Page 25 of Wolf of Bones

“When you put it that way, it sounds like a ridiculous plan.” I winked at him over the rim of my mug. “But it’s the best plan we have. We’re off grid and out of allies and almost out of time. It’s the people in this bar or bust.”

“Marshmallows or whipped cream?” Galen asked, his hand already in the air to signal the bartender who doubled as our waitress.

“Marshmallows, please.”

Our server returned with our drinks and set fresh mugs in front of us, cautioning us that they were piping hot.

“So, it’s pretty obvious the two of you aren’t from around here. Or Alaska, for that matter.”

The leggy brunette cocked a denim clad hip to one side and tucked her black plastic tray under arm. The green and brown flannel she wore brought out the flecks of yellow in her eyes.

Wolf.

I kicked Galen’s shin under the table to get his attention without making it obvious to our waitress. How had she managed to hide her scent from us? If not for the specks of yellow in her iris, we never would have suspected a thing.

It looked like we could add spy to her list of job duties at the Dead End boarding house.

“So what brings you to Deadhorse?” She smacked on a piece of gum before stretching it over her tongue and blowing a small bubble. “You with the pipeline or something? The boys and I have a bet going. My money’s on corporate.”

She jerked her thumb in the direction of a table on the opposite side of the room. Three men, ranging in age and size, shared a pitcher of what I assumed was cola and two baskets of fries.

“Really, why do you say that?” Galen reached for his mug and brought the steaming coffee to his lips.

“Jake’s betting on you two being tourists, given your expensive taste in cold weather gear, but I figure, if you can afford those coats you can afford a tropical vacation.” She pulled the tray from under her arm and loaded it with our empty mugs.

“Is there a third guess?” I unwrapped the utensils from the paper napkin and used the spoon to scoop up a couple marshmallows from my mug.

“Lincoln thinks you’re looking for something.” She narrowed her gaze, fixed it on me and leaned in close, the tray precariously balanced on her palm. “For your sake, I hope he’s wrong.”

“What if we are looking for something?” Galen clasped his mug in both hands and leaned back in wooden the chair, his legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles.

“You know what they say about curiosity.” She set the loaded tray on an empty table to her right.

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a cat.” Galen’s appeared casual and aloof, but I’d learned the small muscle ticks and twitches that were tells of aggression.

“Neither are we.” She glanced back at the table occupied by Lincoln and his friends, all of whom were on their feet.

“We didn’t come here looking for trouble.” I raised my hands in a placating gesture and tried to diffuse the situation.

“That’s too bad, pretty lady.” One of the locals stepped out from behind the table, cracking his knuckles on each hand. “It looks like trouble found you and your friend anyway.”

All three men were on their feet and itching for a fight. They crossed the bar, one on point and two ready to flank us from both sides.

I recognized their moves. Maddox and his betas performed drills in small pack hunting and fighting techniques all the time.

That wasn’t as helpful as I’d hoped.

We were out numbered four to two. Galen was more than capable of handling himself in a fight and despite my lack of training, I’d done the same against the demons attacking our town - and from my past.

But we’d never fought together.

We needed to move as a unit, play on each other’s strengths and offset our weaknesses.

Still, we had one advantage.

A trick up our sleeve that our attackers shouldn’t have been able to detect. Our bond. The connection between us deepened beyond what was typical of an alpha and a member of his pack.

And it was yet another confirmation that Galen, not Maddox, had been the mate fate had chosen for me.

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