Page 4 of The Mating Need
But this girl was no sheep. More like superwolf.
Troy gestured to the alley’sexit.
“Get your stuff. We need to get out of here before the cleanup crew arrives and a certain wizard punishes you for exposing magick to Skins.” Troy didn’t know when Tristan, the wizard who judged Lupines, would arrive, but he wouldn’t takechances.
The girl had been through enough tonight. She didn’t need that jackass wizard scolding her orworse.
The girl grabbed a backpack that seemed painfullythin.
“I’m Jenny. Jenny Logan.” She shivered. “Thank you. I can’t believe… that almost happened tome.”
“Troy Gilbert.” He shrugged out of his jacket, draped it around her slim shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here and home to yourpack.”
“Don’t have a pack. Or a home.” Those big doe eyes looked up athim.
Something tugged at his hard heart, breaking it a little bit more. “Then stick with me fortonight.”
For a moment, suspicion flared on her face. So damn young, and yet her eyes lookedancient.
“How do I know you won’t try what they failed at?” She jerked her thumb at thealley.
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 wasimpressive.”
Jenny gave an uncertain smile. “I shouldn’t have donethat.”
“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 sorrylives.”
“I don’t like to use my powers.” She flexed her hands, water dripping off her slender fingers. “They scare me more than thoseSkins.”
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 withraindrops.
“These powers scare people. My own people. I’m a wolf, but I’m such a misfit. No one wants me around. Ever feel likethat?”
Troy’s chest tightened at her misery. “All the time, sweetheart. All thetime.”
He glanced upward. “Rain’s falling harder. You need shelter. I have a hotel room not far fromhere.”
“You expect me to sleep with you now that you tried to save me?” She narrowed hereyes.
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 seduceher.
“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 tothem.”
Jenny’s lower lip wobbled. “Thanks… I’m sorry for being suspicious. No one’s been nice to me in a longtime.”
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 knowinganyone.”
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 sawme.”
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 bealone.”
Jenny looked up at him, admiration flaring on her face. “Are you my wolf in shiningfur?”
He gave a little laugh. “I’m no hero, sweetheart. Just a guy on the road who’s lost hisway.”
She took his hand. “I’ll pay for tonight’s room. I have some money and I want to thank you for trying to saveme.”
As he looked at her big eyes, her waiflike look, Troy knew the truth. “Maybe you were the one who savedme.”
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 badnews.”
Odd request. He pointed up the street. “Let’sgo.”
As they dashed toward the hotel, Troy no longer feltadrift.
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 indanger.
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 hisbones.
She could break hisheart.
