Angela settled herself on the couch, rubbing at her tired eyes, and Marc forced his mouth shut. He was going slowly, so that he didn't miss anything important, and was already seeing stuff that bothered him. The jumpiness and hand flinching toward her gun at every sound could be attributed to her being attacked by the brothers, but there was also the way she hesitated to walk very close or look him in the eye. The no physical contact was a given, but her cold reaction to his hug had been unexpected, uncalled for. What had…
"Where'd you get the wolf?"
"Dog?" Marc smiled awkwardly, not sure how much of his thoughts she'd been picking up. "He's a half-blood, they think, brought in with a pack that was killing livestock. Some were trained for police work, but Dog here, refused to conform. I got him when no one could make any progress."
"They were gonna put him down?"
"Yeah. My buddy had a farm with lots of room and once there, Dog just settled right in and we made friends."
"He obeys well for still being mostly wild. It's good that you didn't take that from him."
Marc lit a smoke, thinking most people didn't realize that fact when they heard the story. "I only changed him where I had to. He went on base with me, on missions a few times. It saved my ass more than once to have him along."
"It sounds like you've lived the ideal bachelor's life." Angela hated herself for being too weak to resist and was aware he knew the answer mattered.
Marc tried to steel his heart, but didn't hesitate. "There was never anyone for me after you. You're a tough act to follow."
The old Angela did enjoy the hurt in his voice this time, and she slapped out at him with sharp claws not quite fully extended. "Hell, Brady. Thought you'd have a supermodel by now. I never figured you for a swinging-single."
Marc smiled uncertainly, shrugging, but his heart screamed ambush at her almost accusing tone. "I wasn't that either. Too many strange ones out there. I had one very fast date with a girl who had a nose ring and three-inch black fingernails. Just strange."
Angela opened her mouth before she could censor the words and was appalled by the jealousy that spewed out. Her claws now sparkled, found blood. "Did she have long black curls and pale, white skin like all the others? Did you see my face when you exploded in her?"