She gave a wave of her hand, “It’s just too much to remember.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to breed.”

***

“It’s just,” Angelina began to whine and Sara knew what was coming, “I don’t want us to end up three old maids, living in a house with cats.”

“That won’t happen.” Miki stretched her whole body. She did love to forecast. “I’ll be kidnapped by Black Ops. They’ll be hoping to use my brilliance against this government’s enemies.” Sara and Angelina looked at each other.

“Your brilliance?”

Miki ignored her, like she always did during this conversation. “Angelina will marry someone very wealthy but cold. She’ll last about 10 years, then she’ll plot, plan, and execute his murder. Get away with it. And marry a younger man. Maybe even his son.”

“Hey.” Angelina never liked that future prediction.

“And Sara…” Miki looked at her friend, “Well, she doesn’t like cats.”

“I don’t like cats? That’s the best you can do? How about ‘And Sara will live happily ever after with Mr. Doesn’t-get-on-her-nerves-too-much.’ Why can’t I have that?”

“You’re too picky.”

“It’s not my fault that scarred, damaged women aren’t high on the market. And I’m not going to take any old thing thrown at me.”

“You’re too picky,” Angelina confirmed. “Because I remember a few interested individuals that weren’t too bad. Troy.”

“Too strict.” Miki explained.

“Fred.”

“Too neat.”

“Bobby Joe.”

“Too tall.”

“Mike.”

“Too short.”

“Okay. Okay. I get it.” Sara didn’t need to hear this. All those bad attempts at relationships had happened years ago. The well had been quite dry for some time.

“Wait. There’s still my personal favorite. Kenny Ray.”

“Too nice.”

“Nice? He said I was boring. How is that nice?”

Angelina gave a wicked smile, “Too nice in bed.”

“Oh. Yeah. He was.” Sara shuddered, “Yuck.” She remembered she actually threw him out of bed. Out of bed and across the room. Odd. Maybe she was drinking that night too.

“I bet Zach’s not nice.” Angelina’s smile just became more wicked, if that were possible. “I bet he’s not nice at all. In bed or out.”

“He’s on the List.” Miki reminded them.

“But he doesn’t look like a biker, does he? You know, he actually looks like he bathes. Besides, I’m not talking marriage. I’m talking aboutgetting control of your aggression.”

Sara looked at her friend of twenty years. “Dear god, woman! Are you talking about him fucking the aggression out of me?”

The three women began to laugh hysterically, “I’m not seeing the problem here, people. You get in. Do what you have to do and get out.”

“That’s it!” Sara cut them off. “We’re not having this discussion anymore.”

“You should just think about it. That’s all I’m saying.”

“No. I’m a nice girl. I’m not a whore.” Her friends didn’t say a word. “I’m not.”

Angelina shrugged, “You just keep believing that.”

Sara tossed her empty beer can, just missing her friend’s head.

Angelina didn’t even turn around. Instead she looked out into the darkness. “It’s such a beautiful night.”

Sara grinned, “Yup.” Her grin widened, “And it’s about that time.”

Miki closed her eyes, “I hate this.”

Sara leaned back, “Sssh. Listen.”

***

A moment later, Zach heard the first howl. Full bloods. He’d smelled them as soon as he stepped onto her property. He had been waiting for hours for them to give him a hard time about being in their territory and for not being full wolf but a mystical hybrid of both—they were amazingly snobby about that sort of thing. But, to his surprise, they still hadn’t bothered him or Conall. Maybe the full-bloods knew that they were there to protect Sara.

Because when they howled, their howls were for Sara and for Sara alone.

Miki cringed. Angelina looked unimpressed as she still rocked to the German techno coming from the house. But Sara had her eyes closed and was smiling. Then, she howled back.

“Sara,” Miki warned with a laugh. “I swear to god, those things come over here, I’m leaving your ass out here.”

Sara’s smile didn’t change. “Pussy,” she muttered. Then she howled again. The wolves answered. And all Zach wanted to do was go to her. To heed her call.

Angelina wrinkled up her pretty nose, “Aren’t you worried that they’ll come down here looking for who’s howling back?”

Sara shrugged, “I find them on my porch all the time.” At that, Miki jumped up and went into the house. “They never give me any trouble, but I always remember they’re wild animals. And this is probably more their territory than mine.”

Miki stood behind the living room window. She opened it probably so that she was still part of the conversation, but could easily close it if “they” decided to attack. She had no idea; however, that that window couldn’t protect her from shit.