Page 16 of Corbin (Wild Wolf Pack from the world of Gallize Shifters #2)

Parked next to a dumpster behind an empty shop space he’d noted had a For Lease sign, Corbin watched to his left where two cars sat at the back of the dress shop. He wanted to stay ready to roll and seriously doubted anyone would notice the front edge of his tire poking out.

Much farther down than he expected, Givenchy descended an old fire escape ladder attached to a building next to the shop she’d entered.

Givenchy looked around and raced across the road, stopping at the edge of a wooded area.

What had caused her to pause? He heard the engine sound of a sport bike rolling down the main road. Had she spotted him following her on a motorcycle?

She disappeared into the foliage.

Damn. He cranked his bike and raced close to where she’d entered the trees and parked quickly, shoving his stand down. Having strapped his helmet to the rear seat moments ago, he already had his hat and dark sunglasses on.

He entered the woods ten yards back this side of where she had gone in, then ran what he hoped was parallel to her path. Could she be meeting someone involved in eliminating her security?

Was that why she’d requested human guards only?

A sickening thought. He couldn’t align that image with the reserved girl he’d known in high school. Had she turned into an adult who was willing to harm—or kill—another person?

Then again, he’d never gotten the chance to learn much about her, had he?

He slowed, listening.

There. He caught the sound of her moving quickly, not seeming to worry about the noise she made, and smiled.

He’d guessed correctly and was now in his area of expertise.

Moving with purpose, he began tracking her, moving closer as he determined her direction.

Small trees and thick undergrowth might slow her down, but this was easy terrain compared to places in which he’d had to hunt a target.

The moment he realized she’d turned in his direction, adrenaline gave him a surge of energy. So did the satisfaction of catching her. He raced ahead of her and made a move he hoped would intersect with her path.

Steps pounded closer and closer to the tree he hid behind.

He stepped out. She was closer than he’d anticipated.

They collided.

Her body went flying backward. He lunged to catch her arms to keep her from hitting the ground. Her feet slid out from under her—now beneath his legs spread apart.

Worried he’d knocked her for a loop, he asked, “Are you okay? I didn’t expect you to run into me.”

She blinked then sharpened her gaze. Her full lips went from surprised to flat-lined. She walked her feet back until they were under her where she could stand.

Yanking her arms from his hold, she shoved the strap of that big purse back up on her shoulder and ordered, “Keep your hands off me.”

He held his hands in the air. “I have no intention of hurting you. I kept you from falling back onto those rocks.”

Rubbing her arms, she looked around to see where a small pile had been stacked up on one side of the path in an intentional arrangement. Probably kids from the area who had been playing in the woods. A refreshing thought when many stayed indoors with technology.

Shoving hair off her face, she panicked and looked around.

He spotted her hat hanging on a branch and stepped over to retrieve it. Then he found her sunglasses under a bush. Turning back to her, he offered them. “Looking for these?”

Her expression changed to embarrassment. She took the hat and shoved it on her head but held onto the sunglasses.

That’s when he lost all sense of time and purpose while staring into gorgeous aqua-blue eyes.

How could a pair of eyes take him back years to being a shy and gangly boy of seventeen?

His heart rate had remained steady while racing to catch her, but that organ now banged in his chest like a honey badger trying to escape.

With one deep inhale, her sweet scent struck a blow to any thought of his initial goal. How was he going to do his job for Adrian when he still felt a deep attachment to her?

“You’re ...” She seemed to catch herself. “Why are you stalking me?”

He thought for a moment she recognized him, but her question slapped that idea away.

Facing a pissed-off woman was one thing.

Facing a furious female shifter put him on his heels while he scrambled to reply.

“I’m not, uh, stalking you. I’m with your security team.

My partner and I were called in this morning. I was sent to protect you.”

No surprise crossed her face, only irritation when she asked, “Who are you?”

She knew. She had to know.

That she wouldn’t acknowledge him cut deep. Corbin gave her a roundabout answer. “I work for my partner who said a man named Beckham had contracted us.”

Looking up at the sky, she shook her head, muttering, “He broke our contract. Humans only.” Drawing a quick breath, she stopped suddenly. After two slow breaths, she narrowed her eyes. “Are you who I think you are?”

Ah, she did recognize his scent after all but not his face. The beard, long hair, and glasses were working, plus being older than a teenager. He snorted out a chuckle in no hurry to make this easy for her. “Who do you think I am?”

She hadn’t found that amusing based on her scowl.

Drawing herself up in a regal way that contradicted her disheveled look and cockeyed hat, she said.

“You were with that other guy standing at the back of the theater earlier. That means you must have heard me tell Brody, the head of my security, that I wanted no one to accompany me when I left.”

“I heard you.”

“Then what the hell did you think you were doing chasing me through the woods?” Her fisted hands were more about frustration than aggression.

He felt a smidgeon of sympathy for her. She likely lived under a microscope of humans and shifters judging her every movement.

Ares said, You lied to Adrian. You like this one.

Guilt flooded him when his wolf pointed out what he’d tried to ignore. He had to get back into character, but he refused to give Ares an inch. As usual, you offer no help at all. Just be quiet.

You hate when I am right . Ares, getting the last word again.

Corbin shrugged. “You could have been running from a threat.” He folded his arms over his chest. That was possible, so not technically a lie. “Why would you be sneaking out the back of a retail store if you weren’t escaping someone?” He waited to see if she’d lie.

Leaning forward and proving she was not intimidated by him, she said, “I am not under threat. In case you forgot, I’m a shifter. I don’t run from the everyday threats. I merely wanted a chance to stroll through the woods in private . Thanks for screwing that up.”

He swept a slow gaze down to her feet and back up to her face. “You aren’t exactly dressed for hiking. You were moving so quickly when we collided that you lost your hat and sunglasses. Aren’t there some safe parks you could jog through without getting your clothes ripped and your skin scratched?”

She ran a hand up her left arm where several surface scratches were in the process of healing.

Sliding both hands into the pockets of her pants, she took on an unperturbed stance. “You’re not going to leave, are you?”

“Afraid not. I have orders to ensure your safety.”

“Fine. Why don’t you walk me out of here and give me a ride back to the theater?”

What had caused the change of heart to be more accommodating?

Did she know he had a motorcycle and not a sedan? He doubted she’d ride on the back of his bike, but decided to let her think he had other wheels.

“Sure.” He waved his hand in the direction of the retail shops. “Ladies first.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “A gentleman? What pack has taught their males manners?”

Catching her sarcasm, he stopped before snarling a reply. He’d been thrown to worse than wolves by her father’s men. Memories of that time flooded him, and he had no trouble treating her like a suspect.

He leaned in and warned, “Don’t assume I’m a gentleman.”

That shut her up. She headed back in the opposite direction.

Just when he thought he had everything under control, his gaze locked on the swing of her hips. Damn, that woman was hot. She might be psychopathic, too, but his body didn’t care what his brain thought. He searched the woods to keep from tracking the sway of her sweet bottom. This job sucked.

They trudged along without speaking until they exited the woods.

He walked over to his bike in a surly mood and lifted his helmet, offering it to her. “Why don’t you put this on?”

She looked around in both directions, mumbling, “Adults don’t have to wear helmets here.”

Was she expecting someone? “I have to ensure your safety no matter what.”

She snapped back at him, “Yet again, I must remind you I’m a shifter capable of protecting myself. If I fall off, my bones will heal.”

“You’re being obstinate for no reason. I have orders to follow. Have you ever considered being nice to us little people?”

She drew back at his words. Then she leaned to look past him.

He heard a vehicle coming their way from behind him and turned.

Ah, shit.

A police cruiser rolled up near his bike and parked.

He swung back to her and recognized the sedan approaching from the opposite direction. “How would your driver know where you are?”

Her lips parted when she looked over her shoulder.

While she was ignoring him, Corbin turned to the cops.

Car doors slammed on the police cruiser. He stared at the two officers headed his way. She never used a mobile phone while he had eyes on her. How could this be happening? He asked her, “Where’d the cops come from?”

For all her bravado, she had the guilty look of someone caught. “I, uh, well ...”

She shoved her hands into her pockets, and her shoulders drooped.

He recalled when she’d put a hand in her pocket right before her attitude had changed from confrontational. Fury burned off any sympathy he’d had for her. “Ah, shit. What have you got? Some kind of save-me button that pulls in law enforcement?”

“That’s not what—”