Okay. He was doing it again! He would not think about her and the way she moaned anything. Never again. He would never let a woman get that close to him again. No matter how cute, sexy, brilliant, or dangerously unstable she may be.

In fact, he was done with women all together. There was absolutely nothing wrong with celibacy. A fine, admirable way to live. Hell, Gandhi did it.

“Well, hello, sunshine.”

Conall glanced at the female standing next to him. She was barely taller than Miki. Another mighty-mite. Great.

“What do you want?”

“And the girls told me you were considered the nice one.”

No. More like the stupid one. “What does a Pride female care about nice?”

She slid into the bench across from him. “Uh-oh. Someone looks sad.” Christ, this woman was the queen of sarcasm.

“Exactly who are you?”

“Victoria Löwe.”

“Of the Löwe Pride?” German lions. Great. His day just kept getting better and better.

She nodded. “And you’re Conall of the Magnus Pack.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t ask how she knew that. He didn’t want to know.

“Well, Mr. Magnus—”

“It’s Conall. Or Mr. Víga-Feilan if you want to be formal.”

And like that, the girl’s whole body language changed. He smelled the sudden waft of wariness coming off her. “You’re a Víga-Feilan?”

“That’s my family name. But I’m not part of that Pack. I’ve always been a Magnus.”

She seemed to relax a bit from that, but remained wary. He didn’t blame her. Einarr and his kin had made quite a name for the Víga-Feilans. Pride and Pack alike hated them. Clearly his family still bought into that Viking bullshit. Problem was they weren’t floating around in long boats and decimating monasteries anymore. Assholes.

“So, what do you want?”

“To talk.”

Conall glanced over his shoulder. There they sat. A Pride of Löwe females quietly watching them, waiting to tear him to pieces. They were what he expected from Pride. But this one, she was a bit of a runt. Maybe she had some mountain lion in her.

“And that’s why you tracked me here?”

“Oh, honey, don’t flatter yourself. I didn’t track you anywhere. Actually, my girlfriends and I are going to the rodeo. I’m hoping to find me a cowboy. And then I saw you sitting here all by your lonesome. And one of my girls recognized you.”

“Okay. Then talk.”

“I heard about your Pack and the Withell Pride. Such ugly business.”

He sighed. “I’m bored.”

“Personally, I’d rather not have a repeat of that incident, if possible.”

“And how do you propose that?By letting the Packs roll over and expose our collective bellies?”

“Dogs. I swear, everything is just so black and white with you guys. It’s cute in its simplistic, puppylike way.”

“You know, I’ve had a really bad morning, and I’m not above reaching across this table and snapping your neck like a twig.”

“If you’re the nice one, I’m really curious about your Alphas.” She shrugged. “I heard your Alpha Female’s friend got attacked at one of your clubs. I merely wanted to let you know that it wasn’t us.”

He knew that but, clearly, she was worried he didn’t. “And you speak for all the Prides?”

She nodded. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

For the first time, Conall really looked at the girl. She was beautiful and young. Maybe a little too young to be speaking for all the Prides. Still, he was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. “So you didn’t send them. Then where did they come from?”

“I have no idea.”

“And I’m supposed to trust you because…”

“I’m adorable.”

Conall chuckled at that. She was adorable. Dangerous and adorable.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

Maybe it was the way Miki was staring at them. Like she caught them fucking on the diner table. But whatever her look, he did feel guilty. But why the fuck should he feel guilty? It’s not like he drugged her to go off and meet with anybody.

He looked away from her, unwilling to think too much about her and how cute she was with her hair still wet from a recent shower.

“No. No. I was just leaving.” Victoria started to slide out of the booth.

“You don’t have to go.” Okay. Now he was just being a prick.

He heard Miki grind her teeth together. Good.

“Maybe she doesn’t have to go. But you do. I need to get to campus.”

Conall looked at Victoria. “Are we done?”

“I’ve said what I had to. Now I’ve got to get myself a cowboy.” She smiled at him. “Thanks for listening, Conall. I guess you are the nice one.”

She stood up and looked at Miki. “He’s all yours.” Then she walked back to her Pride.

He pulled his wallet out of the back of his jeans and threw money on the counter. By the time he stood, Miki had already stormed out the door.

He found her by the rented SUV. He unlocked the doors and they both got in.

“Who was that?”

“Victoria Löwe.” He started the vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot.

“She’s Pride?”

“Yup.”

“And you’re sitting around chatting with her in a diner?”