45

I come to a halt on the sidewalk, my wolf miserable.

Rothan and Harriet have not been able to find Leanna’s home address. I managed to confirm that she doesn’t reside at the palace, so she must live somewhere else, but Erik has her personal details protected. The only way to get her alone will be to find her and follow her home. But she’s going to be vigilant. I’m sure she’ll hide out at the palace where nobody can approach her—

The thought has barely crossed my mind when I spot a familiar face walking down the street.

I go still. Am I seeing things?

It’s Leanna. She’s wearing a leather jacket and black pants. Her clothes are form fitting, and she looks dangerously sexy, so unlike the demure woman I remember. Her hands are busy tugging on dark gloves as she crosses the street.

For a few moments, I stare at her, mesmerized. There’s nothing weak or fragile about her anymore. She carries herself with a confidence that I’ve never seen in her before. Her beautiful dark hair has been cut off and is now a light shade of brown, and the ends of it brush her shoulders as she walks with purpose.

This new look, this attire, I can’t help but think it all suits her. But where is she going at this hour of the night? She looks over her shoulder before darting around the corner into an alley. I follow her carefully, making sure to stay downwind at all times, across the road, concealed behind the trees.

She stands outside a window and takes out a strange device before holding it up to her eye. It makes a clicking sound. It’s oddly familiar. It takes me a couple of seconds to realize that I’ve seen it somewhere before. Humans take portraits with it. Who is she taking portraits of?

A camera. That’s what it’s called.

She stays there for a few more clicks before lowering the device and checking something on the back of it. Once she’s satisfied, she tucks the camera into a small bag attached to her hip and hurries out of the alleyway. She returns the way she came, and I realize that at this time of night, the only place she could be going is home. If I follow her, I can find out where she lives. Despite this opportunity, I feel a flicker of irritation. Why doesn’t Erik keep her in the palace, where she would be safe? Why is she roaming around like this? Anything could happen to her.

Leanna has taken a couple of steps when she pauses and glances around, clearly unsettled. I’m still hidden behind a tree on the other side of the street, but she must have sensed my presence.

She doesn’t look in my direction, though. Her eyes flit over her shoulder first, and then her head tilts back and she looks up at the roof of the building she’s standing next to. I follow her gaze and see nothing. But when she breaks into a run, a bad feeling forms in the pit of my stomach. Something has her on edge. That’s when I see someone jump down from the side of the building and give chase. A growl leaves my throat, and I sprint after them. There are still humans on the sidewalks, so I cannot shift into my wolf form. Leanna seems to have come to the same conclusion.

She zigzags through some parked cars and crosses a street, heading toward the dark woods. Initially, I thought there were only two people chasing her, but it hits me that there are more than just two. They’re coming from all sides, wearing dark clothes to blend in with the night. She’s leading them into the trees around the area, probably planning to shift and attack them. But if these are shifters, she won’t be able to take on all of them at the same time.

As I chase them, I note that her speed and stamina have improved. As much as I would like to get rid of those following her, I decide to wait and see what she plans to do. See how much she really has changed. I have a feeling this may be the only chance I’ll get to figure that out.

Leanna leads them deeper into the forest, and I count the figures chasing her. There are at least eight. They were clearly waiting for her. They must have known where she had planned to be at this exact time tonight.

She finally turns around and shifts in the blink of an eye, all dark fur and dangerous, glinting eyes.

When her pursuers shift as well, she lets out a low warning growl, her hackles rising. She knows she’s outnumbered, and she believes she’s on her own. I conceal myself behind a tree, watching and waiting. I want to see what she’s going to do before I get involved.

The first one jumps at her, and she lowers herself to the ground, making her attacker crash into the wolf behind her. As he does, she jumps to her feet and sinks her teeth into his tail, ripping it off.

My brows arch at the vicious nature of her counterattack. It’s effective. The wolf falls to the ground, howling.

But that was just one wolf. She still has the others to contend with.

When the rest realize she’s not going to be an easy target, they converge on her all at once. I straighten up. If they think they can touch her while I’m around, they’re going to learn a very painful lesson soon enough.

Two wolves jump on Leanna, and I’m about to intervene when I see her kick one of them with her rear leg and bite the snout of the other one in front of her. She fights dirty, I realize, feeling a sense of pride.

As the others rush at her, I know that now is the time to step in. She’s starting to get overwhelmed, unable to watch her back for attacks from all directions. Revealing myself, I go for the two wolves sneaking up behind her. I don’t even bother shifting. I grab one by the neck and slam him to the ground on his back. The sound of his spine shattering fills the clearing. He goes limp.