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Bracing his legs apart, Kade reached out and grabbed the man’s wrist with his free hand. The other was wrapped securely around Luna’s waist. No way was he letting her go. The guy looked up. Whatever he was about to say, he swallowed back.
“Ah, yeah, sure.” He jumped up, grabbing his friend’s arm. “Get up, Chris.”
Chris finally pulled his attention from the device in his hand. Honestly, could these two be any more oblivious to danger? In the wild, they’d already be dead. He took one look at Kade and jumped up. Okay, maybe he did have some survival skills after all.
Grunting, he pointed Luna to one of the seats. Her lips twitched in amusement, as if she couldn’t believe what he’d done, she eased down. “You joining me?”
“No.” As much as he’d love to, standing gave him a better vantage point. An older lady, her hair graying at the roots was sandwiched between several younger ladies. When one of them saw the open seat, she lunged for it. He stepped in front of it. “Not you.” He indicated the older lady. “Come, take a seat.”
Her smile was nervous, but she hustled over and dropped down. “Thank you.” She glanced at Luna. “Your young man has manners. Not many do today.”
He swallowed a smile. He was twice her age.
“He’s one of a kind, all right.” The underlying sarcasm had him biting the inside of his mouth to keep from grinning. Luna’s sass was rebounding. Her coloring was better, and some of the hurt had faded from her eyes, replaced by speculation. There was no way to know what she was thinking. Life would be much easier if he could read her mind.
His wolf stirred when the train stopped at the next station and the car doors slid open. A familiar scent wafted in the air. He homed in on a single male dressed casually in jeans and a sport coat.
The strange wolf stopped mid step, his head snapping toward Kade. Unlike the human males, there was nothing wrong with his instincts. He backpedaled so fast he lost his balance and fell on his ass. The people around him complained, some of them swearing. Uncaring about the turmoil he created, he jumped up and beat feet for the exit. He didn’t look back and was already yanking out his phone as he hit the stairs.
Shit, talk about bad luck. In a matter of hours, every pack in the city would be aware the gray wolf was in town. That would stir up unease, everyone speculating why he was here, who he’d come for.
And once the gossip made the rounds of the packs, it would reach his enemies. Not that it mattered. Solange had approached Luna. She was aware he was in the city. Having the packs involved might make things messy. The white wolf had already unsettled them by approaching them for information. Having his presence confirmed was going to ramp up their anxiety.
Nothing he could do about it. Best to focus on what was most important. That would be Solange Dupree, the mage Devlin had mentioned. The name was too unusual, the interest in the wolf painting too much of a coincidence. He needed to question Luna, but not until they had privacy.
His anger had slipped out of his control back at the hotel and sent Luna into a panic attack, something that filled him with regret.
The mage had marked her.
His wolf growled, on high alert, aware of everyone around them. So far, it was strictly humans. He hoped it stayed that way. On edge as he was, he pitied the first wolf that got in his face.
There was always some idiot who wanted to make a name by fighting, and potentially killing, the lone wolf. He’d dispatched his share of them. Too many. You’d think they’d learn and use it as a cautionary tale for their younger pups.
Catching his unease, people around him began to stir restlessly. He had to lock down this shit. He had a reputation for being laid back. It was the white and black wolves who were intense loners. He was actually good with people.
That was before he had a woman to protect.
He wanted to throw his head back and howl in frustration. The white wolf had been right, damn it. Whatever connection there was between him and Luna—magic or not—it was powerful. Undeniable.
Luna reached out and took his hand. He tensed, expecting a magical attack, but nothing happened. It was too late to worry about it now. The damage was done; they’d made physical contact. He felt no different, and neither did his wolf. Concern reflected on her face. She sensed he was upset and was trying to reassure him. His chest constricted, and a sense of well-being flooded him. It was a simple gesture, yet something rare and precious, worth more to him than priceless gold or jewels.
He’d hurt her feelings. That hadn’t been his intent, but that didn’t change the outcome. Yet she put aside her own upset and reached out to him. The voice of reason urged him to break off the contact. He linked their fingers together.
His wolf had calmed as soon as they touched. It was uncanny, and downright scary, that a human woman could affect him to such a degree. They were strangers whose lives had collided. The result? Neither of them would ever be the same again.
Two stops later, he tightened his grip and gently pulled her to her feet. “This is where we get off.” When they hit the sidewalk, they started walking.
“Will you slow down?” She tugged at her hand. “We’re not running a race. If we’re trying to look inconspicuous, it won’t work if you’re practically dragging me.”
“Sorry.” He immediately slowed his stride. He’d been so intent on getting her to safety he hadn’t taken the difference in the lengths of their legs into consideration. And that was a crime, considering she had fine legs. Long and slender, they were currently encased in a pair of pale-gray leggings that stopped at her ankles. She’d topped it with a silky, white tank top and a long, lightweight beige sweater. Leather flats that matched the sweater finished the outfit. Sexy and classy. And different from what she’d been wearing this morning. She’d taken the time to change. What she was wearing was more practical for moving quickly.
It was unforgivable that he hadn’t noticed how damn delicious she looked until now, but the stench of magic coming off her had thrown him earlier. Now that he had, he wanted to peel each layer of clothing away and uncover the delights lying beneath.
“Not much farther,” he assured her. “Once we’re alone, we’ll talk, and I’ll explain everything.”
…
That didn’t sound ominous, not at all. Luna was on a rollercoaster she couldn’t get off. She hated it.
