Page 32 of Blood Magic

When my alpha had first freed me, it had been unimaginable. But this, shifting on my own, was a beginning that I had no words for. For the first time, I felt truly free.

I didn’t know how many hours I rushed through the night, playing and eating and being a wild wolf. But when I finally found my way back to my clothes and forced myself to shift back to my woman, I was completely exhausted.

I wasn’t sure I could make the return trip home—that was how very tired I was. I did make it back, but it took me a while. When I shoved my key into the lock and stumbled inside, I hesitated as the hairs on the back of my neck stiffened.

I turned and stared into the night, a night that was fast becoming dawn, but I saw nothing. No one stood on the sidewalk staring at me, no furtive movement caught my attention. There was simply the normal routine of cars starting as people left for early jobs and a couple of cars pulling onto the street as some people returned home.

But it didn’t matter. I felt something, and it reminded me of when I’d left the detective’s house. Someone had been watching me then, too. Someone with such a huge amount of bad energy that it blew across my skin, causing ice to slide down my spine and my gut to scream a warning.

I stood there for a few moments more, and then sheer exhaustion forced me to shut the door and lock it before hurrying to find my bed. I was too tired for a shower, even, and all I could do was fall atop my bed and yank the covers over my shoulders. Ash jumped into bed with me, turning around and around for what felt like three days before he finally settled atop my feet. He didn’t care if I was gross and dirty, and at that moment, neither did I.

I fell immediately into a deep, dreamless, amazing sleep.

I didn’t wake up until Lucy came home at lunchtime to take Ash out to potty. Even then, I would have gone back to sleep but a glance at my phone showed me that I’d somehow missed some texts and phone calls. I never slept through my phone ringing. I’d worn myself completely out.

“I left you some lunch on the table,” Lucy yelled on her way back out the door. “Gotta run!”

“Thanks, Luce,” I said, though she wouldn’t have heard me. I was so hungry I didn’t know if I could make myself take a shower first, but somehow, I did. Then I fell ravenously upon the food Lucy had brought from the bakery. I would have been embarrassed had anyone been there, but luckily, I had only Ash’s doleful stare to contend with, and he just wanted my food.

I didn’t check my phone messages until I was finished eating. The first voicemail was from Max. “Kait, are you planning on coming into work today?” He was slightly snippy but there was nothing unusual about that. “You have had two clients—potential clients—come in already. I told them you were a late sleeper and took their info. Come to work.”

The second voicemail was from the detective. “I just wanted to check on you. I visited Beth this morning and she wanted me to send her regards. I told her you had asked about her. She wants to have lunch when she comes home.” He only sounded a little sad. “I’ve dealt with Remy twice today already. He is a pain in the ass. A dangerous pain in the ass, though.”

I read my texts after he hung up. One was from Jared.

The other one was from Remy Simon.