Page 21 of The Mating Need
Troy met the male alpha’s piercing, dark gaze and nodded to acknowledge Aiden’s status, but for the female at his side he removed his hat and bowed his head after meeting Nia’s bluegaze.
Life taught him respect for females. If this alpha disliked his gesture because Troy showed more deference to his mate, hell, this wasn’t the outfit he wanted to callpack.
Instead of frowning, Aiden smiled, a slow smile filled with understanding. This Aiden Mitchell liked what Troy haddone.
Both the alphas had the vanilla scent of a child surrounding them. He’d picked up the same scent near the horse corral. So they had a little one to protect as well. That would make them even more wary ofstrangers.
Dale made introductions. Troy took a deep breath, knowing this would make or break him as a newhire.
“Name’s Troy Gilbert. Been on the road for a year after I left my last pack. Was head enforcer there until they kicked me out for being too violent. Thought you should know that upfront.”
Aiden arched a dark brow, while Nia simply studiedhim.
“What pack?” Aiden asked in a deepvoice.
“The Meadowrunners out of northernCalifornia.”
The alpha’s wide shoulders relaxed the smallest bit. The brittle tension in the room fled aswell.
“I’ve heard of them,” Aiden said in his deep voice. “Peace loving hippie pack, they align themselves with the Fae of that forest. They keep a strict no violence policy, no matterwhat.”
The pack leader frowned. “I can’t see someone who looks like you being in their pack. They’re not regularLupines.”
He almost laughed. If Aiden only knew why the Meadowrunners had taken him in, the alpha might look twice. But that was a secret he planned tokeep.
Fornow.
“Yeah, I didn’t fit in. Not really. They hired me as the pack muscle, probably because I’m a damn good tracker as well. I violated their rules and they banished me when an intruder threatened their alpha’s newborn. I had to do what I felt was right to keep them safe, even when it meant I broke their rules. I won’t go against my gutinstinct.”
“It’s a good instinct.” Aiden gave him a long, thoroughlook.
Not as thorough asNia.
“What did you do to the intruder?” sheasked.
Everyone in the room leanedforward.
“Gave him fair warning if he proved to be a problem. When he showed up late one night a second time, I showed him the business side of my claws. End ofproblem.”
Not quite. He left out the part about how a certain wizard had interfered. Or how the pack alpha failed to inform Troy certain intruders were more welcome thanothers…
Aiden nodded in approval while Nia continued to study him with her pretty blue eyes. Not as blue and compelling as Jenny’s, but she wasstriking.
“How did you end up with the Meadowrunners?” she asked. “Where’s your family? Your pack oforigin?”
Now everyone in the room tensed, waiting for hisanswer.
“Family’s gone. They moved to Europe from California when I was seventeen. Didn’t want to leave the country, so I was on my own. Wandered a while until answering the call for a job of enforcer for the Meadowrunners. After they kicked me out, I wandered some more. Figure it was time to find a new place that could use my skills. I’m no wrangler, but I’m a fast learner and loyal and if you give me a chance, I’ll showyou.”
Giving Troy a searching look, the alpha gave another nod. “I’ll set you up with our securityteam.”
Aiden stuck out his hand and tension fled the air. “Welcome. Dale needs more muscle. You understand until Dale gives you the full green light, you’re on probation. I’ll leave it up to him where you bunk fornow.”
This Mitchell was no pushover and he had a family to protect. Yeah, he got it. Until he proved his loyalty to the power couple, he was anoutsider.
Troy shook hishand.
As for Nia… she came straight up to Troy and gathered both hands in hers. Her palms were warm and calloused, showing she wasn’t adverse to hard work on theranch.
