Shadow of the Wolf by Anastacia Kelley

Maybe he should just tell her so he could save them both a lot of heartache. 
         But looking at her so happy in her work, he couldn’t bring himself to do so just yet.  He cleared his throat.
         Serenitee turned from her decorations and grinned.  “Hey, Trevor.”  She pointed to the tree.  “How does it look so far?”
         Trevor walked up to the tree and wrapped his arms around her.  “Beautiful.”  He kissed her neck.  “And the tree’s nice, too.”
         She laughed and turned around in his arms and gave him a soft kiss on his scruffy cheek.
         “Now, we can do better than that,” he admonished playfully.
         She gave him a Cheshire cat grin, held his face in her hands and gave him the hot kiss he was asking for.
         They broke apart, breathless.
         “How about that?”
         “Much better.” 
         Serenitee hugged him close.  “I have something to ask you.  You don’t have to give an answer now.  You can think on it for about a week.”
         Trevor eyed her.  “Oh?  And what might that be?”
         “Rue invited us to the Christmas dinner party she and her husband are throwing.”  She looked up at him.  “I want you to come with me,” she said brazenly.
         Trevor stiffened.  “Where does the question part come in?” 
         Serenitee smiled sheepishly.  “You have a point.  Will you go with me to the Greene’s Christmas party?”
         Trevor looked uneasy.  He didn’t think Rue would want him there.  She was civil to him but, like others in town, they were timid about the Van Holden family and its curse.  Even Rue knew about it long before he was born.  She knew his father and grandfather.  He should be glad she didn’t shun him altogether or tell anyone who would listen.
         Serenitee was looking at him, expecting an answer. 
         “You said I had a few days to think about it?”
         She nodded.
         “I’ll need those few days then.”

Chapter Eight
         Trevor checked his calendar.  He should be safe if he went to the party.  The full moon wouldn’t rise until four days after Rue’s get together.  But to be sure, he would inject the Monkshood a little earlier than usual.  A few days ahead of it should be sufficient. 
         Hopefully the party won’t last too late into the night. 
         This party gave him the chance to be with Serenitee and, maybe, just maybe, let the townspeople put away their terrible superstitions and prejudices, even if it’s for one night.  They had nothing to fear from him.  He didn’t transform until a full moon and it wasn’t but once a month.  When his wolf form did hunt, it was for animals in the woods, not human beings. 
         But a voice in the back of his mind nagged him .  How long will it be until the wolf actually takes a human life? How long before it loses total control? 
         He didn’t want to think about it.  He jarred his head with his hand, hoping that would rid his mind of that awful thought and horrible images. 
         He picked up his phone and called Serenitee, agreeing to go to the party with her.
     
         Trevor was dressed in his best shirt and pants.  He thought a tie would be overdoing it.  This was a party at Rue’s, after all.  She didn’t think people had to dress to the nine’s just to go out and mingle.  She thought it was a bit too stuffy.
         Trevor knocked on Serenitee’s door.  When it opened, he was dumbstruck at her beauty.  She wore a simple red dress but it showed off her gorgeous legs.  Her soft hair was pulled up and looked tousled.  Like she just got out of bed.  It made him want to get her back under the covers. 
         In her ears, dangled snowflake earrings.  That was it as far as jewelry went though she didn’t need it to enhance her beauty.  She was already sexy as sin in his eyes.
         “You look too beautiful