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Giselle knew what she needed to say, but the uncertainty of Martina’s response had her close to trembling as she sought out her would-be mother. Martina had been busy preparing dinner. That woman was a chef! Wolf or not, you could smell her tamales from half a block away, and by the time you reached the front door, you were practically drooling. Maybe she should start with a compliment. Smooth things over before telling her the truth. If stalling were an Olympic event, she’d have the gold for sure. Giselle wasted as much time as humanly possible as she warred with herself while she paced around the living room. There was just no good way to start this kind of conversation. She’d rather say she was failing algebra or maybe even pregnant than tell Martina she just wasn’t ready to join the family... just yet.
Damn Diana for forcing her hand so quickly.
“Dinner’s not ready yet,” Martina called out from the kitchen.
Damn. She’d been spotted. Now or never.
“Give me another half hour, okay?” Martina hadn’t even looked up as she said it, but that didn’t matter. Her presence had been noted.
Giselle gave herself a mental kick to get moving. Just do it and get it over with. “Martina, can I talk to you?” Rip the bandaid off, as Di had counseled.
Martina looked so hopeful as she walked out from the kitchen. “Something the matter?”
“I need more time.” Giselle had wanted to go with tact but ended up just blurting it out.
Martina’s reaction surprised her. Rather than anger or sadness, as Giselle expected, Martina’s brow creased with bewilderment. “Why, dear?”
Heart racing, Giselle had almost forgotten her reasons. Martina looked so confused; and if she was being honest with herself, Giselle was the most confused of the pack. And she wasn’t even in the pack. She hated to disappoint, and even more than that, she didn’t want to screw up her only chance at a home, especially after all this time. “This. It’s just all... so... overwhelming.”
No anger. Not even hurt. Martina was the picture of calm. “Take a breath, hon. You look like you’re going to faint.”
“No. I need to say it before I burst. This is all wonderful, but too much too fast.” She hoped she was conveying her message well enough. “More than I ever hoped for, and at the same time, so much more than I was prepared to handle.”
Martina reached out and pulled Giselle to her chest. “Aww, sweetheart. It’s okay. I hadn’t thought about coming on so strong. I just wanted us all to be family.”
She stroked Giselle’s hair, and Giselle’s heart ached for the mother she’d never had. This had to be what it was like. The comfort. The warmth of loving arms surrounding her. Martina was such a comforting presence. How could she possibly be part of a pack war? Only cold-blooded killers were involved in wars, right? That damn niggle in the back of her mind could not let her give in. It demanded the truth before she could accept this home for what it could be... her forever home. Her family. Oh god, how she wanted a family to call her own!
Despite the war raging within her, between head and heart, she snuggled closer to Martina. Every stroke of her hand in Giselle’s hair was heaven. Listening to the steady and calming beat of Martina’s heart was a siren’s call home. Her home. Maybe...
She would get to the bottom of it all. She had to. Giselle would have a mother and father and sisters to call her own. She just had to make sure the offer stayed on the table just a bit longer.
“Martina, you’re wonderful, and everyone is so wonderful here. I just... I need time to process it all. Before I tie myself in. You know I’ve always been a lone wolf. The whole pack thing. It’s so much more than family, and I’ve never even had a family, so everything is just...” She rambled on like an idiot, hoping Martina would give her time.
“Don’t even think about it, sweetheart. One step at a time for us. After the next full moon, maybe you’ll be ready to make a decision. Okay?”
“Yes.” Giselle smiled and breathed a sigh. That was exactly how she’d hoped it would go. Thank the gods. She pulled back and met Martina’s eyes, finding just as much relief there as she felt. “Thank you.”
“No thanks needed, sweetheart.” Martina stroked her hair once more, her face serene as ever. Did anything ever rile that wolf up? Giselle wondered. “We’ve all been loners at some point. Family can be quite an intimidating transition.”
“More than you can possibly imagine,” Giselle said.
“Oh, I can definitely imagine.” Martina let out a little laugh. “Now, go tell the girls that dinner will be on in half an hour.”
Flooded with relief, Giselle raced up stairs skipping them two at a time. Mission accomplished! She had the time she needed; now all she had to do was clear Martina and Gavin’s names, and she could have the family she’d always wanted. Simple, right? She laughed at her own joke as she walked through the bedroom door.
The girls were lying across Taylor’s bed reading magazines and giggling over the quizzes inside.
“How’d it go?” Di looked up from her quiz on relationship compatibility. “Are we sending you back to the orphanage?”
“Funny,” Giselle smirked. “Yes, the sun will come out tomorrow for me.”
“Aww.” She faux-pouted. “But you do have the red hair for it. Maybe I’ll just start calling you Annie anyway.”
“Why? You’re not getting rid of me just yet. I’m good, at least until the next full moon.”
“Well, at least Martina knows the truth, that you’re not fully invested...” Di turned her attention back to the quiz.
Giselle chose not to rise to the taunting of her would-be sister. There was probably a very good reason for Diana’s defensiveness. Maybe she was just being a good little wolf and protecting her own. Yeah. That had to be it. Because if it wasn’t, and Di was just being a bitch, she’d make sure to show that girl her place at the first chance to pull her wolf out.
“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” Taylor asked, breaking the suddenly awkward silence in the room.
Giselle hadn’t really made any plans. Aside from getting out after Martina and Gavin had said good night, she hadn’t had a chance to think things through. She didn’t know what to look for either. Just any sign or clue that there were other wolves about.
“Taylor, want to stay behind and keep a look out?” Di ordered more than asked.
“Why do I always have to be the one to stay?” she huffed.
“Because you’re Miss Goodie Two Shoes,” Di answered.
“No. I’m not staying. You stay.”
“Whatever, Taylor.”
“Nope. Don’t look at me. I’m going.”
“We can’t all go. What happens if Martina comes upstairs?” Di asked.
“Then you tell her a few creative lies. That’s something you’re exceptionally good at.” Taylor stuck her tongue out.
“How about you both stay and I’ll just go. Seriously. The bickering...” Giselle was beginning to get a headache, listening to them argue.
“Fine, I’ll stay.” Taylor sighed. “If only to shut Di up. But don’t be long, okay?”