Page 90 of Frank's Felon
“Yes, here.” She shoved her boots in his arms. “Leave them at Damien’s house. I’ll get them there.”
Delilah shifted and ran. One guard yelled at her to remain with the agent. He didn’t pursue her. Fledgling. Frank would probably lay into him later. That was the newbie’s problem, not hers.
She just wanted to feel the wind in her fur as her paws struck the dirt. The myriad of scents, from the cool wet earth and animal dung to moss on rocks and the sweet scent of wildflowers, filled her lungs. This was heaven, and she could run for hours like this. Her wolf whined. There was definitely something missing here, and yet Delilah couldn’t make herself go back and confront Frank just yet. She wasn’t ready for that.
* * *
FRANK
Frank was on the southern border working with Ethan and Iggy. Well, Ethan more than Iggy. Iggy was a seasoned guard at this point, and Ethan still had trouble judging when to investigate a sound or to stay at his post. Frank really needed to convince Damien to switch the shifter’s job to hunting or maybe tracking. Despite the young guard’s brawn and speed, he just didn’t have the right instincts for border patrol.
“Someone’s coming,” Ethan said.
“And yet you’re standing here doing nothing about it,” Frank said.
“But he’s in wolf form, running on our side of the border.”
“Running at a fast clip. That alone should put you on high alert. Trouble doesn’t always come from across the border or where you expect it. It comes in all different forms.”Including curvy red-heads that can break your heart.
Within a minute, a brown and black wolf appeared, then shifted. Jace.
“Agent Sloan has returned.”
“He’s on time. What’s the issue? You’re supposed to escort him to Damien.”
“He’s not alone.”
Frank shifted and ran. He didn’t wait to ask Jace what he meant, or how many, whether they were armed or what. His gut told him to go. It didn’t take him long to reach Damien’s house.
He burst through the door to check on his alpha. Damien was sitting across from Agent Sloan, a stack of papers between them. The treaty. Damien had already gotten Liam and Drake to sign, and this was the final part where Damien and Sloan both signed. No other witnesses allowed, for security reasons.
“I was about to send for you,” Damien said.
Another quick scan showed nothing out of place, Damien wasn’t in any danger. No one else was here. Frank inhaled. Vanilla bean and flowers. His eyes darted about and as he took another deep breath. There, on the bottom shelf of the cubby, the source of the smell. Women’s clothing.
“Yes, she’s here,” Damien said, a grin on his face.
Frank bolted outside, quickly stripped and shifted.
It didn’t take him long to find her. Her beautiful red coat stood out among the greens and browns of the forest. And those eyes, green and stunning as ever, turned to him.
Delilah ran.
Frank wasn’t going to let her get away, not again. His female was wicked fast, and while he didn’t have a hard time keeping up with her, he sensed she wasn’t ready to capitulate. At first he thought she was being playful, making him catch her. Delilah didn’t give in to anyone, never had, never would. He loved that about her, yet the moment she leapt over the stream, he started to question if she was avoiding him.
Did she seriously think she’d lose him in the water? Didn’t she know he’d go to the ends of the earth for her?
Frank shifted to human form. “Delilah, please, I won’t stop you, but don’t run from me. Not again.” He hadn’t realized how much he had been hurting until that moment. She had left him once already, without giving him a chance to say what he needed to say.”
On the other side of the river, Delilah shifted to human form. “I’m afraid, Frank.”
“I’d never hurt you.”
“But I’ve hurt you. So much has happened, and I’m afraid you’ll think I’m using you.”
“I’d never think that.”
Delilah turned her head away, as if she considered running again.
