Beauty and the Wolf

Twenty-one. No Second Chances

"Is he having a party or what?" Daisy asked no one in particular as she sat in her parked Jeep outside Mark's home. Although all the curtains were closed on Mark's cozy two-story home, its walls were like thin playing cards against Daisy's werewolf ears. Her recently given omega status did not impact the heightened scenes she was born with. She could hear all the movement and chit-chatter happening inside. 

Therefore, Daisy simply sat and listened to Mark and his friends. They watched some random action-comedy movie, although it didn't appear like anyone was paying much attention to the screen. Mark's entire crew was present from what Daisy could gather. 

Theo was snacking on something crunchy, likely popcorn, voicing how much he finds the male lead attractive. 

Kyle complained that the action movie they were watching didn't have the same dept as his favourite soap opera. Hiroko offered therapeutic listening as Kyle dived into a full-on comparison essay, too polite to interject. 

Jessie, Mark's ogre friend, also made an appearance. And it sounded like he brought a couple of his pets with him. Daisy could hear the occasional purr of a cat and hissing of a snake, and she wasn't fond of either animal. 

And Billy's soft snores offered a steady rhythm over the explosions and gun-shot tune from the film. 

Mark remained quiet through all the activity. Daisy heard his steady heartbeat and breathing and knew he was with his friends, likely watching the movie. 

Meanwhile, Daisy continued to stay put in her car, speculating when would be a good time to approach. She didn't particularly feel like interacting with all of Mark's friends. She didn't have to overhear their conversations to know what they all thought of her. Their dislike for her was a no-brainer. Besides, she wasn't here to win them over. 

So, Daisy used the excuse of the downpour between her car and Mark's house as a solid enough reason to remain comfortably dry. She'd wait until Mark was alone. Hopefully, none of his friends were planning to stay over the night. But as time dragged on, it was getting more and more apparent that Mark's friends had temporarily moved in. 

Daisy was running out of options. She's crossed over the line when it would've been appropriate to walk up to the doorbell. Now, she was simply stalking her prey. She wondered if maybe she should retreat and try again tomorrow. Hopefully, Mark's friends had things to do on a Sunday morning. 

"I don't know if I should be the one saying this," Hiroko spoke up tentatively out of the blue. Everyone perked up, including Daisy. "But Daisy has been parked idling in your driveway for the past half hour," the kitsune confessed, surprising everyone around her. 

"Say what?" Kyle said in disbelief while Jessie sucked in his breath sharply. 

"No way!" Theo shrieked, waking up the mummy. 

"The bïtch is here?" Billy asked, still in a daze after just waking up. 

"For fūcks sake," Daisy exclaimed from her car. "Couldn't you have kept your mouth shut?"

"You left me with no other choice," Hiroko answered Daisy back, despite an entire front yard and house between the two girls. "I gave you plenty of time to make a move, but you refused to budge. It was kind of weird."

"Who are you talking to?" Theo asked, intrigued. 

"Isn't it obvious? An intruder," Kyle replied. "We don't want you here," he yelled out to Daisy. 

"I can hear him just fine. Tell him he doesn't have to yell," Daisy ordered Hiroko through gritted teeth, who quickly reiterated Daisy's message but without the harshness.