I packed fancy imported chocolate and my homemade marshmallows.”

Chelsea says, “She even bought sugar cookies at the grocery store to use instead of graham crackers.”

Alisha says, “Oh! And we have the most delicious chocolate liqueur ever to go with them.” She grabs the flashlight and clicks it on. “I’ll go find some roasting sticks.”

I make my way inside the RV with Chelsea and Jayden to help gather what we need. Chelsea gives me the task of pouring everyone an after-dinner drink while she and Jayden take care of the food. Ice cubes thud as I drop them into short plastic cups, and Jayden says, “I’m so glad we’re doing this. It’s like college, only we have more money now.”

Chelsea says, “Yeah, but all that means is we buy more-expensive liquor.”

I recall the time we decided to go to the ocean for the weekend and thought we could camp on the sand. After we were kicked out of the state park, we ended up squished in my pickup in a store parking lot for the night because none of us could afford a hotel room. I say, “And we have an RV instead of sleeping in the back of my truck.”

I take a sip of my drink, and creamy sweetness coats my tongue. Chelsea grabs a cup from the counter, and the door clicks when she opens it. She holds it while we go back outside.

Alisha should be back by now, and when I don’t see her, my wolf senses perk up. I listen to see if I can figure out where she might be. When I don’t hear anything, I say, “I’m going to go help Alisha find those sticks.”

The flashlight is cool in my hand when I grab it to make a show of being human, and I step into the area where Alisha went. I call out her name a few times before my heart begins to beat faster. I’m deep enough into the forest now that I’m tempted to shift into a wolf so I can run and have full use of my senses. “Damn it, Alisha. Where are you?” I recall how she managed to get lost on our tiny campus the first week of school. Her lack of directional skills is legendary, and I really shouldn’t have let her come out here alone. “Alisha!”

“Juliet!”

Relief floods my body when I hear her voice, and I relax as I turn at the sound of my name. “Alisha, stay where you are, and just look pretty!” I love to tease her that she’s too beautiful to know how to read a map.

Leaves rustle and dead branches snap under my feet as I plod toward her.

She calls out, “Juliet, Juliet, wherefore art thou?”

I chuckle and tease her right back. “Hold on, Romeo, I’m on my way!”

“But Juliet, I’m not sure how much longer I—” She lets out a scream that makes me run as panic rushes through me.

I find her in a small clearing and see a wolf has her in his sights. Alisha’s eyes are wide with fear, and she’s frozen in place as the wolf stares at her. Her flashlight is on the ground and illuminates the area enough that the animal is visible. She whimpers, “Juliet?”

My wolf prickles at my skin to be let out, but I really don’t want to shift in front of Alisha. I’m not about to let some wolf hurt her, either. I speak softly. “Hold still. I’ve got this.” I gaze at the magnificent male between us as he walks slowly around Alisha. His coat is dark and has the shine of a strong male, it beautiful when the thick muscle makes his fur shimmer as it ripples with his movement. He appears to be checking her out as a potential mate and if this weren’t dangerous for my friend I might be jealous. Alisha whimpers as he completes his circle, and I bet she thinks he’s deciding which body part to eat first.

“He’s not going to hurt you,” I say as my momentary attraction makes way to annoyance.

Now she squeezes her eyes shut in terror, and I’ve had it. The wolf knows she’s afraid, and he’s toying with her. I stomp over and get in his face. “That’s enough!”

Alisha lets out a yelp when he pushes past me to stick his nose into her fleece-covered stomach and sniff.
Jerk.
He’s so caught up in his mating lust he doesn’t care that she’s having a minor stroke from fear. He couldn’t be more or a typical horny male if he tried, but I know how to get back at him. I say, “He likes you. Pet him.”

“Wh-What?”

The wolf is still sniffing around her as if he’s confused. “Go on,” I say.

Alisha lifts her hand, and it hovers over his head. “Nice wolfie,” she says in a shaky voice. My friend doesn’t actually touch him, though, and that’s probably good, considering he’s got to be pissed that she’s treating him like a dog. I can’t help my grin when he snarls and turns to me.

But now he might have switched to laughter because his gaze makes me tremble. He really is incredible, and so sexy.
Damn it.
My wolf is practically crooking her finger at him with the scent of my arousal, and when he shoves his snout into my crotch to take a deep breath, my knees buckle.
No!
I refuse to be sucked into another game. Just like all the others, I’d be good for a few quick rounds of fun, and then when I get attached to the guy, a true mate would come along to steal him from me. I grit my teeth and speak through them. “Seriously?”

The wolf backs away and growls at me. Alisha lets out a small squeak when his sharp teeth are revealed, but she doesn’t have a reason to be scared. He just let me know he’s interested and intends to act on it. I let out a huff of irritation, because that’s not happening. “Relax. I’m sure I smell good, but—” I stop speaking when the sound of twigs snapping and brush rustling from something moving quickly in the woods draws my attention. Out of nowhere, a wolf flies through the air toward me.

Oh, crap!
I don’t want to shift in front of Alisha, but for a split second I think I’ll have to until the dark wolf intervenes. He slams into the side of the one trying to attack me and quickly manages to tower over it and latch his jaw onto its neck in a show of power. I notice the wolf on the ground is female, and she’s stopped moving and submits. She glares at me as if somehow I’m her problem, and when the male wolf releases her, she runs away.

The dark wolf lets out a low growl and swings his head toward me. I gaze at him as he crouches, and my chest is tight with a rush of desire for him.
He protected me
,
and god help me, it was really hot.
I say, “Thanks. We’re going to go now.”

He tips his head at me, and while this event is just another day in the werewolf world, it’s different for Alisha, so I turn to deal with her. The flashlight Alisha dropped is hard in my fingers as I retrieve it to hand to her. I grip her arm lightly to tug her along as I begin to walk. I pretend what happened wasn’t a big deal. “How did you end up all the way out here?”

She glances over her shoulder and back at me with her brow knit in confusion. “Um. You know me and directions.” She lets out a nervous laugh and moves quickly now that we’re out of sight of the wolf. She stumbles and catches herself before she says, “Perhaps I wasn’t the one that should have been searching for roasting sticks in the woods.”

“You think?” I grab her hand and squeeze her fingers as I offer support. “Are you okay?”

She looks back again as she hisses, “What the hell was that? You just told the wolf we were leaving, and he let us.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think we’re his type. Not enough fur.”

Alisha hits my arm. “What is wrong with you? I almost get eaten by a wolf, another one tries to kill you, and you’re joking about it?”

“He wasn’t going to eat us,” I say.

“Oh my God, Juliet! He growled, and did you see the size of his teeth?”

The last thing I need is for Alisha to get the idea she should report the wolf to the authorities. “How many beers did you have?”

“Oh no, you don’t. I know what I saw. What about the other one that came at you?” She shudders. “If wolfie hadn’t been there, we’d both be dead.”

I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve acted the way the female did. I think she was jealous. “It never would have happened if the other wolfie hadn’t been sniffing us.”

“How do you know so much about wolves?”

“They’re a recent hobby of mine.”

She frowns at me but seems to accept my explanation. “Make light of this if you want, but the girls will think like I do.”

I stop walking and grab her arm. “You can tell them a good story, but this stays between you and me. That wolf had no intention of hurting us, and if we tell Chelsea, she’ll want to report it. He was looking out for us, but nobody would believe that. If we start a wolf hunt, who knows what the authorities would do to him?”

“Oh.” Alisha’s quiet for a moment as she considers my words. “I didn’t think about that.” She takes a deep breath, and I know I’ve got her. She’s the one in our group to usually come up with a good story to get us out of trouble. “Okay. I’ll give the ditzy-Alisha exaggerated version so the girls think I’m making it up for shock value.”

I let out a deep breath. “Thanks.”

Alisha bumps me with her shoulder as we walk. “Look at you being all animal lover and stuff. I had no idea.”

“Yeah.”
You really don’t have any idea.
I wonder what she’d think if I told her we just met a couple of werewolves and that we’ll likely see the dark one again because he wants to mate with me. His growl replays in my head like sexy words, and I realize I might not be strong enough to resist him the next time.

“
I
swear
on my grandmother’s grave, Juliet whispered in his ear, and he took off running,” says Alisha.

Chelsea mumbles to me, “I bet her grandmother is still alive.”

Alisha says, “I heard that. Tell them, Juliet.”

I shake my head. “I’m not sure what really happened. I’ve had a lot to drink tonight. I just know that the big dog that looked like a wolf didn’t hurt us.”

“Fine,” says Alisha. “Be humble. But I was there and know what really happened.”

Jayden raises her beer. “To the wolf whisperer!”

When the other girls raise their drinks, I reluctantly join in to play along, but I wink at Alisha to let her know she was great. The real truth is I haven’t had much to drink at all, even though that was the plan. After one strong cocktail, I switched to soda and barely sipped my sweet after-dinner drink before I went in search of Alisha. I am drunk in a different way, though. The encounter with the wolf left me a bundle of raw sexual energy, and my wolf wants me to shift and find him.

But I can’t. If there’s a scenting ceremony happening, then it’s likely he’s not from here and has to adhere to alphas’ rules, which probably entail a curfew to keep everyone out of trouble. My best bet is to make sure me and my friends stay far away from the ceremony.

The fire is almost out, and the girls are drunk, so I stand and say, “I’m tired. Anyone else ready for bed?”

My friends get up and gather things before they go into the RV to get ready for sleep. I stay outside to push the embers around and cover them with dirt. When I’m sure the fire can’t reignite, I gaze out at the woods and sigh. A long howl sounds in the distance, and it echoes the longing in my heart. The familiar loneliness of being without a mate hurts. Even though I’ve accepted I’m meant to be alone, there’s no way to ignore the attraction I had to the wolf tonight. My animal side won’t let me. I kick at the fire one more time, and ash floats up before I go inside the RV.

We drew straws earlier for sleeping arrangements, and Alisha and I ended up with the pull-out double bed in the main living space. When everyone is settled, I stare at the ceiling as the girls’ breathing begins to slow. I think Chelsea and Jayden are asleep when Alisha whispers to me, “When I’m done with my run tomorrow morning, you’re going hiking with me.”

“Okay. I’ll make sure the other two are ready.”

“Just us, Juliet. You’re not telling me everything about what happened in the woods tonight, and I’m not letting it go.”

“Alisha.” I sigh. I’ve wanted to tell her for years about what I am. At first, I thought she’d run from me, but now I know better. She’s my best friend and loyal to the core. I’m more afraid she’ll manage to get herself into trouble with the information. I love my friend dearly, but she has the curiosity of a cat, and she can’t let things be. I take a deep breath. Lying by omission all this time is weighing heavy on my mind, so I say, “Okay. I’ll explain more tomorrow. Now go to sleep.”

B
irds chirp
in the trees as I pace the campsite area and wait for Alisha. Jayden and Chelsea are still asleep, and I don’t want to explain why Alisha and I are hiking without them. I keep reminding myself about how Alisha is open minded and will embrace what I am with the unconditional love we have for each other. But the fact remains that nothing she expects to hear today can compare to my truth.

The sound of her feet thudding softly along the road carries to me, and I walk over to meet her. “Hey,” I say when she gets close enough.

She smoothes back a strand of hair from her forehead that is damp with sweat. “Hey. Thanks,” she says when I hand her an ice-cold water bottle. She gulps some down and tilts her head toward the path. “Ready?”

I nod in reply and begin to walk. “Good run?”

“Not bad. But since I don’t know the area, I had to pay attention.”

“I can see where that would be a problem for you.”

She swallows down more water. “At least I didn’t get lost.”

“You stayed on the same road?”

She chuckles. “Yup.”

We walk in silence for a while before I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “So about last night.”

“I’ve been thinking about what I saw,” she says. “It’s kind of odd you were never afraid of those wolves. Why?”

“Because they weren’t completely wolf.”

“No?” Leaves rustle as she pushes a stray branch out of our way.

“They were werewolves and understood what we were saying.”

“Werewolves? And you know this how?”

I stop and grip her arms lightly as if I can control her reaction. I look her in the eyes. “Because I’m one too.”

Her brow lowers as if she doesn’t believe me, and I let my hands drop. I can practically see the wheels in her head turn and guess she’s replaying memories of odd situations. I think about the time she caught me crawling back through our window with my shirt on inside out, or when she claimed my eyes flash in a supernatural way that makes me look possessed when I get angry. As her face relaxes, I say, “You get it now, don’t you?”

She nods slowly. “It does explain a few things.”

“So yeah. I can turn into a wolf whenever I want to.”

“That’s pretty cool.” She catches herself and asks, “It is, right?”

I smile as relief washes the tension from my limbs. “It is. I should have known you’d think so too.”

She links her arm with mine as we begin to walk again. “Why did that wolf try to attack you?”

“She was probably jealous of me. The male was checking us out to see if either of us smelled like a compatible mate.”

“Interesting.” She nudges me with her elbow. “He really liked the way you smell. Once he figured I wasn’t the same smell as the fleece I borrowed from you, he moved on to you, right?”

I recall my reaction when the wolf sniffed me last night, and my insides twinge a little. “Probably.”

“So does this mean you found yourself a new guy?”

“No.” My voice comes out a little louder than I planned. “I’m not interested in having a mate.”

“Why not? He was kind of cute in a wolfie way. I bet he’s hot as a man too.”

If I’m going to bare my soul to anyone, it’s Alisha, so I say, “In my pack, there are very few females, but I still couldn’t find a mate. The males chose human women over me.” I sigh. “I’m just not cut out to have one. Besides, it seems he was already involved.”

“Nope. I don’t buy it. I refuse to feel sorry for you, because I don’t believe for a second you’re meant to be alone.”

“I’m fine. Werewolf men are obnoxious. You know, big, muscular, and cocky as all get out.”

“I was right! Your wolfie is definitely hot.” She stops walking. “That wolf wanted you and then protected you from the other one. Now, maybe he’s not the one, but there is definitely someone out there for you, Juliet. Remember the gypsy said you have a Romeo?”

I reach into the pocket of my shorts, and the glass potion bottle the witch gave me is smooth in my fingers as I fondle it. I discover a smile has crept onto my face, and I quickly frown.

We start walking again, and Alisha says, “Wait. The firemen. Are they werewolves?”

“Yes.”

“And the frat at school with the sexiest guys ever that were practically untouchable. Them too?”

“Uh-huh.”

She punches my arm lightly before she begins to hike again. “You could have told me, you know. No wonder they wouldn’t ask me out. I wish I had known it was because I can’t growl.”

“That’s what you’re taking from this? You don’t care that your best friend is a freak?”

She turns to walk backward as she speaks. “You are so not a freak. You’re amazing, and I’m a little jealous. Can you run superfast when you’re a wolf?”

“Yup. Want to race me?”

Her face lights up. “Can I?”

“No! I was kidding.”

She pouts for a second, and then her smile returns as she says, “If Roman is a werewolf, then you really could have your Romeo.” She steps back beside me. “I still say he likes you.”

“Actually, I think he likes you. How do you feel about becoming a werewolf?”

She stops again and latches onto my arm tightly. “Are you serious? Could I really become one?”

“What is wrong with you? I was joking.” I chuckle. “You don’t even know what you’re asking. But yes. You could become one if you found your true mate.”

“That’s so cool.” She splays her fingers over her neck. “Would he bite me and drink my blood?” She shakes her head as I grimace. “Right. That’s vampires.”

We’ve reached a small ledge that has been cleared and allows us to gaze down at the valley. We stop to look, and I say, “I swear, Alisha. If I told you I was an alien, you’d probably ask me to beam you up to my planet.”

“Well, duh. Human life is so boring.”

I shake my head at my adventurous friend. “By the way, this isn’t something you can share with anyone.”

She stares at me with intensity. “I guessed that. Thanks for telling me your secret. It makes me feel special that you trust me enough to let me know.”

“You are special. I’ve never told another human what I am, but I trust you with my life.”

“Aw. You’re making me teary, Juliet.” She waves her hand in front of her face before she pulls me into a sweaty hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Alisha.”

When we break apart, she says, “So tell me more about how things work. I want to know everything.” She waggles her eyebrows at me as she sits on a rock and adds, “And I mean
everything
.”

I roll my eyes at her as a grin covers my face, and I share everything she wants to know.