Free Hyena Moon by Jeanette Battista Page A

the thick scent of sugared peaches and buttery crust perfumed the kitchen. She always marveled how her mother didn't weigh 300 pounds with all the baking she did. If it had been her, she would have been huge, but then again Lenore didn't inherit her mother's werewolf metabolism. All weres burned off calories at a ridiculous rate and Emmeline was no exception. She still cooked enough food for dinner to feed three families, especially when Cormac showed up, and they blew through it as if it were a light snack.
    Lenore leaned against the side of the counter and waited until her mom had her hands free. "Hey, mom. Can you give me a ride over to Wy's house?"
    Emmeline turned, a slight frown creasing her brow. "Have you spoken to your father about it?"
    Lenore shook her head, already feeling her stomach knot up. She didn't understand why they were so adamant about keeping her from seeing her best friend. They hadn't been nearly so picky when Cormac was going through his first change. "No, I didn't think I had to."
    From her mother's deepening frown, Lenore knew that her tone had been somewhat less than desirable. "Go talk to your father. He's in his office."
    Lenore sighed, resisting the almost overwhelming urge to roll her eyes. Sometimes it felt like she was speaking an entirely different language from the rest of her family, like she was speaking modern English and they were all conversing in Urdu or something. She trudged down the hall, dropping her bag on the console table along the way.
    She entered her father's office without knocking; she was the only one in the house who could usually get away with it and she didn't particularly feel like following the rules right now. Her father looked up sharply from his computer, a small scowl on his face.
    Lenore didn't give him a chance to get started. "Mom says I have to talk to you about going to Wyatt's."
    Alaric raised his eyebrows and again Lenore knew her tone must have been less than ideal. "We've been over this before."
    "Oh, come on, Dad! It's been weeks since I've been able to hang out with him. He has to have gotten better with his changes by now, and besides, Wy would NEVER hurt me." She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hip to one side in the inimitable posture of teen girls everywhere.
    "Lenore," he warned, his voice low. "It's safest if you wait a little while longer. Wyatt is still struggling to control his changes and I won't risk you getting hurt."
    "You weren't this worried about me when Cormac changed!"
    Her father stood up quickly and Lenore realized she had pushed the bratty teen bit too far. She may not change into a wolf, but her dad was still the Alpha of their family. She'd let her mouth get away from her. "That's enough, Lenore. You were in no danger with Cormac because your mother and I never left you alone with him. You are asking to go--by yourself--to a werebear's house. One who still is unable to fully control himself. The answer is NO."
    "This is so completely unfair!" She couldn't help herself. She felt like a prisoner, like everyone thought she couldn't take care of herself.
    "Unfair or not, my decision stands." He glared down at her, as if daring her to say something else. "Understood?"
    Lenore knew when she'd pushed her father far enough. She held her tongue, even though she still wanted to rail against his rules. It wouldn't get her very far though. Once Alaric made a decision, nothing could move him. She'd have more luck trying to relocate the mountain than changing his mind.
    "Fine," she huffed.
    "What was that?" he asked sharply.
    "Yes, sir." She slunk out of her father's office and back into the kitchen.
    Her mother had a piece of pie set out for her with a gargantuan scoop of ice cream atop it. As if food could make her feel better after that conversation. "I don't want pie, Mom." She shoved the plate to the side and slumped onto a barstool.
    Emmeline came around the counter and put her arm around Lenore's shoulders. Lenore