Page 23 of Little Etheldreda Riding Hood

The text notification dings and Darla looks down just as a huge smile crosses her face.

Zach: Can I bring you anything?

Me: No. Thank you, though.

The phone is silent for the rest of the evening, and I start to think that maybe I was wrong. Wolves walk around smelling all kinds of smells all the time. I’m sure they scent someone and then realize they’ve made a mistake.

Nope…she smells close, but not quite right. I push it to the back of my mind and get ready for work as the cats shoot me dirty looks for interrupting their fifth nap of the day.

At eleven-thirty p.m., Darla knocks on my door. “I’m ready if you’re ready,” I call out, thinking she’s ready to drop me off. I open the door, one hand still holding the ponytail I’m in the middle of pulling up, to find Zach standing on the other side.

I suck in a breath and nearly drop the hair tie in my hands. I don’t know how a person I just met can evoke such a reaction in me. He’s thankfully in his human form this time–still tall, still gorgeous, but hopefully, not feeling the need to play the part of the big bad wolf.

“I thought I’d stop by and check-in, see how you’re doing,” he says, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.

I step back and finish the ponytail as I gather my wits. “Are you in a better mood now? Or do I have to deal with your wolf?”

“I’m sorry for being an asshole, but you scared the crap out of me. I came around the bar to hurry people out and there you were, fucking standing next to the fire. I didn’t even realize what you were doing until I got closer and saw the extinguisher. I thought you might…” he stops abruptly and looks away.

“Might what?”

He sighs. “You said you just broke up with your fiancé, so I thought maybe…”

I shake my head. “We broke up six months ago. I was heartbroken for a long time, but not suicidal. I moved here to get away from it all and start over.” I take a deep breath and turn away from him, picking up a brush just to have something to do. I comb out my ponytail in the tall mirror, Zach watching me quietly in the reflection. His dark eyes study me intently. It’s not the look of someone who feels uncertain about the person they just scented.

“I didn’t move here just to…” I bite off the rest of that sentence and take a breath. “I just applied to college. I’m going to get a degree and do something with my life. I’m going to get a cat and maybe have a garden. And have peace for once. Most importantly, I’m not going to worry about what wolves think of me, not anymore.”

I set the brush down and turn to face him. “It’s time for me to go to work. I have to be there at midnight.”

“You should really think about staying home and resting,” he says, pushing up from the wall.

“Bills don’t pay themselves.” I say with a sigh.

“Will you at least let me drop you off? Your car is still there at Soojin’s.”

I sigh. “Sure. It’d save Darla the gas.”

Zach follows me out to the living room where Darla’s sitting on the couch, surrounded by the joeys as she flips through the channels.

Thanks a lot, I mouth as I pass her, but she ignores me.

“Be careful, the forecast calls for snow,” she tells us.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got new tires on the truck. And I’ll check Red’s tires before she drives home,” Zach tells her.

“My tires are fine, Zach,” I say with a sigh.

“A second set of eyes on them never hurts.”

I follow him outside to a shiny new truck parked next to Darla’s old, beat up one. He opens the door for me, waits for me to jump in, then closes the door behind me.

“Did you not hear anything I said in my room?” I ask him as he gets into the driver’s seat. “You can’t do this just because you think I’m your mate.”

“Do what?” he asks.

“Follow me around. Ingratiate yourself into my life. Demand I seek medical attention. Insist on giving me rides to places. Check my tires. Hold doors open for me.”

He chuckles. “You said we could be friends. I’m just being friendly. See, right now, I’m just driving a friend who needs a ride to work. Surely you’ve given your friends a ride to work,” he glances at me before he pulls out onto the highway. In the pale glow of the roadside lights, he looks innocent and earnest.

---