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Chapter 1

Destiny

I f there was one thing Destiny Ford lovedNot any kind of work, of course Just the fun kind The exciting kind She’d liked being aa bodyguard at Protection, Inc More action, less paperwork

So when she hit the dance floor of her favorite club in her favorite dancing dress, she kept a tiny buzzer clipped into her bra, and was only slightly annoyed when it began to vibrate When she ran to pick up her phone and see as calling, even that little bit of annoyance disappeared Her boss Hal wouldn’t call her on her night off just to chat Soerous Maybe the police hadn’t swept up all the gangsters who’d tried to kill Hal and his mate, Ellie…

“Sorry to bother you,” ca someone up at the airport?”

“Sure Hang on a sec Music’s pretty loud in here”

Her dancing shoes clicked across the polished floor as she hurried toward the door, then made a duller clack as she stepped on to the asphalt outside She looked for a place where they could talk privately There was a dark alley beside the club With her keen shifter vision, she saw that it was empty

The sight of it reminded Destiny that Hal’s mate Ellie, a paraotten shot at when the gangsters had spotted her She’d barely escaped with her life But that had been how she’d uard So it had all worked out for the best

If Ellie hadn’t taken a wrong turn, she’d never have witnessed the murder Would she then have never met Hal? Or would their paths have crossed in soether?

Destiny

She blew out a dismissive breath She liked her name—it was pretty!—but she’d never been much of a believer in the concept As far as she was concerned, people created their own destinies

But whether lives were shaped by fate or chance or self-will, it was ae If Destiny stepped into that alley, ly small and random decision that would send her life down an unexpected new path?

S at her own unlikely fantasy, she ducked into the alley and spoke quietly into the phone “Is the pickup a new client? Who do they need protecting from?”

Hal gave a ru He’s Special Forces—a Recon Marine It’s Ellie’s twin brother, Ethan He just got back frohanistan, and he decided to surprise her with a visit Good thing he called her cell phone before he showed up at her apartment”

“Oops,” said Destiny Hal and Ellie were in his little cabin up north, hours away frosters had blown up Hal’s car, then stayed for an impromptu honeymoon “Does he know about… What does he know about?”

“Ellie filled him in on the basics,” Hal replied “He knows she witnessed a sters went after us, Protection, Inc got evidence to put the trial, and Ellie and I are together And I told hiht now, so I’d send one of my team to pick him up”

“I’m alone, Hal It’s safe to talk So, does he know about shifters?”

“No We thought it would be better to explain that in person”

“In that case, I won’t show up as a tiger,” Destiny said, grinning “Shall I drive him to the cabin?”

“If you don’t etically “It’s a bit of a haul”

“Nah, I like driving Gimme the address”

The truth was, Destiny was curious to see Hal’s cabin in the woods It would be a glih they’d been friends and teammates for years, in many ways Hal was as closed-off and secretive as… well, as everyone at Protection, Inc but her and Rafa, and even Rafa had a thing or two he refused to talk about How had a friendly, outgoing girl like her ever gotten involved with that bunch of mysterious loners?