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Nick’s grin turns wicked. “Would you rather take the Porsche or the Lotus?”
Werewolf gossip. There’s really nothing like it. By the time Nick and I get from the guard shack to the parking lot park in front of the pack’s clubhouse, word of our arrival has already spread. Half the pack is out there to greet us. Both Alpha Toth and Rook are in front of the masses.
While Alpha Toth extends a formal welcome to Nick, Rook grabs me, sniffs hard, then growls. His eyes start to glow. “Why is your hair a mess? Why is your coat ripped up? And why thehelldo I smell strange wolves all over you?”
He doesn’t says so out loud, but as he inspects me for any kind of injury or bite, his thoughts keep repeating,My human!
Rook the man doesn’t seem all that affected by my curse, but his wolf grows more attached to me every time we meet. I know it’s the wolf acting like a possessive douche right now, so I don’t call him out. That would only give all the gawking wolves something more to talk about.
“I was attacked by rogues tonight,” I say, stepping back out of Rook’s grasp. “Parker nearly died trying to protect me.”
Rook snarls again and pulls me into a tight embrace, squeezing me so hard I can barely breathe. “Whoa! Down, boy!”
“Hold very still, Nora,” Alpha Toth says quietly. “Rook’s wolf is in control right now, and it appears he considers you his. Any sudden movements and he may very well shift and turn you so that he can claim you as a mate.”
“I thought Rook never dates,” I say as I wait out Rook’s embrace.
“Rookdoesn’t. But his wolf must be ready to take another mate. I’ll have to talk to him about suppressing his instincts. As you can see, it can get dangerous to deny our wolves their primal needs.”
“How do I get him to stop?”
“Talk to him. Hug him back. Your voice and your physical touch will settle his wolf.”
Right. That’s not awkward or anything.
The wolf is on the surface, so it’s him I talk to. “Hey, big guy,” I say as I rub soothing circles on his back. “Think you can settle down for me? I know who ordered the hit on me, and I need Rook’s help to catch ’em. Think you can do that? Can you let Rook back out to play?”
Rook’s wolf growls, and he buries his face in my neck to sniff deeply. He lets me go but takes my hand and laces our fingers together. When he steps back, Rook is in control again. Though, his wolf must still be close to the surface, because he tugs me against his side and slips his arm around my waist as if he needs the physical touch. When I try to break his hold and put some distance between us, he tightens his grip. “I’m sorry about this, Nora, but I need you to stay close for now. My wolf really doesn’t like smelling strangers on you, and if you get too close to another male right now, I might lose it.”
I sigh. I can’t be angry with him. We’ve spent so much time training together over the last two weeks that this was bound to happen. I need to figure out how to break this damn curse. “I’m sorry, Rook. This is my fault. I told you it might eventually be a problem. I guess we’re going to have to stop the training sessions now.” When his jaw clenches and his eyes start to glow again, I quickly add, “But hey, I totally used the moves you showed me on one of those rogues tonight, and it worked. I felt like a real badass.”Until I got caught again, anyway.
Rook squeezes my hand and gives me a crooked smile. “Good girl.”
“You in control enough now?” I ask. “Nick and I really need to speak with Alpha Toth privately.”
He clenches his jaw and growls again. “I’m coming with you.”
I roll my eyes and look to Alpha Toth for permission. Alpha Toth nods curtly and leads us inside the building, ignoring all the gaping werewolves. I want to flip them all off, but I can hardly blame them when their ex-alpha is acting like I’m his property.
Once we’re in Alpha Toth’s office, I quickly give him the rundown of tonight’s events. Alpha Toth leans far back in his desk chair, looking pale-faced and fifty years older. “After everything you did for our pack, my own mate tried to have you killed? You’re sure?”
“As sure as the guy who abducted me was sure. He didn’t take the money personally, but there was no hesitation in his thoughts when I asked where the money came from.”
Alpha Toth digests this, then looks to Rook. Rook thinks on it long and hard. “Why?” he finally asks no one in particular. “What motive could she possibly have?”
I cringe inwardly. If Alpha Toth didn’t take the last news so well, he’s definitely going to freak out with this. “Don’t you see?” I ask them both. “It was Luna Marie who was stealing the money.”
Rook’s eyes widen, and Alpha Toth rears back with a soft gasp.
“Money?” Nick asks.
Alpha Toth glares at him. “Pack business.”
Nick rolls his eyes, then raises a curious brow at me. I ignore him and give Alpha Toth a pained smile. “It’s just a theory. I haven’t proven it yet. Hopefully, I’m wrong.”
Alpha Toth grinds his teeth so hard I can hear him from my seat across the desk. Rook, pacing the office behind Alpha Toth, suddenly comes to a stop. He rakes a hand through his thick brown locks and grimaces. “Okay, what’s your theory?”
“Maya and Daniel.”
