Free Leader of the Pack by Francesca Hawley Page A

the advantages of
welcoming Super-Mart into town. How they wouldn’t have to travel so far for
necessities. How much less expensive they’d be. Yohana kept her face impassive as Kincaid Redwolf threw Dan
some tough questions. But then the old wolf liked to play devil’s advocate. If
someone said the sky was blue, Kin was likely to argue against it just to annoy
them. Dan’s face reddened and his voice rose as Kin got under his skin.
    She was tired of this shit. Her mind
kept drifting off to Per. She remembered the way he kissed her goodbye at the
restaurant when she picked up her car. His lips were warm and soft. His hands possessive as he cradled her close. She needed
more.
    She was jerked out of her daydream
when Dan jumped to his feet to make a point. Couldn’t he just shut the fuck up?
Jeez, he sounded more like an excited whelp than an alpha male pressing to be
pack leader. He kept arguing and Yohana fought an
instinctive snarl. Time to stick a fork in it because both
she and the topic were done.
    “No,” Yohana said quietly. “Next item on the agenda.”
    “But—” Dan began, but she shot him a
look that could have stripped paint.
    “Next item on the agenda,” she
barked.
    “Pack security,” Dan snarled,
dropping into his chair.
    She’d expected this one but had
hoped he’d leave it alone for once. She crossed her arms over her chest and
arched a brow, conveying arrogance.
    “What about it?”
    She was almost as good at Kin at
pushing Dan’s buttons. His hands clenched tight on his pen as he glared at her.
    “You’re a single female with no
pups. The pack requires a commitment from you or we should seek a new Alpha.”
    There were murmurs in support and
growls in disagreement, but Yohana kept her gaze
fastened on Dan. Staring him down. He’d look away
first. He always did.
    “Would you ask this of a male?” She
held his gaze. Waiting.
    “No, they wouldn’t,” Kincaid
affirmed. “It’s ridiculous.”
    Dan didn’t look at Kin, merely met
her gaze in defiance. “This is pack business. Not city business,” he hissed at
Kin.
    “It’s still of interest to those of
us so closely associated with your pack, young wolf.” Selma Whitehawk’s voice cut through the room even as Kin growled under his breath.
    “Are you challenging me, Dan?” He
swallowed but refused to back down…yet. She raised her brows as he remained
silent. “Well?”
    He could hear the disapproval of his
challenge from most of the crowd just as well as she could, and finally he
looked away.
    “Not tonight. But the issue is
valid, Yohana .”
    She hadn’t planned to address the
issue now, but at this point she had little choice. There were still pack
members who questioned her assurances that she’d fulfill her oath.
    “No it isn’t. But I’m attempting to
accommodate the concerns of the pack.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve found a
suitable male.”
    “You’ve what?” Selma asked. If she’d
been in her hawk form, her feathers would be ruffled. “What foolishness is
this? Females don’t need a male in order to rule.”
    She could afford to say that because
the airborne shapeshifters tended to be matriarchal.
Reality among wolf packs was different. Males usually led with an alpha female
at their side, but the alpha bitch still bowed to his leadership just like the
rest of the pack.
    “I don’t believe you, Yo ,” Dan drawled, leaning back in his chair. He waved
around the room. “Where is he? Care to introduce us?”
    “He’s in Denver at the moment.”
    “Right.”
    She narrowed her eyes, glaring at
him. He’d better back off or she’d rip out his throat.
    “I’d like to meet him, Yo ,” Gwyn Whitewolf ,
a council member, suggested gently. They were cousins and fairly close, yet
Gwyn favored Yo being in a committed relationship in
order to lead the pack. “When will he make a visit to town?”
    “He won’t. He doesn’t exist. This is
just a ruse,” Dan cut in.
    Before she knew what she was