Page 85 of What a Wolf's Heart Decides

Haley met his gaze and whined. That was the least of their problems. There was a killer on the loose! Or an attempted one, at least.

“What are you doing out here?”

She tossed her head in the direction the man had gone.

Ben didn’t seem to notice. He lifted the coat away and swore. “This is too much for him to heal on his own.”

Frustration boiled up. Why wasn’t he asking how it happened? She leapt over Joel’s body and nipped at Ben’s arm.

“Hey!” He scrambled back, nearly losing his grip on the bloodied coat.

She danced away, tossing her head once more.

“Haley, we need to get Bard.”

Maybe, but they also needed to stop the man in the hoodie before he attacked someone else. But she couldn’t communicate that to Ben. Not in wolf form.

Out of options, she gave him what she hoped was an exasperated look, then went behind a tree. Some wolves were fine with shifting in front of others, but she never liked it. Nudity was one thing. Letting someone ogle her internal organs was another.

Her transition was more painful than usual—a result of her long trek through the snow followed by changing on an empty stomach. Even so, she forced the transformation, urging herself to go faster. Her muscles spasmed, and she almost bit through her lower lip as she clenched her jaw while her fangs were still engaged. After a minute, she huddled naked on the forest floor, her bare feet numb on a carpet of dead leaves and frost.

Before she could stand, Ben was at her side, his arm under her elbow as he helped her up. “What are you doing? It’s fifteen degrees out here.”

“B-believe me, I know.” She clenched her jaw so her teeth wouldn’t chatter.

He swore and put his arms around her. “Let me give you my shirt.”

“N-no.” She pushed on his chest, and he let her pull back. “Ben, listen. It was a latent. A m-man in a gray hooded sweatshirt. Red hair. I saw him in Elder Lake earlier today.” Her mind spun. Was it really just that morning? A headache started in her temples, and her vision dimmed. She blinked several times and focused harder on Ben’s face.

He gripped her arms, his expression stern. “You’re certain?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I’ve been around enough latents to know what moon madness looks like.”

“That’s not what I meant. You’re sure about the sweatshirt and the red hair?”

She nodded. “It was the same man I saw today.”

His face was grim. “Not a man. A boy.”

She blinked, her brain like mush. Wind gusted, brushing her bare skin with icy fingers. “What do you mean?”

“His name is Sam. He’s fourteen.”

Her throat went dry. “But . . . he could still Turn—”

“No, he can’t.” Ben’s gaze was steady. “It’s too late, Haley. You know that as well as I do.”

The wind gusted harder, and she lost the battle against chattering her teeth. He pulled her against him, chafing her arms with his palms. The position smashed her breasts against his chest and brought their hips together. He smelled of cinnamon, she thought absently. Cinnamon and blood.

A groan came from the clearing.

She slipped from Ben’s arms and hurried to Joel’s side. His eyes were open, and they widened as he met her gaze.

“You . . . Breaking . . .”

Ben knelt at her side and put his hand on Joel’s chest. “We’re taking you to Bard.”

Joel acted as if he hadn’t heard. He held Haley’s stare. His lips moved but no sound emerged.

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