Danko finished with another laugh, this one louder and longer. What the hell did he know? Had he sensed her attraction to Zohar? Shit, she hoped not, that would be just too embarrassing.
Wait. He’d said that his boss . . . Zohar, would be unhappy if he left her. Did that mean . . . no. That was impossible. Wasn’t it?
Of course it was. Maisy shook her head as she jogged to catch up to Danko who looked over his shoulder, a glint in his eyes and a large smirk on his face.
Zohar raced through the forest after tearing himself away from Maisy. He couldn’t even remember going to her, only that he’d heard the sound of sobbing while he’d been running wildly and then he’d been right there, next to her.
His beast must have taken over, something that had never happened before. All he knew was that the sound of her grief tore at his heart as if it were breaking in two. The pain so real he felt as if someone had stuck a blade inside him and was sawing him in two, causing him excruciating agony.
When she turned her tear-filled eyes to his, he wanted nothing more than to transform and take her into his arms to comfort her. Then he’d sensed her beast . . . not only felt her Wolf but picked up its excitement at his proximity and she was in human form. How could that be? It jolted him to his senses and he’d bolted so fast that the next thing he knew he was miles away, breathless, shocked and confused.
None of those he was familiar with and which had him transforming to pace around angrily. His fist smashing into the nearest tree trunk over and over, splintering the wood until his knuckles were bruised and bloodied. Sweat dripping down his face to sting his eyes as he heaved great gulps of air into his lungs as he fought to control the emotions that rampaged through him.
Zohar had never felt this overwhelming need to protect anyone before. Yes, he’d spent his life as an Enforcer and defending others was part and parcel of his position, but this was different. This was on a whole new level and he wasn’t sure what the hell was going on.
Was it to do with the spell that had been cast over him? Yet another assault on him? Meant to weaken him and make him vulnerable to attack? Possibly. He had only one person he could discuss this with and that’s who he’d seek out . . . now . . . before things got out of hand and he could no longer carry out his duties.
He’d do whatever it took to ensure that didn’t happen, including sending for the Council’s Witch, Sherman Kelly, to get to the bottom of this. He’d have to tread carefully though, the Council could never know about any of this. That shouldn’t prove too difficult, he was a master at his job, including covert operations, espionage, and deception.
First he had to find Danko and alert him to this new threat.
Looking around Zohar realized he was near the camp, on the opposite side to where he’d seen Maisy earlier. He didn’t transform, not trusting his Wolf to not track down Maisy again, instead he traipsed through the woods stark naked and ignored the cold and wet earth as his feet sank into the ground.
“Damn it,” he grumped, realizing another shower was in his immediate future . . . after he’d spoken with Danko of course.
As he drew nearer, his enhanced abilities picked up the low hum of voices. It was late and the camp was in darkness apart from one or two cabins with dim lights filtering through windows, and he could sense his men around the area who were on guard duty, but other than that nobody else should be out. Zohar slowed his pace, lightening his steps so that nobody would ever hear him coming, as he pressed his body against the nearest building. He slid along the edge until he reached the front corner then stopped, listening intently.
The soft mumble grew until he could clearly distinguish the words . . . and who they belonged to: Danko and Maisy.
Once again a multitude of feelings exploded inside Zohar, surprise quickly followed by annoyance and irritation that rose alarmingly fast to anger. What was Danko doing outside, in the dead of night, with Maisy?
Anger flared inside him, burning brightly until the flame felt real, its heat searing his skin and forcing him from his hiding place. His feet moving before his brain had fully engaged, striding forward as he fought to control the fury that was fighting to break free.
“What’s going on? You shouldn’t be out here in the middle of the night . . . it’s dangerous.”
Even to his own ears he sounded like an angry and petulant child, Danko looking over his shoulder to raise an eyebrow as Maisy’s head popped around his friend’s massive body to stare at him wide-eyed. Her confusion quickly followed with indignation, her arm moving to push Danko out of her way.
“Excuse me? I was right there when you killed Marlon, and pardon me, but he was the biggest threat to all of us. And, wait, oh yeah, I was also there when you sent our glorious Alpha on his way too, with his lovely men in tow. So, pray tell, what’s so dangerous here now? Is it you, Zohar?”
Danko stepped away, his eyes darting between Maisy and him, Zohar’s anger still simmering beneath the surface but under Maisy’s onslaught he was lost for words . . . for a brief moment. He straightened his shoulders, striding forward, forgetting his nakedness, to stand right in front of her.
“We have no way to know whether Jermaine will attempt to return. He had his sights set on
