Chapter 11

My lower back burns as I walk into the kitchen after hours of working on an essay due Monday for midterms. I stick my stomach out and press my thumbs into the ache, stretching the opposite way and hearing a much-needed crack.

Mom paces behind the counter island on her phone. "What does that mean? You can't come to dinner?"

I open the pantry and grab a box of crackers, peering over my shoulder at her.

She presses her palm to her forehead. "No, I know, it's fine. Stay, and I'll see you when I get back. I'll tell Dennise you couldn't make it."

I open the box while glancing at her.

"Okay. Bye, Honey."

Her phone drops from her ear.

I pop a cracker into my mouth and ask, "Was that Dad?"

"Yeah, he has to stay late at the lodge, so he can't come to the society dinner with me tonight."

"Oh." My brow furrows. "I know I'm not technically a part of the society, but what if I came with you instead? Everyone already knows me, and I volunteer, and—"

"And Harvey Norwood is going to be there?" She questions and clamps her jutted hip. "Because I can't think of a single rational reason why you would want to sit through a boring society dinner, and before you get all upset saying I'm playing matchmaker again—"

"You're right," I say, and her face falls. "I want to see Harvey."

She holds her phone with both hands. "You do?"

I nod.

"Well, I'm sure the ladies won't mind, and they already accounted for your dad, so... Come. Talk to Harvey. I'm sure he'd much rather talk to you than us."

"What should I wear?"

"Dress nice, if you want. I'll be wearing a skirt, pantyhose, blouse, you know — formal but not too formal."

I close the cracker box. "Okay. What time are we leaving?"

"Will an hour and a half work? We just have to drop Perry off at his friend's house and then we'll be on our way to Dennise and Al's."

"Yeah, that's fine."

Mom smiles through her eyes. "Okay, great. I'm glad you're coming with me."

"I'm going to go get ready," I say and gravitate to the hall.

"Me too. As long as we're out by six, we'll be fine."

"Okay." I smile back just to assure her I haven't fallen and hit my head because she sure looks surprised, or, rather, pleasantly confused.

I rush up the staircase and close myself in my room. Alone, I start to question what I was thinking asking to go to the society dinner, so I start piecing together an outfit to distract from my worries. I wasn't sure whether Harvey would be going tonight or not, but my Mom said nothing to suggest he wouldn't go, so I helplessly imagine seeing him and talking to him, and I decide how I should act and what I should say like I'll remember any of it in the moment.

While I change into a pair of black pants and a semi-formal shirt, Teddy crawls out from under my bed and starts scratching the carpet laid in front of the fireplace. "Hey," I scold and shoo him. "Why are you acting up? Do you know I'm about to see a werewolf?"

Teddy leaps on top of my bed and stares at me. I scratch under his chin. "They're people, not dogs."

I check my phone and see I have just enough time to do my hair and makeup, so I head into the bathroom and focus. By five-fifty-five, I stop messing with my hair, and I leave it down. I rush back to my bedroom, grabbing my shoes only to realize I forgot mascara. Mom calls for me from the foyer, so I cross the hall and shout, "One second!"

I put on mascara and swipe a tinted lip balm to put in my small shoulder bag, and then I book it to the stairs. Perry is waiting on the last step with his shoes and jacket on. "Sorry," I mutter and drop my shoes to the floor to wiggle them on.

"We ready to head out?" Mom questions, walking in from the main room. She halts and examines me — a good look up and down — and then she turns to Perry. "Come on, let's go."

I take the front seat in Mom's SUV while Perry sits in the back. His friend's house isn't far, and once he's shutting the car door and running to their front door, Mom says, "You look very beautiful, you know."

I sink into my shoulders, never taking compliments well.

"I like that top. When did you get it?"

"I don't remember," I murmur, "but thanks."

Once Perry is inside, we head to Dennise and Al's. By the number of cars parked outside of their house, it seems most everyone has arrived already. I follow my Mom to the front door, and she lets us in with no need to knock or ring the doorbell. The inside is warm with yellow light and smells like herbs and cooking meat. Mom calls, "Hello," and receives more than one answer.

Dennise finds us and brings us into the living room. "I was happy to hear you're taking your Dad's place," she tells me. "Maybe this is a sign for you to join the Society too."

"I've tried," my Mom says. "She doesn't want to. Says she's too busy with school and work."

"Well, school is very important. How is it going?"

I say, "Fine. I just finished a midterm paper earlier today."

Dennise grabs my shoulders and playfully rubs them. "Then this is a much-needed break, isn't it? How about a glass of wine? I'm sure your mom won't mind."

"Have one, if you want," Mom says.

"Uh, I guess I will then. Thank you."

Dennise takes my hand. "Come with me."

Dennise leads me into the kitchen where she pours me a glass of red wine from an already open bottle. I take it and thank her again.

"There's white wine also if you don't like that one."

I take a testful sip. The wine coats my tongue, and then I force it down quickly. "This is fine."

Dennise smiles. "Good. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes." She pours another glass. "Take this to your mother for me, won't you?"

I deliver the second glass of wine to my Mom who's found a seat on the couch between Betsy and Marianne. Marianne watches me drink, and I'm not sure she realizes how intensely she does so, so I drift towards the snacks set out on the counter instead.

Harvey is the last to arrive, and when he comes into the living room, I instinctively turn my back to him, knowing that if I watch him realize my presence, I'll turn red. So I listen to him greet the others behind me, and he eventually comes to my side. I take another pretzel and glance at him, stepping away to reach the grapes.

"Have you joined the society?" He asks.

"No, I'm just filling my Dad's place for the night. He couldn't make it."

"How's the wine?"

I look at my glass now half empty. "Good," I lie.

Al cuts between us as he fills his small plate with different cubes of cheese and a couple of crackers. He smiles at me and then Harvey. "Missus told me not to spoil my dinner but the cheese is too good," he says and eats a cube. "Try it before I eat it all."

I take a piece of cheese and pop it in my mouth, chewing and then agreeing, "It's good."

Al pats my back before he wanders off. Once we're as alone as we can be in a room full of people, I ask Harvey, "Have you changed your mind about telling me? Because this secret stuff is annoying."

"You'd probably be more annoyed with me if you knew the truth."

I lower my voice. "I won't. I promise."

Harvey looks down at the counter as he places his hand on it. "You can't make that promise."

Our eyes connect, and although his guard seems to be down, I don't think he's going to crack just yet.

Unsatisfied, I walk away and hang out by my mom as we wait for dinner, avoiding Harvey and his occasional glances. It doesn't feel as cold as it looks, however. It's like a game of cat and mouse, and I sneak around just out of his grasp until I get what I want.

When it's time to sit at the dining table, I purposefully place myself farthest from him, and I try not to let the effects of his glances show. There's an inkling of excitement thrumming in my chest — an eagerness to find out what's next — and even though I told my mom I came to talk to Harvey, ignoring him turns out to be just as thrilling because I know he'll only take it for so long.

He went out of his way to bring me my jacket at Blue Moon, so I know he's willing to extend an olive branch if necessary, and I hope this time he offers the truth.

Knowing secrets means the werewolves trust me, and trusting me means I can wedge myself deeper into their world.

"Another glass anyone?" Dennise offers, holding a bottle of the same wine I had before. She fills other near-empty glasses over the table, and then she turns to me. "Mia? Finish it up?"

I say, "Sure," and Dennise pours the last of the wine into my glass.

By the time everyone is clearing the last bits of steak, potatoes, and brussels sprouts from their plates, I'm drinking the last sip from my glass, feeling the effects of the alcohol like a warm hug and comfortable buzz. Dennise starts collecting the dishes, and my mom gets up to help. Everyone else begins after-dinner chatter or they rise from their seats to go elsewhere, so I scoot out to find the bathroom, but the moment I stand, my buzz does too. Any more wine and I won't be able to hide the fact that I feel it.

I meander along the hallway off the living room, first finding a broom closet, and then noticing Harvey behind me. I turn around to acknowledge him, walking backward slowly.

"You're the wolf with yellow eyes, aren't you?" I question.

"I am," he says, briefly looking at a framed picture on the wall.

I stop at the open bathroom door. "You were watching me change."

He looks at me. "I wasn't."

"I saw you."

"I wasn't watching you change, Mia."

I roll my eyes even though I believe him, and I go into the quaint half-bathroom, but when I turn to shut the door, Harvey comes in. Surprised, I stare at him. He shuts the door.

My mouth opens to urge him out, but I can't speak the demand like it's stuck in my chest. The wine swirls all rational thoughts around my head; I can't grasp them, so I follow my heart. I step forward, reach up, and kiss him impulsively. His hands come to my face — the shock wearing off quickly — and he kisses me back. My stomach flips and my nerves rush like a waterfall, colliding below and clouding all awareness of the society and its members in the other room.

My body presses against his as he pushes into the door. The kiss itself is everything I imagined it would be and more, and I have no desire to stop. His tongue slips past my lips, and I let him in, matching his energy for a desperate, blissful moment before reality floods my head and triggers my nerves to snap back to their usual state of worry. I pull back, ending the spontaneous liplock. Harvey tries to gather himself and say something, but even he is thrown off. I duck and open the door, escaping into the hall and fanning myself before joining the others.

"Mia," my mom calls, and I turn to her voice. She comes to my side from the kitchen. "Is it alright if we leave a little early? Perry called and said his stomach hurts. I think he ate too much dairy again — he and Erin were eating ice cream."

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Are you alright?" She asks, and then her gaze aims past me. I peer over my shoulder and spot Harvey surfacing from the hall.

Needing to end her suspensions, I tell him, "We're leaving but it was nice to see you again."

He smiles, looking unscathed. "So soon?"

"Perry is sick," my mom fills in. "We have to go pick him up."

Dennise appears in perfect timing, and she hands my mom a Tupperware of leftovers. "For Russell," she says.

We say our goodbyes, and I leave the house without another word to Harvey, but his presence is felt until the door shuts. Outside, the cold cools me off, and I take a deep breath. As we get into the car, Mom asks, "Did you have a good time?"

I click my seatbelt into place. "Yeah."

"How was Harvey?"

"Good."

"I didn't see you two talk much."

"We did."

She starts the car. "Well, are you happy you came?"

I press into my seat and look out the window. "Mmhm — yeah. It was nice. Harvey was...nice."