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the bookstore. With each step he took toward the diner, his anger grew as he reflected on the wasted years.
    He strode straight to the diner where Julie had mentioned Laurie and Samantha were having lunch. Friendship aside, Laurie would regret it if she’d driven a stake between him and Julie. Considering their long friendship, he was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but he wanted answers. Was this the reason Julie always kept him at arm’s length?
    Swinging the door open, Brendan stalked inside and sought out the two women. He approached their table and stood with his hands fisted. Both looked up, their smiles dying as they took in his appearance. He could only imagine what he looked like, half-crazed with frustration.
    “Laurie. We need to talk. Outside.”
    “Brendan, is everything okay?” she asked, staring up at him.
    “Now.” He turned around, then back before he’d taken a step away. “Please,” he ground out before prowling outside, not waiting for a response. It took all of his strength not to yell. Laurie had been his best friend for as long as he could remember, but he needed to know what she’d said to Julie. Above all, he needed to calm down. It wouldn’t do any good to let anger rule him.
    “Brendan, what in the world is the matter with you? What happened?” Laurie put her hand on his arm. Concern for him bled through every word.
    “What did you say to Julie?” he demanded, looking Laurie straight in the eye. Her eyebrows lifted, and she cocked her hip. The change in her from concerned friend to defensive alpha was a clear warning.
    “I’ve said a lot of things to my sister. When I was nine, I told her there was a zombie in her closet and a vampire living under her bed that fed off her when she slept. Is there anything in particular you’re wondering about?” She crossed her arms as her eyes narrowed. “And I’m not sure I like your tone.”
    Taking a deep breath, he forced a calm facade while his emotions wreaked havoc inside.
    “I want to know why she thinks you and I are mates.”
    Her arms fell to her sides, and she looked at him with frank disbelief. “What?”
    He assessed the change in her demeanor. Either the shock was genuine, or Laurie was worthy of an Academy Award.
    “So you weren’t the one who told her?”
    “Of course not. I might joke around, Brendan, but not about important things. I know how you feel about her.”
    Relief washed over him. At least he didn’t have to worry about Laurie misinterpreting their friendship. Now he had to convince Julie she was the one he wanted. The only one he wanted. He knew he hadn’t helped matters by running out on her mid-sentence.
    “Let me talk to her,” Laurie murmured, placing a comforting hand on Brendan’s arm. He looked toward the bookstore Julie and Laurie owned. The “Books and Crannies” sign in front of the store waved in the wind. He ran his hands over his face.
    “Yeah, all right. That’s probably best. I’ll stop by later to talk to her. But I need some time to calm down first.” The image of her stumbling away from him played over and over in his mind. Once he regained his equilibrium, they’d talk. Brendan cast one last look at the bookstore before walking off in the opposite direction. He trusted Laurie to set Julie straight and ease the way for him. Julie was too important to lose over a stupid misunderstanding.
    * * * *
    Julie’s heart jumped into her throat as the bell jingled again. Everything inside her hoped Brendan had come back. The anger on his face had been obvious before he rushed out, but she had no idea what had caused it. Every instinct urged her to chase after him, but she couldn’t leave the store unattended. She’d seen the pain and fear in his eyes when she’d stepped away from him. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him. She needed him to know that, even though she wasn’t sure why it was so vital. But while growing up, she’d learned not to get in front of a wolf