Henry stilled.His wolf went rigid inside him.And that was the next problem.How did he tell Maia he was a werewolf and all his friends were big cats?He hadn’t even told Jenny before she’d died.He hadn’t had a chance.
It wasn’t something to blurt out on a whim.Before he confessed and potentially placed his family in danger, he had to make certain Maia intended to stay.That he was enough for her.
Yeah.Two massive problems, and he had no idea of how to solve either.
Half an hour later, he followed Maia’s vehicle and stayed back so she wouldn’t feel like he was crowding her.Worries churned through his mind, his possible failure to protect her uppermost.
She was strong and independent, and it wasn’t as if she was stupid about security.Maia was doing everything right, yet his busy brain kept telling him of the things that could go wrong.
Hell, he’d be no use to her if he continued to behave like this.
His phone interrupted his frenzied thoughts.He connected with Bluetooth since he was driving.“Yeah?”
“It’s Gerard.We’ve been making a plan and concluded that Maia needs to continue her everyday routine.She has her alarms and security when she’s at home.We’ll follow her in our animal forms when she’s doing a training run.Set up a roster.”
“But what if someone sees?Someone who shouldn’t?”Henry asked.
“It’s Saber here,” Saber said.“I’ll discuss it with the council, but London and I agree it’s more important to protect Maia.She’s your mate, and you deserve happiness.If the worst happens and there’s a sighting, it will be an excellent test for our contingency plans.I suggest that everyone with big dogs takes an interest in exercise and the great outdoors.I’ll ask Rory Henderson if his pack can help.Wolves will be less obvious than big cats.We’ll also notify everyone in the shifter community to watch for outsiders.That will also test our phone tree procedures.”
“Thank you.”Gratefulness suffused Henry.
“You’re an important part of the community,” Saber said.
“It’s me again,” Gerard said.“Are you staying at Maia’s place or home?”
“At home.Maia is stopping at her place to collect clothes and her laptop.”
“Right, we’ll see you later,” Gerard said and hung up.
Henry followed Maia into Middlemarch and along the country roads until they reached Maia’s house.The first thing he heard when he climbed out of his vehicle was the blare of the alarm.
“Crap,” Maia said.“When does this end?I’ll call Laura.”
Henry prowled toward the house, and Maia grabbed his arm to halt him.
“Wait.Don’t go without me.We shouldn’t split up.Please.”
Henry nodded, and while Maia spoke to Laura, he used his wolfish senses.His nostrils flared as he dragged scents deep into his lungs.Nothing jumped out at him, and his slow scan of the surrounding area showed nothing out of place.Now and then, he caught a hint of pungent turpentine.It was almost metallic and alcohol-sweet.Perhaps paint?
Maia hung up.“Laura and Charlie are on their way.She told me to wait with our vehicles.Five minutes, she said.”
Henry cursed inwardly, even though Laura’s orders made sense.Once they caught this person, and it was only a matter of time, they’d require evidence to prosecute.He didn’t want to destroy proof of the crime.
“Can you see anything?Smell anything?Hear anything out of normal?”
Maia wrinkled her nose.“Apart from the alarm?”
Her sudden grin took his heart by storm.Everything about being with Maia felt right.Their relationship was of limited duration, but maybe he should tell her about his dual nature.There was always a chance she’d reject him, but she wrote fantasy fiction.At least she might be open to the idea.
“Yes, apart from the alarm,” he said gruffly.
“I keep getting hits of paint, so art is involved.”
“Yeah, I can smell paint.”
The lights of a car flashed as it turned into the driveway.A police car.
The car parked beside Henry’s, and Laura and Charlie alighted.
