Page 26 of Wolf's Chance

“I needed that.” His quick once over of me didn’t bother me at all. “Why are you here?” He cut me off before I replied. “Don’t do that. We don’t need a dick-measuring contest. I asked a question. You will answer.”

“I’m not your pack.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

Amusement flickered in his eyes as he watched my reaction to his bluntness, and I hated that his no-bullshit attitude impressed me. “A straight-talking alpha, that’s new.”

“Is it?” Cannon’s eyebrow arched and he finished his coffee. He said nothing as he reached across the table, picked up my untouched cup, and took a drink. “They always assume that ‘two coffees’ mean for me and another.”

So he hadn’t ordered for me; they were both for him. He was holding my interest, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. “Caffeine junkie, I see.”

He smirked slightly. “I have a demanding mate.”

Of course, he did. His whole aura was power. His mate would be worthy of such a strong alpha. “I’m just passing through.”

“You’ve been passing through a town of this size for about three weeks.” He drained his coffee. “How many times do you plan to pass through it?”

It wasn’t three weeks, maybe two at most. I spent a few days watching the town before I walked in as a human. “Thereare no packs near here,” I spoke quietly. There were too many people faking indifference now. “I do not disturb any shifter with my presence here.”

“You’ve been alone too long, Caleb.” Cannon also kept his voice low, but his posture was hard. The fact he knew my name bothered me, but I tried not to let it show. “Lone wolves are still governed by Pack Council. You know the danger of having no pack.” I did know. No pack could be dangerous for some. They went wild, untamed; it was said that they turned rogue. “There have been changes that you may not be aware of,” Cannon carried on.

“I don’t need to know,” I replied bluntly. “I break no laws with how I choose to live. I bring no attention to myself.”

The alpha gave a long exaggerated look around the room where most eyes were on us. “You’re right, you’re positively blending.”

The smirk escaped before I managed to school my face. “A walk then?”

Cannon stood, his hand reaching for his back pocket, and I didn’t bother looking as he paid. I didn’t think he looked at the bills he laid down. Money wasn’t something most shifters worried about. We didn’t come into towns and cities without it.

Shifters provided for the pack, and the pack provided for them.

Outside, I hesitated, torn between following an alpha or asking Lily where Willow was. Cannon missed nothing, his attention flicking towards the art store. “A woman?”

His slight tone of surprise should have grated on me, but I knew if I were in his shoes, I’d be questioning myself too. “It’s complicated.”

His smile had no humor. “Simplify it for me as we walk.”

We walked in silence to start with. Neither of us discussed it, but both of us headed to the tree line. Cannon dropped back slightly and let me lead as the trees enveloped us. The alpha knew how long I’d been here. I didn’t bother trying to deceive him with where I had left my stuff.

When we reached the small area I’d been using, Cannon didn’t even bother looking around.

“You’ve already been here,” I realized.

“I do my homework.” Cannon nudged the remains of the charred frame. “This?”

“A painting. I changed my mind about liking it.”

Cannon watched me. “That’s a lie. What was it?”

My stomach turned slightly as I felt the power of the alpha in front of me. I wasn’t expecting him, a walking lie detector, to turn up. I hadn’t been expectinganyalpha to turn up.

“A painting.”

“Of?”

The silence grew between us. With a sigh, I turned my head when I answered. “A wolf.”

“A wolf or a shifter?”

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