Waking Up Were by Celia Kyle Page B

animal inside the building. Realistically, it wanted them to submit to him. Now.
    Fucking aggressive animal. He cursed the wolf as often as he loved it. The power of his beast let him race over forest floors and tackle prey. But it also came with the fierce need to pin just about anyone to the ground and demand their submission.
    Just as the glass door swung closed behind him, yet another text came through and he mentally groaned. This one from his Beta, a man who also happened to be his closest friend and Swan Mountain sheriff.
    He pressed the icon that opened the text and scanned the words quickly.
    Another dog @ Harper’s.
    Werewolves always had to be careful of discovery, so Connor’s text was purposefully obscure. There was no telling who would stumble across a pack member’s phone and dig through the device.
    So, Connor’s message was vague yet the meaning was clear. The rogue had attacked another person and the victim was at Harper’s clinic.
    Convenient but unsurprising.
    She’d been taking care of each victim, treating them for the bite and then waiting for the blood tests to come through. The wounded hadn’t bitched too hard about seeing a doc “off the clock” rather than the hospital. Especially when they learned it wouldn’t cost them a dime. The story constructed was that it was Connor’s dog who’d bitten them and “my wife is a doctor, let’s have that looked at.”
    Thankfully the injured weren’t that smart. At least, so far.
    He was just glad they hadn’t complained about the test or wondered what they’d been tested for . Especially when it’d tell Declan if he’d have another wolf come the full moon. If the victim had been changed, they went home with Declan. If they weren’t, they were sent on their way with an apology.
    Declan strode toward the reception desk, giving the human woman a grin. She was pretty. Not his type, but still a beautiful woman. The moment he stepped close, the scent of her desire slithered over him, hugging him with her need.
    The wolf snarled, wanting to get away from the female, which surprised the hell out of him. The animal was always ready for a quick fuck, a way to brush off the day’s tension. No, it sensed something else, something it wanted more than an easy lay.
    “Is Harper in?” He leaned against the counter, fighting his wolf with every flex of muscle. It battled his control, straining against the mental bonds that held it at bay.
    “Sure.” The human female fluttered her lashes and flashed him a smile that practically screamed “take me now.” “She’s in with Brenna, but lemme poke my head in.” She pushed to her feet, straightening her tight skirt as she rose and running her hands over her hips. “I’ll be right back.”
    Declan leaned against the counter, propping his elbows on the hard surface. He flicked through the other five messages that arrived as he spoke with the desire-drenched female. Two asked about the upcoming run and he shot those off to one of his gammas. The next whined about who owned a tree between two pack houses. That went to Connor. He wasn’t getting into that shit and the Beta could handle that decision. The last two mentioned the rogue.
    Damn it, how hard is it to find one wolf on the fucking mountain?
    The click-clack of the receptionist’s shoes on the smooth tile announced her return. Good, at least he could get this over with so he could return to work. So far none of the attacked were turned; the rogue was too submissive—weak—to actually transform someone to a were . He imagined the latest victim would be the same.
    He replied to the two mentioning the rogue with a terse “on it,” before he locked the phone and tucked it into his pocket.
    Just as the woman entered the lobby, she brought a new scent with her. It had the wolf howling in approval and demanding they hunt the source. It craved the flavor’s origin and was desperate to bathe in every drop. Now. Not in five minutes, not in five seconds.