Rhoan fell in step beside me, his hands shoved in his pockets and whistling tunelessly. Kade stayed one step behind us. Perhaps he felt it was safer not to antagonize the wolf any more than necessary.
Which was always a wise move, even if I wasn't actually angry with him.
"So," Rhoan said, after a few seconds. "Who's the other wolf I can smell on your skin?"
I gave him my most innocent look. "I have no idea what you mean."
Amusement touched his lips. "Like I was the only one partying on the Directorate's time. Ante up with the goss, dear sister."
I grinned. "Well, I had to make it look like I wasn't there to meet Misha, didn't I?"
"Uh-huh."
"And I have met him before."
"And this is a good excuse because... ?"
"Because he's an alpha wolf on the prowl, and right now, it's my scent he has in his nose."
Rhoan's gaze all but burned a hole in the side of my face. "Well, aren't you having all the damn luck?"
If I was having all the damn luck, I wouldn't have ended up in the breeding center or being attacked by flying blue things.
"You going to see him again?" Rhoan continued.
"Of course."
He grunted. "Good. Always said it was going to take an alpha to catch that heart of yours. He could be the one."
"Could be." After all, who knew what fate had planned? Certainly not me. Not after all the shit she kept heaping my way.
The car park Jack had chosen had once been an old office building that had been converted to try and cope with the ever-growing number of cars coming into the city. The building was thin and narrow, and smelled of exhaust fumes, petrol, and wet mustiness. I wrinkled my nose. "Where is he parked?"
"Tenth floor. And the lifts are out."
"Great."
"Why don't you park your pretty butt right here, and I'll go fetch them?" Kade suggested.
I shared a glanced with my brother. Rhoan had his cell phone and could have easily called Jack down, but hey, who was I to stop a man eager to please? "Go for your life."
He ran off. The two of us enjoyed the sight, then Rhoan said, "Making any man run ten flights is just plain mean."
"He's fit enough," I said mildly. "Besides, that's what he gets for being dishonest."
He crossed his arms and leaned back against a railing. "So, did you learn anything useful?"
"Yes." Somewhere in the dark and distant bowels of the parking lot, a door squeaked. My gaze searched the shadows, seeing nothing out of place. So why was unease suddenly prickling across my skin? I frowned and glanced at Rhoan. "Can you smell anything?"
He raised his nose slightly, sniffing the odious air. "Besides car fumes and mold, you mean?"
I nodded and rubbed my arms. It suddenly seemed cooler in the car park - or was that simply my imagination? The feeling that something was out there in the dark, watching us?
"Not really." He hesitated. "Well, there is something - but I can't place it."
"I think perhaps we'd better start walking up toward the van." I scanned the shadows again. "I don't like the feel of this place all of a sudden."
He nodded, and touched my elbow, lightly guiding me toward the up ramp.