Page 11 of Winning the Wolf

“Can you smell whose blood it is?” My voice was shaky, vibrating as I moved to a more stable position.

The alpha-heir’s cheeks paled as his nose morphed into a long snout. Air funnelled deep into his nostrils before his whole head shifted and he dropped to the ground, his body cracking and crunching into its wolf form.

Before I could question what he was doing, he had leapt over the edge, his whole frame flying through the air and landing on the hard ground below. A loud whine sounded from him as he bent his head near the patch of blood.

He knew exactly who it was.

My whole body shook as I crouched low and willed myself into a shift. As fur burst from my skin, my clothes ripped and fell away. I had to know who was injured or even worse, dead.

The colours of the trees and the sky brightened as my irises widened and my nose elongated. My paws padded the ground as my shift completed and I eagerly looked down at Killick.

He was scenting the area, his nose to the ground as he moved around.

Taking a step back, I ran and leapt, praying to the wolf spirit that my legs wouldn’t break on impact. Luckily, my instincts took over as the wind rushed up to meet me and I plonked solidly on the ground, right near the bloodstain.

Stomach churning, I went closer to the red mark and smelt tentatively. A rush of relief flooded away the sickly feeling in my stomach. It wasn’t Nyla’s blood, which meant…

Killick nudged my side before snarling at the ledge above. I glanced up, not quite understanding why he was pissed at me.

His huff made me look at him again, but I still didn’t understand why his hot breath was panting angrily in my face. Before I could work it out, he stepped away and started to shift, his fur retreating, revealing his tanned skin that stretched over his buttocks as he turned and strode away.

I yipped, hoping to get his attention before he could disappear. What did he want me to do?

“You were supposed to stay up there so at least one of us was clothed with a phone,” he snapped over his shoulder.

Well why didn’t the miserable bastard tell me that before he catapulted off the side of the cliff? Did he think I was psychic?

Closing my eyes, I shifted again, quickly standing before he disappeared around the corner.

“Killick?!” I called, my tone sharp.

He spun and glared at me, his gaze sticking to my face, despite my nakedness. I kept my own eyes glued to his, even though there was a sudden fierce desire to rake my gaze over his beautifully muscular form.

“Whose blood is it?” I said, clenching my nails into my palms in an attempt to distract myself.

Killick’s gaze dropped to the bright red on the ground as his throat bobbed in a hard swallow. “It’s my mother’s.”

Chapter Four

“I’ve sent out my own team,” Phileas said, motioning for his hovering man to come forward. “You can go and relax around the house.”

His dismissal sent a bolt of annoyance through me, making the skin on my arms itch.

We had come straight back to the headquarters, by order of the alpha. He wanted us out of the search, especially now that Killick had personal interest too. We couldn’t be trusted to firstly, keep our emotions in check. And secondly, keep from hurting one another. Or to be more accurate… the alpha was afraid that Killick would take his frustration out on me. Who could blame him? As they saw it, my twin had kidnapped Mrs Huntington, the alpha’s wife.

Shaking my head, I held up my hand, asking permission to speak. Phileas frowned as he glanced at me, his eyes narrowing. “Yes?”

“Please, let me go to work. You can send one of your other men with me to watch me, but I can’t just sit around and do nothing. Maybe one of our customers knows something and will come forward to talk to me.”

Watching me, the alpha blinked slowly. “Very well. We have no use for you here. If anyone says anything to you or your sister rings the work line, my man will be there to monitor it, so you better inform me straight away.”

Agreeing enthusiastically, I waited to be waved away. When Phileas called over Caleb and instructed him to go with me, I breathed a loud sigh. Killick glanced at me from where he spoke to Orson, his right hand man. When our gaze met, he quickly looked away, pretending not to even notice as I walked away with his friend.

“I’ll drive us,” Caleb said, opening the thick heavy wooden door and stepped back to allow me to go first.

Smiling at him, I nodded, too tired and shocked to argue. Ever since Killick had confirmed that the blood was that of his mother’s, I’d given up hope. Whatever my sister had done, there would be no coming back from it, even if by some miracle, Melinda Huntington was still alive.

“You don’t seem too fazed about having a bodyguard.”

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