Page 54 of Wolf's Chance

Her attention was on the trees. “I wouldn’t be able to settle,” she told me, offering me the open bag of chips, and I shook my head. “I would hear every unknown sound and be sure I was going to get murdered.”

Balling up my trash, I could see it as clear as day. “Yeah, I don’t say this often, but I think you should forget camping and stick to hotels.”

“Agreed.”

She lapsed into silence, content to sit on the tailgate while I checked the truck over. I hadn’t had much chance to check it out. It was fairly modern, so there was not much wrong with it. Guzzled gas, but all these vehicles did.

“You like the solitude, don’t you?”

Looking up, I realized she’d been watching me. “I’m comfortable in my own company, yes.”

Willow’s lips curved into a smile. “Loner, it’s the same answer.”

“I guess it is.” I went back to checking the condition of the truck. I heard her dismount from the back, and by the time I’d circled the vehicle, she was tidying up. “You ready or do you need the ladies again?” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder, and she swatted me away.

“I’ll hold it if need be.”

“Suit yourself, I’m going now.” I stepped into the thicket and quickly took care of business. I hadn’t lied before; she had been half asleep the other times, but I hadn’t touched her or seen anything I shouldn’t. I hadn’t told her she fell over once, because there was nothing that I couldn’t brush off her clothes and she didn’t need to know. Fortunately, she’d toppled overaftershe was dressed, which had helped.

Walking back to the truck, I reached in and took out the sanitizer. Willow was frowning at the trees.

“Seal’s broken,” I told her. “You’re better off just going now.”

She didn’t look my way, but she grabbed some paper napkins from the lunch bag and headed to the trees. Knowing she couldn’t see me, I smiled at her back. She was funny withher silliness. My smile faded as I also thought about how frustrating she was at times.

We had a few hours left before I would need to leave the truck and call Alpha Cannon. He’d texted a couple of times, not at all happy when I told him there were wolves in the woods at Willow’s house. He, like me, suspected that we would be followed.

Why were we being followed? Neither of us had that answer.

I heard her cursing and fought back the laughter. Willow in the woods was like watching a newborn deer trying to walk on ice. She was so far from her comfortable life it was amusing. I could sympathize in a way. I felt uncomfortable when I was in towns and cities.

Willow emerged from the trees, twisting and turning to check out her ass, and I guessed she’d fallen again.

“Stumbled over a tree root,” she explained. When she saw my lips twitch, she glared at me. “Shut it.”

Pressing my lips tighter together, I averted my head. “Wouldn’t dream of saying anything. You ready?”

“Yeah.” To my surprise, she opened the passenger door and climbed in.

“The back?”

“Nah,” she said, looking at the back seat. “I spend so much time lying down. It’s good to sit.”

I could understand. “Okay, but if you need to rest, take the time to do it.” She saw I was serious and rolled her eyes at me. “Willow?”

“Yes! I will, okay? Happy?”

“Are we ever truly happy?” I countered. She ignored meand looked out the window. We drove in silence for a while, and I decided I’d waited long enough. “Any urges?”

Willow had been watching the road but turned to look at me. “Urges?”

“To draw, or paint?”

“Ohh.” As she drew her knees to her chest, I almost scolded her to keep her feet off the seats when I remembered this wasn’t my truck and Willow probably had a better idea of what Lily allowed in her truck than I did. “No urges.” She thought about it. “Nope, all clear.”

Was that good? “Good.”

Willow bent her head, her chin resting on her knees. “Maybe you were right?”

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