Page 27 of Claimed by the Pack

Hanson, like Ridge, Grayson and I, grew up wild. In the days when our parents were all alive, a female, be she wolf or human, was up for grabs by any UN-mated wolf in the pack. Even if one wolf claimed her first, the rest of the pack had the right to fight for her.

The strongest in the pack always ended up mated first, of course. Chelsea and her mates didn't like that idea, mostly because the female wasn't given much of a choice. She was simply taken, fought over, and kept.

I can see both sides, I guess. I thought about

Cheyenne again and I knew deep down that I wouldn't mind having a shot at her. But then again, there was no way I could beat Ridge in a fight, so I'm screwed either way.

“Hey, I'm going to take off. I think I'll go into town and grab some dinner, and a beer.”

“Alright brother, stay out of trouble.”

I winked at him and said, “I'll try, but you know how the women get when they see me.” I could still hear his laughter when I was going through the gates of the compound.

Punk.

* * *

I walkedinto town and I did get something to eat. I had a beer and looked at the pretty girls in the bar, thinking about maybe trying to talk to one. Ridge was usually my wing man when we went out. Honestly most of the women that did talk to me, did so because they were trying to get close to my “hot” friend.

Sometimes they ended up agreeing to go out with me, but only after they made sure they'd have no chance with Ridge.

Some days I was glad to get his leftovers, and other days it simply pissed me off, and made me feel pathetic.

I'd gone into the bar, thinking about trying it on my own, but the longer I sat there and looked around, the more I thought about Cheyenne.

I told myself I was just really interested in what Ridge and Grayson were up to...but I couldn't deny that I wanted to see her again. I finished my beer and left the bar.

I walked down main street and wished I knew where she lived. I remembered her telling Grayson she lived in an “apartment” and I knew there were only two apartment complexes on the island. There was one at each end of town.

As I started walking towards one of them, I told myself I was being ridiculous.

What was I going to do, knock on fifty doors? And if she answered one, what would I do then? I called myself an idiot, but kept walking.

The walk tookme about fifteen minutes and by the time I turned the corner where the apartment complex was, the sun was going down.

There was a light breeze blowing and I caught the whiff of a wolf blowing in on it. I stopped and listened but all I could hear was the sound of a woman's voice coming from maybe fifty yards away and a dog barking.

Going in the direction of the voice, the dog, and the smell of the wolf that was growing stronger, I suddenly saw him.

It was Grayson, and if I didn't know better, he was acting like a damned dog. He was chasing a ball that the woman on the bench had thrown for him. I watched him pick it up in his mouth, turn and run toward her.

I realized the “her” was Cheyenne, just about the time Gray caught my smell, dropped the ball and looked over in my direction. I shook my head at him. As long as he was making eye contact with me, I was able to communicate with him in my head.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Go away,”was his response.

“Gray? What's wrong?” Cheyenne got to her feet and was looking around. She looked right at me, but I was standing in the shadows and her human eyes weren't able to make me out. “What's wrong, boy?”

“I'll be damned. She thinks you're a dog? How does she know your name?”

“I mean it Chase. Go,” he said. No way in hell was I going away now. I had to know what was going on. I put my hands in my pockets, braced myself for Cheyenne being pissed and began to stroll across the street. I was about halfway across when my “friend” began to bark and growl at me, viciously.

“Stop it. What are you doing?”

“I told you to go away. Don't make me bite you.”

“It's okay boy,” Cheyenne said to Grayson, rubbing his fur on the back of his neck. She looked at me then, not taking her hand off of him and said, “I'm sorry. I don't think he'll bite.” I stepped out of the shadows then and her expression changed.

---