Page 23 of Destined Prey (Wild Ones #1)

Chapter Eighteen

Jack stared at Ernesto, and the man Ernesto had a hold of. Aldan’s right arm was twisted up behind his back, because Ernesto had him in some kind of painful-looking grip.

“Found this asshole sneaking around the north pasture with that”—Ernesto pointed behind him—“beast. Makes me wonder what exactly killed those calves a while back.”

That beast was a huge dog being led by a nervous-looking Javon. There was a cloth muzzle around the dog’s mouth. Aldan had his lips pressed so tightly together that a ring of white framed them.

“We’ve had wolves and such on the ranch, Ernesto, you know that. You helped dispose of them last week,” Rhett said. “Aldan, what the hell are you doing back here? I fired you and Vince both for being assholes. You aren’t up to anything good out here.”

Aldan jerked against Ernesto’s hold. Jack flinched at the sudden movement, pulse kicking up. He knew Ernesto had him locked tight, but something about Aldan’s feral energy made the hair on the back of his neck rise.

“Let him go, Ernesto,” Rhett ordered.

Ernesto turned his head and called to Javon. “Put that dog in the cab of the truck.” Then he growled at Aldan, “You give that thing any kind of attack order, and I’m taking you out.”

The air crackled with tension. Jack stared at Ernesto.

The man looked more dangerous than the dog.

Jack wondered how he hadn’t noticed that before.

Ernesto always smiled and seemed laid-back, but there was nothing of that in him now, as he held on to Aldan and stared him down.

When Aldan lowered his gaze, Ernesto gave him a shake then released him, though he stayed right behind Aldan.

Javon loaded the dog into the cab of the truck, then shut the door. The windows were down a few inches and it wasn’t hot out, but Jack wouldn’t let them leave the dog in there for too long.

“Now,” Rhett said, “what the fuck are you doing on our property?”

Aldan spat and just missed Rhett’s boot. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

Rhett moved so fast that Jack was startled and leapt back. Rhett grabbed Aldan by the front of his shirt and shook him, hard. “I am so fucking tired of stupid people! This is our ranch, and you’re gonna answer me!”

Aldan swung at him.

Rhett roared and shoved Aldan back. Ernesto danced out of the way just as Rhett followed the shove with a fist to Aldan’s jaw.

Inside the truck, the dog began to raise a ruckus, having escaped its muzzle somehow.

Jack and Ernesto moved in on Rhett and Aldan as the two men fought.

Javon and Phil raced over, but Jack gestured for them to stay back.

Rhett wouldn’t appreciate any interference, and Aldan wasn’t showing any signs of wanting to back down.

As long as no one was going to get permanently injured, Jack knew they needed to handle this just as they were.

Violence wasn’t something he cared for, but this wasn’t him.

Rhett landed a second punch to Aldan’s jaw, then took one to the chin himself. He cursed and slammed two quick hits to Aldan’s gut and almost evaded one to his temple, but not quite.

Jack gasped. Rhett came at Aldan in a blur of fists and cuss words.

Aldan took it for about fifteen seconds, then cried out, “Stop!”

Rhett immediately pulled back, hands bloodied and fisted, chest heaving as he wiped at his mouth. “Now,” Rhett ground out. “You better fuckin’ talk, or I’m having you arrested for trespassing and assault.”

“Yeah, we saw him throw the first punch,” Javon added.

Aldan squatted and groaned. “Goddamn, I think you broke my ribs.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have swung at him, idiot,” Ernesto drawled. “And spitting at someone is nasty.”

“Why were you on the ranch?” Jack demanded, ready for this entire thing to be over. He wanted Aldan and his dog gone. “I get that you hate me because I’m gay, but whatever, man. Don’t be any more stupid than you already are.”

“This ain’t about you,” Aldan muttered. “Something’s fucked up about this place. All the wolves and coyotes and shit. It ain’t normal. Like that one that got away a few days ago, just seemed to disappear.”

“Wild animals trying to survive aren’t normal?” Jack asked, his heart racing as he tried to battle back fear.

Aldan glared at him through one badly swelling eye.

“Y’all ain’t put out traps. I’d have heard about it.

Why ain’t you tryin’ to catch and kill the animals killing off your herd?

Why ain’t other ranchers talking about all the problems they’ve had with coywolves, especially?

Ain’t anyone else seen ’em around except the people on this ranch? ”

How could he know that? Jack wondered which of the current ranch hands were running their mouths.

Suspicion made him look at each of them critically.

Ernesto, Javon, and Phil… Javon was the newest hire, so he’d have no prior knowledge about the former attacks on the ranch.

Unless Ernesto or Phil told him. Or Aldan or Vince could have done so. Damn, I just don’t know!

Ernesto seemed to catch on to Jack’s train of thought, because he shook his head. “Wasn’t me, Jack.”

“Who?” Jack demanded to Aldan. “Who is talking about any of this?”

Aldan laughed, then spat out blood from his busted lip. “You oughta know people got nothing better to do than talk. Especially men who were fired ’cause a queer wanted to come play cowboy.”

“Get him out of here,” Rhett snapped. “You show up here again, Aldan, you or anyone else who doesn’t work here or isn’t a guest, and we’ll do what the law allows when it comes to trespassers or cattle rustlers.”

“I’m not a rustler!” Aldan sounded truly offended by that.

Rhett leaned down close to his face. “Well now, we don’t know that, do we? If we come across someone skulking around the ranch when they shouldn’t be.” He straightened up and let the threat hang there as Aldan stumbled to his feet.

Jack wasn’t sure, but he thought Rhett had just threatened to shoot Aldan on the spot if he was caught on the ranch again.

He wasn’t going to ask for clarification.

Rhett’s voice had been too calm, too deliberate, and Jack recognized that edge in him—the same one he used when putting down a sick calf or facing off against a predator.

He waited until Javon and Phil had put Aldan and his dog in the bed of the truck and driven off.

“You think he’ll be back?”

“I hope not,” Rhett muttered. “Fucker has a powerful right.” He cupped his jaw. “I’m gonna be eating soup for a couple of days.”

“Ice and ibuprofen,” Ernesto advised. “I don’t know what Aldan thinks is going on out here. Does he believe we’re doing some kind of coywolf-whatever-other-wild-animal voodoo? That man isn’t right in the head. Though, maybe you knocked some sense into him.”

“Doubt it. So who’s been talking?” Rhett asked of Ernesto.

Ernesto shrugged. “Not me, and I bet not Phil or Javon, either. At least, not to Aldan directly. I can’t say as whether or not they haven’t said something to family or a friend about what happens here.

People tend to talk about their jobs, but if they have, I don’t think they’ve done it to be malicious. ”

“What about you?” Rhett nodded at Ernesto. “You talk to friends and family about your job?”

Ernesto’s grin conveyed no warmth at all. “Don’t have either. You could say I’m a lone wolf.” Then he tipped his hat at Rhett. “I better get back to work.”

Jack and Rhett exchanged glances as Ernesto walked off. When he was out of sight, Jack asked, “Do you think he meant…he’s an actual wolf?”

“Nah. I think he just used a common phrase is all.” Rhett groaned. “I could sure use that ibuprofen and an ice pack. I’ve got so much work to do today—”

“Let me do it. I’m sure with Javon, Ernesto, and Phil’s help, we can take care of things around here today. I’ll even go to town and pick up your favorite pizza for dinner if you’ll stay in and try to give your body a break,” Jack offered, then walked over to the door and opened it.

“Do I look that bad?” Rhett touched his jaw, then his temple. “Shit. Probably. I sure feel like I’ve been in a fight.” He walked a little unsteadily into the house.

“I want to be a productive part of this ranch,” Jack said. “Let me try, okay? Tell me what you need done today, and I’ll see to it that everything is handled.”

“You never forget how to be a rancher, bro. You can do it.” Rhett flopped on the couch. “Fuuuuuuck. I am too old for this shit.”

“You think Aldan will stay away?”

“I think he’d better.” Rhett closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “Kinda worrisome, him asking about the coywolves. You might need to let Ben know about that.”

“I will. I’ll stop by the shop when I’m in town, or if it’s closed by then, I’ll call him tonight.” Jack found an ice pack in the freezer and took it out. He brought it to Rhett. “Where do you want the ice pack?”

Rhett huffed. “Shit. Ow. All of me. He got me good in the ribs, but my jaw hurts more than anything else.”

Jack winced in sympathy. Seeing his big brother—always the unshakable one—wincing and slumped on the couch rattled him in a way the fight itself hadn’t.

“Okay. Let me put it there.” He carefully placed the pack on Rhett’s jaw. “I’ll be right back with water and ibuprofen.”

“I’m still calling Alex,” Rhett mumbled. “I am, just as soon as the ice and ibuprofen do their thing. Don’t think I forgot.”

“He can wait,” Jack said.

“No, I want him to stop having anything to do with you.”

Jack didn’t argue. He fetched the ibuprofen and a glass of water and brought both to Rhett.

Rhett downed the pills and drank half the water. “Can you grab my phone? I left it on my dresser, I think. Or maybe in the bathroom, by the sink.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right back, then you tell me what needs doing today, and I’ll get started.” Jack was kind of excited, which surprised him. He had wanted to get away from the ranch so badly when he’d been a teenager, but now he wanted to be there and be a part of it more than he’d ever imagined.

He’d come home and, in doing so, had found a part of himself he hadn’t known he’d been missing.

And he’d found magic. Added to that, given a little more time, he’d be in love. He knew he could love Ben, would love him, eventually.

Jack wasn’t scared. He looked forward to falling, to the rush and thrill of the ride, then the comfort and security of the bond they’d have between them.

The stronger bond, not just this destined mates thing. That’s cool, but it’s not the most important part of loving someone.

Feeling more optimistic than he had in a long time, Jack whistled as he searched for Rhett’s phone.

It felt like he was starting his life all over again, and it was scary, but for the most part, it was right, and that was what he focused on.

Not the fear of failure, or of Aldan causing problems. He wouldn’t fail, not with his brother and Ben supporting him, and Aldan…

Aldan would stay away. He was just a hateful man who was looking for any excuse to cause trouble, but he wasn’t stupid.

He had to know Rhett had meant every word he’d said.

And Alex. Rhett’s handling that. Everything is finally coming together in my life.

He prayed that he hadn’t just jinxed himself with that bit of optimism, then Jack shelved everything but his determination to do an honest day’s work.

He found Rhett’s phone in the bathroom and took it to his brother, excited about being able to help.