The Wolf Within (Purgatory 1)

He’d also wanted her to study the prisoners in containment.

Two reasons to bring her in. There were more reasons, of course, there always were. But those were the two he’d used to the FBI Brass.

And, since she’d owed Pate far more than she could ever repay, it wasn’t like Holly had been given much of a choice in taking the job.

No, she’d lost that whole choice option a year ago. When she’d lost her life.

Carefully now, she lifted one of Duncan’s eyelids. She was about to shine her light on his eye when she realized—

No need for the light.

His eye was shining on its own. The blue had lit up, streaking with gold. Already a werewolf’s sight. A werewolf’s vision was ten times better than a human’s during the day, and at night, werewolves could see in the darkness. All of a werewolf’s senses were enhanced. Incredibly amped.

She backed away from him a bit. Her gaze scanned over his body. So much blood. Her nostrils flared a bit at the scent. Considering the damage he’d sustained, it was amazing that he’d survived the attack.

And if he hadn’t? If Pate had come back to tell her that Duncan had died on his mission? How would she have felt then?

Holly swallowed. She put down the small light, and her gloved hands reached out to skim over the wound on his neck. I would have missed you.

She’d been paying too much attention to Duncan from the very beginning. On her second day at the facility, he’d walked in with a bullet in his shoulder. He’d stripped off his shirt. She’d dug the bullet out, been all business.

Until she’d looked up and gotten caught by that bright, blue gaze.

As a rule, when she looked at Duncan, Holly wanted. She craved.

Dangerous, but then, Duncan was a dangerous man. He was about to become even more so.

“Shane…” She raised her voice so the agent near the door would hear her. “Please get me the silver collar from the storage room.”

“I’m supposed to guard—” Shane began, his voice rumbling just a bit with the drawl of South Carolina.

Holly glanced up at him. Shane was a good guy. Tall, blond, with classic features and warm, brown eyes. Handsome, no doubt appealing to most women.

She wasn’t most. She didn’t want pretty boy perfect.

Her fingers lightly skimmed over Duncan’s shoulder. “He’s out. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Just…get the collar for me, will you?”

After one last worried glance at Duncan’s still figure, Shane headed toward the storage room.

Her breath eased out on a relieved exhale.

Good. She’d wanted a few moments alone with Duncan. She reached for her scissors. Carefully, Holly cut away his shirt. She bagged it and sealed it because Pate would want an analysis done on all that blood.

Then she bent to inspect the bites on Duncan’s neck and shoulder. “They sure tore into you,” she whispered. But those wounds were closing. Already healing as he became something far more than man. “I’m so sorry, Duncan.”

She’d barely talked to him before this attack. Too nervous. Every time his eyes had locked on her, Holly’s heartbeat had kicked up and raced in her chest. She’d stuttered and glanced away because—

I want him. Only, before, he wouldn’t have been able to handle her secrets. No man could.

Not and keep living, anyway.

Almost helplessly, her hands slid over the muscles of his chest. The shift would make his muscles harder, even more defined. Not just a six pack anymore, hell, it looked like he was close to getting a dang twelve pack—

His hand flew up. His fingers wrapped around her wrist, holding her far too tightly.

Holly’s gaze flew to his face. His eyes were wide open, the gold even bolder in that blue gaze that it had been moments before. His lips were parted, and she could just see the edge of his lengthening canines.

Oh, hell. “Duncan?”

He jerked to a sitting position, snapping those straps that had been over his body in an instant, and he yanked her closer to him. His other hand rose and wrapped around her shoulder, effectively trapping her in place.

His brows lowered as he studied her, and his nostrils widened as if he were drinking in her scent.

Not good.

“D-Duncan, you’re back at the med unit. I’m just checking you over to make sure—”

His head lowered toward her throat. Holly yelped, thinking he was going for her jugular, and she tried to push him back.

Only there was no pushing him.

Enhanced strength, definite check. It sure looked like Pate was right about the alpha coming out in Duncan.

He was right.

And I could be screwed.

Her nails sank into his shoulders. She didn’t want to hurt him. He’d been hurt enough. But…

He wasn’t biting her. Wasn’t sinking those new, wickedly sharp canines of his into her neck. He was—

Nuzzling her? What. The. Hell?

Holly was pretty sure that she’d just felt the lick of his tongue over her neck.

She shuddered against him. “Ah…Duncan…you need to let me go…I can help you…”

He was on the edge of the table now. He’d pulled her between his legs. Caged her so well. The heat from his body scorched her.

His right hand wasn’t on her shoulder any longer. It had just dropped to the curve of her ass.

“Duncan!” Her voice snapped at him.

His head lifted. Only the man she’d known wasn’t staring back at her from those gold/blue eyes. A hungry beast stared back at her. A beast who sure looked like he was ready for a bite.

Been there, done that.

That burning gaze seemed to consume her. “Want…” The word was an inhuman rasp, a beast’s growl.

“You…” Holly paused, wet her too-dry lips and muttered, “need to let me go—”

Her mouth was still open when his lips crashed down on hers. Not gentle. Not even close. Desperate and rough and wild. His tongue thrust into her mouth. His hold tightened around her, and Duncan—

Took.

She’d wondered what it would be like to kiss Duncan McGuire. She’d daydreamed. Fantasized. Harmless thoughts, really.

She’d never imagined anything like this. His tongue thrust into her mouth. His tongue tasted and tempted. His tight hold on her body had her pressed hard to the front of his body, and there was no missing the guy’s arousal.

Um, no missing it at all.

She shouldn’t respond. He was injured. Probably out of his mind from the transformation mutating within him, but the hot touch of his mouth on hers seemed to send a current of pleasure right through Holly’s body. Her br**sts tightened. Her hips pushed restlessly against the thick length of his c**k and—