Page 18 of Wolf's Midlife Bite

He wanted to say no for the sheer idea of denying himself something, but Brody knew he was right. They went upstairs and out the back door, straight into the woods. A few steps along the pathway and Brody could feel the cool earth under his paws as his back stretched and his muscles tightened. His sharp hearing picked up every twig and pine needle that crunched beneath him, and the dim light of the moon was more than enough to light his way.Thanks.

No problem.Max darted out in front of him and led the way, barreling down the trail at full speed and kicking up dirt.

It was just like him, and it made Brody ramp up his speed. He felt the air rushing into his lungs and the blood singing through his veins. Wind infiltrated his thick coat, and he gave barely a thought to the coordination of four legs instead of two as they raced up and down the rocky hillsides.

Eventually, when they were quite a way from the packhouse, Max slowed.You really like this Robin, don’t you?

It’s more than that,Brody admitted.

I had a feeling.Max trotted up onto a ridge line and loped down it, taking in the view.

Brody followed at a short distance.I didn’t think I’d ever feel the same way again. She’s made me realize just how much I’ve been missing.

Is that what this is? Are you just trying to fill the void that Danielle and Devin left behind?

It felt like an unfair question, but Brody couldn’t blame him. He’d fallen hard before, and there was a hell of a lot on the line.I wondered, but no. This is more. This hasn’t been that slow burn of attraction and comfort. This was instantaneous, overwhelming, and impossible to ignore. I think I might’ve been able to keep myself under control if it hadn’t been for that shitbag boss of hers. He made me feel like I needed to protect her.

The best of us lose control every now and then.Max headed down off the edge of the ridgeline, easily navigating the steep slope until they rejoined another trail. It was a narrow one, frequented only by the Glenwoods and other animals who happened to come this way.Now, you just have to decide what you’re going to do about it.

I need to give her some space, some time to process. Then I’m going to try again. I can’t just give up on her and wait for her to come to me.As soon as he thought it, the idea solidified in his mind as the clear and obvious choice. Max had been right. Coming out for a run and getting some of the extra lupine energy out of his system was just what he needed.She might not be pleased to see me at first, but—wait, do you smell blood?

Yeah. This way.Max picked up speed again, his dark fur flying through the night.

The two wolves darted through the trees as the sharp, coppery scent grew stronger. They skidded to a halt when they found the source.

Holy shit.

Holy shit is right.The woman’s body was curled on its side, and blood trailed from her lips. Brody’s eyes zeroed in on the raccoon tattoo on her calf.She’s been in the shop before.

I don’t sense anyone else in their wolf form right now. We’d better get back to the packhouse and call Kane.

In agreement, Brody followed him. The run back felt much longer than the one out had been, the knowledge of the dead woman dragging their footsteps. As they moved along, Brody was trying to figure out just what he’d smelled back there. Blood, yes, but there were other scents as well. People didn’t realize just how much they picked up when they were out in the world. Someone who’d been in a coffee shop in the morning would still smell like it in the afternoon. It irritated him that he couldn’t sort them all out right now.

Kane was on patrol, and he arrived at the packhouse quickly. He listened to what Max and Brody had to say and gave them a brief nod. “All right. The two of you were out for a hike. The only way you’d be that far out there at night would be if you got lost, so I’d suggest sticking with that. I’ll tell the chief, and we’ll get onto it.”

“This is getting a little disturbing,” Rex pointed out. “There was already a woman found in Spencer Butte Park, which is technically part of our territory. This one’s even closer to home. I need to know what’s happening here.”

Kane folded his arms in front of his chest, accentuating his broad shoulders in his uniform. “I get it, and we’re working on it. We’re a little short on staff at the moment, but I’ll let you know any further information as soon as I get it.”

“I can get back out there with some of the others,” Brody volunteered, not particularly interested in sitting around and waiting. “We can shift and canvass for clues. No offense, but it’ll be a lot faster with our noses.”

“Hey, nothing’s going to keep the wildlife out of the forest,” Kane reasoned, giving them his permission as indirectly as he could.

“You sure?” Max asked. “You’ve already been out there and back, not to mention you’ve had several training sessions with the younger wolves this week.”

“You’ve got other stress, too,” Rex pointed out, though he wouldn’t say what that stress was when there were others in the room who didn’t know about the predicament with Robin just yet. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I want to,” Brody replied instantly. He knew there was no way he could just sit there. The image of that woman haunted him already. She’d been alive and well when he’d seen her just a few days earlier, and it was disturbing to think that it’d all changed so fast. “I’ll go see who’s available.”

There was no shortage of volunteers once they knew what Brody was up to. He led out a dozen other wolves, charging forward at the head of the pack and refusing to stop until they reached the victim. The numerous scents assaulted his nose once again. He’d managed to clear his head and make a decision when it came to Robin, but he was rattled again and still couldn’t sort them all out. Something nagged at the back of his brain, and frustration began to mount.

Spread out,he commanded.We need to get as much information as possible. If you find anything noteworthy, we need to make sure we know the position well. I don’t want to report back to Rex and Kane with nothing.

He stood for a moment as he watched the other wolves, readily obeying his commands. They moved silently through the woods, collecting information with their eyes, ears, and noses that humans would never notice. Brody just had to hope it’d be enough.

With one last glance toward the victim, who wouldn’t be found by the police for some time yet, Brody put his nose to the ground and followed suit. Desperation filled him as he moved methodically in a fan shape, weaving back and forth to avoid missing anything. Hehadto find something. Hehadto figure this out.

He ignored that desperation at first, chalking it up to the shock of finding a body when they’d least expected to. That was the sort of thing that would rattle anyone, and he wasn’t immune. But as he searched, Brody knew there was more to it than that.

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