I’d never been so grateful for a fifteen-minute drive in my life.
By the time we reached the firehouse, I’d memorized every place her body pressed against mine.
It sat in the middle of town, red brick and old, probably been there so long it felt part of the landscape at this point. Photos lined the walls, generations of firefighters, all of them human, completely unaware that three of their current colleagues could turn into wolves.
Mira stepped inside and did what she always did. Her eyes swept the room: front entrance, bay doors, back exit near the kitchen. I watched her shoulders stay tight until she’d mapped every escape route in the building.
Solomon and Lucian were already inside when we arrived. Mira pulled off the helmet, shaking out her hair, and I watched every male head in the vicinity turn.
Fuck.
I’d forgotten she wasn’t wearing a disguise.
Her copper roots had grown out enough to catch the light, streaking through the dark dye. And with the helmet off, her mismatched eyes were on full display.
She looked the best kind of trouble.
Danny spotted us first. Mid-forties, beer gut with mustache that belonged on a seventies cop show. His eyes went wide when he saw her.
“Well, well, well.” He clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to make a normal human stumble. I barely shifted. “The three musketeers finally grace us with their presence. And they brought company.”
His gaze lingered on Mira a beat too long. My wolf snarled.
“Hi.” She extended her hand before any of us could answer for her. “I simply wanted to pay a visit.”
“You know these guys personally?” Danny’s eyebrows climbed toward his hairline. His eyes shifted between us, putting pieces together. “Lucky them.”
Solomon materialized at Mira’s side. Didn’t say anything because he didn’t have to. The temperature dropped about ten degrees with just his presence.
“She just wanted to see where we work,” I jumped in, keeping my voice light.
“Uh-huh.” Danny didn’t sound convinced, but he was smart enough not to push. “Well, any friend of yours is welcome here.”
That got a small laugh out of her. Quiet but genuine although this time, I didn’t like that it was directed at someone else.
The other firefighters trickled over, drawing as moths to a flame. Martinez reached us first. His eyes swept over Mira with obvious interest.
“Hey there.” He flashed what he probably thought was a charming smile. “I’m Martinez. Don’t think I’ve seen you around before. I’d definitely remember.”
“She’s not from around here,” Lucian said flatly, getting in between them.
Martinez blinked but recovered quickly. “Yeah? Where are you from originally?”
“East coast.” Mira’s voice was polite but guarded. “Just passing through.”
“Passing through for how long?” Jenkins appeared on her other side, leaning against a truck with studied casualness. “Because if you need someone to show you around town, I’m happy to volunteer.”
“She’s got plenty of tour guides,” I said, stepping closer. My hand was on the small of her back, possessively.
Martinez lingered, still trying to catch Mira’s eye with that too-handsome smile. Solomon materialized at her other side. Just stood there, those pale eyes fixed on Martinez with the quiet promise of a man who knew exactly how to make someone disappear.
Martinez’s smile faltered. “Okay, okay.” He held up his hands. “I can take a hint.”
Mira glanced between the three of us, exasperated. “You’re being immature.”
“It’s for your own good,” Lucian insists.
“Being supervised by childish men? Just because you’re not used to being told no.”
