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alley, he watched her get out of her car. He shook with exhilaration, with triumph. He’d known she was a woman of routines, of habits, but hadn’t been sure the males surrounding her would allow her out alone. He had another plan to take her if necessary, but this was easier, faster. Ultimately more satisfying.
    There were too many people around, so he continued to watch. To wait for the right moment. And it arrived when she exited the post office. Moving to the back of her car, she opened the trunk, not paying attention to her surroundings. He sneered and moved silently. She thought she was safe. She was about to learn otherwise.
    He grabbed her at the driver’s door, using his bigger body to push her against the car. He had her, would kill her on their own lands to draw the others to him.
    “I know what you are,” he accused. His voice was harsh.
    Ellen recognized it from the attack outside her condo and realized why she hadn’t been able to pinpoint why the deliveryman had been so familiar, yet not anyone she recognized. She hadn’t seen his face that night, and he hadn’t spoken this morning. Anthony and Clint were going to freak out when they heard the man had been on the property and that close to her.
    “You werewolves are a scourge on this earth. We’ll kill you all.”
    Something hard pricked her side, and she reached for the mate bond, but she didn’t know how it worked. How to make it work. She tried to funnel her fear and need into it but didn’t know if it worked. Tears burned her eyes, and she hardened her resolve. She finally had Clint. She was not going to be intimidated, or worse, in broad daylight in the middle of her town. As if he sensed the change in her, he curled his hand around the nape of her neck and used his body to block anyone’s view who happened by.
    And then luck, or karma, or a higher being, came to her rescue. She swore she felt something divine move toward her. Knew her imagination had gone into overdrive, but didn’t care when seconds later the dark blue chest of the town police chief filled her vision.
    “Hey, Ellen,” his tone was affable, but his eyes were hard, glittering rocks. The stranger behind her backed off, and the knife disappeared. “How ya doing? Anthony’s looking for you. Something about late reports.”
    What very few people knew was that Sam was Alpha of the small pack that made up about half the population of the town. Right now, he was all Alpha werewolf, his tone and body language aggressive and dominant. Then the knife was back, plunging into her side. She fell, and it seemed like she fell and fell and fell. Her assailant took off, and she clung to the sense of Clint that was in her mind, in her heart. Instead of pursuing him, Sam rushed to her side.
    “Go after him,” she ordered. The wound hurt like hell, but it wasn’t fatal.
    His jaw hardened. “Don’t worry. We’ll get him. I’ll wait with you for Anthony.” He looked pointedly at her neck. “And who else?” He helped her sit up with her back to the car, one hand pressed over her lower back where the knife had gone in.
    “Clint Osborn,” she answered, trying to breathe through a kind of pain she’d never felt before. “Used to be a Hunter.”
    He nodded. “I know him. Honey, we need to get you to the Doc. I’m going to carry you. Can you call Clint while I do that?”
    Her head jerked once in affirmative. She patted her pockets but came up empty handed. “Phone?”
    He stood, handed her his phone, and then stooped to pick her up. All the air in her lungs whooshed out at the movement. She breathed through the pain, struggled for control, and felt Clint coming for her. When she thought she could speak without stuttering, she called and left a message when he didn’t answer. Then did the same with Anthony. Reception was spotty here in the mountain valley, so she wasn’t surprised when she didn’t get through to either of them. They were probably on the winding road coming into