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“Okay, so when you said pizza, honestly I was thinking the cheapo five-dollar variety, not a sit down restaurant.” Giselle suddenly felt so thankful for her fashionista sister-person. Taylor had picked out the maxi dress with dark jean jacket combo for her instead of the jeans and t-shirt she’d planned on. Much more appropriate for the date-ish setting they were in.
“They have the best pizza here. Wood-fired and made with real toppings.” Damien looked around for the waiter and waved him over.
“Welcome to Sammy’s. Would you like some drinks to start?”
Even the waiter looked five-star, Giselle thought. Black outfit with a pristine white apron and gold name tag. Steve was his name, and he smiled down at the table, looking at Giselle first to take an order. Too bad she hadn’t studied the menu yet. And somehow, ordering a soda felt a little too low class. Maybe an Arnold Palmer would be more appropriate, but who wanted tea with pizza?
“Tea for me and....” Damien waved to Giselle.
Crap, she had to decide already. Oh, well, tea it was. “The same, thanks.”
“Passion fruit okay?”
“Uh... sure.” Giselle was having a hard time regaining her focus. She really hadn’t intended on a date. Just a ‘get to know you’ kind of chat over a greasy slice of unhealthy goodness.
“Did I go over the top? You look like a scared rabbit.”
Giselle laughed. She could eat a rabbit right about now. Her wolf was as anxious as she, and a nice unhealthy meal with lots of meat would help settle that nicely. “No. Sorry. Just, you know... processing.”
“I like you.” He locked her into his irresistible gaze.
“Really? I couldn’t tell,” she smirked, hoping that sounded funny rather than snarky. She’d been having so hard a time managing not to sound bitchy around him. “But I thought that was common knowledge.”
“It is; but why isn’t.”
“Okay, why?”
“You’re unfiltered. You say what’s out there and don’t hold back. You stand up for your convictions.”
“And you got all that from knowing me for a week?”
“Yeah,” he said, with no hint of irony.
She had a quick-fire response at the ready, but paused, wondering if she needed to say anything at all. He seemed to be reading her quite accurately.
He leaned in across the table. “The fact you want what’s best for all, not just for yourself, is refreshing. Not something most teens do. And certainly not what the wolves in this town do.”
She was definitely getting that last part. The stupidity of the whole pack war was over the top. How could modern people be so archaic? And maybe not having grown up in a pack was a good thing for her, or she might have been one of those who followed mindlessly into battle.
“What about you?” She turned the question round on him. “Would you do what’s best for all or yourself?”
“All for one, and that one is me. I’ll freely admit I am selfish.... in a good way.”
She laughed at his truth, because she shared some of the sentiment. “My intentions are pretty selfish too. I won’t align myself with a family at war. I don’t see the point in signing up for a fight I didn’t start.”
“See? Honesty. Raw and unfiltered.”
She sighed. “But honesty doesn’t solve anything at this point.”
“It might.”
“I thought about what was said earlier. I can’t make anyone ’fess up to the spell, but they can undo it.”
Giselle nodded. “If they were willing?”
“Right. They’d have to be willing, which means I’d have to do some talking.”
“Me too. The girls want to help, but don’t know how.”
“So, let’s drop the rule of silence and figure out a way to bring everyone to the same conclusion: that this statue should be returned to its original form.”
“You mean I can speak freely to the girls?”
“Yeah, and I can speak freely to my family. Of course, when I do, they will probably take an interest in you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Unclaimed wolf in town. Witches always make it a point to know what’s going on around them. It helps keep us protected.”
“But that doesn’t tell me what kind of interest they will take.”
“I don’t exactly know. Just that you’ll be on their radar. There will always be eyes out. Be aware of it, whatever you do.”
“That sounds pretty scary.”
He shrugged. “We know wolf business. We know vampire business. All supernatural business is our business.”
“You sound like the mob.”
She’d said it in jest, but the look on his face confirmed she’d actually hit the nail on the head, dead on.
“Okay, so we discuss amongst our people, and then what?”
The waiter returned with their drinks and, noticing they were deep in conversation, left without taking their order. Damn... he was good. Giselle made a note to leave a good tip.
Behind her, Giselle heard the door open. That would not have normally piqued her interest, except for the smell that wafted in with it: wolf.
She turned to see Asher walking in. Their eyes locked, and surprisingly, he strolled over.
Coldness washed over Damien’s features, but he kept his tone light. “Everyone likes Sammy’s. I told you it was the best.”
“So I see.” Giselle smiled at Asher.
“Can I join you for a moment?”
“Are you stalking me?” she asked.
“We’re kind of having a...” Damien tried to say, but Asher scooted onto the bench next to Giselle.
“I’ve heard things, and I want to talk to both of you about them.” His tone brooked no argument. “Before my father gets here.”
Giselle was caught completely off guard, and sat there with two of the cutest boys she’d ever met... was it hot in there or was it just them? Damn...
Damien’s heat came from simmering anger at that moment. He looked moments away from a fight with the wolf, and Giselle guessed only the public setting was saving them all from a brawl. Gritting his teeth to keep his face as neutral as he could, he took in slow breaths before speaking. “What do you want, wolf?”
If Asher was bothered by the way Damien spoke to him, it didn’t show. Maybe he was too self-assured in his abilities, or maybe he didn’t see Damien as any real threat. Either way, his tone was completely opposite of the witch’s. “You know Giselle and I found something. Something that may change the course of our families.”
“Yes, we were discussing that – alone.”
Again, Asher ignored Damien’s tone. “I have an idea.”
“Go on,” Giselle said.
“The full moon is soon. We’ll all be out. Why not find a way for us all to be out together?”
“The wolf packs... both of them... in one place, during a full moon... ludicrous! Are you trying to get everyone killed?”
“I think it would do good. Giselle and I can bring both packs to the cave. Damien, your people will be setting up the moon rituals... make them do it at the cave. Find a reason for them to be there.”
“What about the lone wolf?” Giselle asked. “Jeffrey was quite clear he wanted to be left alone.”
“You and I will go back to him and explain what we plan to do,” Asher said. “He trusts you.”
“Barely. He wants us dead if we trespass again.”
“Not if we make him understand he’ll get his wife back.” Asher’s tone was as Alpha as it got. He meant business, and Giselle wondered if she’d judged him poorly before. He was clearly trying to make things right, even if he was a bit pushy about it.
“You’re both insane if you think an asinine plan like this would ever work,” Damien said.
Ash looked down at Giselle. Their eyes met, and despite Giselle’s apprehension, her resolve melted.
“Let’s try,” she said, feeling keener than before about Asher’s prospects. He might be a bit brutish, but he had a heart underneath that aloof exterior.
Damien huffed loudly.
“You have a better plan?” Asher turned on him, and there was more than just annoyance in his voice.
“No, but collecting two families at war against each other, together with a lone wolf with a grudge, and a powerful witch coven in one place during the moon...” Damien threw up his hands in frustration. “World War Three would be less catastrophic.”
“Do be dramatic!” Giselle said.
Both boys turned on her with shock etched across their faces.
“Damien has a point. Don’t act as if this will be easy,” Asher said.
“Well, it’s the best plan we’ve got, so I’m going to attempt to stay positive,” Giselle said.
The waiter returned and asked for their orders.
“He’s not staying...” Damien fixed Asher with a surprisingly Alpha-worthy glare.
“No. I’m not. But we’ll be in touch.” Asher took his leave, walking a few tables over and setting himself down.
The door opened again and the smell of wolf intensified. Giselle resisted the temptation to turn around, instead waiting for whoever it was to walk past. And he did. A tall male, one built like a personal trainer, too. He joined Asher at the table ahead of theirs and the two began to talk.
“Order whatever,” Giselle said trying to get a good look at the other wolf – Asher’s father if she wasn’t mistaken – without getting caught. “Surprise me with the best pizza in town.”
“You want the anchovy special?” Damien asked, but Giselle failed to pick up the note of annoyance in his voice.
“Yeah... go for it.” She nodded, watching Asher and his father engaged in conversation.
Damien must have ordered because when she finally looked his direction, she found him oddly upset.
“Nothing will change, you know.” His choice of words was odd, but it was the finality in his voice that confused her most. What exactly was it he thought wouldn’t change?
“If the packs could stop fighting, that would be enough for me.”
“So you can...”
She cut him off before his jealousy could finish that sentence. “...have a family with no baggage.”
“All families have baggage.”
“True, but most of their baggage won’t kill you. Just send you though years of therapy, if you’re lucky.”
The joke seemed to be lost on Damien, but then he lightened up. “So you’ve met my family then?” He laughed, and the ugly jealousy faded.
Her eyes wandered back over to Asher’s table. He and his father were engaged in such a friendly looking discussion. Father-son bonding time or something. She’d never seen Asher look so... was that pride? Gone was the stony wall he held up at school. Here he was easygoing, and dare she think it... happy. How could Mr. Thrace be that bad, when seeing him with his son he appeared the doting dad? “I want to talk to him.”
“What? Are you insane?”
“He doesn’t look so mean.” Really, he didn’t. He had the same handsome features that Asher had obviously inherited. The strong jaw, dark hair, with just a hint of five o’clock shadow, and a toothy grin that almost welcomed her over without words. “I’m going to say hi.”
“Don’t...” Damien’s words fell on deaf ears.
Giselle was already up and walking over. “Hey, Ash,” she called out ahead of her.
His head popped up a moment before his father’s. The happy-go-lucky expression faded into one of warning. It was too late, though – she’d already spoken, already drawn attention to herself... No going back. “Just wanted to say hi. I never met your dad. It’s so nice to meet...”
“Are you a new waitress here?” Mr. Thrace speared her with his cold eyes and practically barked at her.
Her voice faltered. “No... why?”
“Were you invited to dine with us?”
“No. I just saw Ash, and—”
“You just thought you’d barge in on my time with my son.”
“No. Sorry. I was just...”
“A rude little girl who doesn’t know her place.” His nostrils flared, no doubt picking up her wolfy smell, if he hadn’t already, and his eye twitched with the strain of someone struggling very hard to remain civil. “You smell familiar.” He took a long slow inhale. “Yes. I’ve smelled your stench before.”
She cringed at the word ‘stench.’ How dare he!
“You’ve been around my home. In my kitchen and pantry. No doubt my son has had you. Savor whatever moments he gave you, as your kind are not worth wasting much time on – but do not think yourself equal to us, and do not stand here gawking any longer.”
Shock stole the sound from her voice, but inner rage had her mind running a mile a minute with what she’d love to say to that man. “You see here, sir. I was just coming over to politely introduce myself. I’m a classmate of your son. An equal, though you seem to not understand the concept. He’s a friend, and if anyone is being rude here, it’s you.” She’d meant to say all that, but the words had not actually left her mouth; they’d stuck themselves somewhere near the back, refusing to come out against the dangerous Alpha-wolf staring her down. Even her own wolf, who usually begged for a chance to rise and fight, was keeping quiet.
Ash came to her rescue after she’d stood mouth agape for far too long to not be awkward. “She’s fine, dad. Just a friend. But Giselle, let’s talk later. Okay?”
Still unable to muster the words, she just nodded and turned away.
“That looked painful.”
If Damien had laughed at her she might have unleashed her wolf then and there she was raging so hard, but thankfully, his words were sympathetic. Still, she needed some time to cool down and find her voice. She could see now why people thought he was a jerk. He was!
“I’d tell you to relax, but I know that’s not going to happen.” He glared over at Ash’s table and then looked back at Giselle. “Everyone knows he’s a jerk.”
She let out a deep breath. He was a jerk, but why? Unchecked aggression like that. There had to be something else there. Maybe he’d smelled wolf and that set him off. He was an Alpha, and she was unknown. Angry as she was, after a moment to cool off, she realized she could have approached it better. Not that it gave Mr. Thrace an excuse to be an outright ass, but for her part, she could have saved herself some embarrassment.
“I’m fine.” She finally found her voice.
“Yeah, you are,” Damien returned with a refreshingly flirty smile.
That made her giggle and release some of the pent-up tension. “Thanks. I needed that.”
“You looked like you were about to wolf out there, for a moment.”
“I was. Had to calm down, that’s all.”
“Do you want to go? We can make this take out and find a little park close by.”
“Aren’t you the romantic?”
“I try.”
“Nah. We can’t leave now.”
He did a double take over to Ash’s table and back at theirs. “No one’s looking. Quick, you go out the back.”
“It’s a wolf thing. If I leave now, he’s won.”
“Ahhh. So it’s a pride thing.”
“Sure. Go with that.” It was close enough to the truth. And also, she really was hungry, and the smell of pizza was much more tempting than licking her wounds.
Damien shrugged. “Have it your way then.”
“Speaking of that... what exactly did you order? Not anchovies, right?”
“So you were listening?”
“You have got to get over the jealousy thing.”
“Not jealous. Never jealous. Okay... maybe a little jealous. You are supposed to be out with me tonight... remember?”
“I am. And you have my full attention.”
“Liar. Don’t make me use witchy funny business to force the truth out of you.”
“You’d never...”
“Don’t tempt me.”
She narrowed her eyes at him like she was ready to pounce.
“Okay. Okay... don’t hurt me. You’re really cute when you get all predator, you know.”
She giggled. “Bet you say that to all the wolves.”
“Nah. Just you... and Di.... And Taylor.” He listed them on his finger.
“Thought you didn’t have a thing for Di?”
“Nah, just...” he stopped himself.
“Doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“Yep.”
“C’mon... you have to tell me at least something.”
“I can’t tell you. I can’t even give you clues as to what I did to work with Di.”
“Well, you’re just no fun.”
“Sorry, that’s how the game is played. Some rules just can’t be broken for any reason.”
She relaxed back into the booth and nodded. As much as she hated it, it was a really good thing he could keep a secret. That made him more than trustworthy.
“And now we hit the awkward silence phase of our date.”
Giselle was practically bursting with laughter, the bubbly sort of mini-explosions that only comes from true amusement. Damien was so easy to like, always finding a way to twist the situation and find just the right note of humor. He matched her smile with his own and reached out across the table to grab her hand. Rather than pull away, as would have been her instinct, she allowed it, embracing the warmth of his touch and even enjoying the connection to another human being. After another silent but definitely not awkward moment of them just sitting and holding hands, Damien leaned in and whispered, “I ordered meat lover’s pizza.”
Damn. He was a keeper!