Page 5 of His Undercover Wolf

I disconnected the call, shifted the car into reverse, and started toward the state park, fifteen minutes away from my home.

***

I pulled in alongside Zarina’scar and switched off the engine and lights. Slivers of moonlight threaded their way through the tall trees overhanging the car spaces, partially hiding our vehicles.

Zarina sat on the hood of her small car, feet hooked into the bumper bar, and she looked up from the cell phone in her hand as I locked the car, shoved the remote into a pocket of my pants, and started toward her. She slid to the ground, and we hugged in greeting.

“It feels like I haven’t seen you in months,” my best friend complained.

“It’s been two days and I told you we were busy closing out a case.” I laughed and shook my head. “You really are a drama queen.”

“So everyone keeps telling me. Maybe that’s why I can’t keep a mate.”

I patted her shoulder. “One day you’ll find a mate who will overlook your faults. If Aodhan can find someone to put up with him, there’s hope for us yet.”

Zarina nodded. “I’m not in a hurry. Come on, let’s go.”

We both stripped naked and stashed everything in the trunk of Zarina’s car. After locking the vehicle which set the alarm, she put the remote into a small magnetic box and attached it beneath the wheel well out of sight.

Moving into the cover of the trees, we both proceeded to shift to wolves. Standing on my rear legs, and with Zarina by my side, we turned our heads skyward and howled at the moon. The orb shone brightly, sending tentacles of light across the clear night sky.

I spun around and set off running in the direction of the falls, yelping when Zarina pounced onto my back, sending me spread-eagled on the leaf covered, rocky ground. The air was knocked from my lungs for only a moment and after sucking in a deep breath, I pushed Zarina off, sprang to all fours, and ran like the wind, being careful not to trip on raised roots or the fallen branches of trees.

I heard Zarina closing in and ducked and weaved through the trees to avoid her catching me again. My actions were all in vain and I groaned when she sent me flying, belly-first, back onto the ground. Twigs and stones pressed into my skin, and I knew there’d be bruises that would last for a few days when I shifted back to human.

This time Zarina was ready for me to throw her off and she pinned me down by sitting on my back with her legs on each side of my body. I felt a sharp sting on my ear when she bit down and reacted by bucking my hips sharply, causing us to roll over and over each other down an embankment. Zarina played with me like a ragdoll, I was no match for her strength.

The woman was a good four inches taller than my five feet nine and she was built like a wrestler, thanks to her obsession with working out at the hospital gym. My strength was no match for hers so I played along, biting, and nipping wherever I could reach.

When Zarina had finally had enough, she leaped to her feet and ran ahead with me in hot pursuit. The night was warm and heat caused the skin beneath my fur to pool with sweat. I looked forward to a swim. As we neared the falls, the thundering sound of water cascading over rocks and crashing into the small pool below became louder and louder.

Zarina leaped into the water, and I didn’t hesitate to join her. The cool water on my overheated body had me sighing with pleasure. I wondered, not for the first time, if wolves sighed. It felt and sounded like one to me. Zarina and I dog paddled back and forth across the body of water, diving beneath the falling water which splashed around us.

We wrestled, pushing each other under until breathless, and exhausted, climbed back onto the bank and shook the water free that had been trapped in our fur.

I gave a short, sharp bark, and Zarina, knowing what it meant, fell in beside me as we made our way back to the parking lot at an easy pace.

The anxiety in me was gone and I felt at peace with myself once again. When we reached Zarina’s car, we howled at the moon before shifting back to our human form. She grabbed the box from the wheel well and removed the remote. Lights flashed and chirps filled the air as the car unlocked. We each removed a towel from the trunk and dried off before dressing.

“Feeling better?” Zarina asked.

“Much…You?”

“I’m good, so it’s home for me, a glass of wine and a long soak in a hot bath.”

“Half your luck. A bath would put me to sleep, and I have a new case file to study before morning. A wine will definitely be involved.”

Zarina laughed before we hugged, climbed into our cars and set off to our homes. With my mind now cleared, I’d be able to absorb the details of the case I needed to study.

***

As usual, I was the firstto arrive in the squad room at a little after 7.30 am. I hit the switches, flooding the space with light, dumped the file, my purse, and keys on my desk, and crossed to the coffee station. After preparing the two coffee makers, I started them brewing. While they gurgled away, I went back to my desk, sat and switched on the computer. It purred as it came to life and while waiting, I flipped open the file I’d spent hours reading the previous night. A page of handwritten notes was on the top and ready for when my team arrived.

I heard laughing and the door to the squad room opened. Turning in my chair I watched as Hunter and Ophelia approached.

“Morning, Boss,” they sang in unison before continuing straight over to the coffee machines where they poured themselves a mug.

“Not sure if the coffee will be ready, I haven’t been in long.” I didn’t drink a lot of coffee because as a wolf it wasn’t something I should indulge in, but thanks to my father, I’d developed a taste for the potent brew from a very young age, and I did like one first thing in a morning.

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