The Criminal and the Wolf

by Ella Grey

  “We’ll go that way.” David didn’t want to chance running through the house to get to the busy front streets, but they wouldn’t risk shooting at them in public. For one thing it would draw too much attention. “Carlos has a car, and he might let us take it.” He risked a look over his shoulder. Beth was breathing hard.

  The sound of a door bursting open behind reached them, and he grabbed her by the waist and let his power, the supernatural wolf side, leak slightly, granting him a burst of speed. He shouldn’t really be using his abilities that way. It was like dangling a thick, juicy steak in front of his wolf only to pull it away at the last second—eventually it would take his leg off. In a few moments, they had circled around to the main road which led into Harper. He carefully lowered Beth down until her feet hit the ground before he noticed she wasn’t wearing shoes.

  “You better stand away from the road. You’re going to be drawing a lot of attention in your current state.”

  Beth looked down at her feet. “I didn’t have time to grab them.” There was a breathy quality to her voice, exhilaration, and he reached out, took her hand in his and squeezed gently. She was trembling.

  “Take some deep breaths. They won’t risk coming after us here.”

  She nodded. “I’ve never moved so fast before. I think my stomach is trying to catch up with the rest of me.”

  He put an arm around her waist. To anyone who saw them, they appeared like a normal, if slightly flustered couple, sans a pair of sneakers. “Yeah it’s probably an odd sensation, but I needed to get as much distance between us and them as possible.” He risked a glance over his shoulder. They hadn’t been followed yet. Unless of course they were grabbing the car they’d arrived in. The thought made him realize if Kelvin knew who he was, did he know where he lived? Would they be walking into a trap?

  “What is it?” Beth made to follow his gaze. “Are they following us?”

  He shook his head. “No, I think I need to drop you off somewhere safe and go to my flat by myself.” He immediately felt her grip tighten. “I’m not thinking about leaving you, but I’ll be faster by myself and I can defend myself a lot better without worrying about you as well.”

  “Well, I’m sorry I’m such a burden.” She bit her bottom lip.

  David swore under his breath at her expression. Okay, maybe he hadn’t phrased it properly. He piloted the pair of them into an alleyway and, despite Beth’s protests, pushed her against the stone wall. Within seconds he was kissing her again. He put every emotion into that one kiss. She was wanted, desired and loved. He didn’t want her thinking anything different. After a moment he pulled away and smiled. Her lips were swollen, and her eyes were half shut.

  “You’re not a burden, but the truth is simple. I’m not human. It might not be pleasant if I’m shot, but I will survive it. You might not. I don’t want to risk you over something stupid.”

  “Where are you going to drop me off?”

  “A friend’s house. You’ll be safe there, and I’ll be back before you know it. Let me make a phone call first.”

  ****

  Beth touched her lips after David closed the door behind him. If he kept kissing her after every disagreement they had, he was always going to win. It was rather unfair. David had informed her that his friends were out, but they didn’t mind if she stayed there for a few hours. She noticed that he hadn’t said what their names were, and it felt odd to be in someone else’s home whose names she didn’t know.

  She watched him walk down the garden path and vanish from sight before she turned around, curiosity getting the better of her, to examine the place. It was either that, or let the fear that people were out in town searching for her, to kill her, override her common sense. Her flight-or-fight response screamed at her to run. She knew that she’d be safer with David. A monster. A creature who only existed in film and books. She’d seen and experienced way too much to disbelieve that he was something more than human.

  The kitchen was a beautiful space with black and purple kitchen counters and a large fridge opposite it. Her stomach growled at her as she opened it, and she picked up the first thing she laid eyes on. An apple. She bit into it, hungrily, only a little guilty that she was taking something without asking for permission first. How the hell had she thought she’d be okay with stealing a ridiculous amount of money? She’d never stolen anything in her entire life.

  So why had Temple picked her? The more she thought about it, the stranger it sounded. Like many of the places that Temple owned, Fallon’s Rest, where she worked—used to work—was on the outskirts of town, and she had no clue how deep his influence went. He probably could have taken the money himself, so maybe Kelvin was right. He’d wanted her to do it to prove a point. Anyone who owed him money was fair game. They all worked for him until he said otherwise. She leaned against the kitchen counter and bit into the apple again, the grumble of her empty stomach thanking her for the effort and rubbed the pad of her thumb against her bottom lip as she thought about it.

  Had Kelvin said she’d done something she hadn’t?

  It had been Kelvin who changed the plan. It was him who screwed it up. Maybe he’d tried to make it about her? And now Temple wanted to make an example of her? Would Temple leave her alone if he knew the truth? Probably not. David was offering her a life away from all the madness and the bad decisions she had to make. He was going to show her a world that shouldn’t exist, and part of her was excited by it. Nothing now tied her to this town, and David was amazing. She felt something for him and was sure most of that feeling was the mythic bond he had mentioned that she didn’t understand. But it was more than anything else what she had here.

  Pushing herself away from the counter, Beth walked to the kitchen window before making her way to the living room. As she walked through the hallway, she noticed a photo on the wall and dropped the apple. Why the hell had he brought her here?

  ****

  When he was certain that the coast was clear he moved from his hiding spot and strolled up to the front door. He already had the key in his hand, so as soon as he reached the door, he opened it, took one more look behind him, and let himself in.

  There wasn’t much in the rented flat. When David had come to Harper, he had his kit and a few personal things he’d brought with him. He picked up the phone and dialed in a number he knew off by heart. After a few moments, someone picked up the other end.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Adam.”

  There was a pause. “David, where the hell are you? I was expecting you back weeks ago.” The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and the wolf part of him wanted to bow his head in submission to his Alpha. David gritted his teeth.

  “I needed some time to myself. The tour took a lot out of me, made me think a lot about the past.”

  Adam sighed. “You should have said something. If anyone understands what you’re going through, it’ll be me. I was there when you went through your change the first time.”

  “I know, but I’m also a grown man, Adam. I’m not always going to come running to you with my tail between my legs looking for help.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  There was a hundred or so miles between them, but he could still feel Adam’s power trying to uncover what was wrong. He could have denied it, but there was a reason he called him. “I met my mate, Adam. She’s … human.” He could have told him more, but he didn’t see the situation getting much worse than it already was. They didn’t need an army of shifters coming to help them. Temple was very much a human foe. All they needed to do was get out of town and get as much space between them as possible.

  “Human? You sure?”

  “My nose works fine, and the sight of her felt like someone dropped a ton of bricks on my head. Did it feel like that with Tessa?” Adam’s mate had been originally human until she’d been bitten by a fox shifter. David had left on his tour soon after that. They had problems with the leader of the fox’s pack, a creep called Reynard who wanted Tessa.<
br />
  “Damn, yeah, it did. Have you told her the truth?”

  “Couldn’t really keep that a secret from her, so yeah, I told her. She’s handling it well. As well as can be expected. I need to know if I’m going to have a problem if I bring her home with me.” He flexed his fingers. It was in Adam’s right to refuse. Humans were trouble. They destroyed things they didn’t understand, but David knew that Beth wasn’t like that. The mating bond made it different.

  “I can’t really tell you no.” Adam sounded like he really wanted to say it though. “What’s her background? Is she leaving anyone behind?”

  “I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “There really hasn’t been time to talk about it.” For a second there was silence. “I’ll explain everything when I get back, Adam. We need to get out of town, and leaving her behind isn’t an option. Either give me the okay and we’ll come home, or say no, and I’ll have to think of something else.”

  “You know that I need you here. Reynard hasn’t made a move yet, but it’s only a matter of time. The rules involving humans are clear, but if fate decided to put her in your path, I can’t argue with that. A mate is someone important, and they must be cherished.” He sighed. “Bring her home. We’ll deal with the fallout here if we have to.”

  “Thank you. We’ll be back in a couple of days.” David put the phone down and went to his room. He packed his bag and shoved the money he earned into the front pocket of the rucksack. He was leaving again when he remembered something. After he put the keys through the front door, he made his way to Sweet Delights. The landlord had a spare, so David didn’t need to worry about dropping it off to him. Ingrid glanced up as he walked in.

  “David, how’s Carlos? Is he going to be all right?” She rushed around the counter and took his hands into hers.

  “He’s going to be fine. I was wondering if I could borrow something from you.”

  “Of course, whatever you need.”

  “I need a pair of Violet’s shoes.”

  Ingrid frowned but nodded. “They aren’t going to fit you.”

  He laughed. “They’re not for me.” That was what he liked about Ingrid. She might have looked like someone’s grandmother, but she was completely unflappable. He didn’t really know anyone in town besides the shop owners he collected money from. Violet was roughly the same size as Beth, so it was possible her shoes would work as a temporary replacement.

  She waved her hand. “You don’t need to explain it to me. I take it you’re leaving?”

  “It’s time for me to go home.”

  “It’s a shame. You know I used to think you and Violet would have made a good match, but I saw you with the other girl. The one you met yesterday. It looked like you’d been hit with a lightning bolt.” Ingrid vanished behind the counter and came back in with a pair of slip-on shoes.

  He couldn’t have put it better himself. “It felt a lot like that.”

  She handed them over. “Violet wears these when she takes off her work shoes. I’ll message her to bring in something to replace them.”

  “I owe you one.” He brushed a kiss across her cheek.

  Ingrid waved her hand, and David noticed that she’d gone several shades of red. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a hero for saving Carlos’s life. This is the least I can do. Keep in contact, sweetheart. You’re welcome here anytime.”

  Chapter Seven

  Beth had lost all track of time. She hadn’t moved from her place on the stairs. Retrieving the errant apple, she rolled it between her palms, lost in thought.

  Why did David bring me here? This is the last place I should be. It’s my fault Carlos is in the hospital. They wouldn’t want me here. Guilt rode her hard. She closed her eyes and rested her chin on the top of her knees.

  The front door opened, and Beth peeked out from under her eyelashes. David had returned. Underneath his arm was a pair of shoes, and his dark hair was ruffled. It made him look even more ruggedly handsome. Part of her thought it unfair, he looked so good. He returned her stare and frowned.

  “You okay?”

  “Why did you bring me here?”

  For a second, he looked confused, an expression that swiftly cleared. “Carlos and Maria’s house? This was the only place I could think of. I don’t really know anyone else in town, and we needed to get off the streets. They’re also going to lend us their car.”

  Beth shot to her feet. “We can’t take it.”

  He reached out and touched her shoulders, the shoes under his arm, forgotten, fell to the carpet below. She shrugged them off before she stepped off the stairs and went around him.

  “Beth, it’s okay.”

  “No, it isn’t.” Since he’d been out, she’d had plenty of time to think. Time and a guilty conscience were a terrible combination. “Maybe I should hand myself over to the police?”

  It wasn’t really a question, and she headed to the door only to be grabbed again and spun back around. David held her to his chest and stroked her back.

  “Temple put you in this situation. You wouldn’t have done it otherwise, and he didn’t give you a choice. Carlos is going to live, and even he didn’t blame you for what happened. Maybe it’s time for you to do the same. To accept you didn’t hurt anyone. It was Kelvin.” There was something incredibly soothing about the way he touched her. Some of the tension left her body, and she pressed her face against his chest. “Take a deep breath, sweetheart. The best thing to do is to get out of town like in the original plan. I’ve got somewhere safe for us to go. It’s going to be all right.”

  “You’re taking me to your pack?” She glanced up to see that he was smiling at her. “What’s so funny?”

  “Nothing. I can’t believe how perfect this moment is.” He touched her chin and guided her face up. Beth closed her eyes as he brushed a kiss against her lips. After a moment he stepped away from her. “I don’t think I was followed, but let’s not wait around for someone to turn up.” He picked up the bag by the foot of the stairwell and handed it to her. She hadn’t even noticed he’d dropped it on the floor. “I got you some shoes.”

  “And I didn’t get you anything.”

  “Oh sweetheart, you’ve given me something I’ve never experienced before.”

  Beth tipped her head to the side and studied him, with his handsome, now windswept, features and a gaze which seemed to see into the very heart of her. Unfair, again that he could read her so completely and she couldn’t do the same. “Like what?”

  He reached out and touched her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. “I spent a lot of time putting everyone else first because I didn’t think I was worthy of anything more. You’ve proven to me that I am, just by existing.”

  ****

  It took David a surprising amount of effort to keep his eyes on the road. Beth had fallen asleep within the first few minutes of their journey, and he still struggled to believe that he’d found her. Strands of dark hair lay across the curve of her neck, and it highlighted the pale complexion of her skin. He’d offered her the backseat, but she had politely refused. At some point they would have to swap, she said, and she didn’t want to get too comfortable. Instead she’d climbed into the passenger seat, resting her chin in her hand and her head against the window. Beautiful. It was because of that he didn’t see the precise moment when the car behind had started following them.

  He took a few extra turnings to see if the car followed and, while he lost it at one point, the drivers found him again sure enough. In an hour they would hit the desert. If it was who he thought it was, then that would be the perfect time to strike. There wouldn’t be much chance of anyone finding them. David grinned. His wolf was eager for a hunt. It had been too long since he’d stretched his legs and felt the dirt underneath his paws.

  He didn’t wake Beth up immediately. There wasn’t much point since they couldn’t do anything about their impending situation yet, and she obviously needed her rest. David leaned his forearm against the open window and drove. The
desert soon appeared on the horizon, the rays of sun making the distant sand shimmer as if it had a life of its own. It reminded him of his time as a soldier. How sandstorms used to clog up their weapons and the subsequent nights spent cleaning them, so they wouldn’t backfire when they needed them the most. He missed the jungles. Despite all the problems that needed to be solved, they still reminded him of his home. One of the first things he planned on doing when they got there was stripping off and running around the mountain.

  The thought crept unwanted into his mind. There was always going to be a part of his life he couldn’t share with Beth. There wasn’t anything he could do about it. Fate must have had something in mind when she put them in each other’s path. David wished she would tell him what it was.

  After a while they hit the desert. Not many people traveled through the sparse, sandy space unless they didn’t have much choice. Cars had a habit of overheating, and traveling by plane was cheap enough. David let more time trickle down before he reached across and rubbed Beth’s knee. She smiled as she stretched. The simple movement revealed a smooth stomach that hid underneath her t-shirt.

  She peeked out of the window. “Have we traveled very far?”

  “Only a couple of hours. We’re being followed.”

  She peered over her shoulder out of the back window. “That’s Kelvin’s car.”

  “I thought as much.” He sighed. “I can’t let them follow us all the way to the pack. And I’d rather face them here. You need to stay in the car. Keep your head down. I’ll hopefully be able to get them before they fire off a shot.”

  “You’re that fast?”

  The corner of his lips twitched. “I’m a former soldier, Beth. I’ve had training for situations like this, and I know what I’m doing.” He could also change completely into a wolf, and he was willing to bet neither of them would be expecting that. He quickly went over the plan with her. The concern in her eyes was hard to miss, and he did his best to reassure her. Beth rubbed the back of her neck and glanced back out of the window.