Page 2 of Gabe's Lone Wolf

“Lucky for you, I don’t.” The guy spared me a glance then immediately turned back to the road. “Also lucky for you, I decided to check your Jeep for trackers. I found two by the way. You’re welcome.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that. They had to be fresh. I’d just pulled one from the inner wheel well a few days ago. I had no idea who the hell kept putting them on. If Cam or one of his goons ever got that close, they wouldn’t waste time with a tracker.

“Before you stole it? Thank you.”

I’m sure he didn’t miss the sarcasm dripping from my mouth. I glanced back, searching the road behind us.

“Are they following?”

“Not yet, and I wasn’t stealing it. I was looking for you.” His gaze flicked from the road to briefly meet mine again. “I know who you are, Eliza Blackwood. About your pack and the alpha you’re on the run from. What I don’t know is, how you keep trusting the wrong people.”

“Including yourself in that group?” I asked as I eased my body closer to the door.

He snorted then took a sharp left, jerking me toward him and making me regret not reaching for my seatbelt when I’d first taken my seat.

“No, I’m going to help you get free of that alpha back there for good.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” he offered softly, and I wondered if he was thinking of someone else for a moment.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m good.”

He snorted again. “I was back there in the parking lot where they were prepared to take you. They would have. If I hadn’t been there, you’d be naked and mounted in that parking lot while his boys watched and cheered.”

He growled with disgust, letting me know his thoughts on that scenario mirrored my own.

“Who are you?” I asked again.

“There’s something I need your help with, and I have information that will help you.”

I shrugged, noting once again he’d omitted telling me who he was.

“So how does this work then? You help me, then I help you?”

And what type of information did he want? I found it hard to believe that I knew anything he didn’t. Hell, he knew my name and about the pack and alpha I was running from. I knew nothing about him. Except for the fact he was far too comfortable behind the wheel of my ride.

“One lone wolf to another?” he suggested, moving his hand off the wheel and flicking his fingers back and forth between us.

My gaze snagged on the scars that ran up the back of his hand and disappeared beneath the cuff of his shirt. What had he survived to walk away with twisted tissue like that? They made me think of a woman I’d seen who’d survived being set on fire.

As if reading my concern, he tugged his sleeve down before moving his hand back to steering, covering the scarring from my sight but not my mind. There was pain there. Based on the damage left behind, I’d guess it was unspeakable in nature. But I had the impression it was more emotional than anything physical he might have endured.

“You can’t help me. I wish you could.”

The last was voiced so low I almost didn’t catch it.

“We could join forces. I’ll watch your back. You watch mine.”

Where the hell had that offer come from? Thankfully, he laughed. It was deep and rich and made me wish I felt even a spark of heat for the man beside me. I had the impression he might need a friend as much as I did right now.

“We’re not headed in the same direction,” he informed me.

“We could,” I offered, but he shook his head.

“You keep finding the wrong packs. You need to head south. Rigton County. The James Pack is there. Bastion James. He’ll protect you.”

I was curious if he was a part of the James Pack. I’d never seen them, but the stories that circulated among other packs were enough to make me leery. They were the biggest, baddest wolf pack out there. The thought of running to them for help was almost scarier than the prospect of facing Cam and his posse on my own.