Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

T he day of the pack run dawned, but that wasn't until the evening, and they had the whole day to themselves. So they thought. Once they peeled themselves apart, Dylan headed for the shower. Ross took the opportunity to check his phone and discovered a request from Joe to help with the critters as he was busy and to ask if Dylan could help Owen with a project he was involved with. He confirmed he would work on the ranch and went in search of Dylan.

Ross found his mate as he expected in the shower, his eyes closed as the water streamed over him, and took a moment just to admire his lean form.

"I know you're watching me," Dylan murmured.

"You're worth watching." He wasn't going to apologize for admiring his mate.

Dylan opened his eyes and leered at Ross. "Do you want to get wet with me?" He waggled his eyebrows which made Ross laugh.

The chance to get wet with his mate was an offer Ross didn't want to refuse, but he knew he should contact Owen first.

"What project?" Dylan asked suspiciously when Ross conveyed the request.

"No idea. Joe didn't say. But Owen's involved in all kinds of shady shit to do with the hunters. I swear that wolf will bring them down single-pawed if he can."

"And he wants me involved?" Now Dylan looked even more suspicious. "I thought they were keeping me away from anything hunter related."

"I think the doc convinced everyone you're not a traitor, besides Owen would kill you if you betrayed him."

"Nice," Dylan said dryly. "Thanks for that."

"You're welcome. Joe asked me to work the ranch today, so I won't see you until tonight."

"In which case you're definitely getting in the shower with me."

Ross waved his phone. "Is that a yes to Owen?"

Dylan shrugged. "Why not. It's better than sitting around doing nothing all day."

"Done." Ross typed out a yes re Owen, promised to see them in a few, and got in the shower with his mate.

"Wash me?" Dylan handed him the bodywash.

Sure that Dylan had already soaped himself, Ross squeezed soap into his palm, rubbed his hands together, then washed Dylan from head to foot, enjoying his mate's appreciative murmurs. Then Dylan did the same for him, taking his time to scrub at the dried cum on his belly.

"We could jack each other off," Dylan suggested.

"I don't have time," Ross said regretfully. "Raincheck?"

"You owe me," Dylan insisted. "One hand job, to be collected at my convenience."

Ross kissed his cheek. "I can agree with that. We need to move."

Dylan grumbled about being separated from his mate as he got dressed but secretly Ross thought he was pleased at being asked to help Owen, and having something productive to do.

"Why is everyone so antsy?" Dylan sat on the bed to lace up his boots.

Ross tugged up his jeans. "What do you mean?"

"The amount of security for tonight's pack run. It's crazy."

Ross thought about that for a moment. Dylan had a point. Eli had let the pack know the security arrangements the day before. Half the Cavalry was going to be guarding the perimeter. "They could be expecting trouble."

"But they haven't told you."

"You know they haven't," Ross said as easily as he could make it.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not. You're my only concern."

Dylan came over for a hug. "My beacon, my light."

Ross kissed him. "My love."

And the L word didn't sound so scary now he'd said it out loud.

As they got into Ross's truck to go to Sapphire Ranch, Ross caught Dylan by the arm. Dylan furrowed his brow as he looked at Ross's hand gripping his bicep.

"Is everything okay?"

Ross laid his hands on Dylan's hips. "Owen is a great guy but if you're not happy with anything, you call me, okay? I'll be there for you."

If Ross had been concerned Dylan would laugh at him for his declaration, when the wolf had worked undercover for years, he was reassured by the tender smile his mate gave him.

"I know you will. I can feel it here." Dylan laid a hand over his heart.

Ross kissed him and pulled back with a sigh. "Thanks. I needed you to say that."

Dylan kissed Ross's cheek. "I know that too."

Ross didn't see Dylan all day, but every so often Dylan messaged him to confirm he was okay. Ross hadn't asked him to do that but was warmed by the fact his mate considered his feelings.

"When did I become so soft, LD?" he asked the horse he was petting, Lemon Drop, a chestnut mare with a splash of white on her shoulder. Joe had gotten LD—as they all called her—for Cal, not that his alpha mate had much time for horseback riding.

Lemon Drop leaned into him, chuffing, as if she understood he needed reassurance. He sighed and gave a last pat to her strong neck.

"You're right. I'm being silly."

"He's your mate," Zeke said from behind him. "You would do anything for him."

Ross looked over his shoulder at the black-clad man. He looked out of place in the middle of the barn. "As you would for Owen."

"I'd break the world to keep him safe."

"It's overwhelming, you know?"

Zeke inclined his head. "I know and it's not something you can explain until it happens to you."

Ross nodded. Trying to have that conversation with Niles showed him how fruitless it was. "Do you need me? I'm nearly done with the animals. I've just got to finish the horses."

"Call it a welfare check. It's my break so I wanted to see how you are."

"Who sent you? Cal or Owen?"

"Eli," Zeke said, throwing his boss under the bus without a care. "You know what he's like."

Ross should have known. Behind the surly, grumpy exterior, Eli was a mother hen. "I'm good. Enjoying the time with the critters."

Zeke leaned against the paddock fence. Ross wasn't a small guy, he topped over six feet, but he felt as if Zeke swamped him when he stood next to him.

"You should leave the Cavalry and get your own land."

"We've discussed it," Ross admitted.

"Or he could take over the animals on the ranch," Joe said as he joined them.

Ross looked between the two men. "What's going on, guys? Is this a friendly visit or an intervention?"

"Does it have to be an either/or?" Joe asked and Ross had a feeling he wasn't joking.

"I'm fine. You can see that. Thanks for your concern."

But Joe didn't seem to be listening. "You were a Cavalry man to the core when you first arrived with Eli and now look at you."

Ross couldn't deny it. Discovering shifters existed had been hard enough, but finding out that maybe his true path didn't lie in big city security but in rural farming had been harder to get his head around. His parents didn't understand it and goodness knows he didn't either. Yet his pack (his parents didn't know about them, Ross wasn't that reckless) were totally laid back about the idea of him becoming a farmer.

He raised an eyebrow at Joe. "So we're not waiting until after my road trip?"

Joe shoved his hands in his pockets. "My dad is fretting."

"About his ranch?"

"Kinda."

Ross and Zeke exchanged glances.

"Worrying whether Peter will stay here?" Ross asked carefully.

"That too," Joe allowed.

"You'll finish my home so me and Dylan can move in?" Ross suggested. "We need our own space."

Joe huffed out a breath. "Already on it. Just needed your confirmation."

"I need to agree this with my mate." Ross wasn't sure what Dylan wanted to do with his life, but he hoped it would be with him. He wasn't surprised when Dylan responded.

Thanks for including me in the decision making.

Always and not just you. Your wolf as well. We are three.

The gratitude he received from human and wolf made it all worthwhile.

"Owen will be pleased to have Dylan close by," Zeke said. "My wolf has plans and he needs someone like Dylan to back him up."

Ross wondered if he should ask, but he decided right now he didn't want to know. "Is the situation with Wild Creek resolved?"

Joe's face hardened. "Wild Creek is under notice that if they lay one fang or claw on Owen or Cal or any other wolf, they're thrown to the hunters without any support. The doc has told them not to push it. He's also asked to stay at Sapphire Ranch. It turns out he hates them as much as we do. He's just more diplomatic about it."

Ross stared at him, then chuckled. "We need more men to build houses."

"And more land. I'm working on that too. I came back to Sapphire Ranch thinking I would sell up after Dad…you know. Now look at us." Joe huffed. "Life was so simple being a professor."

"But you'd never have met Cal," Ross pointed out.

Joe's expression turned stupidly soft. "That's true. The same goes for all of you."

They were silent for a moment as they processed that information. Ross couldn't imagine his life without Dylan, even after a couple of days.

Same, my mate.

Ross sent up a thank you to the wolf gods for making him complete.

The yard of the office bustled with black-clad men barely visible in the early evening dark. The moon hadn't yet risen enough to light up the yard. Eli and Niles were in the mix, talking to the team commanders.

"Why are they here, rather than Sapphire Ranch?" Dylan asked. He and Ross were watching the proceedings from the top of the stoop.

"I don't know," Ross admitted. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately. It was strange not to be one of the men leading a team. And it rankled on one level, but he'd get over it. Besides, tonight he got to travel the land with his wolf.

The rest of the pack plus the older wolves, the sheriff, and the doc were on their way over. Seven wolves and four humans. Their pack was growing by the day.

"What about Cal's brother?" Dylan asked.

"He's on his way home under grizzly escort," Ross said with satisfaction. "He wasn't invited to the pack run."

"And Zeke and Owen would have found a way to kill him?" Dylan suggested.

"That too."

"I would have helped."

"So would the entire pack," Ross said. "You know Joe Senior is desperate to eat someone."

Dylan chuckled. "Newly turned wolves can be a bit feisty."

"Move out! Move out!"

Ross's attention was distracted by the team leaders moving out with their men until the yard was empty bar Eli and Niles.

"What if—" Eli started.

"Nothing will go wrong," Niles snapped. "We've dealt with all the what-ifs."

"I hope you're right," Eli said grimly.

"All they need to do is get to their station. The armor should work. God knows we've tested it enough."

It didn't take a genius, and Ross was close to one of those though he hid it well, to work out Eli was scared for his pack. Niles had no idea just how dangerous the hunters were. He hadn't seen it in action like the rest of them had.

Ross was interested to know more about the armor. Was this against the special bullets? Would they protect shifters too? No, because the shifters would be in their wolf form, and they couldn't or wouldn't wear protective armor.

"You're expecting trouble," he said. "Is it the hunters?"

Niles looked up at him. "Yeah. Possibly. We've heard chatter."

"Why are you letting the run go ahead?" Then it clicked. Ross narrowed his eyes. "Are our mates bait? You're putting them in danger? No! That won't happen."

"We all are," Dylan said quietly.

"You should have told him," Eli said. "Ross, all the wolves agreed to do this, including yours."

Betrayed, Ross turned on Dylan who flinched at his mate's anger. "You knew about this?"

"They asked me today. They gave me the choice of not going on the run."

"You didn't tell me? I'm your mate, or isn't that important when it comes to decisions?"

Dylan fidgeted. "They asked me not to tell you. Eli and Niles thought you'd stop me going."

"It was a test," Niles said. "To see if Anderson could be trusted as a Cavalry member. He passed."

Ross gave a derisive snort. "You failed. You all fucking failed me."

Angry beyond belief, he pushed his way into the office, leaving Dylan behind. He felt the hurt coming from his mate, but he didn't care. The run was over as far as he was concerned. They could put themselves up as bait. He'd be gone as soon as they were away. If they didn't trust him with intel like this after years of working for the Cavalry, then what was the point? What was the fucking point?