My feet rooted in place as he approached, a masculine swing in his step, his face sculpted like a warrior’s. This was a man who could easily deliver a deathblow with one swing.
Tak offered me a handful of garments and flashed his teeth. “They won’t fit, but they’ll get you home. You needn’t worry. I’m only dangerous when provoked.”
I held the shade against me with one hand and gathered the clothes in my free arm. “Thank you, sir. Are you attached to a pack or are you a… maverick?”
“Maverick? That’s an interesting but polite way to put it. I’m not a rogue, and my Packmaster doesn’t need to know about my chivalrous deed. I won’t receive any medals for doing what any decent man would do. I’d get a lashing if I left you as I found you.”
I inclined my head and stepped back. Kind or not, I didn’t trust outsiders and wanted to put distance between us.
He started to turn away and then snapped his fingers. “Actually, thereisone favor you can do for me.”
I mashed my lips together at his roguish grin.
“I’m lost,” he explained, rocking on his heels. “Men aren’t supposed to ask for directions, so I’m entrusting you with my little secret. The city is… confusing, and I need to find a gas station to buy a map of Austin.”
My eyes flicked back to his truck, which faced right. “You’re going the wrong way. This road eventually leads to a lake. Turn around, and after a mile or two, you’ll hit a major intersection. Go right until you reach the big gas station on the left. You can’t miss it, and they’ll have whatever you need.”
“Do they have a sunshade like yours?” He winked and circled around to the driver’s side.
Thank the fates for sending a man generous enough to offer me his clothes. Just the fact that he had a spare outfit was a good omen. It could have been so much worse had the cops thrown me in a human jail for public indecency. I had no pack, and breaking Council laws could tarnish my reputation.
When he got in the truck and started it, the music blared. Before he took off, I rushed toward the open passenger window, stopping short of the fiery hot asphalt.
“Something else?” the alpha asked, turning down the radio.
“I… I appreciate your kindness.”
He grinned. “Anytime, Duckie.”
The back tires spun, and I stepped aside as he lurched forward and made a U-turn. A red car suddenly raced by so quickly that a gust of wind ripped the shade right out of my hand. It spun in the air like a butterfly, and I stood naked on the side of the road, listening to my rescuer’s laughter as he sped away.
Chapter 4
At least I’ll never see him again, I thought, waiting for the elevator to reach my floor. My least dignified moment would just have to be getting caught naked on the side of the road while joyrunning, wouldn’t it?
Especially by an alpha.
While his name sounded vaguely familiar, it was a relief to discover he wasn’t a local Packmaster but a visitor from out of town. Gossip traveled fast among Shifters, and a rumor like that might affect our business sales. Moonglow was not only my venture but also Mel’s. This was our security deposit on our future—a sustainable income that would be an attractive asset for a Packmaster accepting new additions. In an ideal world, Melody and I would join the same pack. But even if we didn’t, creating separate business accounts wouldn’t be terribly difficult. Yet careless stunts could jeopardize not only our business but also our chances of joining a reputable pack in the territory. It hadn’t sunk in until the moment I was caught.
I gripped the waistband of the baggy jeans the stranger had given me and headed down the hallway toward my apartment. What kind of world did we live in where people freely stole clothing without regard? Thank the fates they hadn’t found my keys and taken off with the car.
As soon as I opened the door, Lakota materialized in front of me.
“Didn’t you get my messages?”
I set my keys on the accent table. “No. Was there an emergency?”
Lakota’s cross look made me shrink with guilt. He must have left the messages when I was out on my run, and I hadn’t bothered to check my phone on the way home.
“I have to get ready for work.”
Lakota folded his arms. “Where have you been all this time? When you didn’t answer, I came back home to see if you left your phone behind. Needless to say, I’ve been worrying my ass off. This is what happens when you don’t tell me where you’re—” His eyes skated down and narrowed. “Why are you wearing men’s clothes?”
I swung a left, the long pants dragging beneath my feet as I shuffled down the hall.
“Where have you been?” he said sharply.
“You’re not my keeper!”
