Page 10 of Mating Season

It was bedtime anyway.

Tomorrow, I’d figure it out.

6

Ranger

We’d run in wolf form throughout the day and well into the night. Crossing the highway was a sight to see with twenty Alpha wolves and a few of their entourages crossing the blacktop while wearing packs like some mountain climbing brigade. Between the honks and phone cameras flashing, it was a strain to keep the wolves in line.

But once we’d gotten far enough away from human civilization, I cared a lot less about what these beasts did. The run was sloppy and uncoordinated. Wolves veered off course and lagged behind before hurrying to catch up. With no central communication, they were letting instinct guide them and apparently, that meant they kept sniffing me out.

The drones were unnaturally fast and precise, following on our tails like horseflies and recording this escapade no matter how many times I tried to shake them. Tension among various males was rising as they nipped at each other’s heels. The drama probably made for great television.

I kept ahead of most of it. As did John, running by my side. Jones and Foster were right behind us along with Beau. Jenna’d thrown a fit when he volunteered to carry the supply saddlebags, but I knew the old man felt awful about Aspen’s situation so I let him run with us to burn some of the shameoff. He was a good man and an even better wolf. I didn’t blame him for the humans getting the best of him during a surprise attack.

Jones and Foster didn’t hesitate when I asked them to run with me. I wished I’d thought to bring more mated males from the pack, but there was no looking back now. The only way to go was forward.

*

We came to a screeching halt with wolves piling up behind me at the edge of a massive creek. Loose rock and dirt slid under my paws, dropping off the bank into the white-water rapids. The waxing worm moon taunted us from above as it played peek-a-boo with dark clouds. Rushing water drowned out the sounds of the growling wolves at my back.

There wasn’t supposed to be a creek here.

“We made good time.”Beau’s wolf was panting.“I didn’t think we’d hit the creek until tomorrow.”

That explained a lot. I’d lost track of the miles we’d run through endless forest terrain. If we’d hit the big creek already, we were ahead of our projected timeline which gave me hope everything would turn out all right. I’d wanted to cross this part in the daylight though.

The moon dipped fully behind the clouds, leaving us in the dark. I growled as I cursed our luck. Even with enhanced night vision, the creek was too dangerous to cross without clear visibility.

“Runthe river and see if you can find somewhere safer to cross,”I spoke to Foster and Jones.

Both wolves nodded without hesitation and took off in different directions.

My beast turned back around, letting out a snarl of frustration as more of the arriving Alpha wolves pushed at his rear. Ears flattened as a few of the younger wolves backed up.

“Shit, that’s cold.” John’s naked ass was a bright full moon as he dipped his hand into the creek.

I debated shifting so I could speak with him when a blur of blonde fur flew past me. The scent was half-feral Alpha and the leap was a foolish one.

“That’s not good.” John rose to his full height with his dick swinging freely as the wolf in the water yelped, being sucked into the rapids downstream.

Idiot.My beast snapped his jaws.

Might as well cool off.

Yeah,he grumbled as he jumped to a boulder, pinpointing the swatch of wet blonde fur bobbing under the surface.

There.

My wolf leapt into the frigid water and paddled down the rapids, letting the current guide him and increase his speed as we pushed out our senses to home in on the slowing heartbeat of a drowning dumb mutt.

His teeth closed around fur and hide as he latched onto the back of the wolf’s neck. He held tight as he kept with the current, using his hind legs to steer us to the slower water near the bank.

Human hands gripped the wolf from his jaws and lifted the beast out of the water. My wolf’s claws slid on smooth stones as he scrambled back onto the shore.

He shook out his fur, sending freezing droplets spattering the sandy bank where John stood, cupping his dick in his hands.

I’ll take it from here.

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