“I’ve got him.” Joanie crouched down and narrowed her focus on the stray dog in front of her. He was young, that much she could tell, and about as large as a German shepherd. The animal’s paw was wounded and there was more blood and matted fur on his side but she couldn’t tell if it was his or someone else’s.

Joanie wiped at the sweat sliding down the side of her face and tried to imagine it wasn’t hotter than hell and the middle of summer. Her shirt stuck to her in embarrassing places and she was fairly certain whatever makeup she’d put on that morning had melted off her face about an hour ago.

When she moved to Cypress Valley, Texas it hadn’t been for the weather, that was for sure. The librarian position in a small town had been a dream come true. People seemed friendly here and she had a quiet apartment. It wasn’t a wild life but, whatever. That wasn’t what she was here for. An abusive ex and the need to start over, she wanted to find a safe place. A home. The only relationship she cared about was the one with her cat.

She couldn’t have given a hang. Her worry was focused on the four legged individual in front of her. He didn’t appear like most of the strays she’d help rescue around town. This creature looked wild. Not the domesticated sort that got dumped or separated from their owners. He kind of looked… feral.

Her boss, Tim, eased toward the other side of the alley, his eyes on the canine. A shrewd tracker, Tim followed the animal’s every movement, his muscular body poised to pounce if the dog so much as moved wrong. “Drive him this way. I’ll nab him with the catch pole.”

“I don’t know, Tim. I think he might be a wolf.”

They had him cornered in an alley behind the high school. It was fine for now, but if the kids got out before she could secure the dog, things would change in a hurry. Leash clenched in her grip, Joanie stalked one step closer and prayed she could catch him before someone got hurt. She always tried the leash approach first and had only used the catch pole once and almost whapped herself upside the head when the dog bolted backwards.

“It shouldn’t be. We don’t get wolves in these parts.” Tim shifted on his feet and looked both ways down the alley, his face unreadable. “Joanie, why don’t you let me bring him in? You should go back to the truck. I don’t want you getting bit.”

With an annoyed sigh, she glanced at Tim, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Really? You brought me out here to watch? No thanks. If I can help this guy get some medical treatment then I’m going to. Besides, after that thing last weekend, if you get bit, Holly is going to hunt me down.”

He glanced away not meeting her eyes.

Huh.

The critter paced in front of her, limping.

Tim eyed the stray, a frown sliding across his chiseled face. The hot Texas sun beat down on them and he wiped the sheen of sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his gray t-shirt.

The wolf pup’s ears were drawn back and Joanie knew she had to be careful. Three months as a volunteer at the Saving Furry Lives shelter and she’d gotten more than her share of bites and scratches. But she showed up for more every Saturday. Tim had shown her a lot of tricks and tips to get the dogs subdued with minimal force and she preferred it that way. But this one? He was going to be a challenge. She could read it in the ferocity in his eyes.

All she wanted was to get him treated and placed somewhere safe, out of harm’s way. Hanging out in an alley next to a school wasn’t an option.

“Come on, kiddo. Let’s go have a snack and get out of here, hmmm?” She held out a cookie and waited to see if he would bite.

Well… hopefully, not literally.

Cookie, yes. Fingers, no.

Her own furry baby had come from the shelter and he was the light of her life. She hated to see any animal suffering and, with Shubert safely tucked away, she’d wanted to help rescue other unfortunate fur babies. He had been her first rescue but she sometimes wondered who had rescued whom.

When they’d gotten a call about a stray trapped in an alley behind a school, she jumped in the truck with Tim. He’d protested that he could handle the call on his own but she’d insisted. It was ungodly hot and she worried he would get wiped out with his blood sugar issues. Or worse, get attacked.

“Joanie, don’t be stupid. That thing is going to rip your arm off.”

“I’ve got this.”

“Right.” Tim gave her a look of disgust and pointed at the limp red leash in her hand. “Then you’d better at least have that dart gun I showed you how to use.”

Joanie reached behind her and yanked the gun from the waistband of her jeans, never losing eye contact with the animal. She’d also grabbed a Taser but she wasn’t about to tell him that. You could never be prepared enough, and with the crazy news reports about mysterious attacks all over town, she wanted to be ready. “You mean this one?”

“Smartass. Look, you’re going to have to tag it or it’s going to attack.”

Joanie scrutinized the wolf-like canine, his fur up at all angles, ears pressed even closer to his skull than before. Yep, that was an aggressive stance. But the one thing Tim didn’t understand was the fact that it was a baby.

“It’s a pup. I don’t want to hurt him.” She started to put the gun away but he shook his head.

“Don’t be careless, Joanie. Keep it out. I’ll use the pole. You just be ready.”

“Let me try first, okay?” Joanie edged forward and the wolf snarled, his lips curling to reveal some very sharp teeth. She pulled a small dog cookie from her front pocket and held it out, willing her hands not to tremble. Showing fear wasn’t the best plan, but she wasn’t going to wuss out now. The little guy needed help whether he realized it or not.

“Be careful,” Tim hissed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him yank his phone out of his back jeans pocket and text someone, quickly sliding it back in place. She wondered why but didn’t have time to think about it long. The pup moved and her attention was once again in front of her.

“Come on, little guy. Where’s your mom?”

A high pitched keening sound caught her attention from behind some old wooden pallets and the pup gave a low whine, his attention momentarily diverted.

There was another animal hidden in the rubble.

“Did you hear that?” Joanie edged closer and Tim lunged, wrangling the pup down with the pole.

“Got him!” After a significant tussle, Tim pushed the animal toward the aged and peeling siding wall of the school to make it easier to muzzle him. “Where?”

“Behind the pallets.” Joanie took a step toward the crates and the pup lunged forward, all teeth and growls, nearly breaking free from Tim’s hold.

“Whoa, kiddo. Hold on. I’m not gonna hurt you.” He slipped a muzzle over the pup’s snout and led him to the truck with the catch pole.

“Don’t let him go.” Joanie made her way over to where she thought the noise was coming from and gasped. There, pinned underneath three wooden pallets was an injured adult wolf. Blood covered her muzzle and matted the hair of her flanks.

The creature opened her eyes and Joanie stared, transfixed by how very human they appeared. She couldn’t leave her like this. How she knew it was a her, Joanie couldn’t have said but those eyes… a mother’s eyes. As she struggled against the weight pinning her down, Joanie reacted. She tugged at the wooden pallets, hardly moving them with her paltry strength. Joanie nibbled on her lip and eyed the mess.

“Tim. She’s trapped.”

“Joanie! You’re getting involved with something you have no business with. Let Wildlife get her.” Tim’s angry voice carried through the alley but Joanie ignored him.

“Like hell.” An animal needed her and she would be damned if she was going to sit back and watch her die. Her pup had been trying to protect her. But how had they gotten here in the first place? Tim was right. Wolves weren’t in the city or even close by.

The door to the containment area on the truck closed and Joanie heard Tim scuffling down the alley.

“Hey girl.” She knelt down by the wolf’s side. “We have to get this off of you.” A quick tug of the wooden pallet revealed its weight. The beast whined and Joanie’s guts twisted. She stood in time to meet Tim’s hostile expression.

“What? We can’t just leave her here.”

“Damn it, woman. You just don’t know when to leave things alone.” He shot her an exasperated look.

“We have to move this. She’s hurt.” Joanie started to shift the pallet but Tim stopped her.

“Joanie, please get back in the truck.”

“No.” She stepped in front of the wolf and narrowed her eyes. “Who were you messaging?”

“It’s none of your concern. This is a wolf and it falls under Wildlife Rescue, you know that. Come on. We have to go.”

“I won’t leave her.” Maybe she couldn’t lift the pallets completely by herself but she could damn well try. “Is that who you were texting? And why in the world would you leave her here like this?”

“Yes. And some matters don’t concern you. No come on.”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes and it occurred to her that maybe he was lying. But why? They had a job to do and that was saving animals, wildlife or not.

Leave her?

“Are they on their way?” She crossed her arms over her chest. Something was off. She’d never seen Tim act secretive or so defensive before and they’d been on several rescue missions since she started with the shelter. Only, those had been clear cut save an abandoned poodle or tabby cat. This wasn’t.

“Of course they are,” he grumbled in response. Sweat poured down the sides of his ruddy face and he glowered at her. The pup howled from the enclosure on the side of the truck, banging against the cage door in protest.

“Good. Then you can help me get these pallets off of her while we wait.”

“Fine.” He stomped over toward the pile of rubble and yanked one of the offending wooden pieces of debris backwards into the dirt. “Are you happy now?”

“Not until she can breathe.”

She moved to help him and he shook her off. “You just make sure she doesn’t bite. She even makes a move and I’m going to taze the crap out of her.”

“You won’t have to.” Joanie eyed the wolf, concern for the animal’s well-being foremost in her mind.

A box like truck with Wildlife Rescue emblazoned on the side came rattling down the alley and stopped next to the animal control vehicle. As if sensing a threat, the wolf began to whine and writhe beneath the pallets, struggling and straining to break free.

“Hold on girl. He’s going to help…” But as Joanie watched the man descend from the cab of the truck she felt unease creep over her. He appeared harmless enough, but when the light reflected in his eyes, she saw something that sent a shiver down her spine.

She knew the type, and well.

The man wore a smile, but his expression was cold, and it reminded her of some of the characters she’d seen on the true crime shows she’d taken to watching at night with Schubert. This man would have no problem killing the wolf and not thinking twice about it. He wore a blue long sleeved shirt with the name Darius stitched into the fabric tucked into a pair of khaki slacks.

She’d learned to listen to her intuition, and right now it was screaming for her to run. There was a darkness in the man across from her and, when he glanced down at the wolf, a chilly smile turned up the corners of his mouth, Joanie moved in front of her, the blood pumping through her veins, her hands clenched into fists.

“I got your text, Tim. What have we got here?”

“I texted Mason. There was no need for you to come all this way.” His voice was clipped and Joanie saw his lips tighten in anger.

Who was this guy?

She frowned.

“Well… he was a bit preoccupied. Besides, I haven’t heard from you in a while. We used to get updates all the time. Don’t neglect the wildlife in your area, Tim. Those infestations… they can spring from nowhere.”

Tim’s jaw clenched, the anger vibrating off him in waves.

What the hell was going on here?

“Hi. I’m Joanie, Tim’s co-worker. We’ve got this handled. I’m not sure why he thought we needed help.” Joanie lifted her chin, meeting his sardonic gaze with what she hoped was an expression of air headed boredom.

“Is that so?”

“Yup. Just a dog trapped under a pallet. Going to take me a minute to move the wood is all. But, thanks for coming all this way for nothing.”

The man met her speech with a withering smirk.

“Joanie, why don’t you go check on the truck. I’ve got this.” Tim gave her a pointed stare but she stood her ground in front of the wolf.

Why didn’t he mention the pup?

“I think I’m fine right here.”

“Do we have a problem Tim?” Darius’s congenial attitude fell from him like a mask. “Maybe something a little more wild than a stray wolf that needs putting down?”

“No.”

“Why don’t you fill her in?” Darius took a step forward and Joanie staggered back, her eyes darting back and forth between the two men.

“What’s going on here? You aren’t Wildlife.”

“Oh, but I am, sweetness. The kind of wildlife you’ll wish you never knew anything about.” His hard eyes trained on the wolf. “You can go ahead and change back, wolf. In fact, I suggest it. Show little Miss Inquisitive what she’s been sticking her nose into.”

Joanie swallowed, her mouth dry. “Leave her alone.”

“What are you? A shifter lover?”

“What?” The man was insane. “It’s an animal. Step back.”

“Are you going to stop me?” Darius pulled a wand from the waist band of his pants and trained it on her. “I’m called out for one purpose alone and that’s ridding the world of unwanted pests. There are some of us still who like our population human.”

He was certifiable. There was no other explanation. Her eyes met Tim’s and he shook his head, his lips tightening in response.

“Darius. Put the wand away. Don’t involve her any more than she is already.”

“You involved her, Tim. You brought her out here to do a recovery that should have had no witnesses. All I wanted was a body. Now, I’m going to have two.”

That didn’t sound crazy coming from a guy playing Harry Potter in an alley. Not at all. Joanie took another step back, her pulse hammering in her throat.

Wait. Did he just say body?

Was he going to kill her?

No. She had to be imagining it. One too many cozy mysteries paired up with her true crime viewing habits were putting ideas in her head.

“Leave her alone. I said I would handle this.”

“Too late.”

She could fight him, but he looked like he was much faster and whatever he was going to do with that wand… she didn't want to find out. Her pulse hammered in her throat and her mouth dried out.

“What are you talking about? We're just here to save an animal. I’ve almost got her out. Look. No bodies. Just a rescue.”

If she played stupid, maybe she could survive this. At least, she convinced herself of that up until she saw the look in Darius’s eyes.

A burning cold sensation swirled in the pit of her gut and fear tugged at her insides.

“You didn't tell her.” Darius put the wand in his back pocket and took a step forward, the light in his eyes almost violet in their intensity.

“Tell me what?” Joanie stepped back, but this time a little too closely. Her foot caught the muzzle of the she wolf. She snarled, her teeth clamping down hard, then as quick as the bite happened, it was over.

“Oww!” Joanie snatched her foot away with a yelp of pain just as the wolf managed to get herself out from beneath the pallets.

Crap that stung.

Like, a lot.

The wolf leapt away from the men, keeping an eye on Joanie. Blood matted her coat and when she walked, she did so with a limp.

“You did this,” Joanie turned her gaze to Darius and murmured. “You shot her.”

“I would have finished her too if she hadn’t run. Where’s the pup?”

A loud gasp filled the alley and Joanie turned to see a nude woman with long dark hair cascading down her back standing where the wolf had been moments before. She was wounded, blood smeared on her lips.

“Leave my son alone,” she panted. She met Darius’s gaze without flinching.

“Where is he?”

“Go to hell.”

“You first, wolf.” Darius raised his wand, but before he could do anything, Joanie leapt forward, slamming into him and knocking him off his feet. She blindly reached for the Taser in her back pocket and shot outward, connecting with the bastard.

He grunted in surprise and sprawled on the asphalt, hitting his head. Lying there, he moaned, blinking his eyes.

The bastard was still conscious. She didn’t have long. If there were such things as werewolves then what was Darius?

And was the wolf one of those man eaters like those in American Werewolf in London?

Yeah, and she had just bitten her, too. Joanie knew what that meant—even if she didn’t want to admit it. Her mind boggled at the implications.

A werewolf?

Were witches real, too? Why else would a grown man be running around with a freaking wand in the middle of the day? This wasn’t Tolkien, and this sure as hell wasn’t Pottermore.

Judging from all angles, he was nuts.

But then again, there was a naked woman standing in an alley where there had just been a wolf dog so, there you go.

God, she hoped the crazy wasn’t catching.

That was television and popular culture. This was reality. The woman must have been under the crates the whole time and she just didn’t see her properly for sweat pouring into her eyes. Or the heat.

The woman in front of her wasn’t a ravening beast, however. She was a mother trying to protect her child. Nothing more. Tears prickled at the edges of Joanie’s eyes and she struggled to make sense out of the seemingly impossible.

“I'm Clare. Please save my son. I'm… sorry I bit you.” Her lips trembled and a tear slid down her cheek. “I'm just so sorry. Please forgive me.” Clare’s eyes strayed to the fallen Darius. “You have to hurry. Get away before he kills you.” The woman crumpled to the ground, her body limp.

“No!” Joanie surged forward, a wave of dizziness settled in, threatening to pull her to her knees. She reached out and clung to the brick wall, her breath ragged and her vision blurring.

Shit. Why was she so woozy?

Joanie looked around frantically for her boss only to find him backing away toward the truck, a horrified expression on his face. The woman was dying and without medical aid she wouldn’t make it. As it was, her own head was swimming, the pain in her foot radiating through her body in a searing burn.

Why was he leaving?

“Tim. Please. You have to get help.” She held her breath, watching the emotions cross his face in rapid succession.

It was getting harder and harder to focus. She had to protect the woman, and the pup.

Darius climbed to his feet, aiming his wand at Tim. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Nowhere.” Her boss reached into his shirt and pulled something out, aiming it at the maniac.

Jesus. He had a wand too? What the hell?

Joanie blinked.

“You’re going to try and best me? You—from an inferior witching family?” Darius snarled and released a jolt of wild magic.

Joanie gasped as the force of the spell crashed into the wall behind Tim.

Finger fumbling, she dug her phone out of the case at her hip. She hit 911 and slipped it back into the holster and turned to face their attacker, knees wobbling.

“I’m going to kill you, bitch.”

Joanie gasped and tried to reach for the Tazer but her fingers wouldn’t work. She sank to her knees with a whimper.

No. She couldn’t give up.

But her body wouldn’t listen. Heat surged up and her flesh burned, the muscles inside of her rebelling at every turn.

‘Try it, asshole.” Tim raised his wand, a winding spiral of purple energy forming at the tip. “I don’t need a pedigree to zot your ass into next week. This movement of yours has gotten out of control and I’m tired of dealing with your overzealous bullshit.”

“Overzealous?” Darius cackled, a vicious smile slashed across his face. “You’re not an innocent. Have you forgotten the beast that killed your mother? What about him?”

“I’ll never forget,” Tim spat. “But I won’t be a party to murdering women.”

“You’ll do as you are told.”

“Fuck you. I’m not your puppet and I sure as hell am not Mason’s.” Tim raised his wand and sent a burst of purple fire raging in his direction. The power wrapped around him, snapping him backwards into the brick wall. He slid down, a look of dazed fury on his face.

“Mason will hear about this.” Darius spat.

“No. He won’t.” Tim fired, only this time Darius didn’t get up.

The scent of burnt flesh met her nose and the sound of an ambulance siren was the last thing she remembered as Joanie surrendered to the darkness that pulled her under.