When I howl, they all come running (On-Hold - sorry!)

When I howl, they all come running -17-

Guys, I know that this might make me sound selfish, but I was a little disappointed with the amount of votes that I received on the last chapter. I mean, this books usually gets at least 30 votes per chapter, but the last one only received 18. It’s a little disheartening.

I mean, did you just not like the last chapter? Are people getting bored with the book? Or are people just reading the chapters but not voting for no particular reason?

I mean, considering that I’ve got 340+ fans, you can understand why I’m a little upset.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When I howl, they all come running -17-

To the west of Denver is a forest that is so secluded that a diverse range if wildlife and forestry roams there freely; undisturbed. Right in the heart of the forest, though, is a small clearing that could barely pass as a clearing at all.

In the center of it is a flat rock that was covered in soft moss and delicate white flowers, and looks like it hasn't been touched in decades.

It was here that the mystery guy and I sat, me pulling my legs to my chest in order to hide my 'feminine' parts, and him still wearing his shorts from earlier.

He pulled of his shirt, holding it out for me. "Here, it's the least I can do,"

“How so?" I asked, gratefully smiling at him as I took the blue shirt and pulled it quickly over my head. The guy was a pretty tall and broad guy, so the shirt covered everything it needed to.

"Well, here I am dragging you out here to tell you about your mother after man-handling you in front of your soon-to-be Alpha," he said, basically exaggerating this whole thing. "I feel like I owe it to your Mum to at least keep you dressed."

I nodded, but I replied to him with a question that's been annoying me. "What's your name?"

"Charlie Maxwell, at your service." He smirked at me slightly, obviously amused by something.

"What's so funny, Charlie Maxwell?" I asked, trying not to admire how normal he seemed. I mean, this dude's from the Relentless pack, yet he acts like a total gentleman. That's more than I can say for his pack brothers.

“You just look and act so much like your mother,” he smiled again, shaking his head in amusement.

“Is that a good or bad thing?” I joked, lighting the already easy mood.

He shrugged. “Depends on what time I see you – your Mum definitely was not a morning person.”

I laughed. “I must be exactly like my mum, then.”

A comfortable silence engulfed the two of us, and we just sat there. I looked around the area, gazing at the moss-covered trees and exotic looking plants. A bird was singing overhead, of which I recognized as a Mockingbird.

“So…” Charlie trailed off, making me give my attention to him. “What do you want to know?”

“How about…” what did I want to know? Oh, yeah, “Why everyone gets so anxious when they find out that Melinda was my mum.”

“Okay, we’ll start there,” he smiled at me. “Well, your mum was – and still is – pretty legendary. She was… different, like you.”

“Different?” I cut in. “How so?”

“Well, she had all the traits of a Werewolf. She had amazing speed, inhuman strength, and other abilities that only shifters get. But, the thing is, she couldn’t actually shift.”