Page 13 of Alpha’s Vow (Copper Canyon Shifters #3)
CHAPTER 13
SABLE
T he morning sunlight spilled over Copper Canyon Ranch, painting the pastures and rolling hills in shades of gold and green. Sable stood on the front porch, the warm breeze brushing her hair as she gazed out at the sprawling landscape. It was beautiful, undeniably so, but the ache in her heart wouldn’t let her completely enjoy it. The ranch was full of life and connection, a stark contrast to the empty silence she carried inside.
The sound of laughter drifted from the barn, pulling her from her thoughts. She glanced toward the source, where Bryce and his brothers, Colt and Landon, were preparing for the day’s work. Their easy camaraderie was impossible to ignore, their bond so natural and unspoken it made Sable’s throat tighten.
She turned away, stepping back inside the house. The warmth of the Savage family felt like a double-edged sword—inviting and sharp, a reminder of what she’d lost. The pack she’d once had, the love and laughter they’d shared, felt so distant now that it was almost a memory of someone else’s life.
“Hey,” Briar’s voice broke the quiet as she entered the kitchen. Colt’s mate was standing by the stove, her hands deftly flipping pancakes. “Hungry?”
Sable hesitated, the simple question feeling like an invitation to something bigger. “A little.”
Briar gestured to a plate on the counter. “Help yourself. Etta is away visiting a friend. Dakota and I made enough to feed an army, which is pretty much what this pack is.”
Sable managed a small smile as she picked up the plate. Briar and Dakota had been kind since she arrived, their acceptance unspoken but genuine. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was intruding on something she didn’t deserve to be part of.
“Thanks,” Sable said, her voice quiet.
“You’re welcome,” Briar replied, her tone warm but perceptive. “And if you ever want to talk, I’m here. No pressure.”
Sable nodded, her chest tightening as she took her plate and slipped out the back door. The ranch’s openness pressed against her, the beauty of the place clashing with the chaos inside her.
In the evenings, training with the Savage brothers was unlike anything Sable had experienced before. Bryce, Colt, and Landon were forces of nature, their movements swift and deliberate as they pushed her to the limits of her strength and endurance. Their bond as brothers was evident in every exchange—unspoken understanding, teasing insults, and fierce loyalty.
That evening, she and Bryce worked alone away from the ranch.
“Faster, Sable,” Bryce barked as she darted through the trees, her wolf instincts sharpening with every step. “Don’t hesitate. Trust your gut.”
Her muscles burned, her breath coming in sharp bursts as she dodged a low branch and lunged over a fallen log. Bryce was relentless, his eyes tracking her every move with an intensity that made her heart pound for reasons that had nothing to do with exertion.
“You’re holding back,” Bryce called, closing the distance between them effortlessly. “Why?”
Sable growled, frustration flaring as she pushed herself harder. “I’m not holding back.”
“Yes, you are,” Bryce countered, his voice low and challenging. “Stop thinking. Let go.”
She snarled in response, her wolf surging forward as the swirling mist spun up around her and she shifted mid-step. Her claws dug into the earth, her senses heightening as she moved faster, her instincts taking over. Bryce was right behind her, his wolf larger and darker, a shadow that pressed against her heels. The thrill of the chase sent a jolt of adrenaline through her, the bond between them humming with quiet intensity.
When she finally skidded to a halt at the edge of a rocky outcrop, her chest heaved with exertion. Bryce dropped a small pack on the ground as he shifted back, his expression unreadable as he stood a few feet away, his broad shoulders glistening with sweat.
“That’s more like it,” he said, his voice low and approving.
Sable glared at him, the heat of his presence making her wolf bristle as the swirling mist enveloped her. She emerged from the transformational mist as human. “You’re insufferable.”
“And you’re stubborn,” Bryce shot back, a faint grin tugging at his lips. “But you’re learning.”
She rolled her eyes, brushing past him as she started back toward the ranch. The sound of his low chuckle followed her, and despite herself, she couldn’t suppress the flicker of satisfaction his words stirred.
“Here,” he said, tossing her some clothes. “You might want to take these.”
She stopped long enough to growl at him and put on the clothes. Bryce’s laughter followed her as she turned her back on him and continued on her way.
Later that night, unable to sleep, Sable left Bryce’s bed and wandered down to the stables. The warm scent of hay and horses greeted her as she stepped inside, the dim glow of a single lantern casting long shadows across the stalls. Ghost nickered softly as Sable approached, her presence a quiet comfort.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Bryce’s deep voice cut through the stillness, startling her.
Sable turned to find him leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed and his eyes watching her with a mix of curiosity and something deeper. “What are you doing here?”
“Same as you,” he said, stepping inside. “Couldn’t sleep.”
She turned back to Ghost, her fingers brushing over the mare’s mane. “I needed space.”
“I figured.” Bryce’s voice was calm, but his presence filled the room like a storm waiting to break. “You’ve been pulling away.”
“I’m not pulling away,” Sable snapped, the hostility in her chest spilling into her tone. “I’m just… trying to figure things out.”
Bryce stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low rumble. “And what have you figured out?”
Sable’s fingers tightened on Ghost’s mane, her heart pounding as Bryce closed the distance between them. “That this isn’t my place. That I don’t belong here.”
“Bullshit,” Bryce said, his tone sharp but not unkind. “You belong here more than you think, Sable.”
She spun to face him, her eyes blazing. “Why do you keep saying that? You don’t know me.”
“I know enough,” Bryce said, his voice steady. “I know you’re strong, stubborn, and fiercely loyal. I know you’ve been carrying this pain alone for too long. And I know you’re my mate.”
The bond between them flared, hot and undeniable, as Bryce’s dark eyes locked onto hers. Sable’s breath caught, the intensity of his gaze burning through every defense she tried to hold.
“You can’t just say things like that,” she said, her voice trembling.
“Why not?” Bryce challenged, stepping even closer. “Because it scares you? Because you know it’s true?”
Sable’s fists clenched at her sides, her wolf bristling at the challenge in his tone. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re running,” Bryce shot back, his voice softening. “But I’m not letting you run from me. As relentlessly as you’ve dogged these hunters, I will follow you and keep you safe.”
The air between them sizzled with intensity, their emotions pressing down like a storm on the verge of breaking. Sable’s chest heaved, her heart pounding as Bryce’s hand reached out, his fingers brushing against hers.
“I hate you,” she whispered, though the words lacked conviction.
“No, you don’t,” Bryce said, his voice low and rough.
The sun hovered just above the horizon, coloring the pastures of Copper Canyon Ranch in soft hues of gold and pink. Sable stood in the round pen, her hand outstretched toward the enormous mustang that pawed at the ground, its dark eyes filled with suspicion. The air was still, save for the occasional rustle of wind through the trees, and the scent of hay mingled with the warm tang of the earth.
Bryce leaned against the fence, his eyes fixed on her with a mix of curiosity and something deeper. He hadn’t said much since they started, giving her space to work, but his presence was palpable, steady. It was a sharp contrast to the wild, unpredictable energy of the horse in front of her.
“You’re not going to break him by force,” Sable said, her voice calm but firm as she glanced over her shoulder at Bryce. “That’s the first thing you need to understand.”
Bryce arched an eyebrow, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “I figured as much. But how do you get him to trust you?”
“You don’t get a mustang to do anything,” Sable replied, turning her attention back to the horse. “You let him come to you. You give him the choice.”
The mustang snorted, tossing its head as it backed away a few steps. Sable didn’t move, her hand remaining steady in the air. “It’s about patience. Understanding their instincts. They’re not like domesticated horses. They don’t know humans, and they don’t trust us. You have to earn it.”
Bryce watched her closely, his gaze lingering on the way she carried herself—confident, calm, yet coiled with energy like a spring. “You were pretty picky about the horses we got.”
“If we want to do this right, we’re going to need big mustangs with substantial bone if we want them to hold up. And we’re going to teach them to buck, not because they’re being hurt or abused, but because it’s their job.”
“Is that why Ghost is so fast and so dependable?”
Sable nodded. “She knows what her job is and is treated really well for doing it. It’s a partnership. Our horses won’t have a partnership with the cowboys trying to ride them, but they will with us.”
“And we will ensure they are treated well.”
“Exactly.”
The mustang dropped his head and regarded her with a softer eye and his ears forward.
“Seems like you’ve got this down to an art.”
“It’s not an art,” she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “It’s survival. Mustangs know how to read intentions. They have to out in the wild. If they sense even a hint of aggression, you lose them.”
The mustang took a tentative step forward, its ears flicking back and forth. Sable’s heart quickened, but she kept her breathing steady, her movements slow and deliberate. She’d done this a hundred times before, but each horse was different—a new puzzle to solve, a new trust to earn.
“Let him come to me,” she murmured, more to herself than to Bryce.
The horse took another step forward, then another, until its nose was inches from her outstretched hand. It sniffed cautiously, its breath warm against her skin. Sable smiled, a quiet sense of satisfaction blooming in her chest. “There we go.”
Bryce’s voice broke the moment, low and full of admiration. “You make it look easy.”
“It’s not,” Sable said, stepping back slowly to give the mustang space. “But it’s worth it.”
She turned to face Bryce fully, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Do you want to try?”
His lips curved into a faint grin. “You think I can handle it?”
“You’ll have to learn,” she said, bringing him to stand beside her. The mustang took a step back, and Sable cooed to him before saying to Bryce, “If you’re serious about breeding rodeo stock, you’ll need to understand how these horses think.”
Bryce offered his hand as she had—outstretched, palm up. His fingers brushed against hers briefly. The touch sent a jolt through Sable, the bond between them pulsing like a high-voltage line. She stepped back quickly, focusing on the horse to steady herself.
“Just remember,” she said, her voice steady despite the heat in her chest. “Patience is key.”
As the hours passed, Bryce worked with the mustang under Sable’s careful guidance. He was a fast learner, his natural confidence tempered by a willingness to listen. Sable found herself watching him more than she intended—how his hands moved with surprising gentleness, how his eyes focused intently on every step.
“You’ve got a knack for this,” she said eventually, leaning against the fence as Bryce led the mustang around the pen. “Most people would’ve given up by now.”
“Guess I’m not most people,” Bryce replied, a teasing edge to his voice. But there was something deeper in his tone, a quiet sincerity that made the hope flickering in Sable’s chest burn just a bit brighter.
“No,” she said softly. “You’re not.”
Bryce turned to her, his gaze locking onto hers. The intensity in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine, the bond between them pulsing with quiet insistence. Sable looked away quickly, her fingers gripping the fence as she tried to steady her racing heart.
“You okay?” Bryce asked, his voice softening.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, though the words felt like a lie. She wasn’t fine. She was caught in a whirlwind of emotions she didn’t know how to handle—anger, longing, fear. And beneath it all, the quiet, terrifying hope that she might have a future here.
That night, Sable found herself in the barn again, her thoughts restless as she brushed down Ghost. The rhythmic motion was soothing, but it couldn’t drown out the doubts that circled in her mind. Could she really build a life here? Could she allow herself to want something more than vengeance?
The sound of boots on barn floor pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Bryce standing in the doorway, his broad frame silhouetted by the moonlight. His eyes were steady as he stepped inside, the quiet strength of his presence filling the space.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his voice low.
Sable shook her head, her fingers stilling against Ghost’s coat. “Too much on my mind.”
Bryce leaned against the stall door, his gaze fixed on her. “You’re thinking about leaving.”
It wasn’t a question, and Sable didn’t deny it. “I can’t shake the feeling that I’m wasting time here.”
“You’re not,” Bryce said firmly. “You’re healing. Whether you want to admit it or not.”
She turned to face him, her eyes blazing. “I don’t have time to heal, Bryce. Every day I spend here is a day they get further away.”
“And every day you spend here, you get stronger,” he countered, his voice sharp but not unkind. “You’re not going to win this fight by tearing yourself apart. You need to find balance—something to offset the anger and grief. It won’t make your skills or instincts duller; it’ll make them all the sharper. If you don’t find a place to breathe, it’s going to tear you apart, and then the hunters really will have exterminated your pack.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. Bryce was too close now, his eyes burning into hers, his presence overwhelming in its intensity. The bond between them flared, hot and undeniable.
“Bryce,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“It’ll be okay, Sable. Just give yourself permission to find happiness again,” he said, his voice a quiet promise. “It’s what they would have wanted.”
The space between them disappeared, and before she could think, Bryce’s lips brushed against hers. The kiss was soft at first, a tentative exploration, but it quickly deepened, the heat between them igniting into something fierce and consuming.
When they finally broke apart, Sable’s breath came in shallow gasps, her heart racing. Bryce’s hand rested lightly on her cheek, his gaze searching hers.
“This doesn’t…” she started, her voice shaky.
Placing a finger against her lips, he replied, his voice steady. “It changes everything, and you know it.”
Sable didn’t respond, her thoughts too tangled to unravel. But as Bryce’s hand slipped into hers, she felt the faintest flicker of something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in years—hope.