Chapter 55

Sarah POV

“Oh, don’t make that face. I promise I’m harmless,” Scott said, his charm on full blast. It was not unlike staring into a high-wattage light bulb.

He tried to spin me then, but I walked out of it calmly, and he had to shuffle a little to get back into rhythm. He chuckled and led me around the floor. I spotted Zane with a woman in a red dress and matching mask talking a mile a minute, her super-white teeth flashing in the lights from the chandeliers.

“Ah, Arlene’s in fine form, I see,” Scott said, looking over my shoulder as he turned us. “Poor dear has been angling to be the next Mrs. Cavendish for years.”

I hummed noncommittally and walked out of another attempt by Scott to spin me. I caught a look of irritation on his face and hid a smile.

“Did you know Rob was going to call for a change of partners?” I asked.

“Who knows what Rob’s going to do?” He turned us sharply, but I managed to stay with him. “But I have to say I’m grateful for the opportunity to talk to you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Don’t frown with that pretty face,” he said with a little pout. “You’re making me feel bad.”

I had nothing to say to that and tried to figure out how much longer the song was going to play. I didn’t recognize the tune, though.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you because, quite honestly, I can’t get you out of my head.”

I frowned at him again.

“I’m serious,” he said, and I had to admit he did look quite sincere. “You’re a fascinating woman, and I feel drawn to you in a way I don’t fully understand.”

“That’s an odd thing for an alpha to tell a human,” I said.

“Zane would say the same, I’m sure.” He glanced over my shoulder again. “But what keeps him from speaking doesn’t apply to me. I’m not an alpha the way he is. I don’t have the responsibilities that will always keep him from you.”

“Zane has never been anything but a good friend and employer to me,” I said firmly. “And that’s all I want from him.”

“Liar,” he said, but his tone was kind, even sympathetic. “I know he feels as drawn to you as I do, and I know you must feel the same. It’s a question of fate. Do you really think it’s just some coincidence that you look so much like Clara Maxwell?”

Now he had my full attention. “What do you mean?”

“She was a classic beauty, and so are you, even though you’re human. Some things transcend social norms, and certainly a Moon Wolf who had a child without a mate qualifies just as much as a human who’s done such a good job raising an alpha daughter. You’re like her reborn, as far as I’m concerned.”

His voice lowered, and he moved his face a bit closer to mine. “I’m sure as a human woman, you don’t realize the power of the Moon Wolf legend for werewolves like me. There’s a prophesy that Clara Maxwell’s actions will change werewolf society forever.”

“Really?”

“You’re already changing the lives of the wolves around you. How can I not feel compelled by you? And unlike my half-brother, I can do something about it.”

The expression in his eyes was supposed to be seductive, I could tell, but all I felt was faintly repulsed. Also, I didn’t much care for his lies about Maxwell. Her child was supposed to lead to a reestablishment of the Moon Wolf line, not the convenient rearrangement of wolf culture so Scott could take me to bed.

“I’m coming on too strong,” Scott said, looking contrite.

“A bit.”

“My apologies. But I have to confess, you just make me forget myself.”

Yeah, blame me, I thought. At least he wasn’t trying to spin me again.

“Let me make you a different kind of offer,” he said next, turning us again to steer us away from Zane and Arlene, who I saw was still talking. Zane’s smile looked fixed. “Work for me.”

That took a moment to register. “What?”

“I have need of more humans in my PR company.” He smiled. “Perhaps you’ve heard of it? SpeciesFusion.com?”

I was surprised and let my face show it. “You’re part of SpeciesFusion?”

“Founder and owner, and right now headhunter. You’d be perfect.”

“You can’t think I’d leave my current position. I’m the girls’ goddess-mother.”

He shrugged. “And you can stay their goddess-mother while you’re working to improve human/wolf affairs. We do a great deal of work with children, and your position as a human in werewolf society means you can do a lot of good for others.”

“I’m flattered, but I have no wish to leave my current employment.”

Scott looked at me sadly. “You two can never be together the way you really want.”

Thank the goddess, the damn song finally ended, and I pulled myself out of Scott’s increasingly creepy arms. “You have no idea what I want, and I would appreciate if you believe me when I say things.”

He shook his head sadly, and I thought about what I’d really like to say to him.

“Well,” Zane’s voice said from right behind me, almost making me jump. “That was a change of pace.”

“How is Arlene doing these days, and can you ask her for another dance?” Scott asked. “I was going to see if Sarah would like another spin around the floor.”

“No, thank you,” I said definitively.

Scott tutted and took a step toward me. Zane was suddenly between us, much to my combined gratitude and irritation. I was beginning to think I should have tried some aggressive posturing.

“Sarah’s had enough of your spinning for the evening, it would seem,” he told Scott.

“I think Sarah can speak for herself.”

“I did speak for myself, and no thank you.” Zane looked at me in puzzlement, and I explained about the job offer. I could tell Scott wasn’t pleased I shared that information. Good.

“What are you up to, Scott?” Zane asked with an almost inaudible growl.

“You can’t have everything nice all to yourself. This isn’t our father’s inheritance.”

“Why are you bringing that up again?” Zane demanded, making me wonder what they were talking about now. “Haven’t you gotten over that yet?”

“Injustice isn’t something one ‘gets over,’ and if you were anything like the alpha you pretend to be, you’d know that.”

Scott looked at me. “You’re going to realize he’s not the wolf you think he is, and some of his secrets are about to come out to make things ugly very soon.”

“Leave Sarah alone, Scott.” Zane was using that tone again, the one that made my knees go unpleasantly weak.

“Ha! I’m related to you, brother. The Voice won’t work on me.” But then Scott stepped slightly back and put up his hands. “But look at me, ruining the party Rob’s worked so hard on.”

He smiled then, his high-wattage expression smoothly back in place. “It’s been lovely, Sarah, but you’ll have to excuse me.”

“I’ll find out what you’re planning,” Zane warned.

“Yes,” Scott replied. “You will.” And with a little bow of his head, he left.

I was relieved to see him go, but I really didn’t like his parting line.