The phone call

Vicky

It only took one phone call to flip my life upside down.

Fred’s voice crackled through the line, tense and urgent, dropping a bomb I hadn’t seen coming. Someone had blabbed—some loose-lipped idiot had whispered about the Pink Panther nightclub, spinning tales that could’ve exposed werewolves to humans.

The rumor had spread, bounced from one mouth to another, until it reached ears that mattered.

Who in their right mind would do something that stupid?

Me, apparently—the one cursed by the Moon Goddess herself. I was starting to believe she was real, and now I hated myself for it.

Would groveling for forgiveness fix this mess? Doubtful.

“Honey, are you listening to me?” Fred’s voice snapped me back, grating on my nerves.

“Yes, Fred. Thank you. I’ll find a way. Thanks for the heads-up.” I hung up before he could say more, my hands shaking as I set the phone down.

“Sorry, Moon Goddess!” I muttered, tilting my head to glare at the sky. “Is that it? Toby, can they send someone here? Have you thought about that?”

He looked up from the couch, where he’d been sprawled with a beer. “If we’re not here, they won’t know what happened.”

“Where are we going, little brother?” I shot back, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

“We’ll put the new guy—Carlos—in the show, and we’ll take your car to the Rio Verde Pack,” he said, sitting up. “They’ll show up, see no werewolves, just a normal guy in a wolf mask. I’ve already got your permission to visit the pack—let’s just bump it up a week.”

The idea wasn’t half-bad. We left the next day, no time to waste. Toby called Melissa, filling her in on the plan.

Fred texted me later—Take care of yourself, Vick—and I couldn’t help but smile. It was cute, him playing the protective almost-boyfriend. But I wasn’t sure I wanted that, not yet, maybe not ever.

The trip was long, hours stretching out on the road. I’d left Petry and Michael in charge of the club. They’d handle it.

Michael tried to weasel his way into coming along, all eager grins and excuses, but I shut him down.

“I need you there,” I’d said, firm and final.

Truth was, I didn’t like mixing work and personal life.

I was only 22, still young, still restless, with a world of people to meet and a one-way ticket to Hawaii burning a hole in my plans. I hadn’t told anyone yet, not even Toby.

Didn’t know when—or if—I’d come back.

We took turns driving, me and Toby, splitting the wheel to keep the pace. At one point, he pulled over, stripped down, and shifted, bolting off into the woods in his wolf form. I watched him go, that familiar brown fur catching the sunlight, and felt a pang of nostalgia.

I’d missed seeing him like that—wild, free, all instinct.

Sharon, his wolf, never liked me much, always bristling under the surface, but Toby kept him locked down when we were together. I got it now—Sharon just wanted his true mate, and I respected that.

We both wanted the best for Toby, even if it meant me stepping back.

Toby

I was anxious about my father accepting Victoria. She was important to me, he knew that. I asked him to reserve a guest cabin for her, I would stay with her there to keep her from getting into trouble.

I also didn't want to upset Clara, my father's companion. Besides, my brothers might not like being too close to a human. The teenage twins Andrew and Hunt were spoiled little ones, but they were fun. I worried about Fabio, he was a bit too picky.

The guest cabin had two bedrooms with individual bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, balcony and a beautiful view of the lake. It was close to the pack house, in a beautiful clearing surrounded by pine trees.

I was worried about whether she would feel comfortable being in nature. After all, she had only been in a big capital her whole life.

Her stomach growled. I forgot, sometimes, that she was human. She needed to eat more often. We pulled off at a gas station, the kind with flickering neon signs and a dingy little diner attached, promising coffee and greasy comfort.

“Witch, I still don’t know how you fit so much food in you,” I teased as we slid into a booth. She was already eyeing the menu like it was a challenge.

“It’s partly in my belly, partly in my ass and thighs,” she shot back, patting her hip with a grin. “You’ve already seen how plump I am.”

“Cute, actually,” I said, leaning back, meaning it. She had this softness that was all her—warm, real, nothing like the sharp edges of pack life.

“Fat, Toby,” she corrected, rolling her eyes but smiling. “I’ve gotten over my problems with that. I just hope the men in your pack don’t have an issue with me. I’m real different from the athletic, tall, and fucking beautiful werewolf type.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I guarantee I haven’t seen a full moon like yours there.”

She snorted, nearly choking on the coffee the waitress slid in front of her. “I don’t even know how many nicknames you’ve come up with for me anymore.”

“Lost count,” I said, grinning as she laughed.

We laughed out loud about her adventures at the club. And I got a handful of fries thrown in the face. I swatted them away, grinning as they bounced off my chest. She was getting back to her usual self, that spark flickering back to life in her eyes.

It’d be perfect if she found a mate at Rio Verde. I’d already talked to a couple of buddies—Rico, maybe Jonas—solid guys, single, worth a damn. I wanted that for her, more than anything.

For her to ditch the club, settle down, start a family.

To be loved, have kids, the whole deal.

And I didn’t want Melissa getting territorial and messing things up. So far, things were smooth between them—let’s keep it that way.

Melissa called while Vicky was still giggling over her coffee, her voice bright on the other end. She had news: her parents wanted to meet me at a dinner party next Saturday.

That gave me three days to get Vicky settled once we hit Rio Verde, after two more days of driving.

Could she handle it, though—tossed into the middle of a pack?

Wolves weren’t exactly subtle, and she was human, soft in all the ways we weren’t. Would bringing her along screw things up, or was Fred counting on it?

He’d texted her again, all sweet and protective, but what about my little witch? This trip was her idea—she wanted to see the pack.

Still, I wasn’t sure. Watching me with Melissa might hit her harder than she’d let on.

I’d seen the cracks last night, the way her laugh broke into tears.

Maybe it was better not to push it. And Fred—I didn’t know if he really thought he had a shot with her. He was decent, sure, but I couldn’t shake the feeling she deserved more. Not that I had beef with him or was jealous—nothing like that.

I just knew she needed someone strong, someone who’d give her the security she craved deep down. A family—that’s what she’d always wanted, even if she’d never say it out loud.

Goddess, help her get accepted into the pack, I thought, staring out the diner window at the darkening sky. Let my dad and stepmom like her. I’d given my word she could live with me there if things went south—her safety net, her fallback. That first impression with my family, the alpha, the luna—it’d be everything. If they took to her, we could make it work down the line.

Goddess, put some sense in her head too, I added silently, smirking. She’d drive those single werewolves nuts—new meat, all curves and sass, strutting into Rio Verde like she owned it.

They’d lose their damn minds, and she’d probably love every second of it.