Page 24

T he sign for Cow Country Rodeo had been decorated with some fall themed garland and lights, but it could probably stand to be repainted.

I walked past the separate bull pens, wondering which of those big bad bastards I was going to draw during my event in just a few hours. The smell of fur, sweat, hay, and dung was thick in the air, making my hypersensitive nose twitch.

I was used to the smells of ranches, farms, and animals, so it wasn’t as repulsive as it sounded.

It was human smells that were often the most offensive. Not sweat or excrement. More the scent of intentions or emotions like cruelty, fear, mendacity, and deviant impulses.

But I wasn’t paying attention to any of the men or animals in that place. My mind was elsewhere. My mind was on my mate.

“Yo, Emmet, help the boss out for a sec,” Kian shouted to me.

“On it,” I said, and turned, flipping him the bird.

It was like a thumbs up as far as I was concerned. More than the ornery Bull Shifter deserved. He’d been ribbing all of us all morning long about our lack of skill and finesse when it came to rodeo events, which was, for lack of a better word, bullshit.

I’d been competing in rodeos since I was fifteen and if Kian needed a reminder, well then, he could just watch me break one of his wild brethren in just a few hours. I walked off towards the stables where Max was checking out the broncos.

“You need something, Boss?” I asked.

“Not really, I just like fucking with Kian. He wanted to know why I needed you when I could just ask him, so I told him because it made a fuck of a lot more sense to ask a starting quarterback for help with my throw, than to ask a third string benchwarmer.”

I snorted a laugh.

“You are so full of shit, Max,” I replied, shaking my head.

I could tell the boss man was nervous, and it humbled me to see him care so much about this whole thing.

From a rich playboy whose days formerly consisted of fuck knows what, Max was now the Alpha of a mixed up Crew of Shifters. He was mated to a former human. And he was the majority owner of a farm/ranch/dairy, whose monthly rodeo competitions were good for the brand, even when we lost.

It was a motley assortment of tomfuckery if ever there was one. I wouldn’t have blamed him for skipping town if he had in the beginning, but he didn’t. Max stuck it out.

He proved himself as the Alpha, as a man, and as a mate to Penelope. My Wolf held him in high esteem, and I knew I’d made the right decision to come here.

Even more so now that I was mated and getting married. Jezebel already wore my bite mark and my ring, but I couldn’t wait to see her wear my name.

When I came to Dry Creek, to the Motley Crewd Ranch, I was a broken Wolf.

But not me. Not anymore. Not ever again.

“How are we looking?” Max asked, dipping his chin at the horse we were both watching.

I dropped my hands against the top rail on the fence where one nasty looking brute was snorting aggressively.

“Well, if you hold and keep your head like I taught you, you’ll be fine. Remember, half the battle is mental, Boss,” I said.

Max had already been through all the physical training, mental preparation, and equipment readiness check that bareback bronc riding demanded.

Even Shifters had to work out and plan meticulously when competing in human events so as not to reveal the supernatural secret. There was a fine line, and we could not afford to cross it.

Targeting core muscles was essential for maintaining balance on top of a wildly bucking horse. I remembered those days well, even though I’d moved on to bull riding.

It was quite the feat, getting the bull to settle once he smelled my fur. Demon was a predator. The bulls sensed that. They knew death was on their backs and they fought like hell to rid themselves of me.

I admired them, and even when I lost, I won. Every ride was another lesson in what to do and not to do. Every second I spent riding, I was learning.

“I’ve already gone over every scenario I could think of. I’m aiming for second today,” Max said, and I nodded.

It wasn’t conceit. Max had the physical strength of his Devil, but he also inherited magic and sometimes it was more challenging to rein that all in than it was to stay on the horse’s back.

I admired his tenacity. My own rides had been more or less average since the move to New Jersey, as I did not want to garner any unwanted notoriety or attention.

But each time I closed my eyes, I could feel the rush of adrenaline surging through my veins, igniting a fire within me. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. I was eager to get back in the ring. To show off in front of Jezebel.

My mate.

“Good. You remember to twist with the bronc, and you’ll be good, Boss.”

“Yeah. Got it,” he replied easily.

We stood in companionable silence for another moment, then I blurted out the question that had been on my mind all week.

“Um, I was wondering, well, you know I asked Jezebel to marry me,” I said.

“Yeah? Hot damn! Congrats,” Max replied, a knowing look on his face since the Jersey Devil was recently engaged himself.

“Yeah, um, I wanted to ask?—”

“If we could double wedding? Cause that might not work with my family. Or did you want to have to at the ranch? Maybe if we get the new barn built in time. But you are going to have to tell Jed you don’t want Dolly Sue, Dolly May, Dolly Lou, Dolly Lee, or whoever the heck, to be your ring bearer.

I swear that old Prairie Dog is hard of hearing.

He’s actually been training them with little pillows and everything.

They aren’t half bad except for Dolly Sue.

She keeps eating the pillows,” he said and frowned.

I laughed and shook my head.

“No! I wanted to ask if you would be my best man!” I yelled over whatever nonsense he was still uttering.

“Oh,” he replied, eyes wide. “Shit, Emmet, I wasn’t ready for that. Get over here,” he grumbled and tugged me in for a hug just as Kian, Dante, and Zeke ambled over.

“What are you doing?” Dante asked, and he looked horrified.

“Can’t you tell? They’re having a bro hug! I want in!” Kian shouted before wrapping his arms around me and Max.

“Get off me,” I growled, my arms pinned to my side.

“Just let it happen. Let the love in,” Kian said, and I swear that fucker was smiling.

“Come on, Zeke,” the Bull said.

“Fuck no. You guys can all enjoy your little threesome alone,” the Dragon replied, grabbed a saddle from the rack, and stomped off.

“Don’t deny our friendship!” Kian shouted after him. “How about you, Yogi?”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” Dante snarled.

“That goes for me too,” I said, struggling against both those fuckers’ holds.

Max was wheezing, he was laughing so hard, but eventually he shrugged and sent Kian flying into the wall.

“Enough of that,” he said.

“Um, Emmet?” Dante was holding up his phone, frowning hard.

“What’s up?”

“Have you heard from Jezebel?”

Thunder started low inside my ears as I stalked towards the Bear. I shook my head, took his phone from his enormous hand, and read the messages from Avery.

There were five.

Avery

Hey, Sorry to bother you, but I don’t have Emmet’s number and Jezebel was supposed to be here ten minutes ago to get her order. Can you ask him if she is there?

Avery

Still waiting. I called the drive-in. The boys have not heard from her.

Avery

She isn’t answering her phone.

Avery

I am not sure what to do. Penelope said not to call the police. She is out looking for Jezebel’s car.

Avery

Please get Emmet. Penelope found her car on the side of the road. Something is wrong.

“Fuck!” I snarled, Demon pushing against my skin.

“What is it?” Max asked, suddenly standing right beside me.

“Jezebel. She didn’t get to the bakery,” I snarled, unable to control the Wolf.

I started running towards my pickup, aware that the rest of the Crew were keeping pace with me.

“You don’t have to do this. I know the ranch needs these rodeos for advertising,” I said.

I was shaking with fear or rage, I was not sure which. Maybe both.

Please be okay.

“Jezebel belongs to you, and that means she is one of us,” Dante rumbled.

“Bear’s right. Let’s go,” Zeke said.

“Shut the fuck up and drive, Emmet,” Max commanded, but I was already turning the key without his Alpha order.

He pulled up Penelope’s location on his cell phone, and I raced to the back road where Jezebel’s car was laying in a ditch, abandoned.

Penelope ran to Max, who’d jumped out of the car at the same time I did. Only I was headed for the driver’s side.

“T-There’s blood,” Penelope whimpered.

“No, no, no!” I snarled, and dropped to my knees, fighting against my Wolf.

Demon was pushing so hard to get out. But I needed to keep my skin to find the bastards who hurt my mate.

I pushed the monster down and looked at what was right in front of me.

Blood on the door. It was hers.

Fuck. No.

I sniffed.

Fur. Wolf.

No, it was more than just a Wolf.

I knew that scent. I took another long inhale, ignoring the sounds of my Crew as they did their own investigating.

This was a Wolf I thought I was rid of. A Wolf I never expected to see again. A Wolf who’d just signed his own death warrant.

I closed my eyes, allowing Demon to rise inside of me. At the last minute I turned to my Crew. Locking gazes with Max, I said in an inhumane voice the last words I ever wanted to say.

“I know who has her.”

And I was going to make him suffer.