Chapter 5: Chapter Five

Erin The operator had just hung up because the officers were standing in my doorway. One of the good reasons for living two blocks from the police station, was they could get here pretty fast if you needed them. The bad thing was I didn’t live in an affluent area, although the apartment building itself was well maintained, had keyless entry, and Gage. The police officers here weren’t like the officers in Seattle. If she were living in the older part of town there, it would have the community’s ‘old, established’ citizens rather than those less affluent. She had learned the local cops expected most emergencies from her area to be a wasted call out so they never would send their best. She was just inside the city, so no trooper call who would have been less judgmental.

I stared at the obviously disinterested officers and had a sinking feeling that this wasn’t going to work out the way I’d hoped. I left my car beeping, but now I knew if I didn’t turn it off, the battery would be dead, and I wouldn’t be able to check on Joey. But I couldn’t possibly entertain the thought of going out there alone. Not yet. Nor was I calling Gage a third time even though I wanted to so badly my insides were revolting. I got his message—don’t bother me.

I held up my keys. “Do you think someone could turn off my alarm? I’m too spooked right now to go outside and well, my battery.”

The look of disdain as though I was putting the officer out was clear, making me suck my lower lip in between my teeth. They ignored my request. I wished Gage was here. No, I can do this myself. I can.

“Ma’am we got a call that there was a disturbance here. You didn’t call about your car alarm, did you?” The derision dripped from his words.

“No, someone broke into my apartment.”

The officer took a lazy look around, and it was obvious he was expecting it to be nothing but continued to ask me questions. I wasn’t sure they were even listening to the answers I gave. I could feel my frustration increase and tried to explain what had happened. I was about to add more to my obviously uninteresting story when the waters of the two officers seemed to part. Their expressions not hiding their irritation. A huge man appeared in my doorway taking up all the available space, and that was impressive. He was impressive with his slightly longish chocolate brown hair and intense blue eyes. He looked familiar.

The gorgeous latecomer was rugged, yet oozed refined power even in the black jeans and T-shirt he wore snug to his muscles. The tip of a tattoo peeked out from under one sleeve. His eyes drew me as he zeroed in on my lip and I could have sworn he was going to rescue it from my teeth, but instead flipped his hand over, palm up, to take my keys.

Suddenly, in the presence of this handsome man in my still-open doorway, I froze, but my mind was running a mile a minute. My lady bits were clenching in reaction to his presence. Who would have figured the only two men in my adulthood that turned me on were discovered in the same building? When I didn’t move, he plucked the keys from my hand and tossed them to another man in the hall.

No words were spoken, but within one minute, the alarm stopped.

The newcomer scanned the room quickly, speaking in a deep, authoritative voice that had my nipples at attention. My belly muscles tightened harder, and my dampening lady bits followed suit. His eyes were a smoky blue, and I watched amazed as they dilated and darkened to a deep silvery gray. The irises were circled with blue ice; hard and dangerous. Those penetrating eyes slowly scanned my whole body, and I did a little nervous dance of, what? Arousal?

I was getting tingly from a look, just as I did with Gage. My pussy ached, and my core sizzled as I tried my hardest to not squirm in need, and still he looked. I tasted blood and released my lip, running my tongue over the abused skin. His eyebrows raised. He seemed to have been as affected as I was. What do I make of that? Was he feeling the tug as I was?

Wrong. I had already committed to trying with Gage, and I truly wanted that. I liked him—a lot. But Gage didn’t answer his phone, and this man was in my apartment. I thought of all the naughty things I could do with him as I had done with Gage. Damn if both of them didn’t elicit wicked thoughts at the same damn time, for entirely different reasons. My chest grew heavy with need. It was like something deep inside me wanted out.

He spoke with authority to the officers. He wasn’t their friend nor enemy, more like collaborators by necessity. After talking to the apartment security guy in the hall that worked for Gage, he turned to me.

“I’ve called one of my men to come over. He’ll be here in a few. Look for him, will you?”

I knew what he was doing, distraction. I welcomed it. “How will I know it’s him?”

“He’ll be big. He’ll also be in civilian clothes.”

I think the side of his mouth ticked up, but it was gone before I was sure. He was bossy, but with a sense of humor. I melted a little more. I finally began to process things, and I wiggled inside like an excited puppy when seeing their human. Did he just sniff the air? All my wildest fantasies came back to me. This man could be a were-something, just like I imagined Gage. They would both feature in my dreams now. This whole thing might have been worth it. I knew better, but yes, they would be the perfect candidates to be werewolves. If they existed, which they didn’t, but I wanted them to. This man was all my fantasies come to life. Yes, definitely shifter material. Like Gage.

And then he grabbed my hands sniffing each one. He sniffed right over the small scratch from the pizza delivery guy and narrowed his eyes. I find myself stumbling over my words.

“I don’t know why it smells. I tried scrubbing it off, but it didn’t help.”

“Do you have sage and lemon juice?”

“Yes, but I don’t understand. The pizza guy just scratched me.”

The man seemed indignant. “On purpose?”

“Of course not.” I remember how he didn’t want to let me go. “I think.”

The refined, authoritative man growled. “Did you tell Gage?”

“Well, he saw it, but after looking at it we, um, had other things… nothing. I’m fine.”

“I’m not happy to hear a beautiful young woman tell me she is fine when she really isn’t.”

“Like Gage.”

He nodded. “Get the sage and lemon juice.”

Someone was speaking but who and to whom I had no clue nor any interest in finding out. How wanton and callous could I get? I was drooling over men that were obviously out of my league and forgetting about Joey. What kind of friend did that?

He cocked his head to the side in a type of confusion, as though he was trying to figure something out. Next, he tilted his head further in a small, sharp command and for some reason, I walked in the direction he indicated, stopping when I reached the kitchen counter. His instructions were clipped as he spoke to the man who brought back my keys.

Suddenly, I recognized him. He walked through the building with Gage sometimes while doing security checks. This man was Hunter. I was sure of it, but I didn’t want to make a mistake. His manner was all control and dominance as he continued to calmly bite out orders to his ‘men’ without taking his eyes off me.

Once the room had responded to his directions, he gave me a little indication he was amused.

“Hey, they can’t come in here while we are checking things out,” said one of the officers.

Hunter looked directly at me and said, “Do you mind if my security checks to make sure everything is as it should be?”

I looked past Hunter and to the officers. “Are you planning on bringing in any other officers?”

“There’s no need.”

I nodded and looked at Hunter again. “I have no objections whatsoever.”

As the room crackled with his authority, the officers gave him a wide berth, and he winked at me. Like it was our secret that he was a different person underneath this boss façade. This man was used to issuing orders, no doubt about it, and I wanted to do whatever he commanded. Except I didn’t work for him and he wasn’t talking to me. The man I did work for wasn’t answering his phone. And someone tried to get into my car and likely get into my apartment and to me. And I couldn’t contact Gage. That’s what I needed to focus on, not my wet panties.

Hunter approached me. His gait was lethal, all grace and liquid fire. The word alpha came to mind. Crazy. I was too into Joey’s books and the romances I read on top of last night with Gage. Now I was creating my own world. Maybe I should write to relieve my ‘fantasy’ stress as Joey does.

“Miss White?” He took another deep breath as though there was fresh air in the room. He didn’t seem disappointed, but still, a bit of confusion seemed to cloud his eyes: suspicion and something else. My knees nearly buckled at the obvious concern in his voice. He didn’t know me from Adam, but he acted as though he did. He didn’t weaken his stance or soften his expression. However, I did both.

“Erin,” I corrected him.

He hesitated for a moment as though processing my name before his whole demeanor changed towards me.

“Erin. Let’s clean out your cut.” He walked to the sink where I laid out the sage and lemon juice. He grabbed my palm, spit in it, rubbed some of my sage on it, and massaged it into the small, almost non-existent scratch. It had almost healed completely. Then he rinsed it with lemon juice. I hissed because now that he had re-irritated the area, it stung. Next, he rinsed with water and patted dry.

He held my palm up to me. “Now smell.”

“Nothing. Very clever.”

He sniffed. “Good. You must have a good nose to have picked up on that odor.”

I shrugged because I had accepted my hyper senses, but it was different when another person possessed perceptiveness as sharp as mine. I try to downplay the significance, but in my experience, there had only been Gage with similar abilities.

“It’s nothing really. I have hyperactive senses. But so, must you.”

The conspirator who winked at me returned, along with a distinctively protective proprietorship. He wrapped his arm around my waist and all but carried me to the armchair without any effort. I sunk into its comfort and looked straight into the man’s package. What a package it was. I salivated and tried to take an inconspicuous sniff—hot, earthy musk. I fought the urge to rub my nose in his jewels. Now wouldn’t that get a reaction out of the stone-faced man with a chink in his armor? I would be the one arrested, and somehow, for a split second, I entertain the notion. I’ve gone mad. There isn’t any other explanation.

Hunter squatted down in front of me. Stern, in control, and somehow familiar. What I need right now is someone to take the lead with clout. These circus clowns were here for the show not to perform any real service themselves. I think I found him, the real leader. I melted and then stiffened my spine. I didn’t know this man, not really, and I certainly wasn’t going to give him my control. His look chastised me. I dropped my eyes and then defiantly raised them back to capture his stare again. I didn’t bow to anyone. If I did, I likely wouldn’t be alive and alive was good. I might have conjured it up, but I would have sworn his lips ghosted an upward tilt.

“Thank you for the car alarm fix. I’ve seen you around here with Gage. Who are you?” Yes, I know, lame, but after all he’s done in the last fifteen minutes, I thought I should formally ask.

***

Hunter I hesitated. Erin. Gage’s Erin. I was as attracted as he described he was and I was surprised. My wolf was interested. In fact, he was already preparing to claim her. My wolf had never wanted to mark any woman. I could smell her arousal. She was playing a dangerous game if she was attracted to both of us. Did she try to sniff the air or me? Either way, it was a primal thing to do. She made my cock lengthen, and it was already tree trunk size. Pull yourself together, man. She’s part human. Not a werewolf. But her scent says there’s something else, some kind of shifter, maybe.

Gage also thought she was mixed and that she had premonitions. Was that the difference? Was she a human hybrid? Part shifter, part paranormal human? They were rare and the most sought after for their intelligence and abilities. Unethical shifters and humans alike did some very destructive things to find and dominate a human hybrid. Often, they were held against their will. If caught before being claimed, it was tragic. If mated by a lover, no one could touch them. As I thought about it, a human hybrid sounded likely. It also seems my wolf and Gage’s wolf, had decided they’d found their mate.

Her scent was some kind of a heady mixture that drew me. A naughty human hybrid that I can already feel under my hand, squirming as I heat her ass for putting herself in danger if what she said was true. I can smell her arousal, but it was the scent of her fear that was stronger when I entered the building, which means she was in the hallways when she shouldn’t have been. I would add a deep red blush to those back cheeks and then nip her… stop.

Not that humans were off-limits for sex, but it watered your bloodline and risked your pups’ futures if a shifter life-mated with one and the human DNA was stronger. Besides, they rarely enjoyed the rough sex most shifters craved. It was fine for some, but the possessiveness of a wolf was often too much for the human to take. An alpha tipped the scales indescribably.

Alphas were diminishing as the human world advanced, but fewer still were female werewolves. The community packs were full of males looking for mates. In most packs, shifters could inter-mate with other species of shifters and sometimes, a human with something special. Those marriages wouldn’t jeopardize their standing in the group. Except for the Alpha. He could be challenged at any time but none more likely than when his mate was not alpha as well.

A human hybrid, however, changed everything. They trumped all other mates.

“How long have you lived in the building?” I knew I could have asked Gage, but it was more fun asking her and seeing if she would tell the truth. My own version of shifter games.

“Um, a couple of years. Hey, are they going to do anything like check my door to see if there are fingerprints or dog hair or anything? Did they take pictures of the tracks?”

My gut tingled. “Why would they need to do that?”

“I could have sworn there was a big dog at my door. Like he was rubbing past, sniffing, and a little digging at the carpet. Do you know how dogs behave when they want in or out? It sounded just like that. And when I was outside in the hallway, it smelled like wet dog. Then in my apartment when I returned it kind of smelled the same. There are the paw prints by the open window and the blood smear. You know, evidence?” She was headstrong. Good.

Yeah, I understood only too well. I smelled shifter, lion, or cougar maybe, not a wolf. But it might be nothing if it was mostly in the hallway because this building had a few shifters. I’d have to check who they were. Her hand and the pizza box I threw in the hall to be burned, had a more sinister stink to it.

I suspected that the delivery guy was a darker being that had left his own tracking device on the box and her hand. I’d have to talk to Gage about the incident and his thoughts, but our girl was definitely in danger. For now, I was non-committal. Her fear had begun to diminish, and no way in hell was I doing anything to bring it back. Not at this point, anyway.

“Erin, I’m Joshua Hunter. I go by Hunter. Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

“Where do I start? With the guy in the parking lot?”

“The parking lot?”

“This morning, before I came back inside to see this.”

“Wait, you were outside, at four in the morning, in this?” As I suspected.

She blushed. “Well, I forgot until I was outside that I hadn’t thrown on pants. But in my defense—”

My phone rang. The display showed Gage. “Hold that thought a minute while I talk to Gage.”

Yep, she perked up when I mentioned Gage’s name. I spoke to my Beta, covering the information necessary, and then Gage asked to talk to Erin. I passed the phone to her. “Gage would like to speak to you.”

She spoke into the phone, sounding stoic with weepy undertones. “Gage?”

Yeah, Gage’s daddy Dom persona had already come out with Erin. Good. He didn’t have to channel him. Hunter was not daddy material. Gage and Erin spoke for a few minutes, and it was apparent Gage was comforting and instructing her. Hunter could easily read her facial expressions and agreement.

“I know, but I had to go check on Joey... No, because I forgot to do something... Not totally naked, I had a nightshirt on… I didn’t see who it was… I will… But I’ll be fine… Gage that isn’t fair… I can—fine.” She shoved the phone back in my hand moodily, obviously not agreeing with Gage, but not refusing him. “He wants to talk to you.”

I went to the other side of the room and spoke to him briefly. Gage opened fire.

“What the fuck? She goes out to check on her boss because she can’t get him on the phone and is worried because he’s a creature of habit? No way. And I told her not to leave her place tonight, well, last night. I don’t know what’s going on, but that little girl forgot to add some critical pieces of information.” Gage ranted on a few more minutes. “You should know, I told her to do what she was told and not to stay there tonight.”

“Think she’ll listen?”

He huffed a laugh. “No fucking idea. We’re too new for her to have openly defied me to my face yet. Obviously, if I’m not there, she would rather risk her safety than call me for help. We will be discussing that, among other things. I want you to see if… well, never mind that for now. We have so many other things to worry about. What’s the next move?”

“Not sure after getting her to safety. We have some things to discuss. There are so many variables that we need to sit down and map this out. So, this little beauty—”

“Yes, that’s Erin. She agreed to explore this attraction with me. Hunter, do you feel it? My wolf is about to crawl through this line; the pull to protect is so strong.”

“I feel it, and she does too. I think she is worried about being drawn to two men. We have to deal with tonight first and then go on.”

“Right. I was on my way over. She wants me to come, but you’ll have to handle her. I think she’s onto something about this Joey James. I’m going to her boss’ house. Stay with her until we figure something out, yeah? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Agreed. Keep me in the loop.”

“Will do. And Hunter?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t let her convince you she is okay to stay alone.”

“Not even possible.”

“Good. Talk soon.”

The officers have spoken to her minimally and made it clear they saw no reason to stay further, but I disagree. I can smell others in the hallway, on the stairs, and in her apartment, on top of the delivery guy, however, I can’t tell them any of that. I’ve learned my lesson in trying to sort out local police. They don’t have the senses I do so they don’t understand. I answered Erin’s question. And my wolf wanted to play. I tried to ignore him.

“So you and Gage work together, right?”

“Yes. I own a security company, and this is one of our buildings. Gage is my Be… second in command.”

That sounded innocuous enough. It could also explain why I’m here at five in the morning, although I haven’t figured that out completely myself. Must have been one of those fairy things because I was already awake when the alert sounded, and a light flashed. I was here in under ten minutes. I don’t usually answer the alarms, but for some reason, I couldn’t stay away this morning. Hybrid crossed my mind again. Her animal likely called to mine.

“Gage was out for a run which is why he wasn’t here. I left him a message before I left.”

“Oh. Does that mean you know a lot about Gage? Did he tell you, um, never mind…”

He held back his smile. She didn’t know how to express her thoughts fully yet. Suppressed or protected upbringing or something on the other side of the spectrum. They would find out in good time.

“Gage and I spoke last night about many things. You were one topic. Tell me about what you think is significant.”

If the cops were slow to ask, I wouldn’t be caught with my proverbial pants down. The wolf in me was restless for his mate. For the first time in my life, I wanted to claim, mark, and take home a woman. I had the urge to lick her fragrant skin all the way to her pussy and then settle in for a feast. I redirect my wolf’s salacious hunger for now, but I plan on revisiting that possibility soon.

“Oh, right. Um, well, I don’t know how they got into the building, and if you have cameras, then you might find who did this. And in the parking lot as well. I mean, there might be a reason they were here, whoever they are. It’s just there are oddities, you—” I raised my hand to stop her words.

“Wait. Hold that thought.”

“Do you always do that?”

“What?”

I’m taken by surprise at the annoyance I hear directed towards me. The Alpha doesn’t usually allow that behavior directed at himself. He’s the one to deal with disgruntled members of the pack. His word is law.

“Interrupt people when they are trying to speak. You have a nasty habit of doing that.” Her exasperation is endearing as she chastises me.

I never cared about what others thought about my manner. I was usually the most senior person in the room, or they just didn’t matter enough to me to put any effort into caring. I did not make impulsive decisions. I couldn’t afford to be careless with my words. Erin was sassy and adorable, and I wanted to sink deep inside her core and spank that ass for her impertinence. I did neither. Yet.

“You’re right. I apologize, but in my defense, I don’t want you to share what you’re about to say with anyone yet. They have not been very receptive, and I will handle the flow of information.”

“Can you do that?”

“I can.”

“Oh. But what if I don’t agree?”

“It isn’t necessary. What is important is that you let me take care of this. I believe Gage said you were to follow instructions.”

“But Gage isn’t here.” Defiant too. My hand itched, and I loved the banter, but she couldn’t know that at this juncture. I needed to be the boss right now but I could see why she had roped Gage in so easily.

A look of concern crossed her face, and then it was gone. Not fear, but possibly she’d already felt Gage’s hand on her sassy ass, and she decided she didn’t want a repeat.

“Fine. Whatever you say, sir.”

“Good. Hang tight. And Erin?” She looked warily at me. “Settle the attitude, or I’ll have to address it.”

She opened her mouth to respond and then closed it. Guess she got the message. I didn’t want anyone else to hear what she was saying. Someone tried to get to her in the parking lot, then into her apartment, into her car after she left it, and got into the building somehow – once if not twice. There was a reason all right. That same someone wanted the woman I thought ill advisable to claim, but my wolf already had. Human hybrid came to mind again. It was beginning to become clear that human vandals were not behind any of this. This was more supernatural. Maybe even preternatural.

I didn’t want to share the information I may have with the officers, but knew they needed a bone or something. Otherwise, they wouldn’t leave even though they wanted to. I didn’t want them to discount the fact that she was in danger.

“Were you awake when this happened?”

“Well, I was napping. I was worried about Joey, um, my boss, so I kept calling every hour.”

“Worried because...”

“Because he wasn’t feeling himself yesterday.” The little cutie was lying her ass off and not doing a convincing job of it—bad choice. My wolf salivated at the punishment he planned. I shoved those thoughts back for now.

“How?”

“I don’t know, just off. He was in a rush to get me home.”

I’m not getting why her boss in a rush would make her call every hour. “Was he your boyfriend?” I hoped not because we would have to change that. Warning off humans was easy, but there were always dangers in doing so.

“Was?” Her voice trembled again like it did when he’d come on the scene.

“Is. I’m sorry, sweetheart. Is he your boyfriend?”

“Why would you ask? Because I wanted to check on him or because I am concerned when I can’t get him on the phone? Listen, you don’t know him, he’s a creature of habit. Some writers are notorious for routine. His place was a mess. It stunk. He does things a certain way, and he would have answered my calls. I have to call him again.” She began looking for her phone.

I’m having trouble keeping up with the little pixie. “No. Wait.”

“Wait? That’s stupid. What if something happened to him?”

“Why would something happen to him? Erin, you aren’t being totally honest with me. If you keep things from me, I can’t help effectively.”

She nodded, but I could see I haven’t convinced her. In the world of shifters, males punish their mates for infractions such as lying or putting oneself in harm’s way. This little pixie was asking to feel my hand on her ass. Likely two pairs of hands when Gage found out.

She opened her mouth to respond and then closed it. “I don’t know.”

I leaned in and turned on the full alpha. “Yes you do and lying to me never turns out well. Think very carefully if you don’t want to be punished for your falsehoods.” I push her silky but equally disobedient waves of unusually light-colored hair out of her face again.

She shuddered, and I know she’s gotten the full effect. Good. I don’t have time to listen to lies, and no one disrespected me without retribution. No one in my world that is.

“That’s what Gage says.” Her manner is much more subdued. Good. Maybe we will get somewhere. She stiffens her back. “But I don’t know you, really. I know Gage.”

“We are going to rectify that, believe me.”

The officer finished walking the apartment and adjoining hallways a final time. His partner had completed the building check. I don’t point out my people have already done that and done a better job of it. It’s always the same, and I prefer my people to do their own recon, anyway.

“I think she was just worried about this boss or boyfriend and freaked herself out,” theorized Officer Randal.

“What about the car?” I ask.

“She could have done that herself.”

“From in here?”

“Could have.”

“Then why didn’t she turn it off from here?” The officer didn’t answer.

“And the prints?”

“Probably had a visitor who had a dog.”

“She said no. The open window?”

“She forgot to close it.”

I quit. My people will handle this, and I prefer it. Just wanted to make sure the officers got the obvious stuff in their report.

“We know about this neighborhood. The rest of the community is upper class, but this small bit is the fringe society, not rich, not on public assistance.”

“I believe one of the most accepted terms is the ‘working middle class’. I believe most officers fall into that pay grade as well. At least that is what the council heard a few weeks ago.”

At the information that Hunter was at the council meeting he hesitated, but when Hunter said nothing more, the man continued. Officer Randal was determined to show the class of citizens he believed lived here was not at the same level as he.

“I was near here last week for three domestics and a robbery,” stated Randal. “Lower classes do low-class things. Yeah, I’ve been here for ten years come next month, and I’ve seen it all. I’m surprised you’re down here, rich and all. I’d think you had plenty of flunkies to do that.”

Hunter felt his body tighten, and he glanced over at Erin. She was sitting but maintained her alert stance. “I was awake. My building, my security company.” Hunter shrugged. “I was concerned.” The implication didn’t affect the officer.

The second officer came up and joined the conversation about past experiences. However, it was nothing that had any bearing on this particular case. In fact, they even chatted about the scores to last night’s pro game—small talk. I don’t have any use for it. Can’t imagine why anyone would. Most days, I stayed behind my huge desk and managed the corporation. If I got bored or needed a change, I’d run or do security checks, but I never sat around and gabbed about the latest television show, the local sports, or my neighbors if I had any.

Some years ago, I took over an investment firm battling the changing market, and it was about to go under. I found I had an aptitude at managing more than wolves and sniffing out real estate deals. Now, I ran the corporation that housed our businesses to include the security company that kept the vast holdings that I shared with Gage… well… secure. I managed the pack investments with the help of Gage and an accountant from the pack.

Opportunities often present themselves to expand into other markets, but I’m doing well and don’t want to diversify my attention any further, in other areas. I’m happy to grow what I have and let the pack diversify. I’m also a control freak. Yeah, no changing that. The one exception in my business plan right now was our brother’s resort endeavor. Lucas owned a small lodge and retreat but was looking to expand into a grander resort. We were going to discuss that with him at the end of the week. I watch Erin as she wrung her hands and bit that full bottom lip. It looks like we’ll be bringing Erin to the meetings because we won’t be able to leave her unprotected.

“Officer Randal, I don’t see anyone in the hallways, and it’s early so why don’t I check our cameras, examine the locks, and send you the information?”

Officer Randal seemed relieved that he wouldn’t have to tease any more bits of evidence out of the scene. He asked a few more questions, but after that, he’d left Erin alone. Erin seemed to have gotten her wits about her and her energy back. In her zeal to finish things, she stood up too quickly and grabbed on to the arm of the chair to steady herself before following behind Officer Randal.

I caught Erin’s eye and gave her a warning look and a single negative shake of my head, something I typically wouldn’t do because I can be a scary guy without trying and it wasn’t just because of my size. She was an observant little thing, and I had no doubt that she would pick up my meaning of keeping her own counsel at this point. Besides, if Gage hadn’t scared her off, I wasn’t physically any larger. The most significant difference between the two of us was my intimidation factor. Gage would pull it on when needed, but I’m rarely cloaked in anything else. I always expected to be obeyed. I was the Alpha. When she didn’t show any signs of heeding me, I added her name. The little imp was racking up the infractions.

“Erin,” accompanied by a lifted eyebrow. Familiar and yet authoritative. That seemed to do the trick.

“Fine.”

Gage would have been all over her crossed arms of protest. I could hardly stop my burst of laughter at the defiant picture she painted. I planned on having so much fun with this one if given a chance. I was going to add that word to the unacceptable list. I had heard it more than enough times this morning. She stopped and looked up into my face with irritation. I was already thinking up punishments for our woman. At least she bit her tongue and waited until I was through speaking to them. She could follow orders when she wanted to so it was obvious she had self-control when she chose to use it.

Once the officers had gotten the last bit of information they needed and my business card, I slid my hand to the small of her back. She stood stock-still, stiffening her muscles. I rubbed, and she relaxed. My cock swelled, and my wolf did as well. I wanted to protect her, and even if things transpired differently and I couldn’t have her, I’d make sure nothing else happened. I turned to wait for the officers to leave.