6

6

The back door opened then, making a slight screeching sound as Claire emerged. She wore a light jacket and carried a backpack, and in her other hand, she had a bag of trash. Bodie hurried over and lifted the lid on the dumpster for her, and she smiled, but she seemed a little bewildered. “So why are you here?”

“We’re here to babysit you,” said Liam with a grin. Apparently, he realized Bodie’s wolf didn’t like that, because he quickly added, “Bodie was concerned about you, and we were just keeping him company.”

Claire stiffened slightly, and Bodie couldn’t help noticing the way she had shifted her hair to cover most of her face. She looked at him, and only one of her eyes was fully exposed, but he could see a mixture of yearning and annoyance there. “I don’t need you to take care of me, Bodie. I’m not someone’s charity project.”

He stiffened at the accusation. “It’s not like that. I want to make sure those scumbags don’t come back.”

Claire shrugged a shoulder. “If they do, what’s the