11. The Thing About Imprinting

-Talu-

Feminine voices tickle our werewolf auditory senses long before the owners' light footfalls hit the porch. Aline and Mei are back. Jian and I seem to realize this at the same time.

Jian casts me a wary look as he scans the room for a quick exit. I hide my amusement with a cough, knowing he's good and stuck since the backdoor is through my dad’s bedroom.

Mei enters the unlocked front door and rushes to sit beside me, smiling to find me out of bed and in the company of a friend. I'm unused to seeing her so delighted while holding a shopping bag, but she has one dangling from her wrist. Aline slides inside behind her, propping herself against the entryway to the dining room. Her focus is on the smartphone in her hand. She appears unaware of Jian’s presence, or if she knows he's here, she's hiding it well.

I'm still getting used to Aline’s super-short, softly tousled hairdo. Solely under threat of death, will I ever admit her fresh cut is