Free Little Wolf by R. Cooper Page B

one side, and Nathaniel met his eyes, staring until Tim felt a shudder roll through him, as if his own wolf wanted to come out.
    “I would help you because you need my help.” Nathaniel was breathing hard, pissed or frustrated when Tim was trying to be nice. “But it isn’t a bother for me to help you because you’re my ma—” Nathaniel broke the stare to glare at the floor. “Instinct,” he growled after a second, then grabbed the doorknob again, hard enough to make it creak.
    “Try to rest. I’ll be back soon,” he bit out, then left and closed the door firmly behind him.
    He didn’t lock Tim in, but when Tim got up to look outside after several minutes of breathless confusion, he found himself staring at a few sharp-eyed, curious deputies. He shut the door again and sat back down on the couch, not entirely certain he hadn’t made a huge mistake in agreeing to stay.

Chapter 3

     
    T IM AWOKE to the smell of good coffee, a vending machine pastry being waved under his nose, and Nathaniel whispering, “Good morning.”
    Tim wanted to sit up, then realized he already was because he’d fallen asleep that way. He tried not to be too horrified or dwell too much on how he was surprisingly well rested for someone who had slept on a couch in a police station. He meekly accepted the cup of coffee.
    Nathaniel smelled great. Better than the coffee, but Tim gulped it down anyway, not caring how hot it was. He was tired, okay? It was his excuse as to why he took the pastry too, without even attempting a bigger argument. “Have you eaten?”
    Nathaniel pointedly dropped some empty wrappers in the trash, so Tim accepted that answer and swallowed down his breakfast without any more hesitation.
    “I slept all night?” Tim scratched at his face and adjusted himself without thinking, finally glancing up after he did. Nathaniel had dark circles under his eyes, a huge sign of exhaustion for a were, but he was grinning. He did get a little dopey when he was tired. Tim wanted to smile dopily back at him at the knowledge, even if he didn’t care for the reason why Nathaniel was so tired.
    The sheriff , Tim tried to remind himself, the sheriff . But it was no good. That scent and presence meant Nathaniel now and forever in his consciousness. Tim stood up and stretched. “Come on, then,” he announced with more confidence than he actually felt. “Let’s go so you can get some rest.” He hefted the bags easily now that he’d had a good night’s sleep.
    Nathaniel had an expression on his face that said he wasn’t sure how to take Tim’s sudden urge to go to his house. But he walked over to lock up his desk and then came around to open the door for Tim. As they walked out and the morning light hit Nathaniel’s face, Tim decided there were worse ways to spend his mornings. He could deal with being handed pastries and coffee by a gorgeous were who looked radiant in the sunshine.
    It made him wonder what Nathaniel would look like under a silvery moon, though he focused on keeping up with Nathaniel as they left the building. Most of the people around them were not the ones from last night, but Tim still somehow felt like he was doing a walk of shame. Since he had never done a walk of shame before, he raised his head and grinned. His urge to smile lasted until he caught the smirk on one man’s face.
    So the thought of their sheriff wanting Tim was ludicrous, but Tim could have enjoyed his dream for a moment longer. He huffed and walked on, then stopped when he reached the entrance and realized Nathaniel wasn’t with him. Nathaniel was off to one side, talking with a man in the uniform of a ranger, probably some kind of liaison with the state park.
    “What the hell?” Tim’s mouth was moving before his mind could stop it. “He hasn’t slept in days. What is so important that someone else can’t handle it?”
    Everyone turned to look at him, and by everyone he meant everyone .
    “Way to sound like his husband, Tim,” Tim