How to Survive a Werewolf Romance

Chapter 29: Nothing Here is Simple

Unsurprisingly, she was sitting on one of the couches crying her eyes out. What did surprise me was that Kayla had somehow beat me there, and she was patting Jane's back comfortingly. <How did you get here so fast?>

<I'm a ninja.>

I rolled my eyes, since Jane wasn't looking up and there was no one around to see my terribly uncouth behaviour besides Kayla. Even if my etiquette tutor was secretly grading me, he would never exhibit such terrible behaviour as coming in here. I went to the couch and sat on Jane's other side.

<I was coming out when she came in. I assume this means it didn't go very well. Please tell me he's not another Wilson.>

<Only slightly, he's apparently already married to his job.>

<Oh. Well, I didn't see that coming. What wolf puts their work before their mate? Is he only part?>

<I think he's full-blooded, but who knows nowadays?>

Jane sniffed. "I just don't understand him. Why wasn't he happy to meet me? Is there something wrong with me?"

I shook my head and said firmly, "Definitely not. Any sane wolf would be thrilled to find out you were their destiny. But even though he follows me around, I don't know him that well. Really all I know is that he's huge but somehow also fades into the background."

She laughed shakily. "Explains why he was so difficult to find." Then she sniffled again. "Why doesn't he want me?"

I paused. "He didn't exactly say he didn't want you. Sorry, but I could hear everything."

"Of course you could, I knew you'd be able to. But you saw the look on his face."

"I don't know if you can go by that, I'm not sure his facial muscles move. I bet he scowls on his happiest days." Kayla added helpfully.

Jane laughed again. "Well, this sucks, but it could be worse, I guess. He could be Wilson."

Just as Jane spoke, the door swung open. With my recent terrible luck, I assumed it would be my sister, and then we'd have two crying wolves on our hands. To my short-lived relief it was not Ellen, but rather Fleur and Serenity. The two both looked gorgeous as always, but I wasn't fooled. The drama hounds were running amok tonight.

"Oh my goodness, what's wrong?" Serenity asked the moment she spotted Jane. "Is it your mate?"

Jane sniffled. "How'd you know?"

Serenity laughed lightly. "Well, they're always causing problems, aren't they?"

Kayla paused. "But your mate is really nice, isn't he?"

She scoffed. "Oh yes, he's perfectly nice to everyone, but with me it's all brooding and criticism." She paused. "I'm not saying I don't love him, but he's just so..."

I patted Jane's shoulder. In my opinion, her situation was far worse than Serenity's, but I didn't think arguing would help. Plus, Serenity meant well.

"So, who is it?" Serenity asked. "I mean, if you don't mind saying."

Jane shrugged. "Anne's guard."

Her shock would have been comical. "The huge silent one?"

Jane nodded.

"Don't tell anyone," I cautioned. Even if Jane wasn't thinking about it now, having rumours flying before they'd figured everything out would be terrible.

Fleur had been quiet throughout the exchange, but she asked softly, "What is the problem, then?"

Jane sighed. "He's too dedicated to his job or something. He was totally conflicted. Here I am, ready to drop everything to be with him, and he needs time to figure this out. It's not rocket science."

"Heck, it's not even algebra," I muttered. What was it with these men who couldn't add one plus one and get two? Why couldn't they just all be more like Arthur?

Jane laughed a little. "Well, screw him. I don't need a man."

"They're more trouble than they're worth, anyway," Serenity agreed. "I miss the single life."

Fleur sighed and placed her hand on her gently rounded stomach. She probably felt the same, with all her possessive alpha troubles.

Jane's eyes were red-rimmed when she looked over at me and then Kayla. "You two are so lucky. Prince Arthur seems amazing, and I know that Rory is a wonderful mate, Kayla."

"Rory's not perfect, but yeah," Kayla agreed. Normally she never had a bad thing to say about him, but she was probably trying to be sensitive.

Jane nodded. "That's all I wanted. Just some nice, normal guy who would just want me back. I didn't need an alpha, or a dedicated royal guard, or anything fancy like that. Just something sweet and simple and wonderful like what all our parents have." She wasn't wrong. Most of the couples in our pack had wonderful quiet happily-ever-afters going on as we spoke. Almost all the drama was in the ranked wolves...and the people who knew them.

I met her sad eyes. "I think I've dragged you into the royal orbit with me, and nothing here is simple. But at least this restroom is nice."

She smiled a my sad attempt at humour, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

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Author's Note:

Is approximately ninety percent of the reason Jane exists so that I could make a werewolf-mates-constantly-smelling-like-food stroke joke?

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