Duran was absent for the entire week, so Saturday came much sooner than expected. Maybe he wouldn't come back. One could only hope. But it didn't matter because today, I was going to meet Rusty's family for the first time! Now that we were becoming closer friends, I was curious to see the town where he grew up as a child.
Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, but I wanted to leave a good impression, so I changed into a pink pleated dress and fastened my favorite toggle coat. Lastly, I slipped into a pair of fur-lined boots and hurried out of my tower to meet up with Rusty. His familiar black Jeep Wrangler was already parked outside of the gate, and he leaned against the door with his arms crossed.
"Hey, Rusty!" I picked up the pace and rushed to his side. "I can't wait to meet your family."
"Trust me, they're more excited than you," he joked.
"Really?" A grin crossed my face.
I could have sworn he blushed. "Yeah. Anyway, hop in."
He opened the door for me, so I slid into the passenger's seat. He then sat behind the wheel, and we cruised down the familiar road. Once again, his tail rested on the glovebox and gently brushed my hand. His fur touched the thermos in his cupholder.
"So, can you not fit your tail in your seat?" I asked.
"No. If it's botherin' you, I can just sit on it. Or roll down the window and let it fly in the wind."
"No!" I objected, a little too eagerly. "I don't mind. Really."
He narrowed his coppery eyes at me. "You wanna pet it, don't you?"
I froze. "Nooo . . ."
He then blushed and shifted his gaze to the road. "I don't mind. But only you can do that."
Really? He trusted me that much? I couldn't believe we had reached the petting phase, so I stroked his fluffy blonde fur with my fingers.
"Wow. That feels nice. Thanks."
"No problem." Suddenly, my finger touched a firm bead that turned out to be an enormous tick, so I plucked it off his tail. "Oh, no! A tick."
His shoulders slumped. "Seriously? I swear, I don't normally have ticks, but you always find the one that jumped on right before I come and see you."
"Well, that's why you need me. To pluck off the bugs." I then rolled down the window and flung the tick into the deadly wind.
He just laughed and continued to drive down the mountainous road. The dense pine trees towered to the sunny blue sky, but soon, we took a left and emerged into a town similar to Howling Oaks. The rustic cabins blended into the surrounding woodland, and snow-capped mountains soared over the horizon. Eventually, we passed a moon-shaped sign that read: MOONLIGHT PEAKS.
Werewolves were strolling down the weathered cobblestone and carrying wicker baskets of fresh produce. The older ladies donned crochet shawls and long dresses while the men dressed in baggy pants and jackets. The teenage girls, however, strutted around in ripped skinny jeans and t-shirts of their favorite screamo bands. I even caught a glimpse of Ms. Wolfsbane from our Lycanthropic Lore class! The leopard-print stilettos were noticeable from a mile away.
The town may have looked small, but there were several steakhouses brimming with customers. However, all the log cabins disappeared when we drove into downtown, which was full of graffitied metal buildings. Teen wolves were skateboarding down the cracked sidewalk, and others spray-painted the dumpsters.
The abrupt contrast made me do a doubletake. There was even a cheesy arcade that must have been built in the '80s. The orange metal roof was lined with colorful strip lights, and a cheesy neon sign in the shape of an arrow pointed to the faded red door. The walls looked like purple scraps of tin tackily nailed together. I could only imagine what kind of games were on the inside.
"Wow, this part of town is a little shady," I mentioned.
His ears flopped in embarrassment. "Yeah, it gets torn up every full moon. The nice part of town is where the log cabins are. The elders keep it clean."
"So, is there a lot of crime on the full moon . . .?" I worried.
"Well, it's really not against the law to tear up this part of town. Otherwise, they'd have to arrest everybody, so they gave up. But it's not completely dangerous—at least not to me. But I wouldn't suggest you come down here."
"So, do you like tearing up the town, too?" I curiously asked.
"Oh, maybe my first year. But I don't do that anymore."
"Well, that's good. Y'know, some guys like to vandalize the towns in my world, too."
"Yeah, but your world's bigger. You don't have to look at it every day."
"Yeah, but there were some pretty shady parts where I lived."
"You always try to make me feel better." He then smiled. "Thanks. It's just embarrassing, I guess." He cleared his throat. "So, what are your people like?"
"People?"
"Y'know, family."
"Well, I just live with my Aunt Christie."
He shot me a glance. "How's she?"
"Good—last time I saw her anyway. She paints for a living."
"Well, maybe I can meet her one day if that's okay with you."
I smiled, feeling warm inside.
"So . . . you got parents? I'm sorry, is that rude?"
"It's okay. And yeah, they're alive. I haven't seen them since last Christmas."
He looked shocked at first. "Why?"
"They travel a lot and go on vacation."
His face twisted in what looked like disgust. "Seriously? Without you?"
I nodded.
"Why?"
I could tell he was being careful not to say anything offensive, but it was obviously upsetting him because he gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.
"It's just easier," I explained. "And they don't like paying for the extra plane ticket if it's not necessary. Plus, their marriage counselor said that the key to improving their relationship is to spend time together."
"Maybe if they wouldn't dump their kid off, they wouldn't have marriage problems."
I just chuckled. "Well, they almost got divorced last year, but then they went to Singapore on a cruise for failing marriages and worked things out."
"Well, I can see why they have problems. They don't spend time with the best thing that ever happened to 'em." I could have sworn he had an angry blush on his face. Even the fur on his tail stiffened as his ears jerked up. "I'm sorry, Millie, I know we're not together-together, but just the short time I've spent with you . . . I can't imagine life without you. So, it just burns me up that they're treatin' you this way."
For some reason, his statement made me feel appreciated. No one had ever said anything so nice about me.
I gazed up at him with a strange yet tender feeling inside. "Thanks, Rusty. That means a lot. But if it makes you feel better, my grandpa checked in on me every couple of weeks."
"Really? What's he like?"
"His name's Henry, and he's pretty much senile. He's been preparing for the end of the world for probably twenty years, and he hates my dad, who's his son. And he thinks my mom's a flake. But he cares a lot about me."
"Well, at least he cares. Maybe I can meet him, too."
I shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, I don't think you wanna do that."
"Why? What's wrong with him?" he bluntly asked.
"Well, he's really superstitious for some reason. I mean, he thinks Princess and the Pea is demonic. And Santa. And Bigfoot."
He sighed. "Great."
I just giggled, but then my body jerked forward as the jeep hit a bump. Now, we were driving down a narrow dirt road through the densely shaded forest. Rusty pulled up in front of a small two-story log cabin with a side balcony. An oaken windchime with a crescent moon dangled from the porch, and there was even a cute cedar doghouse in the front yard.
I clasped my hands together. "Aww, you have a puppy?"
"No. That's where Dad sleeps."
My jaw dropped. "Seriously?"
He cracked a smile. "Nah, I'm just messin' with ya. But seriously, Mom has forced him to sleep in it before."
The lifestyle of a werewolf was so strange. Sadly, they didn't live much differently than my corgi.
Rusty turned off the engine and hopped out of the jeep. He kindly opened the door for me, so I pressed my feet to the gravelly driveway. The essence of fresh pine lingered in the autumn breeze.
"Rusty?!" a sickly-sweet voice shrilled from the house.
A woman with a blonde choppy bob opened the flimsy front door. Like Rusty, she had wolf ears and a fluffy tail, but she was actually pretty fashionable (in a trashy sort of way). She donned flared skin-tight jeans and a low-cut tank top of black satin. She struggled to walk in her platform stilettos.
"Oh, is she your sister?" I whispered.
Rusty groaned. "Unfortunately, no." He then dug his hands in his pockets. "Hey, Mom."
"Rusty! You didn't return my calls!" she screeched.
"I come home every weekend! Isn't that good enough? I'm busy."
"You didn't come home last weekend!"
"I texted Dad," he shot back.
"That is no excuse! He tells me nothing!" If it weren't for her high heels, she'd probably storm right up and smack him upside the head. But instead, she got distracted . . . by me. Her reddish-brown eyes widened. "Wait, you must be . . .? Millie?! The human girl?!"
"Wait, I didn't tell you her name," Rusty muttered.
"Oh, she's been the talk of the town! Anyway, what kind of boyfriend are you for making her wait around?! Come! Come inside!" She clacked back into the living room while trying to keep her balance.
He tried to hide a blush and chased after her. "We're not dating!"
Yep. This was going to be an interesting weekend, so I followed them both while trying to suppress a snicker. The inside of the cabin was actually pretty homey. The couch was completely covered in yellow fur, but on the bright side, it was L-shaped and looked pretty comfy.
Well, it looked comfy until I realized a furry dude in pajama pants was lounging on the plush cushions. Blonde fur sprouted from every inch of his face, torso, and feet. I didn't even notice him at first because he blended into the hairy upholstery.
"Gah!" I jumped back before I could sit on the guy. Cheese curls were tangled into his matted face.
The weirdo opened one eye and revealed a wolfy grin. "Oh, hey there. I knew if I dreamed long enough, a babe would walk through the door."
My eye twitched. "I'm sixteen."
At that, the guy started choking on his cheese curls and shot off the couch. "Hyugh! Koff!" He banged his furry chest with his fist. "Sorry. I swear, I'm not a perv."
Rusty snarled. "Yeller! Get out! Turn human and put on some clothes! And get a job while you're at it."
Yeller? Wow.
"How many times do I gotta tell you?" Yeller countered. "It's Ler."
"Like that's so much better. Now get out!" he demanded.
"Rusty, you know this is the living room," his mother cut in.
"Exactly! So, this isn't his bedroom. He's half-naked in wolf form, so get him outta here! Millie doesn't wanna see all that. I don't wanna see all that!"
His mother sighed. "Now, Yeller, you know Rusty has his human girlfriend here. And we don't wanna make a bad impression, so put on a shirt."
Yeller looked flabbergasted. "Girlfriend? Since when did my baby brother land a mate?"
"Get outta here, you sicko!" Rusty shot back. "We're not datin'! And quit usin' that stupid lingo!"
"Alright, alright. Don't go sheddin' your winter coat already."
Finally, Rusty dug into the couch cushion for a tattered tennis ball. "Yo, idiot! Fetch!"
Yeller's eyes widened. "No—wait!"
But as soon as the ball was thrown out the window, Yeller instinctively ran outside on all fours. Rusty flew to the door and immediately locked him out of the house. His mother just laughed.
"I tried to raise those boys right, but their father encouraged it. Anyway, I'm Rusty's mom. Feel free to call me Lulu."
Rusty slumped his shoulders. "I told you we got freakish dog names."
"Now, Rusty, I told you plenty of times. Be proud of your pedigree," she scolded.
"It's not the pedigree I got a problem with!" he snapped.
"Wait, you're a purebred?" I gasped.
He cringed. "It's not what it sounds like. My parents weren't cousins or anything. It just means our families have never intermarried with humans or other species."
"But no pressure, sug," Lulu chirped, grinning at me. "Feel free to break tradition with this one." She nodded at her son.
Rusty's eye twitched. "Okay, we're leavin'. I don't even know why I brought you here today."
"Oh, no! Don't be an ungrateful, little brat! This is my first time meeting Millie, and we got tons to catch up on." She then winked at me, nearly causing a whirlwind with her fake eyelash.
Rusty gave me a pleading look of desperation. "You don't have to feel obligated. We can leave."
Of course, I shook my head. "Why would I leave? I wanna get to know your family!"
He sighed. "That's what I feared. Okay, well, no suffocatin' her, Mom. And don't bring up the fact that she's human!"
"Why? Is she ashamed of it?" She smirked.
"No! Just quit makin' an issue of it!"
"Oh, I see. I'll be as good as gold." She then sashayed into the small rustic kitchen. "C'mon, Millie. You can help me in the kitchen. I bet these pups are hungry."
Speaking of pups, a little toddler boy who looked like a miniature version of Rusty pawed at my legs. His long tongue flopped out of his mouth as he panted feverishly. "Head pat!"
Aww, what an adorable little boy. But his words confused me. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" I softly asked.
"Head pat!" He then barked, which caused me to flinch.
"Terry! You're not a dog!" Rusty chided, pinning his ears back.
"Don't give him an identity crisis! It's just a phase," his mother cooed. "Go on, Millie. He won't bite."
"He's already got an identity crisis 'cuz Yeller won't stay human!"
"We're not human," Yeller shot back as he came through the back door with the ball (that was now covered in drool). "And besides, what's the point? I can't get a girlfriend anyway."
Terry wagged his little tail and beamed with a goofy grin. "Head pat!"
With a smile, I leaned down and stroked his head of coarse blonde hair. He cutely tilted his head and shut his eyes in contentment. But without warning, he sprung into my arms and gave me a big hug.
"Woah!" I swiftly caught him and giggled. It was like hugging a fluffy puppy—except he was half-human, of course.
"Sorry, he's shameless," Rusty muttered, embarrassed.
"Oh, I don't mind," I reassured, jumping to my feet. "I don't have any siblings, so it's kind of fun."
His ears drooped in embarrassment, but then Lulu cut in with a mischievous grin. "Sooo, you're saying you like children?"
"Mom!" he seethed through gritted teeth. "We're in high school!"
"What? I wasn't implying anything. But you know, there is a doggy daycare looking for new babysitters if you're ever interested."
"Great! Take him!" Rusty pried the boy out of my arms and handed him back to his mother.
"Oh, they won't let him attend. You know how they are." She then reached into a jar on the coffee table, pulled out a milk bone, and fed it to little Terry. He chewed with a satisfied smile.
Rusty face-palmed. "See, this is what the problem is. Quit feedin' him that junk."
Lulu giggled. "But he loves it! See? Look at that face."
Terry's chocolate eyes mimicked the ones of a poor puppy dog.
"Besides, since when do you hate your favorite snack?" she challenged.
Rusty glanced at me as his face turned red. "I never liked 'em!"
Yeller scoffed as he dug into a ziplocked bag of bacon bits. "Yeah, right. You only quit eatin' those things 'cuz of Millie since you don't want her to think you're a dog."
"You don't know what you're talkin' about! You're never around me."
"Dude, we've been sharin' a room since we were kids."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Rusty. I won't judge you for what you eat."
"Look, I never wanted to give in to the feral instincts," he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Oh, yes. That's why I never let you eat raw meat, dear. But these little treats are harmless." Lulu teeheed.
"Look at the boy! He's on all fours!" Rusty pointed to the toddler who was chasing his tail.
"If you didn't know, dear, all babies crawl first."
"He's four years old! You taught me how to stand by then. You're just lazy now."
"Well, you wore me out, dear!" she snapped. "With all that yapping. You know, kind of like what you're doing now."
"Yo, dog-brain, quit embarrassin' Mom in front of your girlfriend," Yeller snarked. "You're just tryna show us up."
"We're not dating—! Ugh, whatever." Rusty crossed his arms and pouted.
"Oh, really? Then what's takin' ya so long?" he taunted.
"Yeller, pipe down!" Lulu scolded. "Do you wanna sleep in the doghouse tonight?"
His ears fell flat. "Ugh. Sorry, Mom."
Honestly, seeing this exchange between Rusty and his mother was kind of hilarious.
"Good. Now, you two know better than to argue in front of company." Lulu touched up her golden hair, smiling sweetly. "As I was saying. Millie, why don't you help out with dinner? Then we can get to know each other a little better."
I peppily nodded. "Sure!"
Rusty looked reluctant to leave, but he shuffled up the wooden staircase connected to the wall. Yeller threw himself on the couch once more, and a cloud of yellow fur erupted into the air. I still couldn't believe how much fur covered his entire body. Honestly, it was kind of gross. Rusty didn't sprout hair when he turned into a werewolf . . . thankfully.
Lulu tied a frilly apron around her waist with a picture of a Cocker Spaniel wearing a chef hair.
"Tonight, we're having bacon-wrapped filet migon," she cooed. "With peanut butter brownies for dessert. Is that alright with you, dear?"
"Wait, really?!" Yeller yelled from the couch. "Ugh! I'm in heaven!"
"Yeah, yeah, now can it!" she screeched, revealing her inner she-wolf. "And no supper for you until you phase back! I will not have you shed all over the table again!"
"But Ma! It's gettin' harder to phase back!"
"That's 'cuz you're lazy!" she huffed with her hands on her hips.
"But the vet said I got Lunar Psyche Disorder!"
"Nonsense! There's no such thing. He's just a quack. Now, go take a shower, and you better phase before I see you again!" she ordered.
"Okay . . . fine." He rose from the couch with much difficulty and slumped to the bathroom.
Honestly, I started to worry if Rusty would ever get to the point if he was unable (or unwilling) to stay human. I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much, so I just pushed the thought out of my mind and turned to Lulu.
She tied her light-colored hair into a high ponytail and proceeded to gather the raw bacon and filet mignon, which she heavily spiced with pepper and paprika. After she was finished, I sliced the meat into bite-sized cubes on a cutting board, and together, we wrapped the pieces in long strips of bacon.
"So, Millie, how did you and Rusty meet?" she asked, curiously swishing her tail.
Her question surprised me. "Oh, we met on the first day of school. I was getting made fun of, so he took up for me."
"Ooh, really? That's not like him at all. He usually never gets involved, so you must be really special to him."
My face warmed up. Was that true? Was I . . . special to Rusty?
"He's kind of a lone wolf, to be honest," she teased. "But y'know, if anyone was gonna go cross-species, it'd be him."
What was that supposed to mean? Actually, I probably knew deep down . . . but of course, I refused to admit it.
"Really? So, does he not like . . .?" I felt too embarrassed to continue the question.
However, she picked up on what I meant and laughed. "Well, it's hard for anyone to like she-wolves these days. They're so vicious—obsessed with dyeing their tails and whatnot. Most of them drop out of elementary school to pursue a life in the woods. Or they go to human school and surgically remove their tails. And the sweet ones are all homeschooled."
Seriously? "Uh . . . why?"
"The mean ones? They're just rebellious. Looking for a life outside of what they call 'the cage.'" She then led me outside and lit the charcoal grill, where she roasted the filet mignon. The essence of applewood chips scented the breeze. "I mean, don't get me wrong, there's plenty of nice young she-wolves, but they aren't allowed near the boys. So, their parents homeschool 'em."
While I stood there, I fidgeted with my skirt. "So, uh . . . has a werewolf and a human ever gotten together?"
Her eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, yes, dear. It has happened. It's just not commonly practiced. We're just so different that most people aren't willing to do what it takes to make it work."
"Well, you guys don't seem too different to me," I admitted. "I mean, you still live in a house and watch TV."
She chuckled and tilted her head. "Just wait 'til the full moon, dear. You'll see what I'm talking about."
I froze. "Is it really that bad?"
"Well, not for us obviously. But people tend to fear what they don't understand. Or weren't raised believing was normal."
The full moon was only in a few days . . . and then all the werewolves would transform into their true form. Including Rusty. But at the same time, I worried about Duran's threat. What if he came back to haunt me on that very day? Rusty made a promise that he'd protect me, but what if his true form prevented him from being there for me?
"Something tells me you're starting to worry," Lulu observed. "About if you two are gonna make it."
I gasped, only to find myself speechless. "Huh?!"
"Oh, don't mind me." She playfully swished her tail. "But I'm here if you need to talk."
Her words were so simple, yet so kind. My own mother had never been there to help me with anything. Not even my homework. So, to know Rusty's mom was willing to lend an ear made me feel warm inside.
". . . I'm just worried that Rusty thinks I only like talking to him because he's a werewolf," I finally admitted. "But I'm also worried that he only wants to talk to me because I'm a human."
"You see, you two got something in common already."
"Huh? What?"
"You're both worrywarts. If you like him and he likes you, what's the problem? Just have fun in your youth. If you break up, you break up. But you'll never know if you never try. I mean, I met tons of wolves that made me wonder, 'Wow. He might have been my soulmate.' But by then, I was already pregnant with our third child, so . . . it was too late for me."
My eye twitched. "Oh. Thanks?"
"Anytime, girl." She then winked.
I refused to share the rest of my feelings with this woman. But honestly, it was easy to talk to her, despite our differences. Either way, I was just too embarrassed to say anything else.
"And . . . voila! Why don't you tell the boys that it's time for dinner?" she requested.
I awkwardly nodded and retreated to the living room. Yeller, to my surprise, was reclining on the couch in human form. He almost looked like a naked mole rat without his fur, but his hair was still just as shaggy. Terry was chewing on a squeaky toy in the shape of a hamburger, and Rusty was reading a dog-eared book.
"You like to read, too?" I gasped, skipping to his side.
He shifted his gaze to me. "Yeah. My mom's got a rule that nobody can disturb ya when you're readin'. So, I read a lot."
The excitement of finding another reader made me beam. "Really? So, what do you like to read?"
He shrugged. "I dunno. Just guy stuff."
"C'mon, Rusty. Be more specific," I badgered.
For some reason, he blushed.
"It's not romance, is it?" I teased.
"Heck, no!" His ears slumped for some reason. "You'll think it's creepy."
"Murder mysteries?"
"I see too much violence in real life. I don't need that." He clammed up at first, but eventually, he admitted, "Y'know, books about humans. No unicorns, fairies, or dragons. And definitely not vampires or werewolves."
"Oh. Like The Great Gatsby?"
He blinked. "No. I mean, like, realistic books. And no classics. Stuff about people who live in modern day, ya know? Teenagers in the human world that don't believe in the fairytales."
Oh, so he only liked books with humans. "Hey, I'm the opposite. I only read fantasy."
He cracked a smile. "So, it's kinda like both of us wanted to live in each other's world."
Wow, he was right. But I couldn't believe he read books. Guys under forty were practically illiterate in my world. Nevertheless, it felt good to meet someone who shared the same hobby.
"Yeah . . . I always read books about werewolves," I sheepishly admitted.
His eyes glinted with excitement. "Then I guess we met for a reason."
My heart swirled at his words. Was it true? Did we really meet for a reason? I couldn't deny this feeling blossoming in my chest. Although we had only known each other for a short while, just being with him made me feel happy. Like the longing for a friend had been soothed by something more.
I hesitated. "So, do you really believe in fate?"
He blushed and looked away. ". . . I'm startin' to."
For just a moment, I wondered . . . was it possible that we were meant to be together? Well, either way, I decided to take Lulu's advice. I was going to cherish our friendship while it lasted.
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Hey, guys! Sorry for the late update, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Thank you so much for the read, and until next time~! ^w^