Never in a million years would Debbie have believed she’d be running alongside Allan as a wolf while he was carrying a dead, naked body. She hated that they couldn’t tell Rowdy the case wasn’t cold. That they’d solved it for him. She couldn’t believe she had a mad-wolf self, but when the guy began shooting at her and Allan, and continued after Allan identified himself as with the police, she knew she had to help take him down in any way that she could. Since using a gun hadn’t been an option, she had to use her wolf teeth.
He was too big, too powerful for her, but she’d hoped Allan could shoot him and that would be the end of it. He returned fire in self-defense. There were enough rounds fired at Allan and her to support their case. But killing him as a wolf screwed everything up. At one point, she had thought real wolves wouldn’t matter to the lupus garous. But she could see they treasured them as much as they did their own wolf packs and would protect them at all costs by covering up a wolf killing.
She was glad she had turned into the wolf because she had managed to stop Otis in his flight from justice. She wouldn’t have if she’d been running as a human.
Even though the bad guy was a bad guy, she still hated knowing he would be left for the scavengers to feed off instead of being turned in to the police. She realized it was for the best though.
After leaving Otis in the wilderness, Allan and Debbie headed back to where they had left their vehicle. Allan was quiet, and she wished he’d talk to her—not that she could respond much as a wolf. She finally woofed at him.
He smiled down at her and ran his gloved hand over her head.
“Sorry, gathering wool again. I hope that what we did worked. That if anyone’s up here, either the snow will have fallen again and covered up the fight and our walk toward the cliff, or everything will have melted off and left no trails behind.”
She woofed in agreement.
“You did a hell of a job back there.”
She growled a little. She’d do it again in a heartbeat to protect her…mate. She’d mated with him, sure, but this was the first time she’d actually thought of him as her mate and not her lover, her friend, confidant, dive partner, and the one she dearly loved.
Her phone vibrated in the field pack. He pulled it off his shoulders as they continued to trudge through the snow, keeping to the same path they had used to get there. He found her phone in her pants pocket and said, “Hell, it’s Rowdy.”
She nodded.
“I wonder if he’s been told already about the find at the storage unit.”
When they reached the car, Allan unlocked the door and opened it for her, but as soon as she jumped in, she bit at the field pack as he tried to drop it on the floor. She was ready to shift again. She sighed. She hoped she would have better control over this soon.
Allan closed her door and got in on the driver’s side while he watched her shift and begin to get dressed. “Ready?”
“Yeah, I can dress while you drive.”
“What are you going to say to Rowdy?”
“Depends on what he says first.” She sighed again and pulled her sweater over her head.
He glanced at her again. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I could snuggle with you in bed, as a wolf if I have to, for a week. But only until I have more control over the shifting for the rest of the month.”
“Next phase of the new moon, we’re only going to have fun.”
She smiled at him. “You know what? Being with you is all the fun I need.”
He chuckled. “Even when I’m being my mad-wolf self?”
“I was so thankful you had one. Me too.”
“So about the rest of the schedule…I guess we can fit it all in the next time.”
She pulled out the list and examined it studiously.
“Well? Where did you want to go next?”
“I know it’s not on the list,” she said, reaching over and running her hand over his thigh. “But I thought we might return to the cabin for a week of hibernation during the full moon.”
He raised his brows. “So you did want to sleep some.”
“Ha! No way. I need me some wolf loving.”
Fully dressed, she pulled out her cell phone. “Wait. If Rowdy figured out where I called him from, he could come to see why we were out here.” She was about ready to tuck her phone away when she had another thought. “I’ll wait to call him from the cabin. But you said you’d talk to Paul. I’ll call for us.”
“Good thinking.”
“Paul? We’re on our way home.”
“Helluva job, Debbie. Welcome to the pack.”
*
When they arrived home, Allan was concerned about how she was feeling, emotionally and physically. She loved him for being so sensitive.
“I have to admit, this whole situation is disturbing, but I can see how important it is to keep our kind secret. Wish me luck when I call Rowdy.”
“Should we have a fire after showering or—”
“I’m all for going to bed after we take a shower together.” With great reluctance, she called Rowdy, grateful that the case was solved to their satisfaction, even if it wasn’t for Rowdy. “Hey,” she said as Allan helped her out of her parka.
“Hey. I’m at the storage unit where the weapons and such were found. Is that Vaughn Greystoke another wolf?”
She just sighed. “I guess just about everyone is.”
“Not me.”
“Except for you.”