12

Ranger

The smell of campfire drifted down the mountain and smoke curled around the branches of the treetops. Even with the harsh scent, my beast could still pick out notes of poppies and sage where her tracks passed through the woods.

The other Alphas dispersed around us, shrinking our traveling party to that of me and Beau loaded down with the traveling packs, John, and Trenton who was trailing us at a distance. I sent Jones and Foster over the mountain ridge now that we knew where the girls were with orders to secure transportation away from here.

This wasn't a traditional run even though some of the males felt it was the start of one. The females hadn't been involved or aware. Despite what the show had intended, we weren't completely driven by an early rut. Leaving when we did must have thwarted their plans and I was grateful for it. I hoped this meant we had enough time to sit down in the morning to discuss our options like rational beings.

All I wanted was one calm night with Aspen before I figured out what we were going to do. After the hard days of running with these beasts, I realized fate put me here for a reason. I couldn't walk away without knowing all the females here–my sister included–would be taken care of.

My wolf registered the lingering smell of Fallon and though there was relief, it wasn't what was driving us further.

His nose stayed to the ground, tracking those poppies until we came to an area where her scent grew stronger.

Then he froze.

With his paw in the air, inches away from the slight tinge of metal, he sensed before scenting the manmade device. The slight gleam of the setting sun reflected on a piece of wire.

Traps?

We both started growling. A rage unlike anything I'd ever known filled my soul. This was the last straw. How dare those producers put females alone out on a mountain with scarce game and rigged with traps. I wanted to wrap my hands around the producers' necks. Use piano wire to show them what a snare would feel like as their eyes bulged.

Shift, I commanded, intending to yank the wire from the earth.

John's wolf nosed the area where I was standing and backed up, running the long way around.

"What is it?" Beau's wolf pressed his body against the side of my human legs.

I reached down, brushing away the leaves and trying to find the trip wire. "Some idiot put–"

"Don't you dare touch my traps."

I turned, feeling a rush of endorphins unlike any I'd ever known that doused my internal rage. Aspen leaned against a tree with her arms folded over her chest.

"Your traps?" I arched a brow.

She shrugged with one shoulder. Like it was no big deal that my sweet little mate had rigged up the snares laid at my feet.

"Sure took you long enough to get here." The aloof and teasing tone of her voice was betrayed by the quickening of her pulse. Was that fear? Desire?

Mine. My beast rode me hard as I closed the distance between us and breathed in more of her intoxicating scent.

"Are you hurt?" I scanned her body, taking in her curvy hips and ass tapered into the jeans she was wearing at the fight and noticing the new rip on her thigh. She'd braided her hair back and I wanted to fist my hand around the length of it. The flannel shirt and white tank underneath it were dusty, but no blood stains. She seemed undamaged physically which was a relief.

Aspen looked… healthier somehow. Not like she was at the resort where she watched her back at every turn. If anything, she was more unguarded out here like this was her element.

And there was a healthy, hungry gleam in her eye as she bit down on her bottom lip. "I'm not hurt, but I'm pretty sure it was the producers who drugged my drink. It was the same sensation as whatever was in the needle they got me with. "

Her fingers ghosted over her neck and I couldn't hold back the feral growl that slipped out as protective rage clawed at my mind, drawing out the need for vengeance and blood.

"Ivan discovered it was the show who set up the cupcake scenario too." Despite what I was feeling internally, I maintained a mask of calm control, allowing enough power to pulse in the air around us to let her know I was serious. "I will make them pay for what they did."

Aspen stood tall in the dominant vibrations coming from my beast that promised retribution, not cowering or bending the neck. She balanced on her tiptoes and bopped me on the nose as if I were a child.

"Are you going to burn the whole world down for me?" she teased.

The little brat.

"If you ask nicely." I groaned as I gathered her in my arms, delighting in her little squeal of shock and needing her close to soothe my beast after the days of journeying to get to her.

"Are you hungry? Have you had any water to drink?" I motioned for Beau to come forward with the bags.

Aspen put her hands on my chest and pushed back enough to tilt her chin up to face me. "I should be making sure you've had enough to eat and drink. You're the one who almost put your paw in my trap."

At what point do we get to spank her ?

Soon, I promised. Once I make sure everything's okay.

I pulled out a bottle of water and unscrewed the cap before pressing it into her hands. "Where's Fallon? We need to go. Foster and Jones are finding an access road and we'll get a vehicle sent up here."

"About that…" Aspen held the bottle to her lips, drinking slowly as she watched me with those big, brown eyes. My dick was already semi-hard as she lowered the bottle and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "We have a little situation going on here."

*

Aspen's hand was soft in mine as we hiked up to where the utility storage shed sat in a clearing. I brushed my thumb across her knuckles, marveling in the novelty of an action so domesticated and small.

A flashback hit me of smashing Scott's nose when he'd tried to look into this very shed and I pulled Aspen closer, subconsciously nuzzling my cheek against her neck to coat her with my scent.

There was a tense standoff around a little campfire. My sister stood on one side of the rock ring with her eyes narrowed at John. He stood at the other side watching her, amused. His nieces were huddled together awkwardly as they stepped away.

"Does anyone want to explain what's going on now?" I asked, fed up with this drama. From the looks of it, there was a whole story here and I'd been eating John's dust for miles without knowing what the hell happened between the two of them.

"Ask her," John said.

Fallon growled.

"Is this the problem you're worried about?" I whispered in Aspen's ear. Knowing my sister, it would be a while before this got sorted out.

"Not exactly." Aspen wiggled in my arms as she turned to point. "That is."

The group of three other females edged away.

Sarah gave me a short wave. We'd mingled in some of the same circles, but besides knowing her name and pack, I couldn't tell you another thing about her.

"Are all the other Alphas here?" she asked.

"Mmmm." I nodded as Aspen wiggled again, brushing her ass against my cock. I wasn't sure if it was intentional, but the scent of her was a potent punch that drew all my beasts' attention.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Sarah spoke to the other two girls, ushering them down the hill. "Let us know what you decide, Aspen."

"What's she talking about?" I brushed my nose along the side of Aspen's neck, breathing in more of her scent.

She froze in my arms. Her smell turned bitter as irritation rolled from her. "What are you doing here, Trenton?"

Shit. I'd almost forgotten about him.

The punk was a thorn in my side for most of the journey and it was only Aspen's reaction when I'd choked him earlier that stayed my hand. "Say the word and I'll get rid of him."

Aspen sighed, relaxing against my chest as Trenton came walking out of the woods in human form.

"All the other Alphas are checking on their Luna contestants," he spoke gruffly, not meeting her eyes. "I just came to make sure you're okay before the run tomorrow."

He lifted his gaze to me, glaring daggers.

Kid has a death wish.

I know it.

Aspen blew out a frustrated breath. "What happened to hating me?"

"I don't hate you," Trenton growled. "I'm tired of you acting like a bitch, but I understand why you did it."

Was I supposed to sit here and listen to this?

"Watch your tongue if you don't want to lose it."

Aspen bit down on her grin as the scent of his fear filled the air. "I'm fine. Thanks for checking on me. But I don't need your sympathy now that you know what your dad did."

They must have communicated through their pack link. I missed half of the conversation while I was getting drunk on her scent. I couldn't wait to make her mine and sever all ties with Nuva Pack.

"I'm sorry," he said. There was a lingering look between them as they communicated silently again. I tried not to stare because I wasn't a jealous beast.

I am. My wolf growled.

"It's okay, Trenton. I forgive you." She had the grace of a queen because I wouldn't have let the insult slide like she did or allow him to walk away with his balls intact. No matter. He was still on my ever-growing list of people who slighted my mate.

Aspen rested her hand on my arm, quieting my beast. "About this season…"

"You can't make us leave," the younger of John's nieces shouted. Both women were standing together as John looked between them and Fallon. Tension rose like smoke from the campfire.

"Screw it." Fallon turned and fled.

Ah, my sister's favorite phrase.

I didn't envy John as he growled in frustration, throwing a bag on the ground at his nieces' feet. "Get back to your nests. I'll find you there and then we're getting off this show."

"But Uncle John," Amber pouted.

Danielle stepped forward to speak to them both, "We're grown women. You can't make us go."

John was still growling as he turned his face to the sky.

"Why don't you two just go back to your nests?" Aspen coddled them with a soft voice before turning her attention to John. "Go talk to Fallon. We'll all be okay tonight and we can sort things out in the morning once everyone has a chance to calm down."

Smart, kind, mate.

My wolf was drooling. Especially when everyone took off in different directions and Aspen turned her big eyes up to me.

"I was worried we'd never be alone."

My beast howled.

"Alpha, should I run a perimeter check?" Beau was still in wolf form and sniffing around the trees.

"You start. I'll be out to help soon." I waved my hand behind my back, shooing him away as Aspen's eyes traveled the length of my body, stopping to stare at my cock. It pulsed under her heated gaze, fully paying attention.

"Oh my." Her pupils were blown wide with desire. "We should take care of that."