Family--they were the only people who asked personal questions as if they were entitled to know your innermost secrets.

Rowena was sitting at a picnic table across from her parents, a plate of cold brisket, mashed potatoes, canned sweet corn, and charro beans in front of her. Cross sat next to her while Carmen sat across from him, her brown eyes inspecting him as if he were hiding some sort of secret. Rowena was convinced Carmen was trying to undress him with her eyes. Pervert.

"So, how did you know about the barbecue" Rowena's mother, Gloria, asked. They had just finished listening to Carmen talk about a hunch she had that led to her winning the lottery for a few thousand dollars.

"Lorena invited me," Rowena said. "I thought I'd come even though you and Dad didn't mention the barbecue to me."

Gloria rolled her eyes. "As if you enjoy these events. I thought I'd spare you the humiliation."

"Humiliation?" Rowena asked.

Her father, Fernando, cleared his throat. He didn't say a word, but Rowena knew when he cleared his throat, it meant he was annoyed.

"Rowena, you know you hate coming to these things and being compared to everyone else here. All you talk about is how you wished people wouldn't talk about your job or your single status. I won't even go into how you lack the certain Flores gift," Gloria said, sighing.

"I wouldn't complain if you didn't compare," Rowena said.

Gloria ignored Rowena's comment. "You didn't introduce us to your friend, Rowena."

"I was going to, but we sat down, and Carmen started talking about how she won three thousand dollars picking a few lottery numbers correctly and how she spent that money on a new wardrobe. I didn't have a chance to." Rowena glared at her cousin who was still eyeing Cross. Rowena was contemplating physical violence if Carmen didn't stop staring at her date.

Fake date. Rowena had to remind herself. After Cross had stood up for her, it was hard to forget their relationship transformed from kidnapper and victim to begrudging partners trying to find a killer. She didn't even want to think about how he wasn't even human—not that it mattered much. If she was being honest with herself, Rowena was surprised she took the whole wolf-shifter news in stride. Other than the time his truck got shot at, she hadn't seen him in wolf form up close and personal so it still didn't feel real to her.

"Geez, can you stop being so jealous?" Carmen asked, interrupting Rowena's thoughts. "It's not my fault you're poor because you work as a cashier at Sweeter Homes and do fake fortune telling on the weekend. It would be real fortune-telling but you're you and you didn't inherit—"

Fernando Flores cleared his throat loudly again.

"I am not poor! I live within my means and there's nothing wrong with my job."

"If your job really was something to be proud of, then why are you being so defensive?" Carmen smirked. She still hadn't wiped the lipstick from her teeth.

"I don't know, Carmen," Rowena said sweetly. "Maybe it's the same reason you won't buy transfer-proof lipstick? Maybe I enjoy being defensive like you enjoy bringing attention to your yellow teeth."

Carmen inhaled loudly as if Rowena had struck her. "My teeth are not yellow!"

"They are too!"

"You're just jealous because you're a loser and I'm not," Carmen snarled.

"Jealous of what? Your yellow teeth? They're so yellow they look like nuggets of corn!" Rowena cried. She pointed to the corn on her plate. "At first I thought Tía Josephine served me your teeth on my plate but there wasn't any red lipstick on them, so I knew it was just corn."

Cross choked on his laughter.

"Rowena!" Gloria chastised while Fernando cleared his throat repeatedly.

"At least I didn't bring a male hooker to a family barbecue, Rowena!" Carmen yelled, causing everyone, including the mariachi band to grow quiet.

"Que es un hooker?" A frail voice asked from across the lawn.

"Rowena had to pay a man to come with her to the barbecue," a male voice answered.

"Ella necesita un trabajo mejor para pagar a una prostitute," the frail voice responded. Only her family could insult her job and her ability to land a date in a single sentence spoken in a foreign language. They basically said she'd need a better job to pay for a prostitute.

Rowena felt her face burn with embarrassment.

Cross stood up and raised his hands. "Hello. My name is Cross and Rowena did not pay me to be here. I'm here because I want to be here...with Rowena." Cross held out his hand to her parents. "Cross Howler. I'm Rowena's boyfriend."

Fernando and Gloria didn't bother to shake his hand. They just stared at him with confused expressions.

"So, you're not an escort?" Carmen asked as if he didn't just stand up and announce he was not a male prostitute. Carmen leaned forward, showcasing her cleavage. "Because if you are, I have an event I'm going to in a couple of weeks. I wouldn't mind having some eye candy on my arm. I have the dough in case you weren't listening earlier. It also explains why you were rude to me earlier. Rowena probably paid you extra for that."

Rowena placed a hand in front of her face. "Are you seriously propositioning my boyfriend in front of me?"

"I'm not an escort," Cross growled. "I'm the mayor of Howler. I'm also a business owner."

"A mayor?" Gloria asked.

"You own businesses?" Fernando finally spoke. "What kind of businesses?"

"A little bit of everything," Cross answered vaguely.

"Did you lose a bet or something? Why would you date Rowena?" Carmen asked.

"No, I didn't lose a bet," Cross said, clearly frustrated. "Why would you even ask that?"

"Because men don't usually date Rowena."

"Can you please stop insulting me, Carmen?" Rowena picked up her fork, willing herself not to stab her cousin with it.

"But it's so easy," Carmen mocked. "What do you drive, Cross? I broke up with my last boyfriend because he didn't drive a nice enough car. I want to be seen in a classy car when my boyfriend carts me around."

"It sounds like you want a chauffeur more than a boyfriend," Rowena muttered. "My boyfriend's car is none of your business."

Carmen's lips tugged up at one corner. "Does he drive a Toyota? A Neesan? Does he not own a car?"

"I have a few vehicles. A Tesla, a Mercedes-Benz SUV, and a few others. My Ram was put out of commission today while Rowena was driving it."

"Those are expensive rides," Fernando noted.

"He's probably maxed out his credit," Carmen grumbled.

"Not that it's any of your business but Cross is a millionaire!" Rowena shouted. Gasps were heard around them. Rowena quickly slapped her hands over her mouth before giving Cross an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blurted that. She just makes me so angry."

Carmen stared at her phone for a bit before leaning over and showing it to Rowena's mother. Apparently, she had looked him up online. "He's not lying, Tía. He really is a mayor and a millionaire."

Most mothers would be excited their daughter was dating a well-respected wealthy man. Gloria had no reaction. She nodded as if someone had just told her three plus five equaled eight.

"I see," Gloria said. She didn't look happy about Carmen's news. She turned to Cross. "So, you're dating my daughter for now?"

"For now?" Cross repeated, not quite following Gloria's meaning.

"Yes, you're dating her for now. Rowena doesn't have a good track record with men. Not that she dates much." Gloria shook her head as if Rowena was a disappointment. "I guess Fernando and I will never have grandchildren."

"Grandchildren?" Rowena balked. "You barely wanted me! Why in the world would you want me to have a kid? So you can give another child low self-esteem?"

"Here we go again with the self-pity talk," Gloria said, rolling her eyes. "I swear if she's not getting arrested for her anger issues, she's crying about her low self-esteem."

Carmen chuckled. "You really need a new sob story, Rowena."

Rowena's eyes narrowed. "And you really need to mind your own business."

"And if I don't?"

Rowena slammed her hand against the table. "Then I'll make you."

Cross placed his hand around her neck and gave her a light squeeze. "Calm down, Baby."

Did he just call her baby? Rowena had a fluttering feeling in her stomach. She wasn't sure if that flutter was her attraction to Cross or just gas.

"I think we need to take a walk," Rowena whispered. "My parents coupled with Carmen are like the trinity of evil."

"Then let's take a walk," Cross said softly. He stood up and waited for Rowena to stand next to him. He turned to her parents and frowned. "My parents always told me first impressions were important. I just met you two. You were cruel and indifferent to your daughter in front of her boyfriend." He spared Carmen a glance before continuing. "I want you to know that every insult you hurled at Rowena wasn't a reflection on her but a reflection of your true personalities. You aren't kind people and when Rowena and I eventually have children, you aren't going to be anywhere near them."

He grabbed Rowena's hand and walked to the opposite side of the yard. "If your family is so rude, why did you want to come here?"

Rowena shrugged. "Because they're family and you have to hope that things will eventually get better."

"No," Cross disagreed. "Those are hateful people. You don't need to be around them at all."

"I guess I've always been afraid to cut them out of my life," Rowena mumbled.

"Why?"

She looked away from him, unable to meet his eyes. "Because then I'd have no one."

Before Cross could answer her, a man dressed as Dracula stepped up to them drinking from a blood bag. He looked like Grandpa Munster from an old television show called The Munsters.

"Good evening. I want to suck your blood," the man said in a thick accent that made him sound like Natasha from the classic cartoon Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Cross pointed to the blood bag. "Is that really blood?"

"It's fruit punch," Rowena whispered. "That's my tío, Alejandro."

"The one obsessed with Twilight?"

"Yes," Rowena said, grinning. "I just realized if he's Team Edward, you're Team Jacob. You know...because of the whole werewolf thing."

Cross rolled his eyes.

"Lies!" Alejandro shouted. "I only drink the finest of blood tonight." His eyes narrowed on Rowena. "Is it true you paid for prostitution?"

"Tío!" Rowena cried. "I didn't pay for my date. Cross is my boyfriend. You know how Carmen is. She's just trying to make me look bad."

Cross placed his arm around Rowena and she stiffened, unfamiliar with his touch. He squeezed her shoulder and she relaxed. "Rowena's my girlfriend and I'm not a male escort."

"Yes, Carmen is what us vampires call bad blood. She can pick lotto numbers though." Alejandro Flores admitted.

"Unless she picks all the numbers, I don't want to know about it," Rowena said. "Honestly, maybe not even then either."

Alejandro nodded. "Your grandmother wants to speak with you, Rowena."

Rowena sighed, looking past her uncle to a petite Hispanic woman sitting in the corner next to Lorena. Her Abuela Flores was wearing a white tunic dress adorned with embroidered flowers. Her gray hair was pulled up in a tight bun and she was staring right at Rowena. A few of Rowena's aunts were next to her.

Rowena sighed. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

She grabbed the alpha's hand and dragged him to the picnic table her grandmother sat at.

"Abuela, this is my boyfriend, Cross. Cross, this is my grandmother Rosa."

Before her grandmother or Cross could speak, her aunt Josephine asked, "Are you really a male hooker?"

"Mom!" Lorena shouted. "You can't ask people that. Besides, I told you, he's her boyfriend. He even came to pick her up from jail. Donnie said they were together."

Josephine made a clucking sound. "As if you should believe anything your ex-husband says. The man is a liar."

"Will you stop calling Donnie names? That's probably why he had an affair. Because he was tired of you insulting him!"

"No, he had an affair because he was a weak man," a different aunt piped in.

"Donnie said he never had an affair," Rowena shared. "He said you were mistaken."

Lorena rolled her eyes, clearly having heard that excuse from Donnie in the past.

"Are you impotent?" Josephine asked Cross.

"Tía Josephine!" This time Rowena was the one shouting. "You can't ask my boyfriend that. It's none of your business."

"If you two go the distance, you may want kids. What if his Oscar Meyer is shooting blanks?"

Cross made a strangled sound in the back of his throat. "Did she just call my—"

"Don't say it," Rowena hissed, grabbing his arm. "I told you they'd ask you embarrassing questions."

"What's your credit score," another aunt asked.

"Have you ever been married?"

"Do you have any children?"

"Were you born a male or do you just identify as one?"

Cross blinked before turning back to Rowena. She had her eyes closed and was shaking her head.

"I don't think I'm impotent but I've never actually gotten tested," Cross answered. "My credit is perfect. I've never been married and I don't have children. I was born with my Oscar Meyer, not that it should matter what a person identifies as."

Abuela Rosa had stared at Cross with hooded eyes the entire time he spoke. He turned to her and nodded. "I'm Cross Howler. I'm not a male prostitute and I'm dating your granddaughter. She's beautiful and she makes me laugh even though I had to pick her up from jail today. I also think it's cute that she calls her cat Kitty, is obsessed with her book club, and nothing ever seems to surprise her which makes me think she's someone you always want to have in your corner."

The older woman nodded before speaking. "Your aura is unique. You are wild—animalistic." She turned to Rowena and lowered her voice, "This will be good for baby-making time."

"Abuela!" Rowena groaned in embarrassment.

"Déjame ver tu mano." She asked Cross to let her see his hand. He glanced at Rowena who nodded. He put his hand out. Rosa grabbed it tightly, lifting it to her face. She nodded again before letting his hand go. "And your hand, Rowena." Rowena let her grandmother inspect her palm as well.

"You two have matching heartlines," Rosa said, her weary eyes going from Cross to Rowena. "Do you know what that means?"

"That you probably need to have your vision checked?" Rowena joked.

Rosa scowled.

"A couple with matching heart lines is rare, Rowena," Lorena said, her voice filled with awe.

"What does it mean?" Cross asked.

"Almas gemelas," Rosa whispered.

"What does that mean?" Cross had to ask, not understanding the Spanish spoken words.

His question wasn't answered as three loud blasts filled the air followed by the Flores family screaming and scrambling to run for cover. Rowena had already jerked forward into Cross. He wrapped his arms around her and could feel her blood dampening his clothes. His breath hitched.

She'd been shot. 

Shehopes Note: Thank you so much for reading! I'm finally starting to write again and it means a lot to have you all join me with this particular story. I found the image below on Canva and it reminded me of Rowena's evil cousin. Hahaha ewww... Maybe I'll finally use my social media again and post it on Instagram. 🙂