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Scarlett rolls her eyes before turning them up to glare at him. “I’m many things, but I’m not a liar. I said I’ll stay until after lunch and I will. Give me some space, Sir Wolf.”

A smile quirks my lips. Sir Wolf. She’s already given him a nickname. That’s adorable.

“Fine.” The word is little more than a grunt. “I’ll be back shortly.”

Then, he stomps out into the yard to clean the fish. He stays close to the house, his eyes lifting every few moments to lock on Scarlett through the open door.

Knowing he’s distracted by his task, I move to the cabinet I built for Conall. I grab the wine, bringing it to the table. Conveniently, there are two cups sitting there. After I fill them, I hold one out to Scarlett.

When she reaches for it, I ask, “What in the goddess’s name happened last night?”

Chapter Six

Scarlett

Hunter studies me with warm, concerned eyes. He always watches me this way. In the dozen years since he moved to town, we’ve become friends of a sort. For a short while, I thought he might want more, but he never tried to push past casual flirtation. I should be grateful that he’s been a good, slightly distant, friend. Well, I am, but it’s also tinged with disappointment. Which is ridiculous. I don’t want a man in my life anyway.

I lift the wine to my lips and take a long drink before I decide how to answer. He doesn’t need to know all the details. Especially the arranged marriage my mother and stepfather sprang on me. I’m not ready to discuss it yet.

“I decided to go to Vera’s last night after dinner. On the way, I found some moon lilies and stopped to harvest them. Your friend came out of the dark in wolf form. I’m not sure how, but he convinced me that he was as harmless as a pet, Then, he grabbed hold of my cape with his jaws and all but dragged me to this cabin. By the time I realized he intended to keep me locked up in here, it was too late. He’d already barred the door and planted himself in front of it.”

Amusement fills his glittering green gaze. Seeing it, I sigh in disgust. I throw back the rest of wine, swallowing it down, and walk over to my bag to pack away my nightdress.

He follows me. “As much as I sympathize with your plight, I’m afraid I can’t let you leave, Scarlett.”

I turn toward him and brace both hands on my hips as I scowl. “I said I would stay, and I am. But I’m leaving this afternoon when you do.”

His answering chuckle makes my blood boil. “Good luck with that.”

My fraying control vanishes like smoke. I grab a chunk of bark from the firewood stack and let it fly. The irritating man dodges it just as easily as the Lycan did. Then, he has the gall to laugh as he does.

Unable to control my mouth any longer, I yell, “What about this situation is so amusing? Is it that a male has decided I belong to him whether I agree or not? Or perhaps the kidnapping and imprisonment is such a merry story you can’t control your mirth?”

He stops chuckling, but his eyes shimmer like emeralds as he stares back at me. “Your situation isn’t funny. I laughed because I’ve always wondered if you had a temper to match your hair,” He pauses and clears his throat. “You’ll need it to deal with a mate like Conall.”

“He’s not my mate,” I retort, crossing my arms over my chest. “But why do you say that?”

“He’s an alpha wolf without a pack. Unlike most solitary wolves, it’s not because he’s been exiled or lost his pack. He chooses to remain alone. Until I saw him with you this morning, I assumed he would remain unmated.”

“You seem to know him quite well.”

He shrugs and sits at the table. “I know him as well as anyone can. We grew up in the same pack.”

I can’t help myself. His words pique my interest. I may not want the Lycan, but I am curious about him. Just a little. And, despite my misgivings, I’m curious about Hunter, too.

Hunter has flirted with me since he moved here, but he’s never told me much about his past, to the point of being evasive when it came to questions about himself. It’s one of the reason we aren’t better friends. Not to mention my suspicion that he wants things from me I don’t want to give. Like my hand in marriage. Or some sort of commitment.

I move to the table and refill my cup before taking a seat on one of the stools.

“You grew up with a Lycan pack?” I ask.

“I did. And it’s both exactly and nothing as you’d expect.” A faint smile curves his lips. “Us kids ran around half wild… hunting, swimming, and fighting. The adults managed to wrangle us into school a few days a week. Just long enough to make sure we knew how to read, write, and do sums. The rest of the time was spent with the pack. Everyone was welcome. Even those who weren’t related or who didn’t carry Lycan blood. Pack takes care of pack. If someone’s harvest didn’t come out, others would share their extras. If a pup or human infant was born, everyone would stop by with things for the baby or food for the family. It was loud, chaotic, and fun.”

Leaning my elbows on the table, I rest my chin on my hands. “That sounds like a lovely way to grow up.”

The bright green of his eyes seems darker as he looks at me. “It was. I loved it.”

“Why did you come to Grimdale then?” I ask.