Ocean Eyes

Chapter Six

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

~ Gibran Kahlil Gibran

I decided the question needed to be asked about whether or not a wolf had actually been spotted in Miami. Theresa and Willis knew about the werewolf situation since Theresa’s sister (my mother) was one, but that didn’t mean they liked to talk about it. They preferred ignoring the subject and therefore not acknowledging magical beings could exist.

But my question needed to be asked. Whether or not the wolf was just a wolf or a shifter needed to be known. I couldn’t explain why, I just had to know.

The opportunity presented itself during dinner when we were eating spaghetti and French bread. I hadn’t touched a lot of my meal, mind too busy pondering how to approach the question. Finally I just decided to come out with it.

“Are there werewolves in Miami?” I blurted out. I pressed my lips together tightly as Theresa and Willis stared back at me with horrified glances. Okay, it had sounded way better in my head, where the tactless statement should have stayed.

“Pardon?” Willis asked, slowly beginning to eat again.

“Are there werewolves—or wolves of any kind—in Miami?”

Aunt Theresa laughed, although it sounded nervous. “Why would you think that?”

I shrugged. “Just wondering.”

There was a tense moment as she ate a forkful of spaghetti. “No,” she replied strictly. “There are no werewolves in Miami. Not only is that geographically wrong, but there just aren’t.”

“Oh.” Sensing the topic was not to be discussed further, I submissively continued picking at my food. Just then the telephone rang from the foyer and I practically jumped up. “I’ll get it,” I said hurriedly, and left the room. I heard Theresa sigh as I left and engage in a hushed conversation with Willis.

“Hello?” I asked as I answered the phone.

“June! Hey, everybody, I got June on the phone!” a huge grin spread across my face as I recognized Derek’s playful tone. And then there were excited shouts and rustling on the other end as the phone was tossed between pack members.

“Hey, sweetheart, how are you doing?” my mother asked, the alpha’s mate reigning dominance over phone privileges.

“I’m fine,” I said, twirling the phone cord around my finger. I didn’t know phones with cords still existed. It was a bit outdated. “School isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

She laughed her soft chuckle. “See, I told you so. How are Theresa and Willis?”

“Different.”

“That is to be expected . . . Wait, your brother wants to speak to you. This can’t be good.” There was more rustling as she passed the phone.

“Hey, sis! Been nailed yet?”

“Solomon!” I heard my mother scold on the other side, along with some snickers. I couldn’t help but laugh. Even I had missed my brother’s idiocy.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, Sol. How are you doing?”

He sighed dramatically. “Life is so incredibly boring without a big sister to annoy.”

Aw, how sweet. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

He sneered. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. I don’t give out praise often, especially not to you.”