Wolf in her Soul: Salvation Pack, Book 8

by N. J. Walters

  “I’m fine, David.” But she wasn’t. He could hear the exhaustion in her voice. Reece also didn’t like the idea of the other man wanting to take care of her. Bad enough he had to watch the other man hug her.

  “We’re taking her home. We’ll question her there.” Reece took Hannah’s hand and placed it on his arm. He wanted her to lean on him. She started to lift her fingers but then tightened them.

  The pleasure from that simple gesture rocked him to his core. He stared at David until the other man grew uncomfortable and took a step back.

  “Ah, don’t worry about work,” her boss told her. “You need to concentrate on getting well.”

  “Thank you for everything, David.” There was a finality in her tone that told Reece she wouldn’t be going back to work. And from the way David stiffened, he’d heard it too.

  “If you need help…” Her boss glanced at both him and Sean. “Call me. You have friends.”

  “That means a lot to me. I’ll call you,” she promised. “I’m sorry you came all the way down here for nothing.”

  “It’s not nothing. I needed to know you were okay.”

  “She has stitches and needs to rest,” Reece reminded him. “And we need to get her statement.” He placed his hand over hers where it sat on his arm. “Let’s get you home.”

  What he really wanted to do was take her to North Carolina, to his home. What he had to settle for was taking her to her apartment.

  Hannah focused on putting one foot in front of the other. It was better than trying to deal with the reality of her situation. She had a werewolf walking next to her. Not the one who’d attacked her but another one. And this one was a cop.

  Her head was spinning and it wasn’t all due to her injury and loss of blood. His scent seemed to surround her, growing more potent the longer he was beside her. He was tall and handsome. A woman would have to be dead not to notice. But her attacker had been handsome too.

  But where her attacker had repelled her from the first, Reece attracted her.

  It had to be the loss of blood making her think this way. She didn’t find men all that interesting. Yes, she’d dated and had a few short, intense love affairs, but when they’d ended she had been more relieved than brokenhearted. It wasn’t like she could explain to a man exactly what she was.

  The detective had to know she was different. If she recognized him as a wolf, he’d certainly be able to tell she was a half-breed. Would he try to kill her when his partner wasn’t looking?

  For some reason, she didn’t think so.

  There was something about the way he stood next to her, his gaze constantly shifting around the room, as if he was on the lookout for anything suspicious, that made her think he was in earnest when he’d told her he would protect her.

  And maybe he could. No one else would be able to fight off a werewolf but another one of their kind.

  She was glad to step outside the building and breathe the fresh air, or at least as fresh as it got in the city. It was still an improvement over the antiseptic environment of the hospital.

  Hannah stopped and simply savored the fact that she was alive. This morning was the closest call she’d ever had.

  “Let me help you.” Before she could respond, Reece tucked one arm around her shoulders and the other behind her knees and lifted her into his arms. She automatically clutched his shoulders for balance.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded.

  “Carrying you.” He strode toward a blue truck parked near the emergency room entrance. Hannah looked over his shoulder and saw his partner frowning. She tried not to notice how good Reece smelled, how easily he held her in his arms, and how warm he was. The scrubs were a bit thin for an October day and she shivered. The loss of blood and the trauma were making it difficult for her to regulate her body temperature.

  Reece stopped by the passenger door of the truck. “Get that, will you?”

  Sean stepped around them and opened the door. Reece slid her onto the seat. She removed her backpack and set it at her feet. Then another shiver shook her entire body. This time it wasn’t all due to the cold. She was very aware of Reece as a man. Her reaction to him totally confused her.

  Reece frowned, removed his sport coat, and slipped it around her shoulders. “That should help.” His voice was gruff, but his hands were incredibly gentle.

  “We’ll meet you at Ms. Burdette’s,” Reece informed his partner.

  “Do you think this is wise?” Sean asked.

  Reece shrugged. “Wise or not, it’s what’s happening.” He closed the door and walked around the front of the truck. No, that wasn’t quite right. He prowled around the front of the truck, like some big beast of prey on the hunt.

  She tugged his coat tighter around her and almost sighed as the warmth surrounded her. He climbed in, started the truck, and reached forward to turn up the heater.

  “Where to?” he asked.

  Hannah gave him her address, then leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. Exhaustion was beginning to weigh her down. She needed to get this interview over with so she could pack her things and get out of her apartment.

  What she really needed was to get out of Chicago.

  “We don’t have a lot of time to talk,” he reminded her.

  She forced her eyes open as he smoothly turned out of the parking lot and merged into traffic. “Don’t you want your partner around for that?”

  He reached out and ran his fingers down her cheek. He looked worried. “Not about the attack. Well, it is about the attack, but I don’t think you want Sean to know you’re a half-breed wolf who was attacked by a full-blood.”

  She couldn’t seem to stop shivering. “No,” she agreed. “No one can know.”

  “I know,” he reminded her.

  Which begged the question. “What are you doing living and working in Chicago?”

  They stopped at a red light, and he turned and pinned her with his intense blue eyes. “I was waiting for you.” The light changed and he pulled forward.

  She knew her mouth was hanging open. “Me,” she managed. “You were waiting for me?” Maybe she’d lost more blood than she’d thought. He wasn’t making any sense.

  He heaved a sigh and raked his fingers through his silky brown hair. “Shit, that didn’t come out right. I’ve lived and worked here for the past ten years.” He glanced her way and then back toward the road. “Because of a dream. About a woman.”

  “Me?”

  “I never saw her face, but when you turned away in the hospital, I recognized you from behind. You’re the woman.”

  Hannah edged closer to the truck door wondering if she could jump out and run.

  “Fuck.” Reece’s hands gripped the steering wheel. “I’m doing this all wrong. Forget about the dream, okay?”

  Forget about it? Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen.

  “You’re in trouble and I can protect you,” he reminded her. “Since you’re here in the city, I assume you don’t have a pack and are on your own.”

  “You live here too.” She hated that her life sounded so pathetic and lonely.

  “I have a pack and a family.”

  Of course he did. He was a full-blooded werewolf. Or was he? She sniffed his jacket. She definitely smelled a wolf but there was something different about his scent. It wasn’t the same as her attacker or her father. There was something more to it.

  “Then what are you doing here?” Most wolves stayed away from larger population centers, and if he had a pack, he should be with them.

  Reece pulled into a parking spot in front of her building. It wasn’t the best in the neighborhood, but it wasn’t the worst either. It was a small space and she wasn’t sure she wanted him in it.

  He ignored her question. She wasn’t sure she believed the whole dream thing. Instead, he turned off the truck, got out, and
came around. She had the door open and was sliding out by the time he got there. She had her backpack over her shoulder once again.

  He frowned. “You should have waited.”

  “Why?” She was used to depending only on herself.

  “It might be dangerous.” Reece looked around and sniffed the air.

  She hadn’t thought about her attacker. She’d been too caught up thinking about Reece. “Do you think he knows where I live? Of course he does.” She really needed to start thinking logically. “He knew where I worked.”

  “It’s likely,” Reece agreed. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “Remember, Sean doesn’t know about our kind and can’t. I’ll protect you.” His warm breath tickled her ear and sent goose bumps racing down her arms. With his jacket wrapped around her and him in front of her, she was surrounded by his potent male scent.

  She wanted to rub her face against his chest. It stunned her that she wanted to mark him. She pulled back. “Yes. Okay.”

  Reece frowned but took her arm and led her toward the front door. The security lock was broken. It hadn’t actually worked since she’d moved in. Sean walked ahead and opened the door. He looked concerned, but she wasn’t sure who he was more worried about—her or Reece.

  “Thank you,” she told the other detective. Sean nodded at her and brought up the rear. Reece stayed right beside her, his hand wrapped around her arm to steady her. As much as she wanted to push him away and walk on her own, she wasn’t stupid. The way she was feeling right now, she might end up flat on her face in the foyer.

  There was no elevator so she started the trek up. Reece swore under his breath and plucked her off her feet. “Which floor?”

  “Third.” She relaxed and enjoyed the free ride. As much as she wanted to tell him to put her down, she needed the help. At least he’d saved her from having to ask for it. “Right here.” She pointed to her apartment.

  Reece put her down but kept one steadying arm behind her as she dug her keys out of her knapsack and unlocked the door.

  The space was small. One room with a daybed and some shelves, a miniscule kitchen with a small sink, about two feet of countertop, a mini refrigerator, a hot plate, and an ancient microwave. The bathroom was even tinier with a stingy shower stall, toilet, and sink. It wasn’t much but it was hers.

  She took the few steps necessary to reach the daybed and sank down onto it. She slipped her bag off her shoulder and let it fall to the mattress beside her.

  Both men hovered by the door. Sean finally closed it and Reece walked over to crouch in front of her. “Can I get you anything?”

  She shook her head. “I want to get this over with.” She took off Reece’s coat and handed it back to him. He took it and slipped it back on. She felt chilled without the extra warmth.

  His eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened but he nodded. He stood and moved off to one side.

  It was Sean who took a notebook out of his pocket and began the questioning. “You were on your way to work around half past five this morning?”

  She nodded. “Yes. We open at six. I like to get there early so I can get everything prepped. We have to be ready when the doors open. People are rabid about getting their coffee.”

  Sean flashed her a smile. “I understand completely. So you were walking alone,” he prompted.

  Hannah closed her eyes and tried to remember. “I heard a sound.” She opened her eyes and her gaze met Reece’s. “I figured it was a cat or dog, but I moved away from the alleyway, just to be safe.”

  “But you weren’t safe.” Reece’s rough voice felt like a caress against her skin.

  “No, I wasn’t safe. He stepped out and attacked.”

  “What can you tell us about him?” Sean asked. “Tall? Short? Hair color? Anything?”

  “Ah.” She licked her lips, her mouth dry. She didn’t want to remember but forced herself to. “Tall. Over six feet. He was wearing a leather jacket but he was well-built. Strong. He wore a hat but his hair was dark. It happened so fast.” Her attacker had moved with the lightning reflexes of their kind, faster than anyone Hannah had ever seen.

  “You defended yourself.” Sean checked his notes. “According to a witness, you pulled a knife.”

  Hannah nodded. “I’m a woman on her own in the city, and I go to work early in the morning.” The last thing she needed was to get in trouble for carrying and using a knife on the guy. “My father gave it to me. He taught me how to use it.”

  Reece stirred and pushed away from the wall. That had gotten his attention. “Where is your father now?” Reece asked.

  A familiar pain filtered through her. “I don’t know.” Her voice was husky with tears she wouldn’t shed. She’d already cried a million tears over his leaving. “He took off when I turned eighteen.”

  That was all Sean needed to know. She could tell from the expression on Reece’s face, he’d have more questions.

  “That’s it,” she told them. “That’s everything I remember. I’m tired.” She reminded them about her injuries. It wasn’t all a ploy to get them to leave. She really wasn’t feeling well.

  Sean closed his notebook and tucked it back in his pocket. “We may need to speak with you again, and you’ll need to come down to the station to review and sign your statement as soon as you’re able.”

  She nodded in agreement even though she had no intention of doing so. She was out of here as soon as they left.

  Hannah ignored the hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of never seeing Reece again. She’d just met the man, didn’t know him beyond the fact he was a cop and a werewolf. Why should it matter if she never saw him again?

  Unfortunately, logic didn’t seem to matter in this situation.

  “You coming?” Sean asked.

  Reece shook his head. “You go on ahead. I’ll check in with you later.”

  His partner glanced at her and then back at Reece. “I hope to hell you know what you’re doing,” he muttered.

  “I do.” His words final, Reece walked Sean to the door. They talked quietly but she could hear them. Sean was warning Reece not to do anything stupid. Reece simply told him once again he’d call in a few hours.

  Hannah wanted to fall back onto the daybed and sleep for about twelve hours straight. Her front door opened and closed, leaving her alone with Reece.

  He stood, big and tall, taking up most of the space in her tiny apartment. “Pack your things. You’re coming with me.”

  Chapter Six

  Hannah looked like she was almost asleep sitting up. Reece wanted her out of here and somewhere safer. The faster, the better. He didn’t trust her attacker not to come to her home. If he’d followed her to work, he’d probably followed her back to her apartment. It wasn’t a hundred percent, but it was good odds.

  She startled at his pronouncement. He spoke again, cutting off any arguments she might muster. “You’re in no shape to look after yourself.”

  His assessment was blunt but also truthful. Her lips thinned as she pursed them together but she didn’t disagree, which told him she was weaker than he’d thought. He hadn’t known Hannah long, but there was no doubting she was an independent, strong woman.

  The fact that she’d been on her own for years—and where the hell was her father?—that she’d fought back against her attacker, spoke of her strength.

  “I can protect you,” he told her. He needed to protect her.

  His wolf was going crazy inside him. The creature wanted Hannah safely tucked away in Reece’s apartment too. More than that, his wolf wanted to take her home to the pack. Reece was in perfect agreement, but first he’d have to win Hannah’s trust. Getting her to his place was the first step.

  “Come on, Hannah,” he softened his tone. “You know you can’t stay here.”

  She looked around the tiny room and shuddered. “No, I can’t stay h
ere.” She stood and walked to the window, being careful to not stand directly in front of it. She peered around the side and looked down on the busy street. It was afternoon and the city was alive with people and vehicles.

  “How do I know you won’t try to kill me?”

  His entire body jerked with anger, but it was a valid question. “You don’t.”

  She spun quickly around and began to sway. He leapt forward and grabbed her before she hit the floor. “Damn it, you’re in no shape to be up and around.”

  Quick as a snake, she knocked his feet out from under him and ran toward the door. Even as shocked as he was, he rolled to his feet and was on her before she could turn the knob. His big body covered hers, pressing her against the wooden panel.

  She elbowed him and tried to fight. He grabbed her hands in his and placed them against the door. “What the hell was that about?” He was more than a little impressed with her, even as he was angry she’d managed to trick him.

  “I won’t go down easy. I’ll hurt you,” she promised.

  Reece realized that she thought he was going to harm her. “Oh no, babe.” He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “You might not trust me, but I’ll never hurt you. That I promise. I want to protect you.”

  He loosened his grip, careful to watch for any sudden movements. She’d dropped him on his ass once. He wasn’t looking for a repeat performance.

  “Okay?” he asked as he slowly turned her around. He kept his hands around her wrists and his body pressed against hers. She was pale and he smelled blood. “Fuck.” He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the daybed. “You broke at least one of your stitches. Why aren’t you healing?”

  “I don’t heal as quickly,” she told him. “And I haven’t eaten since last night. Usually I get something at work for breakfast, but I never quite made it there this morning.”

  He lifted the thin top she wore, displaying the hospital dressing and a small swath of her stomach. The sight of the bandage made his stomach muscles clench, but no blood had seeped through, which meant whatever damage she’d done while fighting him was minimal.