My heart was in my throat when it was time to go to Karen's home.

Serge was waiting for me by the door.

I told myself it was just Karen.  The anxiety ran through my cells, reminding me there was no just about it.

It was not only Karen, who was bad enough as far as the curse was concerned.  My leader and his second and his wife and their three children was a whole lot of pack for me to be around.  It felt almost as bad as when I was dragged to the shelter as a quivering mess when Serge had to fight.

I pulled on my runners.  Most of the snow had melted except for compact piles in the shade of the trees.  The lawn was still damp from the spring melt, but at least the driveway was dry.

I followed Serge to his truck and climbed into the passenger side.  He had gotten in as well and I shut the door, enclosing me with him.

Nervousness flooded though me.  I had been in this truck before and there had been times when it had felt worse and times when it had been better.  It was only because we were going to Karen's house that I felt so nervous.

Serge put the truck into gear and we pulled away from the house.  I tried to rationalize my fear away, not that the curse ever listened to me.

We drove past the town and Serge pulled into the driveway of a white house with blue trim.  There were flowerbeds in the front and I could see the greenroom extension Karen had told me about off to the left of the building.  My heart leapt into my throat as the truck pulled to a stop.

"We're here," Serge said.  I swallowed and pushed open the door.

I noticed movement in the yard behind the house.  A young wolf was running, and a second one chased it.  They were too big to be true wolf pups from this year, but too small to be pups from the previous.  I realized that the two little wolves must be Karen and Dan's kids.

And then I realized I was looking at them.  I had either become more resolute or young werewolves truly fell into the same only slightly terrifying category as true wolves and regular humans in the pack.  I smiled shakily.

"You ready?" Serge asked.

I nodded.  Realizing I could look at Karen's children made me feel hopeful until the curse consumed the emotion.

Serge started walking toward the house and I followed him, he slowed until I was nearly beside him.  The curse wanted me to hang back, but since he was clearly forcing me to catch up with him I managed without stumbling over myself.

It was uncomfortable, but it was another way to ignore the curse's insistent demands so I made myself keep pace with him.  I shivered as Serge knocked on the door.

Karen opened the door and I glanced at her face for the briefest moment and saw that she wore a warm welcoming smile before my eyes fled to the furthest corner of the yard.

"Good to see you, come in.  Supper's almost ready, make yourself comfy in the living room while you wait," she requested before rushing off again.

"Will do," Serge said.  He held the door for me and I scurried inside.  I swallowed as I copied Serge in removing my shoes and jacket.

"Through here," Serge said, directing me since I was blocking him.  I hurried forwards, trying to get out of his way.

Serge sat on a couch and I sat on a single chair opposite him, still engaging in my mime routine.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded, although in truth I felt like jumping out of my skin to escape.  I felt overwhelmed.  I had not been around Serge, Karen, and Dan together since the day I had been cursed.  I could feel where Serge had bit me like ice all over again.

He did not argue with my response, but his next words demonstrated that he did not believe me.  "If you want to leave now, or at any time, I'll take you home.  Just tell me."

Somewhere inside I heard Karen shouting, "Macy!  Payton!  Get Sebastian and come in for supper!"

I wondered if he ever believed any of my lies.  Probably not.  He was clearly aware of my discomfort and was willing to let me escape back to his house if things got too much.  If I was stuck as a thrall, I was glad it was to him.

I wondered what expression he was wearing, but before I got the chance to attempt to push through the fear that seized me at the thought, Karen came into her living room.

"Supper's ready," she told us.

I heard Serge get up and I copied him.  He never touched me, but I could see that he was waiting.  I forced a smile of gratitude.  How odd to have to force a reaction that I actually felt since the curse skewed everything between my body and my mind.

We went into the dining room and Karen indicated where we should sit.  After a moment's pause I quickly slipped into a chair I had been assigned.  Serge sat on the end next to me.  No one else was in the dining room yet, but I suspected that had been Karen's intention by design.

"Hello, Elise," I heard Macy say as she dashed into the dining room.

"Hello, Macy," I responded evenly.  I glanced at her cute little smiling face and I realized that she was one of the faces I had come to know so well from the photographs.

"How are you, today?" Macy asked.

"I'm g-good," I managed to get out.  The curse screamed that I was anything but and I felt shivers rush over me again.  "And you?"

"I'm doing great!" Macy told me enthusiastically.  "School was great and I'm excited that you two have come over for supper."

"Did you wash up, Macy?" Karen asked as she brought something into the room.

"Of course, mom," Macy agreed.  She came and sat beside me.

At that moment I heard the galloping of what I could only imagine might be boys, considering my experience growing up with a brother.

"Go wash up," Karen said.

"Mom," I heard an adorably disgruntled voice say before the more subdued footsteps led away.  Karen left the room, too.

"And how are you, Serge?" Macy asked.

"I'm doing well," he responded.

I suspected he had lied as much as I had.

"What have you been doing in school?" he asked.

Macy enthusiastically informed Serge of all she had been learning.  I tried not to flinch as Karen and Dan came in and out bringing supper.

The boys returned and took their places on either ends of the other side of the table.  A glance at another familiar face I had not yet met told me that the six-year old Payton was across the table from me.  I glanced at the older boy and found it was far more difficult than his younger siblings, perhaps because he was so much nearer to adulthood than the other two.

Dan came in and sat at the end of the table opposite Serge.  Karen set down one more platter and sat between the boys.  I assumed it was to keep them from fighting as easily.

Dan said grace and we all began dishing out our plates.  I had to concentrate to keep my shaking hands from making a mess with the serving spoons.

The table was quiet for a long moment except for the sounds of dishes being passed and clinking utensils.

Sebastian was the first to break the silence.  "Hey dad, howl are you doing?"

There was another moment of silence and Dan chuckled.  "I'm doing as well as paws-ible."

I heard Karen release a light sigh across from me.

Dan continued, "Elise, did you hear about the werewolf wearing a wool sweater?  It was your classic case of a wolf in sheep's clothing."

I smiled at his attempt at a joke.  The curse attacked me for mild amusement, but I focused on the chicken in front of me on my plate and the conversation.

"So, how are you managing today, Elise?" Karen asked me.

I swallowed my bite.  "I'm o-okay.  This isn't much w-worse than S-S-Se..."

"Serge's house?"

I nodded.

"Elise has been making great strides," Karen told Dan.

"I can see that," he agreed amiably.  "I haven't seen you since shortly after you arrived here, and the change is remarkable, Elise."

"Thanks," I said, not sure what I was supposed to say.  I felt rather awkward and it seemed the other table occupants shared the feeling.

I struggled to think of something to say that would break the uncomfortable silence, but before I got a chance Macy spoke.

"Can I show Elise my room after supper?" she asked.

"Me too," piped up Payton.

Karen's emphasis was on the first word of her reply.  "If Elise wants, you two."

"Please, Elise," they sang in concert.

I paused.  If I agreed I would have to follow through before taking the escape that Serge had offered me.  I glanced at the little girl beside me and the little boy opposite.  "O-okay," I agreed.  I hoped I would not regret it.

Sebastian spoke next.  "Hey, Elise, want to hear a joke?"

I was pretty sure they were all trying to make me comfortable and it was a bit overwhelming.  The curse had no sense of  humour, though, so...

"S-sure?" I said. 

"Why did the werewolf cross the road?"

"I don't know, why?" I asked.

"Because chickens are delicious."

I smiled and forced a glance at Sebastian and I saw a boy with light freckles and Karen's eyes grinning back at me.  I remembered him, too.  I had a photo of him holding up a pair of fish proudly.

"I, um, had walleye y-you caught a few weeks ago," I told him.  "S-S-Se... cooked them and they were r-really g-good."  I had barely tasted it at the time, but it was a safe bet.  Walleye was my favourite fish and I remembered what I could barely experience now.

"Sweet," he said.  "I haven't been out to my secret spot since the attacks have increased since mom won't let me go that far, but I'll give you some more when I do."

Dan intervened.  "I agree with your mother, Seb."

"If you would just let me fight..." he complained.

Serge spoke, "You know we have no active fighters under the age of eighteen, Sebastian."

"Well, couldn't I at least start the training?  I can help with defense, at least," Sebastian pushed.

I glanced at Karen as she spoke.  Her brows were knotted in concern and annoyance.  "Sebastian, you know that we did not invite Serge and Elise for supper so that you could convince him to let you fight."

Serge intervened.  "As to the training, that's up to your parents.  I have no qualms about you having extra training."

"Dad, can I?" Sebastian asked.

"Can I have training too?" asked Payton hopefully.

"No one is getting training if they keep ignoring the rule about talking about such matters at the dinner table," Karen said.  "You know the rules."

Sebastian was not finished.  "Serge and dad—"

"Serge and dad are special cases."  Karen did not sound pleased about that either.

"We try to follow the rules, Sebastian," Dan agreed.

"Fine," Sebastian drawled out.  I could tell he had not dropped his request permanently.  I smiled.  He reminded me a bit of my brother when we were younger.

"Then can I at least go fishing?"

"I'll take you on my next day off," Dan said.

"Me too," Payton said.

Sebastian sighed.  "He scares all the fish."

"We'll decide all this later, kids," Karen said, effectively ending the argument.

There was another moment of silence which Dan broke.  I tried to look towards him, but I could not manage to meet his eyes, probably because he was second highest in the pack.

"What did the werewolf say when the battle took a turn for the worse?"

Karen rolled her eyes at her husband, with an expression of long suffering amusement.

Karen did not have much room to criticise.  I ignored the light cold tremors that rushed over me at my unspoken critique.  She was the one who made wolf cupcakes for a werewolf's birthday, and I had not failed to notice that she owned a couple pairs of socks with wolf patterns on them.

Karen and Dan were a match made in werewolf dork heaven.

"Nothing, because werewolves don't talk it wolf form.  But if he could have, he would have said, 'Things are getting hairy.'"

"That joke is oddly specific, Dan," Serge observed in light tone that I found foreign coming from my leader.

Karen frowned.  "I would feel better if you focused on the battlefield, Dan, rather than thinking up jokes."

"In my defense, it was after we'd routed the enemy."

Serge spoke.  "You'll notice, Elise, that my father made Dan second in command, not the pack comedian."

I realized with a start that he was actually joking.  Was he smiling as he spoke?  I tried to look at his face, but I could not manage to get my eyes there to see what I was missing.

The curse assaulted me with a new wave of shivers in response to my efforts.

"Ouch.  That's cold, Serge.  Cold," Dan protested playfully.

It was cold indeed.

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