As she approached the sun-faded warehouse, Larissa ran through her mental checklist for the night’s patrol.She knew the route, of course, and had already determined several vulnerable points to keep an eye on.
Efficiency was key, especially now with the pack recovering from Vincent’s reign and the alpha position still up for grabs.
Larissa allowed herself a small smile.The combat challenge with Malcolm ending in a draw meant the diplomatic round would be the deciding factor.
And diplomacy was her territory.
She just needed to keep her head in the game and not let anything—or anyone—distract her.
As if conjured by her thoughts, Malcolm’s scent reached her nose just as she rounded the corner of the packhouse.Larissa froze.
He leaned against the metal siding, arms crossed over his broad chest, looking for all the world like he belonged there.Which he didn’t.He was supposed to be off duty tonight.
“What are you doing here?”Larissa asked, proud of how steady her voice sounded despite the sudden flutter in her stomach.
Malcolm pushed off the wall, his movement fluid and graceful.“Change of plans,” he said.“James had a family emergency—sick kid.Asked if I could cover his shift.”
Patrol with Malcolm?Alone?For hours?
“I see,” she said, fighting to keep her tone neutral.“I guess we should get started, then.”
As they set out into the night, Larissa couldn’t shake her awareness of Malcolm’s presence beside her.She took shallow breaths, trying not to let his scent affect her.
They walked in silence for a while.Larissa’s skin prickled with awareness, every accidental brush of their arms sending sparks through her body.It was maddening.
“So,” Malcolm said finally, breaking the silence.“Any specific areas you want to concentrate on tonight?”
Larissa latched onto the businesslike topic with relief.“Yes, actually.I’ve been thinking we should increase our patrol along the eastern border.There have been reports of full wolves in the area.”
Malcolm nodded, his expression thoughtful.“Good call.We could set up some additional markers, make our presence known.”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Larissa agreed, surprised and pleased by his quick understanding.Full wolves—those who didn’t have the capacity to shift into humans—weren’t a huge danger, but their presence might draw unwanted human attention to the area.And that was the last thing any shifter pack wanted.
After a few moments, Larissa and Malcolm fell into a discussion about pack security, their conversation gradually becoming more relaxed and natural.
She had almost forgotten how insightful Malcolm could be.But he wasn’t just brawn, she remembered.He might not advertise it, but he had a keen mind behind those intense brown eyes and bulging muscles.
“Your stealth needs work,” Malcolm whispered after she skirted a patch of loose gravel on the sandy ground.
She bit back a smile.“Says the man who walks like he’s wearing tap shoes.”Memories flooded back unbidden.“Remember when we used to sneak out here to practice shifting?”
“You mean when you used to push me into the creek?”Suddenly his hand was on her arm, pulling her back against his solid chest as headlights swept the road ahead.Larissa’s breath caught at the contact, her body tingling at every point where they touched.
“You needed the bath,” she managed to murmur, fighting the urge to lean into his warmth.“Especially after that mud-wrestling incident with Bobby Parker.”
“He called you scrawny.”
She turned her head slightly, a mistake that brought their faces inches apart.His uniquely Malcolm scent surrounded her and made her wolf stir restlessly.“So you had to defend my honor by throwing mud?I could have handled it.”
“Like you handled Tommy Peterson?Three flights of stairs, Larissa.”
“Gravity is still unpredictable.”Her voice softened traitorously.“Though, I noticed you stopped picking fights on my behalf after that.”She remembered how happy she’d been, knowing he’d recognized her ability to handle herself.
How proud I was…
“Figured out you could take care of yourself.”His grip tightened slightly, sending sparks of awareness through her.“Usually by causing more damage than I would have.”
The sound of a rock rolling down a desert incline sounded in the darkness, and they both tensed.Larissa’s strategic tendencies kicked in instantly, pushing aside the distracting awareness of Malcolm’s body against hers.Moving in perfect sync, they melted into the shadows of a nearby bluff.
