Page 13 of Stealthy as a Wolf

I was playing with fire, but it had been so long since I felt the touch of flames that even my bones felt chilled. “Maggie?”

“Hmmmm?” Her golden gaze snapped up to mine, and my cock hardened at the way her pupils were blown, the scent of her desire making my fangs ache.

It took all my control to resist the urge to drag her into my cabin and slake my lust.

It’d been years since I touched a woman. After my mate died, I never expected to feel desire again, and I wasn’t sure that I liked the loss of control.

She was temptation and trouble wrapped up in one delicious package. Like a man possessed, my fingers itched to unwrap and explore every inch of her.

Instead of walking back into my cabin and slamming my door in her face like I should’ve, I allowed myself to be lured out by the danger that clung to her like a second skin. She lingered in the darkness, huddled in it like a comfortable blanket.

Like she knew no other life but pain and despair.

I wanted to show her that there was more to the world.

I wanted to see her smile and laugh.

If I allowed myself to unravel the mystery that was Maggie, I wouldn’t be able to fade away like I planned.

Maybe if I could fix her problems, I could finally rest in peace.

“You were just about to tell me why you came to see me.” It was like I doused her in ice water. The change was instantaneous, her eyes hardening, her scent all but vanishing, and my senses sharpened. As alphas, we had special abilities that others don’t.

Masking our scent shouldn’t have been one of them.

I couldn’t get over the impression that she needed to be protected at all costs.

“Yeah, about that.” She turned and glanced over her shoulder.

It was only then that I noticed the prison van.

My eyes narrowed, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I barely resisted the urge to drag her inside the cabin and barricade the doors, but it was obviously too late to protect her from trouble—she’d already dove in headfirst.

I just hoped she wasn’t so far gone that I wouldn’t be able to save her.

“What happened?” I scowled and marched toward the van, keeping myself between Maggie and the vehicle.

The overwhelming smell of blood saturated the air so thoroughly that I couldn’t tell what awaited me. I glanced at Maggie out of the corner of my eye, searching for guilt, but all I could detect was worry.

The way she fidgeted indicated that she didn’t want to be here any more than I did, which only worried me more.

“Tell me what happened.” It was a demand.

“I…don’t know.” Bewilderment clouded her face for a second, then she shrugged. “They were going to kill him, and I just couldn’t allow that to happen.”

Her confusion was adorable, like she didn’t know how she’d ended up in such a mess.

Most people would’ve just turned away and allowed the injustice to happen to avoid any inconvenience to them.

Not Maggie.

And I couldn’t help but admire her for that.

When I took another step toward the van, Maggie circled around the back. She reached for the latch, then glanced back at me with a question in her eyes. I nodded, bracing myself for an attack. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw when she opened the door.

A large cat lifted his head, his eyes seeing nothing but my Maggie. “You are not what I was expecting.” He flashed Maggie a flirty, woman-eating grin. “I’ve never been kidnapped by such a beautiful woman before. Whatever do you plan to do with me?”

Oh, fuck no.

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