life would soon be unrecognizable. Just as I feared.
Chapter 2
I drove aimlessly for hours until the sun rose, and I realized I’d better head home before Rosalina woke up and found that I was gone.
She was probably already worried that I had spent all of Saturday in bed. After finding out that Jake was engaged, I’d cried my eyes out on her shoulder, then I’d gone into my bedroom and didn’t come out. She let me be, only knocking on my door to ask if I wanted anything for dinner. If I knew her well though, she wouldn’t let me wallow in my misery for much longer. And maybe she had taught me well because I had no intention of doing that anyway.
One day crying over Jake was more than enough. I’d promised myself never to cry over a man again, and though I had failed miserably, I’d learned a lot since last time. I knew I had a life to live whether or not he was part of it. No man, not even Jake, was worth giving up for. This had only been a setback, one I could pick myself from without her help. My big girl panties had gotten steel-clad, it seemed.
On the way home, I picked up a box of Rosalina’s favorite bagels along with hazelnut cream cheese and hot coffees. Today was supposed to be a happy day. I had the keys to my new condo, and I finally had time to go check it out. Also, my new furniture was arriving this morning, and I had to be there to let the delivery crew in.
It was something simple and normal to do. Nothing like worrying about my friend being the monster we’d been fighting against, or dealing with the knowledge of my ex’s engagement, or wondering about my biological father’s identity. Besides, I wanted time to digest my alpha status, and the memory of Blake’s cry for help. Maybe I was wrong about what I’d heard. Maybe it had really been a nightmare and nothing else.
When I got home, Rosalina was still in bed. I set the table with plates, put the bagels on a tray, and got utensils and our favorite vanilla creamer out of the refrigerator. I didn’t have to wait too long before she shuffled out of her bedroom, wearing a mid-thigh, baggy T-shirt and a groggy expression.
Her green eyes opened wide as she saw the spread. “Yum, you were up early. Couldn’t sleep?” She scanned my face, her expression sympathetic.
“I slept enough.” I forced a smile. I had decided not to tell her what I had found out about myself and Stephen. Not yet, anyway. I wanted our morning to be as normal as possible, without any werewolf drama to taint a moment we’d both been looking forward to.
We sat at the table and started on our breakfast. The cinnamon crunch bagels were my favorite, and I ate two, both with a thick layer of cream cheese on top. My coffee turned a nice caramel color as I poured creamer into it.
Rosalina perused her phone and, after only a minute, set it down, disgusted. “Vampires are still killing werewolves, blaming them for rhabo.”
“I thought the drug bust would help,” I said, “but it’s like the drug’s influx hasn’t stopped.”
“I know.” She sighed. “But never mind that. Are you excited?” Rosalina asked cautiously.
“Damn right I am. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time.”
She scrunched up her face. “I’ll hate to see you go. It’s been nice having you around.”
“Yeah, I’ve enjoyed staying with you, too, but sooner or later, you would get sick of me. When the howling at the full moon and the werewolf orgies begin, you won’t want me here.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
I twisted my mouth noncommittally.
“O-kay, so when are you moving out?” She made it sound as if it couldn’t be fast enough.
“Oh, admit it, the idea of an orgy excites you.”
“Ew, nope. I’m a one-man kind of gal.”
“Boring,” I said in a singsong voice.
She rolled her green eyes, aware that I was joking. I wasn’t too far from becoming a nun. I wondered if they accepted werewolves at the convent?
Thirty minutes later, I was pulling my Camaro into my condo complex and scanned the card they’d given me during closing. For a second, I was worried it wouldn’t work, but the gate arm lifted out of the way, and we drove into the underground garage.
I parked in the spot marked with the number 216. Some