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With one hand, he yanked off his sweatpants, balled them in a fist, and tossed them in the direction of the house, cell phone and all. At the same time, he picked up speed, feeling his bare feet sink into the damp earth. Fresh blood dribbled harmlessly down his leg, not that the wound would plague him for much longer.
He inhaled the damp air, feeling his entire body thrum with the urge that preceded the shift. He had only a split-second’s warning to throw his hands out in front of him before his body compacted, twisted, and transformed into the sleek form of a wolf.
He hit the ground running, barely losing momentum, and headed straight for the perimeter of his property. His land, while minuscule compared to Lukka’s territory, was all he had. If that young pup had managed to walk right onto it without fear, then what was stopping someone like Kyle?
Or worse.
Justified or not, he hadkilledon another Alpha’s territory. Offenses like that weren’t just ignored—they couldn’t be.Sooner or later,theywould come knocking, demanding answers.
That makes two of us,Bill thought, as he began to scout, hunting for so much as a leaf out of place. Then, he pushed further into New Walsh, ensuring that Kyle and his cohorts hadn’t infiltrated the town as well. He didn’t like it. It was risky to venture beyond his property, especially with Loren there alone.
But therein lay the power of the mating bond. He could feel her despite the distance, always. Even if he hadn’t followed her to Black Mountain, he would have known the instant she was in danger. If he were being honest with himself, he’d admit that from the second Kyle had arrived, she’d been afraid. That fear drew him like a moth to a flame, arguing with the logical part of him that knew she’d be better off with the pack. She washis. His.Even if he couldn’t keep her here for long.
Regardless, if anyone dared to harm her, he’d come.
And ensure they never could again.
29
Thump!
Loren jolted awake with a wince. Her head was throbbing, her bottom lip stung, and the inside of her mouth tasted like copper. With one hand, she cradled her temple and tried to get her bearings.
For the first time since finding herself at Officer McGoven’s, she wasn’t in that large bed upstairs. She was on the couch instead, with a pile of schoolbooks on her lap and a pencil clutched in her fist.
Huh?
The last thing she remembered was attempting to tackle the work Naomi left. If she were going to stay in New Walsh a little longer, she might as well keep her academics on track. Plus, it gave her an excuse to stay up and wait for McGoven to come back—all while, tryingnotto be driven insane by the million thoughts crashing through her brain.
Dangerous thoughts. The main one being that the man who’d taken her in claimed to be able to shift into a wolf at will. Not to mention the bombshell that her father wasn’t really her father after all.
She needed answers, and despite being obviously mentally unbalanced, Officer McGoven was the only person around. When he wasn’t staying out all night, of course.
She guessed it to be a little after dawn, though not by much. A glance out the window revealed it had stopped raining, leaving the ground coated in a thick, silvery mist. Inside, the house was toasty warm and, despite wearing only a mud-splattered T-shirt, she felt comfortable. At least her ankle wasn’t hurting anymore.
Yawning, she pulled herself upright, leaning against the couch for balance. It was only then that she realized that she hadn’t woken up by coincidence. McGoven was back—she knew that as surely as her own name. And…he was angry. The emotion seeped into her in waves. It wasn’t her rage. Her disgust. But his…
She could hear him. “Fuck!”
The sound sent her scrambling to her feet, and she raced through the house, stumbling onto the front porch. Icy daylight painted the landscape in muted shades of gray, creating a deceptively beautiful backdrop to the chaos awaiting her.
Blood flooded her nostrils first. Sharp. Pungent. But… It smelled different than hers or McGoven’s. A heartbeat later, she spotted the source. Milky, large eyes stared up at her from the welcome mat, but they weren’t human. They belonged to what once was a deer. Its head leaked a puddle of fresh blood that pooled over the wood.
A few paces away, propped against the steps, was its body.
“Get back!” She looked up to find McGoven racing down the path, his sweatpants caked in mud. “Get inside,” he commanded.
She didn’t even think to argue. Bile crawled up her throat as she turned away from the grisly sight. The smell haunted her, and the potential explanations weighed on her mind. Had the poor thing gotten lost? Had someone dropped off roadkill as a joke?
You know it wasn’t a joke,that inner voice warned.This is dangerous. Listen to him.
She could hear him grunting, and curiosity made her peek out of the kitchen window. Already, he was halfway to the trees, the deer slung over his shoulder effortlessly. He moved with a grace that took her breath away—but his anger was glaringly apparent.
She tried to distract herself. She retreated into the shower and got dressed in the only clothing she could find—his shirt and a ragged pair of sweats. The second she entered the hall, her heart skipped a beat. Someone was in the house with her—in the kitchen, to be exact. Without bothering to be quiet, they rummaged through the cupboards, slamming several heavy objects down hard on the counter.
Thump! Bang! Slam!
The moment she crept to the doorway, the sounds stopped.
