A mix of floral scents from various cosmetics fills my room as I slither into another silk shirt. I tug it down and gaze at my three friends on my bed. "This one?"

Alisha swallows a mouthful of lemonade. "Definitely. The gold shade makes your eyes a warm brown."

"I agree. Plus your boobs look bigger in that one," says Jayden.

I glance down at the cowl neck designed to hide the fact that I'm rather flat chested, even more so now that I'm thin. Nerves make my stomach flutter. "Quinten's a boob guy?"

"Relax," says Juliet. "He's an all-things-Chelsea guy. Trust me when I say your cup size means nothing."

"But you can't get naked with him tonight," warns Alisha. She looks at Juliet. "Right?"

Juliet grins. "Sure she can."

"What?" Jayden asks, and then her lips turn up with some realization that has Alisha smiling too. "You're evil."

I narrow my eyes at my friends. "You're not trying to get me pregnant so I have to stay, are you?"

"Of course not!" exclaims Jayden. "Besides the fact that werewolves don't carry STDs, you can't get pregnant unless you're a werewolf too."

"Whoo hoo!" shouts Alisha. "You can ride bareback!"

I laugh at her. "When did you become a frat boy?"

She shrugs. "I'm learning to ignore my inner sorority girl and speak my mind these days."

My friends still have coy expressions that make me think they have a secret. "I'm not a fan of this ‘secret world of werewolves’ thing you guys have going on. Talk."

"Well." Juliet takes a sip of her lemonade and savors it to torture me. Or maybe she's trying to find the right words. "If you decide to sleep with Quinten tonight, you're going to be hooked."

I let out a snort of laughter. "I suppose now you're going to tell me that werewolves have magic penises."

My friends glance at each other with sly looks as if male werewolves do have something on human men.

"No way."

"It'll be the best sex of your life," says Jayden, while Alisha nods and Juliet gives me a smirk.

My imagination presents me with a picture of Quinten striding toward me in naked glory, and my cheeks begin to burn before I turn to the bureau and grab my hairbrush.

"Ponytail," says Alisha, and she giggles. "Give him something to hold on to."

"Do you think he wants her to wear those shoes so he can see her naked with just them on?" asks Jayden before she starts to laugh too.

"Oh my god!" I turn to look at Juliet, since she's usually the serious one, and find she's laughing as well.

She blurts out between her cackling, "He's going to make her howl."

I throw the hairbrush at Juliet, who catches it easily with her quick reflexes. "Really? You're making werewolf jokes now? I'm so glad you all think this is funny."

Jayden sobers and moves to get up. "We're not laughing at you, Chelsea." She holds out her hand for me. "We're just thrilled you've decided to let true-mate love happen."

I do know my friends only want what's best for me, so I soften and help Jayden up. I wink at her and say to the other two, "All right then. Which one of you is going to teach me how to howl?"

Jayden slaps my bottom as she walks past me to the bathroom. "That's the spirit."

"Seriously, though," says Juliet. "Your true-mate connection will multiply if you sleep with Quinten. If you really don't want to be a werewolf, then you'll want to hold off on that."

"Thanks for letting me know." I turn back to rummage through my makeup bag and grab an eye pencil. I lean in to the mirror to apply it. "So, no sex. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Have fun," says Alisha. "The man is head-over-heels in love with you already. Enjoy it."

Love. My god, is that why I can't think straight and am deliriously happy? I know the werewolf world works fast and that true-mate love is instant. But for me too? I widen my eyes to stroke on mascara and push the thought away. Instead, I focus on the fact that Quinten is in love with me. That means convincing him to move to California and stay for good should be easy. I’m aware how tight the pack bond is for werewolves and I knew if I said the guy I picked for Zip Code Star had to relocate permanently, or at least as long as he’s a star, then I might not get takers. But the reality is, Rita’s going to lock in whomever I choose for life if she can get away with it. Although, if you ask me, it’s a small price to pay for fame and fortune.

I turn back to my friends and strike a pose as Jayden comes out of the bathroom. "Am I ready?"

Jayden cocks her head as if she hears something. "Just in time. One sexy werewolf is coming down the road on his motorcycle."

"Strap in, girl," says Alisha. "You're about to go on a wild ride."

"Yeehaw!" shouts Juliet as she mimics cracking a whip.

I shake my head at them. "You are all having way too much fun with this."

"And to think we're only drinking lemonade," says Jayden.

"Do I dare you leave you three alone?" I ask as I grab my phone to stick in my pocket.

"Wait," says Juliet as she rises from the bed and puts her hands on her lower back as if she's in pain. "You'll need a leather jacket to ride on the bike. You can wear mine."

I recall a bad-ass coat Juliet used to wear in college, one none of us would have even dared asked to wear. "The red one? Are you sure?"

"It's not like I'm going to wear it anytime soon. C'mon."

When we get to her room, she turns to me, and the serious look on her face makes me think she used the jacket as a ploy to get me alone. "Are you sure about this?" she asks as her closet door creaks open.

"I am. You three were right. The attraction I feel to Quinten is too strong to ignore."

"And the desire to become a werewolf will be too if you get involved with him." Juliet pulls out the jacket. "You've been dead set against that idea since you found out what I was."

"And I still am. I'll be fine," I say as I slide my arm into a sleeve.

She raises her eyebrows at me. "Okay. Let's say you do manage to reject the desire to change. If anyone could, it would be you. But what about Quinten? Do you realize the danger you could be putting him in if you don't become a werewolf?"

"What do you mean?" I recall the scene I witnessed last summer when we were all on an RV vacation and a wolf tried to kill Juliet and then Roman. "Oh. But I thought you solved that."

"We did for the time being, but our lives are always in jeopardy as werewolves, Chelsea. And you'll be a weak link in the pack if you remain human."

"Not a problem, Juliet. I'm taking Quinten to California, remember? Nobody will even know what he is, and he'll be far away from any danger."

"I see." She frowns. "That's where you plan to stay then?"

"Yes." I flip my hair out of the jacket. "This whole thing has worked out perfectly. Quinten is amazing, and I'm going to make him a star. You said it yourself. He’s in love with me, so it shouldn’t be hard for him to stay. Especially since in the process, my career is going to take off too." The lines in Juliet's brow deepen with her disapproval. "What? Is there some rule that says I have to come to the pack instead of Quinten coming with me?"

Juliet chuckles. "No rule. You can put your feminist armor away, but you might want to discuss the permanence of the move with Quinten before you get in too deep. He’s super close with his family."

I nod as I consider that glitch. “Then why would he have auditioned for the role if he wasn't willing to be away for months?"

"To get your attention. And it worked. He's not— “ She stops and lets out a sigh as she reaches forward and arranges a strand of my hair. "Never mind me. I'm sure it's all going to be fine." She gazes into my eyes. "The important thing is that you'll both be happy if you’re together, no matter where you are. That's all I want for you."

"Thanks." I wrap my arms around my friend for a hug, and when I pull back, I ask, "How do I look?"

"Hot as hell." She tilts her head, and I think she's listening to things I can't hear. "He's in the kitchen talking to Roman. Go get him."

A mix of satisfaction and desire rushes through me, making me vibrate with excitement. "I think I will."

My heels click as I descend the stairs, and before I get to the bottom, Quinten has come out to greet me. He’s devastatingly handsome in an open leather jacket. It reveals a tight white T-shirt that doesn't hide what I've already seen.

"Wow," he says.

My cheeks flush with heat as my heart flips, and I take the hand he offers me.

Quinten glances past me and grins. "I'll take good care of her, ladies."

I don’t look back before I ask, “They're all on the stairs watching us, aren't they?"

"Yes. It's cute."

I chuckle at my friends as I step outside. "I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be. It's the werewolf way."

I think about how being in a pack is like being in a large family. Everyone knows everyone else's business, and I imagine it gets stifling. Going back to California will take care of that, though.

We walk over to a shiny black-and-silver motorcycle, and when we get there, Quinten opens a hatch and pulls out a helmet. "Here," he says as he hands it to me.

I take the helmet and am about to set it down on the seat so I can gather up my loose locks when Quinten slides his fingers through my hair. His touch makes my scalp tingle as he combs through strands and twirls them into a bun. I let out a little gasp when he holds my hair with one hand and pulls an elastic out of his pocket. He winks at me. "I come prepared."

My entire body is flushed with heat now, and I'm too flustered to do much more than tug my helmet on before Quinten's ready. He reaches over, and my strap clicks shut when he attaches it. "Have you ever ridden on a bike before?"

"Once or twice."

"Nervous?"

About riding? No. About having his body between my legs and pressed against my chest? Yes. But in a good way. I shake my head.

"You sure? Because your heart is beating faster than a hummingbird's."

Damn it. I forgot he can hear things like that if he wants to. "I'm excited about our date."

Quinten flashes his sparkling smile. "Good." He swings his leg over the bike and grabs the handles as he sits. "Hop on, babe, and let me take you for a ride you'll never forget."

I roll my eyes at him as I climb on and grab his waist. As I settle in, my body hums with the sexual tension in the air. But holding on to Quinten feels as if it's the most natural thing in the world. It's like we fit, and my arms have been waiting to feel this good all my life. As the engine vibrates beneath me and the wind flows around us, I let out a sigh of contentment. Like I've found my other half. Quinten's right. I think I'm going to remember this night for the rest of my life.