Book 1 - Page 18 (1/2)

His demand and dismissal should have bothered her, but they didn’t. What annoyed her were her own actions, or rather inactions. She listened to the shower turn on and his shoes drop on the floor. If she joined him, he’d be one satisfied wolf mate, but she couldn’t do it. It would be like sacrificing him to the devil wolf, Volan. She couldn’t stomach the idea that the pack leader would kill him.

When Bella didn’t join Devlyn in the bathroom, he knew he’d have a h.e.l.l of a time convincing her that he was the only one for her, but he wasn’t giving up. Then it occurred to him. What had she been doing the whole time he’d been gone?

He finished his shower, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his waist.

With a quick stride, he returned to her office and checked her email. He read through the messages she’d sent in response to her red wolf invitation, not believing she’d invited half of the world to a dance club that night. More worrisome was Argos’s cryptic message to her.

The old pack leader wouldn’t return for her unless something terrible had happened, but he would have said if Volan had been killed.

He turned when Bella’s light footsteps entered the office.

“Your b.l.o.o.d.y steak is ready.” She glanced down at his towel. “Going to dress, or eat like that?”

He rose from the chair and crossed the floor to her. Taking her shoulders in his hands, he ma.s.saged them lightly. “Which do you prefer?”

Her gaze took in his bare chest. “Men don’t come to the dining table half-dressed.”

“Just the answer I was waiting for.” Yanking off the towel, he dropped it on the floor. “Ready?”

She glanced down at the towel and then back at his eyes, ignoring his full-blown erection. “I hope you intend to pick up after yourself.” She turned and headed down the hallway.

Following her, he enjoyed the wiggle of her cute little b.u.t.t covered in the tight black denims. “Is that what you’re wearing tonight to meet all of your suitors?”

“Something a little s.e.xier.”

“Don’t see anything uns.e.xy about the jeans.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Did you practice your smooth words on human females for all of those years?”

“Did it have the right effect on you?”

She gave a half grunt. “No. So what do you think about my plan?”

“Sounds like it could be a circus.” Sitting down at the head of the table, he smelled the rich blood of the fresh meat, warm and rare like he preferred.

She sat down opposite him. “Yeah, I thought maybe the more possible candidates we could draw out — “

“Fou could draw out.” He still couldn’t curb his anger with the notion of her acting as the killer’s live bait.

“I thought if a red acted aggressively about my seeing others — “

He pointed his steak knife at her. “What if that’s the problem? What if he can’t deal with other reds and because of that is having a difficult time finding a female to mate with him? What if the only ones he’s able to interest are human, but when he changes into the wolf, they’re terrified of him? As a wolf, he could bite her and still change her, but it’s not the same as having a mate who is willing. Most males nowadays wouldn’t want a female who has to be forced to accept him.”

“You’re right.” She sliced off a piece of meat. “So then we find one who cowers or is angered when others are interested in me.”

“Might work.” He guzzled down a gla.s.s of water. When she raised her brows, he said, “Run took a lot out of me.”

“From what I saw, it didn’t take much out of you at all.” She licked her lips. “Chrissie was drooling over you. I could have beamed her for thinking she could have... “ She quit speaking.

“Could have me, when you already want me?” A healthy appet.i.te for s.e.x quickly displaced the anger and anxiety he felt.

“Why would anyone not want you? I mean, you’re so... so... “

“Untameable?”

She bit her lower lip, her gaze drifting down to his naked chest.

“Say it, Bella. You want me. It’s really easy. Just say it. I won’t bite... too hard.”

She shook her head and changed the subject. “You know, when I tried to decide whether to buy a wooden table or a more modernistic gla.s.s-topped one, I chose wood because it reminded me of the great outdoors. Only now, if I had gla.s.s, it would give me a better view.”

He grinned. “Bad Bella.”

She chuckled, never having enjoyed her home so much as she did now with the big gray wolf sharing the s.p.a.ce. “I sure could get used to having you around.”

“I’m all yours.”

But would he agree to stay with her? Here? Away from Volan?

“What do you think is up with Argos?” she asked. “Do you think Volan could be dead?”

With the serrated edge of his knife, Devlyn sawed at his meat. “No. Argos would have said. I don’t like it that someone’s following him. He’s not as agile as he used to be. Not as wary either.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t go tonight.” Poking her fork into her meat, she considered Devlyn.