Page 21

Colton paced in the abandoned hunting cabin that was their new headquarters, listening to his injured and moaning second-in-command Silas as he lay on the threadbare couch, waiting for nightfall so he could shift.

He clenched his hands into fists. Nothing had gone like he’d planned.

Zara was too cunning to be trapped right away. He’d thought he could just grab her and run, but the bitch had been handy with a shovel, and then her mate had shown up with that damn burning wooden slat and wielded it like a sword.

They’d moved locations the day before, leaving the campsite behind. The other herd knew where that location was, so it was compromised. They’d packed up and hustled to their new digs, intending to bring her back to the cabin and then lure Crew to his death.

The dusty cabin had a single main room with a few pieces of rotted, old furniture and an outhouse, but there was a well that had a hand pump that worked, and it was secluded enough that they could stay hidden. It wasn’t a good place for them to shift and run because the woods were dense around them, but it would do for now.

Until they were able to take over the farm and oust those assholes once and for all.

He was more determined than ever to take over and take out the whole damn herd. He’d been willing to kill Crew and Zara and let the others run away, but now? Now he was going to kill every damn last one of them. And he’d enjoy it too.

He just needed a new plan.

He’d find a weakness and exploit it.

He’d take them out one by one.

His gaze flicked to his brother, who was perched on a rickety chair and staring out the window. He was young and made dumb choices, and while sometimes they worked out, Colton often had to clean up his messes. Silas was out of commission until nightfall, so he turned his attention to Levi and Asher, who were on the floor and leaning against the walls.

“We need a new plan,” Colton said.

“We had a good plan,” Levi said. “Divide and conquer. We just underestimated Zara’s ability to defend herself and Crew showing up. The other males can fight like hell too.” He winced a little, and Colton knew he’d taken a good beating as he’d been fighting with the other herd’s members.

“And?” Colton said.

“We need to watch them. Figure out their weaknesses. We can’t go rushing in again, they’ll be prepared,” Levi said.

Asher nodded. “If we give them time to settle so they’re relaxed, then we can strike. An opportunity will present itself.”

Colton was about to agree when Weston said, “Why can’t we just make a home here? Clear the land, build a couple houses?”

Colton growled. “It’s not our property. The cabin may be abandoned, but that doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. The last thing we need is for some human to show up and find us camped out here and building on their land. We need our own land, and the farm is the right place for us.”

“All right, geez, I was just asking.”

Colton ignored his brother. “So we watch them and figure out their weaknesses, wait for them to get comfortable, and then we go on the offense.”

“Yep,” Levi said. “It’s not easy to wait around, I get that. We’re all pissed Silas is hurt and that we didn’t get what we wanted out of today. But if we strike too soon, we might lose one of our people and the herd is small enough as it is.”

“You’re right,” Colton said. “Remember those little cameras they had? Maybe we can put some of our own up so we can watch them. They were pretty damn tiny.”

“I can pick some up,” Asher said.

“Do that,” Colton said. “But we won’t make a move to install them or start monitoring for a little while. Let them get comfortable first.”

Eventually, he knew that the Little River Herd would be gone and Colton and his males would take over the farm. Enjoy the peace while it lasts, Crew. You and your herd’s days are numbered.

* * *

It seemed like it took forever for Grey to return to the farm, but when he did, he didn’t look happy.

“What’s wrong?” Crew asked.

“They’re gone.”

Zara frowned. “Colton and his guys? Gone like how?”

“The campsite is empty. I would say it’s been a day or so that they’ve been out of there,” he said, dropping into a chair at the table where the entire herd was gathered.

“Damn,” Crew said. “So we don’t know where they went or what their plans are.”

Zara shivered. She didn’t like that at all. Crew put his arm around her and she smiled at him, grateful that he always seemed to know just what she needed.

“What do we do?” she asked, looking at her mate.

His brows lifted. “Well, I think we just have to keep living our lives. If they left the site and we didn’t have a chance to put trackers on them, then we have no way of knowing what their plans are. We can’t sit around waiting for them to attack. We have to keep doing what we were doing: running the farm, keeping each other safe, and monitoring the territory.”

Everyone nodded.

“I think we’ve bought ourselves some time,” Dexter said. “We’re safe for now, and we’ll keep improving the security for the farm, and also for our home and Khyle and Tris’s.”

“I’m relieved,” Nancy said. “I’m thankful that everyone in the herd is with us and no one was gravely injured during the fight. I have a suggestion for how we can use the time we have in this peaceful moment.”

“How’s that?” Zara asked.

“Let’s have the ceremony and party on Friday night. You and Crew becoming mates in truth and you being named as the official alpha female.”

“Oh yes, let’s!” Tris said. “A big party with good food and music and dancing! Like what we did last night but even better!”

Zara smiled at their enthusiasm. She glanced at Crew and he grinned at her.

“It sounds good to me,” she said.

“We don’t have much time to get things going,” Nancy said. “Us girls need to get planning.”

“Can I grill?” Dexter asked. “I saw a recipe on social media for a compound butter made with garlic and I was thinking about the wild garlic you all found. It would taste great on grilled steaks.”

“That works for me,” Crew said.

“I love a good party,” Zara said, “but I’m really more excited about officially being your mate.”

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Me too.”

Zara, Nancy, and Tris left the table to check out the pantry and make a list of what they needed for the party, leaving the males to talk about upgrading security—because Grey reported he’d seen that the other herd had come right through the dead zones of the missing security cameras—and repairing the barn.

It would be a busy few days, but Zara loved it. It was a welcome distraction from thinking about Colton and what he might do.

While what she wanted was to know that their people were safe from whatever harm might come for them, she knew that they were safe now, here in this big farmhouse in Little River. They’d been attacked and survived, and they were stronger because of it.

“I can’t wait for Friday,” Zara said. “It’s going to be a great night.”

“It sure will be,” Nancy said with a smile. “The first of what I hope are many parties joining herd soulmates together.”

“I hope for that too,” Tris said. “I want all the guys to find their soulmates and the herd to grow.”

“Me too,” Zara said. “There’s nothing like finding the other half of your heart.”