gait of pissed-off wolves, Margery realized she wasn’t breathing. Her knees threatened to buckle. Dropping the chain on the bike, she grabbed the streetlight pole for support.
How could this happen? Once free of the Scythe, she’d been sure she’d be safe and happy. But…then there had been Rainier Territory. Pete. Roger.
I got away.
Out of Rainier Territory, she’d thought she’d be safe and happy in Cold Creek.
Wrong again.
Nowhere was safe.
Don’t I get to be happy?
Black spots danced in front of her eyes.
Tynan shoved his baton into his belt. “Don’t pass out on me, little female.” He wrapped a muscular arm around her waist and tugged her away from the streetlight.
Too dizzy to protest, she let him lead her to the center island where he sat her on an iron bench. “Donal.” He motioned toward the healer. “Maybe a quick check?”
Joining them, Donal took her hand for a second. His fingers were warm. She could almost feel the simmering healer energy as he assessed her.
Straightening, he spoke to Tynan—not to her, “No damage, just the shaky aftermath of an altercation.”
“An altercation that shouldn’t have happened.” Tynan’s hard voice made her flinch. “Some gobshite, he was.”
Rule number two of captivity: Avoid annoying the ones in charge.
She sat quiet and still, braced for whatever actions his anger would take. When nothing happened, she checked him from the corner of her eyes, keeping in mind Rule Number Four: Don’t look an irritated male straight in the face.
“She’ll be fine.” Donal turned his silvery gaze to her and smiled slightly. Coolly.
How pitiful was she to crave a warm smile like he’d given the cublings at the tavern?
Tynan was watching her as well, and his gaze held…a very male look.
The healer looked at her, then Tynan, then her, and without another word, he walked away. Back to the bookstore.
Leaving her with the deputy who turned to scowl after the healer.
Uh-oh. He was definitely angry. She edged away from him on the bench.
His anger disappeared as if it had never been, and he went down onto his haunches in front of her. “Lass, I have never hit a female in all my life. I’m not going to start now.”
Oh. She’d…hurt his feelings? That was the last thing she wanted. He’d been willing to fight for her.
She swallowed. “I’m sorry. I was…I learned to be…careful…when I lived in Seattle. In the compound. I’ve mostly gotten past it.”
Tynan was as motionless as a cat stalking a field mouse. “Your head knows you escaped the bad guys, but you were imprisoned long enough for your body to get set in its ways. It’ll take time.”
His clear blue eyes were like the Seattle sky when the wind from the Sound swept away any trace of clouds. Eyes a person could fall into.
Looking down, she saw his police badge, and her chest went tight, squeezing the air from her lungs. Quickly, she averted her gaze. “Thank you, Deputy O’Connor.”
“It’s Tynan, and you’re quite welcome.” His gaze went past her, looking at something across the street. “Are you ready for the next challenge of the day?”
What does he have planned for me now?
She’d thought he was a good person, a rescuer, but Gods, what if she was wrong? How had she let her guard down even a whisker? Her muscles tightened. “Like…what?”
He started to put his hand over hers. And stopped. “Nothing scary, merely something to take care of before there are problems.”
“Take care of?”
Rising, he motioned for her to stand. “You need to be seen and accepted by the pack alpha here so Roger has no claim on you.” He shook his head before she could protest. “There is gender inequality in the Daonain; I’m the first to admit it. But with so few females, our instincts demand that you be protected.”
“Protected would be nice. Imprisoned is what I…” Her voice trailed off as she realized she was going to irritate a male. Not just any male, but one with weapons hanging all over his belt. She took a careful step away.
His mouth tightened slightly, but he simply waved for her to walk with him across the island. “Our alpha, Shay, and his mate are having lunch in the diner. Let me introduce you.”
The diner. Very public. Relief ran through her. “Okay.”
“See? Nothing to worry about. Angie’s there, and she’ll protect her new waitress, even against the alpha.”
Margery stopped dead before she stepped down into the street. “No. She mustn’t. Never. She’d end up getting hurt and—”