Lone Wolf Pack 06 - A Future for His Werewolf Warrior Read Online Free PDF Page A

when so distracted. Now, he might have killed an innocent animal—just because he'd been stupid and he'd let the damn phone call work him into unwarranted panic.
    Hating himself wouldn't help. He stumbled out of the car, a bit more shaky on his legs than he'd realized. His desire to help the creature he'd hurt gave him a measure of control, so he went around the vehicle, only to see the wolf getting up, limping slightly, but looking otherwise pretty unharmed.
    Ward liked wolves. He liked animals in general, and his love for them stemmed perhaps from the time he'd spent here when he'd been younger. There was something simply beautiful about wolves, though, something he hadn't quite managed to pinpoint.
    He'd painted countless portraits of wolves in the wild—sometimes howling, other times playing with their young. It was hard to get genuine imagery, since he couldn't simply walk into their habitat and pull out his sketchbook or his easel. A handful of times, he'd lucked out and hired professionals who could guide him through reserves.
    But he had never seen a wild wolf so up close. Since he'd deemed the beast injured, Ward hadn't been careful in his approach, and if he'd taken a few more steps, they'd practically be side by side.
    Naturally, he didn't. Contrary to what Vera might believe, he was not suicidal. He was also very much aware that wolves were not cuddly pets, and that abrupt motions could earn him an unfortunate death in the claws and canines of the admittedly magnificent beast.
    The wolf watched with golden eyes that glowed in the dim light of the early morning. It took a step forward, slowly, almost tentatively. It almost seemed curious, and Ward could only hope that curiosity wasn't about how Ward tasted.
    He scanned his brain for anything he remembered on dealing with such a situation, but he came out blank. Those deep gold eyes hypnotized him. Was this how a deer felt before it was felled by a predator? If so, Ward almost envied it. And what a strange thought to have at this particular moment.
    So Ward didn't move, simply taking in every detail of the creature as it approached. It was big, larger than any wolf Ward had seen even in the wild. Its fur was also far darker than that of the gray wolves Ward had painted in the past. It had huge paws, and if Ward had been inclined toward hyperbole, he would have almost compared them to a bear's.
    He was afraid at first. How could he not be? He had a huge freaking wolf in front of him, and his muscles were frozen, keeping him from moving. However, the beast gave no sign of wanting to pounce on Ward. In fact, it sat down on its hind legs, tilting its head and looking for all the world like the universe's biggest puppy. To complete the image, it nudged Ward's hand with its snout and then licked his palm.
    Okay, this was not happening. Wolves weren't pets. They didn't lie back and wag their tails at random humans.
    Could it be that someone had been raising this wolf in their household? It wasn't exactly unprecedented. Ward had heard of many people who'd tried something similar, many times in an attempt to protect the animal in question.
    Personally, Ward thought wild animals belonged in the wild, but there were always extenuating circumstances to consider. If the wolf had been raised in a domestic setting, it might not have the necessary skills to survive on its own. That would somewhat explain why it had suddenly appeared in front of his car, he supposed.
    Either way, it seemed obvious the wolf didn't intend to hurt Ward, and Ward still remembered that distinctive thud and the earlier limp. Despite the part of him that was screaming to bid a hasty retreat, he crouched in front of the animal, bringing them to eye level. "Okay, big guy, don't eat me. I want to see your leg. Are you hurt?"
    He gestured for the paw that the wolf had been favoring earlier, and the animal obediently offered it, confirming Ward's guess that it must have had human masters at one point. Ward