Page 28 of Claimed by the Pack

It turned angry and she said, “Chase? What are you doing here? I might let him bite you after all.”

Grayson began to bark and growl again.

I swear I'm going to kick that pup's ass first chance I get.

“Cheyenne, I was just taking a walk. I didn't know you were here.”

“Right. Did Ridge send you?”

I looked at the dog and said, “No. I promise. He didn't send me.” Grayson snarled at me.

“My dog doesn't like you. They say dogs have good instincts.”

“That mutt is your dog?” I got another growl, this one deeper in his throat that the last.

“He's not a mutt,” she said. “And yes...I mean no. I found him. He's mine for now until I find his owners. Anyways, I'm not supposed to be talking to you, remember?”

“Nope,” I said. “Chelsea never said you couldn't talk to me. It was all Ridge. I didn't kidnap you, Cheyenne.”

“You didn't help me either.”

“I'm sorry about that. Ridge and my relationship is...complicated.”

“Whatever it is, I'm not really interested,” she said. Funny thing was, she did look interested, at least in hearing about Ridge.

I could feel her body temperature going up and her heart rate increasing when she said his name. She was still stroking Gray as we talked.

I didn't like that, of course I did kind of think it was funny that she believed he was an ordinary dog.

“Okay, we won't talk about Ridge,” I said. “But maybe you and I could start over.”

“Why?” she said, folding her arms. I took a step toward her and Grayson stepped in between me and her and growled. I frowned at him and thought about kicking him out of my way, but I figured that wouldn't go over well with Cheyenne.

“I just feel bad for everything, and I like you. What would it hurt, to just get to know me?”

“Chase...you and I starting over would just be...impossible. What I know about you, and Ridge and...your “people.” It would just be too much for me to forget.”

“So don't forget it, but don't hold it against me either. I can't help what I am, any more than you can help being female, or Caucasian. Friends don't have to be exactly the same, right? I mean, don't you have friends that aren't female, or Caucasian?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course. But what I don't have is friends who are wolves.”

I looked down at Grayson and with a smug smile in his direction I said, “You seem to like the dog. Wolves aren't much different, just bigger, stronger and better looking.” Grayson started to lunge at me but Cheyenne had her fingers linked through his collar and pulled him back. He had a collar. I was cracking up inside over that. Damn, the boy must really worship Ridge to have agreed to this.

“He really doesn't like you,” she said, again.

In Grayson's head I said, “If you're really thinking of attacking me, I'll have to shift and defend myself. You think she'll want anything to do with either of us then?” Gray stopped barking, but the low rumble in his throat remained. I looked at Cheyenne and smiled and said, “It's the wolf thing. He can smell me. We're okay though, aren't we boy?” Gray stopped growling as I squat down in front of him. “That's right boy, it's okay. Who's a good boy?” I rubbed the back of his neck and he made eye contact with me. In my head I heard him say,

“If she wasn't watching right now, I'd bite your hand off.”I laughed in my head and said,

“See, he's a submissive little thing, all calmed down.”

“You're an asshole.”

I laughed again and then I looked up at Cheyenne and said, “How about I buy you a cup of coffee?”

“I don't know...”

I looked as non-threatening as I could and said, “Please. Public place where they make the coffee with the lids on, you can pick it up yourself off the counter and I won't touch it? I'm a nice guy and I don't want anything from you, just a friend.” Grayson growled again. He was going to tell Ridge everything and I was probably going to have to fight my best friend...and lose. But once I lay eyes on her tonight, I couldn't help myself. I suddenly really did want to know everything about her, and I wanted to spend time looking into her deep brown eyes while I found it all out.

“Okay,” she said at last.

“Let me put Gray away.” Grayson barked and took a step back. Cheyenne smiled at him, got down on her knees and put her hands on either side of his face. She fluffed his fir and then kissed him on the tip of his nose. “It's okay boy. I won't be long.”

“Ridge is going to kick your ass,”Grayson said as she led him over to the stairs. I laughed and said,

“Yeah, probably. But while you're licking your dog bowl and he's stuck on the compound, which one of us is having coffee with Cheyenne?”

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