“Fine, I’ll go see what he wants, but I can’t make any promises. Stay here.” “I don’t have a phone. Can I use yours?” “It’s in the kitchen charging.” “Crap. I need clothes and I’m assuming since you were alone in here, there’s no man in your life that would leave any here.” “No man would dare do that. But currently you’d be correct. Though I doubt you would fit any if they had left something here.” “True enough. I’ll need to call my brother and get him to bring me some.” “Fine, I’ll bring it with me when I come up and tell you the coast is clear. Okay?” “Thanks. Keep the questions and explanations to the minimum. Don’t let him know you know anything about wolf shifters or that he’s one.” “I don’t and I won’t.” Becky just wanted to get out of there. She didn’t feel comfortable with him standing there wrapping a sheet around himself in her bedroom. Her emotions were all over the place and she just couldn’t

Becky came down the stairs, now fully dressed with her blonde hair wet. Rob noticed she wore no makeup and looked tired. “You haven’t slept well?” “What? No, that’s normal. Now what is happening? No, just stay sitting. I can get my coffee.” Rob tried to stand. He needed another cup, and she appeared to need one. “Want another?” “Yes, please.” Rob held up his cup, wondering how she functioned so well, as tired as she was. Her health concerned him. She brought the coffee to the table, then fetched the milk and sugar before she sat. “Now before Jane Ann gets here, what are you? I mean, are you a wolf man? Or werewolf? What do you call your species? Is that right?” “Wolf shifter. Wolf. Shifter. Are acceptable. Don’t call anyone a werewolf. They are a rare, almost mythical monster. If they’re created, they most likely die. Those who survive are crazier than you can believe.”Becky wanted answers from him before anymore interruptions. She needed

“Look, I’ll help Becky get a few things together before anyone goes. Why don’t you two make sure there’s no one sulking around out there? I don’t know about you, but Officer Hebbs showing up here is a little disturbing at this early hour. He should just be getting to work right now. Not banging on Becky’s door. You might want to remind him about decency and all that.” Jane Ann said as she tucked her garbage back into the bag it came in. “Truthfully, I believe you’re correct. To get here from where he stays, he has had to leave his home well before six in the morning. He must have planned to come out here for this reason.” “Where does he live?” “Two towns over, barely outside of my territory. It either took him over an hour to get here this morning, or he’s been waiting all night to do that. Either way, he planned to be here and in your face.” Rob didn’t like this at all. Once Becky was in a safe and guarded location, he and Officer Hobbs were having

Jon followed Rob upstairs. “Hey, listen, I know I said some things that she didn’t enjoy hearing, but it’s my job to remind you of the unsavoury truths. The elders will make her miserable until she left to get away from it. You need to talk to them before she meets them. The others would probably go along with whatever you wanted if the elders kept their opinion to themselves. But until that can happen. Why don’t you stay with her? At the Wolf’s Den or here. I don’t think it would matter which place. Well, that’s not true. The Wolf’s Den is more secure, and it has that apartment above it. She’d never be late for work. With a minor change to schedules, you could be with her when she works, and she could be with you when you do.” “I get it. Thank you. Now I have to call Hebbs and get this meeting set up. I’ll need you to be my hand on pack territory. I think Jane Ann should stay at the bar too. You okay with making the trip back and forth each day?” Rob knew Jon didn’t

“Why are we going to the bar? I don’t understand.” Becky asked Robert as he drove the vet mobile back into town. “It’s hard to explain, but I’ll try. I said something to you out of context. The word mate. You took it to another of my kind and they put it back into context. The part that makes this dangerous to you is. I suspect the officer has ulterior motives in this town. Those motives could put my pack and you in danger. If they don’t, but that information gets out to certain unknown people, it again could put you in danger to get to me or do something to you that could put your life and freedom in danger. As it’s my fault that you heard that word and didn’t understand who or what you were saying to an authority figure, I feel responsible for your safety and freedom.” Robert tried to look Becky in the eye, but she wouldn’t look at him. Instead, she stared out the passenger side window. “By effectively kidnapping me?” She sounded tiny, but resolute. He cou