Hunting Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #3 Read Free Page B

diction. She still could hardly believe she'd said that. Rielle was never mean or rude. Her parents had always emphasized good manners, and in general she didn't have the stomach for cruelty.
    It was probably just Caleb's natural barbarian nature that brought it out in her. Case in point, she was thinking about him in unflattering terms. He was a little barbaric, though, with those huge muscles and that little scar on his chin. He must have gotten raked hard in the face by a claw, then not shifted soon or often enough right afterward to let it heal over. In fact, he probably did it on purpose, so he'd have that bad boy look forever to remind others how tough he was.
    Even so, she had to admit seeing the fire of his wolf light his eyes was a little—interestingly intense.
    Kind. Her wolf's word drifted through her mind, shocking her a bit. She'd been ignoring her wolf for so long now she'd nearly forgotten what it felt like to have that side of her rise up. Odder still, her wolf thought Caleb was kind?
    Rielle shook her head. Caleb stood there, simply looking at her.
    “Why are you staring at me?” she asked. Her throat felt a little tight, which meant she was flustered. Language was something Rielle had down pat, what with her love of reading and her position as the Pack's historian. Despite that, whenever she felt put on the spot, her throat seized up a bit, as if words lodged in there, trapped.
    Caleb grinned. It lifted his face from warrior-tough to genuinely open and almost inviting. The barest hint of crinkles surrounded his blue eyes, and he looked suddenly relaxed.
    “Because you were staring at me, shaking your head.” That bass voice rumbled into her ears. “I was trying to figure you out, but I thought I'd better keep my mouth shut this time. Safer option.”
    Rielle let out an apologetic breath. “I'm not usually rude—” she began. He cut her off again with the slightest movement of his head and a “mm-mm” sound. He'd forgiven her and moved on already.
    “So, Ree.”
    That smile really changed his whole demeanor, made him seem much more approachable, somehow. She smiled back at him, softening a bit.
    “Can I walk you somewhere?” he said. “Since you don't have a date, are you just heading home?”
    What? She blinked. It wasn't like her life was so pathetic and boring. Well, fine. Caleb Bardou might be one good-looking wolf, and he had been trying to smooth over her tactless gaffe earlier, but clearly he was still a big dumb ox.
    “I may not have a date,” she said, voice rigid, “and yes, I'm going home, but for your information that's exactly where I want to be. There's nothing wrong with that!”
    She shoved past his imposing, ox-like bulk—and why did he have to smell so good, all sort of woodsy-sweaty and manly, and why did that even smell good to her, really?—and clicked down the sidewalk. Heels were fun to wear, but they lacked a bit in the angry-stamping-away department.
    “Ree! What the hell!”
    Caleb caught up to her in about a quarter of a stride and planted himself in front of her. The blue eyes were darker, edgier, and had no traces left of the laughter. Ah, yes. Caleb the fighter, in full pugnacious mode.
    “Excuse me. I'm trying to go to my very dull home, but there's a rather large guy blocking my way. Could you please move?”
    She glared up at him. It was a good thing she hardly ever saw him. Since every encounter seemed to go like this, Caleb was likely to tip her right over the edge into an apparently more crass, graceless self.
    Thundercloud face back, arms waving around, he leaned down to her as he spoke. “I did not say your house was boring! Or dull! I just offered to walk you home because of the very reasons I said about two minutes earlier. It's not as safe out here anymore. You shouldn't be walking around alone, anyway. Alpha should put a stop to it.”
    Rielle's wolf pushed at her mind a bit, startling her even more. A faint whine tinged with an even fainter