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"Does itconversation"

"I’d prefer silence," Wolf said, a growl in his tone

After a moment in which the distrust was palpable between the the last bit of meat from the bones "Have I stumbled upon a honeymoon? What a lucky man you are" His face taunted as he pushed the shredded ers into the sand

Squinting at the h the haze of sination, or do you two know each other?"

Neither denied it Wolf’s focus was pinned to Ran, a twitch away frohts and she gripped the gun "Roll up your sleeve"

"I beg your pardon," said Ran, licking the juices as they dripped down his wrist

Cla to her feet, she leveled the barrel at him "Now"

He hesitated only a moment Expression unreadable, he reached for his left wrist and rolled the sleeve past his elbow LSOP1126 was tattooed across the er boiled up inside Scarlet, every bit as hot as the coals beneath the fire "Why didn’t you tellher focus or the gun off the tattoo

For the first ti to determine why he’s here and why he’d approached you on the train, without alar you," said Wolf "Scarlet, this is Ran Kesley, a Loyal Soldier to the Order of the Pack Don’t worry, he is only an oa"

Ran’s nose wrinkled at what Scarlet could tell had been a low insult

She swapped her attention between the two "You could smell him on me," she said "When I ca us, all this tiaped at Wolf The unnatural eyes The uncanny senses The teeth The howls The idea that he’d never had a tomato before "Who are you people?"

Hurt flinched across Wolf’s face, but it was Ran who spoke "What exactly have you told her, brother?"

Wolf stood, forcing Ran to tilt back his head to hold his stare "She knows I’er a brother to you," he said "And she knows that no one with that mark can be trusted"

Ran srand a flock of ss out of the nearest tree Once their flapping had gone quiet, the woods settled into a thick hush, Scarlet’s words still ringing Her hand started to shake and she forced it to be still, though Ran continued to sit sprawled and at ease on the shore

"You have randmother," she said, more slowly this time "Don’t you?"

"Well Not with me…"

White sparks flashed across Scarlet’s vision, and it took all her willpower not to pull the trigger and erase his s us?" she said when the throbbing rage had beco his response Planting his pal and brushed the dirt from his hands "I’ve been sent to retrieve my brother," he said, as casually as if he’d been sent to the store for milk and bread "Perhaps he did not tell you that he and I are part of an elite pack given a special assignnment has been canceled, and Master Jael wants us to return All of us"

Scarlet’s stoful look, but Wolf’s expression was filled with more distrust and shadows than it had ever been

"I’er controls me"

Ran sniffed "I doubt that And you knoell as anyone that we don’t allow our brothers to leave us" He rolled his sleeve down over the tattoo "Though I confess, I haven’tone less alpha around"

The wind shifted, sending sparks fro them away

"Did you really think it wise to come here, without Jael to protect you?" said Wolf

"I don’t need Jael’s protection"

"That would be a first"

With a snarl, Ran leaped forward, but Wolf danced out of his reach and retaliated with a fist ai the momentum to spin Wolf around and lock his elbow around Wolf’s neck Wolf reached back, grasped Ran’s shoulder, and flipped Ran over his head Ran landed with a solid grunt, his feet sain in a blink

Scarlet’s hand tre Ran was shaking with se, while Wolf was carved fro

"I really do think it’s tih clenched teeth