“So you’re here to fill out the paperwork about your missing calves?” the man asked, pulling a form from a folder.
“Yes, Andrew. I had hoped they had just wandered away at first since someone had tampered with our north fence a few times.”
“I hope you’re not trying to say I did that,” Jonathan spat.
“I never said you did, but are you sure your sheep didn’t just wander away?”
“Something killed them and the blood trail leads on your property!”
“I assure you that I haven’t seen any sheep on my property, dead or otherwise.”
Clayton cleared his throat. “How about you, Jonathan? Have you seen Brendan’s missing calves?”
“Nope, but I’ve seen tracks near his north fence, mountain lion tracks.”
“I’ll have to come over and check for tracks,” Clayton said. “I don’t want to make an assumption until I’m sure. Have you spotted any mountain lions on your ranch?”
“At Shadow Creek, we’re used to seeing plenty of wildlife, but none of them have ever been a nuisance.”
“I meant Jonathan.”
“I’ve not seen them since everyone knows how sneaky mountain lions can be.”
“Perhaps you should set up some game cameras to be sure,” Clayton suggested. “Besides, there are also bears, wolves, foxes, and bobcats in the area. I’d like to have it pinned down to a specific predator before I authorize a hunt.”
“You mean like a posse?” Katlyn asked with a smile.
“Sort of, Miss, but occasionally we have problems and we take care of it pronto.”
Katlyn gasped. “You mean you plan to kill the animal involved?”
“If we have to, yes.”
“Why not just relocate them?”
“We do that, too, but if a hunt is authorized, I won’t be able to stop ranchers from killing a predator if they find one on their property.”
“That’s just sick. It seems like you’d want to find the right one, not just randomly kill an animal that did nothing wrong.”
“It’s hard to tell, but we’ll track the animal first and see where it leads. I’ll come right out, Jonathan,” Clayton said.
Katlyn’s heart began to ache. What if Clayton found tracks leading to Shadow Creek from Jonathan’s ranch? Would it be open season on her shifters, or those in the area? She’d hate to see any animal harmed, predator or otherwise, but the children were also shifters and their families also lived close by.
Jonathan curtly nodded. “It’s about time, but it’s awfully strange that none of the livestock over at Shadow Creek are ever found dead.”
“We have two missing calves,” Chase reminded him.
“Sure, but why haven’t mountain lions ever killed your livestock?”
“Lucky, I guess,” Brendan added with a sly smile.
Jonathan’s face reddened. “If I find out you had anything to do with my murdered sheep, I promise I’ll make you pay.” He then stomped his way to the door.
When he left, Andrew rolled his eyes, something Katlyn had never seen a man do. “Do you believe that guy?” Andrew said. “We’ve checked out his claims in the past and there never has been any links to any wild animals.”
Brendan filled out the paperwork and nodded. “Sometimes I wonder if he’s just trying to set us up. About every time, he tries to pin his loss of livestock on us.”
“He’s certainly not like his old man. I was surprised he didn’t sell the ranch off when he died. Jonathan doesn’t have a clue how to run a ranch.”
Brendan shook Andrew’s hand and placed a hand on the small of Katlyn’s back, leading her back outside.
When they were back in the SUV, Brendan tore out of the drive, his hand squeezing Katlyn’s thigh. When she shifted in her seat next to Brendan, Chase said, “Hey, no fair. I can’t even touch her from back here.”
Katlyn removed Brendan’s hand and said, “We don’t have time for this right now. What if Clayton finds mountain lion tracks coming from Jonathan’s property?”
“He won’t.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“You already know why not. It wasn’t any mountain lion that killed those sheep.”
Katlyn nodded. She knew, all right, that Paige had to have been the one responsible. “Isn’t it risky that Paige killed those sheep?”
“Very, and I’ll be speaking to her about that, but right now she’s busy with Tessa. If anyone can ease Tessa over, it’s Paige.”
“So what’s her story anyway? Where did she even come from?”
“We found her in the Devil’s Tower part of the Black Hills on a hunting trip.”
Devil’s Tower? “What a fitting name.”
“Anyway, we found an underground hole and when we went to investigate, we found Paige, but at the time we thought she was dead. We were soon to find out what she was and that vampires just can’t die.”
“Was she trapped down there?”
“Yes, a large rock had fallen on her leg and with no food source, she went into hibernation of some kind.”
“How long did it take you to figure out what she was?”
“It was dark when we brought her back to camp and we had just taken down a deer. I think the smell of blood woke her up and she feasted on the carcass. But not like we would. She only drank the blood.”
“Why didn’t she just attack one of you?”
“Not rightly sure, but the best I can figure is that we saved her life. She hasn’t ever tried to bite us.”
“Well, I just hope that one bite won’t cause Tessa to cross over.”
“I sure hope that’s the case, too, Katlyn, but you need to prepare yourself just in case she really is a vampire now.”
Katlyn sighed. “I have to see her today. Paige said she should know today her true condition.”
“Fine, but only for a few minutes. I won’t allow you to be harmed. You might very well be carrying our child now.”
“What? That wasn’t part of the deal, was it?”
“You must have realized that pregnancy was a risk when you slept with us.”
“No. I mean I didn’t think about it. I didn’t think shifters could get a human pregnant.”
“I assure you, it’s very possible. Shifters often seek out humans to produce offspring. It’s important for our kind to reproduce so that our line doesn’t die off.”
“I’m not ready to have a baby. Was that in the plans when you went to the club?”
“Of course not, but this isn’t the same circumstance. You’re now our mate.”
She didn’t know what scared her more—that they now called her their mate or that she could be a mother much sooner than she ever expected. “This is really so much to absorb. I only came here to teach.”
“So you didn’t enjoy yourself last night?”
“Of course I did, but being a mate is a big deal. You’ll have expectations and want cubs of your own.”
“It’s not any different than what humans want.”
“Yes, but with humans there’s love and we don’t have babies with men we don’t love—or not most of the time at least.”
“Picking a mate should have nothing to do with love. Shifters pick a mate that has good qualities and is strong of mind and body so that when she becomes a mother, she’s able to do it without too much trouble. Katlyn, you’re both very strong of mind and body and will bear strong offspring.”
Katlyn fell silent since she didn’t want to get into this now, so she changed the subject. “So what’s your story? How is it that shifters have somehow integrated among humans without anyone knowing it until recently?”
“I was raised in the Black Hills as a child, and my mother brought us to Cheyenne so that we’d learn how to live among humans. Chase’s mother had just died of the fever that ravaged humans in that area, and we brought him along with us since he didn’t have anyone to take care of him.”
“That was very kind of her.”
“Yes, but Chase and m
y mother were very close friends.”
“So both of your mothers were human?”
“Yes, but when my mother came back to civilization with us in tow, her family refused to have anything to do with her, or me.”
“Was that hard on you?”
“Not exactly, since I’d never really met them before, but when my mother died in a car accident when I was eighteen, I inherited quite a sum and bought Shadow Creek. It seems that even though her family wouldn’t have anything to do with her, she had a large trust fund that my grandfather wasn’t able to take back. Luckily, my mother did give birth in a hospital so I had a proper birth certificate. For appearances sake, I am human.”
“So your mother left her family and the money for your father?”
“Yes, and when he died, she then made the decision that is was time to leave. I don’t think she ever got over his death because she never showed any interest in men while I was growing up.”
“How did you find out about the trust fund?”
“She had paperwork and I made sure to claim it since I knew it’s what she wanted as she continually reminded me to not turn my back against civilization. She knew how dangerous it is for shifters in the wild, but she never considered what would happen if anyone found out that shifters were thriving.”
“How did you happen upon Shadow Creek?”
“Word gets around and once I found out there were other shifters in that area, I knew it was the safest place to settle.”
“There have been underground shifter clubs for years,” Chase said. “Brendan’s mother made sure we were aware of them, although she never allowed us into one since we were underage.”
“I see. I just wonder how there’s so many shifters roaming around.”
“Well, many of them took human spouses to repopulate and after years of breeding you see much larger numbers,” Brendan said. “I can’t tell you that’s the case for all shifters. I just know that everyone has their own story.”
Katlyn tried to absorb this story. So Brendan and Chase were raised as brothers. It’s no wonder they had such a tight bond and were not loners.
“Thanks for sharing, Brendan. It helps to get to know you, but could we stop by Silver Creek? I want to check on one of my students. Maxwell never showed up and Melody told me there was trouble at the ranch last night. I was under the impression it had to do with your neighbor searching for his sheep.”
Brendan’s knuckles whitened and he did a U-turn. “This I’d like to hear first hand. I can’t imagine why Jonathan would go over there since it’s a few miles away from his ranch.”
“He’s lucky if he was able to walk off Silver Creek,” Chase added.
“I can’t imagine that they’d do anything to harm a fellow rancher,” Katlyn said.
“Oh, and what do you know of werewolves outside of what you’ve read in books?”
“Nate seems quite nice. I spoke to him about his son yesterday.”
“He’s a good alpha, but I can’t say I was pleased with how he came on to you back at the saloon,” Brendan smiled.
“I bet not, but I’m not the least bit interested in Nate.”
She thought about it all the way to Silver Creek and sure, Nate had said something crass back at the saloon, but he hadn’t acted like that when he picked his son up. Katlyn knew first hand men weren’t always themselves when drunk or out on the prowl for women. Seemed like shifters weren’t much different than humans; they both had their own set of animal instincts, but at least Brendan had put a name to her sex marathon with Chase and now called her their mate. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but since they had plenty of potential as mates, she was willing to hang around to see how it all played out. She’d do everything in her power to not fall in love with either of them. Emotions had a tendency to get in the way. Katlyn hadn’t figured out a way to separate her emotions when she was in the throes of passion, but she’d damn well give a girl scout go of it.
Brendan passed beneath the archway of the Silver Creek Ranch, and a man holding a shotgun stopped them. “What’s your business with the ranch today?”
“I heard there was trouble here last night.”
“Who told you that?”
“A reliable source, and since you have a shotgun I think that pretty well seals the deal in my mind. I’d like to speak with Nate is all.”
“And check on Maxwell,” Katlyn said from the passenger’s side.
“She’s the new schoolteacher at Shadow Creek.”
“Sorry, I’ve heard only good things about Shadow Creek from our alpha. Go on in. I’ll let them know you’re here.”
“You new in town?”
“Yes, my family and I fled the east. It’s getting crazy back there with the patrol and all.”
“What’s the story on that?”
“How a vigilante group like the Shifter Patrol got so big I’ll never know, but they’re making a menace of themselves. The cops either won’t or don’t want to get involved and it’s every shifter for himself.”
“I see. Well, glad to hear you made it out okay. We had our own problems back in Wisconsin when we were there.”
“Sure glad you made it out of there when you did. Seems like it started getting out of hand in Newbury, Wisconsin, but nobody seems to know what really started it.”
“Make sure you make that call. I’d hate to drive up on anyone if they’re all fired up.”
“Sure thing.” The man pulled out a radio, announcing that company was coming.
Katlyn was very worried now. Was she the only human who would be able to tell everyone who really was responsible for the massacre back at the Wilted Petal?
Brendan drove up the winding dirt road that led to a large cabin with a green tin roof. It wasn’t nearly as impressive as Shadow Creek. On the porch stood Nate, cradling a shotgun in his hands. He didn’t move until Katlyn got out of the SUV and moved toward him.
“I’m sorry for the intrusion. I wanted to check on Maxwell.”
Nate smiled as he climbed down the steps. “That’s rightly nice of you stopping by to check, but he’s fine. We just had quite the night. I promise he won’t miss school tomorrow.”
“So what did happen here last night? I heard something about an angry rancher.”
“Come on inside.”
Katlyn took a step when a growl stopped her. She looked over and stared at a gray wolf that appeared about ready to attack.
“Go on home, Teresa. These are friends, not foes.”
The wolf transformed into a very naked and beautiful woman with dark flowing hair. “She shouldn’t be here. She’s a human.”
“She’s also the new teacher and Maxwell is really taken with her.”
“Maxwell or you?”
“Hold your tongue, woman. It’s unheard of to speak to your alpha like this,” an old woman said as she moved toward them.
Katlyn felt anger rise as Brendan and Chase continued to stare at the shifter until she left. “She means no harm,” the old one said. “I’m Palina, matriarch of the pack. I’ve had many, many pups, most of whom have become alphas.”
Palina’s skin was well wrinkled, but it was easy to see that she was still a strong woman, one capable of defending the pack if need be.
“How old are you?” Katlyn asked.
She cackled. “I’ve seen more full moons than most, but it simply can’t be related to what you humans call years. I’ll be on lookout while you’re busy Nate.”
“Hopefully in yonder rocking chair,” Nate said.
She only laughed at that, but took the seat he mentioned.
They followed Nate into the cabin that was quite neat, despite looking so rough on the outside. “Is this the main house of your ranch?”
“Yes. This is more of a hunting ranch so we don’t need a large main house. Within the ranch there are many smaller cabins that we rent out for hunting trips.”
“So you don’t raise livestock, then?”
“We tried, but it’s
never worked out for us. Werewolves can’t turn off their carnivorous appetites so easily. I don’t know how you do it, Brendan.”
“This is Wyoming and ranch country. It would look odd if we didn’t raise livestock, but I knew sheep wouldn’t last long with our bunch so cattle work much better. It seems Jonathan is putting pressure over at the Rancher’s Committee.”
“So he finally decided to go through the right channels for a change. He came over here with a few men toting rifles. I don’t know why he’d come all the way over here looking for his blasted sheep. I don’t mind me a little mutton every now and then, but I’d never hit a ranch so close to where I live.”
“I have a few calves that went missing, too, but I’m not one to start pointing fingers. They were gone before you came to Shadow Creek to bring your son to school. So, how is Maxwell these days?”
Nate pulled out a bottle of whiskey and filled a shot glass for each of them. “He’s doing okay. I’m really worried about him, though. Some of the other shifter’s children aren’t so kind to him. It’s hard to have a bum leg and be considered strong in the shifter population, but he’ll be an alpha someday.”
“He’ll have to work hard to gain their acceptance,” Brendan said. “But it will happen.”
“I’ve corrected that Robert in class already. I assure you, I won’t stand for Maxwell to be ridiculed on school grounds.”
“I appreciate it, but he needs to stand up for himself.”
“Is he able to shift, at least?”
“He can, but he hasn’t learned how to run that well with his leg. He hasn’t tried to shift at school yet, has he?”
“Actually, no. I had a few who were at each other’s throats. Robert was attacked for picking on a female student.”
“Let me guess, Melody?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Hawks have quick-fire tempers. Her mother is a powder keg.”
“Melody and Robert were only able to shift partially and couldn’t shift back. Aren’t shifter children taught how to shift when young?”
Katlyn (M/F/M red-hot menage shifter romance) Standalone (Shadow Creek Shifters Book 1) Page 9