“Do you need backup?” Now she was all business.
Make that averysmart woman. His chest warmed even as his determination strengthened. The coming confrontation with the Copper Pack was necessary. “No, I don’t need backup. I just want you to stay covered for now.”
She cleared her throat. “All right, but we need to talk.”
Yeah, they probably did. He should buy her a ring after he dealt with the Copper Pack. “I understand,” he said. “I’ll pick you up for breakfast in the morning, and we’ll hit the diner.” The same one they’d gone to for their first date when she’d given him half her sandwich. She’d taken his heart at the time in exchange, having no idea what she’d done. He hadn’t been the same since, knowing she’d always have him. Now, she was his. Forever.
“That’s fine, and then you can drop me off at the station afterward,” she added.
He understood that she wanted to go back to work, whereas he wanted her to stay safe until they at least found out why she wasn’t feeling well. “I promise I’ll be there in the morning.” He meant every word, no matter how many members of the Copper Pack he had to take out to get there.
“Okay.” She sounded unsure, which was rare for her.
He paused as he turned down the long drive toward his house. “Are you feeling ill again? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’ll talk to you about it tomorrow. We need to speak in person.”
He slowed and rolled down his window, even though the rain had started falling heavily. He couldn’t sense the enemy near yet, but every instinct he had told him they were on their way. “Are you all right?” Had he been too rough on her the night before?
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Like I said, we just need to have a little discussion over breakfast.”
Oh, the woman definitely wanted him out of her case, even if that meant going after a serial killer on her own. But right now wasn’t the time to argue about that. He’d deal with the threat against him tonight and the ones hunting her tomorrow. “Okay. Stay protected tonight,” he said.
She was quiet for a moment. “You stay safe, too. Are you sure you don’t want me to head out there?”
“I’m absolutely positive,” he responded. “I need you to have a nice and relaxing evening at home with your aunt and mother.”
“All right,” she said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
She ended the call. Unease settled throughout Seth, but he shook it off. He’d talk to her in the morning after he dealt with the assassin squad no doubt headed his way. He reached his house and parked before dodging through the angry rain to ditch his clothes. Remaining outside nude, he shifted into a wolf in one fluid motion and leaped toward the forest.
Bounding outside in the storm, he ran freely with the rain matting his fur, scouting his entire property yet not catching wind of anybody from the Copper Pack. Finally, he returned home, shifted back, and made himself a late supper, his mind on Mia. He had to figure out what was wrong with her, but he didn’t want to kidnap Luna again. Maybe there was a way to contact the young scientist and see if she had any answers. Although, if he had to go to war to save his woman, he’d do it. In a heartbeat.
He texted Erik for an update, but his brother didn’t answer. Agitation surged through him, but one thing at a time.
Finishing his meal, he prowled out to his front porch to sit on the wooden steps and wait. There was no doubt in his mind that they were coming, and it would be tonight.
Chapter16
The rain beat mercilessly against the deck outside, sliding down the wood to drench the grass on either side. The lake churned deep and gray, barely visible because of the heavy cloud cover. Mia paced near the sliding glass door.
Aunt Dotty and her mother had been in bed for hours, and the puppy apparently now slept with Dotty.
Mia glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. Something was wrong. She didn’t know how she knew, but she trusted her instincts. Straightening her shoulders, she hurried to her purse, yanked on a jacket, and barreled outside the front door.
A man was instantly in her way. He was tall and broad, and it took her a second to recognize him. “Excuse me. Mia, you need to go back inside.”
She stopped short. “Todd?” She frowned, blinking rain out of her eyes. The shifter had been around since her first week in town, but he always seemed to stay in the background. Didn’t he work at the mine? “What in the heck are you doing in front of my cabin?” As she asked, another figure stepped out of the woods. It was Jeremy, another of the workers at Seth’s mine, also a wolf shifter. He just waited by the tree line, watching her.
Todd shifted uncomfortably, his boots covered by the wet grass. “We’re on protection detail,” he admitted, hunching his shoulders against the pelting rain. The darkness emanated from the forest, and something howled in the distance.
She jolted and wiped water off her face. “I’m being protected? I’m an FBI agent.” In fact, her gun was already in her bag. “Please, get out of my way.” The guy had always been polite to her, and she really didn’t want to kick him.
“We’re supposed to watch the cabin,” Todd said, glancing uneasily toward Jeremy.
Good. She liked the idea that her mom and aunt would be protected. “Then do that.” Every instinct in her body screamed that Seth needed her. He was strong and smart, but everybody needed backup. And her gun had silver bullets in it. “I’m going, Todd. You stay here.” She knew he wouldn’t touch her, so she hustled to her SUV and jumped in, rapidly pulling out of the driveway as she saw him lift a phone to his ear. No doubt to tell Seth. She didn’t care. He would never leave her without backup, and she would do the same for him.
Erik had left because of a problem with Emily, and Mia was still waiting to hear what had happened. He’d given her the info before taking off, but he hadn’t mentioned that he’d stationed other wolf shifters around the property.
