“A rugby player.”Laura’s astonishment rang out, making Henry’s lips twitch.
He was glad no one witnessed his humor, but her awe poked at his funny bone.“Yes, she’s not petite and has excellent muscle tone.”
“You looked at her muscle tone, did you?”
Now Laura was laughing at him.He redirected the conversation.“I’ll tell Gerard to expect her.”
“Thanks.Appreciate it and don’t think I didn’t notice your subject change.You like her.”
Henry hung up, hesitated.Then he pulled on a clean T-shirt, tugged it over his head, and grabbed his car keys.With his phone in hand, he headed out.When he arrived at her house, he had no idea what he’d do, but harassment wasn’t right.He might want to distance himself, but he didn’t want anyone to hurt her.
The roads were quiet this late at night, and the darkness was absolute.A sliver of moon hung in the sky, and his wolf was conscious of the lunar cycle.
When he neared Maia’s property, he slowed and parked on the gravel shoulder at the entrance to her driveway.He hadn’t seen a single vehicle, but the second he alighted from his truck, his gut twisted, and every sense screamed caution.An ex-soldier, he’d learned to trust his instincts.He slid through the darkness, his footfalls silent.For a long moment, he debated whether to shift to wolf but decided it was best to remain in his two-footed form in case he ran into Maia.
He inhaled and tested the air but smelled nothing except the hedges and the long grass surrounding the house, plus a hint of cow manure from the neighbor’s paddock.An owl hooted its mournful cry, and another answered, then something else jerked him to a stop—a smell, a noise.His wolf tensed beneath his skin.
Danger lay ahead.
Henry breathed in, and this time, the metallic scent of blood carried in the breeze.Laura had mentioned blood.He paused, using every one of his senses to read the situation.That pitiful cry, full of pain, came again, and Henry cautiously stepped forward.He thought it was a crying animal.
A mewl came from his left, away from the house.Since he couldn’t sense anyone else, he increased his speed and headed toward a totara tree.The blood scent intensified, as did the whimpers.
Henry cursed and broke into a sprint.Maia lay unmoving near a tree trunk while a white puppy struggled in a cruel trap.Henry swore again and retrieved his phone to ring Laura.
“Laura, I’m at Maia’s house.Better call Gavin.She’s unconscious.”
“On it.”Laura hung up.
Henry ran his eye over the puppy, his muscles tensing.The bastards.He loathed abuse of any kind and wouldn’t act civilized if he discovered those responsible for this heinous act.It was still alive, but first, Maia.With his heart in his throat, he scrambled to her side and crouched.His breath whistled between his teeth when he found a strong pulse.He used his phone torch to check her more closely.Judging by the blood coating her hair, someone had struck her on the head.Henry didn’t want to move her before Gavin examined her.Whatever had happened, she’d been lucky.
Henry turned his attention to the puppy.His jaw set as he unraveled the intricate trap.Whoever had made the thing hadn’t wanted the puppy to escape, nor had they wanted Maia to free the animal too fast.
The puppy trembled, and she emitted a pained whine that tore at his heart.His wolf growled, low and vicious, and try as he might, Henry couldn’t make him stop.His hands shook when he finished freeing the puppy.It was a tiny thing of indeterminate breed, but Henry thought it was part terrier.Thoughts of Geoffrey, the old Jack Russell he’d inherited from Lisa’s neighbor, flitted through his mind.He missed that dog.
A vehicle approached, but he relaxed when he spotted Laura’s police car’s flashing lights.A second car followed.
Henry let the puppy right itself.He didn’t think it would flee since it was so weak, so he stood to greet Laura.Gavin, the town’s vet and shifter doctor, trailed her.Gavin had brought one of his mates, and Henry nodded at Charlie, Middlemarch’s other cop.
“What the fuck?”Gavin said, his eyes on the quivering, distressed puppy.
“I don’t know for sure because Maia is unconscious, but my best guess is she investigated the crying puppy.Either she stumbled, or someone thumped her and left.I’m betting on the second option.”
“You didn’t smell anyone around?”Laura asked, in full cop mode.
“No,” Henry said, his chest tight.Someone had attacked his—
He cut off that thought with the ruthlessness of a desperate soldier under fire.
“Look after the puppy,” Charlie said to Gavin.“Laura and I will check on the woman.”
Henry bristled at the impersonal tone, or rather, his wolf took umbrage.He locked down his beast and stood back to give Gavin room.“I’ll pay costs and adopt her once she recovers.”
Gavin curtly nodded.“I’ll do everything I can to save her.She’s a puppy.”
Henry turned to Laura.“I want in on this investigation.”
Laura opened her mouth to argue as he’d known she would, but something in his expression must’ve persuaded her otherwise.
