Page 39 of Mating Season

That was a mistake. I might as well have punched him again. It was too direct and directly on film. Where was Fallon when I needed her?

Like a storm brewing, Chad’s eyebrows bunched and lips flattened.

My wolf began to growl in return.

“Oh Ranger,” Edith purred as she prowled forward, stepping up to block the sight of her cousin. Her hand slipped into the crook of my arm as her upper body brushed against me. “We’ve missed you. Don’t bore us with business now. Come sit and let’s talk about something fun.”

17

Aspen

“This is boring.” I tossed a rock into the darkness.

“Agreed.” Fallon sat with her ankles crossed in the dirt and her back against a tree, cautiously eyeing the massive brown beast that was Alpha John O’Neil as he paced guard duty in front of us.

I was dying to know how their love story was working out, but Fallon had been extra standoffish since we decided to do this thing. Amber and Danielle were behind the tree braiding each other’s hair and pretending they weren’t eavesdropping. I figured the lovers’ drama was a save-it-for-later conversation. But I wasn’t sure when later would be.

My chest ached and I rubbed it, trying to soothe the pull.

“I still don’t see why Ranger is making us stay back.” My wolf and I weren’t stupid. But my wolf thought it was cute he’d asked for our help. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I, on the other hand, wouldn’t have cared if his ego was bruised a little.

“I take it you haven’t hung out with many Alphas,” Fallon said.

We both looked at John’s wolf who curled his upper lip and snarled as he showed his fangs for a second before he continued to pace.

“And they say chivalry is dead.” Fallon rolled her eyes. “You know how Alphas are though. Make sure the coast is clear, first to fight, take a bullet for you. That sort of thing.”

At my blank expression, she raised a fist and beat it against her chest.

“Alpha. Male. Cave wolf. Go fight while female stay home and have pups.”

Amber and Danielle burst into laughter behind the tree. John’s wolf turned his back on us with his tail high and aggressively swishing in the air.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek so I didn’t fall into a fit of giggles. “I get that he wants to make sure everything is safe, but if I’m going to lead the run by his side, shouldn’t I be down there too?”

“It’s not that big of a deal.” Fallon pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. “The Alpha and Luna leading the wolves is just ceremony. Instinct drives the run and even beasts know how to follow the natural order of things.”

“That’s the problem.” I climbed to my feet. “None of this is exactly natural. We aren’t with our own packs. The producers are messing with the season. It doesn’t feel right.”

As if to prove my point, a camera drone spotted us and flew over. Its spotlight was blinding. We all bared our teeth. The thing flew off and I had to blink until my vision was clear again.

“Yep. That was enough time.” I brushed off the back of my flannel shirt. I hadn’t brought all my clothes knowing I wouldn’t be in human form forlong, but the shirt covered enough to stay decent for the cameras filming.

“Wait. Where are you going?” Fallon jumped to her feet.

I shrugged as I started walking, heading to the fire in the distance on the beach where the tug in my chest was pulling me. “If Ranger wanted me to listen, he shouldn’t have made getting punished so much fun.”

*

Fallon shifted and walked alongside John’s wolf. I noticed their beasts seemed much more at ease with each other but figured it wasn’t my place to point that out. Amber and Danielle trailed behind us in wolf form. It felt like no one wanted to be seen walking with me. Which was fine. I’d take Ranger’s wrath if it came down to it.

The big guy wasn’tthatscary.

I followed Ranger’s scent as we continued along the beach and reached Beau just before the huge bonfire at the inlet. He was emptying one of the extra bags of food Ranger brought with him.

Provider.My wolf hummed her approval.

She loved that Ranger had been prepared.