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“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she denied desperately. “I know him but only because he brings Anna.”

“Yeah, but Anna didn’t start riding with them until you did,” Leah replied, satisfaction in her voice as Jess glanced at her in startled surprise. My gaze switched to Leah, impressed and a little worried by her keen observation.

“I mentioned I might sit with them at lunch. I’m sure he was just curious why I wasn’t over there,” Jess stumbled through a hastily made up excuse, and even though Leah wrinkled her nose like she didn’t believe her, she let it go.

“What do you know about her?” I asked Anna, discreetly gesturing to Leah.

Anna shrugged. “Her dad is a vet. That’s about it.”

“We should keep an eye on her. Especially, if Jess insists on being friends with her,” I mentioned casually and Anna nodded. “Trent and I were planning to go on a hunt tonight. Want to join us?” Our hunt also involved a little scouting, but I wanted Anna to meet Trent and a hunt was perfect. Anna loved to hunt and was easily the best hunter we had. If there was ever a time to introduce her to Trent it would be then.

“I don’t know,” she answered, surprising me. “Lone wolves are dangerous.”

“Trent isn’t like other lone wolves,” I promised, then added, “Caleb is joining us.” It was a dirty trick, dangling Caleb in front of her when I knew she had a crush on him and he was oblivious, but I wanted her to see that Trent was a good guy. I’d decided it was time Trent checked into the motel, giving Jess another layer of protection, and I didn’t want Anna to have an issue with it.

She looked at me, but I kept my face blank and she finally muttered, “Yeah, I’ll go.”

***

Trent met me by the edge of the forest an eager smile on his face. “This should be fun,” he commented and I nodded.

“Someone else is joining us,” I warned him and his face scrunched.

“Caleb, right?”

“Yeah, and someone else,” I replied, rubbing my mouth. He shot me a puzzled look, but then froze, sniffing the air. A second later, Anna showed up, already in her wolf form. Trent stared at the lithe gray and brown wolf in awe.

He pointed to her, shaking his head. “She’s…”

“Yeah,” I answered when he didn’t finish. “This is Anna. Anna, Trent,” I introduced and Anna eyed him warily.

Trent, however, bowed his head, murmuring, “It’s nice to meet you, Anna.”

She snorted, scratching at the ground, her tail high. “I thought we were hunting,” she remarked over the Pack link to me.

“Waiting on Caleb,” I answered aloud for Trent’s benefit. He wouldn’t be able to communicate with Caleb and Anna in their wolf forms since he wasn’t Pack.

A minute later, Caleb jogged up, his eyes widening when he spotted Anna. He glanced at me angrily and i lifted my hand. “Her secret is safe with Trent,” I informed him. “I wanted them to meet.”

“You should have asked me first,” Caleb said tightly, stripping his shirt and shifting before I could respond. He moved to Anna’s side and Trent’s lip curled.

“Easy does it,” I told him over our link. “Caleb’s protective of Anna.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Trent grumbled, shifting quickly. “I’m waiting for him to piss on her.”

I undressed and shifted, already regretting my decision to have them meet. Caleb had surprised me. I hadn’t expected him to have an issue with Anna meeting Trent, since he’d seemed to get along with him fine.

I took the lead as we went deeper into the forest. Trent stayed by my side as Caleb and Anna stucke together. Anna was the first to scent the deer and immediately went after it. Trent circled from the opposite direction, basically herding it toward Anna as Caleb and I tightened the perimeter, making sure the frightened deer didn’t escape.

Anna lunged with lightning fast speed, her powerful jaws clamping down on the deer’s neck as she brought it down. We converged on the felled deer, quickly tearing into it.

Blood smeared our muzzles as we ate, Anna ripping daintily from the carcass as we tore large chunks from it. Our kill drew attention from scavengers and Anna’s ears perked up.

Trent glanced up, letting out a low warning snarl, but it was Caleb who suddenly darted off after something in the brush. The reason why became clear as what Caleb smelled hit us. He’d scented the other wolf before we had, the blood covering our muzzles masking the other wolf’s scent.

“Hanley,” I reported, chasing after Caleb. “Anna, stay back,” I warned, cursing myself for allowing a hunt so close to the Hanley border. I’d wanted to scout, see if we could spot any tracks indicating they’d come onto our land, but I hadn’t meant to get distracted to the point I didn’t notice them stalking us.