A WEREWOLF IN OCTOBER - CHAPTER 5 (Line Editing left)

"She's back!"

Arturo took off his headphones and rested them around his neck. His hearing might not be as keen as a werewolf's, but he'd gotten pretty good as zeroing in on interesting conversations. Public ones only, of course. Unless there was an emergency.

He brushed aside the week-old guilt summoned by that thought and concentrated.

"I'll make sure to cook for an extra mouth," Dorothy said from the kitchen, positively bubbly. Arturo smiled despite himself.

"She's holding a cat carrier and she's got that shapeshifter guy with her," Vivian said. Her voice was coming from her room, likely having taken up position by a window. "Do we have any cat food left?"

"I'll go get some if we don't!" Melissa shouted from the living room, forming the third corner of the gossip triangle.

Arturo stared at his computer screen, torn. The pack had been on edge all week, in their own ways. Since Jayla had run off, Lisa had drowned herself in research; Dorothy had cleaned until the bathtubs shone and you could see your reflection in the hallway floor; Melissa had read all course literature for her current term; Vivian had gone out drinking with her coworkers and ended up in three bar brawls. Their excitement now caught Arturo between relief and mounting dread.

Jayla must have come back for a reason. Her bringing the shapeshifter proved that.( Continue reading )

(Chapter 4) - (Chapter 6)