Page 12 of The Beast's Betrayed Mate
Her eyes met the large round ones of the woman who must be the source of the scream and who was, presumably, Peter’s neighbor.
“Sorry,” Olive said as she stepped out through the broken door into the hallway. “I have to go fetch Peter’s dog. Would you be at all alright to call someone to fix this? I’m Olive. And you are?”
“Myrtle,” the woman replied, round eyes still round, her handshake limp. “That was… averybig dog,” she said surveying the damage.
“Yes, we’d call him Big Red if he was a ginger.” Olive smiled; Myrtle was too shaken to return it. “Please, would you call the landlord? Ask them to put something up? The last thing I want is for half of Peter’s belongings to get stolen while I’m out trying to fix my mistake of getting… Riley all… riled up. You know how they get, the little rascals.”
“Big rascal,” Myrtle corrected, though she was getting a bit of color back in her cheeks. “Yes, of course, I’ll see to it for you. Better go if you’re going to catch it before the shelter people do. They’ll probably shoot it on sight.”
“Him,” Olive couldn’t stop herself from correcting. “Shoothimon sight. And you’re right,” she added as she hadn’t even contemplated the possible danger thathemight be in. “I’d better go. Thank you so much.”
She headed down the hallway, at first walking, but then speeding into a run because of how far that huge wolf might have gotten during her minutes of waffling and concern for someone stealing all his stuff. Perhaps his stuff didn’t matter as much as his life did. Or the life of some innocent bystander. Even if werewolf folklore wasn’t applicable to him—though perhaps it was, she had no way of knowing—then surely wolf facts would apply. And it was a fact that a wolf was a wild animal that followed joggers and hikers around their chosen trailsandhunted in packs.
She entered the street with that thought in her head, fretting that she didn’t even know which way to head when a sound made her halt her step.
It was, without question, a wolf’s howl.
Deep and forlorn, she could tell where it was coming from—the park.
But the area at this time of night wasn’t advisable to walk into alone. Especially if you were a woman.
“Fuck,” she swore again. “This had better be worth it.”
She crossed the street and headed into a narrow alley between buildings. She knew it would take her to another street and that the other street circled the park. There would be a gate nearby and hopefully it wouldn’t be locked yet. She had no idea what time it was, but the sun was setting so it couldn’t be later than five. How had she fallen asleep for four hours and not so much as stirred?
She knew why.
Work had been taking its toll lately. The closer they got to a result the longer she had been required to stay late. Of course, most of her daytime colleagues wouldn’t know. They would think that she left with everyone else once the clock struck five, but she would get in her car and drive the mile and a half to the separate facility where she was doing some of the most important research that she had ever taken part in. It was also hush-hush, on a need-to-know basis, and as far as she knew Peter had no idea the project even existed.
It left her with very little time to sleep at night, but with the perk of having a three-hour lunch mid-day where she usually snoozed in her car. Peter was too busy to keep track and, if he ever had reason to ask for her, the people above him had someone feeding him lies about her whereabouts. It had seemed a little silly at first, but her boss had assured her it was necessary. To keep the lid on.
Snoozing wasn’t nearly enough, though. The four hours of sleep she’d just gotten had done her wonders. But she supposed the adrenaline pumping through her due to the circumstances did its fair share of making her feel wide awake.
She ran through the gate and into the darkened park. There were lamps placed at even intervals along the main walking path, but they were old and each spread no more than a dim circle of light. It was barely enough to see in, pools of black between each of the circles making a chill run down her spine. Anything could be hiding in them.
And apparently it really was anything.
If werewolves were real, then why not vampires? Ghosts? Goblins and trolls?
She huffed a laugh at herself, considering what to do and finally doing the stupidest thing she could think of. If there were other wolves out there, they would most likely come searching for her.
“Fine,” she muttered, tilted her head back and howled as loud as she could.
There was a soft growl from the shadows to her right.
Her heart notched itself into her throat, and she became so still, she thought she had literally frozen to the spot.
Then the shadows moved as the wolf turned its head to her, staring at her with that golden glow.
“Peter,” she breathed. “What are you doing?”
I thought you were leaving.
His voice in her head, smooth and low, a soft growl accompanying the sentence. She stared at him.
“What is going on?” she asked. “Have you always been awerewolf?”
I was bitten, he reminded.Last night. Don’t you know even the most rud—
