CoyoteWhispers Read Free Page B

the years
as a coyote shifter she still couldn’t use her senses well. Maybe if she hadn’t
tried to ignore her wild side she might have had better luck.
    Gordie had spent the years since Anthony’s death denying her
coyote existed whenever possible. She shifted when the pull became too much but
other than that, her animal lay slumbering. Unless Steve was around—which was
the reason she kept her distance from him as much as possible. When he was
near, her coyote sat up and took notice, wanted to break free and run wild to
be with the animal she recognized as her mate. In the last few months staying
away from him had become more difficult.
    Her need to be close to him had driven her to take walks in
the forest below his new home. Before he’d moved into his mountain house they’d
lived on the same street and it wasn’t until he’d started staying up on the
mountain overnight that her true needs had shown themselves. Gordie had managed
to delude herself for so long. Believed she had her feelings under control. The
wild rush of urges and desires had never been a part of her life before. She’d
never felt this drawn to Anthony.
    Even after he’d turned her, Anthony didn’t make her pulse
race or her coyote pull to be free. The guilt she’d lived with for years still
haunted her. Gordie had hurt Anthony by accepting his love when she hadn’t
loved him in return. Not the way she should have—the way he deserved. He’d been
her friend and she’d been so desperate to become like everyone else in
Whispering Springs she’d gladly taken all he offered. They’d both paid dearly
for her mistake. She’d spent the years since his death trying to make up for
her decision but the guilt remained.
    She closed her eyes tight. Tried to stop her brain from
taking her into that dark place she’d locked away the day she left Whispering
Springs to attend college. Now was not the time to dwell on the past. Gordie
had to think about what to do in the present. Because if she was right in her
assumption of who had started a campaign of terror against her, she was in a whole
heap of trouble and so was the rest of the pack.
     
    Doc was overthinking again. The woman had a brain that
wouldn’t quit. While that was good when she was in her doctor role, Steve
wished she’d let it rest and just feel for once. Then she might see how right
it was for them to be together. He’d let her push him away, let her rationalize
until they were both blue in the face but he wouldn’t give her that luxury
anymore. From now on they were a couple. He wouldn’t push her to mate but in
every other area she’d have to accept him by her side.
    First he needed to check her wounds and decide whether she
should see someone about her lip. He’d dozed on and off since he’d crawled into
bed, so he knew Doc had spent a restless night beside him. After he took care
of her injuries he’d make them both something to eat, the healing process would
require extra nourishment and he planned to make sure she got it. Then they’d
talk and she could answer some questions, like what she was doing this far out
of town in the forest after dark. Alone.
    “I need to have a look at your injuries. I’m not sure I did
a good job with your lip but I’m not the doctor here.” Steve eased her face up
with two fingers under her chin.
    The gash looked to be knitting together already and he
gently cradled her cheek in his palm. The bruising along her jaw and around her
eyes made his stomach churn and his coyote wanted to rip apart the person
responsible for the damage. It took effort and a bit more enamel ground from
his back teeth but he managed to not squeeze her face in his frustration and
anger. Steve let his fingertips trail the dark bruise along Doc’s chin, the
petite angle of her face marred by the ugly mark.
    “Damn, Doc. You really got yourself done over. Wanna tell me
what happened?”
    She stiffened in his arms and fear flashed in her gaze
before she looked