Wolf under an oak tree.

“Newly turned werewolves?” I asked him in an astonishing voice and hearing me say that word made him press on the brake pedal so hard that I knocked my head on the dashboard.

“Ow! That hurts!”

“I am so sorry, Iris. I thought I saw a dog cross by, and that is why I pressed on the brake pedal.” Walter was literally hovering over me, examining the tiny cut that was on my forehead.

“I am fine, Walter,” I reassured him, but I know, that I was not convinced. “Let's go to your home and apply something,” I said, but he still looked concerned, and after a few minutes, he reluctantly agreed with me and started to drive again.

“So, what are these newly turned werewolves?” I asked him, which made him shift uncomfortably.

“Those are the new wolf pups that we use for hunting. So, before we take them out, we will have to train them, right?” Walter said stammering, which raised a few red flags, but before I could further question this, we turned into a small road that had a few houses on either side and after a short drive, Walter parked his car in front of a mansion.

“Wait! Do you live here?” I asked him, flabbergasted. The mansion was huge, with red and white roses surrounding the house, and to finish the look, there was a fountain in the center, and there were a few other cars parked in the driveway too.

“Yes and no, actually, this is like a community house, and people who want to live away from their parents can stay here. I have my house too, but since I am not really good at cooking, I thought of having lunch at the pa...uh...community house.”

“Oh, that's alright. As long as I don't end up with food poisoning, I am fine.” I said with a smirk on my face, and I heard Walter sigh.

“I am not a horrible cook, Iris. I just wanted to make sure that you have the best lunch since this is our first time.” Walter explained.

“I was joking, Walter,” I said with a hearty laugh which made him laugh, too. After our little banter, we got out of the car, and Walter led me inside the mansion. If I told you earlier that the exterior of the mansion was beautiful, then don't let me start on how the interior looks like because the only thing that I can tell, is that these people must be loaded. The moment I entered the mansion, I felt like I was inside a Disney palace, everywhere I turned, the walls were made of stone and glass, and there were vases of roses kept wherever possible.

Hmm, whoever lives here must have an obsession with roses.

The hallway that we took to go to the kitchen was lined with portraits, and some of them were pictures of wolves which was very peculiar because these wolves look like they know that they are being photographed, because of the way they stand with their head held high and some of them even look like they have a goofy grin on their faces.

“Hey, are you coming?” Walter’s voice brings me back from my trance, and I run up to catch up with him. I can hear the merry chitchats that are taking place in the kitchen the closer we get there, and before long, we entered the kitchen to be greeted by a woman who looked like she was in her late forties, and I saw a man around the same age leaving the kitchen through the back door.

“Walter! What took you this long to come?” the woman in a yellow sundress implored.

“Mom, I told you that I will be bringing a friend for lunch,” Walter said. “And this is Iris,” he introduced, while gently pushing me forward.

“Oh, hello sweetheart! You look extremely beautiful. And my name is Summer Quinn, Walter’s mother. ” Walter’s mother explained, and she grabbed me in for a hug.

“Nice meeting you too, Mrs.Quinn,” I said, trying to fill my lungs with oxygen after that awfully strong hug from Mrs.Quinn.

“Okay, so what are we waiting for? Let's go and have lunch.” Mrs.Quinn said and dragged me towards the huge lunch table where everyone was already seated. So after taking a seat next to Walter, Mrs.Quinn started piling my plate up with everything that was on the table, and to be honest, I am not sure how am I going to finish all this. After everyone was done serving, we started eating while a comfortable chatter started around the table. Fifteen minutes into lunch, and everyone was done eating except me.

These people must have an extremely huge mouth to finish this fast.

Since I was still eating and the rest of them had to tend to their daily chores, they bid their adieu to Mrs.Quinn, Walter, and me before leaving the large kitchen, which left only Walter and Mrs.Quinn with me.

“So Iris, how did you and Walter meet?” Mrs.Quinn asked.

“I think we met when I accidentally crashed my car on his,” I said with a blush creeping up my face.

How embarrassing! Why couldn't I even meet him under normal circumstances?

“Oh, that is not awkward at all honey, because the first time I met Walter’s dad, was in a public washroom when he came barreling inside, and the moment our eyes connected it was all, the love at first sight vibe.” Mrs.Quinn said, and I can see the joy, love, and happiness swirling in her eyes. And just before she was going to ask her next question, the kitchen door banged open, and in walked the most gorgeous man that I have ever seen. He was the same guy who came to give the potion to Walter the other night, and back then, he was wearing a pair of jeans and a tight t-shirt, but now he walked inside wearing only a pair of basketball shorts with his abs on full display.

“Oh, Al...uh...Jace, I didn't know that you would be joining us for lunch.” Mrs.Quinn said getting up.

“Uh, I didn't come here to have lunch, Mrs.Quinn, I came here to meet my mother,” Jace replied curtly in a baritone voice which awoke the butterflies in my stomach again.

Uh, why am I feeling this way whenever Jace is around me?

“Oh, um, Laura just went outside with your father, but I think they are on their way right now. Why don't you join us for lunch, Jace? I insist.” Mrs.Quinn said, and after a few contemplating moments, Jace grunted before taking a seat directly opposite mine.

After we resumed eating, the lunch table was quiet again, but I had this itching feeling that someone was intensely staring at me, so when I slowly glanced up, I saw that Jace was intensely staring at my left hand, ring finger.

“So, Iris, when are you and Walter planning to get married?” Mrs.Quinn asked me, which made me choke on the chicken that I was chewing.