"Virginia?"

She tugged her shopping cart to a stop and looked over her shoulder at Wolf. He was standing at the entrance to an aisle she couldn't see down, his eyes huge. "What is it, Wolf?"

One hand came up and gestured to her quickly. He didn't even look at her as she maneuvered the cart around and back towards him. Typical, she thought, wrestling with the half-full monster. I always get the one with the broken wheel. She stared down the aisle, expecting to see trolls at the end, and finding only a little boy playing with a plastic car. "What? I don't see anything."

"You don't?" He looked at her then, clearly surprised. "My precious peanut, how can you not? Look!" He drew her chin back gently with soft pressure from his fingers and pointed down the aisle with his free hand. She stared and finally realized what Wolf was looking at. At the very end of the row, on the top shelf where she hadn't looked, was a snarling werewolf's head. Virginia started giggling. Wolf frowned down at her, the closest he ever seemed to come to being upset with her anymore.

"Oh Wolf," she sighed, pushing the cart down the aisle. He leapt after her and somehow swooped between her and the handle, driving it himself.

"You shouldn't be pushing this heavy cart in your condition, Virginia."

"I'm not --" she waved her arguments away and stopped in front of the mask. "Look, it's just a mask, Wolf." She took it down before he could do it himself and settled it on her head. "See? Not real." She growled menacingly and heard the little boy giggle a short distance away.

Wolf growled too, soft and smooth, and she heard him whisper, "You are very sexy when you do that, my lambchop."

Virginia quickly pulled the mask off, blushing. "It's...you know ... don't," she warned him as he took a step closer. She returned the mask, keeping the cart between her and Wolf. He still hadn't learned some of the social etiquette of her world.

He pouted but his attention was swiftly back on the mask. "Why do people here want to be werewolves, Virginia? Huff puff, no one in the Nine Kingdoms would ever choose to be part wolf."

"It's for Halloween."

"Hallo-what?"

"Halloween. It's a holiday here." Virginia came over, taking his arm. "I didn't tell you about it, did I? I can't believe we've missed it up until now, it's only two weeks away. We have to get-" She stopped, chewing on her lower lip. "Well, maybe we'll avoid Halloween this year," she murmured. Somehow she didn't think having bags of candy in the house with Wolf around was a good idea.

"Avoid it? But Virginia," he whined, and the little boy burst into more giggles. "We can't! I don't want to miss any of the parties here! Can't we do it? Pleeeeeease?"

"I don't know, Wolf. It's not really an adult thing."

He whined pitifully, not saying a word. Virginia sighed, knowing he wouldn't have to.

"Oh all right," she groaned. "How bad could it be?"

"Leave the candy alone, Wolf!"

Wolf stopped, hand shoved deep into the candy bowl, glancing about guiltily. "I was just...making sure it was mixed around." He made a few feeble movements of his hand and then straightened. "See? All done."

Virginia raised one eyebrow dubiously. "You said that last time and then ate the whole bowl!"

"Mmmm, but it all smells so good, Virginia! I love chocolate!"

"Why does that not surprise me?" she muttered.

The doorbell rang insistently and she heard the soft cries of 'Trick or Treat' from behind it. The little kids always started early to avoid the dark. "Come with me," she said, grabbing the bowl. Wolf followed behind her, and she doubted it was because she'd told him to.

Opening the door, the small pack of youngsters shouted, "TRICK OR TREAT" as loud as they could. Wolf gasped, his mouth forming a small 'o', and then he smiled wide.

"Look at that, Virginia!" He pointed at a little girl dressed as a ballerina. "They're delightfully delicious!" Virginia saw the strange look on one of the parent's faces and quickly passed out candy. Wolf watched her, his eyes amazed.

After receiving a chorus of prodded 'thank yous,' they shut the door and Wolf stared at the bowl. "You gave them our candy!" he whined.

"That's what Halloween is about, Wolf. Kids go door to door and get candy." She set the bowl back down and dragged Wolf away from it. "Now come on, I have to finish getting ready."

She led him back into their bedroom and had him sit down on the bed while she finished putting on her costume in the bathroom. Keeping the door open, she kept up a steady stream of conversation with him so he wouldn't bolt again.

"Do we get to get candy?" he asked at one point, his tone woeful.

"No. We just give it out. But whatever's left ... " she stared at herself in the mirror and sighed. "But whatever's left we'll eat."

She heard Wolf's pleased gasp. The doorbell rang again and she groaned. Virginia was half-dressed, and in no shape to be seeing little children. As much as it was tempting fate, she had to get Wolf to do it. Listening to the exchange, she heard him bound out of the bedroom and throw the door open. It thudded against the wall and she winced. Then they were shouts of 'TRICK OR TREAT' again from the children and the door closed quickly. Virginia poked her head out of the bathroom and watched Wolf race back to the bed, hands empty, she noted.

"So," she said. "Did it go all right?"

"Oh yes! No problems at all."

"And you gave the children their candy."

Wolf frowned at her. "Of course I did, Virginia. Cripes, I'm not that greedy. Well, I am, but not with children!"

"Just checking." She had a thought. "How much candy did you give them?"

Wolf licked his lips thoughtfully. "Well," he paused and she knew it couldn't be good. "We might need to go out and buy some more."

"What!" She gestured angrily at him. "Wolf! I've already bought a ton of candy this year! And they're going to be out of almost everything at the store."

"But Virginia, they were so cute! And one was dressed up just like a little pumpkin. And if we give their children a whole bowl of candy, when our furry chap goes out for Halloween, he'll bring home a lot of candy, too!" She thumped her head against the doorway. "Fine. After I'm dressed we'll go out." She disappeared back into the bathroom and finished getting ready.

Finally, she said, "Here I come," and stepped out of the bathroom. Wolf rewarded her by his dropping his jaw.

"You look good enough to eat!" he growled, sending shivers racing along her skin.

Virginia had decided, in honor of their journey through the Nine Kingdoms, to dress up as Snow White. It hadn't taken much, just some delicately applied make-up and a costume smuggled in from the costume store. She held an apple to her lips, smiling. "I got a costume for you, too," she said.

Wolf leapt to his feet and howled excitedly, then paused. "I don't have to wear a dress, do I?"

She laughed, nearly dropping her apple. "No, of course not. I thought first you could be Prince Charming, but that seemed too silly, I mean, with me being Snow White. And besides, it's your first Halloween, I want you to really see what it's like to dress up. So I got you this." She took his hand and pulled him into the bathroom, gesturing at the costume hanging up inside.

On the hanger was a large, white, fluffy sheep costume.

Wolf blinked, sniffed the air, and then blinked again. "I'm going to be a fluffy little lamb?"

"Don't you get it?" Virginia asked, struggling to contain her giggles. "You're a Wolf in sheep's clothing!"