“I will.”It was an easy promise.The thought of someone creeping around her house was bad enough, but entering her property, presumably with malicious intent, left her shaky.
Henry kept his shit together until after he did a quick scan inside Maia’s house and left her packing a bag and Juno watching over her.She’d given him the key, and he locked the door after telling her he wouldn’t be long.
The puppy had gone to sleep, pressed close to his chest.
His wolf’s growl built inside his chest until his entire body vibrated.He wanted to shift, to track.He wanted to pounce and bite and rip this imposter into pieces.They were threatening his mate!The growl finally emerged in a low rumble that surged up his throat.The puppy stirred, and Henry strode down the driveway, the rapid steps helping him tamp back his anger.
“Shush, little one,” he murmured.
When Henry reached the sideroad, he scanned the crushed grass.If he and Laura hadn’t bagged every sweet wrapper, it would’ve been difficult to tell if a vehicle had parked here today.He discovered a paper cup that had recently held coffee.It was from a fast food chain, the nearest in Dunedin.Of course, that didn’t mean much.It could’ve come from anywhere, but there was another sweet wrapper.
Henry plucked his phone from his pocket and called Laura.
“Henry, what’s up?”she said, brusque as if he was interrupting her in an important task.
“The front door of Maia’s house was open when we arrived and one of her keys is missing.She locked the door when we left.I watched her do it.Also, I’m at the site where we think the culprit parked.There is an empty coffee cup and another sweet wrapper.”
“It’s not Maia’s ex unless he has someone helping him.I’ll ask and watch his reaction.Did they do any damage inside?”
“We left Juno at the house because we weren’t expecting to be away for long.We think Juno scared the person off.Nothing else appears out of place apart from Maia’s flat tire.There’s no further damage that I can see.”
“Leave the cup and the sweet wrapper in situ, and I’ll collect them later after I finish processing Samuel.Charlie and I hadn’t had our morning tea break, and we get mean if we don’t refuel.”
Henry suppressed his chuckle.Good on them.He hadn’t taken to the arrogant man either.“Maia is staying with me while she recuperates.”
“Excellent idea.Text me if you find any damage, and I’ll take photos when I remove the cup and wrapper.”
“Thanks, Laura.”He shoved the phone back in his pocket and returned to the house.He did a circuit and breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered nothing out of place.It hadn’t escaped his notice that Maia was barely holding it together.He suspected her head injury bothered her more than she let on, and he was pleased she’d agreed to stay with him.
He knocked on the door and called out when he unlocked it, not wanting to take her by surprise.She appeared in the kitchen with an overnight bag, three books, and Juno on her heels.
“Did you find anything?”
“Someone parked in the sideroad again, but other than that, everything is fine.”
Maia nodded.“I need my laptop and notes.These are the books I need to deliver to Samuel.If I’ve forgotten anything, I can pick it up later.”
With every door and window locked, they climbed into Henry’s vehicle.
Henry detoured back to town and gave Laura the books to give to Samuel before heading to his place.Everyone was home when Henry pulled into his regular parking spot.While he’d kept Gerard appraised of what was happening, his other family members were clueless, and he steeled himself for teasing.
After letting out Juno, he circled his vehicle and grabbed Maia’s bag and laptop.Maia exited, carefully holding the puppy.The main door opened, and his stepfather stood in the doorway, a welcoming, if quizzical expression on his face.
“Son, how are you?”
Henry grinned, especially when Jacey’s gaze zoomed to Maia and back to Henry.“Dad, meet Maia.She’s staying with me to recuperate after a head knock.Maia, this is my stepdad, Jacey Anderson.”
She stuck out her hand, and Henry caught the moment extra awareness entered his father’s gaze.A wolf like Henry, Jacey could smell their interwoven scents.
His dad’s mouth twitched, but he said nothing to make Maia uncomfortable.His father would have questions because bringing a human into a shifter household posed difficulties.They’d need to take care Maia saw nothing incriminating.
“Come in,” his father said.
“Thank you, Mr.Anderson.”
“Call me Jacey,” his dad said, drawing her inside.“We’re having a late lunch in the kitchen.Come and join us.”
“Sure, Dad,” Henry said, the twinkle in his stepfather’s bright blue eyes confirming the upcoming teasing.Understandable, since he never brought women home.“Let me get Maia settled and her belongings stowed.Can you mind the puppy for us?We won’t be long.”He took the puppy from Maia and handed it over to his dad.“She’s nervous because someone abused her.”
