That earned her a broad grin. “Well, safe travels to you.”
So the wolves were here, close, but she might drive circles around the mountain for days and not find them. She needed specifics. “Um, this route you gave me…will it take me past their…um, property?”
“Oh, not even close. You’d have to pass through to the other side of town, drive up the mountain a bit till Main Street gets wide again. They’re out that way, their own private road.”
She had to hope she could spot a private road on the side of a mountain. Asking for the name of the road would appear too curious.
“They call it Lunar Lane, of all things. Makes sense, right?” He chuckled.
April blinked. Maybe the universe was on her side. Maybe Drew wouldn’t get to kill her after all. She smiled back. “Thanks for your help.”
“No problem. Enjoy your day.”
“You too, sir.”
She measured every step back to her car. Her legs wanted to wobble, but she kept her thighs clenched and her stride strong until she slid behind the wheel. Then she sat a moment, processing, breathing. Still breathing—look at that, Drew.
“Lunar Lane,” she said aloud.
She wanted to map it into her phone, but…no. Not unless necessary.
Twenty minutes later, on the other side of Harmony Ridge, she passed an actual green street sign bearing the name. She made a tricky Y-turn despite the blind curve. Then she pulled onto a precarious red-dirt shoulder and parked, careful to let none of her tires touch the dirt of Lunar Lane.
She shut off the car. She hoped someone would come home or leave home before dark. Her stomach growled. If they didn’t want to feed her… If they didn’t let her stay… She pressed her hands to her face. Needy. Absolutely utterly needy. That’s what she was. And that was terrifying. But owning it was her best chance.
An hour passed. Noon came and went. April’s hunger grew, but she was fine. She had no water either. Oh, maybe that was the cause of the headache. Well, still. She was fine.
A salsa-red pickup truck approached from town, slowed and put on its blinker. Then it shifted to flashers and pulled up behind her. The lone driver got out and approached her car. His face was fresh and unlined, his jaw firm, his skin as pale as her own and smattered with freckles. His hair was a bright flame on top of his head, curls grown out a little unruly, and his eyes were light green behind his glasses. All these details fought with his physical presence, height of at least six-foot-four and bulk that ought to make him a wolf. Could a wolf need glasses? Could a wolf be…ginger?
“Hello? Do you need some help?”
She opened her mouth, and nothing came out. Her throat was so dry. Her pulse was so fast.
“Ma’am? Are you okay?”
“Wolf?” The word burst out of her.
He rocked back on his heels. “Yeah, I am. Do you know one of the pack?”
Wolf. He was. A wolf. April gripped the steering wheel to keep her hands from shaking. She had come here. This was the chance she’d chosen to take. She blurted the words she had prepared. Her fuzzy thoughts hadn’t lost them. “I need to speak with your alpha immediately. I’ll wait here while you gain permission for me to enter your territory.”
The wolf rubbed one palm over his hair and studied her. Then he shrugged and headed back for his truck, calling over his shoulder, “Just a second while I call ahead.” In a few moments he was back. He stood beside her door, tapped his phone, and as he lifted it to his ear said to her, “I’m Nathan, by the way.”
Then he smiled.
Easygoing, volunteering his name,smiling—was something wrong with this wolf?
After a minute he frowned and tapped the phone again. “Hey, Dad, there’s a woman parked at the end of the Lane asking to come onto the property. I think she needs our help.”
He could smell her vulnerability. April stared down at her hands. They were clenched into fists she hadn’t realized she was making. Then the rest of his words registered. Dad?
“I know, but he didn’t pick up,” Nathan said. “So I thought maybe… Right. Okay, let me try one more time.” Another call ended. Another call attempted. “Oh, there you are. I’m at the end of the Lane, and there’s someone here asking to talk to you. Can I bring her over there? … Um, dunno.”
April couldn’t stop staring. Who was he talking to now?
Nathan met her eyes and crouched a bit toward the car. “You’re in trouble, right? And humans can’t help you. Is that why you’re here?”
She nodded, swallowed, and found her voice. “Yes.”
