“She has a lump on her head, but her breathing is steady.She should come around soon,” Charlie said, confirming Henry’s assessment.
“Laura, now you’re here, I’ll do a circuit and try to find a scent trail,” Henry said, his tone brooking no refusal.
She acknowledged his suggestion and strode over to join Gavin.
Anger and agitation rose in Henry.Someone was after Maia.While he might want to keep his distance, he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her.He shuffled through the possibilities as he disrobed.Once naked, he called up his wolf and let the pain of the shift rush through him, the scant moment of disorientation familiar and comforting.His wolf had a better sense of smell, and he got to work, highly motivated to find a scent that might help him discover the person responsible.
With nose to the ground, it didn’t take long to sift through the different layers.The green of the long grass.The damp soil beneath.He glimpsed something shiny in front of him and paused.A sweet wrapper with a distinctly minty scent.The grass appeared trampled as if someone had lingered.Waited to ambush Maia when she left her house.
Henry used his nose to decipher other scents.Once confident he’d caught the trail, he expanded his search, following the trampled path through the grass and the waft of peppermint.The path wound to the rear of the property before leading to the neighbor’s paddock and over the fence.Henry jumped the top wire, giving the dozing herd of cattle a wide berth or as much as the trail allowed him.It led to the far side of the paddock and a side road.Henry located the spot where the trespasser had parked their car.They were long gone, but he’d monitor this farm track in case they returned.
Henry trotted back to Maia’s property, taking the fence without pause.Once he reached his clothes, he shifted and rapidly dressed.
“How’s Maia?”Worry stabbed Henry in the gut, and he had difficulty tamping down his wolf’s panic.His wolf wanted Maia nearby, and Henry cursed softly because he wanted the same thing.Damn it.He couldn’t catch a break.
“Charlie carried her to the house.Gavin went with him and took the puppy.I elected to wait to learn if you’d found anything.”
“I followed the trail to a side road.”Henry jerked his thumb in the direction he was talking about, and Laura nodded.“Flat grass and a trace of oil where a car had parked, out of sight behind a hedge.I discovered another peppermint wrapper, so I think our culprit dropped it during their wait.”
Laura jerked.“Where?”
“Back near where we found Maia.”He didn’t mention the puppy, but his wolf released a growl of anger.
“We’ll bag it in case we can find prints.”
Henry gave a curt nod, even as he castigated himself.He should’ve thought of that, but fury rode him because someone was messing with his—with Maia.
“This way.”With long strides, he returned to the spot and waited while Laura crouched to study the candy wrapper.
“It might hold a print.”Laura pulled a plastic bag from her trouser pocket.“Worth a shot.”
Henry waited for Laura to finish.“Do you want the wrapper from where they left their vehicle?”
“Show me,” Laura said.
Henry wanted to see Maia.Instead, he forced himself to lead Laura away from Maia’s home.
They approached the house twenty minutes later and found Charlie waiting on the porch.
“Maia is conscious but didn’t see who hit her.She heard the puppy, and the sound was so heartbreaking she went outside to investigate.She discovered it in the trap and tried to free it when someone attacked her.A thump over the head laid her out, and she doesn’t know what happened after that.She seemed surprised to see us and asked about the puppy.”
Henry pushed past Charlie before he thought better of it.Laura and Charlie exchanged a loaded glance as he passed, and he groaned inwardly.At this rate, he’d have his friends gossiping about his weird behavior.But he couldn’t stop himself from checking on Maia.He wanted to see her big blue eyes staring back at him.He wanted her to look at him with wonder, silently communicating messages he didn’t think she realized she was sending.
Yeah, he wanted her, damn it.
And that was the fuckin’ problem.
Chapter 7
Maialayonhermattress, devoid of energy and as weak as the softly whimpering puppy that the vet was checking over in the room next door.Her heart twisted with sympathy, although she knew from experience the man had gentle fingers and a fantastic bedside manner.She’d liked Gavin on sight.
A sound from the doorway caused her head to turn, and she immediately tugged the sheet to her chin.
Henry stood there, a fierce frown etched into his face.She half-snorted a laugh because, really, did the man have other expressions?
“What?”Her weird obsession with this man unnerved her.She hadn’t understood it as a child and didn’t understand it now.
“Why did you go outside?”
