Chapter 54

Dave quickly climbed into his clothes, shivering and feeling a pang of regret.



He rued his wolf curse, true, but to his everlasting shame, he also savored its invincibility, and always hated the nip of the cold after he'd returned to human form.



With an irate jerk, he tightened the fastenings on his parka and turned from the chilling breeze to the cause of his annoyance. He regretted the impulsive growls he let escape when he'd seen her out in the open, he hated the feeling he got whenever he sees her. For a long, he has made it so oblivious. Tricked himself into believing he felt nothing, but right now, there is only so much he could lie to himself.



What kind of woman was Ashley? He had been so used to loneliness and coldness of heart till he met her at his workplace.







She was different from other women at work, most of them wouldn't have dreamed of accepting such a sighting that involved werewolves, talk not of going out in the wilderness on a dark, blustery night. Hell, many of them won't go out in the city at night, nor risk their precious fingernails digging snow and loading wood.



But this one was oblivious to the danger around her.



Immediately, his human sense rose to defend her. Ashley wasn't just a journalist, she was a renowned journalist. To become one, she must have been used to the wild country and sighting them.







His rationalizations only served to fuel his annoyance. He didn't think in those terms these days. What good was the psychological insight to a hermit? He could view her behavior any way he wanted, but one fact remained. He'd made a mistake bringing her up here.







With a final tug on the drawstring of his parka, Dave shook off that question and rounded the cabin to deal with his errant houseguest.







His heart stopped the instant he cleared the corner.







"Fuck, no!"







Ashley was rolling on the ground with a large white creature, who was emitting guttural noises that chilled Dave's blood.







His joints immediately started to ache and swell. His eyes blurred, and he knew there was little time before he became temporarily immobilized. Using all his willpower, he tried to force stop the changes, he, however, gave up the force and changed into his wolf form.







In the next instant, he realized there was a complete lack of fear in Dana's squeals. He couldn't see a reason.







He launched at the creature, and with fangs and canines, they broke into a tussle.







"Stop!" Ashley cried angrily in dilemma about whether to run or wait.







Feeling the frailer human emotions now. The creaks of his joints subsided. Dave's wolf jerked away from the white creature.







Dave stopped and stared.



He realized the creature, indeed was a wolf - a hybrid.







She noticed how at peace she was with the creature. She held the creature in her arms, caressing it.



Obviously enjoying the finger trails, the creature purr-ed.







Dave rushed to his cabin. Changed form and immediately clothed his body with his parka.







He felt used. He had let himself be fooled.