by Kim Fox
With a carnal roar, Drake exploded out of Rhett and Cole’s grasp. Rory’s friends flew back as Drake burst forward, pushing Ashton to the ground as he came.
Rory reacted in an instant. He lunged forward, letting his wolf rip out of him as he met Drake halfway. Rory sunk his wolf’s teeth into his old alpha’s thigh, stopping Drake in his tracks as the taste of warm metal filled his mouth.
“I’ll kill you!” Drake screamed, slamming his fists into Rory’s back. He was so preoccupied with his hate for the wannabe cowboy that he didn’t notice the giant grizzly bear approaching.
Joan’s bear growled low as she stepped up on her hind legs and opened her devastating jaws. With a grunt, she went in for the kill, sinking her long teeth into Drake’s neck.
His gray eyes widened as his mouth dropped open in shock. Rory released the hold on his leg and stepped back, watching as the life left Drake’s body.
Joan released him and he fell to the ground in a broken heap.
It’s over.
His mate was safe. His crew was safe.
He was safe.
The Wilde Crew had done it.
Their first real mission.
Accomplished.
thirteen
“Beer never tasted so good,” Ashton said, resting his head on the back of his chair as he looked up at the night sky.
Rory couldn’t have agreed more. The crew were all sitting around the campfire, nursing their wounds with the help of alcohol. He took a long sip of his cold beer and exhaled long and hard.
Cole and Rory had buried Drake’s body near the top of the mountain where no one would ever find it. After that they had buried the poor little ravens who didn’t make it near the beautiful maple tree by the river, marking their tiny graves with sticks.
Rhett was in tears as he said his goodbyes to the birds who once annoyed the crap out of him.
Their little feathered friends had saved their asses and were now seen with a newfound respect and admiration.
Rory smiled as he looked across the campfire and saw Rhett whispering softly to the raven that was perched on his shoulder. He snuck him a Cheeto and laughed as the raven tilted his head and cawed, asking for more.
Even before Rhett first walked onto the Wilde Ranch, he had been annoyed by the constant presence of the birds who refused to leave him alone. It was nice to see he was finally at peace with them and enjoying their company for once.
More ravens were hanging out on the ground by his feet and sitting on the armrest of his chair. He didn’t seem to mind in the least. Something told Rory that they wouldn’t bother him from now on.
“Let me just say,” Cole said, leaning forward, “what a complete badass our alpha’s bear is. What the hell Joan? You could beat a T-Rex with that thing.”
She just laughed as everyone agreed. “I told you I was getting my period. They caught me on a bad day.”
“You were slamming dogs down as fast as Cole at a hot dog eating competition,” Candice said, joining in.
“But,” Jennifer said, smiling wide. “I still say the reward for best move in the fight goes to Lauren for hitting that wolf with an avocado.”
“It’s true,” Lauren said, raising her hand in the air proudly. “I did that! Everyone knows that shifters hate avocados. It’s their kryptonite.”
“I’m glad that you did,” Candice said, nodding. “That wolf was going to use me as a chew toy.”
“We all did well,” Joan said, looking around at the crew one by one. “We turned things around when we started fighting as a team.”
“No,” Ashton said, laughing. “We turned things around when the ravens came and saved our asses.”
“Exactly,” Joan said with her chin in the air. “When we started working as a team. They’re official members of The Wilde Crew now.”
“What about me?” Candice said, smiling shyly.
“That’s not up to me,” Joan said, tilting her head as she looked at her. “That’s up to our number two.”
Rory jerked his head back as he looked at Joan. She turned to him with her lips curling up into a smile.
“What do you think, Rory?” she asked. “Is she a keeper?”
“She’s definitely a keeper,” Rory said without a breath of hesitation. “Does this mean?”
“Yup,” Joan said, nodding at him. “You’re officially the number two of The Wilde Crew. You helped us become a team today and I couldn’t be prouder of you.”
Rory looked around the campfire at the other members of the crew, expecting them to jump up with objections. But they didn’t. They just nodded as they looked back at him with respect in their eyes.
“You deserve it, brother,” Cole said.
“There’s not a better man for the job,” Rhett agreed.
Ashton nodded at him. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”
Rory’s heart felt so full that he was worried it was going to explode. He sat back as a comfortable warmth overtook him. He was the second in command in a real crew.
He had a beautiful mate beside him, good friends to laugh with, and a beer in his hand. Life couldn’t be better.
They spent the night laughing and drinking as they took turns telling stories of the fight and comparing injuries.
Ashton won the prize for the best injury when he pulled down his pants to show bite marks on his ass cheek. “What kind of animal bites another man’s ass?” he asked, shaking his head.
Lauren slowly raised her hand, giggling as her cheeks turned red. “I might have bitten your ass once or twice in the past.”
“That was in the bedroom,” Ashton said with a laugh. “What goes on in there doesn’t count.”
“What does go on in there?” Jennifer asked, raising an eyebrow. “On second thought, I don’t want to know.”
Their laughing was interrupted by two trucks approaching.
Jennifer and Lauren sat up in a panic. Jennifer turned to Cole. “Is that?”
“No,” Cole said, putting a hand on her knee. “It’s friendly. Possibly. Probably not.”
Rory sniffed the air and recognized the scents as a third vehicle pulled into the ranch. It was the alpha of the Clawed Squad, Thorn with the youngest brother of the Vega brothers, Hannibal. The last vehicle to arrive had Draven, the head of the Firehouse Crew inside.
The three shifters walked over and joined them by the fire. Jennifer, Lauren, and Candice got out of their seats and sat on their men’s laps so that their three guests could sit down. Ashton threw them each a beer from the cooler beside him.
“It smells like a kennel in here,” Draven said, scrunching his nose up.
“We’re running a doggy daycare now,” Cole said with a laugh.
“Is it true?” Thorn asked, cracking open a beer. “Twenty-one wolves?”
“Twenty now,” Rhett mumbled.
Rory swallowed hard as he glanced up at the mountain where Drake’s body was lying deep underground.
Hannibal looked sincere as he nodded, looking around at Rory’s crew. “Thank you guys for taking care of them,” he said. “We can’t have wild packs of shifters running through our town. We have to work together to keep our streets clean.”
“You guys really stepped up,” Thorn said, raising his can of beer in tribute. “Great job.”
Rory thrust his shoulders back, feeling like he could conquer the world. His crew was finally getting the respect that he always wanted them to have.
Draven nodded in agreement. “I’d trust The Wilde Crew to watch our back any day. If your crew can send twenty wolves scurrying out of Colwood with their tails between their legs, than you can accomplish anything.”
Rory agreed. His crew could do it all.
“So,” Draven said, raising an eyebrow. “What are you guys going to do with all of those bikes?”
Joan laughed. They had been wondering what to do with all twenty-one motorcycles that were left behind. “Yes, you guys can grab some,” she said. “Bring some for your crew.”
“But remember,” Rory said, staring the alphas down. “You tell them that it’s courtesy of The Wilde Crew.”
“We will,” Thorn said, nodding.
Thorn, Hannibal, and Draven finished their beers and politely left, thanking them again for helping protect the town. They were all going to return tomorrow for the bikes. Hannibal said that he knew of a guy who could change the serial numbers and make them legit. Rory didn’t feel bad for taking them. He considered it a payment for trespassing on his ranch.
They relaxed, sitting in a comfortable silence when it was just the crew once again.
Rory thought of Nikki as he stared at the fire. He felt bad for her but he knew that the baby was better off without Drake alive. The new alpha, Husk would make sure that the baby was taken care of and raised properly in an environment of love and care. And hopefully, Nikki would grow as a person when she became a mother and be able to find some happiness in her life.
Jennifer was the one to break the silence when she reached under her chair and pulled out a large Tupperware. “I think we all deserve a little treat,” she said, peeling off the top.
They all moaned as they leaned forward, drooling at the sight of Jennifer’s famous deep fried brownie fritters.
“We do deserve a treat,” Joan said, nodding. She turned to the ravens on the ground and smiled. “But these little fighters deserve them more.”
“Noooooo,” Cole said, his hungry eyes widening.
“What do you think number two?” Joan asked, grinning at Rory. “It’s your call.”
Rory laughed as he looked at the traumatized eyes staring back at him. Sometimes as a leader he would have to make the tough decisions. He would have to make unpopular decisions if they were for the good of the group.
He was the second in command and he was willing to do just that.
“Give them to the birds,” he said, laughing as everyone except Rhett groaned. “They’ve proven that they’re just as much a part of the crew as we are now and they’ve had to watch us eat them every night while they got nothing.”
“Fine,” Cole said, rolling his eyes. “But I get to lick the Tupperware after.”
Jennifer laughed as she tossed the treats onto the ground. The birds attacked them with the same intensity that they attacked the wolves, squawking and cawing happily as they devoured the delicious desserts.
Candice smiled as she threaded her fingers through Rory’s.
Cole grabbed the Tupperware out of his mate’s hands and started licking the bottom of it.
“Worst. Second. Ever,” Ashton said, glaring at Rory with his arms crossed as he sulked.
Rory laughed as he reached onto the ground and picked up his cowboy hat that was sitting on the grass. He put it on his head and nodded. “Get used to it. There’s a new sheriff in town.”
“A new what?” Joan asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Deputy,” Rory corrected. “There’s a new deputy in town.”
“That’s better,” Joan said, laughing.
If this was a movie, Rory would have taken his girl and rode off into the sunset as the credits rolled up the screen. But his life was better than a movie, so he stayed by the fire, hanging out with his friends, drinking his beer, and enjoying his beautiful mate’s company by his side.
Thankful that he was a member of the best crew on the planet.
The Wilde Crew.
epilogue
A month later…
“Can I take it off now?” Rory asked, walking with his hands out like a blind mummy.
“No,” Candice said, laughing as he tripped on a rock and nearly fell. She had insisted on the blindfold because she wanted his birthday present to be a grand reveal.
It was Rory’s thirtieth birthday and she had gone all out in treating him, maxing out two credit cards in the process. It was okay, he was worth it.
Candice grabbed his arm and smiled as she walked him from the trailer to the campfire where the crew was waiting to see his reaction.
It was early fall and the leaves were just starting to change color, lighting the ranch up in breathtaking colors. It was beautiful now and Candice couldn’t wait to see what it would look like in the middle of October when the leaves were the brightest reds, oranges, and yellows.
“A little bit to your right,” Cole said from a seat in front of the fire. “A little more, a little more.”
Candice grabbed her man’s arm and pulled him back to the left. His buddy Cole was leading Rory straight into the campfire.
“It’s his birthday,” Candice said, shooting him a playfully dirty look. “Can we please not set him on fire?”
Cole grumbled. “You never let us have any fun.”
It was late in the evening with the sun just starting to set. The sky was lit up with striking reds and oranges and the fire was roaring, lighting up the circle of friends in a warm glow. Jennifer had prepared them a huge feast of ribs and fries, which was Rory’s favorite, to celebrate his birthday.
After dinner, Candice had made Rory wait in the trailer while she set up his gifts as everyone lounged around the fire trying to digest the amazing ribs.
“Alright,” she said, taking a deep breath as she stopped Rory in front of the folding table. His presents were resting on it, unwrapped. “You can take it off.”
“She means the blindfold,” Joan said, “not your pants.”
Rory ripped the handkerchief off of his eyes and gasped when he saw what Candice had bought for him. She had looked everywhere for the perfect presents and was thrilled when she found them in a tiny store three towns away.
“Is that for me?” he asked, his eyes widening.
Candice was beaming as her heart drummed in her chest.
She had bought him a big silver belt buckle, leather cowboy boots, and an old six shooter gun with a holster, the exact model that Clint Eastwood carried in Rory’s favorite scene from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It was an 1851 Navy Colt that she bought from a gun collector. It cost her a small fortune.
But the look on Rory’s face as he picked it up was priceless
“Wow,” he said, swallowing hard as he turned it over in his hand. “This is incredible.”
He sprung his legs out and pointed it forward, holding his cowboy hat onto his head as he did his best Clint Eastwood impression. “You see, in this world, there’s two kinds of people, my friend,” he said, spinning the gun on his finger. “Those with loaded guns, and those-”
The gun went off with a crack, exploding into the night and making Candice’s ears ring.
“Oops,” Rory said, putting the smoking gun back on the table.
“Ow!” Cole screamed, grabbing his leg. There was a bullet-sized hole in his muscular thigh. His blue jeans immediately started turning red around the hole.
Ashton and Joan burst out laughing as the rest of them stared in shock.
“You dick!” Cole screamed, grimacing in pain as he clutched his leg. “These are new jeans you asshole!”
“Sorry,” Rory said, cringing as he looked at his friend. “I obviously need some practice.”
“Yeah and we all need bulletproof vests,” Cole said. Ashton was bent over, clutching his ribs from laughing so hard. Cole shot him a dirty look. “This fucking hurts!”
“Do you want me to pull it out?” Rhett asked casually.
“No,” Cole said, shaking his head. “Luckily it went straight through my leg and into the chair.”
“Then what are you complaining about?” Joan asked, rolling her eyes at him. “You’ll be fine. We’ll give you an extra piece of birthday cake for your troubles.”
Jennifer’s face was white as she stared at the bloody wound in her man’s leg that was already starting to heal.
“Give him the other present,” Joan said, clapping her hands in excitement.
“Another present?” Rory asked, dropping his mouth in shock. “This was more than enough.”
Candice grinned, so excited to give him his big present. “This o
ne is from all of us. Everyone chipped in.”
“I want my money back,” Cole muttered.
“Sorry,” Candice said, flashing him a wide smile. “No refunds!”
She squeezed Rory’s hand, barely able to contain her excitement. “Rhett,” she said. “Would you?”
Rhett’s body stilled as his eyes glowed white.
“Look,” Candice said, turning Rory towards the forest. A gorgeous white horse came trotting out of the trees, looking magnificent in the evening’s twilight.
“You didn’t,” Rory muttered, staring at his new horse with wide eyes that were filling up with happy tears.
“We did.”
Rhett was channeling the horse and brought him close by. The horse neighed and shook his head when the skin shifter released his hold on the stunning animal.
“Go see him,” Candice said, nudging Rory forward when he just stood there, frozen to the spot as he stared at the animal.
He slowly walked up to the horse and whispered something into his ear as he reached for him. The horse lowered his head and neighed softly, nuzzling his nose against Rory’s chest.
It was so beautiful that it brought tears to Candice’s eyes.
She was so happy in her new life with Rory and The Wilde Crew. She had been living on the ranch for weeks and had loved every moment of it.
“What’s his name?” Rory asked.
“That’s up to you,” Candice said. “What do you want to call him?”
“Clint,” he said, smiling widely.
Candice laughed. Of course.
“Now we’re even,” she said, walking over. “You got me Bubbles and I got you Clint.”
Rory grinned as he climbed up onto the horse, tilting his cowboy hat to her.
“You look like a real cowboy,” Joan said, smiling.
“I am a real cowboy,” Rory said, grinning happily as he stroked his fingers through the horse’s hair. “I live on a ranch in Montana and now I have a horse. It’s official. I’m a real cowboy.” He reached down and offered his hand to Candice. “Want to come for a ride?”