Chloe sighed and tossed the pillow to the couch. “Sounds good to me.”
As Rachel filled the glasses, Chloe turned on the movie they’d chosen—some cheesy horror flick about a deranged lunatic plaguing a small town. Usually they went for romance but Rachel insisted she really wasn’t in the mood. The last thing she needed was the memory of Declan in the garage, touching her so carefully, kissing her until she couldn’t breathe. She’d been surprised to see him with Jackson. The way he’d looked at her had sent a lick of heat from her head to her toes.
She handed a shot to Chloe. “Here you go.”
They tapped the glasses together, tapped the bases of the thick glass on the coffee table and quickly tossed the vodka back. The liquid burned like fire, cascading down Rachel’s throat. She coughed it off, laughing as she pounded her chest. Chloe grinned, taking the burn of the liquor much better than she ever had as a human.
“One more?” Rachel asked.
Chloe extended her arm, holding out her glass. “Please.”
Just like old times. Rachel refilled Chloe’s drink and then did the same with her own. The followed the same routine, downing the shots.
Since she’d already had one round, the vodka went down much smoother. She cleared her throat, glad her eyes didn’t water. The only time she consumed alcohol was when she and Chloe had a movie night. Otherwise she avoided the stuff altogether. Her mother served as a constant reminder of what happened when you got addicted to booze. Once a beautiful woman, Rachel’s mother had turned into a liar, thief and whore of epic proportions.
“So how are things with Jackson?” Rachel placed her glass on the table and reclined on the couch, deciding to talk through the opening credits of the film. “Are you digging the married life?”
Chloe snorted, shaking blonde curls from her face. “We’re not married yet.”
“You might as well be.” They hadn’t had the ceremony but it wasn’t necessary. When werewolves mated—from what Rachel knew—it was for life. “You love him. He loves you. A piece of paper doesn’t mean squat.”
“Things are good between us.” The corners of Chloe’s mouth lifted into a smile. “He’s bossy sometimes but I don’t mind. I kinda like it.”
“I bet you do.” If Declan was any indication of how werewolves were sexually, Rachel could just imagine how bossy Jackson could be. “How are you getting on with the family?”
“I’m getting along fine with the pack.” Chloe’s clarification was intentional and Rachel knew it. Sometimes—when Rachel wasn’t paying attention—she tended to act as though Chloe hadn’t changed. She generalized things to make the situation tolerable. “They’re really great. I’ve told them about you. They want to know if you’re ever coming around. You should meet them.”
Chloe and Jackson she could handle. She could even suffer Declan. But an entire room of werewolves? No way in hell. “We’ll see,” she murmured.
“It’s not as bad as you think.” Chloe retrieved the pillow and rested back. “They’re actually pretty normal. Gram and Gramps were impressed when they joined us for lunch. They like them.”
Rachel knew Chloe’s grandparents had visited the pack, so she wasn’t sure why it bothered her to hear about it. Maybe she was jealous on some level. Gram and Gramps were her family too. Yet they were now apart from her in a small way, connected to Chloe in a manner Rachel envied. They’d always been there for their grandchild, so of course they’d wanted to meet those Chloe spent so much time with.
“I’m glad.” And she was glad for Chloe and her grandparents, even if she felt a stab of envy. “You deserve to be happy.”
Chloe started to respond when the doorbell rang.
Perfect timing. The food had finally arrived.
Rachel rose from the couch and snatched the money she’d placed on the table. She’d been so busy working she hadn’t had a chance to eat lunch. Nothing would taste better than a greasy slice of peperoni pizza. Her stomach growled and her mouth watered. She quickened pace, ravenous and ready to chow down. Reaching the door, she slid the chain lock free and unlatched the deadbolt.
“Rachel!” Chloe yelled.
“What?” she hollered, cracking the door open. She turned at the sound of stomping feet and frowned when she saw Chloe running toward her. Her friend’s eyes had changed color, so bright they seemed yellow.
“Close the door. Don’t open—”
Rachel cried out as the door burst open and hit her in the center of the chest. She staggered back, unable to draw air to scream as an enormous fucking beast rushed into her house. Hitting the wall, she used her hands to keep her balance and stay on her feet. Her mind tried to process what she was seeing. The black wolf that had barged in was bigger than any dog she’d ever seen, weighing at least a couple hundred pounds. Its feet were the size of china plates, its head like a motor block. It gazed down the small hallway, yellow eyes intent on its target.
Chloe cried out, her terror evident. She took off, bolting into the living room.
Rachel watched, horrified, as the wolf went after her friend. She didn’t think, acting on impulse. Snatching an umbrella by the door, she tore after them. She entered the living room, braced for a fight. Chloe had taken cover behind the couch, using it as a barrier. To Rachel’s shock, she noticed Chloe’s face had changed. It was terrifying to watch her friend morph into something else. Chloe’s elbows bent oddly, golden hair appearing on her arms. The wolf across from Chloe slashed the furniture, ripping the cushions to shreds. It reared back on its hind legs, ready to pounce.
“I don’t fucking think so!” Rachel snarled, charging at the thing. “Get out of my house!”
She aimed at its head and brought the umbrella down. Her aim was true, striking the wild animal at the base of its skull. It shook the blow off so she hit it again, then again. The final whack bent the umbrella at the center, making the weapon useless. She tossed it to the ground, facing the wild creature that spun on its back legs to face her.
The wolf snarled. Vibrant gold eyes locked on to her.
Rachel didn’t feel herself hit the ground.
One second she was standing. The next her back made solid contact with the floor. The wind went out of her lungs, making it impossible to breathe. A horrible stabbing pain swept through her shoulder, burning like raw fire. The animal shook her like a rag doll, lifting her torso from the ground. She tried to push the thing away, shoving at its furry shoulders. Warm wetness seeped down her chest and back, soaking her shirt. Bringing her hands up, she tried to yank at the wolf’s ears and get free.
I’m going to die.
For all her brave talk to Chloe earlier, she didn’t want to die. Certainly she accepted she wouldn’t live forever but she’d assumed she had plenty of years ahead of her. She’d never done any of the things she wanted. She’d never seen the world or traveled outside of Black County. She’d never seen any of the beautiful places she’d heard about. She’d never been in love. She’d never seen the sunrise. She’d never put on a pretty dress to be like one of the beautiful girls she loathed but also envied. There were so many other things she’d wanted to do and now she never would.
She screamed when the white-hot pain in her shoulder increased, fangs ripping sideways through her flesh. Then the agonizing sensation was gone, taken away as the black wolf veered, let go and moved away from her. Growls echoed through the room, the vile sounds making Rachel tremble. Back and forth the snarls went, the awful sounds ripping through her skull. She tried to roll over, grimacing when she touched her shoulder. Blood oozed between her fingers, soaking her palm. She wondered if she was bleeding out, her racing heart pumping all of her blood from her body.