Free Leader of the Pack by Francesca Hawley Page B

doing,
she was across the room and at Dan’s throat. She clutched his hair in her hand,
pulling his head back to bare his throat. He was at her mercy and he knew it.
He took one look at her lengthened teeth and froze.
    “No ruse, Dan.” She growled. “He’ll
be here on Saturday.”
    “Okay.”
    “Okay?” She leaned back slightly,
watching his eyes. If he was going to move on her, it would be now.
    “Yeah. Bring him here. Special council meeting
on Saturday? Say 1:00 p.m.” He expected her to be alone, unable to
produce her Mate.
    “Done.” She climbed off Dan’s chest and backed away, still yearning
to rip out his throat, but her father had taught her restraint. “Can everyone
be present?”
    Council members nodded and verbally
agreed—for the record—while the audience murmured and made plans. Selma smiled
at her and winked, approving her forceful exhibition of dominance. Even Kin and
Drew smiled. She wasn’t used to males approving of her, but she was a damn good
leader and she knew it. If she could just get her pack to concede to it, she’d
be happy.
    “Is there anything else on the
agenda tonight?” she asked the city clerk as she stalked back to her place.
    “We have some zoning issues and a
liquor license request.”
    “Then let’s move on.”
    They worked through their business
with good speed. Thank god all the budget debate was done. She was in no mood
for it. If she could have canceled the meeting she would have because she was
far too close to heat. Everything pissed her off. Dan would never have been
able to get to her so easily if she weren’t ready to light up like a
firecracker.
    God, she missed Per .
She’d had trouble sleeping all week. Turning toward him in
her sleep, except he wasn’t there. She’d even dreamed of him. Had really
great dream sex, but then woke up hugging her pillow. She hated this. How could
she feel as if half of her was missing? Like she was bleeding inside?
    “ Yohana ?”
    She blinked and turned to meet
Selma’s gaze. “Yes?”
    The older woman studied her for a
moment, giving her a maternal look that changed to wicked before Selma wiped
her reaction off her face.
    “We need to take a vote, dear.”
    Shit. She didn’t even know what they
were voting on. “Mary, could you read the last motion and second back to me
please?”
    Mary, the city clerk, smiled
slightly but complied. Yo sighed in relief as she
realized that they were voting on granting a liquor license to a new catering
business. She called the vote and ended with seven in favor and one opposed.
Zach Blackwolf voted no, more out of reflex than
anything else. He owned the only bar in town and he liked having a monopoly.
The catering business owner, Tess Redwolf , scowled at
him but he just smirked back.
    “The motion passes. Liquor license
granted. Next item?”
    The rest of the meeting passed
quickly. At the end, she banged the gavel to adjourn. Yohana gathered up her papers and turned, coming to a dead stop. Dan stood in her
path, glaring.
    “Did you have something you wanted
to say?”
    “I look forward to meeting your…uh… Mate .”
    “I’ll be sure to tell him.”
    “One p.m. sharp on Saturday.”
    “Dan, fuck off before I rip out your
throat.”
    He took a step back at the
matter-of-fact tone in her voice. She’d be happy to tear him apart right now,
but she controlled herself. He took a deep breath.
    “Heat. You’re going into heat.”
    “In due
course.”
    “Maybe I ought to hang around.” He
grinned at her.
    She raised her brow. “If you want to
lose your balls, go ahead. Even if I went into heat at this very moment there’s
no way I’d let you mount me. No way in hell.”
    Yohana slammed into his shoulder and stalked past. She almost went
for him when she heard his low chuckle, but she kept walking. Damn it. She
wanted Per . She wanted to be in his arms and she
wanted him in her bed. But she wasn’t going to cave in. She could hold out
until tomorrow evening. She