Under A Latent Moon (A Werewolf Tale)

Chapter 10

"Why wouldn't I?"

Silence over the line. "Well, I've come to notice your...attachment."

Surprise had him hesitating. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, Will, I've seen it."

"I am her trainer." He said through tight lips. "That is all."

Cam dropped it. "Never mind. There's no way you'd fall for her. Forget I said anything." He coughed awkwardly. "I'll train Harley for you, no problem."

Will resisted the urge to growl down the line. His wolf had begun to fidget inside of him, the inner beast agitated for some reason. "Thanks."

He hung up the line after that.

If he wanted to make good on his promise, he'd have to get packing soon. But he couldn't even think about leaving until this report had the final stamp. The deadline given to him pack was tomorrow, and if he would be traveling then he had to get his shit together.

He sighed and got to work.

~

Will met up with Harley around lunchtime.

She sat at the large dining room table, munching on dry fruit loops, her eyes tracing her paperback.

Amused, Will took a moment to compose himself. "I think you're missing the milk."

Harley jerked in surprise, scattering cereal pieces onto the table. Instead of glaring up at him, she frowned at the mess. "Dang."

Laughter bubbled up in his chest, but he choked it down. "Maybe you should've gotten some actual lunch that isn't so...aerodynamic."

She finally looked up at him, some of her brown hair snaking in front of her face. "Good afternoon to you too, Will." She said, pulling that chunk of hair behind her ear. "Have you come to torture me more?"

The corner of his mouth twitched. He would not grin. He would not grin. "Training is hardly torture. If I wanted to torture you, you'd know it."

Irritation flashed quick over her face. The amount of satisfaction he got from aggravating her astounded him. There was just something fun about teasing her.

"I think you underestimate your routines, captain." She gave him a lazy salute.

"Then it might make you happy to know that I won't be here for training for a couple of days."

Instead of being happy like he'd predicted, Harley tilted her head to the side. Did she realize how much of a wolfish gesture that was?

Interesting. Had she picked that up on her own, or did some part of her suppressed wolf influence her? "Where are you going?"

He sat down in the chair next to her, snagging a stray fruit loop. The sugar burst over his tongue as he crunched. "I have some hunting business to take care of two states over. But don't worry, I've given Cameron a list of all the workouts. He's under strict order to keep you in shape while I'm gone."

Her dark eyebrows came together. "What's happening two states over?"

He shrugged. "I won't know until I check it out. Could be nothing."

"But it could be something." She pushed her book away from her. "You'll be careful, right?"

Now that he knew she was worried, he could see the signs: the slight downward curve of her mouth, the way she chewed at the inside of her bottom lip, and how her hand clutched at the silver butterfly necklace around her throat.

His wolf whined at the thought of distressing her, and that fact alone made him uncomfortable. "I've done this quite a few times." He assured her and himself. "Nothing to worry about."

She stayed quiet for a moment, her fingers messing with the corner of the open page of her book. "I knew you were a rogue hunter." She admitted softly, not quite meeting his eyes. "But for some reason I never thought about how often you have to go out and—" She stopped.

"Harley—"

Finally she met his eyes. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel distressed at the hollowness behind them. "Just don't end up like Mathias."

"I won't." He said, caught up in the way her eyes revealed just how much the past had an effect on her. "I promise."

Now he just had to keep it.