Chapter Six

The next morning, I wake up to the sight of my boyfriend Knox. He leans over my bed, wearing a leather jacket and a sly grin. There are a number of things I could say at this moment.

How did you get into our apartment?

Why are you here at 7 a.m.?

Do I smell bagels?

Instead, I say the most important thing first: “Elle and I are going fae shopping today.”

Knox lifts his brows. “I didn’t know they were for sale.”

“They’re not, but they have their own network of hidden stores in Manhattan.” I lace my fingers behind my head. “Remember how you wanted to know about the next big scheme for me and Elle?”

“I did.”

“This is it. Fae shopping.” And because I just woke up and am not yet thinking clearly, I move right on to the second most important order of business. “Thank you for bringing me bagels.”

One advantage of being a werewolf is you have an incredible sense of smell.

“I did, yeah.” Knox runs his finger along my jawline. “Alec is bringing the lox and stuff.”

At the sound of Alec’s name, Elle’s voice echoes in from her room. These walls are like paper. “Did Knox say Alec is coming?”

“That he did. He’ll be here any second with lox.”

Elle whips open my bedroom door. “Good morning, Bry. I let Knox in. Is Alec coming over?”

Knox does his chin-nod thing. “Yup.”

“Do I look terrible?” she asks. “I’m not a morning person.” Elle isn’t lying. Her hair is knotted into one of those beehive things that went out in the 1960’s. It really is amazing the kind of bedhead she achieves.

No point making Elle feel crappy about her bedhead, though. “Who looks great in the morning?”

“Runway models,” says Elle. “Most of lower Manhattan.”

Okay, she has me there.

“You look adorable. I love those jammies.” Today, Elle is wearing these super-cute flannel pajamas with little cartoon tigers all over them. Adorable.

“Really?” She smooths down the top. “Well, I’m not leaving them on just to look cute for Alec.”

I’m aiding her self-delusion, but what else are friends for? “Okay, but no boys when we go fae shopping.”

Knox gives me a chin nod. “That’s right. Fae don’t like weres.” His ice-blue eyes narrow. “Will you be safe?”

“Bry has fairy power,” explains Elle. “So I can sneak her into stores. But having you along? Nuh-uh.” She twiddles her fingers at us. “I’ll let you discuss.” With that, Elle leaves the room.

Knox frowns. “I’m not too crazy about you going shopping at stores run by the fae. I can wait outside or whatever.”

I crook my finger at Knox. He leans in closer. “Here’s the thing, big guy.”

Knox runs his nose along the length of mine. That move always makes my insides go squirmy. “Yeah?”

“Most of my schemes with Elle are dangerous.”

“I get it.” Knox brushes a kiss across my lips. “You two don’t need a babysitter. Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Keep your cell handy. Text me TBL for trouble. That way, I’ll know to come running.”

“TBL. You got it.”

“Cool.” A faraway look washes over Knox’s ice-blue eyes. I don’t know Knox too well yet, but I’ve seen that face before. It’s the one he wears sometimes when we say goodbye.

“What are you up to today?”

“I need to see Az again.”

My brows lift. “Is everything at Lucky’s okay?”

“Oh, the place is fine now. Alec put in new wards last night. They seem to be holding.” Knox sighs. “Nope, the trouble is that Az wants to have another talk with me. About leading.”

“Those two weres—Abe and Hollywood—they’re part of the Northeast pack, aren’t they?”

“Yeah. And they’re really persistent.” Knox sits down on the bed. “I’m just not ready to lead. Before you, Alec was my only friend. And I rarely saw him. Most of my time was spent hunting and killing Denarii. Being pack means being connected to other weres 24-7. They’ll get in both of our heads in a way that can’t be undone. It’s a huge commitment. I can’t even look at them without wanting to run.”

I link my fingers with his. “There’s no rush to be pack Alpha. But maybe there’s a step between being mentally connected and growling at them?”

Knox gives me a crooked smile. “I don’t growl that much.”

I give his hand a squeeze. “You’re a total grouch and I like it that way. I don’t like sharing your sweet side with anyone.”

“Mmm.” Knox grins, leans in, and brushes a gentle kiss across my lips. “That’s enough about Az and pack politics. Tell me, what are you shopping for, exactly?”

I must be getting better at this girlfriend thing, because I can tell that Knox isn’t ready to talk any more about the situation with Az. “We’re getting some girl stuff. You know.”

“Like enchanted tampons or something?”

“I can’t believe you just said the words enchanted tampons.” I punch him in the shoulder.

“Go on. You can tell me anything. Even the enchanted tampon thing, yeah?”

Knox’s eyes look especially big, blue, and earnest. He really would talk tampons with me if I needed it. But I don’t. “Well, you know how when we shift into our wolf forms, we all end up naked?”

“Yeah. I told you; it’s not a big thing for weres.”

“Well, I wasn’t raised to be a werewolf, and it’s super-awkward for me, especially because there aren’t a lot of girl weres.”

Knox rubs his neck. “I can see where you’re going with this.”

“So Elle and I are going shopping for some enchanted clothes that I won’t destroy when I shift. I’ll feel more comfortable then, especially at West Lake Prep.”

“That’s cool.” Knox tilts his head. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I thought it might be insulting to were culture or something.”

“Hey, I don’t want to look at some stranger’s junk any more than the next person. What are you thinking about?”

I scooch in closer. This is shopping talk, so I need to be able to focus. “Maybe some jeans and a top. What do people wear at West Lake Prep?”

“Regular stuff, I guess. I can’t get a straight answer out of Alec.” He bobs his brows up and down. “Yet.”

We’ve talked about this a few times. Alec’s family is on the board of West Lake Prep. For the record, I was super-excited to attend this school because it seemed like the perfect normal school. Well, normal for parts of Manhattan anyway. Alec pulled some strings to get me, Knox, and Elle to attend for our senior year. I’m super happy to be attending, but I need to get my wolf under control. Reading school brochures can wait for later.

An idea appears. “Hey, when I’m at the store, do you want me to pick up something for you?”

“Sure, that’s a great idea.”

“Really? I thought wearing unshreddable clothes might be seen as politically incorrect for weres or something.”

“Maybe that was true at some point, but not today.” Knox shakes his head. “Things were different before every cell phone became a video camera. I’ve already gone viral with footage of my naked butt. You never know where people are hiding.”

“Viral? You’re joking.”

“Have you seen the Central Park Ass Man meme? It’s the one with a young naked guy who’s walking away from the camera.”

“That’s you?” I pop my hand over my mouth. Come to think of it, that ass man had a certain swagger that is really familiar. “Oh yeah. That’s you.”

“Sign me up for sweats and a T-shirt. I’m in.”

The two-tone doorbell sounds through the apartment, signaling that Alec has arrived with his lox and cream cheese. My inner wolf can smell them both from here.

“Food,” she cries. “Go, go, go!”

I smile. It seems like my wolf has now fully recovered from the fight with Knox yesterday. I search into my soul, feeling the three kinds of magic swirl within me: witch, shifter, and fae. Today, I’ll test out the lessons from my time with Knox. I’ll channel that power into my wolf and keep her under control. Sure, it may not work perfectly, but I have to start somewhere.

Today is as good a place as any to begin.