Rogue Wolf by Heather Long

you want me to tell Mason?” His words were soft, but they carried.
    With a shake of her head, Margo said, “Tell him what you need to, but I have no complaints. They’re parents. What can you do?” For some reason, the matter of fact statement hurt him.
    The other wolf frowned. “You two need anything?”
    “No, at least I don’t think so, Dylan. I’ll check with you when we’re ready to hit the road.” She remained cool, distant, and absolutely controlled.
    “Sounds good.” The other wolf hesitated, then took another step toward her. “You sure you’re okay? I can hang out if you don’t want to be alone with the Italian.” No way the other wolf hadn’t seen him. Arrogant puppy needed a lesson in manners.
    “I’m fine, Dylan. Go away now.”
    Salvatore smirked. Margo giving the pup his orders worked fine for him. She still made no move toward the house, and it was only after Dylan gave her a sheepish grin and disappeared back into the woods that she began the slow walk toward him.
    “Eavesdropping is rude,” she said.
    “Yes it is.” He agreed with the sentiment.
    “So why are you out here doing it?” She raised her eyebrows, but her tone was still too controlled, too distant from the vibrant, snappish woman he’d sparred with earlier.
    “Because someone should watch that beautiful ass of yours.” He smiled. “And I found myself available. Hungry?”
    She paused and swept her gaze over him. He didn’t puff his chest out, but the piquant hint of desire softened the harsher tone of her stressed scent. “Starving.”
    A bolt of pure lust stiffened his cock. He’d wanted to talk to her about her family, but she wouldn’t want to discuss it with him. Not while they were relative strangers. “Do you have any preference?”
    Brushing past him, she smiled. “I’m a pretty basic girl. I prefer American beef.”
    He chuckled. At least she wasn’t thinking about her parents anymore. He prowled after her into the house. “ Che peccato , bella. Che peccato .”
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    Once inside, Margo did a security sweep of the house. The only scent aside from Salvatore’s was human. Though Willow Bend had several human families and members, she didn’t recognize the identity of the woman who’d serviced the house by the smell. She’d half-expected Salvatore to follow her, but he lingered on the first floor while she made a pass through the second. His suitcase stood in the master suite, while her duffel bags sat side-by-side in the second bedroom.
    Inside the room, she stared at the bag. Salvatore moved around the first floor of the house. The oven opened, then closed with a distinctive thump. Scrubbing a hand over her face, she pulled out her phone and texted Julian.
    Staying in WB w/Alpha to begin hunt. Any news?
    He had to have been waiting for her message, because he responded immediately.
    Sent email. Reached out to Homeland contacts. Rayne and Luciana Barrows landed at Newark Airport four days ago.
    Four days. Son of a bitch. A hell of a lead time.
    Rented SUV. SUV returned to agency in Leesburg Virginia.
    Were they heading south?
    Barrows has a brother in Knoxville, Tennessee. Suspect he picked them up in Leesburg. Dispatched Nelson to confirm.
    Her eyes burned, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. Closing in on forty-eight hours with no sleep. She needed a shower and about six hours flat on her face. Her phone buzzed again.
    SA no help. Will contact us if Barrows enters her territory.
    Serafina Andre was a peculiar kind of Alpha. In her own way, she was as fiercely protective of her people as Mason was of his. If she deemed an issue to be an internal matter, she’d shut them down. Enforcers could enter pack territory and few would attempt to stop them, but Alphas who didn’t want them there could make the visit unpleasant.
    Sent you file on Barrows including known associations, previous addresses and profile.
    So they didn’t know where he was going. Five packs held sway over