He dropped to the ground near her and waited. She lifted her head from her snack, tongue hanging out, blood covering her muzzle.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asked, constantly entertained by this woman. There was just something about her. And Aunt Irene liked her! Aunt Irene didn’t like anyone. It was like evidence of God or something!

Dee rolled to her back, paws in the air, her wolf grin wide. Ric laughed and watched her roll back over and make a sloppy leap into the lake. She came out, shook off her coat, and trotted up to him. But by the time she sat down at his side, she was human again.

Ric took his sweatshirt off and helped Dee put it on. Even in July, the evenings were still cool in Washington state.

“That felt so good,” she sighed, snuggling up next to him.

“You don’t get to hunt enough.”

“There are few who’d say that.”

“This kind of hunting, I mean.” He studied her. “You’re glowing, Dee-Ann.”

“Am I?” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Maybe I am.” Ric took her hand in his. “Talked to Van.”

“And?”

“He wasn’t too crazy about the idea of letting my father off to move to Colorado.”

“Neither am I.” She squeezed his hand. “But I do understand it.” Ric cleared his throat. “He also wanted me to take over as Alpha.”

“And you said no.”

“I don’t want to be Alpha, Dee.”

“That’s your choice. It’s gotta be something you really want ’cause there will be a whole lot of kin more than happy to snatch it away from you if you don’t.”

“He was disappointed, though.”

“I’m sure, but he’ll understand. You gotta do what’s right for you. Being a chef, playing hockey, aligning yourself with the strangest people—that’s what gets you up in the morning. You take the Alpha position just because it’ll make your cousin happy and you won’t hold it for six months. And it’s hard coming back from that, darlin’. Even with family.”

“I know. Still, it was hard to tell a man I love so much ‘no.’ ”

“But he respects you as much as he does because you have your own mind and do what’s right for you, what’s right for your Pack, your friends, and the Group. Don’t doubt that now because you didn’t tell him what he wanted to hear.”

“What about you?” Ric asked.

“What about me?”

“Are you disappointed?” Many She-wolves grew up dreaming that their mates would be Alphas one day. But since he and Dee-Ann had never discussed it before, Ric didn’t know if that had once been her dream, too.

“Do you think I want to be an Alpha?” Dee was an Alpha; she justdidn’t run a Pack.

“Your view never changes if you’re not head of the line.”

“We’re using quotes from T-shirts now?”

“When you include the visual of sled dogs . . . it works for this instance.” She laughed, shook her head. “You can’t be Alpha when everybody’s damn near terrified of you.

Not respectfully scared, mind, but terrified. Besides . . . I just don’t care. I care about me and mine.

Anything else is merely a reason to ‘Start the killin’.’ ”

“Does your father have any other sayings?”

“None I like as much.”

Ric laughed, kissed her cheek. It had taken a lot out of her not to loudly thank the Good Lord that Ric didn’t take that Alpha position. There was always so much bullshit to worry about when you ran a Pack and Dee liked being the one called in when there was trouble, but otherwise was left alone to do what she liked to do. It was a relief to find out that Ric definitely had the same philosophy because he could very well be Alpha of the Van Holtz Pack—if that was what he wanted. He was wicked smart, excessively charming, and wily. Damn wily. And, of course, ruthless when he had to be.

She really liked the ruthless side of him.

She looked down at the sweatshirt he’d put on her. “I think this is the first time you’ve ever insisted I put on clothes.”

“Don’t want you to catch the sniffles, my spun-glass princess.” Grinning, Dee got to her knees and crawled into Ric’s lap.

“Dee-Ann, you’re not planning to take advantage of me out here . . . in the open?”

“Of course, I am. I’m a Smith. We’re tacky like that.”

“Not tacky . . . inventive.”

She kissed him, stroking her hands down his bare shoulders and chest. She really didn’t know if she’d ever get tired of the taste of him. Like one of his New York strip steaks with that peppercorn sauce he made, the man simply tasted good. What did those chefs always say? “Simple, fresh ingredients make the best meals”? Yeah, that was Ulrich Van Holtz. Simple, fresh, and the best meal a girl could have if she was lucky. And apparently Dee-Ann was damn lucky.

She reached for the waistband of Ric’s jeans. “Lord, please tell me that you remembered to bring condoms with you.”

“I actually didn’t remember, but when I told Uncle Van I was coming out here to find you, he forced a handful on me and said, ‘For the love of all that’s holy do this for me!’ ” Ric nipped at Dee’s neck, licked her collar bone. “I’m not sure what he meant, though.”

“I don’t care what he meant.” Dee gripped Ric’s shoulders and shoved him to the ground.