Her Wild Hero

Zarina pushed the hair that had escaped from her bun back behind her ear. “Not since that live-fire training exercise he and Clayne took part in during the summer. I think all those counseling sessions with Dr. Anders are helping. The other day I actually found him meditating.”


The DCO’s psychiatrist, Marlon Anders, had been talking to Tanner three times a week, but Kendra doubted that was the reason the hybrid was calmer these days. No, this was a case of beauty soothing the savage beast. Even Dick had figured that out. Which made Zarina that much more valuable to him. Because if there was one thing that excited Dick more than the prospect of the DCO having hybrids of their own one day, it was having one of their own right now.

“Have you figured out why Tanner acts differently than other hybrids yet?” Kendra asked.

Zarina hesitated. “Maybe. But I don’t want to say anything until I’m sure.”

Kendra was tempted to push, but didn’t. Zarina would tell her once she knew more. They talked for a little while longer about what Zarina was doing to slow down the DCO’s work on the hybrid front before Kendra left to go to the cafeteria.

“Be careful,” Zarina said. “I’ve heard they have bugs as big as your head down in Central America.”

Kendra shuddered. “Thank you. Now I won’t be sleeping for the next two weeks.”

She picked up the pace as she neared the cafeteria. She didn’t want to be late for her first mission.

She sagged with relief when she spotted Declan MacBride on the far side of the crowded room. At six foot eight, he was hard to miss. It didn’t look like he and his team were leaving yet, so she grabbed a cheeseburger and a plate of fries, then hurried over to their table.

Two of Declan’s teammates, Brent Wilkins and Gavin Barlow, were arguing about baseball—again. The World Series was over, and neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox had played in it, but the two former homicide detectives had made trash-talking about each other’s hometown team a sport all its own.

She pulled out the chair beside Declan and sat down. “Hey.”

He barely glanced at her before pushing away his empty plate. “I’m going to get a couple more cheeseburgers. Anybody want anything?”

On the other side of the table, Brent looked at the big bear shifter like he’d just announced he was taking up ballet. “A couple more? You just ate four.”

Declan shrugged his broad shoulders. “They’re small burgers.”

Kendra looked down at her own cheeseburger. It took up half the plate.

Tate Evers let out a snort. At forty, he was the oldest guy on the team, but you’d never know it by looking at him. “You do realize you’re going on a mission, not into hibernation, right?”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m getting something else to eat. It’s a long flight to Costa Rica.”

Gavin shook his blond head as Declan walked over to the counter. “A real grizzly bear thinks the amount of food Declan puts away is freaking ridiculous.”

Kendra laughed. Poor Declan. His teammates were always teasing him about how much he ate. She was just jealous all that food turned to pure muscle. If she ate half of what he did, she’d roll out of the cafeteria.

She picked up the bottle of ketchup and poured some on her fries. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get something to eat before we left.”

“No worries there.” Tate picked up his fork and dug into a slice of apple pie. “Military flights always run a little late.”

She’d picked up her burger and already taken a couple bites when she realized that Brent and Gavin were eyeing her funny.

“Did we miss something?” Gavin asked Tate in his Boston accent.

Kendra frowned. Tate hadn’t mentioned she was going with them?

“Tate?” Brent prompted when he didn’t answer.

“Kendra’s going to Costa Rica with us,” he said casually.

“What?”

Kendra turned to see Declan standing there with a big plate of food and a pissed-off look on his handsome face.

“Remember I mentioned John was sending an observer down with us?” Tate said. “Kendra’s the observer.”

The muscle in Declan’s jaw ticked under his perpetual stubble. “No, you didn’t mention that.”

“I didn’t? Huh.” Tate shrugged and ate another forkful of pie. “I’m telling you now, then.”

Declan let out a grunt that Kendra couldn’t translate as either acceptance or disagreement. It was just a grunt.

“John finally decided to let you go into the field, huh?” Gavin asked. “Good for you.”

He leaned forward and gave her a fist bump. Kendra laughed as Brent did the same, but her amusement quickly died when she caught sight of Declan. He was sitting beside her, glowering at the cheeseburgers on his plate like he wanted to pound them flat. She stared down at her own burger, not nearly as hungry now. Maybe these next two weeks weren’t going to be as much fun as she’d thought.