Chapter 1.2: The Pack
Tara stared at the incorrigible pigtails of the taxi driver. She was heading into town to sell some of her produce, as the garden was doing well.
The diner had placed an order for some vegetables with her, so Tara dropped them off. They paid her well, and Tara hoped to be able to do business with them in the future.
The rest of her crops were sold to the grocery store.
On a whim, Tara decided to go to the park. She wouldn't try to talk to anyone, but seeing some other people would be nice. Maybe she would find another mushroom for her garden.
Tara stopped when she caught sight of a familiar face. Luke Foreman. He'd gone to her high school back in Appaloosa Plains. He looked different then, much nerdier. She wondered what he was doing in Sunset Valley and if she could leave the park without him seeing her.
No such luck. Luke spotted Tara and called out to her. Tara froze. He walked over, grinning.
"Tara! I didn't know you lived here!" He said brightly. Luke had always been friendly.
"Tara! I didn't know you lived here!" He said brightly. Luke had always been friendly.
Tara stammered something noncommittal in reply. Luke was cute.
Thankfully Luke was much better at making conversation than Tara. They spent several hours catching up, talking about old friend and what they'd been up to. Tara found out that Luke was a writer.
It was getting dark, and Tara knew she would need to go soon. She exchanged phone numbers with Luke and he pulled her in for a hug.
"You owe me a date." he told her.
"What?" Tara said, confused. She didn't date in high school, and Luke didn't either.
"We were supposed to go to prom together, but you were in the hospital. I brought you flowers, but after that I never saw you again."
Now that Luke mentioned it, Tara remembered. She nodded. "Okay."
Luke's smile was even bigger than before. "Great. I'll call you."
"You owe me a date." he told her.
"What?" Tara said, confused. She didn't date in high school, and Luke didn't either.
"We were supposed to go to prom together, but you were in the hospital. I brought you flowers, but after that I never saw you again."
Now that Luke mentioned it, Tara remembered. She nodded. "Okay."
Luke's smile was even bigger than before. "Great. I'll call you."
Tara couldn't believe it. She had a date!
One date turned into two, and then three, and then ten. Tara saw Luke almost every day. There was no doubt about it. Tara was in love.
They spent a lot of time at Tara's home or at the waterfall. Tara kept waiting for Luke to kiss her, but he never did.
Finally Tara got tired of waiting.
Luke was in the habit of just walking in when he came over to Tara's. One day he went out into the garden to find Tara a werewolf. Tara hadn't told him yet. She didn't know how he would take it or if he would stick around after he found out. He didn't faint or scream when he saw her. Tara took that as a good sign. He did look angry though.
"We need to talk." He told Tara sternly. Tara nodded.
"We need to talk." He told Tara sternly. Tara nodded.
Luke sat in silence as Tara explained her situation, and what really happened when she was attacked by "wolves". Afterwards Luke just stared at the wall.
"Luke?" Tara said nervously.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Luke said, still not looking at Tara. Whatever she was expecting, it was not that. Tara took a minute to gather her thoughts before answering.
"I thought you would leave. Who wants to be with a monster?"
"Luke?" Tara said nervously.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Luke said, still not looking at Tara. Whatever she was expecting, it was not that. Tara took a minute to gather her thoughts before answering.
"I thought you would leave. Who wants to be with a monster?"
Luke pulled Tara close to him. "I don't care what you are Tara." He said softly, kissing her. Tara hesitated at first and then she kissed him back. "No more secrets, okay?" Luke said. Tara nodded.
Now that Luke knew, Tara asked him to move in with her. He agreed. The peace and quiet would help him write. He wouldn't have to drive to see her anymore.
Tara's cooking continued to improve. Luke, who was an awful cook, appreciated having food that wasn't burned or from a can.
Luke suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder. He hated for things to be dirty. Tara liked that she almost never had to clean. She was good at helping Luke channel his stress.
Tara noticed she was putting on weight.
One trip to the drugstore later, Tara and Luke found out they were going to be parents. Between the money Tara made from gardening and the money Luke made from writing, they were able to expand the house and build a nursery.
Pregnancy did not slow Tara down. She still worked in her garden.
She read pregnancy books and discovered that she would not transform while pregnant.
When Luke wasn't writing he was out collecting rocks. He wanted his family to have what they needed.
Luke and Tara were never too busy to spend some quality time together. Luke loved to feel the baby kick.
He made Tara laugh, talking to the baby.
He would press one ear to her stomach to listen, though Tara wasn't sure what it was he was listening to. He was going to be a great dad.
The baby wasn't the only one who got attention. Luke rubbed her back whenever Tara needed it. He would make a great husband if he ever worked up the nerve to ask her. Tara was beginning to wonder if she was going to have to do it herself!
Tara was nearing the end of her third trimester. The baby was due any day now. Tara had just gotten a massage. When she turned around, Luke was kneeling on the ground.
He pulled a small black box out of his pocket, nearly dropping it. It looked like she wasn't going to have to ask him after all.
Tara's eyes were as big as saucers when she saw the ring. Luke stammered out his proposal. Tara said yes before he even finished.
Tara couldn't stop smiling as Luke slid the ring on her finger. Between her fiance and her baby, Tara was never going to be lonely again.