Chapter 16

The moment Ares disappeared into the forest looking for Greta, Charlotte wanted to follow. Grams sensed it, so while she outfitted Derek with a bag full of supplies—blankets, socks, flashlights, matches, even food and water—she also layered Charlotte in one of Gramps’ winter coats and long johns. Footwear proved tricky, as her feet were smaller than Athena’s but larger than Grams’. They had to stuff the toes of Athena’s boots to keep them on. The hat and mittens fit fine.

Bundled and feeling like the Michelin Man, she’d trailed after Derek as he hiked quickly into the woods, following the fading tracks Ares left behind. The snow still came down thick, but the wind had died down, so at least it didn’t sting the face. Visibility remained poor, however, and once they entered the forest, it turned dark, despite it being midafternoon.

As they walked—and Charlotte huffed from the exertion of clomping in oversized gear—she found herself asking, “What’s it like being in a relationship with a werewolf?”

Derek took a second to reply. “Depends on what you mean. Is Athena different from other women I dated? Yes, it’s part of what attracted me to her. But even if she hadn’t been a wolf, I think we would have meshed because it’s her personality I love.”

“You’re not afraid she’ll hurt you when she…” Charlotte paused for lack of a word. “Changes?”

“Werewolves, or lycans as they prefer to be called, aren’t savage beasts.”

“Barry is.”

“But that’s not because of his genetics. He’s an asshole in general.”

“How did you find out about her? I honestly never suspected Barry had another side to him, and we dated for just over a year.”

“There are subtle indications. Athena’s got an excellent sense of smell and insane hearing. She has this thing when she’s excited; her foot will start tapping. And she’s always chasing stuff around the yard.”

“I haven’t noticed any of those things with Ares.”

“Ares does a better job of keeping his wolf side in check.”

“Will your baby be a wolf?”

“Most likely. And I kind of hope so, even as it scares me.”

She glanced at him. “Scares you?”

“Not because I’m worried my child will hurt me, but because others might hurt her.” He paused before saying, “When I met Athena, she’d just escaped a doctor who wanted to out her to the world. Turn her into a celebrity freak. He did awful things to her.”

“Oh shit,” Charlotte whispered, thinking of Greta.

“He’s gone now. However, we’re always conscious of the fact someone else might come looking, might realize there’s something different about Athena and her family.”

“I never suspected Greta was like her father.” She’d seemed completely normal, AKA human.

“Neither did Ares or Athena. It’s not something you can see or smell.”

They kept trudging, until Derek cursed. “Fuck, I can’t see the tracks anymore.” He pulled out his flashlight, they both did, and shone them around. However, the falling snow had obscured the paw prints they’d been following.

“Should we call for them?”

Derek pursed his lips. “I don’t want to distract if they’re fighting or hiding.”

Fighting? It made sense. For some reason as they’d walked, she’d forgotten Barry and his goons also chased Greta. She’d been more intent on finding her daughter.

Cheep.

A chirp drew their gaze to a squirrel sitting on a branch. A squirrel with a white tuft on its head, kind of like the one that leapt from the tree to frazzle Barry.

“This is going to sound strange, but I think I recognize him,” she murmured. “Pretty sure that’s the same squirrel that was in the tree Ares brought over.” The white tuft on its head was quite distinctive.

Derek chuckled. “Well, I’ll be damned. Skippy must have been hiding in it.”

“Skippy?”

“Squirrel that’s been taunting Ares for the past few years. Seems to think the whole tree farm is his domain and gives my boy shit every time he has to cut one down.”

The squirrel chattered before leaping to a branch on a tree slightly ahead and to their left. It glanced back at them and chirped some more.

“Is it just me, or does he want us to follow him?” Derek asked.

Follow a squirrel? Couldn’t be any stranger than her kid being a werewolf.

Hence, they plodded in the direction the squirrel led, with Derek watching the trees intently, enough she asked, “What are you looking for?”

“Trap markers.”

“Er, what?”

“Grams and Gramps don’t like intruders, and so they have the forest kind of booby-trapped.”

Charlotte froze in place. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Only if you don’t know what to look for.” He pointed to a tree with a nick in its bark. “That means there’s a snare, so keep to the left.”

She eyed the spot suspiciously as they passed. “How many of them are there?”

“Not as many as there used to be. Gramps has been slowly dismantling them because of Athena. Wants her to have a safe place to run when the full moon comes. So far, he’s disarmed the northern and western parts of our property. But this southern section still has a few.”

And her child and Ares and Athena were out here with them!

The squirrel kept them in sight, leaping from branch to branch until it stopped and chattered.

“I think we’re just about there. We should turn off our flashlights until we know what’s happening,” Derek suggested. They crept forward, her heart racing, her breath huffing and steaming. They paused to listen but heard nothing. Saw even less.

Derek finally whispered, “Doesn’t sound like there’s anyone there.”

“What do you mean?” Had the squirrel led them wrong?

Derek flipped on his light and forged ahead with her huffing to keep up with her own bobbing light.

When they emerged into a small clearing, it took a moment for their flashlights to steady enough to see.

In the glare, they saw them, three wolves, the two larger beasts keeping the little one tucked between them. A little pup that stared at her with big eyes.

Until that moment, Charlotte had not been sure how she’d react. Her child was a lycanthrope. A werewolf. A beast that liked to hunt—and kill. An anomaly that would be in danger if the wrong people—aka the government—ever found out.

But the little wolf was also Greta. Her sweet baby girl who’d been a blessing and a joy. Seeing her, tiny body shaking, eyes big and sad with trepidation, Charlotte realized she was still the same baby she’d always loved.

“Munchkin!” She dropped to her knees and held out her arms, and the little wolf barreled across the snow and slammed into her.

Charlotte laughed as she fell on her butt in the snow with Greta atop her, tail wagging, body wiggling, tongue licking the salty tears from her chapped cheeks. She’d not even realized she’d begun crying.

“Goodness, you’re a squirmy little puppy. Does this mean you’re going to stop asking for a dog?” she quipped.

The wolf puppy suddenly transformed into a very naked child, who replied, “I’d rather have a squirrel.”

“Of course, you would.” Charlotte laughed.

“Here, put this on.” Derek had the pack open and pulled forth some clothes. Charlotte dressed her child, keeping her focus on Greta rather than the other two wolves, one of them quite large.

Sweater, pants, socks, boots, coat, hat, mitts. Soon Greta was dressed and grimacing. “It’s so much harder to move in this. I should have stayed a wolf.”

Derek had left her side to deal with Athena, who also transformed to get dressed, leaving only Ares in wolf shape. He sported thick dark fur, unlike his sister’s snowy coat and Greta’s grayish one, his size more on par with a pony than a dog, which made sense given his weight as a man. He eyed her warily. With reason. He knew how she felt about Barry—and why. Barry had been a sadistic killer. A bully. A fraud who’d hidden his dark side.

But Ares wasn’t anything like him.

Ares had been nothing but kind to her. Had taken care of them. Had charged into danger to save her child.

It took less nerve than expected to approach him. To reach out and stroke the hair on his head.

“Scratch him behind his ears if you wanna get his leg thumping,” Athena stated.

With that advice, she did, and not only his leg went nuts, but his tail did, too. Greta joined her, murmuring, “Ares saved me, Mama. Him and Athena.”

“I know. I owe them my deepest gratitude.”

Greta hugged the giant wolf. “He’s a hero. Wish he was my dada.”

Speaking of whom, while Charlotte spotted some red splotches in the snow, and two dead wolves, neither appeared to be Barry.

She glanced at Athena and mouthed, Where’s Barry?

Athena’s lips moved. Dead.

Good. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about him coming after Greta anymore. As for the fall-out if his body were discovered… She’d deal with it if and when it happened. Was it wrong to feel relief her child’s father had perished? Probably, but she honestly didn’t care, not after what he’d done.

A furry head nudged her hand, and the expression in Ares’ eyes spoke to her. You’re safe.

For the first time in a while, she no longer had to run or hide.

“Let’s head back to the house,” Derek stated. “Sorry, bro, but the pack didn’t have room for more stuff, so you’ll have to four-leg it.”

Ares took the lead, trotting with his tail high, unerring in his path but also accommodating. While he could move quickly, a stumping Greta and Charlotte couldn’t. By the time they emerged from the forest, the thick falling snow had tapered to a light sprinkle. Lanterns had been lit and placed outside the house, giving them a warm welcome. Although the heat inside proved to be the best thing of all.

Charlotte hadn’t realized just how cold she was until she began to thaw. She took off the layers and gratefully cradled the cup of hot cocoa with a shot of something that warmed the belly.

Grams had Greta wrapped in a big blanket by the woodstove with a cup of something steamy. Athena rolled her eyes as Derek quietly harangued her. But where was Ares?

She went into the hall to see him slipping up the stairs, a blanket around his hips.

“Why are you sneaking off?”

He glanced at her. “Just getting some clothes.”

“Thank you for what you did.”

“As if I’d let anyone hurt princess.”

“Did you know about…” She couldn’t quite say it.

He shook his head. “My wolf did, but I didn’t clue in what it was telling me.”

“Guess that explains why you bonded so quickly.”

His lips quirked. “You don’t think it was my charm and good looks?”

She laughed. “Oh, that most definitely helped.”

“Are you okay?” he asked in a more serious tone.

“Surprisingly, I think I am.”

“And if I say she might shift again tomorrow night on the full moon…”

She blinked. “I forgot it was coming. You think she’ll do it again so soon?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Some shift on the full moon from birth. Some don’t grow into it until their teens.”

“But she didn’t have a moon today and still changed. All of you did.”

“It’s possible, but not everyone can do it. Most require strong emotions. Like Selene, she shifts when she’s mad. Athena really has to make an effort.”

“Not you?”

“Not me.”

“Will you teach Greta about being a lycanthrope?” She used the new unfamiliar term so as to not insult.

“It would be my pleasure.”

“And me? Will you also show me how to support her?” She paused before softly adding, “And you?”

He forgot about getting dressed as he came back down the few steps to stand in front of her and murmur, “It would be my utmost pleasure.”

She gazed at him. “I’m really happy you stalked me, Ares McMurray.” She said it before she could lose her nerve.

“Me too, Charly.”

He kissed her, a soft sweet and tender kiss interrupted by a child, who hollered, “Mama, Grams is roasting hotdogs in the fireplace. Come see!”

Ares sighed. “Guess I’d better get used to being cock-blocked.”

She stroked his cheek. “Only until she goes to bed.”

Which turned out to not be as early as expected because a child on Christmas Eve had too much hyper energy, not to mention leftover excitement from surviving a day fraught with danger.

Eventually, Greta went to bed—after giving everyone a hug and kiss.

But Charlotte couldn’t quite sneak off with Ares yet. The flurry to wrap the presents—with help—and get them under the tree happened next. Stockings were stuffed. The plate of cookies devoured along with the milk.

Eventually, good nights were said, and as Ares took her hand to lead her upstairs, her heart fluttered. For some reason it felt different this time; she couldn’t have said why. It took his soft smile for it to hit her.

There was nothing standing between her and Ares. No secrets. No more being chased by her past. They could be together.

As the door closed behind them, he held her hands and murmured, “Why are you trembling? Are you afraid of me?”

She shook her head and then said what was in her heart. “On the contrary, I think I love you.”