The Wolf on the Hill by Jorja Lovett Page A

the week.” The brutally honest outburst, so uncharacteristic of her stoic brother, left her open-mouthed and struggling for words to retaliate. Rory’s home truths stung more than she cared to admit. As always, he was annoyingly accurate in his assessment.
    “I’m not sure it’s even worth the hassle of telling them about Caleb.” Why face her mother’s screaming ab-dabs over something that wouldn’t last?
    “Morning.” Caleb strode in, his jeans slung low around his hips, and showing off a chest that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a sexy aftershave ad.
    When he went straight to the kettle instead of to her, Mia worried he’d heard her conversation with Rory
    “Good to see you up and about, mate.” Rory sensibly changed the subject, but Caleb’s appearance had opened her eyes to her mistake. He was totally worth it.
    “Yeah, well, I think it’s time I stopped feeling sorry for myself and got back to work.” Caleb dropped a kiss on her head as he passed, easing her fears.
    “Work?” Mia’s spirits lifted. Actively seeking work surely meant he would stay.
    “The cottage isn’t going to sell itself. Is it?” Caleb cruelly dashed her hopes and dreams to the ground, with a smile she couldn’t imitate.
    “Do you want me to help out? Emily’s back at nursery now, so I have a few hours to spare.” Since Naomi and Emily’s departure, and Mia’s child-minding services becoming surplus to requirement, she had found herself missing the little girl.
    She didn’t think of herself as particularly maternal, nor did she ever get broody. The rapport she’d developed with Emily had come as a pleasant surprise. Perhaps she should look into childcare as an actual career, instead of pulling pints and wiping tables.
    “No. You need a break after the hours you’ve put in here. Besides, the last time I was there I saw a black wolf prowling around. Smaller than Rory, before you ask, and wiry. He was too far away for me to track his scent.” Caleb’s latest news brought a frown to her brother’s brow, and no wonder. They both knew this other wolf well.
    “Robbie?”
    “Sounds like it.” Rory confirmed her suspicions.
    “But why?”
    “Jealousy? If he knows we’re together it would give him motive, for sure. A spineless arsehole like that wouldn’t think twice about something as underhand as trashing an empty house.” Caleb’s impression of her ex was pretty much on the money. Whilst he hadn’t exactly swept her off her feet with passion and romance, Robbie wouldn’t take too kindly to her moving on either.
    “There’s one problem with that theory. The first attack happened before you got here, Caleb. Unless he’s psychic, Robbie couldn’t have known about you two.” Rory threw the facts at them, but Mia couldn’t completely dismiss the idea of Robbie’s involvement. She knew first-hand how ruthless he could be in his pursuits.
    They had been thrown together at a young age, with their parents attending the same golf club lunches and charity functions. She should have listened to her instincts telling her he was weak and devious as the years went on. Of course, the joint secret of their families’ heritage had meant that they had gravitated towards each other at these events, but even when she’d turned down his advances, he’d pursued her via her parents. The flowers, the presents and the coincidental meetings virtually every time they left the house had made him impossible to ignore. Looking back now, the stalkery tendencies had been there to see, but the continual coaxing from her mother had brainwashed her into thinking they should be a couple.
    He’d always treated her like a possession—something to flaunt in front of others, and discard when he was bored. The spoilt child in him had probably seen what she had with Caleb and wanted it for himself. Rory was right, though, that didn’t explain the timing of the attacks.
    “Maybe I should renew my acquaintance with Master Carson and