Page 31 of Deception

And ran right into Mett.

She recoiled immediately, and he looked at her through narrow-lidded eyes.

“I was looking for you everywhere,” he barked.

Yeah, well, I was avoiding you like the plague,she wanted to say.

“I really needed a run,” she explained, sticking to a version of the truth. “But I got lost.”

As if I’d ever get lost,her wolf sniffed.

She shushed it before the lie showed and let her gaze drop away from Mett’s bloodshot, hungover eyes. Let him think she was sorry or embarrassed or meek. Let him think anything it took to pull off her mission.

“You missed the fight.” Gretchen strode up, wearing a deep frown of disapproval.

“I’ve seen enough fighting,” she replied, forcing herself not to glare at the older woman.

“And you nearly missed the meeting.” Mett grabbed her arm so hard, his fingernails bit into her skin.

She held back a yelp — and the punch she would have loved to plant on his chin.

“Meeting?” She looked around.

So that’s why the place seemed so quiet. Almost everyone was in the barn, and the last stragglers were hurrying in that direction.

“You can sit with us,” Gretchen said. An order, not an invitation.

Summer was still considering how to extract herself from those two when a deep voice sounded at her side.

“Kiss for the winner?”

She spun and found Thomas there. So he had won. He looked weary yet triumphant, and his eyes sparkled. And whoa – not just from the win. His eyes sparkled to see her.

Shit, shit, shit.

“Um…uh…” she sputtered. How was she going to get out of all this? Half the women in the pack would have wished themselves into her position at that moment, but Summer just felt sick. She didn’t want Thomas any more than she wanted Mett. She wanted Drew. Only Drew. Forever.

But Thomas had already nudged Mett to the side — seething, red-faced Mett — and leaned so close, she had no choice but to give him a peck on the cheek. He smelled of shaving cream and leather polish, like a cowboy who’d just spiffed himself up. Not too bad, really, but nothing like Drew.

For the first second, Thomas was a warm, gentle presence at her side, but a moment later, he went stiff. Shit – had he picked up on Drew’s scent? Had she blown her cover?

“Um, what’s going on?” She pulled away quickly and motioned to the people hurrying toward the barn.

“I’ve called a meeting,” Thomas said. His eyes narrowed on her, and his nostrils flared.

She trembled inside. She’d been sure to brush off every trace of Drew’s scent, but a girl couldn’t swim in ecstasy all night and completely hide what she’d been up to. Did she still have that telltale glow, that sleepy scent of bliss?

She tried changing the subject. “A meeting? With who?”

“I’ve put out a call to every pack in the Four Corners and Nevada,” Thomas said, looking every bit the powerful alpha.

“Don’t see why we need outsiders meddling in our business,” Gretchen grumbled.

Thomas ignored her completely, hooked his arm through Summer’s, and strode toward the barn. She followed, trying to stifle her panic. The last thing she needed was an unknown alpha making a claim on her. Thomas had already grabbed control of the pack — who knew what he’d claim next?

Out of the corner of her eye, Summer saw a stiff, heavily bruised Dryver being helped into his truck by his men.

“You should have killed him,” Gretchen grumbled. The woman was like a leech at her side, and judging by the expression on Thomas’ face, he felt the same.

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