Beth slung her borrowed lounge pants low on her hips and rolled the sleeves of the sweatshirt up to her forearms, trying to compensate for the fact they were both too small for her. She shoved her feet in her shoes, quickly did up the laces and opened the bathroom door, carefully avoiding her reflection. She’d seen it once already and that was enough. A worn, pale face, with dark circles beneath her eyes had stared back at her. Not something she needed to see before she met the rest of Braden’s family.

Why do I even care?

Why did she care? It wasn’t as though she was meeting her boyfriend’s family; she refused to think of it like that. She forced herself to face what she’d known, at some level, all along. Personal relationships were beyond her reach.

The thought gutted her. It was her own fault. She should never have gotten involved with Braden. She knew with certain dread that the few weeks of normal happiness she’d had with him would haunt her for years. But she was determined to rectify her mistake. Starting with demanding answers to the questions that had descended on her like angry bees while she stood under the roar of the shower.

Braden pushed away from the wall when she entered the bedroom. “Breakfast is ready. I’m sure you’re hungry,” he said, gesturing toward the open door.

“I’m not going anywhere until I get some answers.” She lingered in the doorway of the bathroom and crossed her arms.

He shifted from foot to foot and glanced toward the stairs. Finally, he moved to the chair his father had occupied earlier that morning and slumped into it. “Alright.” He nodded to the bed in front of him and shot her an irritated look when she didn’t move. “For Christ’s sake, Beth, I’m not going to maul you. I said I’d answer your damn questions, just come sit down.”

She considered him for a long moment but finally decided the concession was small enough. “Fine.” She sat across from him and leveled him with a flat stare. “Your father mentioned Markko by name. Implied you thought I was working with him against your family. I want to know why.”

Braden sighed and relaxed into the chair. “The answer to that is complicated. My father wasn’t lying when he said our families had a violent history. The Bolveks…”

“Who?” Beth interrupted.

“Markko’s family,” he explained. “The Bolveks are an old clan, going back generations. Some of the conflict is rooted in mythology.”

“I don’t care about that, I just want the facts.”

“I figured.” He sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. “Look, what happened to you…That used to be a lot more common. Back in the 1980s and early 1990s the Bolveks were at the height of their power. They ran one of the largest crime syndicates in Eastern Europe and, because so much of the region was unstable, they got away with it. Had their hands in everything from human trafficking to arms supply and money laundering. Their criminal activities were bad enough, but the atrocities against humanity, Beth, I can’t even tell you.” He shook his head as if shaking off angry memories. She jerked away when he reached for her hand. “Anyway, their numbers started to surge. Rumors spread that Viktor Bolvek, Markko’s father, was building an army. When rumors of attacks against people began to spread outside the werewolf population, the Council decided to step in.”

“The Council?”

“It’s sort of a governing group of clan leaders based here in the States. A representative from every major family in the Americas and most of Western Europe meet every few years, more often if something comes up. An emergency session was held to decide how to handle the Bolvek situation. My father and his younger brother, Jeremy, worked to dismantle their organization. They were gone for more than a year and a half,” he quietly admitted. “He doesn’t talk a lot about it. The situation was a lot worse than they’d expected.”

“In what way?”

Braden shifted uncomfortably. “The Bolveks had been building an army…They’d been turning kids, Beth. Many in their early teens. Some as young as six or seven. A half dozen compounds were discovered littered throughout the Carpathians. All of them had packs of feral juveniles. The Council made the decision to hit them simultaneously—isolate the young wolves, kill the adults.”

Beth pulled her legs to her chest, trying to digest what she was hearing.

“A lot of good people died in those raids. They simply weren’t prepared for the juvenile wolves to fight them…” He trailed off, his gaze wandering the room.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and voiced the question on the tip of her tongue. “And the kids?”

“A lot of them were subdued, some of them escaped. But several were killed in the fighting. It still bothers my father. It took more than a year and a half, but ultimately, the Bolvek ranks were devastated. They never managed to reorganize and recover.”

“I guess that explains a lot.”

“Yeah, but not everything. You should know, Beth, that the Bolveks hold our family personally responsible for the destruction of their clan.”

“Why? If it was the Council’s decision…”

“Because it was my father and his brother that led the raid on their main compound. Markko was hardly an only child—he’s actually one of the youngest. Three of his older brothers and two of his uncles were killed in the raid. Markko and his younger brother Ivan escaped that night with their father, Viktor. But not before they witnessed the destruction of the majority of their clan. My Uncle Jeremy died that night.”

Braden gently gripped her elbow and pulled her up from the bed, guiding her toward the door. “You have to understand, Beth. As far as Markko’s concerned, you’re affiliated with our family now. That alone would be reason enough to hate you. That you killed his brother ensures that he’s not going to stop coming after you. Not until you’re dead.” He paused in the doorway. “I know you’re angry, God knows you’ve got every right, but you’re safest here with us. Let us help. Please.”

Head racing with everything he’d divulged, all she could do was shrug.

“Alright. How about breakfast?” he asked, gesturing toward the stairs.

Her stomach growled at the thought of food and she tucked away her whirling thoughts for the time being. There’d be time to examine them later. Braden pressed close behind her as they ascended the stairs, heating her back and infusing her awareness with him. The way he moved, the way he smelled…

Beth derailed that train of thought before it led her down a dangerous path. The moment they were in the hallway she lengthened her stride to put some distance between them.

They crossed through a huge family room, honey-colored wood floors gleaming in the morning sun streaming through the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Two huge leather sofas bracketed a large river stone fireplace on the far wall. A book lay facedown on the arm of the sofa, waiting for the reader to return. She felt as if she were looking at the room through the lens of a filmmaker’s camera. The picture was warm and inviting, but she felt strangely disconnected to it, as though it were a hollow imitation of the real thing.

“This used to be our weekend home when I was a kid. My parents moved out here permanently after my dad retired,” Braden said, breaking the silence between them.

Beth turned to face him. “And where, exactly, is here?” She tried to keep her tone flat and neutral.

Braden winced and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Sorry. We’re still in Oregon, not far from Washington, actually.” He shifted under her flat stare. “On the coast, west of Portland.”

“Oh.” The longer Beth watched him—the way his shoulders drooped, the way he cautiously stared at her, the tentative voice he used to speak with her—the faster her anger began to slip away. Unwilling to deal with whatever emotions would be left behind, she moved toward the kitchen.

The typical noise of a family breakfast filtered out to her as she moved closer. Forks clanked against plates and irregular laughter burst through the door and down the hall. As she entered, the aroma of bacon, eggs and hash browns assaulted her senses. A huge granite island dominated the room, and several counter-height barstools circled the arched edge, creating an eating space. Mr. Edwards sat on the corner farthest from the door, drinking his coffee and reading the sports page. A woman, most likely Mrs. Edwards, stood on the opposite side, turning bacon in the pan directly across from the eating area.

The normalcy jarred violently with everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

“Hey! Burrito bandito, get your own tortilla!” A young woman with pale blond hair and the clearest complexion Beth had ever seen slapped away the hand grabbing for the burrito on her plate.

“Why? Yours is right here.” The young man sitting next to her made another grab, scowling when she yanked her breakfast out of harm’s way.

Beth narrowed her eyes. The guy she recognized. He’d been with Braden yesterday, had bound her hands and shoved her in the trunk. She wrapped her arms around her middle, her aching ribs reminding her that he’d also Tasered her.

“Lucy. Chase. Cut it out.” The woman pointed her spatula at the two in a way that reminded Beth strongly of Angie. “Come on in, you two, and have a seat,” she said, stepping away from the stove, moving calmly toward them, a warm smile on her face.

Beth jumped when Braden’s warm hand settled heavily on her lower back. She stepped out of his grasp but pulled up short. Everyone stared. Even Mr. Edwards glanced over his paper in their direction.

“Hi, honey.”

Beth stiffened, completely unprepared for the warm embrace that engulfed her.

“Sorry.” The woman stepped back and awkwardly ran her hands through her hair. A gesture she shared with her son. “I’m Anna, Braden’s mother.” She slipped her hand into Beth’s and pulled her into the kitchen. “You’ve already met my husband, of course. But I don’t think you’ve been properly introduced to these two.”

Anna gestured to the two sitting at the counter. “This is Lucy.”

“Hi.” Lucy smiled, glancing over Beth.

In another reality, Beth might have thought she was being weighed and measured in an attempt to determine if she was suitable for Braden.

“And this is Chase.”

Steady eyes caught hers. “We’ve met,” he said.

“I’m aware you’ve met.” Anna’s sneer perfectly complemented her tone. “I said properly introduced, didn’t I?”

He ducked his head, but Beth caught the smile that quirked his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”

For a long moment, Anna stared at him, hands on her hips, expression fierce. She threw up her hands, muttered something Beth didn’t catch and moved back to the stove. “The two of you move over so Elizabeth and Braden can sit together.”

There was bit of shuffling, a little shoving and a lot of plates and forks clanking together, but they moved down toward their father, leaving enough empty stools for Beth and Braden to sit next to each other at the end and still have a few vacant in the middle.

“Now Elizabeth, how do you like your eggs?”

The casual question took Beth off guard. She floundered for what to say and glanced around at everyone else’s plates. “Scrambled is fine.”

Beth watched, Braden hovering beside her, as Anna cracked a couple of eggs into the pan and began to briskly beat them with a fork.

“Mike’s on his way. He should be here in a few minutes.” Anna’s stern glare turned on Braden. “You should never have let him leave last night, knowing she was hurt.”

“I’m fine.”

“You aren’t.” Braden looked at her wrists, which were still raw and painful, even after she’d done her best not to irritate them in the shower.

Beth opened her mouth to contradict him. She was fine. She didn’t want to see Mike, whoever he was.

“Please don’t argue.”

She jerked her hand away when he tried to cover it with his own. He clenched his fingers, but pulled away.

“Mike’s our family doctor. Let him check you over, make sure everything’s okay.”

“You call the family doctor for all the people you kidnap?” Beth let the full force of anger consume her face when Braden opened his mouth. “I’m sure that’s simple to explain. Sorry to call you out here doc, but we Tasered a girl, then tossed her in the trunk of the car yesterday. We just want to make sure she’ll live.”

“Nobody said anything to me about a Taser!” Anna’s irate voice broke through most of Beth’s anger. “A Taser, Braden? How could you?”

Braden jerked away from his mother. “That was Chase!”

Anna rounded on Chase. “Apologize. Now.”

“But…”

“Both of you. Now.”

“Sorry.” They muttered at the same time, obviously unwilling to ignore their mother’s edict. Braden wouldn’t look at her and Chase suddenly took a ravenous interest in his breakfast. Anna pushed a plate of freshly scrambled eggs and steaming bacon in front of her.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Uh…”

“We’ve got orange juice, milk, water, coffee…”

“Orange juice is fine.”

Anna turned away and pulled a glass out of the cabinet.

“That was awesome!” Lucy leaned across the two empty chairs between them, a huge smile broadcasting perfect teeth. “No one can make them cower like Mom.” Her eyes danced with amusement. “I bet if you squeeze out a few tears she’ll actually hit them with her spatula.”

Despite herself, Beth grinned.

“Eat your breakfast, Lucy.” Anna placed a glass of juice in front of Beth and handed her a fork. “Go ahead, you must be hungry.”

She was, Beth realized. She’d thrown the sandwiches Braden had brought her at his head last night and she hadn’t been tempted to touch them later. Picking up her fork, she speared a fluffy bit of eggs. “Thanks.”

“Sure.” Anna gave her a small smile of approval as she ate the first bite. Then she turned to Braden. “You can get your own plate.”

Braden huffed, but slid out of his chair without further protest and grabbed a plate.

“Do I smell bacon?” Another man, close in age to Braden, walked through the door, dropping a small bag from his shoulder to the floor. Tall and a little rangy, he had a narrow face that sported a pair of frameless glasses. He was obviously at home in their kitchen and there was something deeply familiar about his smile.

“You do. Are you hungry?” Anna asked, already reaching for another plate.

“You bet.” He pulled the chair out next to Lucy and ruffled her hair.

“Hey!” She shoved him in the shoulder, complaining around a mouthful of eggs.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Lucy.” Anna set a plate in front of Mike. “Mike, this is Beth.”

“Oh, Beth. Hi.” He smiled widely and held out his hand.

Transfixed by the familiarity in his face, Beth absently shook his hand.

“Nice job by the way.”

“What?”

He reached across the counter and snagged some bacon off the plate by the stove. “The cut I stitched up on Braden’s head was a beauty.” He laughed over her shoulder, obviously taunting Braden. “He must have done something to seriously piss you off—you look too nice to wield blunt instruments at men’s heads as a hobby.”

Beth smiled again, finding it difficult not to relax a little in the strange family dynamic that permeated the room. She studied Mike’s face as he chewed his bacon. “Have we met?”

“Nah, I don’t come into Portland too much. These guys keep me too busy out here.”

“You look familiar.”

“I’m told I have my mother’s grin.” He smiled again, as if to give her a comparison. “What do you think?”

“I think I’d have to meet your mother.” For some reason Beth couldn’t fathom, he burst out laughing.

Confused, she glanced around the kitchen.

“Mike is Angie’s son,” Braden explained. “He’s, ah, aware of our situation. Helps us out from time to time.”

Beth turned back to Mike. “And is your mother aware of their situation?”

“Lord, no!” He chuckled, shaking his head.

“So she doesn’t know you provide medical services to people who kidnap women?” Beth couldn’t quite keep the humor out of her expression when Mike choked and turned horrified eyes on her.

“Oh God, you aren’t going to tell her I had anything to do with this, are you?” He sounded genuinely terrified.

Lucy burst out laughing. “I knew I’d like you.” She seemed to bounce out of her chair, clapping Beth on her shoulder as she went. “I’m going to go catch a shower and change.” She paused by the door. “I’ll run into town later and grab you some things—fresh clothes, a toothbrush. Write down your sizes, okay?”

Beth faltered under the easy gesture of friendship, but said, “Okay.”

“Cool,” Lucy said as she flitted out of the room.

“Seriously, though. You aren’t going to tell her, right?” Mike’s eyes were still wide as he stared at Beth. The horror of what his mother would say written clearly across his face.

“I don’t know what I’m going to tell her.” Beth grimaced. “I’m sure she’s worried. I didn’t show up for my shift this morning.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Braden said. “I called her last night, said you had to fly home for a family emergency. She’s not expecting you back for the next week or two.”

“I guess you thought of everything,” Beth said and turned back to her breakfast.

***

“Well, all things considered, you’re in pretty good shape.” Mike gently taped off the bandage he’d wrapped around her wrist. “Try to keep these clean and dry. I’ll leave some triple antibiotic cream with you. Use it after you wash the cuts. Morning and evening, okay?”

Beth nodded and pulled her hands away from him. “Okay.”

“One last thing. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to take a blood sample, run a complete work-up.”

“Is something wrong?” Beth asked.

“No. Nothing I’m worried about specifically. But from what you’ve said in the last half hour, and what Braden filled me in on, you weren’t bitten and turned in a conventional method. I’m betting you have some distinct knowledge gaps where your physiology is concerned. A complete work-up will help us fill those in.”

“Knowledge gaps?” Fear skittered across the back of her mind. “Like what?”

“Well, when we were talking earlier you mentioned you’d been taking some prescription drugs.” He flipped through his notepad. “Medication for depression—anxiety and a sleep aid, right?”

“Yeah. But I haven’t taken them in a while.” She rubbed her hands back and forth across her jeans and tried to ignore the way Braden suddenly stepped away from where he lounged against the wall.

“Because they didn’t work, right? Probably made you feel worse, instead of better?” Mike asked.

“Yeah. How’d you know?”

“Werewolf physiology is just…well, different, for lack of a better word. Some medications work just fine and very few are truly dangerous. But some medications, particularly those that influence the mind, do more harm than good. Lots of people who’ve been turned report that medications like the ones you were taking make them feel skittish, jumpy. And I’ve never met a werewolf that hadn’t experienced exasperated side effects from sleep aids.”

“I used to wake up so disoriented. I’d feel heavy, uncoordinated. Sometimes for hours,” Beth supplied.

“Right. That’s a consistent reaction with everyone else I’ve treated. I want to make sure all of the medications are out of your system. I can also see if there are any supplements or dietary recommendations I can make to you.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a tourniquet, vial and butterfly needle. “I can do this another time if you’re uncomfortable. But it really should be done sooner rather than later.”

“It’s fine.” Beth rolled up her sleeve and let him slip the tourniquet around her upper arm. She looked away as he pulled the needle out of the sterile packaging.

Her head spun as he closed fingers around her arm. So many questions raced through her mind; she couldn’t catch one long enough to figure out how to voice it. Her questions had gone unanswered for so long.

There so much I still don’t know.

“That’s it.” He announced a few minutes later, removing the tourniquet and storing the vials in his bag. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow morning.” He stood and snapped off his rubber gloves.

“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to come back out.” She’d heal, with or without the visit. Still, she was reluctant to see him go. He’d acted as a comforting buffer between her and Braden. Since they’d moved into the living room, he’d been a solid presence between them. And, if Beth was being completely honest, an amusing one as well.

He’d laughed and joked as he gently inspected her wrists, then carefully lifted her sweatshirt, gently probing at the bruises the Taser had left. Focusing on him helped her ignore Braden every time he pushed away from the wall and fell into a routine of pacing and glaring.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, too.” He said as he packed all of his medical supplies into his bag. “But I’m still going to come out and see if you need anything. I’m afraid tonight might be more difficult than what you’re used to.”

The blood drained from her face. Tonight? “What do you mean?”

He glanced up at her question and his face softened. “Oh, nothing. Just that with the amount of stress you’ve been under and how sore I know you are…the shift tonight will probably be a little rougher than normal. So I’ll be out here first thing to check up on you.”

Beth smiled weakly and rose from the sofa, folding her arms against her chest. “Thanks.”

“Sure.” He must have sensed her unease because he joked, “I’ll even charge Braden double, if it’ll make you feel better.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.”

The moment Mike left, Braden moved toward her, concern creasing his forehead. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” She wished it were true. How had she forgotten about the full moon? She never forgot.

“You aren’t.”

Irritated, Beth moved away from him and toward the huge windows overlooking the front lawn. “I said I’m fine.”

“Was that Mike leaving?” Lucy came down the stairs, barefoot in jeans and a pink henley.

“Yeah.” Braden shoved a hand through his hair and turned to his sister. “He’ll be by in the morning.”

“Okay.” Lucy shrugged. “Mom!”

“Don’t shout, Lucy, I’m right here.” Anna strode out of the kitchen, digging through her purse. “Have you seen my keys?”

“They’re by the door.”

“Okay. Grab some shoes and we’ll get going.”

“Where are you guys headed?” Braden asked.

“We’re going to run a couple of errands in town.” Anna slid a slim pair of glasses onto her face. “We’ll be back by dinner. I’m going to pick up stuff to make the apple turnovers Angie sent me the recipe for.”

Mystified, Beth watched Lucy and Braden exchange a worried glance.

“Elizabeth, we’re going to pick a few things up for you, do you have any preferences regarding toothpaste or anything?”

“Um, no. Whatever’s fine.” She hoped she wouldn’t be staying long enough to care.

“Okay. I’m sure you’re tired. I changed the sheets in Braden’s room. You’ll be more comfortable in there.”

Beth bristled at the same time Braden choked. “That’s not necessary.”

“Nonsense.” Anna dismissed them with a wave and a glare in Braden’s direction. “Braden’s room is far more comfortable and it has a private bathroom. Braden can sleep down the hall in one of the guest rooms for the time being.” Between her tone and her pointed glare in her son’s direction, Beth decided not to argue.

“Come on, Lucy.” Anna stepped out the front door, beckoning her daughter to follow.

“You two be careful,” Braden said, his words weighted with caution.

“We will,” Lucy said, dismissing him.

Beth wondered if Lucy had been overprotected in a family with so many men.

“I’m serious,” Braden persisted.

“Oh, relax. We’re meeting Chase and Dad for a late lunch, we’ll be fine.” Lucy followed her mother out the door. She shot a beaming smile in Braden’s direction and gave a little finger wave. “You two have the whole place to yourselves…have a good time!” She pulled the door shut behind her before Braden could reply.

Braden cleared his throat, cutting the silence. “Can I get you anything?”

“A car and directions back to Portland,” Beth blurted out before she could stop herself. She knew she couldn’t leave. A part of her even acknowledged that Markko was as responsible for that as Braden was. Still, the lack of choice rankled.

“Anything else?” The words came out as a quiet apology that Beth didn’t want to deal with.

“I could use some sleep. I didn’t get much last night.” She let the accusation hang between them.

“Right. I’ll show you where my room is.”

Beth followed him quietly up the stairs and down a sunlit hallway. They passed a loft showcasing an ornate pool table, a forgotten game still laid out on the green surface. The room overlooked the entryway and a portion of the family room. The two-story windows at the front of the house poured light in and provided a breathtaking view of the forest.

Their home was everything she might have imagined of Braden’s family, had her arrival not been so hostile. The picture of normalcy, the warmth of his parents, Lucy’s constant laughter; all of that a weighty force that made it difficult to believe she’d arrived in the trunk of a car. The contradiction exhausted her.

Braden opened the second door on the left and allowed Beth to precede him into the room. A queen-size, cherry sleigh bed dominated the middle of the room, crisp white sheets and what looked like a down comforter were pulled back invitingly.

Fatigue overtook her in a rush. She ignored the rest of the room, sat on the edge of the bed, toed off her shoes and ignored Braden hovering in the doorway.

“Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine.”

“Beth, I…”

Beth cut him off with a jerk of her hand. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say. “Go away, Braden.”

“Look, I just want to…”

“I don’t care what you want.” She tucked her feet underneath the sheets and sank into a mattress as soft as a cloud. “Go away.” She closed her eyes, willing Braden to leave her alone. Maybe she’d have a better idea of what to say to him after she slept.

He sighed, but switched off the light. “I’ll be down the hall in the office, third door to the right, if you need me.”

Beth turned her back to him and burrowed into the pillows. “I won’t.”

***

Beth had been lying awake for a little more than an hour, staring out the window, watching the sun’s steady arc toward the horizon. She knew the moon marched steadily in behind it.

“Knock, knock.” Lucy lightly rapped her knuckles on the door as she pushed it open. “Oh good, you’re awake.” She grabbed four large shopping bags off the floor and marched into the room.

Beth sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, reluctant to leave the quiet behind her. “What’s all that?”

Lucy started pulling things out of the bags she dropped by the dresser.

“The stuff I picked up for you in town,” she answered, pulling out several long-sleeve shirts, a couple of T-shirts, two pairs of jeans and several satin pajama sets.

“You didn’t need to get all of this. Some underwear and a toothbrush would have been plenty,” Beth said as Lucy continued to pull things out of bags, laying them either across the end of the bed or on top of the dresser.

Lucy grinned at her. “Don’t be silly. My clothes don’t fit you and Braden said to make sure you’re comfortable.”

More items appeared by the second: several sets of underwear, a hairbrush, makeup, toothpaste, even a silky robe. Beth felt anything but comfortable. “It’s too much.”

“Nah. Besides, I parted Braden from his credit card before I left.” Lucy looked at her, an earnest expression crossing her face. “He wanted to make sure you have everything you need.”

“Well, thanks, I guess.”

Lucy beamed at her response and started sorting through things. “Okay, I got you a couple of extra bras and some underwear, I followed the sizes you gave me, but I hope I got the right styles. You didn’t say.”

Lucy shoved some lacy undergarments, matching lacy undergarments, Beth realized, into her hands.

“These are great.”

“Oh good.” Lucy began pulling dresser drawers open until she found an empty one. “I got you some pj’s. I hope satin’s alright.”

Lucy ripped off store tags and started depositing items in drawers.

“Oh, well yeah, but…”

“No buts. Try on those jeans, make sure they fit before I tear the tags off,” Lucy said, gesturing toward the jeans on the bed.

Beth grabbed the jeans and escaped into the bathroom. “Wow.”

“Hmm?” Lucy popped her head around the corner. “What?”

“This is the nicest bathroom I’ve ever seen.” A huge standing shower with multiple jets and a large whirlpool tub occupied the far wall. A deep marble countertop ran the length of the room, showcasing a beautiful modern sink. The space would have been right at home in any upscale master suite in the country. “Are all your bathrooms like this?”

Lucy moved past her and dropped a load of cosmetics on the counter, shooting her a strange look. “Yeah. When my parents built the house they made sure we all had our own bathrooms. A nice hot soak is really relaxing the morning after.”

Beth didn’t have to ask the morning after what…but she did marvel at Lucy’s casual acceptance.

“Okay. Toothbrush and toothpaste. Check.” Lucy set both of them at the corner of the sink. “I also got you some deodorant, unscented. I figured you probably didn’t like perfumes in most of your stuff.” She glanced at Beth in the mirror for confirmation.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Beth sat on the edge of the tub and watched Lucy bounce around the bathroom, a never-ending fountain of energy.

“I got you a razor and some shaving cream.” Lucy placed them inside the shower and turned back to the remaining items on the counter.

“I guessed when it came to makeup. I got the basics—some translucent powder and some neutral-toned blush.” Lucy stopped dead when she turned back to Beth, as though it just occurred to her that she’d been running a mile a minute since she walked in. She fidgeted, then set the makeup on the counter.

Beth stood. Lucy had been nothing but kind to her, warm and welcoming since they’d first met. Beth couldn’t explain it, but she hated the expression of uncertainty on her face. It didn’t suit her. She forced herself to reach out and squeeze her arm.

“Thanks.” Beth took in the assortment of cosmetics scattered on the countertop. “Is that hair dye?”

Lucy laughed, the awkward tension broken. She picked up the box and turned it over in her hands. “Yeah. You’d look good a few shades lighter.” Lucy shrugged. “I can get a little carried away.” She put the box back on the counter. “Dinner’s going to be ready soon. I’m going to hang up some stuff I got for myself. I’ll swing back by and get you when I head down, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Try on those jeans.” Lucy grabbed the remaining bag off the bed and dashed out the door.

***

Beth sat on the edge of Braden’s bed and pulled off her shoes. She didn’t need to look out the window to know the sun was dipping below the trees on the horizon. The hour or so before the sun set on the day of a full moon always resonated in her. Her foot tapped, her hands shook, her muscles tensed. She felt edgy and alert, everything around her brighter, sharper, crisper. Adrenaline flooded her in small bursts, triggering her systems to react. Her body hummed with the anticipation of the change.

Strange, considering how much I hate it.

She’d been fascinated at dinner, watching the other family members exhibit some of the same mannerisms. The way Lucy’s foot constantly bounced, the way Chase’s fingers flexed continuously around his silverware. Even Braden had teemed with energy. Braden’s father had been more difficult to read. He always exhibited such a calm, quiet air about him. But Beth saw it, even in him, in the way he lingered against his wife when he kissed her cheek, breathing in the air around her.

Anna was the only one that hadn’t seemed effected by it. Throughout dinner Beth had watched her, fascinated, as she carried on, business as usual. Beth hadn’t been aware of how open her study was until Anna leaned toward her and casually whispered, “I’m not like them. I never chose to be turned.” She’d leaned back into her seat and turned to her husband who idly stroked her arm.

“Hey,” Lucy said, breaking through her thoughts. She stood in the doorway wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, looking for all the world as though she intended to relax around the house. “Are you coming with us?”

“Where?” Beth pulled off her socks and stuffed them in her shoes.

“When we’re all at home, we usually run around the woods surrounding the house. You know, goof around.” She smiled invitingly. “Wanna come?”

“I think I’d better stay here.”

“Ah, come on! I’m always outnumbered by the guys,” Lucy pleaded. “It’d be nice to have a girl to back me up for a change.”

“I’ll pass.” Lucy looked so disappointed that Beth forced a lie past her lips. “But maybe next time.”

“Are you sure?” Lucy hovered uncertainly in the doorway, obviously warring with whether or not to push the issue.

“Leave her alone, Luce.” Braden gave her a gentle shove down the hallway. “Chase is waiting for you downstairs and Caleb pulled in ten minutes ago.”

“Okay. See you in the morning, Beth.” She disappeared down the hall, yelling for Chase.

“Who’s Caleb?”

“My other brother. He came in from Portland.” He leaned casually against the doorjamb, studying her. “You didn’t eat much at dinner.”

“I wasn’t very hungry.” She turned away from his scrutiny and moved toward the window. Lucy and Chase goofed around on the lawn. Another man—Caleb, she assumed—scooped Lucy up over his shoulder and spun around. Lucy shrieked with laughter. The clear sky continued to fade from brilliant blue into a reddish-purple glow. They didn’t seem to notice. Or care.

“You shouldn’t skip meals before the change. It’s not good for you.”

“You should go. Your family is waiting for you.” Beth gestured toward the window, silently willing Braden to leave.

“I thought maybe I’d stay with you.”

“I don’t want you here.” She strode across the room, her mind set. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Braden caught the door she tried to slam in his face.

“It’s easier with someone else. Please, Beth.”

“No.” A spasm ran through her, her fingers clenching involuntarily around the door. “Go away.” A shudder racked her frame, the muscles in her shoulders and along her spine rippling. He had to leave. Now.

“It’s already starting?” He moved as if to step into the room, brown eyes warm and concerned.

Beth put her hand in the center of his chest and pushed. “Just go.” Desperation tinged her voice. He took a small step back, enough for her to slam the door and twist the lock. The moment she did another spasm ripped through her, tormenting her sore muscles and igniting the places the Taser had touched her. She barely managed to muffle the cry that bubbled up her throat.

Moving as quickly as she dared, she stripped out of her jeans and T-shirt. She was down to underwear when the first true contraction hit her. She stifled a scream, as the pain drove her to hands and knees.

The doorknob rattled and Braden’s voice pleaded through the door. “Beth, please. Don’t do this.”

Why isn’t he shifting?

Beth gasped for breath and struggled out of her bra. Her stomach turned. Saliva that tasted of the roast chicken dinner flooded her mouth. She distantly registered the first howl from the front yard. She answered it with a scream of pain that drowned out everything else.