“Drive safe,” I called after him. He waved over his shoulder in response and strolled out of Kick Shot like the night had been like any other.
For some reason, I had a suspicion it hadn’t been. I glanced down at my phone, frowning, that sinking feeling in my gut setting off warning bells in my head.
No, it wasn’t like any normal night at all.
Chapter Two
I huffed as I realized I didn’t know what to wear for the day. It was already three in the afternoon, and I was nervous as hell, although there was no real reason. It had occurred to me as I closed up Kick Shot the night before, that this was only the third time I had spent time with Carey and the two werewolves at the same time. I would babysit her, have girl days, play video games, and other things, but I nearly never hung out with her and her family. I saw Heath at the bar often, and Landon sometimes, but I’d only seen all of them together for an extended period twice since they moved into my territory.
This made me nervous, and it didn’t make much sense.
“Therefore, I decide I don’t know what to wear and have even more anxiety,” I muttered to myself, staring at the clothes on the bed.
I looked back at how excited I was when Heath asked me the night before. I had been looking forward to bowling. Now I was dreading being at some Everson Family outing where I didn’t belong. The same thing had happened during the holidays. I felt so out of place, and no one knew what to do about it. Carey had tried so hard to make me feel welcome, but the problem didn’t lie with her or her family, even if they were werewolves.
It was me. I craved community and having people around, yet ran from it. I could feel it trying to make me shift, walk out in the woods, and become unreachable. Carey was easy to manage. Heath was easy to manage.
But a crowd? More than one person at any given point? That made me wary and uncomfortable, and I couldn’t fight it, no matter how much I wanted to.
“What did Hasan say?” I racked my brain for the advice he’d given me once. “When you feel like running, consider what you would miss out on and if you will be better off without it. If you know you’ll miss it or regret losing the chance, don’t run. Face it.” It sounded like advice every parent would give a child, but it was honestly good werecat advice. We were very good at hiding from the world around us—very, very good. Hasan had disappeared from public life for a century until my fuck up when called to Duty. His mate walked away from their world so long ago, most didn’t even know what she looked like, and that said something in a community of nearly immortal supernaturals.
I considered the pros and cons of skipping bowling, pleading for a day off.
Pro for staying: I get to see Carey and see how competitive she is at something physical. I haven’t been able to convince her to try sports because she knows she’s around creatures she can’t beat. Pro, I get out of the house and do something.
Con: I get out of the house and hang out with two werewolves. If people didn’t think I was strange already, they’ll see me with the Everson family and probably think I’m part of the pack…more than they already do.
I curled a lip at that thought. The idea of subjecting myself to an Alpha like werewolves did was completely against my nature. I knew if I didn’t go, I would think about it all week, sad I didn’t go. Half of that would be guilt over disappointing Carey after already telling her father I was going. If I canceled now, she would be upset, and I’d never canceled on her for anything else. I couldn’t start now.
“But what to wear?” I mumbled, glaring at the clothes on the bed, back at square one. I finally shook my head, mustered my resolve, and grabbed a few items, deciding it didn’t matter. A black t-shirt that wasn’t old or dirty, a pair of decent jeans—easy, simple, relaxed, perfect for bowling. I dressed and stared in the mirror, nodding in appreciation.
Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it, Jacky? See, you can do this. You can hang out like a normal person.
I hoped I could, anyway. There was a lot of evidence against me, but I could do it.
“Why is this so damn hard?” I asked myself, shaking my head in dismay. There was a time when I could jump up and go hang out with anyone. I loved to bowl, I loved to go to the park. I loved life. When did I become a shut-in who was scared to spend a few hours with people?
I knew the answer but didn’t let it get to me as I stomped out of my bathroom, through my bedroom, and down to my living room. I could have gotten ready in the apartment over the bar but had decided to head to my house deep in the woods in the middle of my property. It was a sanctuary. Not even Carey and the wolves were allowed to venture deep enough into my property to get to my house. I needed a space that meant I was well and truly alone, especially since two werewolves lived in my territory, constantly scratching at my magical defenses.
I stepped out after pulling on my boots and swung my leg over my dirt bike, kicking off to head to the bar and my little hatchback. The weather was good with little rain, so I didn’t have any puddles on the path between home and the bar. When I got to my car, I was pleased to find I wasn’t half covered in mud.
As I started driving to the bowling alley, my mind continued to wander. Jabari’s news weighed on me suddenly, trying to dampen the bright day and the good mood I was supposed to have. The problem was, the quiet drive gave me an open space to think.
Dead werecats—two of them in the same region. If I had truly shaken things up so much on accident, it could have been a purposeful attack on werecats. Would I get a text in a week saying more were dead?
Why now?
My mind turned it over for the short drive, my face stuck in a perpetual frown, still frowning as I parked and slid out of the car. I wasn’t paying attention as I leaned on my hood and waited, staring at the bowling alley but not really seeing it.
“You came!” a young voice called out—energetic, surprised, and very much a change from the girl I had met at my bar’s back door.
I didn’t jump, not totally shocked by Carey’s sudden appearance. I had known the wolves were getting close, half paying attention to them with my supernatural radar-like magic.
“I did,” I replied with a chuckle. “I said yes to your dad last night. Didn’t he tell you?”
“Yeah, he did, but…” Carey shrugged, a grin still on her face.
“Have I ever canceled on you before?” I asked, using a somewhat stern tone of voice, daring her to say I had.
“No, but I didn’t think you would want to go bowling. It just doesn’t seem like something you like to do.” The girl’s innocent smile and clean scent told me that she was telling the truth.
“Well, I would have you know, I love bowling,” I retorted. “Or, I used to. I haven’t been bowling in nearly eleven years, so we’ll see. I’m probably rusty.” I moved away from my car and raised an arm, ignoring the two werewolves walking closer. Carey ducked underneath my arm, I nestled it on her shoulder, and she wrapped her closer arm around my waist. It was a comfortable position. We did it whenever we went somewhere, just the two of us.
“So, you haven’t bowled since before…” Carey’s eyes were wide, full of curiosity and questions. Unable to resist, and still ignoring the wolves walking behind us, I answered.
“That’s right. Not at all. I haven’t had anyone to bowl with so…” I shrugged one shoulder. “Thanks for the invite.”
“Of course! I know we have girl night tomorrow, but I wanted to bowl, and three people can’t do teams. I like teams because they give me a real chance of winning.”
There it is. Just as competitive as always.
“Boys versus girls?” I asked softly, trying to sound mischievous. Carey began to nod vigorously, the grin growing wider. “We’ll kick some ass.”
“Watch your language with my daughter, please,” Heath said from behind us. I ignored him as I got the door and held it open for Carey, him, and Landon.
“She’s definitely heard worse from your wolf pack, but I’ll try to behave.”
By the look on his face he obviously didn’t believe me but said nothing. I slid into the building last, realizing it was my last moment to get out of this if I had wanted to run. What I hadn’t counted on was how much Carey calmed me down. Once she was talking to me, the anxiety disappeared. I smiled as I met them at the counter.
“What’s your shoe size?” Landon asked me softly.
“Don’t worry—”
“We’re paying,” Heath cut in.
I raised my eyebrows and stared at him, daring him to try to say it again. It scratched at my independent nature to let this wolf pay for things I could reasonably afford.
His blue-grey stare back was even, not backing down. I held back a territorial growl, one I knew would remind him who was really in charge of the building, the land, and everything within miles of us.
“Jacky isn’t some kid friend, Dad. She can pay for herself!” Carey groaned, pushing her father a little. “Hurry, or we won’t get a good lane.”
He finally broke the stare. With a sharp nod, I let him know that he’d done the right thing. He quickly paid for his family, and I stepped up next, telling the young woman behind the counter my size. Heath was eyeing me as I sat down across from him at our lane and didn’t stop watching me as I put on my shoes.
“What?” I finally hissed out.
“Carey always wants me to pay for everyone because I’m able to,” he replied calmly, but there was no missing the touch of confusion in his voice.
But she didn’t want you to pay for me, and that’s bothered you, huh? I shrugged. He didn’t need an explanation right at that moment.
“I say we do teams!” Carey called out from the score screen, where she was done putting in everyone’s names. “Me and Jacky versus you two! Boys against girls!” She was grinning, and I couldn’t resist grinning back.
“I like it. We’ll kill ‘em.” Holding up a hand for her, I kicked my shoes out of the way for her to sit next to me. She slapped my hand, a classic high five, and sat down with me, leaving her father sitting with a bemused Landon next to him.