Page 40 of Cuffed By the Wolf

“Jax,” I call out.

He turns from his conversation with my brother.

Jax embraces me in a bro hug.

“I’m ready for this run,” he tells me as he steps back.

“We all are,” I say. “Especially Tyson.”

My brother scowls at me.

“Are you still not talking to me?” I ask.

“You put me on trash duty because I told you that you like Sasha.”

“No, I put you on trash duty for gossiping around the office about her. There’s a difference,” I chuckle.

Tyson and my brother freeze staring at me with wide eyes.

“Brother, are you all right?” Tyson asks, placing a hand on my forehead.

“Get your fucking hand off me.” I push him away.

He and Jax laugh.

“You're back and better than ever, I see.” Jax smiles.

“Is Sasha really moving back to Charleston?” Tyson asks.

“Tyson, get your own business. I’m going on this run with or without you two.”

These assholes are getting a kick out of me possibly having someone in my life again.

“When do I get to meet her?” Jax asks as he starts to discard his clothes.

“At the festival next week.”

“Jax, she’s a total sweetheart. She’s too good for Gavin,” Tyson chuckles.

“Keep it up, Tyson, and you’ll be on trash detail for the rest of the year.”

He lifts his hands in mock surrender. “I won’t say another word about your mate.”

My smile drops. “We won’t be mates. But we will be together,” I say as I rid the rest of my clothes and take off in my wolf form. Tyson and Jax join me. The forest floor feels good against my paws. I take off faster, getting ahead of Jax and Tyson. Jax’s wolf is almost as big as mine with his brown and white shiny coat. Tyson’s black wolf is a little shorter than mine. Together we run, releasing any tension and worries fall away. This is the best way to clear my head. And the best time to get lost in the thoughts of my time with Sasha last night. If she thinks she’s moving back to Charleston, she’s wrong. The little omega is staying right here in Lupton with me.

Iamble into the smoothie shop near the lake.

“Hello, Margaret,” I say in a calming tone.

She checks her surroundings, then meets my gaze. “Yes.”

“I’m here to talk to you about what you know about the woman who almost drowned at the lake.”

I sit across from her at the table. “Take your time.”

She leans forward, her long dark curls framing her face. “There were two slender men dressed in all black. One of them said something to the woman. She then put her head down. The other shoved her into the water. He was pointing at her like he was angry. She wouldn’t meet his gaze. Then he grabbed her neck. The other guy looked over his shoulder. I couldn’t be sure if he saw me. I panicked, locked the door, put up the closed sign, and hid in the back. I didn’t want to come forward because I didn’t want him and his friend to come to my shop and hurt me for telling the police what I saw.”

“There will be a cruiser parked outside. An officer will keep an eye on you around the clock. Do you think you could sit with a sketch artist and describe how he looks?”