Page 15 of Kin of the Wolf

As a wolf, with fur covering my body, nudity wasn’t a concern. Only when the magic faded completely, leaving me crouching beside the van, did I come fully back to myself—and realize I was naked in full view of the road.

6

Without any clothes on,the December air was cold. Worse, a car whizzing past honked before I opened the Roadtrek’s door—fortunately, we hadn’t locked up—and slipped into the passenger seat.

I was thinking about hunting in the back for something to cover myself with when Duncan opened the driver-side door and hopped in. He dropped his magnet, now detached from the shopping cart, onto the cup holders, then handed me my jacket before turning the key in the ignition.

“We need to skedaddle. Those were the owners of the shop, and they called the police. I tried to convince them you were my dog—sorry about the indignity of that—but they didn’t believe it. There was a mirror that looked into that aisle, and the man saw you change.” Duncan glanced at me, held up a finger, then ducked into the back, returning with the blanket I’d tied aroundhisnaked body that morning. “I thought this might come in handy later.”

“Thanks.” After checking my jacket to make sure my phone and keys were still in the pocket, I draped the blanket over myself. “And thanks for not gawking at my naked body.”

“My lady, I wouldneverdo such a thing.”

“Noble.”

“A short glance is all I need to sear such memories into my mind to treasure later.” Duncan smirked at me before putting the van into reverse.

“I retract my adjective,” I stated, though I might have secretly been pleased hewantedto remember my nudity and might treasure it. By now, I knew he was attracted to me, but reminders and admissions were pleasing to hear. Even if I wouldn’t admit it aloud.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have bragged about my memory capabilities.” Duncan pointed to the parking lot as we passed the store, the criminals long gone but the two downed motorcycles remaining. “I think those guys were supposed to pick the others up after the robbery. I heard one talking about wanting them to hurry up.”

“I wonder if they’re related to the motorcycle riders who vandalized our parking lot the day we first met.”

Those guys had smashed windows and dented vehicles, not stolen anything, but that was probably only because we’d been there to stop them.

“I don’t know,” Duncan said. “Are gangs rampant in the area?”

“They didn’tusedto be. This was always a safe suburb within easy commuting distance of Seattle. I never worried about my boys playing outside when they were growing up.” I shook my head, lamenting the decline and not wanting to admit it might have gotten worse than I’d realized.

At a red light, Duncan gave me a long look.

“What? You’re not going to say I should have brought your sword, are you?”

He snorted softly. “No. You did fine without it. I’ll admit I didn’t expect you to change in the middle of the store.”

“It happened of its own accord when they started shooting at me.”

“Understandable. But…”

“The owner got a good look?” I wondered if there’d been a security camera and would be footage. In the face of that, the police might have to reevaluate their belief in werewolves. And if they were able to identify me, they might also connect me to the deaths at the apartment complex.

“Yes,” Duncan said. “His wife did too.”

I groaned and dropped my head into my lap. Would I have to abandon my job and flee the country? Join Duncan in itinerant treasure-hunting around the world? I didn’t long for that. I might want a mission, but I didn’t want to travel the world while the law sought me out. I wanted to buy my fourplex and have a comfortable retirement one day. I liked stability, not chaos.

“I don’t know if you noticed,” Duncan said, “but the wife had a hint of magic in her blood.”

“I didn’t notice, no. I was busy being indignant about being called Fluffy.”

“That’swhat distressed you most?” he asked dryly.

“No. I’m most worried about the possible repercussions of being seen. All I was trying to do was defend myself.”

“You also stopped a robbery and possibly saved their lives. You didn’tdoanything wrong.”

“I bit a guy in the nuts.”

Duncan gaped at me, then dropped a protective—or empathetic—hand over his lap.

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