9. Rule #9 Dont Get Involved In Werewolf Business

Rule #9: Don't Get Involved In Werewolf Business

Zoe

I t was still dark when I left the house this morning. Old Man McNeil took his fishing boat out before the sun rose and sometimes he'd let me tag along. I loved being out on the ocean and at this time of the year, orca sightings were guaranteed. That's why our little town was overrun with tourists during the summer and walk-ins at the gym were at an all-time high.

I needed a little bit of peace and quiet to sort out my head. Daniel was a werewolf and I didn't know why that bothered me. I had nothing against werewolves per say and I knew better than most why we needed to keep hidden. But we didn't hide from each other. I hated secrets and I hated being kept in the dark. You couldn't see the betrayal coming.

My sneakers slapped against the boardwalk of the old harbor, echoing in the dark as the morning mist curled around me. This was where the fishing boats launched from. A newer one was built on the fancier side of town where the tourist boats operated from, but I was even less in the mood for people today than usual. Besides, Mr. McNeil usually left me alone and his grandson, Shane, was sweet but wary of me.

I gripped my jacket tighter around my body, happy for the beanie I had grabbed at the last minute.

"Ah, lass," Mr. McNally greeted me when I clambered on board. "I was wondering when I'd see you again. Doris had her young one. I was going to pop around to tell you."

My eyes lit up when I smiled. A baby! The scientists usually gave the orcas silly names like L25 or something stupid like that. But Mr. McNeil and I had given them proper names. This was their territory and we were merely guests. Doris was the matriarch of the pod that frequented our little bay and beyond. And a new baby was exciting. Orcas were an endangered species and nothing made me angrier than any of them in captivity. I set the couch on fire by accident when I watched Blackfish. Although Daniel was trying his level best to compete with that. I didn't even know why I was mad at him if I was being honest with myself, and I refused to give Lewis's theory any merit. I was not into him.

As I helped Shane get the boat ready to leave, ice flooded my veins at Mr. McNeil's next words.

"Ah, Mr. Blake! Just in time! We were about to push off."

I whipped around from port side as Daniel pulled himself on board.

You have got to be kidding me!

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Seamus. I couldn't pass up seeing a baby!"

"What are you doing here?" I growled. "Get off. This is my boat."

"Good morning, Zoe," he said with a bright smile, his stupid green eyes twinkling when he looked at me. "It's good to see you too and technically, it's Mr. McNeil's boat and I'm an invited guest. "

"Daniel here overheard me telling Gloria about the baby and I invited him along this morning," Mr. McNeil explained, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil.

Daniel flashed me a devastating smile and I hated how delicious he looked in fitted dark blue jeans, black hoodie and peacoat. I hadn't realized what he had brought with him until he started handing out coffees.

I stared at the stamp on the takeaway cup he offered me and narrowed my eyes. "Gloria's isn't even open yet."

"Correct. But she did me a favor and now I owe her one. People can be very accommodating when you're nice to them."

I knew he didn't mean to, but his words sliced deep. I wasn't friendly. I wasn't nice . And yet the people in this town didn't let that get to them. Still, I had kept my distance and I highly doubted that Gloria would open early just for me.

He thrust the cup at me again when it was clear I wasn't going to take it. But I wasn't an idiot, I'd never refuse free coffee. I was pretty confident that he wouldn't get my order right. He probably got something dumb like an Americano with no milk or sugar. So I was completely annoyed when the smooth flavors of caramel and vanilla hit my taste buds. I grimaced when my chest twisted painfully. Marcus had never bothered getting my coffee order correct, and it seemed Daniel had gone out of his way to do so. Maybe he was just trying to sweeten me up. Well, it wouldn't work.

With a wink and a self-satisfied smirk, Daniel walked off to where Mr. McNeil stood at the helm and my insides did several cartwheels against my will.

"Here you go, Seamus," he said, handing Mr. McNeil his coffee.

"Ah. Bless you, my boy. A good lad," he replied, thumping Daniel on the back. Of course Shane looked at him like he hung the fucking moon. Why did everyone just love him instantly? Begrudgingly, I wondered what that even felt like. And Seamus? How could he be so disrespectful? Calling an older man by his first name like that? Didn't they teach manners in England?

Grumbling under my breath about the unwelcome company, I made my way to my spot on the prow and dug underneath the bench, pulling out the wooly blanket that Mr. McNeil always kept for me. Even dressed in jeans, thick socks, boots and a hoodie, I still wrapped myself up in the thick blanket and let the warmth of the coffee cup seep into my hands. Despite being the middle of summer, it was cold out on the water, especially before the sun had risen. I hoped that Daniel would stay up at the helm with the captain, but of course, I would have no such luck.

"May I join you?" His low, rough voice caressed my skin and I tugged the blanket tighter at the shiver that wracked my body.

I was too tired to fight with him this morning. Everything was catching up to me and it was exhausting being so angry all the time. So I nodded once in reply. And to my utter surprise, he just sat there. Not a single taunt passed his lips. And I found his company… nice. Which was unsettling to say the least. I snuggled deeper into the blanket not wanting to spoil whatever flimsy truce this seemed to be.

The evergreen forests passed us as we left the bay, the rumble of the boat's engine the only thing breaking the silence. I took a deep, calming breath of the salty air as the gray of early morning gave way to pastel pinks and bruising purples as the sun rose.

"Gorgeous," Daniel whispered. I startled when he spoke. I'd forgotten he was here and when I glanced at him he was staring at me and not the rising sun. I blinked, feeling like my last brain cell died when I looked at his handsome face. His strong jaw had a light dusting of scruff and it should be illegal for a man to have such long lashes. What did they even need them for? Like he was a statue carved by Michaelangelo. Absolutely unfair.

"You're even more beautiful in this light," he whispered, with sincerity in his eyes. It scared the fuck out of me. I turned back to look at the open ocean. I didn't know what to do with that, so I did nothing.

"Orcas on the horizon," Mr. McNeil called out, just as the piercing whistle rent through the air.

I hopped up, the blanket dropping from my shoulders as I scanned the open ocean for the distinct dorsal fin gliding through the water. When it crested, followed by several more and then a tiny one, tears misted my eyes. They were so majestic and wild. Gripping the edge of the boat, I leaned forward trying to get closer. An arm wrapped around my waist pulling me back into a hard, warm body.

"Don't want you falling in," Daniel said softly. He let go before I could reply and my icy heart thawed a smidge at the look of awe on his face. He couldn't tear his eyes away and the hurt slipped in. Even living in this town, Marcus could never understand my obsession with orcas. He'd scoff and say I had to get over my Free Willy phase. But how could you not be in awe of these magnificent creatures?

"They're amazing," he said softly.

"That's Doris," I pointed out. "Can you see how her dorsal fin curves slightly? But she has two nicks at the very top. She has an open saddle. You see that white patch just beneath her dorsal? It has a black streak through it. That's how we know it's her. Then there are the twins, Port and Starboard. Their dorsals list to the left and right. They're juvenile males."

"You've named them?"

I nodded. "Shane came up with the twins' names. But yeah. This is their ocean, they just tolerate us. "

His hand rested on the edge of the boat, our fingers an inch apart. I could so easily reach out and touch him. The thought made me pull back. I reached for the fallen blanket and wrapped it around my body like an extra layer of armor. I was on uneven ground here. I didn't know how to be around him if I wasn't spitting venom. But this was my happy place, and I didn't want to taint it. So I would play nice.

After a long silence, he asked, "What are you going to name the baby?"

"Guess we should give the newbie the honors," I said softly, keeping my eyes on the orcas as they breached the water. I could feel him staring. His eyes burned the side of my face as he looked at me. But I couldn't meet them. I'd break.

And I didn't want to.

I couldn't.

"I don't know if it's a boy or a girl," he replied, turning back to watch the whales swimming close to us. "How do you know?"

"Well, with babies it's hard to tell unless we get to see its belly. I'd go with a unisex name for now. Or something that can distinguish it."

We stood together in silence for a long time. Eventually the twins started performing, breaching and landing with a big splash. A big laugh escaped me. I loved this so much. The look on Daniel's face was one of utter shock.

"What?" I asked, a big smile still on my face.

"I didn't think you knew how to laugh," he said.

I shoved him playfully to the side.

"Hey, watch it! I don't want to be orca food!"

"Orcas don't eat humans, idiot."

"Do they know that?"

I laughed again at his wide panic-filled eyes. Up close, I could see some flecks of light brown in the green of his irises.

"Fuck, that's a gorgeous sound. "

My cheeks reddened and I looked away.

"You can name it Giggles," I said.

"No. That's a ridiculous name," he said, and I smiled but kept from laughing.

"What about Rebel? Or Renegade?"

"Rebel?" I asked.

"Yeah. Kinda like you. You march to the beat of your own drum. I like that about you," he said gently, as if he was afraid of my reaction. Guilt twisted in my gut. I had no reason to treat him the way I did, other than to keep him at arm's length. I couldn't let anyone close.

I turned away, because despite the chill of the salty ocean air, my cheeks were blazing. Pulling the blanket up so that it covered half my head, I watched the baby orca swim close to its mother.

"And it's a unisex name. Could work for either," he continued on as if he hadn't just tilted my world off its axis.

"Rebel's a good name," I replied.

Once the fishing nets were full and Daniel had helped Shane and his grandfather with their haul, we were back on dry land by ten a.m.

I laughed at Daniel when he wobbled down the boardwalk, and my tummy fluttered when he laughed right back. I hated how easy it was to laugh with him. Hated how his laugh made me feel. Now that we were back to real life, I had to put my barriers back up.

We walked in an increasingly uncomfortable silence back toward town. Maybe it was just me feeling this way because Daniel seemed so comfortable in his skin. I envied him for the way he moved through the world. The easy smiles he gave people as we passed them, asking after their families as if he had lived here his whole life and wasn't a newcomer in town. He just radiated joy. And here I trudged beside him like a little storm cloud. I was so lost in my depressing thoughts that it shocked me when a large man shoulder checked him, making him stumble .

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" I yelled.

"Zoe, it's okay." Daniel's large hand landed on my shoulder as if he was holding me back, but I could sense a quiet sort of violence thrumming beneath the surface.

"No. It's not," I seethed then spun around to face the bulky man who glowered at Daniel. "What the fuck, Axel? Are you so incompetent that you don't know how to walk?"

I recognised the stupid oaf that stood before us. He was one of Ben's pack and as bright as a light bulb that had just fused.

"Newcomers really should pay their respects when they stroll into someone else's territory," he said.

"Oh, go piss on someone else's tree, you Neanderthal."

His glare swung to me, violence brewing behind his muddy brown eyes. Axel had at least a foot and a bit on me, and was as wide as a truck, but he didn't scare me. I stepped forward, tipping my chin up to look him in the eye.

"Fucking try me, Axel. I've been having a shit month and I would love nothing more than to send you back to Ben whimpering like a puppy."

He actually growled at me, his eyes flashing yellow and I laughed. I laughed right in his stupid face. My magic thrummed under my skin, the most I'd felt it in a while. Electricity crackled between my fingers and he glanced down at them.

"Boo!" I said, making him jump and I cackled when he stumbled.

"This isn't over," he hissed at Daniel with narrowed eyes.

"Very original, Axel," I yelled at his retreating back. "Try to be less like a cartoon villain!"

I glanced at Daniel who was frowning at him.

"What was that about?" I asked.

Turning on his heel, he sauntered on without a care in the world. "Nothing. "

"Um, no. That was not nothing."

He raised his eyebrows then smirked at me. "You worried about me, Zoe?"

I rolled my eyes. "Forget it," I said, stomping away. "Keep your secrets. I'm not your friend, and don't get the impression otherwise."

I didn't need to get involved in werewolf business. Let the dogs fend for themselves.