Work was quite possibly the last thing Ada wanted to do on a Friday, but there was nothing for it. She needed the money, and she needed to kill about twelve hours. This ate up three-quarters of that, at least. Then four hours, or more, to sort out herself.

Ada got Noah's call on time, and he sounded far more tired than she was expecting. When she asked him what was up, he said he had trouble sleeping—nightmares. The wolf wasn't bothering him so much that afternoon, so they were both grateful for that. She didn't want to have to leave work to distract him again. She would, though, if he needed it. Better to lose some money than risk lives.

Fall was truly taking hold now. The trees lining the streets and encircling their little town were in the in-between stage of defoliation. Reds and yellows, vibrant as the stunning sunsets here in the mountains, contrasted with the healthy emeralds on nearly every canopy. Soft, discoloured leaves littered the sidewalks. Ada zipped her sweater further up against a brisk wind on her way to the unsheltered bus stop across the street.

Hillebrandt had sent her a few texts throughout the day, more than she was used to receiving from him. Unfortunately none of them was good news, aside from the fact that he wasn't on suspension. He was damn close, though. The captain said without evidence, no steps could be taken against Jocelyn. Hillebrandt said technicians were sent to his house, but nothing substantial came from it. Just some unfamiliar lint and a scuff mark on the kitchen floor. No fingerprints, no hairs, nothing that could be directly tied to her. So that angle was at a standstill. As for Charles, he was supposedly maintaining his upstanding citizen act. He, too, was a mechanic these days. He was the one who taught her her way around an engine. When they were young, their father allowed him to work on one of the old junkers in the back yard before they moved into the condo. They got it running again, to their father's surprise, and he gave it to Charles for his efforts. It was the very car that pulled up out front of Ada's apartment in January.

Without proof, the break-in was not credited to her siblings, despite the stolen file being their own. She was not quiet about that fact, far from it. She made her case with a little less grace than she wanted, but for naught.

'It's not up to me, Ada; I agree with you, but no one here gives a shit, especially since you're not living here right now. Between that and the lack of evidence, the captain says it's not our problem. Unless I can prove that your siblings stole those cars back in the day, we're at a dead end.'

And just like that, Ada was back to square one. She had really thought this would be enough to get the department back on her side, but no. The only upside was that they were at least aware of the potential danger. Hillebrandt suggested she contact local police, and to give them his number. She said thanks and left it at that. Ada didn't need more useless police asking her questions and knowing her business. Especially when she was trying to leave it all behind her for good.

When she got off the bus not long after, she was ready to go back to bed even though the sun hadn't even set yet. She could have taken a nap, but she wanted to have a fresh meal ready for Sam, even if she got in late. Running always made her so tired, and she imagined doing a nonstop trek through the woods and hills wasn't any easier.

Gosh, she must have been exhausted, though. She hadn't even made it through the front door before dropping her keys twice. She tossed them into the bowl as she usually did, but they careened around the lip and tumbled behind the rickety table. Sighing, she stooped to retrieve them again.

Ada got to work rubbing steaks and chopping vegetables. She figured she would cook the vegetables ahead of time and reheat them while she cooked the steaks once Sam got home. Though she was using more care than normal, she still managed to slice her thumb peeling potatoes. Cursing the knife and her clumsiness, she held it high to slow the bleeding and hurried upstairs for a bandage.

With everything prepped and/or precooked, Ada settled onto the couch to watch the documentary she hadn't been able to start the night prior. Though she started it sitting upright, at some point her head settled onto the plush armrest, and not long after she was asleep.

The deadbolt turning jolted her awake. The lamp beside her was the only one on, and darkness had fallen outside. Her watch said it was just after ten.

"I'm home," Sam called a moment later, and she peeked her head around the door frame as she removed her sneakers. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

An easy grin overcame Ada. "Yes, but I didn't want to sleep, anyway. Welcome back."

Ada started to get up, but Sam placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he approached, easing Ada back as she crawled over her and settled her cheek in the hollow of Ada's throat. Sam still smelled of the forest, of verdant oils and saps, and rich loam. Ada smoothed her hair, taking in the fragrance.

"Tell me all about it?" she murmured, Sam's hair tickling her lips.

"In a minute," Sam sighed contentedly. "How was your day?"

Ada smiled at the familiarity. "Oh, it was all right, nothing to report here. The most exciting thing was cutting my thumb."

She felt Sam's cheek shift with her smile. "Aw, are you okay? And did Noah give you any trouble?"

"I am." She rubbed slow circles over Sam's spine. "He actually didn't. He had a rough night yesterday, asked me to come over for a while. Unless he's an astounding actor, he kept his nose clean."

"Oh, I'm so glad. We were both worried, but I told Aidan not to check in unnecessarily."

"I bet that was hard for him," Ada laughed.

Sam propped herself up on her elbows, her wide cocoa eyes ensnaring Ada's. "You have no idea. He actually tried to talk me into going home yesterday, only me, but I refused. I said you would have called if there was a problem."

"You were right."

Sam grinned wider, and she glittered for just an instant. Then she leaned in, lips parted, and Ada put the thought from her mind. Whatever she was seeing could wait until later, apparently. It clearly wasn't going anywhere. Bracing her weight on one forearm, she laced her fingers through Ada's hair. Her insistent grip drew Ada closer and spoke plainly what was on her mind. Her warm skin became almost scalding as her pulse raced.

Ada paused her just long enough to swap places. As her hair slid off her back, it curtained beside their cheeks, first flaxen, then lilac, turquoise, and pale lime. Sam's gaze followed it for a moment. Though she was propped up somewhat for Sam's comfort, Sam's insistent hands urged her closer, and Ada obliged.

Eventually, Ada did get around to cooking dinner while Sam showered. She was still plucking twigs from her hair as she climbed the steps. Ada's hair was up then, the back of her neck still sweaty and warm. The stove wasn't helping. It was far past dinner time, but neither had eaten in hours.

They ate in the back yard at Ada's suggestion. They were quickly losing their nice weather. It was a little cold, but they both wore sweaters, and Ada brought a pot of herbal tea with them. Lounging in cheap Muskoka chairs in the semidarkness was the perfect end to her day.

Blood and oil pooled in the dip of Sam's plate as she sunk her fork into the steak. "So we knew he wasn't in Goose Bay anymore, the report said he had gone up to Sheshatshiu when he couldn't find work there. We went there first. The innkeeper was lovely, she remembered him straight away." She paused for a bite, eyes shutting as she groaned at the taste. "Wow ... right, so she said he was very kind and polite, but that no one had any work for him, either. She told him to try Rigolet. We went there next, and that was where we got the room. It was already really late when we met with the innkeeper, so when we got there we were lucky to find a motel or we would have been sleeping in the woods.

"She had suggested we try the docks first, as he had told her that he had plenty of experience fishing on the ocean. So we did. Holy shit, do fish stink. Like, I know it's bad for human noses, but it was bad."

They laughed, and Ada got a small jolt at having the distinction between them verbalized. Ada always thought of Sam as human, and werewolf, but it didn't seem anyone else did. The distinction was jarring.

"Yes, thankfully. He was gutting fish, said he might have a job on the boat by the end of the day, if he impressed its owner before then. He was happy to talk to us, once we made it clear that while Chase sent us, we had our own autonomy. Aidan told him about us, and Noah, though he didn't go into any detail on that." Another pause for a bite.

"What does he look like?"

Ada's tea was lukewarm as she sipped it, her plate on the little table between them. The backyard light came on next door, and David, the son, emerged mid-conversation. They could just see the top of his spiked green hair over the fence.

"About his height, actually." Sam gestured to the fence. "Pretty thin, dark brown hair, strong features. Turns out he's from England, but the pack there was too restrictive. The Australian pack was great for a while, but he and one of the alpha's brothers have irreconcilable differences. He wouldn't elaborate, beyond saying that it made living there impossible. I don't know what that means."

Ada chuckled. "Sounds like love gone sour to me."

"You think?"

Ada shrugged. "I don't know, but what could make two people so animus they can't be on the same continent?"

"Yeah, maybe. So yeah, he's a nice guy, though a little strange. I can't explain it, it's nothing he did. He's just strange. It's not a bad thing, though."

"So he's staying out there for now?"

"Yes, though he might never move out here. He seems pretty set on being on his own. I did tell him he's welcome to visit whenever, so we'll see what happens."

"I've got to say, I'm kind of glad. As cool as it will be to meet a bunch more werewolves, I'm glad we have more time before things get crowded, you know?"

She smiled at Ada. "I do." She finished off her last bite, then set her plate on top of Ada's. "So, you spent time with Noah? How was it?"

It occurred to Ada then that Sam had spent less time with him than she had at that point. Sure, she knew more about him, but history and personality are different things. Ada gave it a moment of thought.

"I mean, it was fine. Nothing happened. I ran into him after work yesterday." Ada described the encounter to her, sparing no detail, as she always wanted the full story. "He offered to let me search his room, and I didn't find a single thing worth hiding. Not a single thing. I know they only just moved in, but I'm surprised. Why is this so easy for him?"

Sam shook her head, then gazed out over the small lawn. "It's not easy, but I admit it is definitely easier. We burn through everything faster: calories, medications, alcohol, drugs; you name it. Good or bad, it takes a lot more to be effective and it runs out much faster than it should. It's out of his system, but the habits are still fresh in his memory. I don't know what it's like, but after all I read, I know it's not easy."

Ada reached for her hand and held it over the gap between their armrests. "Well, he called me last night after we got off the phone and asked me to come over for a while. He was being talked to again. Nothing to really report there, we just sat and talked a bit. I got him to watch Stranger Things. I don't know, he's really quiet."

"But did he open up at all?"

"A little. He told me about the voice, and what it's like when it talks. It was pretty dull, to be honest. He's a little nosey."

Sam chuckled darkly. "He stalked me, are you really surprised?"

Ada conceded her point. "There's more, not about him. I thought I imagined it the first time, but I've seen this strange sort of glitter on your skin a couple of times now, just this past week or so."

"What are you getting at?" She glanced at Ada.

"Nothing, I don't really know. It's there one second and gone the next. I noticed it first when you got back on the full moon."

"Is it on me now?" She tilted her cheek, exposing more of her neck.

"No, but it was when you got home. It's only there for a second. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm seeing things."

Sam squeezed her hand, smiling. "Maybe it's something wolfy. I'll mention it to Aidan, if you want."

"Yeah, maybe."

Her round cheeks held their usual amount of sheen in the semi-dark and pushed up as her smile spread. "What?"

Ada blinked out of her focus. "Sorry, nothing. Just admiring."

Whatever David had been discussing came to a heated end and he went inside. Ada hadn't been paying much attention to him, focused as she was on finding a trace of that strange liquid gold. Perhaps it came off in the shower, Ada hadn't seen it since then.

"I have an odd question." She paused, debating her wording. "Is it possible there's another werewolf in town you three don't know of?"

Sam shook her head. "Why?"

"I thought I saw that sheen on another person, but it was probably the shit lighting and heavy highlighter. It was hard to see much of anything in there."

"Where was this?"

"You know that little occult shop? I was shopping for Paz's birthday."

Sam grinned in recognition. "Right, that's next week, isn't it?"

"Yes." Ada yawned deeply, flexing her ankles. "It was probably nothing."

"Come on," Sam said as she got to her feet. "Bed time. You look nearly as tired as me."

Ada got the plates and she the mugs, and they washed up before beginning their nightly ritual. Percy was overjoyed to have both of them to sleep on. The little traitor liked her better, Ada thought because of her body heat. She couldn't blame him, though; sharing a bed with her was like cuddling a baked potato most times.