Lunar Mates 1: Under Cover of the Moon Read Online Free PDF Page A

direction of the most recent attack.
    It was a short run, and a waste of time. Too many men had been in the area, and their smells mingled with Eric's and Trey's, who'd already been there to investigate. He circled out, but found nothing and got distracted exploring the area around Meg's house. The forest floor was cool and shady, a leafy canopy far overhead, and a crystal stream flowed along the edge of her property. He was going to enjoy living out here.
    The snapping of a twig alerted him to the presence of others. He tested the wind and caught their scents some yards behind him. He changed form and dressed quickly. He was feeling edgy and was glad they had not come upon him while he was near Meg's home. He didn't trust his reaction as a wolf to another male's presence near the house. He had to get a grip on his possessive instincts. His people would need to be able to come to him there. He hoped things would improve once she had accepted who he was and what they were to each other.
    He found Eric and Trey sitting against a couple of trees where they'd started. He interrupted their quiet conversation.
    “Anything?” he asked.
    They both shook their heads no.
    “Nothing we didn't expect,” Eric said. “Game wardens, paramedics and us."
    “That's all I got, too,” Trey answered.
    Darius rubbed a hand over the ache starting in his temple. He was going to find out what was going here, but probably not tonight.
    “Okay. You two go on home."
    Trey lived in the same apartment complex and nodded goodbye to both men before approaching his building. Eric and Darius walked towards their cars.
    “He okay?” Darius asked, nodding after Trey. “He's acting weirder than usual."
    “Far as I know, he's fine. He's kept to himself since he got here, but that's not anything new."
    “Yeah.” Darius sighed. “Hey, do you have one of those wolves you carve?” He grinned. “I need one."
    “You need one?” Eric asked, raising an eyebrow.
    “Meg saw one at your store."
    “I see,” Eric smiled. “Never thought I'd see the day when you were—"
    “What?” he asked, unclenching his jaw, knowing whatever Eric said would be designed to irritate him.
    “Nothing,” Eric said innocently. “Stop by the store and pick up whatever it was she wanted. You've got a key, right?"
    “Yeah, I'll go by and get it. You want to get a beer?"
    He laughed. “No. I'm going home and getting laid. My woman isn't running away from me."
    Darius growled. “Better go, before I find you something urgent to do first then."
    Imperturbable as usual, Eric laughed and waved goodbye as he slipped into his car.
    * * * *
    Meg was waiting for him to come back, and trying hard to pretend she wasn't, that it wasn't important that she see him again so soon. But her frustration level was growing. It had been several hours. She threw herself into the pile of paperwork on her desk, caught it up and took over the bar. Still he was nowhere to be seen.
    It was a slow night, so she sent her daytime bartender home at nine. Slow, but the conversation was animated and outrageous. Word flew through town that Jimmy Barr, a state park game warden, was attacked by a wolf. There hadn't been any wolves in the area in decades.
    Was that why Darius had run off so quickly? But why? What could it possibly have to do with him? If chasing down wolves was his job, why wouldn't he have told her? What was so secretive about that?
    A group of regulars sat at the bar discussing the situation while she listened with half interest and slow simmering anger.
    “Maybe someone kept one as a pet and let it loose,” a plumber named Bill speculated.
    “That's just dumb, Bill,” Chuck said. “Why would a pet attack a man? It'd be used to people."
    Bill shrugged. “How else do you explain a wolf being here?"
    “It migrated from somewhere, obviously,” Chuck said, disdain dripping in his voice.
    “That's as dumb as my pet theory. Like no one would have noticed a wolf wandering