Pack leaders don’t beg.
“Well, you’re sure as shit not a fucking welcome wagon either.” She bites on the curses, lips curling in a cute little snarl. Then she presses her plush mouth shut, the muscle tightening in her jaw revealing she’s clenching her teeth.
My guess is, librarians aren’t supposed to snarl profanities at their community members.
“You know what?” She huffs. “Never mind. I’m no longer concerned with the opinions of an—” She makes a distinctively rude gesture with her hands that has Thad choking on his next breath.
Juliet turns, giving me her back and awarding Thad all of her attention.
My wolf grumbles unhappily in my chest at being ignored.
“It was nice to meetyou.” She emphasizes with her hands that she’s talking about Thad—and only Thad.
“Nice to meet you too.”He signs back before sliding a set of cloth bags off his shoulders and offering them to her.
He was carrying her bags?
The librarian doesn’t bother to look my way again as she stalks across the street and loads her shopping in the back of a beat-up station wagon.
Even as I stare, watching her leave, Thad steps into my line of vision, his face as angry as his hands.
“What the fuck?”
Instead of answering, I turn away and stride into the hardware store I parked in front of—Sawdust and Supplies.
But if I thought that was the end of things, I was sadly mistaken. As I push through the door, I can hear Thad’s heavy footfalls behind me.
Thankfully, my pack mate doesn’t follow me up and down each aisle. I can shop in peace.
That is, if I don’t count the disconcerting thoughts of the librarian and the pissed-off grumbles of my wolf.
“Setting down roots,” she said. “Aka not leaving.”
My wolf likes that.In my territory. My librarian.
I mentally shove the animal’s opinions to the side. My wolf doesn’t understand human nature.
I give it a handful of months—a year at most—and then our new librarian will be looking to start over somewhere more exciting than Pine Falls, Colorado.
Outsiders always leave. Usually with some kind of destruction in their wake.
When I realize I’ve been staring at the same light switches for five minutes, I growl at myself for getting so bent out of shape about the tiny redhead. Gathering the rest of my purchases, I stride to the front counter and find Thad waiting for me. He’s having a silent conversation with my mother, who stands behind the register.
Sawdust and Supplies is a family business. Not that I get a discount.
My gaze skirts over their hands before redirecting, as I try not to eavesdrop. They’re probably talking about me, and I have no interest in what they’re saying. When I get close, Thad waves for my attention. Reluctantly, I meet his eyes, then lower my focus to his hands.
“What happened out there? Why were you mean to her?”
Guess the guy is too pissed off to use his voice. Fine, I’d rather no one overhear me arguing with a pack member.
Dropping my armful on the counter, I free my hands to gesture back. “I wasn’t mean.”
That gets me an eye roll.
“Yes, you were. She’s new to town, and she’s nice. You were mean. Why?”
“Because Roderick is smart.” My mother speaks and signs at the same time. “Outsiders are no good for the pack. Better to keep our distance.”
