“Ready?” she checked.
“Yep.” I looked at Wyatt, who nodded.
He stepped out and stripped, tossing me his clothes through the open door while Abby turned her back to him.
We chatted about the werewolf research job I was hoping to get, until Wyatt’s wolf jumped into the truck and licked my face.
I laughed, pushing him away. He got back out and shut the door with his side while I slipped out too.
Stella caught up to us on our way to the doorstep, her clothes and hair disheveled.
“There’s chapstick all over your face,” I said, gesturing toward my own mouth.
“Your ponytail is crooked, too,” Abby put in.
“This is your fault,” Stella grumbled at me, as she tried to wipe her face with her shirt and adjust her hair at the same time. She got the chapstick off, but somehow her hair only got worse. “Did I get it?”
Abby gave her a thumbs-up. “Nailed it.”
Stella looked at me.
“I’d just start over with the ponytail. It’s beyond saving,” I said.
Stella muttered a curse and pulled it down, combing her fingers through it in an attempt to tame it while Abby knocked on the door.
Emmy opened it with a smile. Her light skin was more tan than it had been the last time I’d seen her, and her dark blonde curls were messier than usual, hanging freely around her face. She was wearing a simple pink bralette that complimented her small chest, along with a flowy pair of green, wide-legged pajama pants.
Her gray eyes brightened when she saw Stella, and she threw her arms around her.
“You’re okay?” she checked.
“Totally fine,” Stella promised, hugging Emmy back.
“I can’t believe we’re all together again,” Emmy said, as we headed inside. Wyatt’s wolf stayed plastered to my side, with my fingers buried in his fur. “It feels like it’s been forever.”
“Stella was sick for ages,” I agreed.
Abby elbowed me in the gut, and I winced.
In the kitchen, we found Maya sitting on the countertop in a cropped tank top, a pair of volleyball shorts, and some tall socks. Her usual place, and outfit. It made everything feel more normal. Her dark hair was tied up in two wild space buns that had probably been there for at least a day already, and her light skin was paler than usual.
“Is that the same dog you had before?” Zoe checked. She was leaning up against the kitchen cabinets, her arms folded and her tan forehead creased. Her highlighted blonde hair was tied backloosely at the nape of her neck, her oversized blue sweater paired with black cotton leggings.
“Yeah. He’s obsessed with Jade for some reason right now. I think she’s been sneaking him steak or lunch meat or something,” Abby said.
“His fur is different colors,” Zoe pointed out.
Abby brightened. “I know, isn’t it fun? His winter fur has been shedding, and the colors are totally changing. I swear there’s a new color in it every day.”
“Do dogs usually do that?” Emmy asked.
“No, but wolves do, and he’s a wolfdog,” Abby said.
“What sickness did you have?” Zoe asked Stella.
Geez, we needed a huge subject change.
“Oh, a bunch of different things. One led to another, and another, and another.” Stella waved it off. “Do we have margaritas? It’s been ages since I had a drink.”
