Page 80 of Unmasking Her Shadow

I weave around the parked vehicles, and the moment I have it in park, Ryker is jumping out of the vehicle and opening the door for Nyx. She searches for her target as we run with her.

“Suspect just ran behind the yellow dumpster,” a winded officer informs through the radio clipped to my vest, and we veer to the left when we see yellow. Not a soul can outrun the three of us. I realize we take things a little overboard sometimes, but I think all the officers should. You never know when you might need to chase someone.

We see the man vanish behind a building at the same time Nyx does. You can practically feel the energy radiating from her body.

“Stop immediately, or I’ll release the dog,” Ryker shouts after the fleeing suspect.

The man glances over his shoulder and attempts to run faster.

“This is your final warning. If you do not stop, the dog will bite you.” You can hear the subtle excitement in his voice.

His lips are curled into a devious smirk as he reaches for the clip on her leash.

“Get ‘em, Nyx,” he commands, and she transforms into a furry missile, about to strike in three…two…and he’s down.

“Good fucking girl,” we murmur in unison, but the screams of her prey drown our words out.

I wonder how many stitches this one will need?

“Release, Nyx,” I demand. She steps backward, giving us room, but never takes her eyes off him, prepared to intervene at any moment.

These are the rare moments Nyx allows Ryker to pet her. But it only lasts a few quick seconds before she says, that’s enough and pulls away.

Ryker is wearing a suspicious grin on our way to the station later.

“What?” I ask him, crossing my arms in front of me.

“Nothing,” he replies in a soft tone, not taking his eyes off the road to glance over at me, which makes it even more suspicious.

“Ryk, what is it?”

“Just had a good day is all.”

“Mhm.” I side-eye him, not believing his nonsense.

I pull up Sam’s location to determine where she’s at before accessing the cameras. The need to know where she is and lay eyes on her hasn’t lessened one bit. If anything, it’s gotten worse. Which I didn’t think was possible. I fucking love that woman with every fiber of my being.

My phone goes from my hands to the floorboard.

“Ryk, what the fuck?” I snap after he smacks my phone out of my hands.

“She’s fine.”

I snatch my phone off the floor only to find that she has turned off her location. My stomach drops. I’m not sure I’ll ever fully heal from the scare of almost losing her forever. My jaw clenches, and I turn to Ryker.

“Her location is off.” There are ways around this, but given his odd behavior, I’ll see what he has to say before I go psycho stalker-girlfriend on her ass.

“I told you she’s fine,” he retorts.

“Where is she?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

I draw a slow breath before calling her.

What are you up to, little wolf?

“Hey, babe,” she singsonged.