“Hey, we’ll get him,” I say, trying to calm him down before he shifts in this tiny cluttered room and accidentally rips me up. “I’ll help you guys with this until we know for sure, and then you can tear him apart, or whatever it is you wolves do.”
Alpha Toth takes a deep breath, pushing his wolf back and calming his temper. His eyes focus on me, and his face softens. “Thank you for doing this, Nora.”
I hold up a hand. “Hey. No worries. We’ve already been through the thanking. No need to do it again. I just want to help bring the creep down.”
Alpha Toth nods. “Very well. I’ll let you get back out there to do just that. Rook. Keep a close eye on her. If Jeffrey is suspicious of the two of you already, I don’t want him getting too close to her where he can do something stupid.”
Rook growls. “If he touches her, I’ll kill him.”
When we get back, the party is still going strong. Some of the people with babies have gone home, but there are now more people dancing than before, and the laughter is louder.
I spot Daniel quickly. He’s sitting at a table alone, watching the couples on the dance floor. I motion in his direction, and Rook nods subtly. We head for the buffet, and Maya stops us halfway there. “There you are!” she says. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”
“I took her out to rest someplace quiet,” Rook says, thankfully not making it sound like innuendo. “You wore her out with all the dancing. I, however…” He grabs Maya’s hand when she reaches for my arm to drag me away again. “…have not danced enough. Would you give me the honor, lovely Maya?”
Maya looks at me, torn, but then smiles at Rook. “Absolutely. Let’s go cut a rug, handyman.”
I laugh. Maya is fun. My chuckle catches her attention, and she points at me with a warning glare. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“I’m just going to grab something to eat.”
As soon as she and Rook turn their backs on me, I hightail it over to the buffet table. This is a bonus, because I’m starving. I quickly fill a plate with food—a double bacon cheeseburger and homemade mac ‘n’ cheese, with a couple of cookies on the side—and then sit down right next to Daniel. “Hey! Mind if I sit here?”
He looks startled to have company. Then again, maybe he’s just surprised I sat so close to him. I’m practically touching him. I’m hoping for the opportunity to rub elbows—literally—with the guy while I eat. I laugh at the way he eyes the mound of food on my plate and shrug sheepishly. “You wolves sure know how to cook. This is delicious.”
He loosens up at my friendliness and chuckles a little. “You eat like a wolf.”
“I do when it tastes good.”
He grins. “It always tastes good at a werewolf party. We like our food.”
I shove another bite in my mouth and chew a bit while nodding. “I can tell. I may have to come to more of these things. As long as I can chill a little more next time. I’m exhausted.”
Daniel’s eyes move back to the dance floor. His gaze locks on Maya and Rook. I wait for the question about Rook and me, but it doesn’t come. He says, “I’ve seen you dancing. What’s it been, an hour straight?”
I groan. “At least. I swear I’ve been through all the single males in the pack by now.” I eye him with a raised brow. “Except you, it seems.” I hold my hand out to him. “Hi. I’m Nora.”
“Daniel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He smiles and shakes my hand. Why is she talking to me?
The thought isn’t rude. His mental voice is laced with confusion and a hint of worry. I find the concern very interesting. Why would he be scared that I’m talking to him? He can’t know what I’m up to. No one in the pack besides Rook and Alpha Toth knows what I can do.
“So, Daniel, what is it that you do for the pack?”
“Technically, my degree is in computer programming. I’d like to be a software developer, but there aren’t any jobs like that available within our pack’s territory—we’re pretty rural out here. I’ve ended up being sort of an IT guy for the pack. I fix their computers, help them with new software, or viruses, or just whatever problems they’re having. It’s not glorious, but it’s better than working at a fast food place or something.”
Pack life never stops surprising me. “You can’t commute out of pack territory for a job?”
Daniel cringes. “It’s dangerous for someone as submissive as me. My wolf is pretty weak. If I came across a rogue, he’d attack just because he could. I couldn’t really hold my own against a vampire, either, and they own the cities where the good paying programmer jobs would be.”
He shrugs, as if it doesn’t matter, but he sounds disappointed. It’s written on his face, too. I feel bad for the guy. I know how it feels to be a target, and to be the weak link in the world. “That’s rough. What if you went to work for the FUA? They’re always asking me to come work for them, and I’m basically useless. I’m sure they’d have need for a guy like you, and they’d be able to keep you safe there.”
He perks up and falls deep into thought. I want to know what he’s thinking, so I lean toward him enough to brush arms with him. The action is so subtle, and he’s so lost in his own mind that he doesn’t notice.
…great idea. As soon as we leave, I could apply at the Agency. If she doesn’t kill me for talking to Nora, anyway. But I’m not flirting. We’re just talking. And it’s for our benefit. Nora sounds like she knows people at the FUA. Maybe she could get me an interview, or at least put in a good word for me.
I’m so shocked over the direction of his thoughts that I don’t notice when he turns toward me to say something, and I forget to lean back in my own space. Daniel practically falls out of his chair when he realizes we’re so close to each other. When he scrambles a few inches away, blushing and apologizing, I sigh. There go my chances to read his mind anymore. But I did glean a piece of the puzzle. I just don’t know exactly what it means.
He’s planning to leave the pack, and he’s not going alone. I knew he had to have an accomplice, but what if it’s not Jeffrey? Jeffrey wouldn’t leave the pack. He wants to take it over. Maybe Daniel wants to leave because Jeffrey’s using him. Or maybe it’s unrelated. It sounded like he has a secret girlfriend. What if they’re planning to leave together, and she’s his accomplice? There’s no way to know without asking.
Time to get my flirt on. I lean closer to Daniel, placing my hand on his arm, and say, “So how come such a smart, good-looking man is sitting alone tonight when there are so many single females in your pack?”
I wink at him, and his jaw drops. He looks around the room, as if he wonders who’s playing the practical joke. “I’m serious,” I say, letting my hand fall on top of his. “You seem nice, and you’re friendly, and you look like you’d be quite a catch. Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”
I do have a girlfriend. She’s just too dominant for me, so our relationship has to stay secret. I wish it didn’t. I’m sick of hiding it. When we leave, things will be different. If she doesn’t kill me for this conversation first. I can’t believe Nora is flirting with me. Out of all the guys she’s had throwing themselves at her tonight. What’s she doing here? How do I get her to go away without hurting her feelings?
He forces a smile at me and gently pulls his arm away from me. “It’s because I’m too submissive,” he says. “I’m one of the weakest wolves in the pack, and most of our females are strong. There’s not anyone close to my dominance level.”
I frown, suddenly grateful to his girlfriend for not being shallow even if she is making him keep the relationship secret. “So what?” I say. “My best friend is the shyest, sweetest guy on Earth. He’s totally submissive, and I love the hell out of him. If you ask me, a submissive but considerate man is way better than a guy chock-full of dominance and ego. I’d date you over half the guys I just danced with in a heartbeat.”