Page 31 of Lone Wolf’s Claim (The Kincaid Werewolves #1)

B ronaugh watched the four werewolves eat their chili from her perch on the small retaining wall across the street. A sudden sharp pain on her finger distracted her from her vigil, and she looked down at her hand to see a fire ant chomping away on her knuckle.

She flicked it off with a curse. Gods, she hated Texas.

Everything here either bit you or stung you.

And you didn’t have to be visible for them to find you either; the damn things sniffed you out from a mile away.

Ignoring the sweat trickling down her spine, she went back to spying on the werewolves.

Uh oh. Something big was going down. She could tell by the look on the alpha’s face as he spoke to the blond. And by the harsh lines twisting his handsome features, it wasn’t good.

Leaning forward, she tucked her hair behind one slightly pointed ear and strained to hear what was happening.

But it was no use. Between the traffic, the glass window, and the chattering humans as they bustled around on their lunch hour, she couldn’t hear a word of what the wolves were saying.

But she didn’t dare try to get closer again.

That damn new wolf had nearly sniffed her out back at the capitol the last time she’d tried that.

With an impatient sigh, she leaned back on her hands again and continued to watch and observe. After all, that was what she did best.

What she really wanted to know was: who was the new guy?

And what was he doing with these dickwads?

She’d been trailing this pack for months now, and this was the first time she’d seen that particular tower of hunkiness.

She was sure of it. A male like that she would’ve remembered.

There was no doubt about it. Even now, her eyes continued to be drawn back to him again and again, instead of concentrating on trying to read the pack leader’s lips.

When she’d first seen the new guy waiting on the others in front of the capitol, her stomach had given a lurch and chills had shot down her arms—and not in a bad way.

That canine was one manly hunk of wolf. And she would’ve bet anyone a shitload of money that he smelled great too.

With her blood roaring through her veins loud enough to drown out the warning her brain had been trying to tell her, she’d been unable to resist. She had to see him up close and personal.

Stepping heel to toe so as not to make the slightest sound, she’d walked right up to him while praying to any gods that happened to be listening that he wouldn’t hear the pounding of her heart.

She’d snuck so close, in fact, that she’d been able to see the depths of color in his eyes—such a deep brown they were nearly black, but with little tiny gold flecks in them.

Darker than her own orbs. Darker than his hair that fell in short layers just to the bottom of his strong, tanned neck.

She’d hoped to get near enough to be able to hear his voice.

But then he’d suddenly straightened to his imposing height, and his powerful body had tensed as those sharp eyes studied his surroundings with new interest. Knowing she’d been sensed, she’d panicked and quickly retreated to a safe distance and then some.

Bronaugh sighed. She supposed it would all be revealed in time.

Maybe he was here hoping to get into their pack, although he didn’t seem to act like a young pup who was trying to win over the alpha.

He appeared respectful to the pack leader, yes, but not overly so.

He certainly wasn’t groveling. Was he an alpha from a different pack?

But that didn’t make sense either. Rival pack leaders didn’t sit around and talk through their differences over lunch.

They settled things the way wolves always did.

Physically. And may the more dominant and powerful male or female win.

The blond said something to the new guy, but the way his head was turned, she couldn’t quite make out what he was saying.

Whatever it was blondie was saying, he wasn’t happy about it.

Then again, that dude didn’t seem to like it when anyone took the spotlight away from him.

The alpha spoke to him, and Bronaugh could practically hear the patronizing tone in his voice from all the way across the street.

But then he threw his hands up in the air and let the blond out of the booth.

With one last parting shot she lip-read to be something like “Y’all are a bunch of morons,” he stomped out of the restaurant and took off down the street.

And the plot thickened.

She debated whether or not to follow him, but decided to stay where she was. For although she was pretty sure the blond was the key to finding what she was looking for, she couldn’t seem to force herself away from the stranger who even now was staring right at her through the window.

Wait. He was staring right at her!

Bronaugh froze, unsure what to do. Even with the street and sidewalks of people between them, his eyes bore right through to shake her very core.

Without taking his eyes from her, he said something to the others at the table.

The alpha and the dark-skinned one both started searching the people lingering outside the restaurant.

Then the alpha shrugged. He said something to the new guy, who blinked and turned to glance at him.

As soon as he took his eyes away from her, she made herself scarce.

Running as fast as she could, she headed toward the UT campus. She needed people to hide among. It was summer, so it wouldn’t be as crowded as normal there, but she didn’t know where else to go. She could only hope he didn’t take her disappearing act as a challenge and give chase.