Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
The truth was that it didn’t truly matter, because never in a million years would he get involved with a Seer. Never. Since she was his friend’s mate, she was off-limits, in any case. Whether Cain intended to claim her or not, it was doubtful he’d like it much if a friend was sniffing around his mate. Derren’s wolf, however, was no more affected by that than he was by Derren’s distrust of her. The animal wanted her. Simple.
Glancing at the female walking beside him, Derren had a hard time believing she was a Seer. He’d been expecting a colorful, loud woman with crimped wavy hair, too much eyeliner, and hippy-like clothes. Instead, he was looking at a slender, self-composed, casually dressed female wearing a minimum amount of makeup.
Even with her dressed in tight-fitting jeans and a simple long-sleeved T-shirt with a scarf loosely hanging around her neck, Derren wanted to back her against one of the trees, strip her naked, and explore every delectable inch of her. He’d let her keep the black midcalf boots on, though.
Cursing inwardly, he shook his head to clear the image from his mind.
Not a lot surprised Derren—maybe because he was simply too jaded. But Ally Marshall . . . she wasn’t at all what he’d expected. Still, whether or not she looked and acted like a Seer, that was exactly what she was. And he’d remember that, because he knew better than most that Seers could be corrupt, self-righteous, and misuse their gifts.
As they traipsed through the woods, heading for her cabin, they saw members of her pack here and there. Most of them ignored her, and she ignored them right back. One or two glared, and she pointedly ignored them too.
“Are you . . . in business with Cain?”
Knowing she was asking if he was part of The Movement too, Derren shook his head. “I’m just an old friend. You remember me.” He’d seen recognition flash across her face in Matt’s office.
“And you remember me.”
A guy didn’t forget eyes like hers.
She pointed at a cabin a few feet away. “We’re here.”
He frowned at the collection of garbage bags and broken furniture on the porch. Paint had been splattered all over the front of the cabin, and one of the windows had weblike cracks running through it. “What happened?” His wolf growled, flexing his claws.
She shrugged. “Kids.”
Kids wouldn’t be inspired to do this kind of damage unless their issue with Ally was extremely personal, or unless . . . “Was the Beta female behind it?”
“So you believe my story?”
She looked pretty surprised that he might believe in her innocence. Understandable, since nobody else had. Although he doubted that she was guilty, he wasn’t convinced she was definitely innocent. His hesitation apparently answered for him, because she sighed, regarding him with disappointment. Like she’d expected more—better—of him. To his total irritation, he found himself strangely feeling both shitty and defensive.
Rather than voice that disappointment, she blanked her expression, shutting him out—which his wolf seriously didn’t like—and turned away. As she headed inside, her heart-shaped ass swayed in a way that seemed unintentionally provocative. “Give me ten minutes.”
The moment Derren stepped inside her small cabin, he knew it was a mistake. It had been bad enough breathing in her enticing scent as they walked. Here, it filled the air and wrapped around him. Fuck, she smelled like wild berries, grapefruit, and sin. The combination was heady.
He was tempted to return outside, but there was always a possibility that someone could sneak in the back door; he needed to cover both entrances. After all, if she truly was being targeted by the Beta female, said female might not appreciate Ally getting away from her.
As he waited, he took in the interior of the cabin. There was none of the quirky, whimsical décor that Seers were known for. In fact, she didn’t seem to have put her own stamp on the place at all. It was plain and basic, like a rental home.
Soon enough, she reappeared with one suitcase and a bag. His wolf wanted to rub up against her, wanted her scent on his fur. This could get annoying real quick. “Why didn’t you foresee how the Beta female would react?” Assuming Ally was telling the truth, of course.
“Seers don’t have visions about their own future, just as healers can’t heal themselves. Our gifts are supposed to help us serve others, not ourselves.”
“But that’s not the way your kind often works.”
“No, it’s not.”
He blinked, startled by her honesty. He’d expected her to bristle, become defensive on behalf of her kind. When he just stared at her, she arched an impatient brow. Abandoning his thoughts, Derren took the suitcase. “You good to go?”
She inhaled deeply. “I’m ready.”
As they strode through the woods, they again passed the occasional shifter. Spotting Ally’s luggage, the wolves snickered, sending her good riddance looks. They obviously thought she’d been banished and that Derren was escorting her off the land. Ally seemed indifferent to it all, but he wasn’t buying it. He decided it was more likely that she was refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurt.