Page 30 of Her Big Bad Wolf

I heard the animals stirring and sped things up to run back to see what was on the cameras. Sure enough, that arrogant asshole was right there in the middle of my farm.

What the hell was he doing this time?

He was dressed in all black, like my cameras wouldn’t pick up on him or something. Idiot.

I watched as the guy looked a little confused, wandering around my animals, and then almost coming up to the house before he turned and bolted into the woods.

What spooked him?

It hadn’t been me because I was just standing there dripping water from my hair, barely dressed, watching it all unfold.

As anger filled me and I grabbed my shotgun deciding this time I was going to take matters into my own hands.

I heard him cry out as he crashed into something just behind the barn. I took off in that direction. There was no way I was letting him go this time.

Approaching with silent footsteps wasn’t difficult because he was making enough noise to wake the dead.

I loaded my gun and waited for him to hear the distinctive click of it locking into place and ready to fire.

The guy froze. He didn’t stay put long though as he kicked out, nailing me just to the left of my groin, before scrambling away.

I roared in anger and as I took in the site, I realized he’d built a shelter from the logs he’d stolen from my wood pile.

Angry, I demolished the thing, kicking, and beating it with the butt of my weapon until the logs were scattered to the ground, rendering the shelter unusable.

And then, I went after him with a newfound determination and pissed at the world.

I didn’t ask for much in life, just to be left the hell alone. Was that really too much to ask for?

Why couldn’t he just leave me the hell alone?

I took off after him. He was fast, but I was faster.

As I closed the gap between us, I let off a shot of warning.

Luckily, he was at least smart enough to stop before I really had to shoot him. Despite local rumors, I had no desire to harm anyone. I just didn’t care to associate with them either.

“Don’t move,” I warned.

Slowly, he turned to face me. All I could see was big, terrified eyes staring back at me, and then came the one little word I never hoped to hear.

Mine,my wolf growled in my head.

Stunned, I stumbled back a few steps.

No. This couldn’t be happening.

“Get the hell out of here, and don’t come back,” I said in a harsh voice.

The look of hurt in those eyes nearly brought me to my knees. But he turned and ran.

Wait, he?

I sniffed the air at his retreating form. Not he, she. My mate.

That thought felt like a sucker punch to my stomach and I nearly folded from the pain of it.

A mate?