I’m jealous of your dead mate. Was she your mate? Yourtruemate?“Yeah. Peachy.”Peachy?Had that word really rolled out of my mouth? I wasn’t even aware it was part of my vocabulary.
His brows drew low.
I definitely deserved that look. I was acting weird. I was speaking weird. “Just thinking about the poor coroner and his wife.” Returning to a subject that didn’t make my wolf or human feel territorial over a male she had no claim on felt wise. “Where did the attack happen again?”
“About thirty miles east of here. Why?”
“Just curious of the area I should steer clear of,” I lied.
His head dipped a little. “You’re not planning a trip out there, are you?”
I jerked, banged my knee on the island. “What?”
“People’s scents change when they lie.”
“You’re saying you can smell deceit?”
He crossed his arms. “I can smell a whole variety of emotions. Comes with the job.”
Well, crap. “Howconvenient.” I crossed my own arms, hoping it could block my scent.
Liam’s brown eyes went wolfishly amber. “Why do you want to visit the crime scene?”
“Because it’s going to snow.”
He glanced out the window.
“I know our pack’s best trackers were out there, but I thought that maybe”—I shrugged—“maybe I’d pick up on something they hadn’t.”
“Leaving the compound—”
“Shifter Zero’s trying to change human nature. Since I’m a wolf already, I think it’s safe to assume I’m not part of the people being targeted.”
“We don’t know what the person’s intent is, yet, Nikki.”
I got up, slid my phone into my jeans’ back pocket, and sidestepped him.
“Where are you going?”
“Out.”
Liam trailed me into the foyer where I stuck my socked feet into my boots and grabbed my jacket.
“Your brothers mentioned you were stubborn.”
“Me? Stubborn? They must’ve had me confused with theirothersister.” I flashed him a smile.
He didn’t even snicker. He was one tough audience.
I grabbed my car keys.
“Leave the keys. We’ll take my car.”
“We?”
“Either I come with you, or I tell Lorna not to open the gate.” He tapped on his temple to remind me how fast he could communicate with our gatekeeper.
“Seriously, Liam. Go be with your son.”
