Page 38 of To Hunt A Wolf
“Thiago Clemons. He’s the new alpha of our pack,” I say. “Is that who you mean?”
“Yes, Thiago. Crigger’s kid.” Franco studies me. “He’s making a power play of it, from what I hear.”
“He’s a dick,” I say, and the guard who fed me snickers from where he leans against the wall not far away.
“He’s got a lot to prove and not a lot of time to prove it,” Franco says.
“He paid the contract,” my mother says. “You’re sure of it?”
“I could be sure. Depends on what you’ve got for me.”
I have no idea what my mother has for him. Or what he’ll want. But she’s unruffled.
“Marco Gerardo,” she says smoothly.
Franco stares back at her. “You sure about that?”
He sounds deadly serious now. In fact, all three men at the table are leaning forward. Whoever Marco is, they seem very interested in him.
“I could be sure,” my mother says. “If you are.”
“I am,” Franco says without hesitation. “Your alpha paid the contract.”
My mother nods. “Marco’s your guy.” She pushes to her feet. “Come on, Mac. It’s time to go.”
Franco stands, and the two guards snap to attention, closing in so they flank him as he walks my mother to the door.
“Thanks,” I tell the one who fed me.
“Anytime,” he says, and I can hear the undercurrent of attraction.
He’s flirting.
I want to flirt back. But something stops me. And it’s not my heart’s stupid relentless devotion to an asshole. Something else ties my tongue.
The mate call.
Alarm shoots through me as I realize Levi is here. With every ounce of self-control I possess, I keep my eyes trained on the guard as I smile tightly and then join my mother at the exit.
Franco says goodbye. My mother promises to “come by soon.” And we leave. All the while, I’m hyper-aware of Levi’s presence. Somewhere close by.
When we’re back on the sidewalk, the feeling intensifies.
Still, I don’t search for him.
I refuse to let him know I can sense him. Not until I know why he’s here.
Whatever he’s up to, he’s not going to get away with it again.
ChapterNine
The street is crowded with traffic. It takes us several minutes to cross to where Mom parked the Jeep. The entire time, I feel him nearby. Levi. He’s above me, that much I know. But I don’t look up to see exactly where.
My mom is clearly oblivious to it. She marches straight to the Jeep and unlocks it with her fob. But I hesitate.
“Where are we going now?”
“Not ‘we,’” she corrects. “Just me.”
