The Alpha Claims A Mate by Georgette St. Clair Read Free Book Online Page B

under their breath.
     
    “Both of you are risking getting thrown out of school, do you realize that? And if anyone thought that Professor Reese was romantically involved with any of his students, which I’m sure he’s not, he could be suspended from the university. Or fired. Is that what you want?’
     
    Both of them hung their h eads and muttered sullen “No’s”  as they marched into the dining room.  Professor Reese was already there, digging into a cheese omelet.
     
    “So, how is our newest sheriff’s deputy?” Professor Reese asked cheerfully, as Tallulah took a seat on one side of him and Brenda sat down on the other side. He seemed completely unaware of all the tension that he was causing.
     
    Winifred watched both of them with a quizzical expression on her face.   Ginger imagined that she was probably composing a thesis proposal based on their behavior.
     
    “Fine, thank you.”
     
    “Pass me the butter, will you, my dear?” said the professor. The butter was a foot away from him, Ginger thought with exasperation, but she reached for it. “I’ll do it!” Tallulah said hastily, and leaped up, reached over the table, grabbed the butter, and set it in front him.
     
    “Thank you, angel.” He beamed at her approvingly, and Brenda rolled her eyes and made a gagging motion.
     
    Tallulah practically glowed at the compliment.
     
    “By the way, you look very nice. I see you’ve finally started taking my advice and you’re putting on some makeup. Just in time for your ridealong,” Marigold said smugly. “I look forward to hearing all the details of your hot date.”
     
    “How many times do I have to tell you, he doesn’t like me in that way? And the feeling’s mutual. He’s bossy and smug.”
     
    “If he didn’t like you in that way, he wouldn’t have you riding along in his car with him all day long;  he’d stick you in the office doing paperwork and answering phones. As for his personality, when he was waiting for you to get ready yesterday he was absolutely charming. I think you’re the one with personality issues.”
     
    “You know, a lapful of hot coffee would severely cramp your style with the local boys,” Ginger said threateningly, nudging her mug with her elbow. “It would leave blisters.”
     
    “I ain’t a-scaired of you,” Marigold said, but she scooted her chair away so she was out of Ginger’s reach.
     
    “So are things going well on the dig?” Ginger asked the professor. “The sheriff mentioned that the Panther Nation have been giving you some grief.”
     
    “Unfortunately, that’s true,” the professor nodded. “But we’re not going to let them scare us off. Are we, girls?” He beamed at his students.
     
    They all shook their heads fervently, staring at him with adoring eyes.
     
    “Why do they think that you’re after their artifacts?”
     
    “Oh, just paranoia and suspicion of outsiders.” He waved his hand dismissively.  “They’re trying to claim we’re here to steal their tribal artifacts, but we’re not . We’re working a very promising fossil bed from the paleolithic area. We’ve found mastodon bones and teeth.  We’ve very clearly demonstrated the legitimacy of our dig.” He shrugged, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
     
    The floorboards creaked as the new handyman walked in.  Ginger saw Marigold’s eyes flick appreciatively at him. He was a good looking specimen. A panther shifter, he was muscular and had long black hair tied back in a ponytail, and he wore tight jeans and a tank top. He carried a tool box with him.
     
    “Everything okay in here, folks?” he asked. “ I just need to measure these windows so I can put in new frames, if it’s not a bother.”
     
    “That is a fascinating regional dialect,” Winifred said.  “Is your original pack domicile located in regions Northwest of here?”
     
    “Uhhhh….” He stared at her, baffled.
     
    “She’s saying she loves your accent and asking where