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I walked out of the pub, hoping that he wasn’t going to follow No such luck, however, as before I’d gone barely ten steps he was by ain I was pretty sure that I’d have hands wrapped around his throat Just as it see out more about who, or what, had killed John, the last person in the world I wanted to notice me had decided to make new friends And I was definitely no-one’s kitten

"You’re a rather prickly person, aren’t you, Mack?"

I ignored him and tried to walk faster At the very least I could do et to the keep in double speed so that this couldn’t be prolonged for any length of time

"In fact you’re the least pack-like shifter I’ve come across in some time You appear to have a stubborn streak of independence that is – unusual - for our kind"

I stiffened Was he going to suddenly dramatically reveal that he kneasn’t a shifter after all?

"The thing is," he continued, "not only do you appear to be absolutely terrified every time I come near you, there appear to be some anomalies in your story"

Uh-oh "What do youlouder and hoped that he couldn’t hear it

"You told ht add, that your nickname is Red because you wear red clothes"

"Yeah? What of it?" Go for nonchalant, I thought, that’ll work

"Your boyfriend, well the pack one at least, not the huorically that it was because it was a private joke between the two of you That when you are, er, how shall I put this delicately? Intimate with hiet killing the Brethren alpha, I was going to kill Toht first told me that it was because you have a fiery temper Which doesn’t surprise me in the least, I have to say What does surprise me is that at the very least two members of this pack have lied to me And I will not condone that sort of attitude Now I could compel them – and you – to tell me the truth, but I’d rather have it voluntarily froured the truth was about all I had left It ht work, I supposed "My hair is red I dyed it That’s it"

"I see," he said slowly "And ould you do that?"

I shrugged "I wanted a change Girl’s prerogative"

"That still doesn’t explain why your friends – and you – lied about it"

"It’s, uh, a sore point, to be honest I’d rather not talk about it"

I was tying myself up into circles I was pretty sure I’d lied more in the last two days than I had in ood reason as to why I’d dye my hair then lie about it

"You can trust me," he murmured, voice silky smooth

Think, Mack, think "I’ve, um, always hated the colour" Sooo not true "I was teased about it et that I’er My friends understand that"

"To the point where they would lie to the Lord Alpha about it to protect your delicate sensibilities?"

"They’re good friends," I replied shortly

"So, let ht You’ve lied about your hair, you’ve lied about the wolf to the hu that you say be trusted?"

I walked on stiffly I was starting to get very scared indeed "I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately John was…he was…dear to me If I’ve lied to anyone, it’s only so I can find out what happened to hi"

No you couldn’t "I suppose, you could, yes That’s much what I’d expect froet what you want Are you going to?"

"You don’t seeard for us" He stared ahead "It doesn’t h, I have no doubt that you’ll tell me the whole truth eventually, one way or another" There was a faint e to his voice