Jenny knew about darkness, but mostly from the Skin world – alleys and corners where evil things like to hide. This kind of darkness was worse – it stank of malevolence.
“Thank you. Please, can you come inside and have something to drink?”
“I have to leave.”
“Please stay.” Samantha glanced at the woods. “I want to thank you for what you did.”
“No thanks necessary.” Jenny flexed her hands, the need for privacy and isolation rising up once more. Nice as Samantha was, she didn’t want to get involved. Not further.
“Then at least tell me your first name.”
She liked this Lupine, and was glad she’d helped. Names were personal, but she felt no harm in sharing her name, not when Samantha had been grateful and kind.
“Jenny. I have to go. Take care of your son.”
Shifting into her wolf form, she fled back toward the forest, leaving Samantha staring after her.
Leather creaked as Troy adjusted his weight in the saddle. Today he’d joined Darius, the pack beta, along with Snake and three other wranglers in watching over the cattle grazing in the summer field. Dale had assigned him to watching over the cattle because someone, or something, had been killing them. One cow each day, left in the field, drained of blood.
All of the enforcers had been working long shifts, trying to protect the herd.
Ellison, one of the cowboys rode up alongside him. “See or feel anything?”
“No. Nice day. Nothing in sight.”
“Yeah. This is pure living. Love it here.” Ellison flicked his reins. “I settled here a couple of years ago. Came for the cowboy work, stayed and made it my home. It’s a good place.”
He gave Troy a meaningful look. “Aiden and all the rest of us are protective of our way of life and our people. We don’t tolerate those who disrupt it.”
Troy shrugged. “Who said anything about disrupting it? I came to visit, see how things are because Zoe invited me.”
At the mention of Zoe’s name, Ellison’s manner changed. He grinned. “Zoe. She’s great. A little naïve in the ways of the world. She told us how you convinced her to return home. Thanks for that.”
Troy nodded.
He rode a short distance, scanning the herd. It was peaceful, the sun burning the back of his neck, his spirit settled and calm, thinking all was okay since Jenny was safe. They could have a good life here.
The fantasy ended when Darius’ mate Samantha drove up in one of the ranch’s four-wheelers to tell the pack beta how a stranger named Jenny had found a dark crystal in their backyard.
Next to him, Darius leaned forward as he studied his mate.
“And this Jenny saw the crystal you placed in the tree had gone bad? A crystal the rest of us couldn’t find and had no idea where to look?” the beta asked his mate.
A chill raced down his spine, but he kept his mouth shut. Jenny’s presence was known, but he had to be quiet about her, until he found out how they’d react.
Would these Lupines be like others and dislike her for her special powers?
Samantha pushed back at her long fall of blonde hair. “She knew. She saw, somehow. Darius, she protected our son by getting rid of the stone.”
“How did she destroy it?”
Samantha’s gaze flicked to the distant woods. “Trust me, honey, she did. She seems like a private person, but a good Lupine. I think she’s living on the ranch land. You should invite her to stay with us. Let her know she is welcome.”
“She’s an outsider,” Ellison said, frowning. “How can you trust an outsider?”
Darius glanced at Troy. Well damn. He knew others in the pack looked at him with natural suspicion Lupines had for strangers outside the pack, but this was a clear dig.
Troy leaned forward in his saddle. “You got a problem with me, Ellison? Because if you do, stop waffling and tell it like it is. Far as I can see, Aiden and Darius are the authority in this pack and I go by what they say.”
“I trust you. For now.” Darius locked gazes with him, a clear indication that he would give Troy leeway, but if he screwed up, he was gone.
Maybe gone by the way of the pack chasing him down and tearing him up.
That was fine by him, because they didn’t know about his little secret… yet.
“Jenny’s shy. I doubt she would take you up on your invite, Samantha. Not unless I ask her.” He addressed Samantha, locking gazes with her because he sensed she had seen exactly how Jenny destroyed the stone, but wanted to keep that part quiet.
It made him respect her even more.
“Is she your mate?” Samantha asked.
Now everyone stared at him. Time to level. Suddenly the sun seemed too bright, too intense and warm.
“I’d like her to be. Met her a few weeks ago and we’ve been traveling together since. She doesn’t trust many Lupines. Or anyone, for that matter.”
Troy explained how they had met and worked their way to Montana, and how Jenny had stayed in the woods, despite his trying to coax her into visiting the pack.
“I’ll talk with Aiden.” Darius blew a kiss to his mate. “Sam, I’ll see you back at the cabin.”
As Samantha roared away on the ATV, Ellison shook his head. “Darius, all due respect, this guy is new and he’s told you he trespassed on our land! And now you have another Lupine living on pack land, clearly violating pack rules. What gives?”
Ellison frowned. “Maybe we should pay her a visit and show her exactly how we protect our land.”
Troy growled deep in his throat. If anyone dared to set a finger on Jenny, he’d find himself missing that finger, along with several other digits.
The beta held up his hand. “Whoa. Stop it now. Our laws are clear. We don’t tolerate trespassers who intend harm. Period. Jenny saved my son from harm. She did not
