Chapter 22

The reason for the commotion was that there was another wolf killing in the woods. They said they found a scent this time which gave them hope to finding the killer. Or killers as they suspect.

I had the morning shift at the old folk's home. Cass took me to work again.

"Drinks after work?" Cass asked.

"That sounds awesome, thanks, Cass."

I hiked up my bag and went inside. I wanted normal work but how could I not think about my fake birth certificate and money sitting in the bank I could use to ease most of my problems?

"Morning, Zora," Donna at the reception desk said.

I smiled as I checked the register. I wanted to know if Mr Dean had another visitor. It was the same as usual. I went to check on him with the expectation of him having a good day.

I popped my head into his room and discovered him in his rocking chair facing the window.

"Mr Dean?"

He didn't respond. He simply stared out the window.

I thought he was doing better.

"It's me, Zora. We spoke often, remember?"

He blinked but didn't flinch. I looked around the room and discovered a medicine tube on the bedside table. I picked it. It was almost empty.

I wasn't qualified to seek the patient's medical records. I didn't even administer medicine to them. Though, when Donna left the reception desk I slipped behind it and dove into our ancient filing system. Donna was organized and saved everything according to alphabetical order.

I pulled Mr Dean's fill. He checked himself here over nineteen years ago. The medicine he was supposed to be administered to weren't the ones I found in his room or anything else I knew he was getting.

I pulled out my phone and dialled Dash's number.

"Zora, what are you doing back there?" the manager Kristie said.

I froze. Shit, I thought.

"Oh, I… uh was just looking for some information."

Kristie snatched the file from me. I might have imagined it but her eyes slightly went large.

"You shouldn't have this. You're not allowed to look at this, Zora."

I should have been more careful.

"I'm sorry, Kristie, it won't happen again."

She rooted me to the spot but pressed her lips and walked off. I sighed and stared at the other files. I could bet my next pay check that file wasn't going back to the shelf.

***

After grabbing a few drinks at a bar Cass took me back to the pack house. I expected to find Dash's army green truck parked out front but he wasn't. He hadn't returned my call from earlier. Though, I needed to speak to Gunner. I knew he didn't want to hear anything about me snooping, but we had to talk about the piece of information I received yesterday. He was the Alpha he had influence in the pack and could help me find out the truth.

The sun had partly gone leaving behind an orange hue in the sky. I entered the house and was welcomed by feminine laughter. I swallowed it was coming from the living room, I gathered my courage and went in to check for Gunner.

The laughter died when I entered the living room. None of the guys were around.

"Oh, the human's still around," Lilah spat.

"I would have thought they'd gotten rid of you already," Racheal said, rubbing her nails against her jeans.

"Give her a break she's been through enough," Hayley said.

Her sudden defence caught me off guard.

"I'm not here to chat I'm looking for Gunner," I said.

"What for?" Lilah demanded.

This was a bad idea.

"He's outside in the basketball court. You can't miss it," Hayley responded.

I breathed a sigh of relief, thanked her and I left. Laughter changed to angry words thrown across the room. I scurried out of the house before Lilah had a chance to come after me.

I didn't realize how huge the property was. They had a pool, a little guest house and a basketball court where one man bounced an orange ball. The basketball court had a single light illuminating the hoop at the end of the court near the entrance to the forest.

"I thought you were a football guy," I said.

Gunner stopped bouncing the ball and tucked it under his arm.

"Those days are behind me, Zora."

I lifted a shoulder. "They were pretty good days for you."

"Minus, the days I made your life hell."

I sucked my bottom lip.

Gunner smirked. "Yeah, those weren't my brightest days. I never thought a uniform would look so sexy."

I glanced at my mint grew shirt and pants. I hadn't had time to change. I looked up and Gunner was inches from me. His hand wrapped around my chin and tilted my head.

"You drove me crazy back then, Zora. Your laugh, your smile, your scent even if you weren't doing anything."

He watched me intently. He didn't miss a beat even when I swallowed.

"Gunner… I came for something serious."

"This is serious… but what do you need? I'm not saying I'll do it because you can be unreasonable."

I frowned. "I need your help. I need to know the truth about who I am, where I come from. I should have asked my parents but I…"

"You thought you had all the time in the world. I understand. Of course I'll help you."

"You mean it?" I raised a brow.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, locking me in his warm and secure embrace. Heat formed in my core. It would be so easy to lean in and allow Gunner to explore.

"Of course," Gunner whispered, bringing his nose to brush against mine.

"Gunner."

"No." He silenced me with mouth.

Gunner's soft lips traced mine. His hands travelled inside my shirt. I tensed but I kissed him back. What about Dash? My mind screamed. Dash isn't here. My lust filled thoughts responded.

"Come here," Gunner ordered.

He pried my legs open and wrapped them around his waist. I locked myself around him and ran my hands through his hair. I knew I was playing a dangerous game. Gunner was a possessive and dominant Alpha wolf. Worse off he was Dash's best friend! I shouldn't be playing this game but Gunner held me so securely and kissed me passionately it was hard to push him away.

Gunner dug his nails into my back and growled against my lips.

"Gunner," I moaned.

He held me tighter as if trying to merge our bodies.

Heat spread throughout my body. I wanted to surrender to Gunner but something was holding me back from falling. Like a rope keeping me from escape and finding refuge in Gunner's embrace. I must have been losing my mind how was any of that possible? I weakened in Gunner's arms. I felt a raging headache coming on.

"Gunner," I whimpered. "I don't feel so well."

I slipped out of Gunner's hold and my vision blurred. The lights at the pack house split in two.

"Fuck," Gunner said.

"What?" I held my head, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

"Nothing. I have somewhere to be." He didn't wait for me to look up. He marched off without looking back.

What was that about?

I walked to the house and went to the kitchen to grab a cup of water. My head was pounding and I was trying to process what just happened with Gunner. It wasn't like he got a call while we were kissing and had to leave. Why did he suddenly go cold on me?

My bones were too weak to worry about him. I could talk to him about it tomorrow.

"Zora," Kaleb called as he entered the kitchen. He stopped and took me in.

"Are you okay?" He frowned.

"No, I think I'm coming down with something."

"Listen, Gunner says you're free to go home."

"What?" Despite my weakened limbs, every part of me stood at alert.

"He wants me gone?"

"I don't know what's gotten into him. I'll take you home, okay?"

First, he leaves me dry after a passionate kiss then he kicks me out? What the hell? I didn't even ask to come here. Did it have something to do with why I feel horrible? Did Gunner try to do something to me?