An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(15)

“So, the museum?” she asked, her voice husky. The effect had to be from the drink, not anything having to do with him.

She hated him, he told himself once again.

“Yeah. It’s a quick walk from here so we don’t have to move our cars.” He wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle being stuffed in a small car with her for too long. He’d break down and do something stupid like kiss her.

Then she’d geld him.

Not the most pleasant way to end the afternoon.

He cleared his throat. “Uh, so yeah, sorry again for crowding you in there. I’m just trying to figure out how to make this work. You know? Standing behind you and not talking wasn’t enough, but putting my arm around your shoulder without asking probably pissed off your wolf. So for that, I’m sorry. I’ll try not to invade your space.”

There. That was civil enough.

Her eyes widened, and for a second, he thought he saw a flash of hurt cross her face, but it was gone so fast he wasn’t sure what he’d seen. Why would she be hurt? He honestly didn’t understand her, but he wanted to.

“I’m not a little wolf afraid of the big bad one,” she said slowly as if she were being oh-so-careful with her words.

“I didn’t say that. But I am a dominant wolf and so are you. I know better than to come at you from behind and touch you without permission. I didn’t mean to f*ck it up.”

She blinked once, twice, then shook her head before looking around them both. No one was around them, he would have been able to scent them if there had been, so that was why he’d felt comfortable speaking the way he had, but it was always good to double check.

“It’s fine. This won’t be the last time we have to do this so…” she took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for the next words out of her mouth, “…so we need to make sure we can act like we’re normal without stepping on each other’s toes. So don’t touch me and we should be fine.”

He took a step back, his eyes wide. “We’re wolves, Brynn. Touching is part of who we are.”

Her lips thinned. “No, it’s not part of who we are.” She pointed between the two of them. “I don’t need your touch to remind me you’re a wolf, Finn. I don’t need your touch to remind me you’re the Heir either. So just keep your distance, and we will play nice with the world and show them we don’t kill one another if we get a little testy.”

“What the f*ck is your problem?” he snapped, fed up.

She raised her chin, meeting his gaze. This time his wolf did react. It stormed to the front at the show of challenge. He clenched his jaw, holding himself back.

She moved her eyes slightly so they weren’t looking at each other head on. His wolf didn’t relent though. There had been a challenge there, like it or not. She might be one of the most dominant wolves he’d ever met, but she wasn’t nearly as dominant as him.

His fists curled inward, his claws ready to come out. The man within was much stronger than the wolf, despite what others thought of him. Her wolf was right on the edge as well from the look in her eyes. Going at each other like this was the exact opposite of what they should be doing.

He was failing his Alpha, his family, his Pack by acting like an *, but damn it, she got under his skin in the worst ways possible sometimes.

“My problem is a little boy acting like he’s the goddess’s gift to the world. Just stay out of my way. When we get back, we’ll find another pair to do this. It doesn’t have to be us because I just can’t. I can’t act like nothing is wrong when you’re around.” Her mouth clamped shut and her eyes widened. Ah, she hadn’t meant to say that last part.

Well, f*ck it.

What was wrong with him? That’s what he wanted to know. What had he done to put that look in her eyes? That tone in her voice?

“Look what we’ve got here, two wolves in one place. Shouldn’t you be back at the zoo?” a man sneered as he made his way out of a dark alley, another man on his tail.

Brynn turned on her heel at the sound of the man’s voice. She kept her claws in from what Finn could see, and he did the same. He stood at her back, keeping his attention on the surrounding areas. There might be more than just the two males in front of them. He might not know what the hell was going on between him and Brynn, but he, without a doubt, trusted her to protect herself and him in a fight.

That was just one more reason the woman confused him.

It wasn’t the first time he’d heard the zoo comment. Hell, it wasn’t even that original, but he despised humans who hated him without cause. It wasn’t as if Finn and his family went on nightly hunts, changing humans and cackling like the Hollywood movies showed their kind to be. They didn’t rely on the moon to shift. They didn’t turn others unless they were their mates or in other dire circumstances. They weren’t monsters on two legs without control.

They were families, children, and soldiers who protected their own.

And the human in front of him and others like him just didn’t get it.

Finn was afraid they never would.

“Why don’t you two run along now,” Brynn said, her voice sickly sweet. He knew that voice. The sweeter she got in times like these, the more dangerous she was.

The second man grabbed his dick and wiggled his brows. “Why don’t you get on your knees and tell me that.”