“I won't be home for dinner,” I said through clenched teeth.— Oh.I held the door open, letting the icy wind blow in, waiting for her to say something else.Goodbye, daughter. Enjoy the dig. I hope you have fun. Did you discover something wonderful? Have you met any sexy werewolves?But she didn't say anything.I closed the door behind me, locking it from the inside. I debated calling Cynthia and telling her to come over and stay with Mom, but thought better of it. Mom probably wouldn't even answer the door.Behind the wheel of the Mini, my mind whirred through everything I discovered through Clara. This other wolf, he had to be there because of the caves. Would things get dangerous? As I approached the forest, my stomach fluttered nervously. I wasn't sure what I'd find when I got back, and I worried about Josh alone, unaware that there were other wolves in the territory.When I finally reached the site and pulled up beside Frances's beat-up jeep, I noticed two unfamiliar vans. White

When someone shifts into wolf form, the first need is always breakfast.I caught the scent of a rabbit that had crossed in front of me and followed it for a mile until I was able to track the creature. A quick bite of the jugular, and I had satisfied the hunger rumbling in my stomach.My thoughts changed as instinct hummed through my body. But unlike previous times, if I focused on Pietra, I was able to retain my independent human thought. So I found myself in a sheltered place in the hollow of a rotten tree trunk and thought of her.Last night… meant so much more to me than just sex.My body burning for her, the image of her face flashing across my vision. I could barely concentrate on the task I gave myself. I gave the camera crew a cursory glance before heading off into the woods.Now that I was in my wolf form, I knew I wouldn't attack her. The thought of doing that turned my stomach. But still, asking her to find me was a risk. She could be followed and we'd both be discovered. B

- Okay. That is good. I took a deep breath. The wolf even smelled like Josh. That deep, primal scent that took me over the edge. At the moment, it was the most delicious smell in the world. "Josh," I whispered against his fur. “It's been such an intense day for me. Listen, I'm really sorry about the way I reacted this morning. I know you know my dad died. He was killed in a factory accident. But what you don't know is that five months ago my boyfriend died here in the woods. He went hiking with a friend, and they decided to hike over one of the rocky ravines beyond. Ben slipped and fell into a crevice. He broke several bones and his head. The friend couldn't get him out, and when he returned with help, Ben was dead.Tears welled up in my eyes. Josh licked them, his tongue rough like sandpaper against my skin.“Last night… it was the first time since Ben. And it was amazing. I really like you, Josh, but it's hard for me to be here in the woods without him. My mom withdrew into herself,

“I'll be fine,” I promised, pushing off his paw and pulling off the shirt I'd worn to bed. I put my arms in my bra and did that, then pulled my pink thermal shirt over the top. “That wolf is unlikely to attack the site in broad daylight, especially now that he knows you're around. And I promise I won't go anywhere else without you. I know you won't be far from me if I need you.Josh looked at me for a few moments, then slowly shook his head.- Good boy. I scratched behind his ears. Josh stood up and swayed his body down. I admired the toned muscles in his legs, the beautiful shape of his jaw, the powerful slope of his back. Even in wolf form, he was an impressive creature.I opened the flap and a blast of cold air hit my face. Josh left, his beautiful tail flying behind him. I watched as he bolted towards the bushes.“Josh? I poked my head into the frigid air. He turned his head, those big green eyes swimming in my vision. - Be careful.Josh nodded and walked away, his tail disappeari

PietraFFrances had completely abandoned work on the Neolithic cave. I was almost relieved. The thought of going back to cataloging fox bones and stone chips after everything that had happened filled me with dread. Instead, she and Ruth spent most of the day in the caves, delicate brushes in hand, cleaning dirt and dust from the paintings, ready for the university's professional photographer, who would arrive tomorrow. The cave was narrow and couldn't accommodate more than two people at a time, or so Ruth had happily explained when she'd ordered me to stay behind at camp.Fine by me. Rain clouds rolled over the forest, sending enough water to restart a biblical flood. Instead of walking through the cold caves, I sat in the trailer, wrapped in a wool shirt, scarf, and gloves, reading Heinlein while sipping my third hot tea of the day.It was my job to talk to the Daily Post reporters, who would arrive later that morning. Meanwhile, I was enjoying one of the rare downtimes on the site.