Chapter Two

25 years later

Casimir Lars fought off his increasing agitation. This woman was proving to be a bear to track down. He remained alert, not about to let his guard down.

Spying the coffee shop he sought, he strode across the street, well aware yet ignoring those who watched him. Mostly women and he could sense the lust coming from them. He pushed through and scanned the patrons. The only information he had was she was a black woman. That was it. Oh, and her name.

His phone vibrated. “What?”

“How’s the hunt going?”

“Not in the mood, Kraven.” Mattias Kraven, not just one of his top lieutenants but the top and his best friend.

The laughter, unapologetic. “I am sending you her picture. I finally located one.”

“Good.” It had both baffled and annoyed him no pictures were found of her. “Anything else?”

“Two from the Western Clan are coming in to discuss the issues we’ve been having along their border with them. I will handle it.”

“Make sure the cubs are there to apologize, we don’t need to be at war with them.”

“I will. Have fun.”

More unappreciated laughter. Casimir hung up and waited for the image and name. When he saw it, he understood why they’d not found her. Her last name was different than his grandparents had given him.

Dyana Vance. Not Hunt like they’d assumed. A lot more information popped up but he ignored it. It wasn’t pertinent to learn about her, just to get what he came for.

He spied her in the far corner. Unlike most who occupied the place, she read an actual book instead of being on an electronic device. He read the title and realized he had no clue what Straits of Power was about, although with the submarine on the cover, he deduced an idea. He also hadn’t heard of the author, Joe Buff.

He strolled over to her table and waited for her to acknowledge him. She finished her page before deigning to glance at him. Her brown eyes snared him, the amber flecks they contained were unique. One eyebrow had a slash through it and rose.

She summarily dismissed him and went back to her book. He frowned, being the alpha of his pack he wasn’t used to being waved off like yesterday’s trash.

“Yana!” A female hollered from behind him.

His target, closed her book immediately, and slid it into an old tatty black backpack. She got to her feet, shouldered her bag, and brushed by him without a word.

“I’m coming, Shyla.”

“We’re going to be late!”

“We’ll be the first ones there. As usual. I don’t think the Banks’ will party without you.”

Humor laced her tone. His wolf perked up its ears but other than that showed no more than a passing interest. He realized she was on her way out and turned to stop her, no way he was leaving without getting what he came for.

She stood by her friend, Shyla. A pretty petite blonde with a huge smile. Even less reaction from his wolf. He took a step in their direction when someone else came up to them. A black woman who also smiled a lot.

Dyana shoved a hand through her straight hair and the sun gleamed off the gold highlights, as she laughed at her friend’s comment. She had a nice laugh.

A new scent hit him. It garnered a response from him and his wolf. Turning back, he instantly spotted the man who’d entered via the other door.

He looked like the majority of the people he’d seen, however, the scent he emitted told an entirely different story. The man hunted. When he met Casimir’s gaze, he deferred immediately. He was a beta all the way around and wouldn’t challenge an alpha. Even if that one wasn’t on his own territory but outside it.

Once an alpha, always one.

With a blink, Casimir glanced back to where she’d been. She was gone. Ignoring his wolf’s amusement, he locked onto her scent and began tracking her.

She and her friends stood at an outdoor stall, admiring the purses. More the other two. Ready to go home, he approached and waited for eye contact. When she noticed him, her eyes narrowed and he became more alert.

“You were watching me in the coffee shop. Something I can do for you, hoss?”

Hoss? He truly needed to get home.

“Dyana Vance?”

She sucked on her teeth while her friends paid a bit more attention to the both of them. “Who are you?”

“Casimir Lars.”

He waited. Waited for the recognition to appear. Perhaps even a little bit of awe. What he got was her unwrapping and popping in two pieces of gum. Mint. “That name supposed to mean something to me?”

“Yes.”

She shared an amused look with her friends. “One o’ y’all put him up to this?” They both shook their heads. “Sorry, hoss. It means nothing.”

He caught a flash of pain which whisked across her sienna skin. His wolf lifted his head, his need to protect others strong.

“We met before.” He exhaled sharply, his wolf responding to his increased agitation. “I need five minutes of your time.”

“No can do. I will say, it’s a line I’ve not heard before, Casimir Lars.”

Dyana walked away with her friends. It wasn’t until he watched her step on to the waiting bus, he realized she had a limp. His lip curled. She had a weakness. Something others could exploit.

A similar scent filtered through the others in the air to his nostrils. His wolf rumbled in time with his own. There was someone out there after him. He knew when he was being hunted. This wasn’t his turf and he’d come alone without protection. Not that he needed it. However, the hunters were severely underestimating him if they thought they would succeed. Not only was he an alpha. He was the Alpha of his pack.

He couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it came from. His phone rang and he answered it as he returned to his vehicle.

“What?”

“Is it done?” His grandfather’s baritone reached him.

“No, sir.”

“What’s the hold up?”

“She doesn’t remember me. My name means nothing to her at all.” Yep, that still grated.

“Should be easy to get her agreement then.” His grandfather hung up.