“Well, nice to meet you, Sheriff. We were just going into the hardware store to order some timber. So if you’ll excuse us.” Cole kept his voice level, sensing there was so much more going on here than he knew. Kira mentally kicked herself for not having the guts to tell him exactly what had happened.
Instead, she had let him walk into an ambush. Would she never learn?
“I don’t think so.” The sheriff stepped right into Cole’s personal space, and she could feel the tension between them, feel Cole’s wolf there, under his skin ready to leap out and tear the sheriff’s throat out.
“I’m sorry. Are you saying we can’t go into the store?” Cole asked, his fists clenching at his sides. Panic grew inside Kira. This had to end, right now.
“We can shop elsewhere, Cole.” She took his hand, trying to pull him away, trying to get him back into the truck before something bad happened.
“No. There is no reason for us to go elsewhere, not when we are standing outside a store that has everything we need.”
“This store?” the sheriff asked, pointing to the sign above their heads. “This store has nothing you want, sonny.”
“Sonny!” Cole let his temper flare and Kira could almost see his wolf fangs appearing in his mouth as the wolf fought to take over.
“Cole. Please.” She had his hand in both of hers now, pulling him away.
“That’s right. Run along after Kira, she knows what happens when you try to get the better of me. Don’t you, Kira?”
“Kira?” Cole turned to look at her and she felt tears in her eyes; she was so weak. Here, in the face of the devil himself, she felt weak. Away from here she pretended to be strong, but really she was a silly girl who wanted to hide away in the closet.
“Please, Cole. Let’s go.” He looked at her, really looked at her, seeing into her soul and the abyss of pain that was there, dark, churning, endless.
“OK, honey.”
“Honey. Oh. So he’s not some worthless stray. You gone and fell for a raider. You’re mated to this piece of shit.” The sheriff’s words bit into her head, his teeth clamping down on her skull. She waited for Cole to explode, to defend himself, but instead Cole walked back to the truck with her.
Hands trembling, she opened the door and climbed in, not knowing if she would have the strength to drive away. Beside her Cole spoke. “Just calm down, Kira. It’s OK.” His voice soothed her; she looked up at him through eyes that swam with tears.
She thought he was leaving because he knew he was outgunned and outmanned with his shoulder damaged, but when she looked at the concern in his face, she knew there was only one reason he was walking away from the sheriff, allowing himself to be called a coward. Her. Their bond. He was protecting her. He could tell how much she needed to go, to get some distance between them and the sheriff. But she could also see that he wanted answers and she owed him an explanation.
“I’m so sorry we came here,” she said, starting the truck and pulling out onto the street, thankful she hadn’t stalled it.
“It was my idea. I pushed it. Now I guess I know what we’re up against.”
“What do you mean up against?” She steered around the corner, thankful she could no longer see the sheriff, even in her rear-view mirror, but other eyes watched them.
“I might not be the alpha of Wolf Valley, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to walk away from here. I don’t know what he did to you, Kira, but I can read how scared you were.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She shook her head. “What I mean is, I need some space and then I will tell you everything.”
They were out of Wolf Valley, Kira with her foot down hard on the accelerator, putting as much distance between her and the town as she could. Her head was filled with the sound of the sheriff’s voice, that sneer he used as though she was a piece of garbage stuck to his shoe.
“Are you saying you don’t want me to come home with you?” He sounded hurt, and she knew she was pushing him away, but she needed to clear her head.
“No. Look, I’ll take you back to my place and then I’ll go for a drive.” She could let her wolf out and they could run off the confusing thoughts that hammered in her brain.
“No. Let me out here.”
“Cole, don’t be silly. You are welcome at my home.”
“It makes more sense for you to let me out here. I’ll go back to tell Riley what’s going on and check on Sol. I need some fresh clothes anyway. When I’m done, I’ll make my way up to your place.” His hand was already on the door and she slowed down; it seemed the best option. She could go home, maybe run, and then take a warm bath.
“Don’t be gone too long,” she said, leaning over and kissing him.
“Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away.” He kissed her back, pulling her close to him. She laid her head against his chest for a moment, listening to his heartbeat: strong, constant.
“Thank you, Cole. I promise, when we meet later, I’ll explain everything.”
“I think we both need to tell each other who we are, what made us the way we are. I know how the past can screw around with your head. I also know the sheriff wronged you.” He opened the door to leave. “Are you sure you’re OK?”
“Perfectly. I’m going to run until my lungs are fit to burst and then go home for a nice warm bath.”
“I hope that’s where I find you when I get back. I could join you.” He winked at her, slamming the truck door shut, and then before she had time to answer he had shifted into his wolf and taken off across the fields. His damaged shoulder gave him a slight limp, but apart from that, he looked like her kind of wolf: large, sleek brown fur, and sharp white teeth. Her wolf approved.
Kira sat and watched him until he was a speck on the lower slopes of the mountain and then he disappeared into the trees, leaving her alone. That was what she wanted. Right? That was what she asked for. Some time alone. Well, now she had it and she wanted to get home and go run herself, let out all her misery and sorrow, and then explain everything to Cole with a clear head.
Absently, she drove back towards her house. Turning off, she followed the long track until she reached the gate; here she climbed out and opened it. She was so consumed by the past, she never felt the eyes of two wolves on her, didn’t sense them approaching or pick up on the shimmering air when they changed back to their human forms. She only knew they were there when she turned back to her truck.
“Well, hello, beautiful.”
Her heart froze in her chest, her blood stilled in her veins as the danger hit her. She had seen them before but couldn’t place them. Then she remembered them staring at the truck only an hour earlier as they drove out of Wolf Valley. There was no doubt in her mind that they had been sent here by the sheriff. All she was thankful for was that she was alone and that they wouldn’t be able to hurt Cole.
Oh, but they would. If they hurt her, if they what … attacked her? She daren’t let the other thought enter her head. What would Cole do if they raped her? Would he ever look at her the same way again?
Because when she watched them take her keys from her truck and throw them away, she knew this was not going to end well.
“Now, little girl. Are we going to have some fun?”
“What do you want?” she asked, although it was clear by their faces, especially the one: his voice, his manner. He reminded her of the sheriff. This was a man who liked inflicting pain.
Kira didn’t wait for them to get any closer. She had no time to search for the keys on the ground, so she summoned her wolf, moving from this world, a shimmer of static in the air as she returned as a silver grey wolf. Before her four paws touched the ground, she was moving off, leaping the fence that surrounded her home and heading for the safety of the mountain. There she could lose them in the high rocks. She knew the slopes so well there was no way they would be able to track her.
As she leaped away, a laugh rang out, echoing around the hills, filling her with dread. Something told her there would be no hiding
from these men.
Blood pumping, breath burning in her lungs, she took long strides across the grass. She didn’t look back to see if they were following, because she knew they were, that they had been sent by the sheriff to teach her a lesson. He was in charge.
It was a lesson she didn’t need. She had seen him at his worst, knew what he was capable of. Climbing higher she wanted to howl, tell Cole she loved him and that whatever happened she always would.
Inside her, something flipped. Cole. If she allowed these men to hurt her, or worse, kill her, he would spend the rest of his life mourning for her, unable to move on, unable to have children, the family he wanted. It was up to her to stay alive; it was up to her to send a message to the sheriff.
Someone needed to show him that his time in power was up. Just because Cole wasn’t the new alpha, it didn’t mean things couldn’t change. They had all given up hope. But today she was going to grab that hope back.
As a wolf, she was fast, light on her feet and with incredibly long legs, she knew she would be able to outrun them. However, she didn’t want to lose them; instead, she wanted to lure them into a trap. Leaping from rock to rock, she led them over the boulder field, pausing briefly from her vantage point to look back. As she thought, one was a lot faster than the other.
Although mangy, his coat lacking lustre, one of the wolves outpaced the other. He was the one she was going to lead a merry dance, but not before she had dealt with the straggler. Taking the rest of the boulders at break-neck speed, she left a clear trail up the narrow pass leading out onto one of the wide meadows.
Once satisfied her paw prints were easy to follow, she let the trail peter out, hoping it would look as though she had tried to disguise her trail. Would he guess she had doubled back?
Skirting around the boulder field, she stayed low so that when the mangy wolf came along didn’t see her, and instead headed through the pass, hot on her trail. Triumphant her plan was working, she made straight for the other wolf. He was a good way behind, only just starting to make his way through the boulders. He was heavier set than the other wolf, not so light on his feet, and so was weaving his way through them instead of hopping from one to another
This gave her an opportunity to incapacitate him without bloodshed. Hoping she had her plan straight, she leaped lithely from one boulder to another, one eye constantly turned to check the mangy wolf hadn’t come back through the pass. All clear.
Pausing, keeping some distance away from the wolf below, she formulated her plan. This would have to be timed perfectly. Eying up what she needed, she jumped across a couple more boulders and then in one fluid movement changed back to her human form.
The wolf below her caught her scent on the breeze, but by the time he looked up, Kira was leaping down onto him, a large rock in her hand. At the last second, he saw her, saw the danger, and changed back from his wolf, raising his hands to shield himself. But it was all too late; she had him where she wanted him. Careful not to kill him—she only wanted him out of the way—she hit him with the rock, rendering him unconscious.
Wiping the nervous sweat from her hands, she checked his pulse, happy he was all right and then began to remove his belt. And his pants, just for good measure. Let’s see him run back to town without them. It would send the subtle message she needed in one blatant act.
She used the belt to tie his hands behind his back, managing with some effort to wrap it around his ankles too. It would take him a while to get out of that. Now on to the next wolf. Only when she looked up, she realised she wouldn’t have to hunt him. Her trick had only worked so far. It had bought her the time she needed. But that time was up.
“Hello, pretty. This is much more cosy, I won’t have to share you with anyone.” He sat on his haunches looking down on her, even more mangy-looking in his human form. “And so secluded too. No one to hear you scream.”
Chapter Fifteen - Cole
“Where the hell have you been, Cole? And what happened to your shoulder?” That was the welcome he got from Riley as he walked up to the house.
“Long story. But I’m hoping it will have a happy ending.” Cole grinned at his brother and then at Sol, who appeared behind him. “Morning, Sol.”
“Cole,” Sol said happily and came down to see his brother, bounding around like a dog. “Riley said you had run away. Did you run away?”
“No, Sol. I got shot.”
“What the fuck!” Riley jumped clear off the porch to come and examine Cole’s shoulder. “I don’t think I would be so happy if someone shot me.”
“Ahh, but if I hadn’t got shot, I wouldn’t have met my mate.”
Riley stiffened. “You met her.” His face clouded. “Does that mean you are the new alpha?”
Cole’s smile left his face. “Unfortunately not. Although that isn’t going to stop me sorting the town out once and for all.” He thought of the sheriff, and the things left unsaid by Kira. If it took him the rest of his life, he was going to wrestle control off the sheriff. Unless of course his brother Riley took over the town.
“So it’s me?” Riley said, his excitement clear in his eyes, but he held it in. Cole knew it was for his sake, but now it didn’t matter.
“Listen, Riley, I know we fought about it. But really, I would be more than happy to kneel in front of you or even stand on my head if you asked me to. As long as you hurry up and find your mate.”
Riley caught the tension in Cole’s voice. “You want to come inside and tell me what happened? You need a change of clothes. Your shirt looks as if it’s been torn from your back. Your woman must be some kind of wild animal.”
“I always knew I could count on you to be sympathetic towards a wounded man,” Cole said, but he had to admit his T-shirt was barely hanging together. How he even considered going into Wolf Valley was beyond him. He stuck out; no wonder the sheriff came by. Word must have got back to him that Kira had half killed a man and was bringing him into town.
“That’s what I’m here for,” Riley said and then became sombre. “I want you to know, when I do become alpha, I won’t ever make you do anything like that. We’re brothers. You, me, and Sol. And Bliss, of course.”
“That is good to hear.” He took the steps two at a time. “Once I’ve changed, I’ll tell you all about it.”
Cole headed to his old room. How quickly he had got used to the idea of being with Kira, of living with Kira. Grabbing a T-shirt, he ripped his old one off, threw it in the trash, and replaced it with the clean one. Later he would talk to Kira about coming and collecting his things. He wanted to move in with her as soon as possible, to be with her every minute of the day.
Although, he couldn’t forget about his brothers. Sol needed to be looked after, and it wouldn’t be fair to leave Riley to look after him alone. Especially since it was imperative he go and find his mate; the sooner he became the new alpha of Wolf Valley, the better for everyone.
When he went back to find his brothers, they were in the kitchen, Riley preparing lunch for them all, while Sol sat and looked at a picture book.
“That smells good,” Cole said, coming to sit down next to Sol.
“Can’t your woman cook?” Riley asked, putting a juicy piece of steak on a plate. “There’s fresh bread too. Bliss came over with some supplies.”
“Then I chose a good time to come back. Perfect timing. I’m beginning to think that this fate thing is looking better and better.” He wolfed his food down, savouring every last morsel.
“So tell. What’s she like?” Riley asked.
“Does she bake cookies or have a pet dog?” Sol asked. “Riley won’t let me have a dog.”
“I told you it’s not a good idea.”
“A puppy could run with me when I’m a wolf. It would play with me. I would have fun.”
“Maybe once we’re all settled,” Cole said.
“We are settled, this is our home,” Sol said. “I want a dog like this.”
Cole leaned over and looked at Sol’s picture boo
k. “Well, first we have to get this house up together.” He looked sheepishly at Riley. “Plus, I have said I would help repair the barn of one of the old woman we stole from.”
“You did what? Don’t we have enough to do?” Riley asked between mouthfuls of food.
“I know, but I feel responsible. It was those two clowns who ran with us for a while that did the damage.”
“You’re sure?” Riley asked, finishing his meal.
“Yeah. She said it was the same guys who went with us the first time. It’s why she tried to shoot me.” He put his hand to his shoulder; the wound was healing nicely. It might need a few more days before he went back to town to confront the sheriff, though.
“You want to help a woman who shot you? I’ve heard everything now. Having a mate turns you soft.”
“You are wrong there, my friend. She makes me strong, makes me want to defend her.” He stopped and tried to get the conversation back on track. “We went into town today, I wanted to get the timber ordered, and let’s just say the sheriff is the biggest jerk I’ve ever come across. And I’ve come across some.” Cole’s look darkened, something Riley picked up on.
“I thought the sheriff was supposed to be the good guy.”
“Not in this case. He is most definitely bad.”
“If he knew you were responsible for the raids around here, don’t you think he has a right to be angry with you? With us.”
“It goes beyond that.” He looked at the clock. “That reminds me. I need to get going. I came here because Kira wanted some space, to get her thoughts together before she tells me about the sheriff. I get the feeling he’s hurt her in the past.”
Riley spoke quickly. “Listen, Cole. The sheriff is the sheriff. You want to be careful if you take him on.”
“I hoped that one of us would be the alpha and then we wouldn’t have to take him on. But since that isn’t happening, then I might have to do it the old-fashioned way.”
“Well, if you do, you come get me.” Riley was deadly serious.
“I might do that, Riley. Look, Sol, I’ll have a think about that puppy for you. But right now I have to go.”
Reclaim the Wolf: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Wolf Valley Raiders Book 3) Page 6