I closed my eyes, my heart pounding as the image of Marcus invaded my thoughts. His rain-soaked shirt clung to his frame, outlining every ridge and valley. The silver streak in his dark hair dripped water onto his chiseled face. His eyes, golden, flickering like fire, threatened to consume me. And that damn voice—a deep rumble that resonatedin my chest.
Shit.
A shiver ran down my spine, warmth pooling in my belly. Suddenly, I could feel his breath on my neck and the whisper of his lips against my ear. My body tingled at the thought. He was huge and emitted BDE like his aura was fucking made of it. I had no doubt he was… well-equipped, making it easy to picture him naked and hard, his dick standing at attention, ready to slide every inch deep inside me.
My eyes snapped open.
What thefuckwas I doing?
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I needed to focus. I needed to stop these murders. And if working with this fucking werewolf was part of the deal, then I’d have to keep my damn hormones in check. After all, vengeance was a round-the-clock job.
I turned away from the map, my gaze landing on my arsenal hidden behind the false wall. Guns, knives, bows—all tools of my commitment. I grabbed a knife and pressed its hilt to my neck to cool my flushed skin when my phone chimed again.
Be careful, Joey. Don’t let your guard down.
I smiled, a pang of affection for the old hunter warming my chest.Never, old man.
I threw on a nightgown and spent an hour plotting my next move.
Marcus didn’t know this, but because of him, I had a pretty good idea who the killer was. But how was the piece of shit choosing his victims? And where would he strike next? The sooner I figured it all out, the sooner I could ditch Alpha Marcus Blackwood and his perfect fucking body. I would’ve been more than grateful if I never had to see that giant again.
But then my phone buzzed with a new message from James.
New victim. Same M.O. Need you to check it out ASAP.
Chapter Three
Marcus
New victim. Checking it out with or without you.
The text from the hunter, Joanna Sullivan, screamed at me through the screen. It mocked me.
Two bodies in one night? How did she know about this murder before I did? And more importantly, how the fuck did she know this one was connected to the others?
I stared at the message, a roar building deep within my gut. The audacity of this woman, thinking she could dictate terms to me. Her blatant disregard for my authority was infuriating. But there was no time forpissing contests. Not when another life had been taken without my consent. And certainly not with a fucking human.
I looked up from my phone, meeting Maya’s expectant gaze. We were back at the compound, in my office, the rain still beating against the windows.
“Another body,” I said with a snarl.
Maya’s eyes widened, her body tensing as she leaned forward in her chair. “Where?”
“The hunter didn’t say.” My fingers flew over the keyboard as I sent a response asking the question.
The reply came quick.Old textile mill.
I stood, my chair scraping against the floor. “Let’s go.”
Maya nodded, already on her feet. “Two in one night. This is dangerous, Marcus. I should gather the others.”
I shook my head. “No. Just us. We can’t risk scaring the hunter.”
Maya furrowed her brow but didn’t argue.
We drove to the borderlands, the streets blurring past us as we sped through the city. The decrepitmill loomed ahead, and as before, the stench of a violent death hung heavy in the air.
Joanna was already there, her silhouette bright against the rain-soaked night. She wore the same raincoat as before, but she’d replaced her dark leather pants with a pair of jeans. She stood over the body, studying the remains.
