Page 22 of Midlife Animal Rescuer Wolf

“What was it you said?” he asked her.

She did some throat clearing of her own, her cheeks reddening slightly. “I asked if you had someone waiting for you back home. Family? Friends? Maybe a girlfriend?” Her cheeks turned a darker shade of red. “Anyone. I’d like to believe you’re not a lone wolf.”

At this, he gave a slight chuckle. “No girlfriend. But I’ve got my friends, and they’re like family to me.”

“Oh? What are they like?”

He gave a shrug. “Accepting.” That was probably the most accurate description of the other animal rescuers. “We all share similar goals, understand one another.”

Miranda’s brows twitched slightly. “Let me guess: They’re animal rescuers like you, aren’t they?”

“Ding, ding, ding.”

She laughed at that. It was a rich, beautiful sound, and Bryon’s heart almost went into overdrive. Her eyes lit up, her lips pulled back, and the urge to lean forward and put his lips to hers gripped him like a giant claw.

“They sound like great people. I’m sure they must be worried about you by now. I know my friends are probably wondering what’s happened to me. I left my phone at home.”

“I did promise your safety,” he told her. “They can rest assured they’ll see you soon.”

She shot him a smirk. “If anything, I’m getting more concerned about your safety.”

Bryon could see that. If he was being honest, he was starting to wonder just how much of a threat this woman was to him. When she first saw him shift, she’d looked beyond herself with terror, but so far, she seemed to have handled things better than most. She was even concerned about his well-being. It was way more than he could’ve said for Harold years ago.

And then there was the fact that she was considering moving to Sylva. His stomach clenched at the thought of what that could mean for the pair of them.

Excitement fluttered in his belly, but quickly dissipated. There still wasn’t a guarantee that she wouldn’t out him the second they arrived in town. What was to say that her concern for his safety wasn’t purely motivated by her desire to make it out of here? Once she was away from the woods and away from her ex-boyfriend... well, she wasn’t exactly obligated to keep his secret.

Harold’s words slowly trickled back into his mind: What kind of monster are you?

He brushed the memory aside. Worrying about the future wouldn’t do him any good right now. For now, all he could do was focus on the foal that needed rescuing. They were getting closer to the creature. Only a matter of time now.

“Let’s keep moving,” he said.

His stomach growled then. Bryon’s jaw clenched. Maybe he should’ve grabbed a bite to eat before coming into the woods. But what was it he’d said to the others at the sanctuary? Rescuing the foal is more important than breakfast.

Famous last words.

***

Miranda couldn’t remember the last time she was this exhausted. Well, except for that time she’d attended an eight-hour pottery lesson a couple of months ago. By the time it was all over, she could barely feel her hands.

She refrained from protesting her discomfort. Next to her, Bryon walked, limping with each step. He wasn’t complaining about exhaustion, despite wincing as he moved. He stared straight ahead, occasionally glancing left and right like he was expecting something to leap out at them. So far, nothing had tried to attack them. The wolf they’d encountered earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Neither was Jerry. Had he given up the chase? It was starting to seem like a possibility, especially considering she hadn’t seen or heard him in hours. Still, she couldn’t let herself get too comfortable. There was always a chance that he was following them. Either that, or they could bump into him at some point. The thought sent a cold shiver down Miranda’s spine.

She decided to think of something else, focusing instead on Bryon. “How do you know for sure where we’re headed? Or even that the foal is there?”

Bryon simply shrugged, stepping over a deep groove in the earth. “I’m a wolf shifter, remember?”

“Right now, you seem human.”

“I’ve still got stronger senses. Plus, I’ve been in these woods more times than I can count. Still, I’m sure it would be easier to detect the foal if I were in wolf form.” He stared down at his bandaged foot and shook his head, grimacing.

“I think I prefer you as a man,” she blurted. It took her two seconds to realize what she’d said, and she felt her cheeks burn slightly.

But it was the truth, wasn’t it? She did prefer his human form. Not only did she feel way more comfortable walking alongside a human, but this one was quite appealing to look at. For a moment, she let her gaze travel from his handsome face to his torso. And then lower. He still clutched the front of his bathrobe, shielding his groin from view, but she caught sight of a bulge through the material.

The memory of his erection throbbing against her resurfaced in her mind, and a tiny sigh escaped her lips.