“I closed my mouth in order to cut off the high-pitched keening escaping my lips. Who knew a wolf could scream like a jungle cat?”

“I clenched my teeth and tried desperately to get air to my starved brain. If this annoying red head didn’t go away I was about to go all wolf up in here and it wasn’t going to be pretty. My wolf was screaming at me to defend my territory. Caeden was mine and she just wouldn’t get the message!”

“No, no, no. No way!” I shook my head and looked at the offending black motorcycle. “I am not getting on that thing!”“Sophie, it’s a motorcycle, it doesn’t bite.”I turned my head to look at the beast. “Really? It looks like it could bite, to me.”“Please, Sophie,” he held out a helmet.I crossed my arms over my chest. “What if I fall off?”“You’re supposed to hang on to me, Soph. What happened to my mighty little she-wolf?”“She packed her bags and left,” I said.”

“I followed him down the hall and into his room. He closed the door and tossed my dirty clothes into his hamper. “Don’t do that! I’ll take them home and wash them,” I tried to grab for them but Caeden grabbed my hands instead. “It’s fine,” he kissed the side of my mouth while I squirmed in his grasp.“Caeden, your mom doesn’t need to clean my dirty clothes.”“It’s not a problem. Besides,” he said huskily in my ear, “my mom doesn’t do my laundry. I do my own, just like a big boy.”I laughed. “And you know what else?” his lips brushed my ear. “What?”“I even make my own bed.”

“He barked a laugh before nudging my leg with his wet nose. “Ew, Caeden! You got wolf snot all over my leg!” I left him behind the bush as I stared at the wet mess on my leg. His barking laughter quickly turned to human laughter. “Wolf snot?” he grinned.“Yes, and it’s all over my leg. It’s gross,” I complained. “Just because we can change into wolves doesn’t mean we need to act like them all the time.”

“Evan slung his arm over my shoulder. “That’s my mom and dad,” he pointed to a couple approaching us as families trickled onto the field. “Mom! Get a picture of me and she-wolf?” “Sure, sure,” the strawberry blonde lady said, digging in her purse. “Aha! Here it is. I’m Elaine, Evan’s mom,” she announced to us. “Now smile!”I smiled but just before the flash went off Evan kissed my cheek. I gasped in surprise, probably making the funniest face known to man. Evan snatched the camera from his mom and laughed. “That is totally going to be my facebook profile pic. Take a look she-wolf.”He turned the camera so I could see the image on the screen. Oh, God.I narrowed my eyes and pointed a finger at Evan. “You better promise me that, that picture never sees the light of day.”“Well, technically it’s already seen the light of day, seeing as it’s the morning and all.”“Evan, you know what I mean.”“Fine,” he lowered his head, “I won’t post it on facebook.”“Or twitter, instagram, or any other picture sharing site. Got it? Maybe you should just delete it now?”“Nah,” Evan grinned. “I’m keeping this forever and ever as proof that I kissed the she-wolf.”

“He promptly pulled out a cigarette stuck it between his lips and lit it. I reached over and snagged it from between his lips and put it out.I pointed my index finger at him. “You will not suck on this death stick in my presence,” I huffed. Sloane to Siva”