Page 21 of Little Etheldreda Riding Hood

“What about your mama and Mae?”

I shake my head again. “They’re the rare exception. It doesn’t matter. I’m done with wolves.”

Darla smiles. “He’s the next Alpha of the Lamar pack. You may be done with wolves, but I’m not sure they’re done with you.”

Chapter Nine

In Which Our Protagonist Expresses Her Desire to Remain in Her Spinsterhood Era

Darla hops down after a few moments and disappears, only to be replaced almost immediately by Soojin.

She is still in her white apron when she jumps into the vehicle and plops down on the bench seat, waving my cell phone in the air. “There you are! I tried texting when the fire alarm went off, but you left your phone there.”

She holds the phone out toward me. I take it and then lift the mask so she can hear me. “I didn’t think I’d be gone long.”

“Well, I’m glad you are okay. I was worried when you didn’t come back and the ambulance showed up. What happened?”

“She tried to put out the fire by herself, instead of escaping,” grumps the familiar voice of Zach. He stands at the end of the ambulance, looking in at us, a scowl on his face.

I lift my mask. “There were hundreds of men rushing for the doors. It was safer to put it out than to get smashed in the stampede.”

“There was no stampede. You wouldn’t be here getting oxygen if you’d just–”

“What have we got going on over here?” a male voice interrupts. Another man in partial shift appears at Zach’s side, the gray at his temples and a decent-sized gut hinting at his age. He’s got the same amazing eyes as Zach, though. He probably was a pain in the ass in his younger days, just like him, too. His eyes light up as they land on Soojin. “Hey Soojin, how are you?”

“It doesn’t matter how I am, Randy,” she scowls. “Your business just nearly burned to the ground and this girl nearly died trying to stop it.”

“I didn’t almost die,” I say through the mask.

The man’s eyes fall on me and recognition lights in them, even though I’ve never seen him before. “Ah, this must be your Red,” he says to Zach.

I roll my eyes. I’m not anyone’s Red. Not anymore.

The older man looks at me. “Thank you for your help. Zach has been telling anyone who will listen that you’re a carpenter. Would you be willing to come give us an estimate when things settle down?”

His question throws me for a loop. “Estimate?”

He nods. “For the stage. It’s a total loss. I would ask the dwarves over at the mine down the road, but they’re not exactly fond of wolves lately.”

The dwarves? There are dwarves, and they live at the mine? Everyone’s eyes are on me. “Sure,” I say, after a long moment. “I can come look at it.”

Thankfully, Manuel picks that moment to save me.

“I’m sorry. I’m going to have to ask everyone to leave.” He’s a head and a half shorter than the wolves, but his voice commands authority. The two wolves back away and Soojin stands.

“I’ll see you tomorrow if you’re feeling better. Call in early, if not,” she says as she steps down.

“I’m fine. I’ll be there tomorrow.” I tell her, but she shakes her head.

“Just in case,” she says as she walks away.

Manuel hops back up into the vehicle and looks down at me. “Do you have someone who can drive you home?”

“I can–”

He gives me a look and I sigh. “I’m staying with a woman named Darla. She can drive me home.”

He nods and pulls out his cell phone. “I’ll text her to come get you.”

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