He paused to dress first, then remained in his human form – it’d be better if there wasn’t a gap between them during this. He’d be able to touch her … hold her. Being a wolf had its advantages, but common sense told him there were times when being human was best. They walked a short distance and picked their way down one side, where it wasn’t too steep. He was ever-ready to steady her, but she didn’t need it. By the time they reached the bottom, he could smell the wrongness in the air, even without his lupine senses. “You sure?” he asked, eyeing the area he’d identified from above. She nodded, her handkerchief bobbing dark against her hair in the moonlight as she turned on her flashlight and swept the beam across the forest floor. Khaki cargo pants splashed with the dark crimson of dried blood, a flannel shirt that hung open over a white t-shirt – the body was dressed as the missing hiker had been described, right down to the thick-soled boots.
