Isabel and the Wolf: (Part 3) by Ariana Hawkes Page A

recalling their individual features.
    “She’s got dark hair, and I think his would be kind of wavy as well if it was longer. Her skin is pale, but it has that latte undertone, like it would tan really nice and olive.” She shook her head. “No, but her eyes are really different. They’re huge and black, nothing like Peter’s amber color.”
    “I saw them, even in the dark!” Kara said. “That’s an intense pair he’s got on him!”
    “I know! Sometimes it’s hard to look him in the eye.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I don’t know.” Isabel sipped her coffee. “Like, when we’re doing it, his face kind of changes. His eyes are really wild and he looks like some kind of predatory animal, but then it’s gone again, and I think I imagined the whole thing.”
    “Weird.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Like he becomes a beast in the act of sex?”
    “Eww! Don’t say that!”
    “I wonder if there are myths about shape-shifting relating specifically to sex?” Kara stared into space. “There are plenty of Greek ones about gods turning into animals to facilitate sex. Like Zeus transforming into a swan to rape Leda, because swans are like so much better at rape than people. But I’d have to research whether sex is ever the catalyst for transformation.”
    In general, Isabel loved the way that Kara could switch from being a clown into drawing on her vast reserves of knowledge, her blue eyes suddenly sparkling with intelligence, but this was too much.
    “Hey, as much as I’m enjoying my situation with Peter being used as inspiration for a research topic, let’s just not go there!” Kara still looked dreamy, and Isabel knew there were probably a million thoughts pinging around her brain just then.
    “I wish I’d had a better look at this Peter,” Kara said. “There’s definitely something pretty unusual about him.”
    “Uh huh.”
    “So… the million dollar question: Jed or Peter? Which one do you like best?”
    “I really don’t know. Jed’s like the kind of guy you read about in a book. Good looking, caring, charming, fun to be with, and a great kisser. And Peter’s weird, difficult, and thinks it’s ok to start a brawl in the middle of a town hall hoedown.”
    “But you have this magnetic attraction to him, and, up until he disappeared on you, you were starting to get a bit fluttery about him?”
    “True, unfortunately,” Isabel said. The food arrived and they both sank their teeth into their cheesesteaks.
    “Almost as good as they do ’em in Philly,” Kara said, through a mouthful. “What do you reckon’s up with his family then?”
    “I don’t know. Hemophilia? Some cellular malfunction?” I don’t think it’s anything commonplace though, or he would have said.”
    “Sounds sad. But, presumably there’s a potential cure, or he wouldn’t have gone there expecting good news?”
    “Makes sense.”
    “Are you going to see Jed again?” Isabel laughed and spluttered into her strawberry shake.
    “Can you imagine what Peter would do if I did?”
    “He doesn’t have to know.”
    “Mmm, he seems to have this way of knowing exactly what I’ve been up to. Like, how the hell did he know we were at the town hall dance?”
    “Maybe he was there anyway?”
    “Peter?” Isabel cackled. “The thought of him choosing to go to something like that is hilarious!”
    “And that’s maybe why you should be with Jed. Remember how Jason never made the effort to dance with you?”
    “He said he was a terrible dancer, to be fair to him.”
    “Most guys are. But Jed isn’t. You’d have lots of fun together, I can tell.” Isabel stared into the distance, her thoughts alternating between the two men.
    “Jed messaged me, actually, and apologized for last night. I haven’t replied yet, because I’m not too sure what to say.”
    “Yeah, he wasn’t really in the wrong. What can you do when a wild beast attacks you?” Isabel giggled.
    “He could’ve arrested him!”
    “I’m not sure that’s how