Treeland Pack Tales 3: A Trace of Ivy Read Online Free PDF Page A

wondering if Daniel actually read
minds.
    “Is she okay?”
    Clearly his boss didn’t read minds.
    “Fuck, no,” he snarled.
    “Bring her to the clinic. Doc Martin will check her out.”
    His inner wolf curled a lip, and a low growl crawled out of
Chet’s throat. “No.”
    “Ah fuck, bud. You’re bonding with her.”
    Bonding? That can’t
be. We haven’t even been introduced.
    “No, I’m not. She’s unconscious. She was in skin when I
found her, and she still hasn’t shifted. Scarlet should attend her.”
    “Okay, that’s not a bad plan. Bring her to headquarters—”
    He cut off Daniel midsentence. “I’m taking her to my place.”
    He growled to emphasize his point. There was no doubt in his
mind that was the right choice. He had a secure building, and she needed to be
kept safe.
    “Okay, GQ. Take a deep breath or three. Give me a call when
you get home. We’ll meet you there.” Daniel ended the conversation.
    Chet scowled at the innocent phone. Just as well Daniel had
hung up. The male was unreasonably touchy about his mate. He likely wouldn’t
have agreed to Scarlet coming to Chet’s place alone. Yet the idea of any other
male, even his Alpha, seeing the small female while she was so vulnerable
raised his hackles. He would have to find a way to keep Daniel away from her,
at least until she was stronger.
    He pulled into the gas station at the base of the mountains
with the fuel gauge pegged on Empty. Before leaving the SUV, he checked on his
passenger. As if she sensed his regard, she turned toward him, thrilling him
silly. Pink spots tinged her cheekbones. Her pulse and breathing were both slow
and even. Better yet, she was warmer to his light touch. Her bruised and
scraped knuckles were already healed. Thank the goddess for werewolf
constitutions.
    The urgent need to help her dropped back from sheer
desperation to a simpler male Neanderthal level.
    Bemused by his wolf’s weird overreaction, he shook his head
at himself.
    When he reentered the vehicle, she turned toward him again,
like a delicate flower seeking the warmth of the sun. His chest puffed a couple
of inches from the small gift of her unconscious trust.
    All right, perhaps Daniel had some justification for his
ridiculous comment about bonding. Chet admitted she brought out tender
feelings. Any male of honor would’ve wanted to protect her. Clearly this had
absolutely nothing to do with bonding.

Chapter Three
    Ivy’s sensitive nose inhaled a clean fragrance with notes of
leather, sandalwood, male musk, and a wildness she couldn’t place. The
intoxicating bouquet mixed with notes of citrus soap, freshly laundered cotton,
damp wool, and car smells.
    She rode in some kind of luxury vehicle, warm and safe—a
vast improvement over the snowdrift she remembered smashing through. A
bottomless pit of horror leaked into the edge of her thoughts. Agitated by a
nameless compulsion, she twitched. His deep voice rumbled, soothing her nearly
as much as his crisp, clean scent. This was definitely not a beast. Comforted
by his presence, she slid back into unconsciousness.
    Strong arms picked her up. Her lashes fluttered, but her
eyelids were too heavy to lift.
    “Shh, I’ve got you.” The rumble of her rescuer’s voice eased
her concern. He shouldn’t be touching her. She was beyond dirty. Wrapped in
soft wool with a delicious aroma and too exhausted to warn him, she sank into
his heat and rested her weary head on fine cotton stretched over thick pads of
muscle. Apparently she’d been saved by a kindly bodybuilder.
    Would the beasts search for her? Oh my God, had she
endangered her Good Samaritan? New concerns ruined her much-needed rest. Her
heart sped, and a steel band of panic squeezed her chest. She pried opened her
crusted eyelids and scanned the area for monsters.
    What she found was a well-lit parking garage fortified with a
heavy metal mesh gate. With luck the security measures would buy her benefactor
enough time for help to