Page 11 of The Wolf Professor

As they left the café, Max having insisted on paying, Charlie couldn’t help but enjoy the scene around them.

The late fall air, redolent with the sounds and sights and smells of a vibrant multi-species city, always made her inordinately happy. She guessed it was her natural exuberance, a quality she’d gotten from the Sullivan side of the family. She certainly hadn’t inherited her mom’s nervous disposition, thankfully, but she had gotten her bookishness from her, and she was proud that her mom was chief librarian at Tween Library.

It just wasn’t the life for her.

Charlie had always known she needed more excitement, more challenges.

Suddenly there was a touch on her arm. She was surprised to see Tod again, grinning down at her. She hadn’t noticed him inthe café, but he must have been there all along. He was panting as if he’d run after them. “Couldn’t let you disappear without telling you I’m having a birthday party next Saturday. Wondered if you’d like to come.”

“Oh, goodness, of course, I remember?—”

“Yeah, well you were at my last one, so…”

She blushed. She and Tod had first made out at his birthday party last year. “Oh yes, um—sure, give me the details.”

“I’ve moved house, I’ll give you my new address. Hope you can make it.” He rummaged in his pocket, got out a pencil stub and piece of paper and scribbled his address down.

“Thanks.” She took the paper he handed her and turned back to Max.

Except Max was nowhere to be seen.

Bewildered, Charlie stared into the bustling crowd. Finally she spotted him, almost at the corner of the street, striding away at speed, his broad shoulders squared.

Well, that was pretty strange.

“I better go, my boss seems to be in a hurry to get back to work,” she explained, then turned and dashed through the crowds after Max.

CHAPTER 6

Max’s wolf snarled and snapped as he strode away.

Who did that green-skinned upstart think he was? So she’d dated the guy. And clearly, he still wanted to date her, it was written all over his moony face. How dare he interrupt their meeting, not once, damn it, buttwice?

He ground his fists hard into his pockets as he tried to calm down.

He was being illogical, and Max Hunt wasneverillogical.

And jealous. Possessiveness was another wolf trait his mom had warned him to be aware of. It was an emotion he’d been relieved never to feel in either of his relationships. He’d thought he was free of that.

But in less than a day of being with Charlie he was thinking of her as… as…

What exactly?

Mine.

For all the hounds in hell, where did that just come from?

Under his breath, Max let out a curse. And that’s when he heard pattering footsteps behind him, a cry of, “Max—wait.”

Something in him curled deliciously at the way she gasped his name. He imagined her keening it as he caught her in his arms, her eyes full of want. Which did nothing to fucking help.

He ground to a halt, pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to wince at his own atrocious behavior.

“Are you wanting to get rid of me already?” Her cheeks were flushed dark, her smile bemused. “If so, there are easier ways.”

They were facing each other now in the busy street. Her curls bounced around her hot little cheeks and a tendril crept across her forehead. Max almost reached out to smooth it away, then snapped his hand back to his side. “We have a lot of work to get on with,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry I held you up.” Her tone was genuinely apologetic, which made him feel even worse.

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