Page 12 of Meant for Two

“Knock, knock.” Avery came in with a bag of food that smelled divine.

“Thank you. You are my savior.” Hiking would take energy.

“I’m going over to the model home to find some inspiration.”

“Great. I’ll be closing up in an hour, so head home when you’re done,” Blair said.

“You don’t have any more clients scheduled?” Avery asked.

“No, and I’m actually happy about it. I honestly expected to have one of them ask about the break-in, but no one seemed to know about it. I just need a good night’s sleep, and my outlook on life will be much better.”

Avery smiled. “Then I will see you tomorrow.”

Shortly after Avery left, Blair changed into her hiking gear. It was time to find a clue about how the thieves managed to breach the Granger-Haygood security system.

CHAPTERFIVE

Blair hadn’t plannedto trek far into the woods, but up to this point, the woods had been fairly flat and easy to maneuver. No wonder someone chose this spot to enter the Development. Sadly, Woodland Estates might not offer the level of protection she had been led to believe.

The question was when did the way become impassible? According to the map, it appeared that the nearest road was roughly two miles away, which involved a descent down a steep mountain and then across a ravine.

Not convinced she read the map correctly, she wanted to check it out for herself. As she ventured farther, Blair's determination drove her forward, even though an uneasy feeling gnawed at her gut. The setting sun, together with the thick canopy of trees overhead, cast shadows everywhere. While she had her flashlight, the thick bushes would provide ample places for people to hide. But was anyone actually there? She doubted it, but she’d be foolish to think animals weren’t in these woods. Bears, wolves, snakes, and all sorts of dangerous creatures lived there.

Blair mentally went through a checklist to make sure she hadn’t forgotten something. She stopped and pulled out her phone to make sure she had a cell connection. Two bars. Good enough.

Despite her precautions, a shiver ran down her spine.Just because she was more of the manicure and wine type rather than the hiking-in-the-woods or skydiving person, it didn’t mean she couldn’t scope out the woods. It wasn’t as if she’d be spending the night out here. She could do this.

Pushing aside the occasional thick undergrowth and climbing over a few scattered boulders, Blair trudged up the barely evident path in the late afternoon light. With each step, her resolve grew stronger. She was determined to uncover the truth behind the break-in at the Development and find out how the thieves had managed to navigate the treacherous landscape. If she could provide Jeff, Zane, and the authorities with vital clues, it would prove that she held an indispensable place on Drew Granger's team.

As Blair followed the faint path, every leaf rustle and snap of twigs unnerved her, and sadly, her mind conjured up images of masked intruders lurking behind the trees.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on edge, and a chill skittered across her body as she caught a glimpse of a dark figure out of the corner of her eye. Its silhouette was something undeniably animalistic—a blur of fur, a silent shape. What was that? Her mind scrambled for an answer, her breath tight and shallow.

A low growl followed, reverberating off the trees like thunder and sending a jolt of panic through Blair's bones. Turning slowly, she saw it—a wolf standing just beyond the shadows, its yellow eyes glowing in the evening light, watching her with both caution and curiosity. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as reality crashed over her. If she stayed still, would it lose interest or would it pounce?

Shit. She didn’t know what to do— moving might provoke the animal, and screaming could make things worse.

Time seemed to stand still as Blair and the wolf locked eyes. Sure, there were wolves in the area. Everyone from Montana knew about them, but seeing one in the wild, its primal presence so close was an entirely different experience.

Her instincts screamed at her to run, to flee from the potential danger, even though Blair was well aware she couldn’t outrun a wolf. If she was lucky, he might not be interested in hunting her today.

Heart hammering in her chest, she turned around and took off. But her hurried steps soon betrayed her moments later when her foot caught on a hidden root, sending her stumbling forward. She gasped, her hands flailing as she fought to regain her balance.

The ground rushed up to meet her, and Blair hit the forest floor with a thud, her forehead crashing against a rock. The impact reverberated through her body, and pain shot up her arms and face. Blair's mind raced as she tried to process her surroundings, her instincts urging her to get up and put distance between herself and the wild animal. But her body felt heavy and her limbs were uncooperative after the fall. And then all went black.

* * *

What the hell had Blair been doing in the woods? Alone, no less. Zane had gone there to search for evidence of the thieves. Because it would be easier to find their trail as an animal, he’d shifted into his wolf form.

Surely, Blair had to realize how dangerous it could be in here, not to mention she might get lost. And her attire? Her sneakers, blue jeans, and thin pullover were all wrong for being in the woods. As soon as the sun set, the colder air would seep through her thin top, chilling her to the bone.

Move, Blair. Get up,please, he silently urged.

A sudden need to protect her overwhelmed him. Not fully understanding the strange hormonal surge within his wolf body, Zane quickly shifted and rushed over to her. Her body lay face down, and he gently nudged her shoulder. “Blair?”

No response. That wasn’t good. He shook her harder this time. “Blair, wake up!”

As soon as her eyes fluttered open, she groaned. Zane needed to assess the extent of her injuries. “Can you roll over for me?” he asked.

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