Half Truths (A Helheim Wolf Pack Tale) Read Online Free PDF Page A

twice before he struck again with a speed and strength only lycanthropes
could possess.
    It didn’t take
long for beads of sweat to form on his brow. Blood rushed through his veins,
pounding in time with his deep grunts as he let all his frustrations out on the
bag. He barely felt his knuckles burst open, leaving bloody prints all over the
leather. All he could feel was this rush of power, his blood burning through
his veins and a sense of release careening through his body.
    He’d barely had
time to think about what had happened to his alpha. Guilt constricted his
chest—the first time he’d ever allowed himself to feel it since he’d found out
his alpha’s mate had been taken by the rival pack. Antain wouldn’t move until
he was absolutely sure of her location, so for now, all they could do was wait
and gather the information they needed.
    It was the scent
of roses that brought him back to the room, back to the throb in his knuckles
and the loud pounding of his heart in his ears. He whirled around only to find
Grey standing in the entrance to the gym. Her mouth was slack, watching him
with hooded eyes. If he didn’t know any better, he could have sworn that she
was attracted to him.
    His eyes took in
her slender frame, travelling from her face down. He looked at her hips and her
long legs, lingering on her small, perfectly-proportioned breasts for a second
longer than he’d meant to before meeting her green eyes once more. Her cheeks
flushed and she looked down. Vaile growled to himself, turning to land a few
more punches, pretending that he hadn’t just checked her out and that he didn’t
want her.
    ‘You’re here
early,’ she said. Her voice was closer. He turned. She was just standing a few
feet from him now, leaning against the side of one of the treadmills. He turned
back around without answering. The scent of roses got stronger as she
approached, and Vaile pinned her with a hard stare. She looked up at him, but
made no show of backing down. His wolf liked that.
    ‘Yeah,’ he
replied gruffly. ‘So are you.’
    ‘I just thought
we could get started on that murder case. I hardly got any sleep last night.’
She shrugged. ‘It must have been that extra cup of coffee.’ She smiled and his
heart skipped a beat. Clearing his throat, he gave his attention back to the
bag, hyperaware that she was standing only one foot away from him now.
    ‘Oh my God!
You’re bleeding,’ she said in a rush, putting herself in between him and the bag.
He quickly took a step back to avoid hitting her.
    ‘You shouldn’t
do that. It’s dangerous,’ he growled, not just talking about standing in
between a man with his fists raised and the object of the rage. He was talking
about her touching him. Ignoring his objection, Grey took his hands and
investigated them carefully.
    ‘We need to get
these cleaned and dressed. Come with me,’ she said in a no-nonsense voice.
    He pulled free
of her grasp and stalked over to his shirt and gun. ‘They’re fine. They’ll
heal,’ he grumbled. She trailed after him, persistent.
    ‘It’s not fine,’
she insisted. ‘Let me take a look at them, then we can get some breakfast
before we officially have to clock in.’
    Vaile’s eyes
narrowed. ‘Why?’
    She blinked at
him. ‘Because I don’t want you bleeding all over the upholstery when I drive us
to the diner.’
    He shook his
head. ‘Not that. Why are you being so nice to me after what happened this
morning?’
    ‘Oh,’ she
replied, looking down at her feet and dropping his fists. ‘I just figured you
were having a pretty bad night and wanted to get some sleep. It was my fault
really. I kind of just expected you to come to the diner.’ She looked up at him
again. ‘So, will you let me look after those for you?’ she asked, waving her
hand in the direction of his clenched fists. He’d felt his skin knit back
together while she was talking.
    ‘They’re fine.
See?’ he said, showing her his hands for half a second