Free I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta Page B

else,” I agreed.

    ***
    Chapter 9
    Zane led the way around the wolf exhibit to a concealed bench at the enclosure’s far
     end. He motioned for me to sit.
    “I’d hate to have you fainting again,” he teased.
    “I’m not a child,” I muttered. I was starting to feel like the damsel-in-distress
     I’d worked so hard not to become.
    “Oh, I’m well aware of your womanhood.” He slid close enough that our thighs brushed.
     The electrical current tingled down my right leg.
    “And, I’ve had to catch you more times in two days than I’ve caught any woman in my
     lifetime.” He grinned. I noticed for the first time just how pointy his incisors were,
     not full-fledged fangs, but sharp nevertheless.
    I tried without success to ignore his closeness. “You wanted to talk, and I’m all
     ears. By the way, you’re over-using our little mind telepathy thing.”
    “I find it very convenient and stimulating.” He sounded like he meant it.
    In truth, there was a part of me that found our private communications stimulating
     as well. Not that I’d let Zane know. That would give him more unwanted power over
     me.
    “Since you’ve seen more than any human should, I’ll give you a rundown of what’s going
     on. First, you should know, if you haven’t already figured it out, you’re in grave
     danger.”
    “You think?”
    Danger pretty much oozed from Zane. Every moment in his presence was dangerous for
     me. Except I couldn’t quite accept this gorgeous, very human-looking man, was the
     same monstrous killing machine I’d seen in the clearing.
    “For once, can you just listen without getting all defensive?”
    I nodded. If I wanted to learn about werewolves and the impact they’d have on my life,
     I’d have to surrender my sarcasm.
    He continued. “As you’ve discovered, I’m not human. I’m a werewolf. I can change at
     will, anytime, anywhere, and I’m lethal in my changed forms. I protect what is mine
     with my life, and I destroy anyone or anything that challenges my pack’s safety.”
    “ Your pack ?” I wondered if he’d protect me with his life. So far, he’d proven to be my personal
     rescuer, a great listener; he’d even called me a good woman. Every time I tried to
     remain focused on his evilness, I was bombarded by his goodness.
    “Werewolves are divided into packs, some larger than others. I’m the Pacific Pack’s
     Chief Enforcer. I’m second in command to our pack alpha, Logan Sanders, who is running
     one of our casinos in Vegas. Our pack is the largest on the West Coast. We live along
     the coast range, in Oregon and Washington, with a small contingent in California and
     Nevada.
    Jazmine, who you were unlucky enough to meet, was selected to be my mate when I was
     just a pup. She, too, is a purebred. I despise her. There was a time, when we were
     younger, that I was drawn to her, but that all changed when I saw the real Jazmine, who is none too charming.”
    My curiosity got the better of me and I cut in, “She still wants to be your mate,
     doesn’t she?” I couldn’t deny that the idea of Jazmine cuddled up to Zane infuriated
     me.
    “Not for the normal sentimental reasons. For her it’s all about power. Mated to me
     she’d have substantial … privileges.”
    I decided to wait before asking more about the so-called mating privileges. I didn’t
     want to appear eager to become a werewolf’s mate.
    Still experiencing some major anxiety about last night, I fired off a series of other
     must-know questions. “Who were those men that assaulted you? Why did they look so
     human? What about the Zebra’s attacker?”
    “Whoa, slow down, I promise I’ll explain everything,” he reassured.
    I wished there was a way to speed up our conversation. There was a way. “Since you
     seem to like the convenience of our mental chit chat, what if you just thought everything you wanted to say. That way, I’ll see the images.” This seemed like the
     perfect communication