“My name is Razor, rrrwff.”
He comes up and bends down behind me, following when I spin away. My cheeks heat, and I cast a look at Wrath as I try to fend him off.
“What are you doing! Stop!” I shriek. I try to shove him away, but he just follows me in circles, sniffing and growling.
Someone help me.
“You have wonderful smells,” he says, panting when he stops trying to sniff me. “I like you. We should go to your mountain and play. You can run, and I can chase.”
Wrath’s ears drop, pinning to his head, and he exposes his teeth in a sinister snarl.
My date flicks his tail, his long wolflike tail. I look down at the grass and swallow hard, not looking at Wrath, definitely not looking at Wrath.
I blink at him several times. “What is this? What are you doing?” I wish I could remember his name.
“Rrrwff.”
“Seriously, we need to talk. Look, I don’t have a problem with this, but you need to listen; you can’t be doing that here!”
“Woof.”
“I’m not joking. I need to have a human conversation with you, please,” I snap, my anger finally breaking through my shock.
He cocks his head to the side and whines, then throws his head back and howls.
I take five steps back from him, but he rushes me, cuddling up to me.
“It’s perfect. I know you’re from Pack Foster. We can live as wolves together.”
I freeze. The horror of what he’s implying, what he’s saying, sinks deep. I need to cut this off now. “You’re not a wolf, and neither am I,” I say coldly.
“No, but-”
“No, I’m not a wolf. I don’t have one. I’m human, and I’m not dressing up to be anything but what I am, and, trust me, you should stop this nonsense in this town. If Pack Foster finds out about you, your life is over.”
He shoves away from me and pouts. “You’re just jealous.”
“Jealous? My poor, deluded date,” I snap out, “I was born into a pack that hates humans with a passion, and you are trying to be like them. Not only will they find you offensive, but they will find you sport. Stop doing it. Or go somewhere it’s safe to be you. But this town will hand you over to that pack, and no one will mention your name once you’re gone. Trust me,” I say bitterly, “I know.”
He lifts a hand, sorry, a paw, and scratches his ear. The whole thing is ridiculous. I cover my face with a hand until I hear a bark of laughter.
“What is this? What the actual fuck is this, Casey? Oh, god, this is just perfect. It’s made my night.”
I go completely still, glancing at Wrath and making a stay motion with my hand.
James walks into the park and looks between us. “Oh, this is sad. You couldn’t find anyone who wanted you in the pack, so now you’re playing dress-up? I mean there’s hard-up, Casey, and there’s this. If you were desperate for a wolf cock, they would have found someone who could have taken care of you if you’d begged.”
James is tall with light brown hair, mean green eyes, and is built like a tank. He’s human, but one of Jonas’ drinking buddies. One of the few humans tolerated, and the reason why is because he helps the pack with things they need. Like a delivery service. He might think he’s in with the pack, but he’s just another tool they use.
“Leave, James.”
He sidles closer to me, looking between us, and now Razor looks unsure; he whimpers and steps back. His whole self collapses, and I see that all his bravery was mostly bravado, and in the face of an actual bully, he’s got nothing.
Big mistake. James can scent weakness like sharks scent blood in the oceans.
“Who is this?”
“Never mind who he is, what do you want?” I fold my arms under my breasts, noting the way he’s looking me up and down.
