Bryce’s leg bounced beneath his desk as he scoured the internet for recipes. Alexis had been impressed with Karen’s jambalaya, and he wanted to give her another home-cooked meal to prove he wasn’t the jackass she’d thought. That he could be a provider. The kind of man she wanted.

He’d known Alexis for more than a year now, seeing her with Macey every now and then when she’d popped into town for a few days. She never seemed to stay in one place for very long, and from the way she talked, it sounded like she’d never met a man worth staying for.

Bryce wanted to be that man. He would be the reason she stayed this time. And if he had to learn how to cook to convince her he was the right man for her, so be it. He’d do anything.

His computer pinged with an incoming e-mail, and he clicked the tab to open it. His pulse quickened. The autopsy report on the body they’d pulled out of the river had finally come through.

He scanned the contents, and a sickening feeling pooled in his gut. Macey had tried to write it off as an animal attack, but the body temperature had been seven degrees below the ambient temperature of the Mississippi in that area.

If the body had been colder than the atmosphere they’d found it in, it must have been refrigerated—or possibly frozen—before the killer dumped it in the river. He didn’t know any wolves that had access to freezers, let alone opposable thumbs and the brains enough to put a body in one. Let Macey try to dismiss this as an animal attack now.

Johnson knocked on his office door, his expression grim. “Jumper on the CCC. Let’s go.”

A brick settled in Bryce’s stomach. The Crescent City Connection, the bridge between the Mississippi’s East and West banks, hosted a couple of suicide attempts annually. This would make number three for this year.

He followed Johnson out of the station and climbed into his SUV. Flipping on the siren, he high-tailed it for the bridge and said a silent prayer they’d make it in time.

When he approached the bridge, the uniforms already had the westbound lanes closed, and a line of cars blocked his access. He cut the wheel right and took the shoulder the rest of the way before killing the engine and sliding out of his seat.

Adrenaline made his nerves hum as he paced up the street toward the bridge entrance. Frigid wind whipped into his face, biting at his skin, and a thick blanket of clouds covered the sky, masking the sun. A harbor police boat chugged through the murky water below, and a chill wound up Bryce’s spine. He zipped his jacket.

A uniform approached, shaking his head, and a heaviness pressed on Bryce’s shoulders as if he were Atlas, trying to hold the weight of the world. A fist of dread yanked his heart into his stomach, and he quickened his pace.

The uniform put up his hands. His name tag read Blanchard. “Dude already jumped. Harbor police are searching the water to see if he’s alive, but you know how this goes.”

“Goddammit!” Bryce clenched his jaw so tight a sharp pain shot through his temple. If he’d been five minutes earlier, he might’ve been able to save that man. He would have saved him.

“Hey.” Blanchard slapped him on the shoulder. “At least he’s out of his misery now, right?”

Bryce’s nostrils flared as he inhaled the stifling odors of car exhaust and muddy river water, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Misery? He had no idea the kind of misery this man had left behind for his loved ones. Pain. Guilt of not doing enough to help. Remorse for not paying attention to the signs. The suffocating agony of never having an answer to why. Drowning in a sea of a thousand regrets, unable to break the surface to simply breathe…

Blanchard shook his head. “I don’t know why we try to stop them, honestly. If they want to die—”

“Walk away, Blanchard.” His anger morphed his words into a growl. That man probably had a family. Parents. Friends. A brother. People who cared about him. His suffering may have ended, but theirs was just beginning…and for what? Because of the screwed-up way society viewed depression? Because people thought it was something to be ashamed of rather than an illness that could be treated? People were all too willing to talk about their physical problems…cancer, heart disease, diabetes…they’d tell you all about the treatments and medications they took. But as soon as the problem had to do with the mind, people acted like it was a personal weakness. He curled his hands into fists.

“All I’m saying is, who are we to decide who lives and who dies?”

“You’ve got five seconds to get your ass off this bridge before I plant my fist in your face.”

Blanchard raised his hands in surrender. “All right, I’m going. Man, all you negotiator guys got a chip on your shoulders.” He shook his head and strode away.

“Chip on my shoulder, my ass,” Bryce grumbled. Most of the guys on the team had witnessed firsthand the aftermath of a suicide. It wasn’t a chip. It was a deep desire to stop it from happening to anyone else.

Another slap on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts.

Johnson scowled. “Body’s already on the bank.” He nodded to the left, where a team dragged a corpse from the water. “Once we get ID, I’ll handle notifying the next of kin. You can head back.”

“Yeah.” Bryce stared out over the water as a familiar numbness spread through his core and down his limbs. Too late to save him. If he’d only known sooner.

He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. Internalizing would do him no good, so he wiped the emotion from his face and made his way down the riverbank. He’d save the next one. And the one after that.

Seeing the body wouldn’t help, but he always had to look. Maybe one day he’d find a clue to the reason a person could slip into such a state of distress. Could feel so alone, even when he had people who loved him.

He peered at the body lying in the grass, and his heart stuttered. “I thought the jumper was a male.”

“He was,” an officer answered.

Bryce took a step closer. A series of jagged tears covered the woman’s arms and legs. Her torn shirt revealed teeth marks in her shoulder, and the gash in her neck probably severed her carotid artery. He backed up as Detective Sharon Dupuis crouched to examine the body.

She shook her head. “Looks like another animal attack.” She addressed a uniform. “Weren’t there reports of wolves in the surrounding area last year?”

“Yes, ma’am. I believe so,” the officer replied.

She stood. “We’ll need to contact the park rangers and see if there have been any recent reports.” She typed something into her phone and turned to walk away.

“Now, hold on a minute, Detective.” Bryce strode toward her. “Have you seen the autopsy report on the other one?”

She crossed her arms. “Sergeant, what are you doing here?”

“I was on the bridge for the jumper. Have you seen the report?”

Her brow furrowed as she fought off a cringe. “Not yet.”

“The first animal attack victim measured seven degrees colder than the river. Unless you know a wolf that keeps a deep-freezer in its den, I’d say it was more than an animal attack.”

She tilted her head. “You’re a negotiator. Why were you looking at the autopsy report?”

Damn it, why did it matter? “I was helping Detective Mason.”

“I see. Well, I’ll be sure to let her know if the case is the same with this one.” She flashed an insincere smile, turned on her heel, and strutted away.

Bryce ground his teeth on his way back to his SUV. Something fishy was going on with these bodies, and though murder investigations were no longer in his job description, he’d be damned if he’d let any criminal roam free. He’d give Macey a chance to get up to speed with the inconsistencies in the autopsy report, and if she didn’t start treating this case like the crime it was, he’d do it for her.

Alexis tugged Bryce’s jacket tighter around her shoulders and pressed her nose against the collar. His warm, masculine scent filled her senses, stirring the strange feelings deep in her soul. What was it about this human that commanded her wolf’s attention?

She strolled up Royal Street toward the Gumbo Place, absorbing the scenery and relishing the warmth Bryce provided against the cold. Two and three-story wooden structures rose on both sides of the street, their colorful facades reflecting a time long ago. Festive holiday colors decorated the wrought-iron railings that trimmed the balconies and galleries, and a three-piece band played an upbeat version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on the corner of St. Louis Street.

She passed Spellbound Sweets, and her witch friend Rain leaned her head out the door. “Hey, Alexis. I didn’t know you were back in town.” A gust of wind kicked up, whipping her dark curls into her face. “Do you want to come in for a minute?”

“Thanks, but I’m on my way to meet Macey for lunch.”

Rain smiled and raised her eyebrows. “Have you seen Bryce lately?”

She paused, unaccustomed to talking about her feelings, and warmth unfurled in her chest. “I’m seeing him tonight.” Was that giddiness bubbling from her stomach? No, it had to be heartburn.

“Good. Stop by if you have a chance before you leave town.”

“I will.” She grinned and hung a left on St. Peter. It might not hurt to stick around for a while this time. She hadn’t heard a peep from Eric or his dad, so that mess had probably blown over. Knowing David, he tore Eric a new one the second he stepped out of jail and then hauled his ass back to Biloxi to keep a closer eye on him.

She had friends here now. Macey was here…and Bryce. Her stomach fluttered. It might be nice to see where things went with him. To explore these strange emotions stirring in her soul.

She opened the door to the Gumbo Place and found Macey and her sister-in-law, Amber, sitting at a table by the window. Macey smiled, and Amber waved her over. Zydeco music played through the speakers in the ceiling, and Alexis sashayed past a row of booths covered in red-checkered cloths.

Macey had pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail, and it swished over her shoulder as she hugged Alexis. “I was wondering if you were ever going to call me.”

Alexis hugged Amber and settled into a chair. “No visit to New Orleans is complete without seeing my little sister.” She ignored the pang of guilt squeezing her heart. She was here now, and that was what mattered.

Macey opened her mouth to speak, but the waiter arrived to take their orders. Amber asked for a roast beef po-boy, and Macey ordered a muffuletta.

“I’ll have a glass of water.” Alexis pressed her lips into a tight smile.

As the waiter nodded and turned to walk away, Macey held up a finger to stop him. She lowered her voice. “I can buy your lunch. Go ahead and order something.”

Alexis straightened her spine. “I don’t need you to pay for me.” She shrugged. “I’m not very hungry.”

Macey put her hand on hers. “I don’t want you to have to sit there and watch us eat.”

Alexis let out a slow breath. Because she was a homeless rogue, everyone immediately assumed she didn’t have a dime and couldn’t be depended on. Macey may have been right about the money, but Alexis could take care of herself and anyone else that came along.

“All right. I’ll get a little something, but I’m paying for it myself.” She scanned the menu. “I’ll have the half ham sandwich. Separate checks, please.” At $5.99, after tax and tip, the half sandwich would eat up half her life savings, but it was better than admitting she was broke.

The waiter shuffled away, and Alexis picked at her unpainted nails, unable to look Macey in the eyes.

Amber broke the awkward silence. “What brings you into town, Alexis?”

“Oh, umm…” Heat climbed her neck and settled in her cheeks.

“I’m the one who gave him your number, remember?” Macey smiled, but it didn’t mask the wariness in her eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s his jacket too.”

Wrapping her arms around herself, Alexis stroked the soft fabric. The central heating in the restaurant provided enough warmth that she didn’t need to wear the jacket inside, but it had become a sort of security blanket.

She deserved every bit of doubt her sister had about her, but earning it didn’t make it any less painful. If she’d have stayed last year, when they’d first reunited, things would be different. The alpha had given her a job. She’d had a place to live. Family. But as soon as she’d gotten comfortable, she’d gotten scared, and she’d left like she always did. Being a rogue, Alexis had learned the hard way that letting her guard down—getting comfortable—set her up for people to take advantage of her. To hurt her. She knew in her heart that Macey and her friends here weren’t like that, but a lifetime of being on the defensive wasn’t easy to change.

She popped in and out of town, but it didn’t provide the kind of relationship her sister wanted. Hell, it wasn’t the kind of relationship she wanted either.

This time would be different. “I’m seeing Bryce.”

Amber looked at Macey. “Your old partner?”

Macey nodded.

“That’s sweet.” Amber tucked her light-brown hair behind her ear and folded her hands on the table. “I knew you’d get to keep him in your life somehow.”

Alexis’s breath hitched. As a second-born werewolf, Amber’s psychic power was empathic premonitions. She felt things about the future that usually came true. “Have you seen anything about him? Or…me?”

“No, I meant that Macey and Bryce were too close to let a little promotion end their friendship. I only have premonitions about people I see on a regular basis.”

“Oh.” She slumped her shoulders.

“Maybe if you stick around a while this time.” Amber grinned and raised her eyebrows.

“How long are you planning to stay?” Macey asked.

The waiter delivered their food—and an ounce of relief—and Alexis used the distraction to avoid answering the question. She took a bite of her sandwich. The earthy aromas of the whole-grain bread offset the sweetness of the ham, and the Cajun seasonings in the mayonnaise added a zip to the medley of flavors on her tongue. She mushed the food around in her mouth longer than necessary before swallowing and taking another bite.

The heaviness of things unsaid hung over them as they ate in silence. Macey flicked her gaze toward her, inhaling as if to speak several times, but she didn’t. She didn’t need to. The words were apparent in her expression.

Amber must have sensed the tension, because she focused on her po-boy, lifting her gaze from her food occasionally.

Alexis finished her sandwich and folded her hands in her lap. “I like Bryce. A lot.”

Macey wiped her mouth with a napkin and dropped it on her plate. “He likes you too. More than I’ve seen him like anyone in the seven years I’ve known him.”

Her lips tugged into a smile. Hearing those words from someone who knew Bryce well had her pulse racing.

Macey gave her a curious look. “Please be careful with him. He pretends he’s a tough guy, but he’s more sensitive than he’d like anyone to believe.”

His sensitive side was the reason she was still in town, planning to have dinner with him in a few hours. The reason she was falling head over tail for a human. “I know you’re worried about him, but I promise I don’t plan to hurt him. I care about him.”

Macey shook her head. “You care about me too, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.” How could she even ask such a thing? “After I ran away from foster care, I spent the next twenty years looking for you.”

She swallowed hard, her gaze lingering on her crumpled napkin before locking with Alexis’s eyes. “You hurt me every time you leave.”

Her breath hitched. “Macey, I…”

“I don’t know where you go. I don’t know what you’re doing. Half the time you don’t answer your phone when I call. I…” She clamped her mouth shut and took a deep breath. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that you tend to hurt people without realizing it.”

Did Alexis not realize it? Or had she been ignoring the pain she’d seen in her sister’s eyes every time she’d said goodbye? Convincing herself she wasn’t the cause because nobody cared about her enough to be hurt by her absence? “Why haven’t you told me this?”

She shrugged. “Would it have made a difference?”

Fisting her hands on the table, Alexis inhaled deeply. “I started shifting on the first full moon after my thirteenth birthday. I had no idea what was happening to me, so I ran. Do you know why I ran?”

Macey held her gaze. “You were scared.”

“That, yes, but I also ran because that’s what Mom and Dad did. You were too young to remember, but we moved eight times before I turned six. It seemed like every time I got close to making a friend, we packed up and moved.”

Amber’s brow puckered. “That must have been hard.”

“That’s just how it was. I didn’t know any better.” She returned her gaze to Macey. “Then we went through four different foster homes after they died, and none of our foster families gave a damn about us. You had nightmares. You’d wake up screaming, and when an adult would come in to spank you for waking them up, I’d take the blame. I took the beatings, but I couldn’t stop the nightmares. I couldn’t fix you.”

Macey’s eyes shimmered. “I remember that. I remember when you were there for me.”

“I failed you. No matter how much I tried to help, I couldn’t fix the pain in your heart.”

Her shoulders drooped as she slowly shook her head. “You didn’t need to fix me. I just needed you to be there.”

Alexis folded her hands on the table. “Me being there didn’t seem to do anything for you. It never did. Our parents weren’t the best role models for reliability. They never had any friends. I had zero social skills, and then I turned into a freaking wolf. I ran, and instinct led me to a rogue that I found hunting one night. He took me in. Promised to keep me safe. To take care of me.” She swallowed the sour taste from her mouth. “He made sure I took care of him too.”

Macey sucked in a sharp breath. “He didn’t…”

“He did. And I didn’t know any better, so I let it happen. I thought it was how werewolves behaved.” She sipped her water, washing the dryness from her throat. “Now I know that’s just how assholes behave, but…you’re lucky you got adopted when you did because when I came back looking for you…” She didn’t need to finish the sentence. The horror in her sister’s eyes said she understood.

Amber shifted uncomfortably in her seat, casting her gaze to her lap.

“Eventually, I got away and started living on my own, but I was already broken. He made me think I was worthless, and I still struggle with that today. I’ve never had a healthy relationship. Nobody trusts a rogue. My life has never had a positive impact on anyone, so I’m not used to anyone caring what I do…or whether I live or die for that matter.” Pressure built in the back of her eyes, so she blinked it away. She would not cry. Crying meant weakness, and she was anything but weak. “I’m sorry.”

Macey reached across the table and took her hand. “People do care. I care, and so does Bryce.”

Heaviness settled in her chest, squeezing her insides from her heart to her throat, making it hard to breathe. “I love you, Macey.”

“I love you too. I’m so sorry you went through that.”

She shook her head. “It’s over now. Bryce is a good man, and I don’t want to hurt him.”

Macey leaned back in her chair. “You need to understand that when people love you, your actions have consequences. If you get close to him…if you bring him into our world and tell him what we are, his life will turn upside down. Don’t do that to him unless you plan on sticking around.”

Alexis focused on her hands folded on the table. Things were different now. She had the beginnings of a romantic relationship with an amazing man, but the biggest difference resonated in her soul. Her wolf wanted to stay this time, and that was something she’d never felt before. It was time to stop fighting these emotions and go with her gut.

Lifting her gaze to Macey’s, she smiled. “Is Luke hiring?”

“You know you have a job here if you want it. We’ve got an extra bedroom too.” The hopeful look in Macey’s eyes tugged at her heart.

Could she stay this time? She opened her mouth to say she would, but fear clamped her throat, blocking the words from flowing. Her pulse sprinted, and nausea churned in her stomach. She wanted to stay. God, she needed to. Her wolf craved the companionship and comfort of the people she cared for, and Bryce… He wasn’t like any man she’d ever met. She’d gotten a tiny peek behind his mask, and a hardened asshole didn’t reside beneath it. He was kind and gentle.

She squared her shoulders toward her sister and straightened her spine. “I’m going to stay.” She had to. She was done running.

Macey raised her eyebrows. “For how long?”

“For as long as you can stand having me around. It’s time I put down some roots, don’t you think?”

“I agree.” Her smile finally reached her eyes.

Amber had remained silent during their exchange, but as she paid her tab, she took both their hands in hers. “I’ve got an extra room too, if you’d rather stay with another single lady.” She winked and rose to her feet. “I have to get back to work.”

“Yeah, I have things to do too.” Alexis handed her last twenty to the waiter.

Macey paid her tab and stood. “I’ll talk to Luke for you. And please…be careful with Bryce. He’s a skeptic at best. Bringing him into our world won’t be easy.”

Alexis stayed at the table when Macey and Amber left the restaurant, her stomach tying itself into a massive knot as Karen’s words echoed in her mind: he deserves better. Rising to her feet, she fisted her hands at her sides. She could do this. Bryce wanted to be with her, and she wanted to—she would—be the woman he deserved.