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"What did you find?"

"Hell if I know You’re the expert lupus garou I discovered dozens of wolves’ scents, tons of wolves’ prints, thousands of wolf fur fibers, and a s of wolves’ urine in various places So you tell me what it all means"

Hunter hadn’t realized the smells would probably overload Rourke’s new abilities Froarou filtered out the sht would confuse someone who had just been turned and at the same time, the enhanced abilities could be a distraction

Hunter led Rourke down to the beach "If you get injured, froed for longer than necessary And don’t show off your abilities to hu, but apparently not

Rourke scowled "I can’t help it I kept seeing fur everywhere I forgot Ashton couldn’t, and I didn’t even realize how it ht sound to him"

"You always have to remember e are When we’re in a wolf pack, no problem But around humans, watch yourself, always"

"I was just turned, reet used to this" Rourke looked up at the clouds "I can’t see it for the gray skies, but I can feel theto strip offht on driftwood "Later tonight You and I will take a run, and I’ll show you what it’s all about That should break you of the urge for a while"

"What about your shoulder?"

"It won’t be properly healed for a couple of ive it a stretch Getting out of Tessa’s sight for a couple of hours is the probleet back We’ll have supper, and then after she’s gone to bed, we’ll take a run"

Rourke motioned to the area "So what do you ray wolves that have left their ht and three others who seeht the out from the front porch of the house

"Tessa!" Hunter’s heart pounded against his ribs as he bolted up the rocky path with Rourke hot on his heels

Three more shots were fired and a wolf yelped twice before Hunter barreled through the living rooht shoot them if they ca the rifle, getting ready to fire again, the weapon propped against her shoulder, when Hunter saw Ashton sprawled out on the front porch, his hand bloodied, his face pallid

"Hell," Hunter said under his breath If the damned wolf had turned Ashton… Hunter took the rifle froht collapse, her own face flushed, but tears filled her eyes She dropped to her knees and held Ashton’s uninjured hand "Ashton, can you hear me?"

Rourke took the rifle inside, and Hunter crouched beside Tessa "He’ll be all right"

She started to cry and her tears undid hi

"I… I think I hit the wolf twice At least he yelped twice But… oh, Hunter, he’s got to be rabid"

"What are we going to do?" Rourke asked

"Let’s get Ashton inside"

"We have to take him to the clinic in town, or to the hospital in the city He’s got to be treated for rabies," Tessa insisted

Hunter crouched to lift Ashton, but Rourke grabbed his arm and stopped him "You can’t reinjure that shoulder I’ll lift hiet the door, Tessa I’ll just usethe part of a daht He needed to heal so he could be prepared to fight again, as bold and rash as the lupus garous were getting

Rourke lifted Ashton’s torso, his gaze shooting up to meet Hunter’s while Hunter carried Ashton’s feet Yeah, another ability More strength Rourke se Now Hunter had to deal with Ashton, daarou? Every tied a huh there was a slight chance the wolf hadn’t turned Ashton

"We’ve got to take him to the clinic at least" Tessa locked the front door after theot the rabies vaccine and antibiotics with us" Hunter helped carry Ashton into Michael’s rooet some soap and water for the bite, we’ll take care of it"

Tessa hurried out of the room and down the hall

Hunter rushed to wrap Ashton’s hand in a towel to hide the bite froe When she returned, Hunter took the washcloth and water fro and alert "Bloody da out the doorknob Thank god he didn’t get Tessa"

Butto Hunter was sure they had frustrated the bastard because they had left the house the night before and were gone for so long, and now had another "guard" to keep Tessa safe

"Come on" Hunter took hold of Tessa’s hand "You can’t have slept well last night, and I’ain What about you?"

She looked back at Ashton as Hunter led her out of the rooaze shifted to Hunter "You’re right, I didn’t sleep well in that hard chair at the hospital, and when I rested with you, I kept feeling like the nurses would catch us I ht before Ashton walked in on us though Wouldn’t you know"