Alex and Angelica (7th in werewolf series)

Chapter Seventeen

"She had it rough for a while but she's gonna have it a lot better from now on." Alex said as he ran his hand over the horses neck.

"What's her name?" Angelica asked, feeling a sort of kinship with the animal.

"I don't know." Alex replied. "You haven't named her yet." Angelica frowned.

"Why would I name Laney and Hunter's horse?" she asked. Alex grinned when she looked over at him.

"She's not Laney and Hunter's horse. She's yours. I got her for you." The disbelieving smile that lit up Angelica's face was worth every penny Alex had paid for the beast. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart." he replied and he moved her back just enough so he could kiss her. The kiss started out innocent enough but then turned hungrier as they clung to each other in the dusty barn.

"Hmm...Hmm..." They broke apart, breathing heavily and looked over at Laney who was watching them with a smile on her face. Hunter was standing behind her but he had his back to them and was staring intently off into the yard as if embarrassed to have caught them in such a situation.

"Do you like her?" Laney asked pointing to the appaloosa.

"Yes. She's beautiful." Angelica replied. "I think I'll name her Smoke."

"Smoke?" Alex asked.

"Yes. She looks like smoke." Alex couldn't argue with that and he smiled.

"You wanna ride her?" he asked and Angelica beamed.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

"We can all take a ride." Alex said looking at Laney and at Hunter who had finally turned and stepped into the barn.

"You're going to ride a horse?" Hunter asked, raising a brow and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah cowboy, you got a problem with that?" Alex asked with a grin. Hunter shook his head.

"You'll be the first green haired man I've ever seen on horseback." he admitted.

It didn't take long to get four horses saddled and they started into the woods. It was beautiful and Angelica enjoyed the scenery and the peacefulness that she felt with Alex by her side and without Victor's voice in her head.

"It's beautiful out here." she said.

"The kids love it when we bring them out here." Laney agreed.

"Kids?" Angelica asked and Hunter nodded.

"There's a group of orphans that come out about every other week or so and we take them horseback riding on the trails around the house."

"I'd like to come with you sometime." Angelica replied and Laney nodded.

"They're coming back out in a few days. We'll let you know so Alex can bring you." Angelica looked over at Alex to see him smiling at her and she knew that there was no way in the world she could ever love him more.

'What if we kill him, dear Angelica. What if I drive a silver stake through his heart and force you to watch the blood drain from his body? What if suddenly he is gone forever and you have to live the rest of your life all alone? You will never find another man who is willing to love and touch you the way he does. You will waste back to nothing and live out the rest of eternity locked in that cabin, driving our son insane with your craziness.' Angelica let out a strangled cry of fear, sadness and desperation at Victor's words. She hadn't heard his voice in so long and the words he said filled her with more fear then she had ever felt in her life.