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Crew was positively mesmerized by his beautiful soulmate.
How the hell had this even happened?
He couldn’t believe that he’d almost declined inviting the Valley Herd to stay with them. Then again, he’d been told about Zara but she hadn’t been at the meetup, so he didn’t know she was his soulmate.
He’d seen her walking with Tris and been immediately attracted to her.
She was gorgeous on a hundred different levels. Petite and perfect, curved in all the right places. Her golden hair fell past her shoulders, and her eyes were the most enchanting shade of emerald.
But he hadn’t realized why he was so profoundly interested in her until he talked to her. And then the moment their hands touched, his stallion let him know she was their soulmate.
Damn, her alpha was an ass.
He’d thought he was when he met Colton at the park. He seemed to be holding his ego in check and appearing to be congenial, but Crew couldn’t shake the feeling that the male was operating on some kind of agenda.
But he’d been compelled to let them come stay, and how fucking glad was he that he had?
The kiss? Spectacular.
The way she felt in his arms? Heaven on earth.
And how happy was his stallion? Prancing around like a show pony.
He cupped her face and brushed the streaks of tears from her cheeks. “I should have asked if those were happy tears instead of just kissing you.”
She smiled. “I liked the kiss.”
“Me too.”
“And they were happy tears.”
“I’m glad.” He told her how he’d almost turned Colton down. “Why didn’t he let you come to the meetup?”
She hummed. He dropped his hands and leaned against the top rail of the pasture fence, and she mimicked him. “He doesn’t like me. He’s always thought I was mouthy and too independent. His dad, the former alpha, wasn’t quite as bad, but Colton definitely feels like females should be seen and not heard, you know?”
“I figured,” he said. “So tell me what you know about what happened when the herd was caught by poachers.”
“The males went out to shift and run when the sun set. We didn’t have a lot of females, but they were with their males. I wasn’t welcome to be with the herd for the run, and there were a few males who stayed to watch over the houses. About ten of the herd returned and gathered the males to go get the stallions from the poachers. I found out later that the females had been killed in the melee. The poachers had set some fires to flush out the stallions and corral them, and in their panic, a few females were thrown from their mates’ backs, and one died from smoke inhalation.”
“The alpha died? Colton’s father?”
“Yeah. In the massacre.”
He let that roll around his head. “I’ve only been alpha for a little while. I don’t know what I’d do if poachers abducted my people thinking they were wild horses, but I sure as hell hope that I’d be able to get everyone back alive.”
“I don’t know what happened, but I do know the poachers are dead and Colton was worried someone would track it back to us. He said we had to leave, and when I questioned him, he got defensive. I wish…”
“Wish what?”
“I wish I’d been able to leave the herd, but if I had, I wouldn’t have come here and that would suck.” She smiled at him.
“It would.” While they watched the cows meander around the pasture, she told him about her past, about losing her parents, and never feeling like she belonged, never feeling safe.
“I’m sorry things have been tough for you.”
“Well, it did keep me self-sufficient. I learned to rely on myself because I didn’t have anyone in my corner. I’ve spent a long time trying to make myself valuable by being the best forager I could be, but now that I’m the only female in the herd, I’m a different kind of valuable. Those males don’t know how to make toast or hang laundry.”
“We’ve got Tris as our caretaker, but we hired her because we’re damn busy between the farm and working for our elder Dexter’s construction company.”
He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to worry about being valuable or wanted in his herd, because she was his mate and she’d always have a place to call home. But there were some things they needed to do first.
Like go on a date.
His stallion made some inappropriate comments in his head about where the date might lead, and he shushed him mentally.
All good things in time.
“Listen,” he said, turning to face her. “You’re safe with me, with my herd, here in Little River. I told Colton he and his people could stay for a week and that we’d attempt to help them find a new place to settle in, because I’m not interested in sharing our territory with another alpha and his herd, so they can’t stay forever.”
“I understand.”
“I’d like to offer to let you stay at the farmhouse. The guys and I live there. Khyle and Tris, and Dexter and Nancy, have their own places down the road.” He cleared his throat, suddenly nervous when she turned her gaze to him. “There are plenty of empty rooms in the house, and no offense, but I don’t want my soulmate staying in the barn with a bunch of males, even if they’re part of your herd.”
“I’m not offended,” she said with a little chuckle. “Trust me. I’m so happy, I can’t even explain it. I was just floundering, and now I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. It’s incredible. I’d love to stay in the house.”
She definitely seemed relieved.
“We’ve got the herd dinner tonight, but I’d love to take you out on a date tomorrow if you’d like.”
“I’d love to.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “I suppose we should go back to the others and share the good news, and then see where the day takes us.”
“As long as we’re together, I don’t care what we’re doing.”
“Me too.”
* * *
Crew had a tough time concentrating on anything but Zara. She sat across from him so they could talk, the rustic picnic tabletop between them. On either side of her were Nancy and Tris, the females animatedly talking to her about life on the farm, the herd, and New Jersey life.
Tris and Nancy had decorated the yard with string lights, and the two picnic tables were set up next to each other in a long line, both laden with food. Tris had made her famous beer can chicken, and Nancy had added potato salad and rolls. Crew had personally helped Zara make the blackberry lemonade.
Not that she needed help, but he wanted to spend time with her.
“This is freaking fantastic,” he said, taking a drink.
Zara beamed at him.
“I love it too,” Tris said. “I never thought to put blackberries in lemonade. I usually just make a cobbler. Maybe we could plant some more next year—the thornless kind.”
“That would be awesome,” Zara said.
Crew caught Colton shooting a look in their direction, which told him that the male was listening to their conversation.
Zara caught Crew’s look and tilted her head slightly.
“We’ll talk later,” he said with a low voice.
She nodded and smiled.
There were a lot of things Crew wanted to say, like how she could leave her herd and join his, and how they could become mates in truth, and how he wanted to run Colton and his males out of town and never lay eyes on them again, but he didn’t say any of those things.
Firstly, he’d made a promise as alpha to help, so he was going to.
And secondly, he and Zara both knew they were soulmates, so there was no need to rush anything. Except getting her settled in the house.
As the meal wound down, the females and Crew’s herd helped clean up, and Crew was so happy to see Tris and Nancy include Zara. He didn’t think she’d stopped smiling since their kiss.
Having her with him had settled something inside him.
Maybe it was knowing he wasn’t alone anymore.
Whatever it was, he was glad she’d come to New Jersey.
He caught her around the waist as she walked by, and she settled in his lap with a lighthearted giggle.
“You’re making friends already,” he said.
“They’re so sweet.”
“You fit right in. With all of us.”
Her brows rose. “Do you really think so?”
“Of course,” he said. “You belong here, Zara. With me and my herd.”
For a moment, the sounds of the gathering faded away as she gazed at him. He could feel the connection between them as soulmates, like a thin thread between them. Her lips parted like she was going to say something, but the quiet moment was broken by the clatter of silverware as Avi dropped the handful he was holding.
“Sorry,” Avi said with a grin. “Didn’t mean to interrupt the moment.”
Crew shot him a playful glare, but Zara just laughed, the sound light and genuine.
As Avi finished clearing the table, Zara said, “Thank you, Crew.”
“For what?” Crew asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
“For everything. I’m just so happy to be here.” Her smile lit up her face.
“I’m happy you’re here too.”
This was just the start of things between them, and he couldn’t wait to see what came next.