Page 27 of Little Etheldreda Riding Hood

Randy stands. “You just got here.”

Soojin smiles, “Yes, but we left the pigs in charge, and Red’s going to have to be up early if Zach’s going to be dragging her to the lumberyard.”

“I’ll walk you back,” Zach says, jumping up.

“She’s got me and we’re just going across the parking lot,” Soojin assures him.

I hop off my stool without another look back at any of the wolves. “Thanks for the food,” mumbles the red-skinned bouncer, with his mouth still full as we pass him.

“You’re welcome,” Soojin smiles at him as we hurry out.

“Thanks for getting me out of there,” I tell her when we are out of earshot. Though if most of them are in partial shift, they can probably hear anything I say outside.

She just smiles. “It was impressive to see you stand up to the patriarchy.”

“When did I–”

“Making Zach shift back into human form. I told Randy something similar a while back and he hasn’t gone into a partial shift in front of me since. He’s always in his office when I come to bring him food instead of wandering the club.”

I think about that as we walk across the parking lot. “I’m not trying to make his life hard. I just can’t deal with the wolf. He barely knows me and he’s trying to tell me what to do.”

She nods. “Because he thinks you’re his mate, he’s going to be super possessive of you. If it makes you feel any better, the rest of his pack was impressed. Girls usually throw themselves at Zach. The boys at the bar were taking bets on how long it is going to take him to convince you to go out with him.”

Peachy. I try to have a no strings attached one-night stand and now I’ve got a possessive wolf stalker who probably has a different girl every week. I’ve really upgraded from Morgan. Is this my future? Do I have a sign on my forehead that attracts only guys who can’t keep it in their pants?

“You okay?” Soojin asks as we make it to the back door of the restaurant.

I sigh. “Just feeling run down still.” It’s a lie, but I do feel like crap, even if it’s for another reason entirely.

“Go home and get some sleep. Randy says they’re opening back up in a few days as a bar with the dancers as extra bar maids, so things will get busy again soon.”

I nod and yawn. “Thanks, Soojin.”

I grab my purse and keys and head out the front door. Soojin locks the front door behind me. The pigs are still spread out on the grass that has grown in little patches where the concrete is busted. I bend over and offer each of them scratches. “You guys should go to the back door and ask for snacks.”

Porshetta stands, stretches, and heads toward the back of the restaurant without so much as a goodbye grunt. The other two follow her as someone with two feet crunches across the gravel toward me.

I know without looking who it is. I walk to my car, pretending to ignore Zach as he heads toward me.

“Can we talk? Please?” he asks, a slightly desperate note in his voice.

I don’t hide the loud dramatic sigh his request creates in me. I’m tired and ready to go home.

“Sure, but in the car, I’m cold.” I unlock it and Zach slides into the passenger seat, his knees bent against the dashboard just to fit in the tiny space. I turn the car on to let it warm up and then look at Zach, waiting for him to speak.

“I’m sorry about tonight. This isn’t how I would have wanted it, either.”

His words surprise me.

“If you really need me to stay in human form around you, I will. I’ll do anything you ask, Red. I just need you to give me–give us a chance. I don’t know if you really understand the effect you have on me, and how serious this is.”

“I do,” I admit quietly. “But I don’t think you understand how much I don’t want my life blown up again by a man who probably has a different girl every night of the week.”

“I’m not that kind of person.”

I turn and meet his eyes. “Okay, fine. Honest truth, body count for the last year?”

“Six,” he replies without hesitation. “Counting you, seven.”

---