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---

Step Four: Never Look Back

But I did, because I'd loved him. He didn't come after me. He spun some bullshit. He took his lumps with his superiors. He was cleared of all wrongdoing in my disappearance. I didn't have to finalize the frame job; I let it fizzle.

I'd loved him, but I felt worse about Penny. That's just how it was. I knew I'd need another one of her, whether I risked another lover or not.

The ring was worth closer to a thousand. I only got a few hundred. I made it stretch.

Step One: Deflect With Crisis.

I burst into tears. He couldn't tell if they were happy or sad. He was off balance. I amped it up to eleven. The ring box closed and went back in his pocket.

"Oh god, oh god, I'm sorry!" I blubbered. "Oh my god, it's just... my uncle Phil! His second wife! Oh god, I'm so stupid!"

"Baby, no!" he protested. "You're not stupid! Baby, please, whatever you need, you just tell me. We don't even have to talk about it unless you want to."

The foot traffic threatened to become a gawking crowd. I looked around, communicating to my not-going-to-be-my-fiance in no uncertain terms that I was utterly mortified.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked. He wasn't the dumbest guy in the world. That was nice. Of course, I didn't want him to be all that smart, either.

"No!" I brazenly lied. "You went to all this trouble - oh god, you spent a lot of money, didn't you? I've ruined the whole night!"

"Jesus, no!" he said. "Kari, this is my fault. I had no idea, and... and I should've. No good boyfriend would've let this happen."

"No, no," I replied, dabbing at my tears. "I don't talk about them... well, you know... because..." I started up again one more time for good measure.

With the ring back in its box and in his pocket, I was safe. He hemmed and hawed with his whole body, then finally moved in to embrace me. I let him sweat in an awkward, one-sided hug for just a moment before melting into him, letting him think he was comforting me.

"Take me home," I sniffled.

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, of course, baby. Anything you need. Do you want me to call somebody? You know, because..."

I shook my head into his chest. "No," I said. "Take me home and stay with me. I don't know if I want to talk about it, but just... be there."

I felt the heat. That was good. That would keep him off balance - not just with desire, but with guilt, too.

---

Step Two: Backstop

Social media is fine, but every girl needs at least one real live friend to keep her secrets - or to divulge them at an opportune moment, once everything goes crazy.

"So, I need the invoke the circle," I told Penny.

"Oh my god he didn't!" she immediately replied.

"Hey," I joked, "you have to make it official!"

She didn't quite slap herself, but the effect was the same. Rituals were so important to girlfriends. I held out my hands and she grasped them, just like we would at a seance.

"The circle is invoked," we said almost in unison. We both glanced around suspiciously. There were other groups at other tables, but they didn't care about us. Unbeknownst to poor Penny, if any of them happened to eavesdrop and remember a few tidbits, it was all the better.

She was still amped up. I started sending disruptive signals, and gave her a few moments to pick up on them.

"What happened, Kari?" she asked.

"I freaked out a little," I admitted, skipping past what she'd already assumed. "He was so perfect at first. I felt so stupid, and he said and did everything right. He took me home."

"I mean, I didn't want to say anything..." Penny said.

Social media or not, a public freakout wasn't going to have gone unnoticed and undocumented. I couldn't lie about that part.

I hung my head. "Yeah, I figured," I said. "For what it's worth, you put on a good show just now. Anybody watching wouldn't have thought you'd already known."

"Oh, honey," she said. "I didn't want to ruin anything for you, just in case... you know... things ended up going really well afterwards."

"It's totally okay, babe," I said. "We weren't in the circle. You were being a good friend. But now we're in the circle, and... I think I have to tell you something."

"... shit," she said. She reached out for my hand again. I let her take it.

"Yeah," I said. "He was perfect, and then we... you know. And then it got weird. And then it got bad."

"Do we need to go to cops, Kari?" she asked. "It's your choice, obviously, but... do we?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so," I said. I looked up at her and pretended to freak out a little. "No! No, he didn't do anything. It's just... everything turned. The vibe. The way he moved. There was a change, and it made me feel..."

"Unsafe," she said. "But he left, right?"

"Yeah," I said. "He left."

"Let's get the locks changed," she offered. "I'll backstop some bullshit either way - if your alarm bells stop ringing, or especially if they don't."

"God, I feel so stupid," I said.

"Don't," she said. "The smartest women in the world get fooled sometimes. It sucks that you can never know. It just sucks. He might be a really great guy, Kari, but if you get a vibe, you shouldn't just ignore it. Take a few steps. Make yourself a little safer."

I noted the irony. I'd already made things a lot more dangerous for my boyfriend. There was an argument to be made that that did make me safer, but it was a twisted path through a dark forest. The more silver I'd found, though, the less guilty I'd felt.

I nodded. I let my eyes get wet, but I didn't cry. That was a good balance.

"You're the best, Penny," I said. "I mean that."

"I know," she said, trying to break the tension.

I let her.

---

Step Three: Isolate

How does the cartoon go? "I know that you know that we know that they know that I know that you know..." and it only ends with a shotgun blast to the face or a giant mallet to the head.

I transitioned from freaking out to embarrassed to apologetic to loving. I didn't drop hints. We were past that. I told him flat-out that I owed him a special night. I told him I was a modern woman with her own job and her own money, and that I needed to take responsibility for what I wanted. He got the message. Of course, he also got the subtext. Did he get the sub-subtext? Cue that cartoon. Silver buckshot. Silver hammer. His name wasn't Maxwell. Ah well.

I was surprised he let me get the equivalent of the last word. He let me drive. That was the lynchpin. That meant he was down to whatever he could keep on his person until his backup could arrive. The compromise was that the moon was a waning sliver. I had to assume he knew my bloodline and my strength; I wasn't going to be weak. I just wasn't going to be a giant totem of magical, animal fury that could shift and eat him before he could unholster a gun.

I hoped he was one of those chuckleheads who assumed that werewolves would never pack heat, but it wasn't vital to the plan.

On a romantic bridge with a brook underneath, late at night, with a few tiny hints that I'd prepared a different kind of event - a stray balloon, some music, nothing hard to erase - I kissed him one last time.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Ordinarily, I'd tell you," I replied. "But not this time."

"Wait, what?"

"There's a way for this to happen where nobody dies and nobody goes to jail, Gopal. You were really good to me. You fell for me. Don't try to deny it. I could smell it. I still can. It's why I got careless."

He shrugged. "Okay."

He wasn't as stupid as I thought. That really hurt. Denial would have made me feel powerful. A confession would've made me feel special.

"I imagine I've got ten minutes or less, so no big monologues. I've faked my death a dozen times, Gopal. I'll do it again, and this time it'll be a murder. Do you understand?"

He stayed quiet. I saw the gears turning. I couldn't figure out his math, because I didn't know his premises. I didn't know if he'd underestimated me in turn, or if he'd somehow struck a perverse balance between love and duty.

"I really thought the silver ring was perfect," he said. "It was so obvious and so stupid that you'd never believe I was a hunter."

"What was the endgame?"

He shrugged again. "You know I won't answer unless I think you're going to die."

"Exactly. Good."

"I can't smell like it you can," he said. "Did you? Love me?"

"No," I lied. "But I didn't know, either - not until after the ring. You were a meal ticket. Most of us can't even afford a decent legend these days. It's too hard. Social media's the best we can do."

"Better a ticket than a meal, I suppose," he said. "Shitty, though. Real shitty."

"Yeah, well, 'peaceful coexistence' is a lot prettier when nobody's trying to murder anybody else, fuckstick. Nobody criticizes a con that got Jews out of Germany."

"Jews don't eat people."

"Depends on who you fucking ask, doesn't it?" I retorted. "Go back a few centuries and a few of your major benefactors had all sorts of opinions on that, too. Maybe they still do. What did that comedian say? Cons like me can't hold a candle to the reigning world champions."

"Werewolves don't officially exist," he countered. "That's a pretty impressive con job."

"Not mine. Social forces beyond my control. Vampires, maybe. Atlanteans. Lizard people from the center of the Earth. Who even knows?"

That got a chuckle. I realized I'd talked too long.

"Goodbye, Gopal," I said. "You can tell your bosses it was smart to recruit an Indian-looking guy. Eurocentrism; shame on me. Won't work again."

He pulled out the ring box and tossed it to me. I snatched it effortlessly from the air.

"You earned it," he said. "Worth a few hundred."

It was a clever trap. Tossing it would have been petulant; it would've made him feel big. Keeping it reminded him that I - we - were on the back foot. We needed the money. I needed the money to start all over again.

"Sorry I didn't get an appraisal on your life," I said. "Otherwise I'd have a witty retort."

I was away before he could reply again. I still heard it, but I pushed it out of my mind. I cut myself open and let the blood flow everywhere. I didn't use silver, or my own claws. That meant I had to do it over and over again; I tried not to be annoyed by the healing factor. That would have been baiting the gods.

Thank you!

Funny enough, I did contemplate about how blunt that sentence sounded. However, I eventually made the decision to “tell” rather than “show”, as I really wanted to drive that point home. I do think if I had separated that last sentence onto another line, it would have potentially flowed better.

Nonetheless, I do understand your point and enjoyed the way you described his emotions! Thanks for the feedback and for reading.

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You could have just... not suggested she wear it. You still have a "silver allergy." Her ignorance of your werewolfishness is not a factor.

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I'm doing this here, because it is not exactly a full story:Person gives Werewolf a silver ring, werewolf says "I'll take the ring, but from now on, I'll cook every dinner with copious amounts of garlic"

Turns out the SO is a vampire and they are a couple living together amongst humans.

Basically, it's a prank proposal, except the Vamp SO actually has a ring made of old oak tree with a moonstone inset. while Vamp has a matching gold ring with a ruby inset.

I looked down at the ring in her hand...the silver ring. "Babe, I accept your proposal," I said. "But I have to break it to you...I'm a werewolf."

"Wut." There was an incredulous look on her face.

"It's true! Hang on, let me double check my 'phases of the moon' app." The app showed tonight was indeed a full moon, and indeed it was currently over the horizon, so I could bend the rules a bit and transform during the day. I grunted and pushed, almost like taking a dump, and felt my muscles rapidly expand and contract as they increased in size. My clothes expanded with me -- thank God for spandex -- and fur erupted out all over. I ran my tongue over my newly elongated teeth, then grinned as I turned back to my (hopefully) fiancee to reassure her that I wasn't a mindless, bloodthirsty beast...but stopped short when I saw she was crying, and not out of fear. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"It's just..." she began to gasp out. "It's just...I was always Team Edward!"

I groaned. Those fucking books! "Babe, if you think I'm gonna do something stupid like imprint on your menses --"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "I just...need some time alone, to think about things." She pocketed the ring and left.

Those fucking books. I'd take a silver piercing in the junk if it meant I'd never have to hear about them again.

Wait isn't wealthpunk just nerds on r/wallstreetbets
Does that count as an aesthetic

"Before I accept your proposal, it's only fair to you that I confess something first.

I've been harboring a secret, a truth about myself which I've kept from you and almost everyone I know for fear of facing rejection and judgement.

I have a certain medical condition. It's not painful or life threatening - more of a cosmetic issue really - but it embarrasses me, it disgusts me, and no treatment or drug exists that can cure it. So I must live with it. So will you, should you still choose to marry me."

"My love... I know you have to shave your beard, I've known for years. Listen, all women have facial hair, it's just genetics that your hair comes in darker and courser. Honestly, I'm hoping it offsets my hereditary baldness when we have kids."

"No, idiot, I have... acidic sweat."

"What?"

"My sweat, its pH is ridiculous, way more corrosive than most. I'll tarnish that silver ring black within like 30 minutes of wearing it."

"Darling, I'll get it plated in platinum."

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Beautiful story with fantastic details! My only advice would be when explaining the character can smell emotions is the classic show, don't tell.

Instead of cutting into the story to state "That's something I can do, smell his emotions", something along the lines of "I can smell the adrenaline in his veins calming down, the nervous patter of his heart evening out", or other such emotional cues that might not be noticable to the average human. Describe how the character is able to sense this. You actually do a great job of this throughout much of the rest of your story, for example two paragraphs later.

Overall, great story! I'll need to look at reading other things you have written

My mind is warring with "wealth punk can't be real, plus it would just be boring suits" versus "every ____punk is a thing, it's like sfw rule 34"

I want to express how well executed this is but I’m practically speechless. There isn’t much that makes me finish a piece and sit and stare dumb and silent afterwards. This is powerful.

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"Hello, Sweetie. I'm glad you were willing to come over on such short notice. There really is something we need to talk about."

Sweetie, my girlfriend, looked very nervous for some reason, but she walked in and stood next to my living room table.

I smiled, and I walked over to my 100% room darkening curtains. "The reason I asked you over here tonight was–"

"Wait!" Sweetie interrupted me. "Before you say anything, I need to do and say something!" Sweetie hopped up onto my table. Then, in an array of glittery sparkles, she shrunk in size, and wings appeared on her back.

"As you can see, I'm not human like you are. I'm actually a fairy. But, I've been living among humans, trying to learn more about them. They're always making wishes of us, and I wanted to know why. But, I've learned all I can on my own; now I want to learn more. Because we've spent so much time together, I've fallen in love with you, and I want to grant you your wishes. Fairies live to make others happy."

"So, that's why I am the way I am. Will you be able to accept that, and accept...me, or rather, us?" My girlfriend stood before me, holding out a silver ring on her outstretched arms. Yes, I said "on" her arms. My girlfriend has just revealed to me that she's actually a fairy. A freaking fairy, with wings, and magic, and everything! It would've been cute, if her clothing had changed sizes with her. Instead, the only thing keeping her dignity intact is the silver ring that she's trying to give me.

Well, nertz. Now I'm not going to be the first one to do my big reveal. I speak up anyway.

"Um, I absolutely accept your proposal, Sweetie, but I have to insist on a gold ring."

I never was one to beat around the bush. That was one of the reasons "Sweetie," loved me so dearly.

Sweetie tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Why's that, Mister Honeybuns?"

"And I thought I asked you to use a different nickname for me. It isn't manly! Anyway, this is the reason. I don't think you would anyway, but I want to tell you that there's no need to fear what you're about to see. I'm in full control at all times, unlike what happens in those horror stories."

And with that, I fling open the curtains, revealing the full moon in all its silvery glow. Immediately upon seeing it, my change begins. I grow taller, fluffier, and toothier. This used to hurt, but after fifteen years, I've learned proper breathing and stance techniques. You'd be amazed at how many werewolves forget to breathe during the change. Changing body shape, size, and DNA requires a LOT of energy, and in a mammalian type of creature, where do you think that energy comes from? Oxygen, of course! And where does oxygen come from? Breathing, of course!

Anyway, all this to say, I basically go KER-FLUFF without grimacing, growling, or being grumpy afterwards. And by wearing some oversize clothing on full moon nights, I still have my dignity intact, too.

"Now, as you can see, I had good reason for wanting to talk." I give Sweetie a goofy, toothy grin. "It seems I'm not the only one who wanted to reveal a big secret tonight. I hope you can understand and accept me, too. And I hope you can understand why I have to insist on a gold ring instead of a silver one."

Sweetie dropped the ring and dropped on her bottom, laughing. "And here I was, worried over nothing! Whoo! Hahahahaha!"

Sweetie took a minute to compose herself, and in doing so, realized her state. A quick flash of sparkles later, and she was wearing a cute one-piece dress.

"I see what you mean, Mister Fuzzbuns, Sweetie teased. "And I guess the irony has struck me again. So much for learning more about humans by being with one."

Sweetie flitted up and landed on my nose. "I guess I'll just have to learn about werewolves instead, for a while."

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Noo, Main Character, noooo, you're going to hold hands!!!

You didn't tell your SO about your silver allergy that affects 10-15% of humans? You're not ready to be married.

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"Oh baby!.... is that silver?" Your instantaneous joy at being proposed to was just as quickly marred by the realization.

You wanter to say yes, but if you allowed that ring to touch your finger, you could die... you think.

*Wait, a silver bullet can kill you, but it won't kill you if it just touches you, right?"

Your partner looks up at you expectantly, and slowly growing nervous at your hesitation.

You can't let them stay on their knees any longer. You extend your finger and immediately your skin begins to burn. Like, literally burn. Smoke began to rise where the ring touched your hand and you hurriedly took it off.

"Ah, sorry. I should've told you this earlier. I'm allergic?" The statement came out as more of a question as you struggled for something that your partner would believe. And surprisingly, they did.

God, your poor, sweet, stupid partner. They rushed back to the jeweler and exchanged it for a ring of gold. Now all you had to do was find some excuse for why you couldn't be around during the full moon

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!

That was a beautiful read and I’m totally not crying now 😭