Page 15 of Alpha's Claim
Elle’s smile widened, though there was no warmth in it. “Elle, the ranking female.”
Briar doubted that. She might have forgotten a lot about herself, but she was sure she’d dealt with Elle’s type before, and showing any inkling that she might be intimidated wouldn’t work well for her. Elle’s eyes roved over Briar, coolly assessing her with thinly veiled disdain.
“Colt’s been known to take in strays before. They usually don’t last long.”
Briar fought the urge to react, sensing the woman was testing her, waiting for any sign of weakness. She tightened her grip on the banister, keeping her tone calm and level.
“Well,” Briar said, “I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
Elle’s smile faltered, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Don’t get too comfortable,” she said in a low, warning tone. “Colt’s got responsibilities. Big ones. He doesn’t have time to babysit every lost little thing that washes up here.”
The veiled threat in Elle’s words was clear, but Briar refused to rise to the bait.
“Thanks for the advice,” Briar said with a small, tight smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Without waiting for a response, Briar stepped past Elle, brushing by her with deliberate ease, and continued down the stairs. She could feel the other woman’s eyes burning into her back, but she didn’t stop or look back.
The moment Briar stepped outside, the fresh air hit her like a balm, chasing away the lingering tension from her encounter with Elle. The sun was bright, the sky anendless stretch of blue, and the scent of earth and hay mingled with the faint aroma of horses and cattle.
The ranch sprawled out before her, alive with quiet activity—ranch hands moving from one task to the next, horses grazing in the nearby pastures, and the distant sound of gates clanging open and shut.
Briar took a deep breath, feeling a sense of freedom she hadn’t experienced in a long time. The pressure on her chest seemed to lift slightly, as if the wide-open space was coaxing her out of her shell.
She wandered across the yard, drawn toward the outbuildings and barns that dotted the landscape. The barn doors stood wide open, inviting her in with the promise of something familiar.
Inside the first barn, the scent of fresh hay and leather filled the air, and Briar found herself smiling for the first time in what felt like days. Horses whickered softly from their stalls as she walked past, their ears flicking curiously in her direction.
She moved slowly, running her hand along the smooth wood of the stalls, her fingertips grazing the edges of bridles and saddles neatly hung on the walls. It was quiet here, peaceful, and Briar found herself relaxing more with every step.
She paused by one of the stalls, where a palomino mare with a white blaze leaned her head over the gate, sniffing curiously at Briar’s outstretched hand. The simple interaction made her heart ache with an odd sense of belonging, as if she’d stumbled into a place she hadn’t realized she’d been searching for.
Briar stroked the mare’s face gently, her smile lingering as she continued her exploration. For the first time since she had arrived, she felt like she could breathe, like maybe this place could offer more than just temporary shelter.
And if nothing else, at least here, surrounded by animals and open sky, she could find a sliver of peace. But deep down, Briar knew the quiet wouldn’t last forever.
Briar made her way further into the barn, the comforting sounds of animals stirring around her—the soft nicker of a horse, the shuffle of hooves against thick shavings, the faint rustle of hay as it was munched. There was something calming about the routine noises, and she found herself wandering deeper into the ranch grounds, following the flow of the morning chores.
As she rounded a corner, she spotted a man working with one of the horses—a sleek, black gelding that sidestepped nervously as the man tried to adjust its halter. The man’s easy grin, sandy hair, and relaxed posture told her immediately that this must be one of Colt’s brothers.
"Hey there!" he called, catching sight of her. He gave the gelding a gentle pat on the neck, murmuring to it before leading the horse into its stall. Bryce leaned casually on the stall door, his grin infectious and full of mischief. “Name’s Bryce. I’m Colt’s youngest brother, and I run the horse operation here.” He gave her an easy nod, as if they were already friends. “You like horses?”
“I do,” Briar admitted with a smile, glancing at the nearby stalls. The animals seemed strangely familiar to her, as though they recognized her, too. One sorrel mare with a flaxen mane and tail in particular stretched her neck over the gate, huffing warmly against Briar’s outstretched hand.
Bryce watched with interest as the animals gravitated toward her. Even the black gelding, who had been skittish moments ago, leaned curiously toward her, as if drawn by something beyond his understanding.
“Well, well,” Bryce mused, his grin widening. “Looks like they’ve taken a real shine to you. That one there...” he noddedtoward the sorrel mare "… she doesn’t usually warm up to strangers so fast.”
Briar smiled, giving the mare a soft stroke down her nose. The animals’ affection felt natural, as if she belonged here among them, though she had no idea why. "They just feel... familiar," she murmured aloud, more to herself than to Bryce.
Bryce chuckled. “Maybe they know something the rest of us don’t."
Briar gave a quiet laugh in return, feeling the tight knot in her chest loosen slightly for the first time in days. There was a simple joy in the presence of these creatures, a kind of magic that made her feel less like a lost stranger and more like someone finding her way home.
She spent some time petting the horses, moving between the stalls and getting acquainted with each animal. Every horse she touched responded with calm affection, even the more unruly ones, who nudged her hand or leaned into her touch as if they’d been waiting for her all along.
Eventually, she wandered away from the barn, letting her curiosity guide her deeper into the ranch grounds. The sunlight felt warm against her skin, and the distant hum of activity faded into the background as she explored further.
It was then that she stumbled across a small, overgrown garden tucked away behind one of the outbuildings. The wooden gate creaked as she pushed it open, revealing rows of raised beds filled with tangled weeds and forgotten plants. Vines crawled up trellises long since left untended, and a small fountain in the center stood dry and covered in moss.