“That’s true, and tell me something.” I frown at her. “How did you know I was here?”
She points to the parking lot. “I saw you run between those cars and walk out like you.”
I smile at her for thinking of my wolf and me, a man, as one entity.
The guardian has had her fill of a grown man naked from the waist up (and ankles down) talking to a child. She catches Maggie by the elbow and tugs her away from the fence like I might have rabies. “Sir, if you want to see her, you need to check in with the school office. You need to leave! Now.”
I hold up my hands, get slowly to my feet, and take a healthy step back. “I’m sorry. And no worries. We were just saying hi.” I wave to Maggie. “Have a good day, Mag—”
A chipmunk emerges from a hole in the ground behind the playground guardian.
I try to whip my head to the side, but it’s useless; I’m transfixed on the colorful racing-striped rodent.
There’s a reason that chipmunks are a rare sight on Pack territory.
Werewolves love chipmunks.
And while squirrels are equally addictive to chase, chipmunks, being mostly ground dwellers, are a snack we stand a great chance of catching.
And I. Am. AWESOME at catching chipmunks!!!
Hunting them is the closest thing I have to a superpower. (Well, if you don’t count the fact that I can turn into a wolf.)
Unerringly, the delectable creature’s beady black eyes find me. Our gazes lock. Predator and prey.
It twitches.
I jerk hard.
My heartbeat thunders in my ears. My fangs push past my lips, getting tickled with air.
DON’T CHASE IT, LUCAN.
With a chittering screech, the animal takes off across the playground.
Oh, crap.
From a standstill, I leap the fence and speed after it, uncaring of the screams and screeches that erupt from the guardian and grade schoolers alike. I effortlessly shift to wolf form. My track pants get shredded off of me. I don’t feel the bite of the backpack’s straps. The predator in me has awoken; I’m powerless to stop trailing my prey.
And when I overtake it, I snap my jaws around it, flip it high into the air, and growl with victory as I catch it out of the sky. I no more than lick my chops when another one darts for cover, hoping to escape the same fate.
It doesn’t.
Neither does the next one.
The screams and wiggling are so exciting that for a few minutes, I may as well be out in a forest, happily chasing down the cocky screeching rodents.
It only takes me those few minutes to come back to myself and realize that’s not where I am. That the screams I’m hearing aren’t only of the chipmunk variety. But by then, the damage is done.
CHAPTER 22
SUSAN
“Finn!” I whisper-hiss, trying to get his attention as he flirts expertly with a table of five women having a business lunch.
This table has the potential of leaving one hell of a tip for him. I’ve seen him rake in the money again and again when he gets groups of ladies who respond to his charm. But he turns from them to give me all of his attention—and when he sees my face, his expression loses its sexy smile.
He frowns. “Sue? What’s the matter?”
“Deek,” I mouth more than say.
Instantly, Finn claps his big hands together to get another waitress’s attention. He turns her to his table and makes the handoff with spectacular speed and is so perfectly apologetic I’d bet the ladies still tip well when they leave no matter what the service is like for the rest of their meal. They might even write their cell numbers on their tip money, an occurrence that means Finn won’t pocket the bills. Instead, he’ll pin them to the rafters to decorate the place where other pub patrons can’t read the numbers, because although it means he loses the tip, it ensures the money with their private information won’t go into circulation elsewhere.
He’s weirdly conscientious like that.
They sigh wistfully when Finn starts moving in my direction, and if I can hear it, I know he can—but he doesn’t pay it any attention. Urgently, he asks low, “What happened to Deek?”
“The school called. I’m going to need you to come with me.”
***
Minutes later, I’m incredibly glad that Deek doesn’t drive. Not if Finn is his option of a teacher. And it’s really no wonder that Deek vomits when he’s a passenger in Finn’s car.