The Fire Inside by Virginia Cavanaugh

what would happen next
and if things got out of hand, he could very well end up dead. As much as she
was annoyed with his “we ran out of gas” routine, she didn’t want to be
responsible for his death.
    “You’re a crazy bitch,” Steve said as he started walking
toward his car.
    Why did guys always have to play the bitch card? Maybe she
should have let him get ate. Luken growled behind her and she closed her eyes
for a brief moment, wishing she could be anywhere but here. Steve tossed her
purse out on the ground before he pulled away, dirt drifting through the air as
small rocks bounced off his undercarriage. For some reason, she felt as if any
chance of a normal life rode away with him. A blanket of darkness covered them
as the sun disappeared. How the hell had it come to this?
    “Xabier, Konrad’s on his way here,” Luken said.
    Xabier laughed. “You act like that should concern me.”
    In the distance, Tyra could hear a motor racing. It wasn’t
Steve’s car either. It came closer until Tyra could see shafts of light
filtered by the underbrush down the dirt lane. A large, lifted black truck came
to a stop at the opening of the clearing. The driver opened the door and got
out. When the truck door slammed, Tyra got her first look at a very
angry-looking Konrad. His hair had been pushed back from his forehead, as if he
had been running his hands through it repeatedly. He wore a white button-up
shirt tucked into dark slacks. The sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows,
exposing toned, tanned forearms, and the top two buttons were undone.
    Power seemed to roll off him in waves, and even though he
strode forward with purpose and menace, she still felt desire coiling low in
her belly. This wolf was seriously hot. In temper and in body.
    “She isn’t on your pack’s land, Xabier,” Konrad spoke in a
low rumble.
    “I never said she was, Konrad,” Xabier replied with an eerie
tightlipped smile. “In fact, you should be thanking me.”
    Tyra watched as the muscle in Konrad’s jaw began to twitch
as he ground his teeth.
    “And just what should I be thanking you for, Xabier?” Konrad
asked.
    “For protecting your little—”
    Konrad growled.
    “Well, whatever you want to call her. I see she still isn’t
marked, by the way,” Xabier said in a tone that implied he’d grown bored with
the conversation.
    “And just what were you protecting her from?” Konrad asked.
    “Konrad, there isn’t any reason to go into this. Let’s just
go,” Tyra said quickly. If Konrad didn’t know about Steve yet then it would be
better to wait until he calmed down some before he found out.
    “Oh this is priceless,” Xabier cooed. “He doesn’t know yet.
Luken, you surprise me.”
    Luken growled from her other side.
    “Damn it, just spit it out!” Konrad barked.
    Luken looked toward Konrad. “Tyra was here with a human
male.”
    Xabier laughed. “See? I showed up just in time as the poor
bastard tried to kiss her. But really, no thanks required. I was just assisting
a friend in need.”
    Tyra wanted to hit Xabier right in his big fat mouth, but
she settled for staring daggers in his direction. Too bad he had all his
buddies with him, because if he hadn’t, she would have been on him like white
on rice. He winked at her and she had to fight off the wave of nausea that
rolled through her. He squatted a second before his transformation began to
take effect. With a howl, he and his pack members ran off into the underbrush.
When they disappeared from sight, Tyra turned back to face Konrad; furious was
too kind of a word for what he appeared.
    Luken took a step toward Konrad. “Konrad, I was trying—”
    Konrad held up a hand to stop Luken’s words. “We’ll talk
about it later. Leave us.”
    A nervousness like none she’d ever felt before crept over
her, causing her to shift her weight from one foot to the next as she watched
Luken turn to leave the clearing. Konrad continued to stare at her and she
nearly wanted to