wink made her fight the urge to shiver. She wasn?t some young she-wolf that swooned after any male to show her a little attention. And besides, she had a mate out there somewhere. She wished she could remember what the signs would be when she did find her mate.
Fritz placed the money inside the waitress?s book to cover the meal and the tip, then they left the restaurant in journey to where her accident had occurred, the accident that had robbed her of her memory.
They pulled up to the curb along a park and got out of the car. Jane enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her skin but realized that she preferred the cool night air and the faint glow the moon cast down onto the earth, creating shadows beneath anything that wasn?t directly under its path.
She looked around, noting immediately that the area didn?t cause any bells, or worse, alarms to ring in her memory. That was a good thing and a bad thing all at the same time. She turned to Dirk in question, wondering what exact spot she?d been found lying in.
Dirk seemed to understand her silent query, because he pointed to the curb, just up the street ahead of where they had parked the car.
She walked towards the place he?d indicated and quirked a brow at him as he picked up his pace to match hers, glancing around the breadth of the park and up and down the streets. A quick glance behind her told her that Fritz was also suspicious of the area. He too was looking about as if he was expecting to find something.
She ignored them, though she was afraid that there was something they weren?t telling her. That feeling was amplified now that she saw the way they were behaving. Instead, she focused on the area around her and opened herself, hoping that she?d find something, anything to spark a memory.
She?d walked up the street and back twice, then made a lap around the perimeter of the park and also through the park on a few different paths. To her disappointment, nothing seemed familiar.
She stopped and turned to Dirk who continued walking a few minutes before he realized she?d stopped. He was so busy taking in everything around them that he wasn?t even noticing her.
?I?m not picking up anything,? she whispered.
Dirk seemed to deflate as his brow fell along with his shoulders and a sigh escaped him. She wondered why he was so dissatisfied that she hadn?t remembered anything. Maybe his Alpha was pressuring him and Fritz to figure something out so he wouldn?t be bothered to deal with her.
Dirk waved to Fritz who had been trailing behind them and said, ?Nothing.?
He approached and stared down at her causing her to drop her eyes to the ground, partly out of submission to a commanding wolf, and partly in shame that she?d let them down and was becoming a burden.
?You don?t have to take me back with you,? she whispered. ?My memory should return soon and I?ll manage until it does.?
?I?ll hear of no such thing!? Dirk growled, causing her and Fritz to both look at him in bewilderment.
He cleared his throat and added, ?Our Alpha asked that we bring you back with us if we aren?t able to find your pack and if you can?t remember who they are, we can?t return you to them.?
She looked back to Fritz who was still watching Dirk through narrowed eyes. Maybe he was angry that Dirk had stepped on his toes. Fritz was the superior officer and Dirk was out of line jumping into the conversation when it was up to Fritz to call the shots.
Dirk immediately dropped his gaze to the ground and cleared his throat, probably regretting opening his mouth.
Fritz didn?t reprimand him however, only raised a questioning brow at him, and then turned back to her. ?He?s right. Our Alpha would be upset with us if we left you here alone.?
Jane nodded in understanding that she was their duty and whether any of them liked it or not, she was going back with them. At least she wouldn?t be alone. Being a Mystiko-lykos was similar to being a wild wolf, and no wolves did well on their own without the protection and companionship of their pack. Being with others of her kind, even when not welcome, was still better than being alone.
***
Before Jane knew it, they?d driven to the airport, flew to New York and was awaiting the plane to