Matt had gone completely rigid and refused to meet my gaze. I looked back at the newcomers, who seemed focused on our table. Or, more precisely, on me.
At my knee, Trix growled.
The Dire in back was nibbling from his tray as though he were too hungry to wait until he sat down. But the one in the lead riveted me. Shifter, definitely. And confident, like Matt. But it was more than that. He carried himself like a king, with a set to the shoulders and a stalking stride, like he expected the world to bow to him.
He met my eyes and his chin lifted, just a fraction. His hair and skin were dark, and his gaze gleamed more bronze rather than gold.
At first, I thought it was simply arrogance, and my spine automatically straightened in response. But as his expression intensified, and his lip peeled back from an elongating canine, I realized he expected me toyieldto him.
“Alpha,” growled Matt, very low.
Yep. I kinda got that bit. Bowing to an alpha might make sense to a race based on wolves, but it didn’t fly with me. I shot Matt a look. His face twisted as the Dire loomed over the end of the table. For a moment, Matt met the newcomer’s gaze past Mari’s bulk, and then I felt it. A wave of something powerful coming from the alpha, and focused on Matt.
Confused, I stared at the newcomer. But then Matt shuddered. Actuallyshuddered. It passed through him before his eyes lowered. Slowly, in fits and jerks, as though against his will.
Dammit. I wasn’t about to bow to this bastard. I met his gaze full on.
A freaky energy thing swept over me, and my gaze lowered involuntarily.What the...I fought back with everything I had, setting my jaw. My eyes watered with the need to blink, but be damned if I’d even give him that.
The alpha’s head lifted as though he scented the air, before his eyes ignited. Those of the brown-haired Dire beside him widened in shock before they narrowed. His lips pulled into a vicious sneer. “Well, if they’re going to saddle us with a fucking female, at least she’s a looker.”
Rage blossomed within me. These assholes were my teammates? Amadeus’s doubts echoed through my mind, and I gritted my teeth against what I really wanted to tell him. Instead, I forced a smile, and said, “My name is Anna. I’m so pleased you like the way I look. Remember that when I kick your furry ass.”
Matt choked, and the one who’d spoken glared at me. His mouth opened to reply, but the alpha shot him a look, and it closed again.
Wow.Talk about total sycophant. The guy didn’t even look resentful at being cut off.
The alpha’s eyes still gleamed bronze as he set his tray down at the table beside Mari. “I’m Darius,” he announced, but his gaze was locked on me and his nostrils flared wide. “And I’m team leader.”
Crap.Seriously? I had to listen to this alpha asshole? But my mouth opened, and I heard myself say, “Leadership has to be earned.”
Darius seemed to find my comment amusing. “Not in the Dire world, Babydoll.” He drawled the last word, adding sarcastic inflections to the term of endearment. “But you’ll discover that soon enough. Knowing your place is something some know, and others have to learn.” He glanced at Matt, and then back to me.
“I’m nobody’s babydoll, least of all yours,” I said through gritted teeth.
Darius’s lips split into a grin. While Matt’s expression always made me weak at the knees, this bastard’s chilled me to the core, especially when it dropped to my breasts and stayed there. “You’ll learn. All you bitches do.”
His friend had seated himself on my side of the table and across from Darius, leaving an open chair between him and me. He stared insolently at me before extending his tongue to lick his lips. I’d already pegged his type—limited smarts, but down-and-dirty. Darius, on the other hand—I wanted to believe he was a moron, but I wasn’t quite sure.
Add in the fact that they spent part of their time with vicious teeth and claws—Amadeus was right. I was going to have to watch my back.
Pressed against my leg, I felt rather than heard Trix’s growl. And across from me, Matt shook so hard I could feel it through the table. “Treat her with respect, Darius.” But although the words had snarl to them, his gaze didn’t rise from his tray.
“Or what, Pup?”
As I lowered my hand to soothe Trix, I was grateful that the ogress sat between them. Mari looked from him to Matt and then speared another forkful of fish.
Before Matt could do something he’d regret, I fixed my gaze on the alpha and said, “Or I’ll do to you what I did to the feral Dire back home.” I kept my tone completely even, as though I were stating something undeniable.
That news of what I’d done had spread became obvious when Darius froze for just the tiniest instant. Then he stabbed a slice of meat with his fork and waved it in the air. His eyes assessed me with interest.
“We’re a team. Teams need a leader. I’m it.” He pointed to the jerk down the table from me. “This is Aaron. My beta.” He inserted the meat, chewed, and swallowed. “If you got a problem with me as leader, you are welcome to the position. But you’ll have to go through us to get it.” He waggled his brows, and his gaze dropped again. “That might be fun. We so love to share.”
As I struggled with my disgust, Matt rumbled a growl, but it had a desperate note to it. It enraged me that someone like Matt would end up so conflicted. I tore open my roll and kept my voice level with an effort. “I just might surprise you.”
Matt went rigid, but I ignored Darius’s stare as I deliberately slathered my roll with whatever this realm substituted for butter.
Then the alpha asshole snorted and laughed.
