Eve tested the sharpness of her blade with her thumb before sliding it back into the sheath at her waist. The first thing she did when she arrived back at her cabin was select a new knife to replace the one she left at Arlin's. She would not be caught unawares again if Kyle reappeared, and there was no doubt that he would. If he followed her all the way to Bull Creek, then he wouldn't give up that easy, which meant his threats were more than threats; they were promises.She walked back over to the kitchen counter, needing more coffee. Alanna had left a few moments ago, along with Josh and Ezra, after making sure the repairs were finished and Eve's cabin was safe and secure. She could tell by the look on Alanna's face that she didn't really want to leave, but Eve needed to be alone to figure out what she needed to do next. She didn't doubt that Kyle would be watching. Glancing at the front door—the locked front door—she wondered if she'd be able to spot him in the woods around her cabin

The afternoon sun caressed the orange and black stripes of her fur, massaging her with its warm rays as the wind whispered along her lithe form. She ran through the forest surrounding Bull Creek, leaping over fallen logs, dodging trees, turning up the earth with her massive paws. All the while, Arlin, in his tiger form, followed close behind her, allowing her the freedom to explore her newfound ability while also remaining close enough to protect her and keep her from harm. While Bull Creek was a sanctuary for shifters, she knew Arlin wasn't familiar enough with the area to let his guard down just yet, especially with Kyle still stalking her. She'd have to do something about her ex soon, though, if she were to move on with her life.Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Arlin's tiger prowling around a giant oak tree, matching her pace. She knew he was now a significant part of that forward momentum of her life, of putting her past behind her so she could enjoy this sparkling new presen

Kyle stood there, a broken tree limb in his hands as he glared down at Arlin's body, Arlin's motionless body, Eve noticed. She couldn't tell whether he was dead or just unconscious, but he definitely wasn't moving. Her heart lurched in her chest, the pounding echoing in her ears. They should have known Kyle would not give up that easily. They were careless and arrogant, and now Arlin paid the price for their flippant behavior."People should learn to mind their own business," Kyle snarled as he sneered down at Arlin. Glancing up at Eve, he shook his head. "This is your fault. If you would have just done what I told you to do, just packed your bags and headed home instead of sowing your wild oats, none of this would have happened." He pointed at Arlin with the end of the branch he wielded like a club. "You made this happen. You did this." With each word, his voice grew louder, angrier. "Don't blame me. I didn't want this to happen, but I told you it would if you didn't come home." He st

Rance knelt behind the giant oak, watching as Deputy Lainie Everest slid out of her patrol car. He would not allow some small-town deputy to steal his case, regardless of how his wolf panted after her back at the crime scene. Now was not the time for animal lust to distract him. Roger O'Brien was his; Roger's phone was his. Rance needed the video on that phone to put that punk, Snake, and four of his friends behind bars for shooting up a family's house and killing the father. Gang violence in Pensacola was out of control, contributing to almost eighty percent of the criminal activity in the county. Rance's office was determined to do everything within its power to put as many of them behind bars as possible. Roger was to be a step in that direction. Was to be, that is, until the man turned chicken and ran. Now the only witness to the fatal shooting had been fatally shot, and some one-horse deputy was doing her best to impede Rance's investigation. Well, she's going to try anyway.Rance

Rance walked into the sheriff's office, the laptop tucked under his arm. Once he had reached the cabin again and shifted, he dressed and did a quick scan of the structure. The only thing of importance in the whole place was an ancient laptop. Rance shoved it into an evidence bag he found in the deputy's car and then stowed it in his duffel bag along with his clothes. Roger was doing more than hiding in Bull Creek; he was hiding from life. He only had a few changes of clothes, no other electronics, such as a music device or television, no books to mention, which made Rance wonder what the man did out in the middle of nowhere to keep from going off the rails. Bull Creek was a quiet getaway, but Rance wasn't sure if he could last without something to distract him besides watching the hands of a clock tick.He grinned as he walked up to the receptionist's desk. Of course, if he had Lainie Everest in his cabin, he could let time pass without worry. Spunky, sassy even, but it suited her. He