Hunted By The Others by Jess Haines Page B

not looking back now that he was probably sure I wasn’t going to have a mental breakdown in his car.
    “Even the smallest runt in the pack can take a shot at standing up to the alpha. He may know he’s going to lose if it comes to a fight, but oftentimes it’s seeing that he’s stood up for himself and has his own teeth that makes the alpha give way.”
    That wasn’t the way I thought wolves did things in the wild, but since Weres had the intelligence of a human blended with, and usually overcoming, their wolf instincts, maybe he was right. If I showed Royce and The Circle I had teeth of my own, it was entirely possible they’d back off. I just wondered what would be threatening enough to pass for said teeth, and how I could do it convincingly without getting myself or my family killed in the process.
    “There, see, got you thinking of a solution to those worries of yours.”
    I smiled thinly, though the Were was right. He gave good advice. “Thank you. I only hope it’s as easy as you say.”
    He gave voice to a barking laugh, making my hair stand on end. “Sure it is. Even a leech will listen if you make them think the potential profit is outweighed by the trouble you give ’em.”
    I sat bolt upright, eyes widening in alarm. He still didn’t look back at me, eyes on the road like a good driver should be. I was almost sure he was grinning, judging by the tone of his voice.
    “Don’t get yer panties in a twist. I smell it on you. That and the fear-smell, and a touch of someone else’s perfume. You’re also wearing something that makes the scent of your blood and skin faint. Magework, seems like.”
    Annoyed, I sat back, folding my arms and glaring at the back of his head. “Is every Other I run into going to know I’ve been dealing with vamps and magi?”
    “Until you shower, probably.” He looked at me through the rearview, and I could see the twinkle of mirth reflecting in his eyes. “Shows you’re smart, that you’re afraid of ’em. Not afraid of me, though. Why’s that?”
    A little nonplussed, I didn’t answer right away. Now that he’d put my attention on it, I realized he was right. I wasn’t afraid of him.
    “I don’t know. I guess I’ve just known enough Weres to be used to you guys by now. My ex-boyfriend runs with the Sunstrikers.”
    I was careful not to mention that I’d broken up with Chaz after he changed to wolf-form in my living room; his way of explaining why he was never around on certain days of the month. Prior to that, he’d told me he’d been busy delivering private sessions with clients, not running around with his buddies as a wolf-man. Considering I was normally so busy I barely knew what day of the month it was, let alone whether the moon was full, it wasn’t that unusual that I’d missed the signs. He got up the nerve to tell me the truth after we’d been together a few months. Though he admittedly scared the hell out of me when he shapeshifted, he had never quite clued in that I was more pissed at him for lying and hiding things from me than anything else. Ass.
    He scoffed at that. “The Sunstrikers are a bunch of good-for-nothing showoffs. Good thing you two broke up.”
    I made a noncommittal sound, wondering what the friction was between the clans. Local Were politics were none of my business, and I had enough problems of my own.
    “So what’re you going to do about this business deal you can’t refuse? Tell him to shove those papers where the moon don’t shine?”
    I looked down at the now-crinkled and slightly sweat-stained papers I still had clenched in one hand. Funny thing was, the Were’s words had given me some hope. And an idea.
    “Yeah, looks like I’ll be doing that.”
    He pulled to the curb and I saw we were already at the block where I’d parked my car. After stopping, he put his hand on the passenger headrest and twisted around to beam at me, looking all too pleased.
    “You’d make a good bitch in our pack. Good luck dealing with