SevenMarkPackAttackMobi by Carys Weldon Page A

in my arms were bulking. The hair on the back of my neck was prickling again.
     
     
    Frank kicked my foot. Accidentally, of course, and said, “Oh. I’m sorry.”
     
     
    It drew my gaze--which had been hazed over with instant fury--from Giselle’s knees. I sniffed without thinking.
     
     
    That must’ve pissed Hood off. He practically forced Amber’s head around and kissed her. Shoved his tongue down her throat.
     
     
    I jumped up off the couch, my hands bunching into fists. “I don’t have time for small talk.”
     
     
    Hood pried his lips from hers, but not too fast, and said, “You have two minutes. Sit down.”
     
     
    I sniffed again. To Amber, I said, “If you’re going with me, you better pack your shit.”
     
     
    He didn’t let her up. I could see that she tried to move from beneath his hold. Hood said, “If you tell me you want to stay here with me, I won’t make you go.”
     
     
    Everyone tensed. He was pushing all the buttons. Was he making her go, or asking her to stay? I wasn’t sure any more.
     
     
    Frank tried to relieve the tension. “What do you hope for her to do, if you don’t mind my asking?”
     
     
    Hood chuckled. “Amber, among other things, is a scenter.”
     
     
    Swinging his head around, Frank said, “‘Scuse me?”
     
     
    Scenters were a myth in garou legend. They had phenomenal senses. There were a myriad of tales about them, none of them believable. They could hear, smell, ten miles away, and feel without touching.
     
     
    “Sweetheart, why don’t you--” Hood spoke to Amber with that endearment, but I don’t know who tensed more: Amber, Giselle or me. “Show them some of your tricks.”
     
     
    Amber lifted her chin, making her hair fall backward. Her gaze was on me when she said, “Oh, I think I’ve done enough showing off for one morning.”
     
     
    Hood pulled her head close again and kissed her cheek. She winced, and took it. Giselle kept her eyes on Frank, but her lips were pursed. She wasn’t fooling anyone. She saw it all out of the corner of her peripheral vision, and she wanted to kill something. You could smell her raging fury.
     
     
    I guess she’d had enough by then. She stood up and said, “Mark, why don’t I show you around while Hood says goodbye to Amber...” her teeth gritted as she completed her sentence with, “properly.”
     
     
    Rounding on them, slipping her fingers into the crook of my arm, pulling me up, she smiled down at Hood and Amber. Giselle really is beautiful. And a phenomenal actress. She said without a hint more of irritation, “I’m sure you wouldn’t feel right about letting her go without a special send-off.”
     
     
    I wasn’t sure who I wanted to hurt more. Giselle? Hood? No. Amber.
     
     
    Because she smiled up at us and said, “That’s probably the best idea. Why don’t you show Mark the habitat?”
     
     
    Tightly, I said, “No thanks. I need to--”
     
     
    I didn’t count on Giselle’s persuasiveness. She looked up at me, leaning in, her breasts rubbing against my arm. I could see right down her shirt.
     
     
    What was it with the Lobos women? No bras whatsoever?
     
     
    She begged in the prettiest pout she could manage, “It’s only fair, you know, that I get a chance to show you around, too. Amber’s little tour hardly counts.”
     
     
    I didn’t want to be fair. And I’d been there before.
     
     
    I didn’t care how beautiful she was, either. Compared to Amber, Giselle is skinny. And her looks aren’t quite my taste.
     
     
    However, Frank kicked me again, under the ploy of getting out of his chair. He said, “I would love to see the habitat, Giselle.” He chuckled nervously. “You were inviting me, too, weren’t you?”
     
     
    “Of course,” Giselle didn’t miss a beat.
     
     
    Batting her pretty eyelashes at Hood, she said, “You won’t mind if I show both these men the habitat, would you?”
     
     
    You might wonder why we were messing around with