Page 24 of Alpha's Claim

As Landon disappeared out the door, shifting mid-stride into a sleek black wolf, Colt rubbed a hand over his face, exhaling slowly. The plot with Briar was thickening, and Colt knew whatever storm was coming, they’d meet it head-on. And he’d make damn sure no one ever laid a violent hand on Briar ever again.

Chapter

Ten

COLT

The afternoon sun bathed Copper Canyon Ranch in golden light, casting long shadows over the sprawling landscape. Colt stood by the barn, checking the harness on one of the small carriages they used for leisurely rides around the property. Mostly it was his men when they were courting one of the she-wolves or a bonded couple wanting a romantic evening. His thoughts were firmly on Briar, as they had been all day. He knew something had been eating at her—not just what had brought her here, but something else.

Regardless, he meant to get to the bottom of it. She had skipped dinner the night before, begged off from breakfast this morning, and spent the rest of the day in what seemed to be a foul mood. It didn’t sit right with him. His wolf was pacing beneath his skin, urging him to fix it—to get close to her again. His wolf could just shut up. He intended to do exactly that.

Briar’s curvy figure emerged from the house, and his groin tightened as it almost always did upon seeing her. His mother’s floppy hat, now Briar’s, was pulled low to shield her face from the sun. She moved with a grace that was inborn, not learned, her arms hanging stiffly at her sides. Even from here, Colt could tell she was in one hell of a mood.

Perfect. He grinned to himself and adjusted his hat. A grumpy Briar was still Briar. And he liked the challenge she presented—liked the way she made him want to unravel her, one layer at a time.

"You ready?" Colt called out as she approached, his voice low and warm.

Briar gave him a suspicious glance, arching one delicate brow. "Ready for what?"

Colt leaned casually against the side of the carriage, his grin widening. "A picnic. Figured you could use a break."

She sighed, clearly skeptical. "I don’t know, Colt. I’m not really in the mood...”

"You’ve been in a mood all right," Colt said, stepping closer. His voice dropped, smooth as whiskey. "That’s exactly why I’m taking you." He caught her hand, brushing his thumb gently over her knuckles. "Come on, Briar. Just for a couple of hours. You and me. No one else."

For a moment, Briar hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. Colt’s gaze lingered there, heat stirring low in his belly. He wanted to kiss that lip, bite it gently, coax her out of whatever funk she was in.

With a resigned sigh, she gave a small nod. "All right. But only because you’re annoyingly persistent."

"That’s me." Colt winked and helped her into the carriage. “You do know that’s one of the nicer things anyone has said about me.”

As they rode down the ranch’s winding trails, Colt kept a light grip on the reins, but most of his attention stayed on Briar. She sat beside him, stiff and silent, her hat casting shadows over her face.

He let the silence stretch between them for a while, the steady rhythm of the horse trotting along filling the empty space. Then, with a mischievous grin, Colt let his knee brush againsthers—just a casual, accidental touch. Briar shot him a sideways look, but she didn’t pull away.

Encouraged, Colt ran his thumb along the back of her hand, the contact sending little sparks of heat racing through his skin. She tensed slightly, but again, she didn’t pull away.

"You know," Colt murmured, his voice low and teasing, "you’ve got a real talent for grumpy silence. I’d rate it a solid nine out of ten."

Briar’s lips twitched, though she tried to hide it. "Don’t push your luck."

Colt chuckled, enjoying the flicker of humor in her eyes. "Come on, sweetheart. You can’t stay mad at me forever. Whatever it is I did, I apologize."

"I’m not mad."

"No?" He shifted slightly, letting his thigh press more firmly against hers. "You look like a small whirling dust devil."

Briar gave him an exasperated glance, though there was the faintest hint of a smile lurking at the corners of her mouth. "Colt..."

He grinned. "There it is—that’s the smile I’ve been waiting for."

They rode in comfortable silence for a while, the breeze soft against their skin, carrying the scent of wildflowers and sun-warmed earth. Every now and then, Colt would brush his hand along Briar’s arm, subtle touches meant to coax her out of her shell. And each time, she seemed to soften just a little more.

When they reached a secluded spot near a stream with a small stand of shade trees, Colt pulled the carriage to a stop. The area was quiet, the only sounds were the trickle of water and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

He helped Briar down from the carriage, his hands lingering on her waist for a moment longer than necessary. She shot him a wary glance, but he only smiled.

"Let’s eat," Colt said, guiding her to the blanket Etta had packed for them.