The Mating Need (Werewolves of Montana #15) - Bonnie Vanak Page 0,3

big doe eyes looked up at him.

Something tugged at his hard heart, breaking it a little bit more. “Then stick with me for tonight.”

For a moment, suspicion flared on her face. So damn young, and yet her eyes looked ancient.

“How do I know you won’t try what they failed at?” She jerked her thumb at the alley.

Troy held up his hand. “I promise I won’t do anything.” Not unless you want me to. “Friends, okay? Besides, you look more than capable of handling yourself. That light trick was impressive.”

Jenny gave an uncertain smile. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Hell yeah, good thing you did. Showed them a thing or two. You let them live.” He glanced at the trio, bleeding heavily. “I wouldn’t have spared their sorry lives.”

“I don’t like to use my powers.” She flexed her hands, water dripping off her slender fingers. “They scare me more than those Skins.”

Ah hell, she looked so sweet and vulnerable. He had to get her the hell out of here. He reached over and touched her face, feeling the tears there mingling with raindrops.

“These powers scare people. My own people. I’m a wolf, but I’m such a misfit. No one wants me around. Ever feel like that?”

Troy’s chest tightened at her misery. “All the time, sweetheart. All the time.”

He glanced upward. “Rain’s falling harder. You need shelter. I have a hotel room not far from here.”

“You expect me to sleep with you now that you tried to save me?” She narrowed her eyes.

He shook his head. Oh, he found her attractive. More than attractive. He liked the look of her, and the way she’d kicked ass on those three gained his admiration. But Jenny didn’t need a Lupine with a hard on trying to seduce her.

“No. Just offering shelter. You can have the bed. I like sleeping on the floor anyway. Besides, if I tried anything with you, you can kick my ass just like you did to them.”

Jenny’s lower lip wobbled. “Thanks… I’m sorry for being suspicious. No one’s been nice to me in a long time.”

Troy couldn’t resist staring into her pretty blue eyes, feeling a tug of deep empathy. “Me either. It’s a rough life when you’re traveling from town to town, not knowing anyone.”

Her smile faded. “I’ve been on the road so long, sometimes I forget, like tonight, that there’s people out there who only want to hurt you. I was trying to grab some sleep in the alley when they saw me.”

A low growl rumbled from his throat. “Stick with me. I’ve been on the road as well, and there’s worse things out there, Jenny. You shouldn’t be alone.”

Jenny looked up at him, admiration flaring on her face. “Are you my wolf in shining fur?”

He gave a little laugh. “I’m no hero, sweetheart. Just a guy on the road who’s lost his way.”

She took his hand. “I’ll pay for tonight’s room. I have some money and I want to thank you for trying to save me.”

As he looked at her big eyes, her waiflike look, Troy knew the truth. “Maybe you were the one who saved me.”

She gave him a puzzled look, then shook her head. “All I ask is one thing. Don’t fall in love with me. I’m bad news.”

Odd request. He pointed up the street. “Let’s go.”

As they dashed toward the hotel, Troy no longer felt adrift.

Purpose filled him. Jenny looked so frail and young, his protective instincts surged, along with a hard kick of pure male lust. Yet he had the feeling as much as he wanted to keep her safe, he was the one in danger.

Because he sensed this little Lupine had a power stronger than the ones she’d exhibited on the violent Skins. She could do more than break his bones.

She could break his heart.

Chapter 1

Montana, two months later

Just another boring lecture. Not.

It stopped being boring when Professor Eric Niles Perry began rambling about “werewolves walking amongst us.”

Jaw dropping, Jeff Carson stared at the man banging his fist on the podium. He knew Perry was eccentric and had serious doubts about his devotion to conserving wildlife, hell, even his master’s degree seemed fake. Perry came from a wealthy logging family and didn’t have to work, unlike Jeff who had sweated and labored in menial jobs the entire time he was in school.

Perry was a wild card who treated others with snobbish disdain. But this took things way too far.

Jeff’s girlfriend Judy poked him in the ribs. “Isn’t he brilliant?”

Off his rocker, most likely.