Marie Harte: Right Wolf, Right Time

“Did you guys hear about the fight in the diner yesterday?”

“Who now?” Julia sighed.

“A few silver foxes took exception to raptors dating members of the clan.”

“Really?”

Sophie found the silver foxes’ passion fascinating. She had a hard time imagining men fighting over her. Quiet little Sophie. Sure, the wolves in town liked the look of her, but none of them really wanted her . They just desired a wolf to mate. “Men fighting over women. Typical.”

“Not the men, the women.” Gabby grinned. “Those silver fox bitches are pissed that Gerald, who’s one of the finest single foxes around, has been dating a few birds. The purists in the clan can’t handle it.” She snickered. Since she’d been ousted from her old clan for being a hybrid fox/cat, she had a right to be annoyed.

“So who started it?” Sophie wanted to know.

A noise outside diverted her attention, but before she could investigate, Gabby launched into some entertaining gossip. Sophie sat enthralled, listening to tales of women with bigger problems than her own. She might be a virgin, but she had her dignity. Her frustrated, lonely, heartsick dignity.

“Holy shit. We have to tell Monty,” Grady said in a low voice as soon as he and Ty were out of earshot of the cabin. He knew Gabby had scented him. Since becoming pregnant, her sense of smell was off the charts. She hadn’t needed to yell about Monty’s idiocy, though. He totally knew his friend had been fucking up with Sophie, but not to this extent.

“No way am I getting in the middle of this.” Ty shook his head and tried to pull out of Grady’s grasp. “Let go, cat.”

“Come on, Sheriff . You’ve got to have something to nail Sheridan on. The mangy wolf is always causing trouble.”

Ty sighed. “Actually, it’s Dean and Monty causing most of the trouble.”

“Bullshit. The gray wolves started it.”

Ty cocked his hat back. “I don’t give a shit who started it. All I know is every time I need to clean up some mess involving the wolves, Dean and Monty aren’t too far off. The wolves end up smelling like roses while our pridemates look guiltier than sin. I mean, damn. Can’t Dean at least try to not get caught? I thought he was smarter than that. Monty, I’m not so sure about. I think he’s one wolf born for trouble.”

“Yeah.” Grady growled low. “But he’s family—pride. No way in hell does it sit right some shaggy dog gets my buddy’s girl. Monty’s into Sophie, big time. If you won’t help—”

“Nothing legally I can do.”

“Then I’ll grab Dean and Burke. Between the three of us, we’ll come up with something.”

“God help us. Cats plotting without a fox’s brain to back them up.” Ty looked up at the sky and groaned. “Oh hell, wait up. I’m coming with you.”

Sophie smiled at Rafe over the table. The raptor-run restaurant catered to a more discreet, upper-class crowd. Which made her wonder what the heck she was doing there. She’d let Rafe order for her, since he clearly knew his wines better than she did. He paired their venison with an aged Bordeaux. To her surprise, she liked the meal. As much as she liked her companion.

For all that Rafe could be dominant, he’d pulled back on his aggressive tendencies and treated her with a gentle courtesy that had her warming up to the man. Not once did he bully or push her into anything. From walking with her from her house to the nearby restaurant to letting her choose the movie they’d see after dinner, he’d been the perfect partner on this clear, cool evening.

The waiter took away their plates. “Dessert?”

Rafe cocked an eyebrow. “Sophie? Up to you, sweetheart.”

She flushed. Sweetheart. Okay, so she was a sucker for romance. The unbidden thought that the wrong man was calling her pet names intruded, and she brushed it away, annoyed with Monty all over again. “Um, the flan?”

Rafe nodded to the waiter, who left to place the order. “Sophie, thanks for coming out with me tonight.”

“Sure. This has been fun.”

He smiled. Oh, wow. Gabby had called it. Rafe had looks and a presence that screamed sexy. Short black hair framed a face fierce with power. His blue eyes were darker than Monty’s, but just as dangerous. He never looked like less than the predator he was. Odd how on Monty that dangerous mien worked, yet on Rafe, that feral quality scared her.

As if sensing her distress, he relaxed and forced a smile. “I know this probably isn’t the place to say this, but I want you to know how glad I am you joined the order. Your first year in Cougar Falls was a challenge, from what I hear. I would have eased your entry into all this, but I was busy.”

Busy kicking Dylan Seaver out of the alpha position. And good riddance. She’d been scared of her own shadow most of the time, and dealing with the wolves of the old order had made her transition into Cougar Falls even harder. “Thanks to the town council, I didn’t have to rush to join a clan.” In Cougar Falls, an Ac-taw without a clan didn’t belong. He or she could visit but not stay. Sophie’s circumstances had been unusual.

“And I don’t imagine joining Dylan’s gang would have been inviting.” He grimaced. “I’m just sorry I wasn’t here sooner to set things right. The things he’s done to our wolves…”

The look in his eyes had her leaning back, away from all that rage. The second she did it, she felt stupid.

He unclenched his hand on his napkin and let out a breath. “I’m sorry. When I think about how many lives he’s ruined, it enrages my wolf. But I’d never harm you, Sophie. You can believe that.” He reached across the table and put his hand over hers.

The warmth of his palm soothed her brief worry, as did the touch and acceptance of her alpha. For all that Sophie was new to being wolf, the animal spirit residing within her knew how to behave around others of her kind.

The lines around Rafe’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. “So tell me how you like living in the house.”

“It’s big.” And drafty. “Homey.”

“It’s haunted.” His eyes twinkled. “Or so we liked to tell everyone when we were growing up there. Anyone who had the fortitude to spend a night over had immediate ‘cool’ status.”

“You grew up there? Theo never mentioned that.”

“Theo doesn’t mention anything unless it’s pulled out of him,” Rafe grumbled.

“He’s been good to me.” He’d never judged her. Not even knowing where she’d come from.

“We’re not here to talk about my brother.” His fingers moved over her knuckles. Her wolf shifted inside her, pacing in confusion. He felt right, but he didn’t smell right. Not exactly.

She wanted to pull her hand away without seeming obvious. She didn’t want to out-and-out reject Rafe in front of the other diners, who continued to watch them with interest. But she didn’t know if allowing him to touch her was wise.

“Well, hey there, Sophie.” Dean Chastell beamed at her as he stood next to her table with his new mate in tow. “You know Stacey, my mate.”

The beautiful blonde raised a brow. “The town isn’t that big, Dean. Of course she knows who I am.” Stacey gave her a genuine grin, one laced with amusement. “Hi, Sophie.” Her smile died when she spotted Rafe. “Sheridan.”

Rafe squeezed Sophie’s hand before he pulled away. “Cats out for a night of fun. How nice.” He didn’t sound pleased.

“How about we join you.” Dean didn’t ask. Before Sophie knew it, he’d pulled up a chair for himself and one for Stacey.

“So. Does this place have anything good?” Stacey asked. “I’ve only eaten at the Fox’s Henhouse. The diner is good, but it’s diner food,” she said with a disdain only someone so pampered and beautiful might master.