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Detective Inspector Abelseth Durant is investigating the lethal mauling of an unknown victim in
the Covent Garden tube station, and Elle Hathaway is a person of interest. Sensing her wolf nature, he is mystified by the lovely young woman, and when Elle is abducted by a rival pack, Abelseth realizes he is being pulled back into London’s wolfen underworld.
Belgravia Police Station Crime Scene Incident Report:
Location of Incident: Covent Garden Station
Crime reported by Ms. Luella Hathaway, a third party with no relationship to victim, who resides at 3 Groom Place, Belgravia, London SW1X UK
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Ms. Hathaway reports to have seen what she describes as a very large canine with black fur, glowing eyes and pointed teeth, bounding along the track as she stood awaiting a train on the Piccadilly Line late Tuesday evening. The animal was running very fast, and as it passed her, it looked in her direction with it’s eyes blazing before vanishing into the darkness of the tunnel.
Soon after, she heard screams. At that point Ms. Hathaway ran from the station. She dialed 999 to report the emergency, and took the night bus home.
The following is an excerpt from chapter three—the interview Detective Inspector Durant conducts with Ms. Hathaway in the cafe at her place of employment, the Chelsea Physic Garden.
Elle kicked off her wellies and carefully removed goggles, gloves, and overalls. Protective clothing got tossed into the laundry chute, everything else would be hosed down and left on a drying rack.
“You run along, I’ve got this.” Julian pressed the trigger on the nozzle and sprayed down her gear. “Elle, you’ll be late for your date with Detective Inspector Dreamy.”
“It’s not a date. It’s an interrogation.”
Julian flashed a smirking, one-sided smile. “Don’t let him cuff you, unless you want him to.”
She dashed for the lockers and took a quick shower—scrubbing, rinsing, and repinning her hair. She opened her locker and checked her watch. “Shit. Crap.” In a flash, she pulled on a sweater, tugged on leggings, and stepped into booties on her way out the door.
Elle took a shortcut through the culinary garden and entered Tangerine Dream by way of the dining patio. Outside the front entrance, she spied a tall figure wearing a long coat. She paused for moment, just to look at him.
She’d forgotten how attractive he was, in an unkempt masculine way. With his collar up and his faraway gaze, he reminded her of the statue of Sir Hans Sloane, the celebrated physician proudly brooding in the center of the garden.
Lucy sidled up next to her. “Who’s the dishy devil with the sex symbol hair?”
“Detective Inspector Durant.”
“He’s waiting for you?
Elle turned and stared. “Would you mind not looking so surprised?”
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She opened her mouth to correct her cheeky coworker, then bit her tongue. The thought of something wet and wild with the detective gave her the tingles. She sucked in a breath and opened the front door of the cafe.
He pivoted. “Ms. Hathaway.”
“Much cozier inside, Inspector.”
She led the way past a bakery display filled with tarts and cakes to a window table overlooking a small pond. “Private enough?”
The detective did a cursory inspection of the near empty tearoom. “This will be fine.”
They’d barely settled in when Lucy showed up, wearing a flirty smile. “Hello, Elle.” She turned to the inspector and gave him a thorough once-over. “What can I get for the two of you?”
He pulled off his scarf. “Do you prefer tea or coffee?”
For a man with such lovely blue eyes, his gaze was difficult to return. A girl could drown in those liquid crystalline orbs. Perhaps they were the reason she always felt slightly out of breath around him.
“Definitely tea in the afternoon.” She managed a weak smile.
“Shall I order a pot of Earl Grey?”
“Perfect!” Lucy blurted out before she could answer. “Back in a flash.”
He shrugged out of his coat. She thought he dressed rather well, if somewhat conservatively. Charcoal gray shirt with a darker gray tie, loosened enough to move her evaluation of his dress to conservative, with touches of casual confidence.
“Hard day, or just a long day, Inspector?”
His unsettling gaze never wavered. “More of a puzzling day.”
She brightened. “An average day then, for a Yard man.”
The ends of his mouth curled upward. “I wouldn’t call it average, either.”
Lucy brought a steaming pot of tea to the table, along with a clatter of cups and saucers. “Sorry, don’t know what’s got into me today. I’m all thumbs and dropsies. Can I get you anything else? A lavender scone with clotted cream? The lemon tarts are lovely.”
It seemed Lucy could barely take her eyes off the handsome detective; so much so, she’d gone all thumbs and dropsies.
Elle flattened a grin. “I’d love a slice of brownie cake.”
“Brownie cake?” The detective arched a brow.
“A dense chocolate cake with chocolate drops and nuts,” she explained.
Lucy put in a nod. “Scrummy.”
“Make that two.”
“Two it is—would you like me to warm them up?” Lucy asked.
He shifted his gaze to their frisky waitress. “By all means.”
She stared at him slightly open-mouthed. He was flirting—with her and Lucy. Detective Inspector Durant was a hottie and he knew it. What remained in his favor, she supposed, was that he didn’t seem to pay much attention to his looks, hence the unkemptness, nor did he appear overly impressed with himself.
He sat quietly in front of her, consulting his smartphone.
“Looks like New Scotland Yard has gone paperless. Rather high tech of them, wouldn’t you say?”
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Elle immediately thought of two good questions: Have a girlfriend? Looking for one? Instead, she lifted a small pitcher. “Milk?”
“Just a spot.” He stirred slowly as he read aloud. “Name: Ms. Luella Hathaway. Gender: Female. Address: 3 Groom Place, Belgravia.” He arched a brow at the upscale address.
“I’ve an arrangement with the owner of 17 Chester Street, a Mr. Mokhtaar.”
“Foreign?”
“Algerian, originally. He lives in Dubai now, spends less than four months a year in London. Last winter the house was completely restored, kitchen and loos updated. He also had a brilliant roof garden designed with a glass house full of rare orchids.” She sipped her tea. “I get the apartment above the garage—”
He surmised the rest. “In exchange for the care and feeding of his exotic flora.” Beneath the surface of those arresting blue eyes, wheels turned. And his double take was lovely, as if he must have another look at her.
Tingles again—tits to nethers.
Needless to say, this is where the adventure begins for Inspector Durant and Elle Hathaway. After a rival wolf pack attempts to abduct Elle, she is finally shaken out of blissful
denial and teams up with the handsome inspector to evade the renegade
pack. But as her situation grows dire, Abelseth knows the only way he can
truly protect the strong-willed beauty is to convince her to shift and
claim her as his mate. There’s just one little problem with his plan—the
reluctant Ms. Hathaway.
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