Page 91 of Rogue Wolf Hunter

“So how long have you been sleeping with him?” Amarok asked.

Frankie sputtered. “Excuse me?”

Rock waved a hand, as if to indicate he didn’t care. “What you do before we are mated makes little difference to me.” He picked up his glass again. “But once we are mated,” his dark eyes pierced through her, “I won’t be so amused by it.”

Frankie wasn’t intimidated by him in the least. “And until then, I expect you to keep your opinions about me, my personal life, and how I run my pack to yourself.”

Amarok smiled again. “I meant it when I said I like him, truly, but a hunter is not for a packmaster like you, Frankie, and you know it.”

“Apparently, I didn’t say it clearly.” Frankie stood tall, looming over him. “Whatever your opinion is of me, of Jace. I expect you to keep to you yourself.” Her eyes flashed to her wolf. “Starting immediately.”

“Duly noted.” Rock nodded with a lift of his glass. “You’ll make a formidable leader to my people, Frankie. I don’t regret the choice.” She knew he said it for her benefit, to keep things civil between them, but somehow, it didn’t appease her.

“Of course you wouldn’t.” She knew her worth, her value, and she let it show in every way. In how she held herself, how she spoke to him, how she looked. She was a powerful wolf in her own right, and she wouldn’t soon allow him to forget it.

She slid into the booth across from him. “Now, I believe we had a date to discuss.”

17

Jace stormed outof K9’s and into the street, his heart pounding like a construction worker’s jackhammer, each blow heavy and fast.

Not just a fiancé, but a wolf he fuckingknew.

Another packmaster. A respected warrior among his kind, and from all Jace had gathered on Rock over the years, a decent man. Someone who would be more to her than an arranged marriage, someone who would treat her well. Jace wanted that for her, wanted her happiness—how couldn’t he?—but somehow it’d been...easier when Rock hadn’t had a name, a face. When Jace still had a hope she wouldn’t forget him, that she’d be with someone she could never love.

Someone who wasn’t him.

Love.

The word slammed around in his head and he swore. What the hell was wrong with him? He paced, cursing under his breath. Sure, they’d slept together, promised each other it’d meant something more than the single night they’d agree upon, but bottom line? She was stillengaged. Not only had he messed up before he’d known, but then he’d fucked her again once he had known. Had thought he could convince her to end the engagement.

What kind of man did that make him?

Clearly, one who didn’t deserve her. She hadn’t even been able to acknowledge what she was to him. How many times was the universe going to stick it to him?

“You gotta be fucking kidding me!” Jace yelled.

A woman passing by on the other side of the street clutched her purse tighter and sped up her pace.

Jace growled. “I don’t need this.” He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit up. The smoke filled his lungs, but didn’t calm him. How could he calm down when faced with this guilt inside him? She was perfectly willing to sleep with him, but she couldn’t even admit who he was to her, not to mention she was promised to someone else.

Adrenaline pumped through him, and he flexed his free hand into a fist at his side. He’d made a total idiot of himself, thinking for even two seconds that he could win her. Dumbest idea he’d ever had. What a fool he’d been to think she had real emotions for him. He wasn’t one of them, and he never had been.

Never would be.

He sighed and blew out a puff of smoke. “Of course, I’m not one of them either.” His gaze darted to the human woman scurrying away in the distance. All sense of the belonging he’d felt among his friends, his brothers in arms, drained from him.

“You’re not what?” a male voice said from behind him.

He turned to find David leaning up against the brick building.

Jace ran his fingers through his hair. “Nothing.”

“Well, something’s up with you.”

Jace raised a brow. “You’re one to talk. You look like shit.”

“Thanks for the compliment, Sugarplum.”

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