Page 26 of The Mating Need
Ellison, one of the cowboys rode up alongside him. “See or feelanything?”
“No. Nice day. Nothing insight.”
“Yeah. This is pure living. Love it here.” Ellison flicked his reins. “I settled here a couple of years ago. Came for the cowboy work, stayed and made it my home. It’s a goodplace.”
He gave Troy a meaningful look. “Aiden and all the rest of us are protective of our way of life and our people. We don’t tolerate those who disruptit.”
Troy shrugged. “Who said anything about disrupting it? I came to visit, see how things are because Zoe invitedme.”
At the mention of Zoe’s name, Ellison’s manner changed. He grinned. “Zoe. She’s great. A little naïve in the ways of the world. She told us how you convinced her to return home. Thanks forthat.”
Troynodded.
He rode a short distance, scanning the herd. It was peaceful, the sun burning the back of his neck, his spirit settled and calm, thinking all was okay since Jenny was safe. They could have a good lifehere.
The fantasy ended when Darius’ mate Samantha drove up in one of the ranch’s four-wheelers to tell the pack beta how a stranger named Jenny had found a dark crystal in theirbackyard.
Next to him, Darius leaned forward as he studied hismate.
“And this Jenny saw the crystal you placed in the tree had gone bad? A crystal the rest of us couldn’t find and had no idea where to look?” the beta asked hismate.
A chill raced down his spine, but he kept his mouth shut. Jenny’s presence was known, but he had to be quiet about her, until he found out how they’dreact.
Would these Lupines be like others and dislike her for her specialpowers?
Samantha pushed back at her long fall of blonde hair. “She knew. She saw, somehow. Darius, she protected our son by getting rid of thestone.”
“How did she destroyit?”
Samantha’s gaze flicked to the distant woods. “Trust me, honey, she did. She seems like a private person, but a good Lupine. I think she’s living on the ranch land. You should invite her to stay with us. Let her know she iswelcome.”
“She’s an outsider,” Ellison said, frowning. “How can you trust anoutsider?”
Darius glanced at Troy. Well damn. He knew others in the pack looked at him with natural suspicion Lupines had for strangers outside the pack, but this was a cleardig.
Troy leaned forward in his saddle. “You got a problem with me, Ellison? Because if you do, stop waffling and tell it like it is. Far as I can see, Aiden and Darius are the authority in this pack and I go by what theysay.”
“I trust you. For now.” Darius locked gazes with him, a clear indication that he would give Troy leeway, but if he screwed up, he wasgone.
Maybe gone by the way of the pack chasing him down and tearing himup.
That was fine by him, because they didn’t know about his little secret…yet.
“Jenny’s shy. I doubt she would take you up on your invite, Samantha. Not unless I ask her.” He addressed Samantha, locking gazes with her because he sensed she had seen exactly how Jenny destroyed the stone, but wanted to keep that partquiet.
It made him respect her evenmore.
“Is she your mate?” Samanthaasked.
Now everyone stared at him. Time to level. Suddenly the sun seemed too bright, too intense andwarm.
“I’d like her to be. Met her a few weeks ago and we’ve been traveling together since. She doesn’t trust many Lupines. Or anyone, for thatmatter.”
Troy explained how they had met and worked their way to Montana, and how Jenny had stayed in the woods, despite his trying to coax her into visiting thepack.
“I’ll talk with Aiden.” Darius blew a kiss to his mate. “Sam, I’ll see you back at thecabin.”
As Samantha roared away on the ATV, Ellison shook his head. “Darius, all due respect, this guy is new and he’s told you he trespassed on our land! And now you have another Lupine living on pack land, clearly violating pack rules. Whatgives?”
