Unmasking the Wolf by Christy Gissendaner

a large form behind her.
    “I’m sorry.” She glanced up and whatever else she’d been about to say trailed off. “Luke!”
    Tenseness lurked in his eyes. It looked like he hadn’t had a good night. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. Certainly nothing like the blazer and nice slacks he’d had on yesterday. She preferred the casual look on him. The bulky muscles of his chests and arms strained the seams of his shirt. So hot.
    Her voice returned. “Have you seen Dominic?”
    “Not in a few hours.” Worry darkened his blue eyes. “Was he supposed to meet you?”
    She waved her hand dismissively. “I got off early. I walked over to meet him, but he’s not answering his phone.”
    “He’s probably in the lab. It’s normal for him to get wrapped up in research that he notices nothing else.”
    “What is he working on? He doesn’t talk much about it with me.”
    A curtain seemed to fall across Luke’s face. His gaze grew shuttered. “It’s classified.”
    What kind of research were they doing? Now her curiosity was truly stroked. “I’d better go find him before he leaves. If you see him, will you let him know I’m here?”
    “I’ve got a better idea. I’ll look for him with you.” Luke put his hand against her back and guided her down the hall. The heavy warmth of his palm seeped through her thin sweater and heated her from the inside out.
    His scent wrapped around her. As always, it left her confused. Her body reacted instantaneously to him, something that had never happened before. “You’re probably busy. You don’t have to babysit me.”
    He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Babysit? Relax, I don’t mind. I like spending time with you.”
    Her pulse tripled. She liked spending time with him too.
     
     
     

Chapter Six
    How in the hell was he going to stop from taking her in his arms?
    The more he was with her, the more he experienced overwhelming lust. He’d never imagined the mating urge would be so strong despite the tales he’d been told. If he hadn’t taken L-12, what would her response be? Would it be as encompassing for her? God, he hoped so.
    Downstairs was almost deserted. The lab was located in the bottom floor of the building. Only security personnel, Luke, and Dominic had access to the basement. The actual laboratory was barred even from security. They patrolled the basement, but couldn’t physically enter the room.
    Inside the elevator, he wondered if he was making a mistake bringing Gina even this far. He couldn’t allow her to go inside the lab, but he was reluctant to let her out of his sight. Protective instincts he’d thought died with Laura rose to the surface. It was imperative he protect this woman. His woman, even though she didn’t know it yet.
    He glanced over at her. Her attention was on the elevator’s LED screen, watching as the floors they passed lit up. A catchy pop tune wafted out of the speakers and she hummed softly along. The fluorescent lighting lit her upturned face. He took a moment to study her while she was distracted.
    Thick red hair was tied back at the nape with an elastic band and fell to the middle of her back in a mess of jumbled curls. He wondered what it would look like spread out against a pillow . . . his pillow. The blue sweater she wore brought out her brilliant eyes. The pert nose and rounded chin softened her features, yet stubbornness was apparent in the arch of her eyebrows and tight jaw. For the child of an alpha, she was delightfully feminine and so fucking gorgeous it had to be a crime.
    The elevator dinged as they reached the basement. He touched her arm as they exited. “Wait right here. I’ll go and see if Dominic is in the lab.”
    She glanced around the stark white area. Trepidation filled her gaze as he landed back on him. “Can’t I come with you?”
    The hair on the back of his nape lifted in response. Something wasn’t right. Obviously, her wolf senses were picking up on that too. He inched closer to