Page 5 of A Wolf's Treasure
Cedric gave him a stern stare. “She will no’ become one o’ them, Duncan. Those Faeries are gone. Locked away with the sick ones.”
“That’s no’ what Lucian and I saw when we found Duana at Keelin’s house.”
Cedric’s gaze snapped to his. “Ye dinna tell him anything?”
“Och, no. O’ course no’.” Anger coursed through him. He couldn’t believe this male, his friend, who’d fought by his side in the last war, who’d rescued him from the enemy, was giving serious thought to mating one such as Duana.
Or, perhaps it was just that if Cedric were mated, it would truly leave him all alone.
Cedric finished his beer in one long swallow and set the empty bottle on the mantle. Turning to Duncan, he put one large hand on his shoulder. It was heavier than the prince’s head had been.
The weight was reassuring. The words he spoke, not so much.
“Ye canna go through th’ rest o’ yer life with no one tae rest yer head on, Duncan. Dinna ye have a lass in mind ye could be with?”
“I have a lot o’ places tae rest my head, Cedric. A lot o’ choices. And so do ye. Ye dinna need tae settle, because ye think it will bring aboot peace.”
“I would no’ be settling, my friend.”
Duncan stared into his alpha’s eyes, searching for the truth. And when he found it, the anger that filled him turned to sorrow. “Then ye will end up no different from me, Cedric. and for that, I’m verra sorry.”
Chapter 2
Ryanne checked her hair in the bathroom mirror, peeking at her reflection between a small space left empty of the “You’re beautiful” and “You’re not alone” quotes written in different shades of lipstick. The humidity in this part of the country was wreaking absolute havoc on her curls. Making a face at her reflection, she pulled them into a ponytail high on the back of her head, leaving a few strands to fall softly around her cheeks, and taking care that the tips of her ears were covered.
This was the third night in a row she’d come to this silly club looking for the wolf. Honestly, she didn’t know what the humans found so interesting about sliding around a dance floor in smooth-soled boots—the lack of traction made even worse by the sawdust all over the floor—to singers who whined about losing their girl, their truck, their dog, et cetera….et cetera…and how sad their lives were now.
She did, however, like the look of the human men in their tight jeans and hats. It was very reminiscent of the “Old West” and made her wonder how many of them could really ride a bull.
Or, could handle riding her.
Smiling at her own joke, she checked that her red blouse was tucked into her tight jeans, turning around to admire the bling on her ass. It could probably use some more. She had a lot of ass to cover.
She made a mental note to pick up a bedazzling kit at the store and went out into the club proper.
The overly loud twang of a guitar hit her full on as she left the ladies room, and Ryanne winced as her sensitive ears grew used to the volume. Once she had the various levels of sounds worked out, she made her way through the crowd, smiling at the cowboys and keeping one eye on the dance floor for the sight of the green-eyed shifter.
A werewolf who had moves without using his powerful jaws? It intrigued her to no end.
When she’d first seen him with the red-haired shifter in the woods behind the house where The Key lived, she’d been too surprised at first to hide. And by the way his mouth had dropped open, he had been shocked as well. But then she’d heard Duana, the princess, ordering her soldiers to search the pine-covered hillside. The threat of being found had been enough to boost her into action, and she’d taken off out of there. She couldn’t be caught. Especially not by her.
Later, alone in the forest, she’d waited for the hunt to begin. The wolves would be after her, she was sure of it. But she wasn’t frightened. No. She was looking forward to it. Evading them would be fun, as long as she didn’t get too cocky and become dinner.
Imagine her surprise when no patrols were sent out. No great, furry beasts roamed through the trees, noses to the ground searching for her scent. No howls raised the hair on the back of her neck and shot exhilarating thrills across her skin.
He hadn’t told them.
Or, he had, and they either didn’t know who she was or didn’t take her to be a threat.
That would be their first mistake.
Unable to set aside her curiosity, she’d hung around, hoping to find the green-eyed wolf and follow him. It had taken a while, but she’d finally run across him as he’d patrolled the forest just a few miles away from their first run in. Ryanne had followed him all night until he’d returned to his den, a small apartment building with many rooms his pack shared with others who were not of his species. Including the Fae.
A strange way for shifters to live.
But maybe they liked the thrill of being hidden in plain sight. Of living amongst those who would take them out in a heartbeat if they were discovered. And how did they disguise themselves from Faeries?
Ryanne thought perhaps she would like these wolves.
