Fixed: Fur Play by Christine Warren Page A

Honor bit into donut number two and felt her eyes narrow. She barely forced herself to chew before she replied. “What do you mean, ‘What’s up’? He’s here because his alpha sent him here.”
    “Well, duh. It doesn’t exactly strike me that he’s vacationing. But why did he come? What’s he trying to find out? And don’t tell me this is some sort of courtesy visit, because he’s asking way too many questions for courtesy.” The younger werewolf met Honor’s gaze with raised eyebrows, his foot bouncing up and down where it dangled off the edge of his knee. At twenty, Max had energy to burn and yet fell in that awkward stage between adult, when he would be assigned pack chores, and child, when he could run around the territory free of responsibilities. She would need to find a constructive way to use all that energy, but right now, other priorities preoccupied her mind.
    “Asking questions? Asking who? And what does he want to know?”
    “It’s not polite to answer a question with a question.”
    “It isn’t when you do it. I’m the Alpha. I get to.”
    “That is so not fair.”
    “Deal.” She snagged a third donut and used it to punctuate her point. “Now tell me. Where is the Silverback poking his nose, and what has he been asking people about?”
    “Everywhere and lots of things.” The sneakered foot bounced and Honor chewed. “He’s talked to a good sampling of the present pack. Elders, males, females. He even visited Molly Stevens’ day care and talked to some of the little ones. Whatever he wants to know, he wants a pretty diverse perspective on it.” 69

    Christine Warren
    “Have you asked any of the people he talked to what he wanted?”
    “Well. No.”
    “So, in other words, you have no idea about what I’m asking you.”
    “You could say that.”
    “I just did.”
    “True. But you could also say that you just didn’t ask the right question.” Honor growled. “Max…”
    “Hey, all I’m saying is, I don’t know exactly what he’s been asking people about, but I do know that there are some rumors flying around that something big is going to be happening at the howl this weekend.” He leaned forward in his chair, blue eyes glowing. “Something bigger than an alpha declaration and a challenge or two.”
    That made Honor pause. “What does that mean? What’s bigger?”
    “If I knew that, I’d know what he was asking people about.”
    “Don’t be smart with me, Maxwell.”
    He held up his hands. “I’m not being smart, Honor. I promise. I mean, I’m just as curious as you are. If something big is going down, it would sure be nice to be prepared for it.”
    She scowled and leaned back in her chair, mumbling, “You’re telling me.”
    “Then I guess it would be pretty useless for me to ask if you had any theories about what that all means?”
    She just looked at him.
    “Right. That’s what I thought.”
    Max opened his mouth to speak, but before he got the chance to utter a single additional syllable, the door to Honor’s office slammed open and a clearly belligerent man shoved his way inside. He flew to Honor’s desk, slapped his meaty hands down on the surface and inhaled deeply.
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    Fixed: Fur Play
    “It’s true, you little slut.” His growl was deep and menacing and Honor didn’t even blink. “I can smell him all over you. You let a stranger paw you like a bitch in heat. You let him touch what’s mine.” One eyebrow arched up, and when she spoke, Honor could have recreated the polar ice cap with her tone of voice. “Yours? There is nothing in this room that belongs to you, Darin Major. And the next time you call me a bitch, I will lunch on your liver. Now would you care to rephrase?”
    “You heard me fine the first time, and I meant what I said. You let that Silverback cur rub his scent all over you. You reek of him. And now I’m going to smell it every time I look at you. When the call to mate the alpha comes, you’re going to be mine, but