“Don’t touch me.” She forced herself to take a step back.
John smiled, smugness filling his gaze, disarming her further. “Why? Your body tells me you like it.”
“You know nothing about my body,” Eva ground out, crossing her arms to create a barrier between them.
His grin turned dangerous, causing butterflies to set flight in her tummy. “I’m a wolf, Eva. I can scent when you’re aroused.”
Her cheeks burned scarlet. “Take me back to my motel, John. I’m not talking about this.”
His expression faded to neutral. “No can do, sweetheart. Looks like you’re checking out.” Startling her, John lifted her into his arms. “Hold tight.”
Eva could do nothing but gasp as he took off, racing through the trees, his breathing not in the least labored despite holding her. She should have protested, she should have at least demanded he put her down, but the truth was, running in John’s arms was like flying, and for the first time, her mind was truly calm.
Chapter 2
John
His wolf was very much in charge as he raced home, Eva safely in his arms. He’d expected her to protest and argue to be put back down, and when she didn’t, his wolf had strutted with smug satisfaction, taking over in all ways but skin.
She was lucky he was so far outside of pack territory when she was attacked. John should have been in bed, having just come off a nightshift, but a restlessness had driven him to run, pulling him away from his home toward the woman he’d been trying to avoid since her arrival. Avoiding and ignoring his base instincts wasn’t working anymore, and he was thankful for the fact; otherwise, Eva might have been taken away from him before he’d even had a chance to know her.
Approaching the inner circle, John let out a low howl, signaling to whoever was near and received an answer from his alpha in return. Bass had just finished a night on patrol; it seemed they both weren’t getting any rest today.
“Report?” Bass instructed as John came to a halt in front of Bass, placing Eva down but keeping her within his embrace. She either enjoyed being near him, or shock was finally catching up with her because she didn’t make any move to avoid his touch.
“Someone tried to snatch Eva on her morning run and throw her into a van. I told Nico as we crossed over the shared border, he’s gone to retrieve the body and bring it and the van onto pack land.”
“Body?” Bass frowned.
John grimaced, guilt slicing at his wolf heart. “I—” His gaze flickered to Eva and back to Bass. How do I explain this? “Later?” John knew why he’d gone straight for the kill, but it didn’t excuse his mistake. The dead couldn’t talk, and until they had some information, Eva wouldn’t be safe.
Bass nodded after a moment’s pause, his gaze flickering between John and Eva. That he took John’s request without question, showing just how trusting and loyal an alpha Bass was. “Eva, are you all right?” Bass asked gently.
“Yeah.” She met his gaze for a moment before looking away. “A little shook up, but I’ll live.”
John studied the redness of her cheek and the various cuts and scrapes on her arms and knees. Eva might live, but even the most minor of wounds was too much for his wolf to handle.
Fucker got what he deserved. No one laid a hand on those John cared for.
Bass’s smile was warm as he nodded. “Good. Let’s find someone to help clean you up and get you settled into Dark Shadow.” Bass searched the area and spotted Olivia. “Liv, can I please borrow you?”
Her gaze met Bass’s before she changed direction. “Sure, what’s up?”
As Olivia headed their way, John struggled silently with his wolf, claiming back control from his wilder side that didn’t necessarily want to allow Eva out of his sight.
“Could you help Eva, please? There was an incident this morning, and she’ll need to stay with pack for a while. Double-check her wounds don’t need looking at by Oliver as well, please.”
Eyes widening, Olivia stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Eva. “Come on,” Olivia reassured. “We’ll patch you up and then find you a change of clothes and a hot drink.”
John forced himself to step back as Olivia guided her away, surprised at how strong his wolf protested. When they’d walked a few paces, an idea came to him that pleased both man and wolf. “Olivia, wait,” John called, jogging over, and then whispered in her ear so that Eva wouldn’t hear. “Eva can stay in my cabin. I have a spare bedroom.”
He held his breath as Olivia stared questioningly, but then she inclined her head in approval and a weight lifted from John’s shoulders. I’ll have her in my territory, and then I’ll make her never want to leave.
“John?” Bass said when he returned. “Explain what is going on.”
Rubbing a hand through his shoulder-length hair, John blew out a breath before making sure no one was close enough to overhear. “I think she’s my mate.” The words came out unsteady, as if John himself couldn’t quite believe them. “I’ve been avoiding the truth since she and Zackary arrived.”
He’d experienced the immediate pull the first time he’d laid eyes on her and avoided her at all costs since, because a wolf like himself had no business courting a human. He wasn’t tame; in fact, the line between his human and wolf halves wasn’t always balanced. There was no pretending he wasn’t a predator, no blending into the human world. John was unapologetically wild, and in most situations, went with the more savage, uncivil, nature of his wolf. It was who he was, and he couldn’t change, not
