Charlie actually sagged in her seat. “I’m here to visit Dave, get a job—”

Oh shit.

“—and be just a normal, everyday girl, preferably in that order.”

That was good, because Chela didn’t think she could treat the fucking sister of the fucking Leo like an ordinary girl.

Charlie eyed her. “Relax, little puppy. I don’t bite.” She winked. “Much.”

“Graciela? What’s wrong?”

Steve’s concern was ratcheting up by the minute, as well as a low, simmering protectiveness that soothed her, let her feel safe. She leaned toward her mate and whispered in his ear, softer than she would have if he had still been fully human. “Her brother is the Leo, the ruler of all the shifters.”

He sat back and blinked blandly at Charlie. “Oh. That must suck monkey balls.”

Charlie nearly spewed out the sip of water she’d just taken. “Oh, I like you.”

“Not too much,” Chela muttered. Sister of the Leo or not, she’d still rip her head off if Charlie made a move toward Chela’s mate.

Charlie’s brows rose. “He’s a bow-wow? I didn’t smell anything.” She stared at Steve for a moment, her gaze turning sly. “Oh. You’re so new you still squeak.” She grinned at Chela. “Mates?”

Chela nodded.

“Congratulations.”

Steve’s brows were practically in his hairline. “Bow-wow?”

Charlie made a sound remarkably like Blue from Blue’s Clues, and both Steve and Chela laughed.

“What job are you here for?” Chela was feeling more and more comfortable around the Lion, even more so when she felt the good humor in the feline.

“I heard Dave and someone named Belle need a second-in-command to help with the event planning.” She flipped her blonde hair behind her shoulder. “Partying is my thing.”

Chela bit her lip. “You haven’t met Belle yet, have you?”

The spike of unease told her the Lion wasn’t nearly as calm about all this as she appeared. She genuinely wanted to be here, wanted the assistant’s position. Odd, when among their kind she was considered almost royalty. “Not yet.” She dropped the party-girl persona. “Any advice?”

“Be yourself. Belle will see through bullshit faster than Superman through a brick wall. Trust me. Belle doesn’t mind someone who likes to play, but when she’s talking business you’d better be on the ball.” Belle ran a tight ship in the restaurant, and its reputation had grown as a result.

“That’s what Dave said when I told him I wanted to apply.” Charlie grinned. “We’ve been friends for years.”

“You think it’s a good idea to work with friends?” Steve’s tone wasn’t judgmental, merely curious.

Charlie tilted her head, a slight frown on her forehead. Chela could sense her confusion. Lions might not live in Packs, but they did live in Prides, and the dynamics were similar. Charlie would have an even easier time fitting in than Steve would. “You don’t?”

“Packs are family, Steve.” Chela kept her voice low. No one but Pack should hear what she was saying now. Most shifters did their best to speak about the shifter world in business terms, something the humans around them wouldn’t think twice about. But Steve was still so new he might not understand unless it was stated bluntly. “We’re friends, brothers, sisters, annoying older cousins who steal your dresses and stretch out the ass so you can’t wear it anymore, then ask for it as a cheap gift.”

Steve patted her hand. “That makes things much clearer. Thanks.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome, dear.”

Steve was damn near hyperventilating as he stared at himself in the mirror.

Right into his golden-brown eyes.

Steve’s eyes were blue, not brown. Perfectly normal, human, blue eyes.

Not golden-brown wolf eyes.

Fuck. He wasn’t ready yet. Couldn’t the stupid change wait a day or two? Or four?

“Graciela?” He cleared his throat as the raspy squeak left his mouth. “Graciela!”

“Hmm?”

Oh, God. That sleepy rumble had him nearly stumbling back to the bed. She’d moved him into her cabin right after the mating bite, informing him that now they were mated he needed to be close to her. He’d be changing soon, she said, and…

And…

He whimpered as he looked down at his hands.

He had fur between his fingers.

“Graciela!”

He heard her fall out of bed. “Steve?”

“I’m fuckin’ furry!”

She stumbled to a halt in the bathroom doorway, taking in his appearance quickly. A sexy, satisfied grin flitted across her face as she leaned against the doorjamb.

He snarled at her. “You don’t have to look so happy about it.” He knew, intellectually, that he was going to become…like her, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. It was only two days until Ben and Dave’s wedding, three until Christmas, and here he was, all fuzzified and freaked out.

“Get naked.”

He blinked. “Now?” She wanted to make love now?

She laughed, her whole face lighting up. “Perv. No. If you change in your clothes, it can hurt you. You’ll get all tangled up as your limbs change and you go down on all fours.” She waggled her brows. “And you know how much I love you on all fours.”

He rolled his eyes and turned back to the mirror, jumping as he realized he had fangs. He pulled back his upper lip, staring at the white, pointy teeth that looked so foreign in his mouth. “I’m too old to be Teen Wolf.”

She snickered, pulling off the nightshirt she’d thrown on before falling asleep in his arms the night before. Underneath, she was gloriously naked, nearly distracting him from the fact that fur was beginning to sprout on his arms. “You’re going to be golden, amorcito.” She stroked her hand over his T-shirt, his muscles bunching involuntarily under her fingertips. “We need to get you outside.”

“Naked.”

“Yup.”

“In the snow.”

Her grin was pure evil. “Yup.”

“I hate you so much right now.” Steve tore the T-shirt over his head with a frustrated growl.

“Get naked, amorcito. Trust me, it will be worth it.” Then his—girlfriend? Mate? Possible love of his life?—sauntered out of the bathroom, wiggling her hips like a siren luring her prey.

His pants practically flew off as the creature inside him urged him to go after her.

The wolf wanted her too.

“Come on, amorcito. I’m waiting.”

That seductive, slightly accented purr was enough to spur him on. The woman was going to be the death of him. He darted after her, following her laughter out the front door of the cabin—

“COLD!”

He was back inside the cabin before he could blink, shivering and wondering if this was the last he’d ever see of Little Steve, who was pretty pissed at him right about then. And Graciela, naked and glorious, was laughing her very fine ass off at him.

“It’s not funny!”

“You…” She laughed again, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to catch her breath. “Your feet didn’t even touch the ground.”

He shivered as a particularly vicious breeze blew through the door. “I have not, nor have I ever wished to, join the Polar Bear Club.”

She wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye. “Your fur will keep you warm, I swear.”

“Yeah, well, I ain’t furry yet.” His teeth started to chatter, which felt really fucking odd with fangs.

“Do yourself a favor. Relax and let the change flow over you. It’s coming, whether you like it or not.”

Wonderful. He winced as he caught a glimpse of more fur sprouting on his arms.

Graciela grinned. “There you go. Don’t fight it, amorcito. God, you’re going to be a beautiful wolf, all golden and red.”

He grunted, the sensations rocking through him almost too much to bear.

“Close your eyes and scent the wind. Can you smell that? The new snow, the other Wolves, all waiting for you to run with them.”