Page 9 of Craved By the Werewolf
"They deal with me."
I forced my focus back to the mic. "Speaking of rules, let's run through a few event basics for our first-time attendees..."
For the next few minutes, we found an easy rhythm. Thorne was articulate, prepared, and—against my earlier prediction—far from boring. He covered parking, entry procedures, prohibited items (apparently silver jewelry was a bad idea), and emergency protocols, his voice slipping lower now and then, brushing against my nerves in ways that had nothing to do with the broadcast.
"And now," I said, glancing at Mika through the booth window, "let's take a call. I've got Sira from downtown on line two. Sira, you're on with Nightingale and Alpha Thorne."
"Oh my gosh, hi!" Sira's voice came through bright and breathless. "I can't believe I got through. Alpha Thorne, myfriend went to last year's House Party and said you personally escorted her to first aid when she had an allergic reaction to something in the punch. Is it true you carry antihistamines in your jacket?"
Thorne actually smiled—an unguarded, genuine smile that transformed his face, and for a heartbeat, I forgot we were live. "I carry a lot of things in my jacket, Sira. The safety of community members is always the priority."
"That's so sweet!" Sira gushed. "Okay, so my real question is... are you single?"
I nearly choked on my water. "Sira!"
"What? I'm asking for a friend!"
"I'm sure you are." I shot Thorne a look, expecting him to shut it down quickly. Instead, he was still smiling, that slow, controlled kind of smile that made me wonder just how much he enjoyed watching me squirm.
"I appreciate the interest, Sira," he said smoothly, "but my focus right now is on making sure House Party is safe and successful for everyone who attends."
"Smooth deflection," I murmured, just loud enough for the mic to catch it.
"That's what media training is for," he replied.
My brows rose. "You had media training?"
"Today. Emergency session courtesy of the pack elders." The dryness in his tone was a shade away from sarcasm. "Apparently my natural charm needed... refinement."
I laughed before I could stop myself. "Your natural charm?"
"That's what they called it."
"And what would you call it?"
His eyes lingered on mine a beat too long. "Honest."
Something in the air shifted, just slightly, but enough that I felt it in my chest. Mika's voice broke in through my headphones: "Caller, Jess on line four when you're ready."
"Jess, you're on with Nightingale and Alpha Thorne."
"Wow. Can't believe I got through."
"Hi Jess, you're on with Nightingale and Alpha Thorne. And judging from your tone, you're not calling about parking logistics."
"You got that right!" Jess's laugh was bright and teasing. "Hi, Alpha Kaine. I have to ask—and I know I'm not the only one wondering—what's your type? Romantically speaking? Because half the community is dying to know."
Heat crept up my neck, but this was radio gold. I leaned toward Thorne, waiting for the same smooth dodge he'd given Sira.
Instead, he went still. For a moment, the silence was long enough that I thought the connection had dropped.
"Thorne?" I prompted, my voice pitched just enough to sound like a dare. "Come on, throw the girl a bone. What's your type—submissive, aggressive, wolf, human, maybe something in between?"
Those eyes locked on me. The rest of the room faded out in a haze. He leaned in, close enough that I caught the faint scent of smoke filling the room.
"I like a woman who doesn't flinch when I bare my teeth."
Then a faint low growl.
