Green - a werewolf story

30. Neutral Ground

Vanessa was sad to be leaving San Francisco. Despite having been both attacked and poisoned during her stay, she'd liked the city.

"We'll come back," Green said as if he could read her thoughts.

"Yeah, but when?"

"On our honeymoon?"

Vanessa swung around to look at him with such speed that she nearly snapped her seatbelt. Green took one look on her outraged face and started laughing. He was laughing at her way too much lately. If it hadn't been for how his laughter made her feel, she'd prefer him growling at her. Then again, the way he growled also made her feel...

"Hello? Earth to Vanessa?"

Vanessa shook her head and returned her focus to the car she was supposed to be driving.

"Yes?"

"I said I wasn't going to push you into marrying me. Yet. Although we could go past Las Vegas on our way and..."

"I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work."

"What am I trying to do?" Green asked innocently.

"You're trying to get me all flustered to the point where I can't drive and then you'll offer to take over."

"Am I that transparent?"

"You are. Now, concentrate on the map and tell me where to turn," Vanessa ordered.

"Fine. Which route do you want to take?"

"The fastest," Vanessa immediately said. "It sounds like your niece or nephew might be born at any moment and we can hardly ask your sister to keep her legs crossed and keep it in until we get there."

"Thank you for that vivid image."

"What? I thought you'd been to your other sister's delivery."

Green shook his head. "I held Alyssa's hand and told her everything was going to be alright."

"I thought that was the husband's role?"

"It would have been, but Ben he... he's not comfortable with blood. He took one look at her and passed out."

Vanessa laughed, but when Green didn't join her she looked over at his grim expression.

"You're joking!"

"I wish I was. I had planned on spending the time in the living room, waiting for it to be over, but they dragged me in there five minutes after it started and Alyssa wouldn't let go of my hand."

"But... werewolves can't be scared of blood."

"Ben's not a werewolf."

"He's... he's not?"

Green shook his head.

"What is he then?"

"He's a history teacher. They met in college."

"He's human?" Vanessa asked, aghast.

She'd never heard of the daughter of an alpha being allowed to marry a human. In her old pack trying would have meant death for both.

"Yes, one hundred percent human. We think. Anyway, he had quite a shock when Alyssa finally told him what she was."

"He seems to be easily upset."

"I don't know about that," Green said, stretching. "He deals with high school students every day. That is not for the faint of heart."

"True," Vanessa conceded. "So he's still working, then?"