A Handful of Wolf (2 page)

“I’ve got to go, Sash. Good luck tonight, and email to let me know how it goes. Okay?”

Something tugged at Sasha’s senses and his wolf lifted his head, intent and focused. A scent he recognized. He opened his mouth slightly and inhaled, the wolf very much in control. Caramel and spice. The girl with the scarf.

“Yeah, will do.” He finished the call, shoved his phone into a pocket and turned around.
There she was
. The brunette stood a short distance away on the edge of a car park and he feasted his eyes on her. Business clothes had been replaced with a short stretchy black skirt that hugged her curves and a shiny, gleaming top that begged to be touched. Dark hair tumbled down her back, a few strands falling onto her face and she brushed them back with one elegant hand. Her scent called to him and his wolf whined, needing to get closer.

He took a step toward her. He’d apologize for taking advantage earlier, offer to buy her a drink. Maybe try another kiss later when she’d forgiven him. He still had plenty of time for the Pack business, and a little fun first would satisfy his wolf. Confident, he took another step, but then stopped.

She was with someone. A guy. Sasha’s wolf growled when the guy held out his hand to her, and then quieted again when she refused. This was stupid. He didn’t even know her. One kiss was all they shared.
Yeah, and what a kiss
. She was a gorgeous, hard-assed girl and it stood to reason she’d have a boyfriend. All the same, for whatever reason, she didn’t want to hold the guy’s hand and that was enough of an excuse for Sasha to look out for her. When the couple walked into a waterfront restaurant, he followed.

*

Megan had a weird prickly feeling in the back of her neck, as though someone was watching her. Her Welsh grandmother, her
Nain
, used to tease her that she’d inherited the family gift of second sight. It was supposed to appear in every second generation and had skipped Megan’s mother. Apart from some odd dreams though, Megan had never experienced even a case of déjà vu.

She tried to focus on the menu in her hand and the handsome guy sitting opposite. Phillip looked like a man who was going places. His smart suit fit his lean body as though made to measure and the light blue tie was a perfect match for the color of his eyes. Cutie’s brilliant blue eyes came to mind again and she shook her head, trying to shift his memory. Phillip’s head was bent as he scanned the menu options and she gazed at his immaculate hair. Light brown and short all over, it didn’t dare to be messy like her own. She blew at another wispy strand that had fallen onto her face.

“So.” Philip’s smile was as flawless as his haircut. “I’m celebrating tonight and wanted to share it with you.”

“Oh?” Megan relaxed a touch.

“I’ve been promoted at work.” She tried to remember exactly what he did…oh yes, worked for a property investor. Phillip flicked at the menu with his thumb. “My boss has been transferred to Christchurch, so I’m stepping into his role.”

“Well done.” This time her smile was genuine. “You must be pleased?”

“Yeah. I’ll get to spend time on the sites as well, talking with the architects and that, so I won’t be stuck in the office all the time.”

She picked up the glass of water by her place setting and held it up. “Congratulations.” They chinked their drinks together and she sighed inwardly in relief. Not
The
Speech tonight then. She relaxed too soon.

“It’s our four week anniversary today.”

Boom! He’d been doing so well up to now. Megan opened her mouth to speak and felt that strange tingle in her neck again. She slipped one hand underneath her hair and gently massaged the now taut muscles.

“I know you don’t want to tie yourself down or anything.” He offered her a smile. “I really like you, Megan. I think we’re good together and I thought we could maybe go away for a weekend? Get to know each other properly. There’s this fabulous little spa up in Taupo. Hot pools, massage therapies…you’ll love it.”

Get to know each other
being code for getting horizontal between the sheets. Megan froze. How to let him down gently? As she hesitated, he dug into an inside pocket and produced a shiny envelope. “I’ve booked for the weekend after next. You said you weren’t doing anything.” Phillip put down the envelope, reached over the table and closed his fingers around her hand. “What do you think?”

*

Sasha positioned himself at the end of the bar, his body in shadow, but with a good view of the girl. She didn’t look thrilled with her date and Sasha’s gut tightened. He took a sip of his bottled beer and tried to pretend he wasn’t really staring, but when the guy took her hand, lifted her fingers to his mouth and dropped a kiss on them, Sasha’s wolf snarled in earnest. What the fuck was the matter with his wolf? It’d been unsettled and growly for the past couple of weeks. It’s not as though she’d need to be rescued. This was the same girl who dropped him with one swiftly placed knee. Sasha took a deep calming breath and took another swig of beer. He needed to leave soon anyway, to make the meeting. She was none of his business.

All the same, he kept his eyes on her. Moments later, she tugged her hands back, and with her brow furrowed, leaned forward and spoke sharply. Like all shifters, Sasha had exceptional hearing, but still could not hear her words. Next thing, she shoved her chair back, snatched up a tiny jeweled bag and strode toward the exit. He mentally applauded her and his wolf approved. He abandoned the beer and set off in pursuit. So did her date, getting to her before Sasha could push through the crowd.

The guy caught her arm, and yanked her to a stop. Now
that
was unacceptable. Sasha didn’t even think about it. With his wolf snarling inside him, he lunged for the guy.

“Megan.” Phillip closed his fingers around her arm, just enough to get her attention. “Don’t leave. Let’s talk about this.”

It’d been going so well. Why did he have to spoil everything? And now, she stood in a crowded bar with people starting to gawp at them. Damn. “Phillip, please let go of my arm.” She could be polite. They were in public, after all.

He smiled, but she saw a worried crease on his forehead. “I’m sorry. Come on, Megan,” he coaxed. “Let’s order dinner and we can—”

Already regretting her hasty departure, she might have relented at that point. Before she could speak, or even think, a figure shot out from the bar area, grabbed Phillip’s hand and twisted it behind his back. He yelped in pain. Megan’s mouth dropped open.

“She asked you to let go of her arm.” A deep and familiar—
sexy
—voice caressed her senses. She lifted her gaze to meet sapphire blue eyes so bright they seemed to glow in the dim light of the bar.

For once, Megan was speechless. Phillip found his tongue quickly though. “Who the fuck are you?” He cast a furious glare at her. “Megan? Do you know him?” Cutie had him restrained, but not tight enough. Phillip did some fancy twisting move, freed his hand and then grabbed Cutie’s T-shirt, shoving him backward. There was an ungainly struggle, both men grappling, a punch thrown, a table knocked over, drinks splashing and glasses broken.

Megan had seen enough.

*

Two men built like heavyweight wrestlers barged in front of Sasha just as he was about to walk away. One of them grabbed him by the wrists and forced him to walk backward, his wolf howling in fury at each step. The girl meanwhile, shook her head as though disappointed, and turned on her heel. No! Her swaying ass taunted him as she marched out of the restaurant. He tried to make a bid for freedom, but the guy was clamped on as tight as a pair of manacles.

“Pack it in, bro.” His captor glared at him. “We’re taking both of you into the office to calm down.”

What? She was leaving.
Without him
. He gazed, helpless
. Great move, Sash, impress her with a fist fight.
He wanted the floor to open in front of him. The only consolation was seeing the other guy similarly restrained, and with a busted lip where Sasha had landed a blow. He’d been holding back, for Chrissakes, keeping a tight leash on his wolf instead of pounding the guy into the floor.

Sasha had to suffer the humiliation of handing over most of his week’s wages to pay for the damages, as well as shake hands politely with the fuckwit who had been pawing the girl. Megan, he’d called her. A good Welsh name, even if she sounded pure Kiwi.

Sasha’s wolf snarled and clawed at him, but he managed something resembling a smile and an apology. A simple misunderstanding. The smile was easier to stomach than the prospect of an assault charge and Sasha shuddered at the thought. Jake would quite simply kill him. Thinking about Jake reminded him of the meeting and he dragged out his phone to check the time. Holy shit. He was over an hour late and had two, no three voicemails from his Pack Alpha.

Sasha made his way to a quiet space outside and listened to the messages.

The first was fine. “Sash, if you’re going to be late, be sure to text Connor to let him know.”

The second was sharper. “Sash, I'm hoping you are already there and you pick this up after the meet.”

The third, ten minutes ago, was furious. “Where the fuck are you? Ring me now or I swear I’m taking a chunk of your pelt for a fireside rug.”

*

Even though it was a warm evening, Megan trembled as though she was frozen and she ran her hands up and down her arms to try and warm herself. Bloody Phillip. And what the hell had Cutie been doing there? It was kind of sweet that he’d leaped to her defense, but she really didn’t need it. Faced with the prospect of going straight home to the dual inquisition from her parents, along with the distinct possibility of one or both brothers, she shuddered. She’d save that joy for later. Living at home definitely had its limitations. Alex and Hugh both thrived, but she needed to move out, sooner rather than later.

She sucked in a harsh breath through her nose and ran a shaking hand over her hair. Damn. She needed to calm down. She
never
let guys get to her, not since Ryan had screwed her over so efficiently. Megan dabbed at her eyes, being careful not to smudge her makeup. Ryan had pursued her for an entire term at college, chased her down until she finally relented and slept with him. Gave him her virginity in the back of his dad’s car. It was only after he dumped her the next day she realized he’d fucked her for a bet. He’d been competing with his friends to see how many girls he could nail in one term. She was more discerning now.

Glancing left and right she weighed up the options. Foxglove was a cool bar to hang out in. She’d get a drink and text a couple of friends, see if anyone was free tonight. Lou was usually keen to go out, or Nessa. With a plan in mind, she headed up the waterfront.

*

Sasha braced himself for the explosion he knew was coming. Jake was going to be beyond angry. As he prepared to make the call, his phone buzzed with a new message:
Jake requests FaceTime
. Nu-huh. He declined and dialed Jake’s number instead.

“What’s going on, Sash?”

“I’m nearly there, Cuz, just got delayed.” He hastened his footsteps. “Can you ask them to hang on? Got to go, I’ll update you later.” He terminated the call and switched off the phone. With luck, Jake would pacify the Kiwi wolves, he'd make the meeting and recover from tonight's monster fuck-up.

He’d only gone a short distance when he scented her again.
Megan
. His wolf pricked up his ears and scratched at him. She was close and Sasha hesitated. If he delayed any further he’d only be compounding the level of trouble he’d be in. Fuck it. Two minutes wouldn’t hurt. Just to check she was okay.

He found her standing just inside the doorway to a sprawling trendy bar, with her back leaning against the doorframe, head bent and the evening sun casting fiery sparks through her hair. She spoke brightly into her phone, one finger absently playing with the hem of her shiny top while she chattered. The fabric draped softly over her gorgeous curves and Sasha couldn’t drag his eyes away. Leggy blondes were overrated. He now had a passion for curvy brunettes, and this one in particular.

She giggled. “Sure, see you in an hour,” and then finished the call and lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her eyebrows shot up into her forehead. “You again? Are you stalking me or something?”

His mouth could have been filled with sand, it felt so dry. “I, uh, no.” Her lips twitched as though she was trying not to smile, and he scrambled for something intelligent to say. “I saw you here. I, uh, wanted to apologize for, uh, you know.”

“For wrecking my dinner date?”

There was another flicker of a smile, quickly squashed, but his wolf liked it. Was she just teasing him?

“Yeah.” He dug up a suitably contrite expression and moved a step closer. “I thought he was harassing you.”

“He was, but not how you mean.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Do you want to make it up to me?”

“Does it involve punching your date some more? I don’t want to get locked up.”

“Sadly, no.” She smiled properly now and it stole his breath. White teeth gleamed and her nose wrinkled briefly. “You can pay for dinner.”

There had to be a catch. Or maybe not. He grinned, his best panty-dropping smile. “It would be my pleasure. Where can I take you?”

Her eyebrows quirked. “I didn’t say I’d go with you, just that you’d pay for my dinner.”

“I did.” He loved that she was sparring with him and took another step closer. “But since I haven’t eaten yet, and you haven’t eaten yet…see a pattern here?” He stood close enough to touch her, but kept his hands relaxed at his sides. “We could go together, and you can tell me where you learned that brutal move at lunchtime.”

The smile broke into a laugh and he grinned back, fighting with himself to keep his hands away from her. He could practically taste her lips and the longing to touch her made his palms itch. His wolf was in ecstasy at her obvious delight.

“Brothers. I have two older brothers who made sure that nobody would try to take advantage of me, you know, with random kissing. That kind of thing.”