Desert Winter

Chapter 1

It was a morning like any other, the sun peeked over the distant mountains bringing a haze of orange, yellow, purple, and red which spread across the sky to welcome the new dawn. Reya stood in her tiny cabin to face the rising sun, watching with a cup of cheap coffee clutched between her hands. How she wished she were seeing different mountains, and that the temperature would not climb above seventy degrees.

She watched as the ranch’s chickens began to move out into the grassy pastures, each one eager to find a new damp morning spider or beetle to dine upon. She would be tasked with collecting the eggs, then milking the five jersey dairy cows. Those were only the beginning of her chores though they were arguably her favorites. Working with the animals was far easier than performing back-breaking menial labor.

Reya worked quickly to finish her coffee and morning toast before tossing her light jacket on and trotting outside. Declan, the man in charge, was not forgiving of tardiness. Though he was rarely awake before nine in the morning, and even then it was rare to see him before noon. Regardless there were other wolves about to report on her and she wasn’t keen on garnering his ill will.

The chickens primarily laid their eggs within the coop provided to them, there Reya found her usual bulk of greens, browns, whites, and even a few black eggs and speckled eggs. Of course they’d also be laying eggs in the fields throughout the day, but she left those to the local foxes and coyotes. From there she packaged and stored them within the main ranch house before grabbing the buckets to collect the milk in. She was sure she’d get at least twenty or so gallons, from that she’d be expected to separate the milk out and create butter and cream from what she could and put the rest in a cooler to be consumed later.

From there she would grab a four-wheeler and check all the fence lines for any damage, if any was found she would repair it. As she was doing so she would also monitor the meat cattle for injury or illness. If she discovered anything out of the ordinary she was expected to administer care, though if she was unable to she would need to grab one of Declan’s pack-mates to assist and she generally preferred not to do that if she could help it.

Milking the cows generally took an hour and a half to two hours, by the time she stored the milk and prepared to process it, noon was rapidly approaching. She was expected to prepare lunch most days, and that day she had to prepare grilled sandwiches, freshly chopped fruit, iced tea, and either egg salad or potato salad. Declan and his pack members and harem usually ate around one in the afternoon, this gave her time to prepare the food to their liking.

As far as cooking went it was one of her more relaxing tasks, the repetitive motion of creating plates alike allowed her time to settle into a mindless rhythm. She started the fruit salad and potato salad first, and finished the sandwiches just as the red wolves started to file in loudly.

The din of their conversation drowned out her peace as they glared at her. While she had been feeding them for years now they still hated her. She had never been formally accepted into the pack, instead she was stuck in a limbo state between rogue status and pack status. She lived amongst the pack without the true freedom that came with being a rogue.

“I’m going to need you to prepare something nice for dinner doll, got an outta town alpha coming in to talk business. I’d like to show him a good time.” Declan drawled as he strutted into the dining room, two females wrapped tightly around him. Their dim brown eyes darted to her before turning back to the floor. Declan was what Reya assumed a typical red he-wolf looked like. His hair was a messy mop of auburn and his eyes a dark chocolate, though there was no sweet richness to his gaze. He was a cold wolf, focused on mating, money, and entertaining his own twisted needs.

He stood at only five and a half feet tall at best, dwarfed by her nearly six foot frame. His face was angular, but not overly so. His chin was rather square, his cheeks slightly rounded, and his nose not entirely commanding. How he managed to claw the alpha title as his own she couldn’t know. Especially considering some of his underlings looked far more superior and she knew they were likely far stronger too. But alpha was a human construct, true wolves didn’t follow that hierarchy. So to be a werewolf titled alpha he had to check a box either in intelligence, power, or social standing. She didn’t find him to be particularly intelligent, and power definitely wasn’t his forte, so his rank came from social standing.

“Certainly. What would you like me to prepare?” She bared her neck to him in the usual sign of respect, now a reflexive reaction to his presence. While he wouldn’t punish her, his beta probably would. The man in question had already taken a seat next to the head of the table to eat, though she didn’t miss his hooded gaze of warning.

“Steaks, the best you can find! Fresh asparagus from the gardens, and any other fresh vegetables you can find. Then your famous dinner rolls, and potatoes of some sort. I wanna give this fella the true southern down home experience.” He took his seat at the head of the table, his she-wolves slinking away to wait their turn to eat. Reya delivered his plate to him and nodded, already mentally preparing the meal in her mind.

“Certainly Alpha, I’ll see to it.” This would mean his pack would have to tend the cattle for the day so she could prepare an extravagant and delicious meal. She wondered just who he had coming to grace his property. She stepped away as the men started to devour their food, focusing instead on cleaning up the dishes she had created along the way.

“Burk, have you seen any wolves hanging about our territory line?” Declan asked after a few minutes of ravenous snarfling. Burk, who was the beta, lifted his face from his half eaten sandwich to shake his head. He was a hulk of a man which was rather strange considering he was only a red wolf. Roped muscle corded itself around his body defining him more than any other male present. He was covered in scars as well, even his face had not been spared the marring of past battles. His dark sun-battered skin was a testament to his constant work outdoors.

“No sir, this time they seem to have taken your order seriously.” His voice was dull and low, it vibrated through the room with powerful authority. Reya wondered if his parents had once been alphas, or if his power came from the very struggle to survive.

“Good. I hate when bugs fly around my space.” Declan grumbled, his growl a far cry from that of his beta. Reya smiled as she washed dishes, despite her hatred for all of them she still couldn’t help but admire how Burk was obviously the far finer specimen for alpha. Especially in a pack that had no way to leverage social standing, and intelligence could only lead one so far when working a ranch. But to his credit, Burk wasn’t nearly as dim-witted as he came off to be.

“I will ensure they know to follow the rules. Last check-in puts them here around six or seven this evening.” Declan nodded along to Burk’s words, though he had already started eating again.

“You hear that Reya? Food is to be ready and on the table by six-forty-five. I want candles lit, places set for up to four people. Have we heard if his beta is attending?” He looked to Burk once more. The man shrugged,

“I was told the beta is with him, though I have not heard if he plans to attend.” Reya felt her ears perk up at the mention of a beta. Whoever was coming had to be an alpha, which meant that it was likely a deal of land or business that was scheduled for the evening.

“It matters little, four plates will be plenty just in case. Food was good, see ya later doll.” Declan stood and exited, though the females did not follow. Instead they would wait while the other females slowly trickled in for their own turn at the table. Once Declan’s underlings were done they’d wait for Reya to clear the table and reset it for them. Reya watched as the men left one by one after eating, grabbing their dirtied dishes as needed.

Finishing with lunch was a task that took nearly two hours before the last stragglers left. That left her staring at the freshly empty sink at three in the afternoon. She had three hours to prepare the best dinner she could muster. This would include raiding the garden she had been tending, while also watering it, then preparing the vegetables, dessert, meat, and potatoes. Cooking should have been a full time task, if Declan wanted premium food he needed a full time chef… Not an overworked she-wolf. She felt her mood starting to deteriorate by the time four-thirty rolled around. Her cake was in the oven, frosting prepared, vegetables peeled and prepped, and the meat sitting braised at room temperature waiting for the wood-fire grill. Now she just needed to pull it all together…

Chapter 2

Luke tapped his fingers on his steering wheel irately, his car stopped just outside the main ranch house of a red-wolf alpha he had no particular care for. Declan was a particularly pompous man, filled with fantasies of grandiose power when really all he had was land and maybe a little bit of money. Perhaps more, if he’d take the deal he was about to offer. With a sigh he looked up the steps to the front door. He really didn’t want to do this. He was regretting a little bit the fact he had told his beta to stay in town.

“I suppose it’s just dinner and some jaw-flapping… A man such as myself can do that easily enough.” He straightened his tie and pulled at the cuffs of his suit jacket. Now that he was at the ranch he felt a little too done-up. The location warranted jeans and a nice button up more than it did a suit, the red clay-rich soil would quickly stain and that would cost a pretty penny to dry clean out. But it was too late to change his mind now. All that was left to do was get the deal signed or leave empty handed like the many alpha’s before him who had tried to broker a deal with the ill tempered alpha.

Stepping out of his car he was immediately greeted with the scent of desert air, dry and rich with the scent of earth and cacti. He felt uncomfortable, out of his depth, he missed the cool breeze and looming trees of his northern homeland. But this desert wasteland held quite the secret, he was certain of it. A secret that could, if leveraged correctly, lead to the sorts of riches he could only dream about.

“Ah! Luke, I was expecting you a little later in the evening.” The voice that greeted his ears was a grating one, even more so in person than it was over the phone. Quickly he plastered a smile on his face before looking up to meet the gaze of the little red-wolf male. In stature he was about half of his own size, but his bravado could match any alpha across the country.

“I apologize, I had anticipated the drive to take longer but the roads were surprisingly lackluster in traffic. I won’t complain, I found it to be pleasant.” That was a lie, he had aimed to arrive early, traffic or no. Though he did enjoy observing the scenery. Declan smiled, his face far more weasley and sly than Luke gave him credit for. His features were rough, a little lean, and the very definition of ginger white-trash. He even had a pencil thin douche-stache to tie the look together.

“Come, come! I’ve got dinner in preparation, it should be done within a half hour or so. I’ll tell the cook to get the meat on now.” He waved Luke up and disappeared into the front of the ranch house. Luke climbed the steps after making sure his car was locked. The house itself was nice, it had been constructed of logs with large poles holding up the porch roof which surrounded the front portion of the house, though he could tell it wrapped around partially.

Inside was just as nice as the outside much to his surprise. The decor wasn’t gaudy or opulent, rather it suited the style of the house and the setting. Leather chairs and sofas dotted the gathering room, steer hide rugs sat beneath a glass coffee table which graced the center of the room as well as in front of a few of the singular leather chairs. The artwork on the walls depicted various ranch-centric scenes ranging from horses to cattle, even a few silhouettes of dawn or dusk landscape photos. There were also potted plants scattered throughout the front rooms, though only a few were flowering.

“Do you like how I’ve decorated the place?” Declan asked smugly, his green eyes glittering with delight. Luke would have bet all the money in his wallet that not a single part of the house had been decorated by the red-alpha. No, this had the touch of a woman’s thoughtfulness, the meticulous layout befitting a she-wolf’s den.

“It is quite comfortable, I shall have to take note for my own home.” He was lacking a female to decorate, his house was more of a cave than a den. He recalled his bare walls, ancient couch, and blackout curtains. Certainly not a place he would invite business guests. Declan laughed as he continued to lead them to the dining room.

“The north probably has far different fashion sense if I had to guess.” Luke wasn’t sure if it was meant as a barb, or just an ignorant comment. Regardless he refrained from replying lest he say something to shoot his goals in the foot before they’d even had a chance to dine.

“I notice you come without your beta, may I ask why?” Declan turned just as he had reached the dining room entryway, it was a quaint room with a long table that could fit a dozen or so. Four places were set up, the silverware, plates, and even a candelabra with lit candles were waiting. He quickly took his place opposite of Declan to sit.

“He’s keeping a handle on business at home, unfortunately we just lost our theta and his mate to a hunting accident.” Most of that story was a bald-faced lie, his theta was perfectly fine albeit mateless. Declan offered the fakest sympathetic nod he’d ever seen before responding,

“Ah, such is the way of life huh? We may be superior beings to humans but even we fall victim to the brutalities of the hunt. Out here our prey is scarce, deer, antelope, the occasional confused elk… Danger comes instead from the snakes and scorpions.” Declan grabbed the wine glass in front of him roughly before coughing loudly. Luke wasn’t sure why until he heard the scuttle of light footsteps rapidly approaching. From the far door a messy looking woman exited, her eyes downcast.

“Apologies Alpha, I was just finishing plating and preparing. What would you like tonight?” She didn’t even offer him a glance despite his likely obvious gawking. She was stunning for a she-wolf, unlike any he had ever seen. Her silvery hair was pinned up in a messy bun yet a handful of unruly wisps had managed to slip free to frame her face. Her frame was large, she dwarfed her own alpha with her very presence.

“Get me one of the older vintages from the La’Graccia vineyard. Red preferred for the meal, transitioning to a white with dessert. Is the main course ready?” Declan didn’t even look up to acknowledge her as she waited for his orders. Luke was almost offended on her behalf, but he chose to remain silent and watch.

“It is nearly ready sir. Would you like me to bring out an appetizer?” Her voice was heavenly, soft but firm. She was displaying classic submission but she couldn’t hide the authority she could wield if she so chose.

“Did you happen to make your famous crab rangoons?” The delight behind Declan’s voice did not go unheard.

“Of course sir.” She responded quickly with a curt bow before disappearing back to where Luke assumed the main portion of the kitchen sat. It took only a moment before she returned with a small plate of steaming rangoons, four in total with a small cup of dipping sauce. She laid it between them before turning to Declan,

“Will Burk be joining you?” Luke scrunched his brow. Burk must be the beta, though Declan had yet to mention anything about negotiations or deal making. Was he waiting until after dinner? Or was his beta attempting to gather up any available information he could before alerting his alpha to possible advantages or weaknesses?

“No. You may eat the leftovers.” That caught Luke off guard enough that he pierced Declan with a quizzical look. Having leftovers made sense, but was she not going to join the rest of his pack for dinner? Was he not serving his pack a similar meal to alleviate the burdens of the cook?

“Thank you alpha.” She bowed again before disappearing once more to tend to drinks and dinner. He lifted his nose as she passed him to draw her scent in. Much as he expected, she was no red wolf. But her scent eluded him as to just what sort of wolf she could be.

“Do you have a gray wolf in your pack?” He asked absentmindedly, his heart racing the more he drew her smell into himself. She carried the aroma of something wild, earthy, and it reminded him distinctly of spring underbrush in an old growth forest. Certainly not a scent belonging to a desert.

“Your nose fails you, how strange for an alpha of the north. But I suppose it’s no surprise you can’t recognize what she smells like, her kin are as rare if not more so than my own. But I’ll leave it at that, she’s of no consequence. You are here to pitch me a deal, I am eager to learn more.” Declan wasted no time in grabbing a crab rangoon and dipping it before digging in. Luke watching him with a mixture of annoyance, curiosity, and frustration. But he left well enough alone, at least for now.

“You have been propositioned multiple times now about establishing a deal over oil rights on your land. But no one has been able to find any oil. I believe my company is capable of not only finding it, but extracting it according to even the most stringent of environmental law without a loss of profit.” Luke pulled a small fold of papers from the vest pocket of his suit; mostly comprising of maps, speculative imaging, and cost estimates. He handed it over, though Declan only gave it a cursory glance.

“What makes you think there’s any oil on my property when no one else has been able to find it?” Luke had expected that question and his answer had been perfectly rehearsed in advance.

“Your land is made up of a thick clay topsoil that goes down to a sandy mix before hitting bedrock. This can make a tricky environment for machinery sounding out the area, offering cloudy imaging or even faulty imaging, but the technology is new. Yet eighty miles to the east is one of the most successful coal mines in operation. Do you know how hydrocarbons and fossil fuels are created geologically?” The look of boredom on Declan’s face was nearly enraging, but he kept calm and waited for a response.

“Who the fuck cares how that shit gets made? I don’t need a long speech on why you think it’s here. What’s the meat of this deal?” Of course Luke had never expected Declan to be interested in the science or theology behind it, still he expected him to at least sound out the proposition before digging into the costs, terms, and conditions.

“I would like a sixty-forty split on oil rights if my company is able to find an oil reserve on your land. I will handle the discovery and machinery, the drilling, and the other overhead costs. You will make forty percent off the profits, and I will take sixty to use towards the continuation of production as well as my own profit.” The deal was juicy, or it should have been. He would be taking majority risk as well as handling the dirty work if he could find the oil. Declan settled his bored expression as the she-wolf brought out two plates heaping with steaming food.

“There are some concerns here. I’m not going to be paying for discovery, if you want to look around fine but that’s out of your own pocket.” Luke smiled and thanked the she-wolf quickly as she placed the food before him before turning back to Declan.

“Certainly, but if oil is discovered we will have to discuss reimbursement for discovery.” He stared down at the plate of food before him, mouthwatering steak, a pile of vegetables steamed to perfection, mashed potatoes, he would have to tell the she-wolf later he’d like to hire her as his full time chef. He could almost taste the steak before ever setting a knife to it.

“I don’t agree with that. If you want to come onto my land, look for my oil, and take the majority of the profit you can pay for the discovery. But all that aside I highly doubt you’ll find success where others failed.” Declan spoke nonchalantly as he grabbed a knife and dug into his food with abandon. Luke had to fight to hide his disgust. He anticipated the red wolf alpha to be difficult, but he wasn’t expecting sheer obstinance or ignorance. He handled business about as well as a redneck would, perhaps his initial impression of the man wasn’t far off the mark.

Instead of continuing the argument he turned to the food, it would be a damn shame to put such a spread to waste just because he was feeling irate. He grabbed up a knife and fork before digging into the steak. The meat was tender and juicy, cutting just as well as butter. The aroma as he diced it up was heavenly. The taste, much to his surprise and delight, was just as divine. He couldn’t help but moan at the taste.

“She’s a good cook, I’ll have to give her that.” Declan declared with a mouth full. Luke nodded. That at least, they could agree on.

Chapter 3

Reya busied herself with dishes while the men talked. She was thankful that Burk had not attended for the dinner, while she didn’t mind preparing meals for business discussions there was something about the Beta that made her uneasy no matter the venue. He had a way of watching her that made her skin crawl.

As the men talked their voices filtered through the heavy kitchen door, she could tell the strange alpha male was growing irate with Declan. She smiled while washing the dishes that had been dirtied by her efforts. She secretly wished the strange alpha would put the red male in his place and show him why in the wild, it was power that dictated who was respected rather than money or influence. But he remained cordial, even through Declan’s continued ignorance and stubbornness.

The outsider wasn’t the first to come asking after oil, and he certainly wouldn’t be the last she was sure. Declan always made some sort of deal and the interested parties would leave but never return. Nor would anything happen on the land, so she wasn’t sure what happened afterward to drive them away. Perhaps Declan was such an ass that they decided it’d be easier to look elsewhere, or perhaps he asked for more money than they thought the prospective deposits were worth. Whatever it was, she didn’t expect the strange alpha would ever return after he left. For some reason that caused a painful twinge in her chest.

Reya was not known to be a woman of romance, she had never found a male that called her attention. Though it had been many years since she’d been free of the red wolf territory, so her options had been rather limited for a long time. She didn’t care to mate with a red wolf and thankfully they seemed not to care to mate with her either. Still, the new male did attract her attention; with his tall stature, dark hair, and sculpted face. Perhaps it was his scent of pine trees and leather; mixed with the modern colognes it was a clash of wild and tame that made her head spin. His eyes were a shade of green she’d never seen before. It was like staring into a thriving forest, it was enough to make her heart ache with homesickness.

The longer she worked to tidy and distance her mind from him the more she found herself consumed by thoughts of knowing him more. Life on the ranch was tedious and rough leaving her with little excitement or fulfillment. Years of monotony had left her longing for something more, something different. But Declan would never relinquish his hold on her. With a sigh she sat the last clean dish in the rack and turned to listen. The men were still eating happily, the sounds of their lips smacking the only compliment she’d receive on all her hard work she was sure. Soon enough she’d have to take out dessert and clear away their discarded dishes. How much longer before she could go to bed? She wanted to be alone to focus on her dirty thoughts of the new male. One night of shameless imagination wouldn’t hurt right?

Once she heard the typical cough of her alpha she grabbed a damp towel and marched out, grabbing up his cleared plate and silverware first while gauging his glass of wine. He had requested a white to pair with dessert, she’d have to grab a new bottle before bringing the cake out. She turned to the strange male, his green eyes piercing her with quiet speculation.

“I must say darling, I’ve never had a meal quite so good. Where did you learn to cook like that?” His voice up close was a deep timbre that sent shivers through her body. His accent was distinctly north-western. Just hearing him talk made her want him to moan her name, just over a whisper, right into her neck. She shook her head and tried to chase away the impure thoughts, but years of chastity had rendered her rather desperate.

“Ah… Just a lot of practice. I have not had any formal training.” She mustered with the most normal voice she could muster. She didn’t miss the ghost of a smile playing at his lips. Up close she could see a five-o'clock-shadow starting to outline his jaw. What would it feel like if she ran her fingers along his cheeks and down to his chin?

“Perhaps formal training would befit someone with such natural talent?” This was a statement he let hang in the room with a pointed look to Declan who was, as usual, not paying attention. She offered a polite smile, desperate to retreat to the solitude of the kitchen away from his dancing gaze. The directness of his attention caused her cheeks to warm. She excused herself quickly and darted back into the main kitchen area.

With the privacy of the kitchen she finally allowed herself to exhale. She fanned her face slightly as she rushed to the wine cellar. Quickly she dug out one of the medium cost whites, one she felt would pair well with her chocolate fudge cheesecake. Taking that back to the kitchen she uncorked it and prepared herself mentally to face him again, albeit briefly as she hurried to tend to her tasks. Pouring the new wine took little time, and lucky for her while she did so the stranger was locked in tense conversation with Declan though she couldn’t catch just what they were arguing about when her thoughts were more jumbled than a cat-victim ball of yarn.

Grabbing their plates of dessert took a little longer as she carefully plated the generous slices of cheesecake. She decorated each with lavish tendrils of warmed fudge and a few hardened chocolate rings. Then she topped with a bunch of fresh raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream. With that she marched the cake out and placed the first in front of her alpha and the last in front of the stranger who’s eyes had followed her the moment she reappeared.

“That looks heavenly, you spoil me.” He smiled warmly at her as she placed the plate in front of him. She could feel her body warm over at the compliment causing her to wiggle slightly in discomfort.

“It is only the courtesy of Alpha Declan, I simply created the food at his order.” It was strange being complimented for her efforts. She wanted him to continue telling her how good it was, how much he enjoyed it… Quickly she ducked her head before he could see her eyes darken with obvious lust. She felt like a raging hormonal teenager, whatever this male was doing to her was fit to drive her mad. She looked to Declan and her fervent fantasies melted away in an instant at the barely repressed rage boiling beneath his calm facade. She bowed respectfully in his direction.

“If you have need for anything else, please call for me alpha.” She tried to ensure her voice was low, calm, and respectful before she glanced one last time at the handsome alpha. What a shame, she thought, that she would likely never see him again. She wondered what a night with him would be like, even if it was nothing more than a schoolgirl’s fantasy.

Inside the kitchen she looked for anything to do to keep her busy until it was time to clear the last of the dishes in the dining room. But much to her dismay she was too proficient in her work, all the dishes were clean, all the food and leftovers packed away, the kitchen itself was clean as well. She peered into the fridge at the steaks left over, wondering if Declan would be ok with her eating them. She had no desire for the vegetables or mashed potatoes. Casting a nervous glance to the door she decided this time it wouldn’t hurt to risk it. She had hardly eaten all day and they were the fruits of her labor after all.

She warmed the steaks once more in a pan before digging in quickly not wanting to be caught eating when she was supposed to be working. But it would seem her worry was unwarranted as she finished with no word from the dining room. She cleaned once more and leaned back against the kitchen counter, her belly full and her anxiety high. Without much thought she poked her head through the door only to find the dining room abandoned, the candles burned out, and things left in disarray. The desserts had been left largely untouched. Had an argument happened and she didn’t hear? She thought back and tried to recall any moment where they would have stormed out, but none came to mind. Rather than give it much thought she quickly cleared the table, wiped it down, and prepared to finish up so she could go to bed.

It took no time at all before she was ready to leave. She quietly snuck her way to the front door hoping she’d stumble across the alphas. For whatever reason she found herself desperate to run across the stranger again. His scent was still heavy, though fading so she had a feeling he had left. The thought that he was gone left her feeling strangely restless and irate. Outside her fears were confirmed when she noted his car was gone. Declan sat in his chair on the porch, fat cigar hanging from his lips and a rather delighted smile pulling at his lips. He pulled the cigar free and looked over at her,

“Wasn’t he a prick?” She was caught off guard by his question. She shuffled from one foot to the other nervously.

“I don’t know alpha, I didn’t interact with him.” He scoffed,

“The looks you were giving him led me to think you’d sure like to interact with him. First time I’ve seen you pant over a man. Too bad he’s about to be crow feed.” He took a deep puff of his cigar and laughed. Her heart thumped in her chest painfully at the implications.

“What do you mean?” His dark eyes lazily rolled up to meet her gaze, a cruel smile twisting his lips. It wasn’t the first time he’d had someone killed, not even the first time he’d had someone killed over feeling insulted, but it was the first time she’d seen such malice and hatred behind his eyes.

“Don’t worry about it. The only thing that matters is he ain’t coming around ever again. So I guess you’d best get over that little crush you had on him.” She was torn between a blind rage and frantic fear. Why was she feeling such powerful emotions for a man who had spoken maybe a dozen words to her? She couldn’t fathom it, regardless she offered the usual platitudes to Declan before calmly walking back to her cabin. The entire time her mind raced with what her heart was telling her to do. It would likely lead to her own demise. Somehow, she didn’t mind that so much.

Chapter 4

Luke watched as she left after delivering the dessert. Truth be told he didn’t care for the dessert despite how heavenly it looked. The taste surely could not compare to her. He wanted her name. Her smile. Her scent. He watched as she disappeared through the door wondering if he could convince her to leave with him.

“You sure do have an eye for things that don’t belong to you.” Declan drawled, the wine glass in his hand nearly shaking. But the man swallowed the contents down in their entirety before he could manage to spill a single drop. Luke felt his instincts kick in warning him of impending danger. Yet rather than feel nervous he felt angry.

“She belongs to no one, she’s an adult. Do I find her attractive? Sure.” He quipped irately. Though attractive hardly did her justice. Her long silvery hair was enchanting. The depths of her cerulean blue eyes could hold his attention forever. Her face was rounded, though not overly so. Her bottom lip was a bit puffier than her top, when he noticed that his thoughts were consumed with the idea of nipping down on them to see how puffy he could get them. After he had noticed her his mind was consumed with thoughts of her rather than the deal he had traveled so far to attempt to make.

“She belongs to me.” Declan snarled, his dark eyes brewing with jealousy. Luke sighed, he had a feeling his chances of signing even a preliminary deal were shot in the foot. All over a woman… A pretty woman sure, but a woman nonetheless. He had been warned by others several times that Declan was a man who cared more about possession than anything, but he hardly thought the man would come unglued after a few compliments to his she-wolf chef.

“I am not here for her. I assure you, I have no intent of taking her. Not that I could, as I said, I believe a woman is free to choose. But that is not what is at stake here. I know our discussion of business has been largely abandoned at this point, but could we at least discuss an agreement for me to bring my machinery out here to sound out some potential points of interest?” He didn’t drive over fourteen hours just to be thrown out over a she-wolf, as delicious as he found her to be. The reality was Declan was sitting on one of the largest likely oil reserves in the country and he was thus far squandering the opportunity.

“We can discuss it another time. The moon rises, and I have other things to tend to. Are you in town long? Perhaps we can meet tomorrow to discuss specifics.” The answer was far more level headed than Luke had expected. It took him off balance, but he responded quickly.

“I can return tomorrow, but I must leave after that for my pack territory. As I said, I had to leave my beta behind and I fear what a prolonged absence may cause.” The lie slipped off his tongue easily and brought an almost sadistic smile on the red-alpha’s face.

“Sure, sure. Who wouldn’t worry? Tomorrow morning then, and I can show you the lay of the land and discuss… Monetary arrangements.” That sounded ominous but Luke decided not to dwell on it just yet. The thought of returning to see the mystery woman again in the morning left him feeling almost giddy.

He took a few polite bites out of his dessert as Declan started to drone on about something or another. He hardly cared what the man said, it was clear he wasn’t interested in talking business any longer. Instead he tried to focus on the taste of the cheesecake. He found it to be rich, perhaps a little too much so, but it melted in his mouth. He wondered if she had made it too. Before he could dig in too seriously though Declan’s voice cut into his thoughts,

“I suppose you should leave now. As I said, I have other things to tend to.” Luke looked up to find Declan already standing and waiting. With a sigh he stood too. A shame to waste the food, but he could use the time to discuss the events with his beta and plan a route ahead. To his surprise though his goal was shifting slightly from an oil deal, to a deal where he could take the silvery-haired she-wolf home conflict free. Would she agree? Was she as attracted to him as he was to her? Goddess he hoped so.

“Certainly. I apologize if I stayed past my welcome.” Declan didn’t seem to care at the polititudes offered. He turned swiftly and led Luke back out to the porch and in turn his car.

“Travel safe now.” His words were ominous, but not immediately alarming. Luke nodded at Declan despite his uneasiness at the sudden shift in mood. The man’s eyes shined under the moonlight with a malice he hadn’t noticed before. It left him feeling there wasn’t a deal to be made after all, oil or woman.

“Have a pleasant evening.” He nodded before stepping into his car. He watched as Declan turned and marched back up the steps of the porch only to flop down into a chair. He took a moment to fish a cigar from his vest and then lit it, his gaze never once wavering from Luke’s car. He sighed, turned his car on, and started down the road. He had about thirty miles of dirt before he hit pavement again. But luckily for him the first fifteen miles or so had cell phone service. Once he was out of sight of the ranch he pulled his phone out and dialed his beta.

“Alpha, how did it go?” His beta answered quickly, his worry palpable. Luke smiled,

“It went about as well as you warned me Koda. You were right, dude’s a fuckin psycho. He’s not like any alpha wolf I’ve known, part of me even wonders if he’s a wolf at all. If it weren’t for his smell I’d think he were some weirdo human cult leader. But there was something there that caught my eye.” He said the last part with a sigh. Koda huffed,

“More interesting than the prospective gold mine under all that damn clay?”

“I think I found my mate, but we were never allowed to touch so I can’t be certain.” This caused Koda to choke and fall silent for several long moments.

“You’re joking? Your mate is a red?!” Luke laughed as he navigated a few corners in the dirt road.

“No. Surprisingly Declan had a she-wolf here from an unknown lineage. She’s got silvery hair and blue eyes. She’s big too, she makes that man look like a damn child. But she was subservient. He didn’t pay any attention to her until he noticed I was paying attention to her.” That caused a bit of anger to bubble deep down in his stomach. He didn’t like being denied the opportunity to interact with his possible mate.

“Huh. Just like that pompous dick to hoard females. I’ve heard rumors he’s got a half dozen mates. She’s not marked is she?”

“No, thank the goddess. She was unmarked and smelled distinct from his pack. I don’t think she’s a gray, but I don’t know for certain.” His heart was hammering in his chest as he wondered if Declan would mark her out of jealousy now. If he felt another male could swoop in, he might just do it out of fear.

“How do you want to handle it?” Koda asked grimly. Luke sighed and ran a hand through is hair taking a moment to steer the car with his knees.

“That’s just it. I don’t know. She showed interest in me but wasn’t allowed to speak to me at length. I could invite her to our pack, but I think Declan would take offense to that. I’m supposed to head out tomorrow morning to discuss the specifics of possibly getting some equipment out here to sound out the area. Maybe if we get a deal hammered out I could spend some time out here seeing if she’s favorable towards me…” Mating was a dance of tradition as males and females carefully tested compatibility. There wasn’t usually just a single partner fated to a wolf, but rather a few who were more or less compatible. It was up to the individual to decide who they fit with more before mating for life. Luke had tried his luck with a handful of females already, but none seemed to suit him or his position in the pack. As an alpha he needed to be far more selective than the average wolf. To feel a strong connection already without even touching her had him feeling as if he’d finally found his one.

“That sounds time consuming. And difficult considering that piece of shit red alpha and his tiny-man syndrome. He could forcefully mark her just to get back at you.” Koda warned. But Luke didn’t need his beta to remind him how tricky the situation was. The real question was how much he wanted to dig in when he wasn’t even sure she was interested, let alone compatible. Well, he was sure she was at least in part compatible. But without commitment from her, it would be difficult to leverage his pack title or anything else to gain access to courting her.

“This is such a fucking mess. I find my possible mate and she’s tied up with the most notorious alpha in the west.” He sighed and leaned back into his seat. One thing was for certain, he was getting no sleep tonight.

“Hey man, I’ll do whatever I can to help.” Koda offered glumly. He sounded committed at least. Luke took a moment to thank the goddess he had such a loyal beta. Best friend beta more like it.

“I appreciate it. When I get back to the hotel we can discuss possible options. I’m half wishing I didn’t lie to that little weasel about your whereabouts, then I could take you out there with me. Oh well, it is what it is.” He looked around slowly as the sun finished its descent behind the horizon plunging the landscape in total darkness. A sliver of moonlight was visible, but the moon was merely a sliver that night. There were a few eager stars that were shining brighter.

“Hey man I’m coming up to the dead zone so I’ll have to let you go for now. I should be back to the hotel in an hour or so, probably forty minutes. We’ll talk then.” He waited for his beta to acknowledge his words before he hung up. He was antsy to get a game plan figured out. Antsy enough he pushed the car just a little faster down the dirt road.

Luke never expected that at the one ninety-degree corner in the road back to town he would have no breaks. Nor did he expect the short cliff on the other side to come hurdling so fast towards him when he pressed down on the breaks only to find no resistance at all. He turned the wheel hoping the car would drift and slow but to his horror all that happened was the car tipped over the edge of the cliff horizontally instead, hardly any slower than when he had tried to turn it.

He felt his stomach lurch up into his throat as the wheels lost contact with the dirt, his car tumbling in the dark for only an instant before crashing down on the roof in the sandy dirt below. The moment the car impacted he was thrust into a world of black followed by a fading horn.

Luke wasn’t sure how long he had lost consciousness, but he was certain he must have because the next moment he could recall was lurching forward, his senses overwhelmed with the smell of blood, oil, and the sound of the car horn going on endlessly. He groaned and tried to figure out where he was and what condition he was in. He knew he had a broken leg at the very least, but the rest of his body was in a significant amount of pain as well. Not to mention he was upside down, his body was crumpled against the roof of the now destroyed vehicle. The seatbelt was still holding him in to a degree, but it had done little to spare him from the impact.

Working quickly he partially shifted his right hand to saw at the seatbelt after having tried to click it free only to fail. Of course sawing at it with his claws took more time than he cared to. Something told him time was not in his favor. The distant rabid howls shrilling into the night only reinforced that sentiment.

“I swear to the goddess if I get free of this and survive I’m going to destroy that sonofabitch!” He swore under his breath as he finally sawed the seatbelt in half. Luckily he had already been pressed up against the roof, but the shift of his body sliding free of the area of the foot-pedals and fully onto the roof was excruciating. He realized instantly he was far more wounded than he had thought. His left leg was broken, both in the tiba and likely femur if he had to guess. His head was pounding, he had shrapnel scattered throughout. And the wolves of hell were hot on his heels. With a string of swears he used his good leg to kick out the rear window before carefully, painfully, and meticulously crawling out into the desert sand.

Chapter 5

Reya paced in her den as the moon slowly climbed into the sky and chased away the sun. She was certain Declan had ordered the murder of the strange alpha. Ordinarily she would leave well enough alone. But this time the thought of this strange man dying had her feeling flighty, hostile, and overall pissed. She sighed and marched into her closet where she dug through piles of work clothes, boots, and various other items before coming to a large plastic gun-box. She pulled it out with a groan before tossing it onto her bed.

Years of working for Declan had been brutal, tedious, and overall not something she enjoyed. But to his credit he did pay her more or less fairly. Her expenses were few, and so this was something she had bought herself only a few years prior. Opening the box revealed a pristine McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle with a heavy long distance scope attached. Next to it lay a small box of .50 BMG rounds which she had loaded herself with a little extra ‘oomf’. She was confident she could get the range she needed.

Pulling the rifle free she was just about to swing it over her back when a quick knock sounded at her door. She snarled, shoving the gun back into the box she quickly hid it under the bed before marching up to the front door. She opened it swiftly prepared to tell Declan to fuck off so she could be alone for the night only to find that it was Declan’s designated pack doctor, a man by the name of Richard. He was an old red wolf, his ginger hair long since graying out leaving him looking rather ancient.

“I have been told you need another dose of your medication.” He deadpanned, shoving his way past her and into her den. He looked around the small cabin with his usual deriding glare before taking a seat at her small table which looked out towards the front yard. He pulled his small satchel free and dug around before producing a capped needle full of a blue-ish liquid she instantly recognized. Her stomach lurched as she watched him pull out antiseptic wipes and a small packet of pills.

“I still have nearly two weeks before the scheduled next dose.” She ground out, her eyes darting to the front window. She could see Burk gathering about a dozen other men. If she didn’t hurry she’d never get in place in time to protect the strange alpha.

“Well Declan seems to think you need a bit more.” His voice was raspy and harsh. He had always been a rather cruel man to her, not caring for her feelings or resistance to the medication. Every time she was dosed she would spend several days nearly incapacitated in a delerium of pain, confusion, and sickness. She’d vomit up anything and everything. The first three times he had dosed her as a child she had to be hospitalized due to malnourishment and dehydration.

“I can assure you I don’t.” Her words fell on deaf ears. He uncapped the needle and motioned for her to sit and pull up her sleeve. She considered refusing, after all what she was planning to do would make her an enemy of the pack. She would not receive an ounce of mercy. Not to mention she fully intended to kill any wolf who threatened the strange alpha, so what would one more make? But she couldn’t kill him so close, she had no other weapons and while Richard was an older man he was by no means weak. If he were to even partially shift he could flay her to the point of bleeding to death.

Begrudgingly she stepped forward and went to sit when a large screaming fight erupted just outside. It was abrupt, so much so that the pack doctor startled and managed to drop the syringe. It rolled towards her, and before he could peel his eyes away from the spectacle or even realize he had dropped it she stepped forward and stepped on it, crushing it.

“Oh! I’m sorry doctor, I didn’t realize… She bent down to pick the empty crushed husk off the floor carefully while whipping up the most innocent face she could muster. He swore at her, snatching the syringe from her hands and throwing it across the room.

“You imbecile! Do you realize how expensive that drug is?! Now I’ll need to go find a new bottle.” He grumbled. Standing he tossed his satchel onto his chair before marching outside, slamming the door in his wake.

“You lot! Shut the fuck up and get to work! You just cost your alpha twelve thousand dollars!” He disappeared in the direction of the pack clinic, a four or five minute walk either way. She watched in a daze as the number ‘twelve thousand’ rang around in her head. She never knew specifically what the medication was for, other than it stopped her from shifting or feeling any urge associated with that of a normal shifter. Declan had started her on it after only a handful of shifts just after she reached the age of transition. He claimed it was for her health, but never expanded on it. If she could she’d burn the clinic down and cost him even more money.

Without wasting any more time she grabbed her rifle and loaded it with a full clip which contained thirty rounds. Slinging it over her shoulder she rushed to the barn to find her horse, a large mixed blood gelding with a snip nose and four white socks. He would be far quieter than a car or motorbike, and he was surprisingly fast on his own. She grabbed his bridle, slipped it on, and led him out before mounting him bareback.

“I hope you’re ready to run boy.” She cooed to him, patting him affectionately before kicking him into a gallop. The men had already shifted and departed, her time to post up was limited. She had a sinking feeling they would probably corner the strange alpha at the ninety-degree corner, a rather infamous spot for accidents. About three miles to the east a plateau sat, it offered the best vantage of the land around. It was there she was confident she’d be able see the fighting and shoot accurately.

Her horse covered the ground swiftly, long legs eating up the distance with relative ease. He was surely crossed with a thoroughbred somewhere in his lineage. Miles fell behind them at an impressive rate, she only hoped it would be enough to save the strange man. Her heart thundered in her chest with each passing moment, urging her to push herself to reunite with the alpha. She had never felt such urges around Declan or any of the other wolves. Not even if they were in danger.

Minutes passed with her carefully clinging to the horse’s back as he navigated the increasingly difficult terrain. He was giving his all as he started the arduous climb to the top of the plateau. The ground was a mixture of sand, clay, rock, and stubborn prickly pears holding the more stable bits of ground together. She huffed, nearly as out of breath as her mount as he finally made it to the top. From there she could see down into the valley below, and to her horror she could see the distant lights of a turned over car. She had guessed right, Declan had aimed for the other alpha to go off the road at the old dried up river-bed. Her vantage was only just high enough to see into the bottom, it would have to do. Any closer and she risked the wolves finding her and tearing her to shreds.

As quickly as she dared she jumped from her horse's back and pulled the rifle free from her own. Carefully she made sure the sight was set and stable before crouching down and taking aim downwards where the upturned car lay. She could hear the howls of Declan’s wolves closing in, and with her slightly-better-than-a-human vision she was able to spot them even from afar in the dark. She took aim at the leading wolf who was closing in on the strange alpha who was scrambling back as quickly as his mangled body could manage. She couldn’t afford to check on him however as she took a carefully practiced breath, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

The resounding “CRACK” that followed left her ears ringing. She felt exhilarated at the power, especially as she watched a cloud of red erupt where the wolf had just lunged at the strange alpha. She wasted no time in taking aim again, the other wolves already scattering as they continued to push forward. They were as singularly focused as she was, despite the threat and despite the corpse of their dead comrade laying just feet away. She smiled as she pulled the trigger again, and once more a spray of red indicated a direct hit. How she reveled in finally getting some revenge on those that had rolled her under their heels for so long. She didn’t know the strange alpha, she had no loyalty to him, but she felt oddly satisfied with protecting him regardless.

There was no time to sit and revel, before she had time to even think she was pulling the trigger again and again. Four shots, four kills. But the fifth shot hit her prey broadside rather than in the head, sending him rolling and screaming into the sand. She swore violently as she lifted the rifle up. The wolves were starting to scatter and move back into the darkness beyond her sight and abilities to shoot. She slung the rifle back over her shoulders and ran to her horse before jumping onto him and pointing him down towards the still screaming car. She didn’t have a lot of time, she knew the wolves would circle back and try again. Especially since the strange alpha was struggling to crawl away. She could see even from the distance he wasn’t getting up, instead he was digging his arms into the sand and pulling himself. He was a sitting duck in a puddle, wings broken, and surrounded.

She galloped down the steep plateau and across the sandy dunes below, her horse puffing and snorting as he exerted himself. She was thankful he was in good shape and enjoyed running long distances, any other horse would have faltered beneath her long before. It took only minutes to reach the road and carefully direct the gelding down the steep slope of the abandoned riverbed. By now the strange alpha had noticed her, his breathing labored and quick as he again tried to scramble anywhere that could provide security. She watched him attempt to get back into his car, but it was no use in his mangled state. She trotted up beside the vehicle and watched as he rolled to his back to snarl at her.

“You!” He growled, the whites of his eyes flashing under the dim glow of the car’s headlights. He looked a mess, his legs bloodied and one clearly broken with a compound fracture. His chest was covered in blood as well as his face. She wondered just how damaged he was, did he need a hospital? They were still miles from town and soon Declan’s minions would be closing in once more.

“We don’t have time.” She snipped. Quickly she dismounted and rushed forward to help him up, but instead of working with her he shrunk back and shielded himself as if she was going to finish him off.

“Get on the bloody horse you idiot!” She snarled and grabbed him by the elbow, roughly hauling him up. He was a well built man, but she had lifted calves heavier. It was a simple task hauling him off the ground, grabbing him under his armpits, and tossing him onto the back of the horse. Luckily her gelding had been the ferrier for many a wounded animal, he didn’t even flinch at her roughshod treatment of the man. She wasted no time in mounting after she had the man secure.

“I assume you have some pack members in town, no?” She maneuvered the horse around to scope out the surrounding area. She could hear the remaining wolves running in the distance, but she couldn’t tell which direction with the incessant horn blaring behind them.

“Y… Yes. My beta is staying at a hotel in town.” The man gasped when the horse crow hopped beneath them.

“Call him, get him to bring a car!” She spun the horse again while pulling the rifle from her back. She had only a handful of shots left, not enough to kill the remaining wolves.

“My phone was destroyed in the crash…” The alpha moaned, quickly wrapping his uninjured arm around her waist as she continued to control the increasingly nervous horse beneath them.

“Then let us hope he realizes something has happened.” She grumbled. Her gelding would not have the stamina to get them to town, especially with wolves at his heels. Still, she had to try her best now that she’d committed murder in her own pack. Quickly she guided the horse back up to the road before kicking him into a steady lope. She only hoped he could hold on long enough to get them to safety.