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swiping it aside. She’d never thought she’d see the day when
she was attracted to a Hound. But something about Brandt felt safe.
And strong. Which, in a way, scared her more than anything else had
in a long time.
    Because he could hurt her, and she might not
see it coming.
    “I want to believe you,” she whispered.
    “You don’t have to believe me yet. Trust
comes with time, I know that.” She felt his breath against her skin
and closed her eyes. When his fingertips brushed her temple she
jerked, just a slight flinch, but it made him pull away. “We need
to find a way, though, to keep you safe. One you’re willing to work
with.”
    “I’m safe enough if you find him.”
    “It might not be that easy.”
    Timber trembled. She should have known. But
she didn’t know what scared her more...Charles knowing where she
was and just coming for her when he felt like it. Or, letting
herself go into Shifter Town Enforcement’s ‘protection’ and feeling
the hurt and betrayal again when they handed her over.
    Oh, she wanted to believe Brandt wouldn’t.
That he’d make sure his pack wouldn’t.
    But it only took one to make the call. One to
send her back.
    At least here she had a shot at fighting
Charles alone. She couldn’t do it with a Hound holding her down
until Charles could drag her away. She tried to lock her arms
around herself for comfort, but she couldn’t stop trembling. Not
until Brandt’s warm hands cupped her arms. He seemed to steady her,
hold her still, so she didn’t feel like she was shattering.
    “What are you willing to do?” he asked
softly.
    “Just find him and let me worry about me
until then.”
    The muscle in his jaw flexed and she could
hear his teeth grind, sense frustration bubbling through him. She
felt it in the way his fingers tensed against her arms. His grip
didn’t hurt, but the tension let her know exactly what he was
feeling.
    “Do you have a spare room?”
    She jerked in his grip, with every intention
of backing away, but he didn’t let her go. “I’m not letting another
Hound in my house.”
    “I’m not asking for anyone else. I will post
patrol units to keep an eye out around here, but they’ll know not
to invade your space.” Her brows furrowed, and he sighed as he let
her go. “It’s not ideal. But you shouldn’t have to face him alone.
And you are right, Timber, Charles Wolfe will be coming for you . I don’t want you in this house alone.”
    “So you’re, what? Just going to move in?”
    “I don’t think it’ll take that long. And I’m
offering to stay. You won’t allow protection from anyone else, but
will you accept it from me?”
    She didn’t want a Hound—any Hound—staying in
her house. Timber wanted to tell him no, but she didn’t want to
face another night like last night alone, either. She fidgeted
under his gaze. Yes...no. She didn’t know.
    He tilted his head at the rest of the house
behind her. “The room at the back of the house, second story, the
one with the oak tree outside its window. Which room is that?”
    Everything inside her went still, fear clawed
at her throat, raking down through her chest, and dropping into the
pit of her stomach. “Why?”
    The question came out hoarse, broken.
    “After Wolfe left Rebecca’s hair tie on your
front steps, he circled the house. His tracks stopped below that
window. One of my Hounds said he tried to climb the tree before
giving up and moving on.”
    Suddenly dizzy, she could barely stay on her
feet, her legs quivering as if they’d just give way. She wanted to
ask Brandt how Charles could possibly have known...but she was
pretty sure she already knew the answer. He’d killed Becky, killed
someone else before that. He’d been here for a while. And no doubt
he’d known she was here. She always closed the curtains, but some
nights she liked to look out at the moon before bed.
    Some nights she liked to crack the window
open enough to let the breeze blow through her hair before she