Dodging every creaky floorboard I slowly descended the stairs and slipped my boots on. I knew that everyone in the house had supernatural hearing and for today I wanted to be alone. The door squeaked as I opened it and I froze, my heart beating in my chest- thankfully though no one came bursting out of their room.
I ran to the barn, quickly saddling up Obi before thundering out of the barn. The outer paddock fences needed to be checked as they hadn’t been fixed up as of yet and soon I wanted to get the cattle out to the lusher fields to fatten them up before selling season came.
I didn’t have the tools with me but it would be good to show the newbies how to fix fences tomorrow; for now I would just see if they even needed fixing- hopefully not.
After the third fence check I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise- I was being watched. When you’re in the slammer, you become very weary and I learnt to constantly be on high alert- I guess old habits die hard. I turned my head and noticed a streak of grey before it vanished- something was definitely out there. The cold weight of steel on my hip was comforting thought and I knew I also had a knife in my boot- never could be too careful, especially not out here when there’s not a person around for miles and so many wild animals.
For the rest of the day my hunger and agitation grew as I and Obi checked all the fences in the outer paddocks on the North side of the ranch. I could literally feel the piercing stare of whatever or whoever was watching me the entire time, it was unnerving at first but then I shook it off; I knew they were there, but they hadn’t done anything… yet.
It was early afternoon by the time I’d finished the three paddocks I wanted to graze the cattle on when I turned and in the distance saw a grey shape coming towards me; a wolf. It was far away but I knew what it was; I’d become accustomed to seeing them, as now lived with nine of them.
I turned back towards Obi who I knew would be terrified of the wolf; he knew the scent but he was a horse, a prey animal and his fight or flight reflex would kick in, he would run. I tied his reins up so he couldn’t stand on them and let him go; knowing that he’d either return to the barn or wait in the next paddock- though the former was more likely. If he wandered off home it would be a few hours of walking for me to get back and if I needed a quick escape I’d be more than screwed, but Obi was my baby and I wouldn’t let a wolf get him if things turned ugly, plus Chev would probably come looking for me if Obi returned tacked up without me.
I turned and sucked in a ragged breath when I came face to face with a bare chested man. I got a really bad vibe from him though and I knew he wasn’t like Chev or Jake; this man would and could hurt me. He was a werewolf; that much I could tell.
I crossed my arms and squared up to the wolf. “Why are you on my land? This is private property and I can and will prosecute you.”
“This land belongs to the pack and you harbour rouges; my alpha is not pleased.”
I raised my eyes brow and shook my head. “This land belongs to me; I own it, I decide who stays and who goes. You, you need to get off my land before it ends badly for you.” If he thought that I’d kick my friends off my land, he was mistaken; he and his pack of mutts didn’t and wouldn’t scare me.
He growled and I watched as his eyes darkened. “Don’t threaten me foolish girl; this land is part of Alpha Cordero’s territory and he does not welcome rouges.” Chev had told me that my land was outside of pack boundaries and I trusted his word; this man was lying and so was his Alpha. I didn’t suffer liars lightly and I wouldn’t tolerate either of them.
I glared up at him, cracking my knuckles as I looked for weak points on his body. “Get off my land now and tell your alpha that I’m not scared of him or you, and that won’t be told what to do; tell him that I don’t care if he thinks this is his territory because it’s not and if he continues with this farce, I will send hunters after you and you will regret ever messing with me.”
He growled and took a step forward, reaching to grab me and I reacted on instinct. I clenched my fist and hurled it at his face with as much force as I could muster. It hit him square in the face, the sickening crack of his nose echoed through the air, accompanied by his loud growls as he stumbled backwards. I kicked his feet out from underneath him, making him crash to the ground with a curse. Bending down next to his head I draw the long, wicked knife from my boot and held it at his throat. “Get off my land and tell your alpha that he can go fuck himself.”
His hand encircled my wrist, crushing it with the sheer strength he possessed. Pain shot through my arm and I knew that he could and would snap my arm like a tooth pick. With a cry I head butted him, making him release me in shock. My head pounded as I stood, holding the knife as I smoothly drew my gun from my hip, pointing it directly at his head. “I’ll give you one last chance; leave or I’ll shoot.”
He grinned maliciously as he wiped away the blood pouring from his nose. “I’d like to see you try bitch.”
I shrugged and aimed the gun at his knee cap, pulling the trigger with a loud bang. He screamed as his knee shattered on impact and looked up at me in hate.
I shrugged, staring at him with a cold expression. “I gave you a choice and you chose wrong. This land is mine and now that you and your lying alpha have pissed me off, consider this ranch a rouge safe haven; if you try anything, know that I will make sure that you feel pain like you’ve never felt before. Tell your alpha to watch his back.”
“You can’t kill me with that.” He snarled, clawing rabidly at the grass.
I shrugged, keeping my aim on his head. “Perhaps not but it’d hurt like a bitch and I’m sure that once my friends get here, they won’t be happy.”
Slowly he stood, shaking his head at me. “You don’t know what you’ve started little girl; you’ll regret this.”
“That’s debatable; now get out of here unless you want to see how handy I am with a knife.” My voice was dark, almost unrecognisable to my own ears as I threatened him; I was so very different to the girl I’d been nearly five years ago.
He glared at me as he slowly slunk off. “Watch your back.” He shifted into a wolf and limped off in the direction he’d come, but his leaving did nothing to calm the rage within me; I hadn’t been this angry in a long, long time and it never ended well for the one who’d crossed me.
-
“Evan what happened?” Kate asked as she ran out of the house with Lennox, Mary and Jake hot on her tail.
I was still fuming, my wrist felt like it’d been broken and was now a mottle blue with purple and black patches- I’d had worse though, much worse. “Get Chev, Maddox and the others.” I barked, making her jump.
Jake nodded and ran off as Lennox helped Kate down the stairs and Mary went back inside. “My god, your wrist!”
I shook my head as Mary ran out of the house with an ice bag. “I met a charming wolf out in the fields today, thank you.” I said as she handed me the ice pack, hissing as the cold touched the badly bruised skin. Maddox rounded the corner of the house in the next minute, followed by Chev, Jake, the twins and Calvin who held a pair of pliers in his hand.
“What’s wrong, Jake said something happened but he wouldn’t tell us anything else.” I hissed as I moved my wrist around and Mads’ eyes landed on the bruises. “Who did this?” He growled. “I’ll kill them.”
At that I laughed, shaking my head. “That may be a little hard since he’s long gone, but don’t worry he came out a lot worse than me.”
“What’d you do? What happened?” Lennox asked as Chev took the icepack from me and examined my wrist.
“I broke his nose, knocked him on his ass and then shattered his knee cap after he tried to grab me.”
“Jesus, I got off easy; was he a wolf?” Maddox asked.
I nodded and pursed my lips. “From the nearby pack, he came to give me a message from his alpha.” My temper flared as I thought of what had happened. “The bastards seem to think that this ranch is part of their territory and you know what? I don’t care if it is because this is my home.” I looked at Chev and smirked. “You say this isn’t part of their territory, well I believe you; and you know what we’re going to do about it?” I chuckled at the thought of what was to come. “We’re going to rebuild the bunkers and invite every single rouge you’ve ever known to come live here. I’m pissed and I will not be bullied by some alpha who thinks he can tell me what to do!”
All their eyes widened and Chev shook his head, a grin forming on his face. “I do believe they just picked the wrong woman to mess with.”
“Indeed they did; they have no idea what I’m capable of.” I growled, clenching my fists, ignoring the pain. “They have no idea who they just crossed.” They’d soon find out though.