I should have stayed hidden. The logical part of my brain screamed out a warning the minute she took her first steps off the trail. I felt her before I saw her. She was filled with heat and light. My wolf stirred as she got closer.

I had a fleeting thought that it had to be Lena. Why else would I be able to scent her so quickly? Of course, the moment I thought it, I knew it wasn’t her. This girl was shorter, leaner. Terror quickened her pulse as she made the decision to run.

I hadn’t meant to get near her. I swear it. But, my inner wolf seemed to take control and I found myself directly in her path. When she stumbled, I acted on instinct, reaching for her, protecting her. Electricity shot through my hands as my fingers gently closed around her arms. It ran a heated path through my veins, igniting my heart. It was as if a thunderbolt hit me dead center in the chest when our eyes met.

She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Oh, God. She was terrified. Of me.

I let her go and put my palms out in a non-threatening gesture. I wouldn’t hurt her. I would never hurt her.

“Are you all right?” I found the strength to talk. My wolf clamored to get out. I knew she could see it. Her eyes widened, but not exactly with fear. She was shocked, to be sure. But, instead of gathering herself to run, the girl straightened her back and took a step toward me.

“Am I…? Uh. I just...oh.”

She was beautiful. Her lips tightened, forming an “o” as her eyes flicked over me.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” I said, without thinking. She couldn’t know, but I meant it more for me than her. She shouldn’t be out here. She was from Birch Haven. I’d seen her earlier in the day walking with her friend, laughing. What the hell was she doing out here?

She took a step forward. The last few shards of sunlight came through the trees and lit her eyes. They were an arresting shade of green...no...hazel, with amber and emerald flecks. She had high cheekbones with a light dusting of freckles across them. Her full lips formed an almost perfect heart shape, turning down at the corners. A strand of hair blew in her face and stuck across her knife-edged nose. My fingers trembled with the urge to smooth it away.

I wanted to touch her. I wanted to know her name. I wanted to throw her over my damn shoulder caveman-style and get her far away from Birch Haven. The rumors were true. I didn’t need any more evidence. If she was here, it meant she’d probably already been chosen for someone.

The instant the thought hit me, it nearly drove me to my knees with predatory rage. No. Not this girl. I couldn’t let it happen.

She saw something in my eyes. Stepping forward, incredibly, she reached for me. Her light fingers hovered in the air a few inches from my face. She cocked her head to the side then sucked in a breath so hard her breasts heaved. My eyes went straight to them. She wore a bulky sweatshirt, but I could still make out the supple outline of her shape. She was thin, but not skinny. Wearing tight jeans, she had strong calf muscles and toned thighs.

“You’re not…” she started. “You don’t belong here either, do you?”

The question stunned me. She looked over her shoulder back toward the park on the other side of the creek. Realization slammed into me. She’d just crossed the boundary between Birch Haven and the next county over. Had she been trying to? What had she been thinking? And what might happen to her if anyone realized what she’d done? It occurred to me that this girl might be in even more danger than I was if the Chief Pack caught wind of either of us.

“No,” I said. “I’m not from Birch Haven, if that’s what you mean.”

Her neck snapped around and her eyes flashed with renewed wonder as she looked at me. I hadn’t planned what I did next. I knew I had no right, but I needed to know. I reached for her, letting my fingers brush the back of her neck beneath her honey-colored hair. I moved quickly, touching the delicate skin at the nape of her neck for no more than half a second. It was all I needed. My heart started to beat again, flooding with relief.

The girl was as yet unmarked. If she was meant for a member of the Chief Pack, he hadn’t claimed her yet. She pulled away, her eyes darkening for the first time with fear.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s just…” My voice dropped. I had no idea how to explain any of it to her. God only knew what she already believed. Any moment, she could scream, run away, or do something to alert the Chief Pack that I was here. Except, she didn’t.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Mac,” I answered, simply. Even that little bit of truth could get me killed.

“Mac,” she said once. Then again as if she were testing the sound of my name on her lips. Desire raced through me. I pushed it back, terrified of what it could mean. It couldn’t be. It didn’t happen like this, did it?

“Well, Mac,” she said, gathering her wits. “What the hell are you doing lurking around Birch Haven?”

“I could ask you the same question. Are you lost, or are you trying to get somewhere?”

The girl looked over her shoulder again. The fear running through her was palpable. It came off of her in waves. I wanted nothing more than to smooth her worried brow and tell her everything was going to be all right. I was here now. I wouldn’t let them come for her.

Except, I had no right. I had no means. This was merely a recon mission for now. Even if she wanted to leave, me taking her would draw every Pack member in a ten-mile radius. I’d never get her back to Mammoth Forest without being caught. Cold clarity washed over me. The safest thing this girl could do right now was turn around and go back the way she came.

“What’s your name?” I asked. “I told you mine.”

Slowly, she brought her gaze back up to mine. My vision tunneled for an instant and I knew my wolf eyes must have flashed. She didn’t flinch. She knew what I was.

“Eve,” she answered, swallowing hard. It cost her something to tell me, just like it had for me.

“Eve,” I repeated. It was perfect. Beautiful. Simple. Tempting.

“And that’s all you need to know about me.”

I raised a brow. God, she was fierce. She was human, but her eyes flashed with their own dark secrets.

“I doubt that,” I said, growing bolder. My inner wolf clawed at me. Her scent intoxicated me. Impossible as it was, I found myself wanting to taste her, feel her soft, supple curves pressed against me. It was dangerous to even think it. Giving in to carnal thoughts would make it easier for the Pack to scent me. Standing this close to her was madness. Except, I couldn’t help it.

“I have a feeling there’s a lot about you I need to know, Eve. But you’re not safe out here, are you?”

She wanted to tell me something. Her need to do it seemed to burn through her. But, she was scared of something. God, what the hell was the Pack doing to the women of Birch Haven? Did she know the fate that awaited her before too long? I could barely conjure it myself. Just the thought of any other wolf putting their hands on this woman damn near tore me apart. As it was, I had to focus on keeping my feet firmly on the ground. I just had to breathe. In. Out. Then in again.

“And I asked you what you’re doing here, Mac.” She took a bold step toward me. If I didn’t know better, it felt like Eve’s need to touch me burned just as hot as mine did for her. It couldn’t be though. Not now. Not here. It was just some trick. I’d been so desperate to find something out about my sister, I wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Are you looking for someone?” Eve asked. With just that one question and the penetrating stare she fixed on me, this woman seemed to lay me bare. Telling her my name had been a risk. Before I could stop myself, I took another one.

“Yes,” I answered. “I’m looking for someone.”

She smoothed her hands over her own arms, hugging herself. Eve kept doing little things like that, putting up subtle barriers between us at the same time as she drew closer. I don’t think she even realized what was happening.

“In there? At Birch Haven?” she asked.

“Yes.” Stupid. So stupid. She could be bait, after all. The Chief Pack might be smart enough to send a pretty girl like Eve out here beyond the perimeter to lure someone like me. Being near her did feel like a siren call, as if I were powerless to break away from her presence.

“Then, it’s a woman you’re after,” she said. Her tone dropped and she looked away. It almost seemed like she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

“It’s not...not what you think.”

Her eyes snapped to mine. “How do you know what I think? You don’t even know me.”

“I know you’re scared of something. You should be scared of me, but you’re not. Are you?”

Eve cocked her head to the side. The hint of a smile lifted the corner of her luscious mouth. I was playing a dangerous game with her and we both knew it. She could be anyone. I could be anyone. And yet, here we were, telling each other far too much.

“I know you’re not from Birch Haven,” she said. “And you know it’s a bad idea for you to be lurking around out here. Plus, if you’d wanted to turn me in, you would have done it already.”

“Turn you in? Who would I turn you in to, Eve? Like you said, I’m not from Birch Haven.”

“So who are you looking for, Mac? A girlfriend? Does she go to BHC? Did she even say goodbye?”

It was such a strange question. Doubt began to haunt the edge of Eve’s eyes. She’d been so bold up until now. With each breath she took, reason seeped its way back into her. Whatever she’d been trying to accomplish by stealing away tonight, she was losing her nerve.

“Never mind,” I said. “It doesn’t matter.” The wind kicked up, blowing Eve’s hair in front of her face. She had her sweatshirt, but the jeans she wore were only calf length. Gooseflesh rose on her bare skin.

I couldn’t bear the idea that she suffered even the slightest discomfort. I’d packed light this trip. I slipped out of the leather jacket I wore and covered her shoulders with it. My body heat was still trapped inside. Eve’s mouth dropped open as she caught my scent. It would be so easy to just pull her against me.

One kiss. One light touch of my fingers against her smooth cheek. My craving for it drove me half-insane. A low growl erupted from my throat, unbidden. Eve’s breath caught and she took a halting step backward.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m not trying to scare you.”

“You’re a wolf,” she said. “Why are there so many of you around here?”

“You know what I am?”

“Of course.”

“That doesn’t scare you?”

“Why? Are you planning to eat me?”

She meant it as sarcasm, but the instant she said the words, that predatory fire lit inside me again, making my vision glow. I knew my wolf eyes glinted brightly. It should have startled her, but it didn’t. A tiny bead of sweat formed on her upper lip.

“I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you, Eve,” I said.

In the distance, a clock began to chime. It was the bell tower at the center of Birch Haven’s campus.

“You should go.” Her words came out as a gasp. She drew my jacket tighter around her shoulders. As my scent hit her again, her eyelids became hooded. Was it desire she felt? I couldn’t trust my ability to read it. Not here. Not with the Pack so close.

“So should you,” I said.

They were coming. The ground vibrated with heavy footsteps. They were still within the boundaries of Birch Haven, but they were headed this way. I knew with absolute certainty that they were coming for Eve.

“Hurry!” Eve’s tone grew desperate. She slipped my jacket off her shoulders and tossed it to me. I realized with rising alarm that if any of the Pack members got within a few inches of her, they might smell me on her. God. What had I done?

“Be careful,” I said. The tingling began low in my core. It grew to a buzzing inside my head. The Pack. Their pull was strong. If I gave in to it, I would lose myself for good. It would be so easy.

“Mac?” she said, sensing the change in me.

“I can’t stay here.” I said it more to myself than to her.

“Go!” she shouted. I said the same to her.

“Stay along the creek bed,” I warned her. “Head for the trail to the park as fast as you can. They’re headed east. If you hurry, you can get back before they see you. But, I mean...hurry, Eve. Run!”

She took a step back, her eyes darting over mine. One last glance over her shoulder then she turned back to me. There was something she wanted to say. I could sense it on her lips. But, a howl rose and Eve jolted. Her hair flew in a banner behind her as she turned and ran.