Page 22

Friday morning, Grey headed into town to grab supplies. Little River was a small farming town, but it had pretty much everything a farming community could need: the all-important feed store, a grocery store, a tiny library, a small gas station with a minimart.

Which was the first place he was headed.

Next to him on his phone playing some kind of online game was Avi, who’d come along because they’d all decided not to go anywhere alone for the foreseeable future. He could kick ass in a fight, but he didn’t want to be caught off guard alone in town and become a pawn in that sick fuck Colton’s plans.

His stallion whistled restlessly in his head.

He couldn’t figure out what was up with his inner-horse today, but he’d woken up thinking about going into town, and it wasn’t just because he was in the mood for fresh-baked sourdough bread from the grocery.

“All right, where’s the list?” Avi asked, putting his phone in the cup holder.

“Lists. Plural.”

“Damn,” he said with a laugh. Grey pulled down the visor and handed the slips of paper to his friend.

“There’s a list for the grocery, the feed store, the hardware store, and the truck needs gas too.”

Repairing the barn had taken up a lot of their supplies for the pasture’s expansion, so he had a pick-up order waiting for him. The females’ list for the grocery was for the party, and of course, his sourdough.

“Gas? Why do you have gas for the truck on the list?”

“Because once I get the sourdough at the grocery, I’m going to want to go home and have a big sandwich. I don’t want to forget.”

“Fair enough.”

As much as Grey liked a good run around town for errands, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was waiting for him in town. Maybe Crew and Zara’s newfound happiness was lifting his spirits and giving him hope, and maybe their good fortune would rub off on him and his friends.

He parked in the feed store lot and got out, stretching his legs. He and Avi headed to the grocery next door, then returned to the feed store to get the filled order.

As he got into the truck to stop at the gas station, his stallion tossed his head with a curious snort and Grey looked around. Nothing was out of the ordinary. There were no dangerous herd members watching him and Avi run errands, no sense of danger at all actually. But he was definitely feeling something.

“You looking for something in particular?” Avi asked before getting into the truck.

“I don’t know, man, but my stallion is acting up a bit.”

“Really? Mine’s not.”

He grinned. “Well, you’re just not special like me, bro.”

“Harsh.”

“Let’s go, whatever my stallion is getting worked up about, it’s not happening right here.” He looked around once more and decided he was imagining things. Except something, deep down, told him he wasn’t imagining anything. Maybe Crew and Zara finding each other wasn’t just good luck but proof that the universe worked in very strange ways and things happened when they were supposed to.

Like finding soulmates.

Maybe—just maybe—it was Grey’s time.

* * *

As the hour approached for the ceremony that would not only join Zara and Crew as official mates but also make her the alpha female for the herd, her nerves kicked in. She and Crew hadn’t seen much of each other during the day because they’d both been busy prepping for the night to come.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and she called for whoever it was to come in.

Crew opened the door and smiled at her. “Hi, sweetheart.”

It was a relief to see him. And he looked sexy as hell in a dark dress shirt and slacks.

She moved to him and he pulled her close, lowering his head to her neck for a soft kiss.

“Is this bad luck?” she whispered. “Are we allowed to see each other?”

He chuckled lightly and kissed her neck. “It’s not bad luck and we’re definitely allowed to see each other; it’s not like a wedding where we wouldn’t see each other beforehand. We’re already mated, so this is just a formality. Plus of course, making you alpha female.” He eased back from her and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I could feel your nerves through our connection as mates and wanted to check on you.”

“I don’t know why I’m nervous.”

“I’m nervous too. I think it’s just how it is with this kind of big event.” He reached into his pocket and lifted a slender box. “A mating day gift. I want to make this a tradition for our people going forward.”

“I didn’t get you anything,” she said, taking the box.

“It’s for the male to give to the female.”

Inside was a delicate gold chain with a horse charm. “I love it, thank you!”

He put it on her neck and she touched it, feeling like she could actually hear the whinny of his stallion. Turning back to him, she went onto her toes and kissed him.

“Thank you so much, Crew. I’m so happy to be yours.”

“I love you, sweetheart, and I’m so glad you’re mine too.”

As she murmured against his lips that she loved him too, she heard someone clear their throat and leaned around him to see Nancy and Tris.

“We’ve got something for our alpha female,” Nancy said. “If you don’t mind, Alpha.”

“Of course not,” he said. He stepped back with a meaningful glance. “I’ll see you outside, Zara.”

She nodded and turned her attention to the females, who’d come to be as close as family to her.

“You look lovely,” Tris said, smiling at her.

Zara was wearing a black silk tank and short skirt, with low-heeled sandals. She’d curled her hair and put on a little makeup too.

“Thank you,” she said.

Nancy handed her a box tied with a silver ribbon. “This is for you,” Nancy said, her voice going low and reverent. “When I met Dexter, he’d just formed the herd and there wasn’t any information about the history of his people or stallions in general. A lot of the main history of the horse shifters is lost to time because no one keeps official records and everyone is so secretive. So I decided to write a history myself, which is at the house. I think every alpha female should keep the history of their people, so this is for you.”

Zara unwrapped the package, revealing a leather-bound book. The cover was a deep chestnut brown embossed with intricate patterns of running horses. The pages were thick, cream-colored paper, and there was a leather tie to keep it closed.

“How do I start it?” Zara asked.

“However you’d like,” Tris said. “It’s the history of the Little River Herd and not Dexter and Nancy’s herd, so it’s up to you to fill the pages as you see fit.”

“Exactly,” Nancy said. “You can add Crew’s family history and yours, plus the rest of the herd members. Definitely add in the fight to keep the farm from usurpers.” Nancy put her hand on top of the book and smiled. “It’s for the stories of the herd’s lives—challenges and triumphs, matings and babies.”

Tears stung Zara’s eyes. “Thank you so much. I can’t wait to get started.”

“The next generation of stallions will take over when you and Crew are ready to retire, your eldest child and his or her mate can fill the pages for their people. It’s a blessing to be able to keep a real history.”

“I’ll cherish it.”

The trio hugged, and then Zara set the book on the dresser and headed out to the ceremony with them, ready to get to the best part of the night.

* * *

Outside on the lawn, standing in front of the firepit that blazed brightly in the setting sun, were Crew and Dexter. Nancy and Tris took their seats with the other members of the herd, and Zara walked down the steps and toward her mate, smiling as his heated gaze met hers.

When she’d reached them, she and Crew faced each other and held hands.

Dexter smiled at both of them. “We’re gathered tonight to honor the mating bond between Crew and Zara and to witness two great moments: their mating and Zara becoming alpha female of the herd. These commitments are sacred, bonding not only Crew and Zara to each other, but Crew and Zara to the herd.”

He looked at Crew. “Crew, do you vow to honor Zara as your mate, to protect her, love her, and lead with her for the rest of your life and into the great beyond?”

Crew gave Zara’s hands a light squeeze, his eyes shining with love. “I do. Zara, you’re my heart and my alpha female, and I promise to love you, protect you, and stand by your side forever.”

Dexter nodded and then looked at Zara. “Zara, do you vow to honor crew as your mate, to love him, stand with him, and lead with him for the rest of your life and into the great beyond?”

Emotion bloomed in her as she looked into the eyes of the only male who’d ever held her heart. Her eyes stung with tears, but she blinked them back. “I do. Crew, you’re my heart and my alpha male, and I promise to love you, support you, and face every challenge by your side.”

Dexter put his hands over the top of theirs and said, “By your spoken vows and the witness of the herd, I declare that Crew and Zara are mates from this day forward forever.”

The herd cheered and clapped, and Crew leaned forward and kissed her.

She wanted to kiss him a lot more, but they weren’t finished yet.

As the herd quieted, Dexter presided over the ceremony as the only herd elder, joining her to Crew as his alpha counterpart. She promised to stand by Crew, protect the herd, and uphold their traditions with the utmost care.

“Little River Herd,” Dexter said with a loud voice. “Do you accept Zara as your alpha female and promise to follow her leadership and stand with her and Crew?”

They shouted together, “We do!”

“As it’s been spoken,” Dexter said reverently, “so it shall be. I present to you Zara and Crew, your alphas.”

The herd cheered again, and this time, Dexter stepped back and Crew pulled her close.

“Hello, beautiful Alpha,” he whispered.

Before she could return the sentiment, but call him Alpha S exypants , he kissed her and she smiled. Nothing was better than this, she was certain.

* * *

With the ceremonies finished, the herd gathered for the cookout, the scents of grilled meat and vegetables mingling in the air with the burning wood in the firepit. They ate their fill, chatting and laughing with the herd until the meal was over. Then Crew surprised her with a suggestion that the herd could shift and run and she was so excited to get to see her mate in his shift.

The guys headed into the livestock barn where empty stalls offered privacy for the males to strip and shift.

“I can’t believe I finally get to see you in your shift,” Zara said, taking Crew’s dress shirt and hanging it on a hook on the interior of the stall. “It’s a great idea.”

“It’s been a while since we shifted as a herd, and my stallion really wants you to ride with us.”

When he was stripped fully, he wiggled his brows at her and she blushed with a chuckle. And then he shifted.

She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of watching her soulmate turn from a gorgeous male into a beautiful horse. His coat was a rich gold, his mane pale, and he towered over her. Nudging her with his nose, he snuffled her neck and she giggled, running her hand down his neck and feeling the coarse coat.

They didn’t use true saddles, but they did use blankets, which were fixed around them with wide leather belts. After she got the thick blanket on him, she walked with him out beyond the pasture, then used his mane to heft herself up onto his back.

“Oh wow,” she said, as Nancy and Tris mounted their soulmates’ backs. “This is freaking amazing.”

Crew let out a low whinny and stamped his hooves. She leaned forward and hugged his neck and said, “I love this so much and I love you!” Straightening, she held a handful of his mane and said, “Let’s go!”

They flew off into the night with the herd, hooves pounding, the moon lighting the way as they raced through the territory. Zara had never felt so exhilarated in her entire life, so free and so at peace with the world.

She thought about her parents, and how much she missed them. They would have loved Little River and the herd, and would be so happy to know she’d found a home where she was loved and appreciated for who she was and not just what she could do for others. The long road that led her here, riding her mate in his stallion form, wind in her face and stars filling the sky, hadn’t been easy, but she was grateful for the paths that had brought her and Crew together.

Whatever happened in the future, she had Crew and the herd, and they would face anything that came their way.

Their best days were yet to come, Zara was sure of it.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading Crew!

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Read on for an excerpt from Grey…

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