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“You met your first shifter,” Corey said, turning onto Winding Creek Way.
“I’ve met shifters before.”
“When we were kids. They had just been forced out into the public. Now, things are different.”
“Different how?”
“If he’s one of Damon’s shifters, he will be registered.”
Hallie’s eyes flew wide, and her heart started pounding harder. “You think I should try to find him? Why?”
“Because if he knew about trackers in phones and in cars, he will probably know how to get rid of them.”
The rest of the way up the mountain road to the family property that had been passed down to Corey, Hallie’s mind raced a hundred miles a minute.
She’d thought about that shifter so much while she’d been waiting between police interviews. He’d protected her. Sure, he was gruff and growly, and borderline rude, but when it had come down to it, he had stuck up for her. She’d watched him break that man’s wrist, pick up his gun, and pull all the pieces apart like he was military-trained or something. He’d dropped the pieces of the unusable gun onto the ground and picked that man up into the air with his bad arm. It would be burned into her mind for the rest of her life—that man with his helmet on, six-foot-five at least, visor up as he stared into that man’s soul, backlit by the empty gas station. He’d done that for her.
“Well, perhaps I could bake him something as a thank-you, at the very least,” she uttered quietly.
“Or…”
“Or what?”
“Empty out your life savings and offer to pay him for a bite.”
“Corey!”
“What? Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”
“Thought about paying for a bite? You know they’re only allowed one Turn. That one probably has a mate.”
“I’m not saying to play housewife with him. All he has to do is bite you and move on with his life. You never even have to tell anyone.”
“I would have to register! And I would have to link myself to my Maker! Why would I do any of that?”
“Because if Derek ever got the nuts to stop sending people to do his stalking for him, you could eat him alive.” There was a steady grit to Corey’s voice. She truly did hate Derek for the things he’d done.
Hallie let off a long exhale. “I’m not involving anyone else in my problems. And I definitely don’t think turning into a mountain lion or a tiger or a crow or whatever that guy is will fix things for me. I’ll figure something out.”
“You can’t run forever, Hallie.”
A stubborn part of her whispered, Watch me. But the tired part of her agreed.
She would never ask for a bite, but she could bake him something and thank him for keeping her safe tonight. And then she would leave this place and figure out her next move.
Perhaps Derek wouldn’t find her next hiding place.
Chapter Three
Gunner canted his head and watched the red Subaru Outback pull out of the police station parking lot. He rocked back on his heels into the shadows as they passed.
She’d left her car in the parking lot, and had some woman pick her up. From the hug they’d exchanged, her friend had been through something big with her.
Good on Hallie for going to the police, but truth be told, he kind of wished she hadn’t. He could get away with murder easier if there wasn’t any ties to him and her stalker.
The problem with tonight—Hallie had garnered the attention of something far more dangerous than the man who was after her.
She’d perked up his inner grizzly.
