Free Alpha On the Run: A BBW Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant

didn't smell much like her compared to the rest she had.
    Then she pinned her hair up and wrapped the shawl around her face. It took her a few tries to keep it from slipping down her back. Once on it covered everything but her face, so it was hard to tell who she was from behind.
    “I didn't know Catholic women wore headscarves?” he said, watching her.
    “Not since the beginning of Vatican II in the sixties, but Abuela's a traditionalist. Dad said she was furious with the church for getting rid of Latin.” She turned to him. “How's this?”
    Her scent was filtered through the smell of cotton, but still unfortunately detectable. “Well, you're not identifiable by sight,” he said.
    “I have an idea,” Anna said then, and went to the spice cupboard in the kitchen.
    “What are you doing?” he asked, mystified.
    “Getting cayenne powder.” She pulled down a bottle. “Come get a whiff of this, but be careful, I don't want to hurt you,” she said.
    She only had to open the bottle for him to understand what she meant. The smell was overpowering and sharp even across the room – if she opened the bottle in his face it would be painful. He got a little closer and sneezed.
    “I thought I'd put some on me – not a ton, just powder my scarf and shirt with it,” she said.
    “Good idea.” Soon he confirmed that even from a few feet away he couldn't concentrate on her smell at all. “Just try to keep your face down, so they can't recognize you that way,” he said. “They didn't meet you for very long.”
    “Got it. I just hope no one who knows me asks what's going on.”
    “You could say you found God at last,” Joshua joked. “Or hey, maybe you got a really bad sunburn and your doctor said you couldn't go out with any of your skin exposed.”
    “My skin is way too dark for that, Mr. Tall, Mysterious and Pasty,” Anna joked back. “I'm going to head out now. I'll see you in an hour, I hope. If I'm not back call the cavalry.” She picked up a pair of mirrored sunglasses and slid them on.
    “Don't worry, it'll probably be fine,” Joshua forced himself to say
    He watched her leave from the doorway. He felt like he should be following, but he would just draw attention to her. He was supposed to be by his mate’s side. But instead she went alone.
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Anna sped the whole way to the gas station. She was fueled by the fear she could feel in Joshua's mind. Her heart pounded with adrenaline. She knew it echoed Joshua's own heart rate.
    She pulled into the station and looked over the parking lot nervously before she opened the door. Things she saw every time gained a dangerous significance. The trees came up to the edge of the parking lot. They would provide cover for sneaking werewolves. And it was impossible to watch the entrance from the single pump.
    Weren't animals supposed to sense fear? She made herself calm down before she exited the car. She was just getting gas. Joshua was scared, and he had every reason to be, but nothing was going to happen.
    Anna got out of the car and slammed the door. The sound made her jump and laugh at herself. She bent over the pump and inserted her debit card quickly. She was glad the owner had finally updated the previously ancient equipment two years ago. All through her childhood drivers had had to pay at the register for gas. She wanted to be out of here as soon as possible.
    When she turned to open her gas gauge she froze. A new car was parking in the lot. She told herself it was probably nothing just as one of the werewolves she met with Stephen got out of the driver's seat.
    Anna swore at herself. She ducked her head and let the shawl's fringe hang over her eyes. She busied herself with the gas pump. If she had only left a little earlier – -- or if she didn't speed on the way here. She could have seen them in the lot and kept driving to the next gas station.
    Too late now. Bolting would look suspicious and she didn't have the gas for some kind of