figured he could find something that would fit
wel enough for Gabriela to drive home.
And away from him. Ignoring that heavy weight pushing at
his chest, he put on clothes, then dug around his sister’s
room before returning to Gabriela. She stil hadn’t moved
from her spot. In her animal form she was slightly bigger
than regular jaguars and her sleek, almost al -black coat
was beautiful. Though it pained him to do so, he set the
clothes in front of her then turned his back to give her
privacy.
Seconds later she said, “I’m done.”
Damn, the woman was stealth personified. Her shift from
animal to human form was just as quick in reversal. When
he turned around he found Gabriela tugging his sister’s
black T-shirt down, trying to cover the flat planes of her
bel y. He’d picked lounge pants and a simple shirt. Thanks
to her height, the pants hung low on her hips showing off a
lot of tanned skin.
His mouth watered as he stared, remembering how good
she’d tasted barely an hour before. He wanted to bury more
than just his face between her legs.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said quietly, her cheeks
flushing crimson.
“I can’t help it.” Why bother denying it? She knew how
much he wanted her.
For a long, sexual y charged moment they just stared at
each other. He wanted to gather her in his arms, tel her
how sorry he was and make it up to her. But words were so
empty. He could say he was sorry until his throat was raw,
but it would stil just be words. He needed to show her. His
stupidity had cost them both and now he felt like they’d
been given a second chance. Or maybe that was just
wishful thinking.
She licked her bottom lip, something she’d always done
when she was nervous. It drew his attention from her eyes
to her mouth. Her bottom lip was ful er than the top, giving
her a pouty look that was at complete odds with her
personality.
Owen took a step closer, as if he was being pul ed by an
invisible magnet. He wasn’t sure what he planned to do.
Kiss her? He wanted to, but his inner wolf just ached to be
closer. It was a driving force inside that had the power to
completely distract him.
When he was barely a few inches in front of her, his body
aligned with hers, she drew her eyebrows together and
slightly tilted her head to the side. He started to ask what
was wrong when he heard it, too. Would have heard it
sooner if he hadn’t been so wrapped up in her sweet
honeydew scent.
The angry voices of his pack mates were headed their
way. Stepping back, he had to take a deep breath before
yanking open the front door. His brother and two of his pack
mates who regularly patrol ed their hunting grounds were in
human form and they al looked grim. Daniel, a young
shifter of about eighteen, was the only one in wolf form, but
he shifted as Owen stepped outside. Blood oozed out from
the claw marks on his chest and Owen could scent the
jaguar on the wolf.
“What happened? Did you discover who’s been
attacking the humans?” Despite Daniel’s bloody wounds,
Owen knew he’d heal quickly. He didn’t feel guilty at the
sharp burst of hope he experienced that they might final y
have a lead.
The young wolf shook his head, breathing hard. He
flicked a glance over Owen’s shoulder at Gabriela but
quickly focused on Owen. “Was in town. Saw one of the
jaguars—Israel, the oldest brother—lifting Skyler into his
truck. She looked like she was in pain and I smel ed her
blood. I tried…” His voice broke for a fraction of a second.
“I tried to stop him but the other one, Axel, stopped me. He
let his claws out in the middle of town. I didn’t want to shift
and draw attention but as soon as I was on the edge of
town I shifted and ran home. I didn’t have my phone or I
would have cal ed.”
Owen’s heart pounded faster at the thought of his
younger sister hurt, but if she was with Israel Segura, Owen
couldn’t imagine the quiet jaguar
Elmore - Jack Ryan 0 Leonard