The Alpha's Mate (Werewolf Romance) by Michelle Fox Page B

working in all the branches and they caught the guy on tape. Someone remembered the scent.” He held up his phone so we could see.
    I leaned in and squinted my eye s. “Any idea who he is?” The picture wasn’t just small, but also of poor quality, probably retrieved from security cameras. It showed a tall, lean man wearing worn fatigues paired with combat boots. Dark hair hung down to his shoulders and a wiry black beard framed his face. Even in black and white, his eyes were wild and crazed. He looked like an off-the-grid militant. I could easily believe he’d gone off the deep end.
    “None yet, but the police chief i s looking for a match in the criminal databases.” Cal tapped his phone and the screen went dark.
    Jackson began to take off his clothes. “Let’s track him. That scent is so strong, he can’t hide.”
    “Not so fast, cowboy.” Cal held up a hand. “I called in our best trackers. Once they get here, we’ll go after him.”
    Jackson paused, ha nd on his belt buckle. “He’s just getting further away. We need to move fast.”
    Cal locked eyes with Jackson. “I know that and they’re coming just as soon as they secure their wives and children. We’re also setting up patrols around the city in case he pops up while we’re out tracking him. We don’t want to leave any easy targets behind.” When Jackson lowered his eyes in submission, Cal said, “Take Chloe home and make sure she’s got a gun. By the time you get back, we’ll be ready to hunt this rogue down.”
    I shook my head . “Hey, I want to track with you.”
    Jackson pulled his t-shirt back on. “You’re too new and exactly the kind of wolf this guy wants.”
    I glared at him. “What kind of wolf is that?”
    “An alpha’s mate,” Cal said quietly. “That’s what he’s looking for. Rogues want to start their own pack and they need a mate to do it.”
    A chill went through me. “Why take Tonya then? Or any of the others?”
    “Because he thinks they might be a match.” Cal whirled a finger by his ear. “Rogue alphas don’t play with a full deck.”
    Jackson nodded his agreement. “It’s like ‘ roid rage only worse.”
    “But if he catches your scent, Chloe, he’d do anything to have you,” Cal added.
    I frowned. “I still don’t get it.”
    “Not ever y wolf can lead a pack, right?” Cal asked. At my nod, he continued, “Well, not every wolf can mate with an alpha. You’re special, my dear, but you haven’t come into your full power yet. Your wolf is still growing and that makes you vulnerable.”
    I snorted in disbelief . The still growing thing made sense. It seemed every week I had more strength or speed. But special? Yeah, right.
    Cal chuckle d at my reaction and patted my shoulder. Jackson glared at me though and I just rolled my eyes. There he went again, trying to control me. Lucky for him he was so hot and spectacular in bed. Otherwise I would’ve never had a thing to do with him. My wolf took issue with that thought and gave a soft growl that reverberated through my mind.
    Don’t sass me, I thought at her.
    She tossed her head and refused to look at me. Typical bitch, except for the part where she lived in my brain.
    “Come on,” I said walking over to the truck’s passenger door. “If you’re taking me back home, let’s go.”  I still wasn’t convinced this rogue alpha guy would be so interested in me, but if Cal was concerned, so was I.
    Chapter Seven
    Tension filled the ride back to Jackson’s house. It irked me to be left out. As for Jackson, well, I couldn’t say for sure what he thought, but the way he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel along with the clench of his jaw painted a portrait of a man on edge.
    Our ranch sat closer to Huntsville’s center than Tonya’s house. Not quite in town, but not too far away from it either. It only took us a few minutes to reach the long drive leading up to his ranch house. Gravel spit under the tires and the shadows of the pine trees