Free Rogue Wolf by Heather Long Page A

Tickling? I hate tickling.”
    Mentally noting the reaction, Salvatore wondered if she only hated it from her brothers. Would she react as violently if a lover teased her in the same fashion?
    Mike laughed. “You can’t blame a cousin for trying…”
    “The hell I can’t.”
    “Margo…” The older woman left her mate’s side and strode toward the Enforcer. Yes, Margo inherited her mother’s build, though she had at least an inch in height on the woman. Releasing her brothers, Margo twisted to accept her mother’s hug and she returned the affection.
    “You shouldn’t be here,” she said softly, but Salvatore didn’t miss the words. “I’m really working. We have a guest.”
    “We know,” her mother said, pulling away enough to sweep her daughter with a look from head to toe. “But I wanted to see you. If we didn’t come here, you wouldn’t come to see us.”
    Chastising tone aside, the look of profound joy in her mother’s face was an intimacy Salvatore had no business intruding upon. Dragging his gaze away from the family, he retrieved his suitcase then checked the backseat for Margo’s bag. She had taken the keys with her, but he found the latch to free the trunk.
    Margo hugged her mother, then her father and soon her brothers surrounded them, blocking his view. After opening the trunk, he stared at the contents. It was organized like a battle chest. Two duffel bags sat in the center. The roof of the trunk included weapons—swords, blades, and a couple of rifles. A pair of handgun cases sat locked in on the right hand side and a first aid kit on the left. Without opening the duffels, he wouldn’t know which contained her clothing.
    Curiosity was not an excuse to invade her privacy, so he gathered both duffels, then closed the trunk. Margo was still in the center of her family hug. She didn’t seem to be saying anything. Instead her brothers and cousin all spoke at speed, filling her in with details of pack gossip and family events.
    Phrases like mated the healer, human took the bite, cubs are on the way peppered their high-speed speech. Pack life thrived on the connections made between mates, their families, and then the interaction of the families with their community. Margo’s throaty laughter drew his attention, and he glanced toward them as he walked up the steps to the guest house.
    The scents of at least a dozen wolves crisscrossed the porch. Undoubtedly, those same wolves were stationed around the area, though none were immediately visible. He wouldn’t allow an Alpha into his territory without being damn sure he knew what the man was doing. As expected, the front door was unlocked.
    Inside, he found no trace of wolf scent, only human—a female. Interesting, but both he and his wolf approved. Salvatore wouldn’t want the scents of the pack muddying the house, not if he had to stay there for any length of time. The human probably handled the cleaning. Setting his case and her duffel bags down on a low table in the entry hall, he checked the yard.
    Margo continued to chat with her family, but she’d switched positions and cast a glance toward the house. His absence had been noticed. Pleased, he swept his gaze around the wooded areas in the distance. One wolf—one of those he’d seen at Mason’s house—leaned against a tree right at the edge of the forest.
    A Hunter sent to keep watch, and he touched two fingers to his forehead as though acknowledging Salvatore’s regard. Also ordered to let me know they are there. He did not know Mason well, but he’d begun to develop a healthy respect for the Alpha. Perhaps when all was said and done, the two of them could have a lengthy discussion. Only another Alpha could understand the responsibilities and obligations of leading a pack.
    Making a rough circuit of the house, he found three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a stocked kitchen, and a comfortable sitting area. Far too large for his needs, he studied the layout and all egresses. Margo