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This is my very first werewolf story in the 2022 NovelCat Strong Female Lead Writing Contest.

I’d really appreciate your support, so please:

ADD to Library, READ the story, ENJOY it and VOTE for it.

Most of all, please LEAVE A COMMENT to let me know what you think of the story.

Here we go…

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Chapter 1

“Keep the change.” Zoe Matlock said as she handed a twenty dollar note to the waitress at her favourite restaurant.

After almost an hour of doing nothing but nurse one drink after another; and of course, fantasizing about a certain mystery guy who usually flirted with her from a distance. He was a fine man, probably very rich, judging by his choice of clothes.

In addition to having a few drinks to relax her mind after a hard day’s work, Zoe also wanted an excuse to flirt with her mystery admirer one more time; and perhaps actually get to meet him and talk to him. Of course, she’d never admit this to anyone but Zoe was craving for this man so badly that it scared her out of her wits.

“Thank you Miss…” the waitress said with a wide smile, hoping that Zoe would finally introduce herself by name.

“Nice try, lady but I’m not looking for a friend. I’m cool like that, OK?” Zoe brushed her off gently, forcing a cunning smile in the process. The waitress chuckled; shaking her head as she walked away merrily.

As Zoe gathered her things to leave the bar, a familiar scent filled the room. She didn’t have to turn around to know that her secret crush had just walked in. Electric sensations surged through her body, making her limbs tremble as though she was in heat.

Zoe eased back into her chair and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. But before she completely recovered from the romance-induced shock, Zoe was hit by another surprise.

“May I?” the man had walked straight to Zoe’s table and was asking if he could join Zoe.

He must have noticed that Zoe was tough-tied; so he pulled a chair and sat down opposite Zoe.

“Max Ross…” the gentleman said in a deep voice, offering his hand to Zoe with an alluring smile on his handsome face. “I’ve been watching you for a few days and I’m sure you’ve been doing the same. So when I walked in and saw you, I figured I should come over and say hey.”

Zoe quietly shook his hand. The moment her hand touched his, another jerk of strong chemistry sent her body trembling for a few good moments. The sensation was stronger than what she had ever felt. Instinctively, she quickly withdrew her hand.

“Come on, I won’t bite.” Max chuckled teasingly when he noticed how tense Zoe was. Zoe only managed to force a smile as she struggled to hide how much Max made her blush.

Zoe was suddenly caught up in her own thoughts; trying to make up why a simple man was having such a powerful effect on her. She felt tingles in her spine, an early sign of her shifting process. She closed her eyes and breathed in heavily, forcing an abortion of the shape-shift at such an inappropriate place.

It worked; but Zoe knew that it was just a temporary victory over her nature. The effect Max had on her would certainly trigger her beastly nature to prevail sooner or later.

“Sorry Max, I was just leaving.” Zoe said as she got up to leave.

Max grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it. “C’mon, I made the first move… you know we’ve been flirting with each other for days. Why won’t you meet me halfway… at least tell me your name. I’d love to continue from where we left off.”

Zoe felt what Max felt but she was worried that Max was coming too strong, too fast on her with such a strong effect that knocked her straight out of her mind like a lovesick kid.

“Zoe… Zoe Matlock. I’d really love to chat but I got to rush. You just caught me at a bad time but yeah, I’d love to pick it up from here…sometime.” Zoe managed to regain some composure.

“OK, that’s a great start, Zoe Matlock. I was starting to wonder what’s so repulsive about me.” Max flirted.

“Believe me, I don’t find you repulsive at all…” Zoe responded shyly.

“Any chance you might be as attracted to me as I am to you, Zoe Matlock?” Max pressed on, stepping even closer to Zoe in a flirty way.

Zoe didn’t move away. Instead, she turned to face Max and gazed right into his eyes; instantly sensing a strong romantic connection to the devilishly handsome man.

Without a word, she pulled Max’ by the shoulders and kissed him passionately for almost a minute, then pushed him back into his chair, panting with heightened arousal.

“Well, well, well! Zoe Matlock happens to be a straight shooter, isn’t she? I love a woman who not only knows what she wants but goes right ahead to grab it by the balls. I have a feeling we’re onto something wonderful here.” Max remarked excitedly.

“2pm tomorrow… meet me here and we’ll do a little more about that.” Zoe said before rushing out without looking back at Max.

Max assumed that Zoe was just rushing to an appointment; but the truth is that she was desperate to be alone so she could deal with the monster within her, which had been aroused at a very bad time.

She had fantasized about kissing Max Ross from the day she saw him in that very bar. At the time, she didn’t realize that the man had an effect on her that was far more than just a crush. She was literally drawn to him like a magnet to steel.

Her attraction to Max Ross felt much stronger than she had ever felt for any werewolf. Zoe could not understand what was happening to her lately, particularly in Max’s presence.

There was definitely something special about Max though she couldn’t quite figure it out yet. Max was just a plain human; he wasn’t supposed to have such an effect her… a werewolf.

But he did… and she somehow could not resist his charm despite her sixth sense warning her about the inextinguishable fireball she was playing with. Someone was definitely going to get burnt really badly.

“I just hope it won’t be me that’s going to get burnt; but Max is definitely a fireball worth flirting with.” Zoe whispered to herself as she aborted yet another involuntary shift right outside the bar.