9

Aspen

"Slow down and tell me what happened. Start from the beginning this time." I was still trying to make sense of what Fallon said. She'd followed behind me as I finished checking the traps, speaking a mile a minute and that was without caffeine in her. It wasn't Clara fast, but she was all over the place.

Fallon took a deep breath as I turned the rabbit over the fire pit. It was a scrawny thing and a little roughed up which meant life was harsh for prey in these woods. I almost felt bad for snaring it, but with the way Fallon's stomach growled, I was grateful for being able to provide her hot food.

She exhaled slowly, looking paler than when she started talking. "Ranger is going to kill me."

"For biting John?" I was still trying to wrap my head around this part.

"I didn't bite him. My wolf did," Fallon cried.

Typical human response. Blame us when you don't want to take responsibility.

Hush. I turned the spit again.

"When were the two of you together as wolves?" I glanced at the trail cams watching us and probably recording this conversation. Once, I might have cared about breaking the rules, but that was before the stupid show drugged and kidnapped me… us I mean. She'd come looking for me and got knocked out from behind.

I felt awful about that.

"Ranger held a pack meeting after the obstacle course and I was coming back to the resort alone. My wolf heard a noise and had this feeling she wanted to investigate." Fallon closed her eyes, cringing at the memory. "The feeling turned out to be a massive dark brown wolf with green eyes standing on a rock under the moonlight. One thing led to another."

The rabbit caught fire and I hurried to blow it out, focusing on not charring the meat beyond edible. "Did you two…"

"We didn't knot!" She hurried to explain. "There was a lot of pawing and sniffing and rubbing."

Fallon shuddered as if revolted.

I could smell her arousal in the air and decided it'd be rude to point that out.

"My wolf would not release me. I was fighting for control and it was like she was possessed or something. Then his snout went between her legs and she lowered, about to present."

Whatever color was left in Fallon's face drained as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "He shifted to human so fast, scrambling away. My wolf was pissed so she chased him down and bit him. She wanted to claim him. But what if…" With wide eyes she looked around, "What if he didn't want to be claimed?"

"Has that ever happened before?" I rocked back on my heels, handing Fallon the skewer of cooked meat. "Do our wolves even make claims outside of mating season?"

I hate to tell you–

Stop making everything about you, I snapped. This is Fallon's story now.

"It was probably the stress." Fallon sunk her teeth into the meat and chewed fast before wiping the grease from her lips. "Or she's going feral. Yeah, that's it. I can't stay here for the season. It'll be too dangerous. I have to leave before the guys show up."

Told you he was coming. My wolf stuck out her tongue.

I stared at Fallon. Besides being scared out of her wits, she didn't have that feral look or scent to her. I'd worked in a shifter prison and seen what happened when shifters really lost control of their beasts.

"Do you have your phone?" I asked, thinking of a plan. "Or I guess we could shift and run down the mountain. There has to be a town around here."

Fallon bit her bottom lip as tears welled in her eyes. "I can't ask you to leave. Ranger will need you during his rut."

Even if Ranger didn't have more self-control than any wolf I'd ever known, I'd run far in the other direction from any male who couldn't handle himself during the rut.

Whoa. Hold on. Who says I can handle myself ?

You'll figure it out.

And Ranger already said he'd give me a season or two before we ran together if I wanted. This was the perfect excuse to leave. I didn't have to make a decision when fate was deciding for me.

"Let's go. Ranger will be okay."

"But I won't be." Fallon rested the stick of meat on the rock beside her, burying her face in her hands. The black nail polish she'd put on two days ago was mostly chipped off. "I don't think my wolf will let me leave anyway. Can I hide somewhere? How do I make this stop?"

"Do you want to make this stop?" I felt like I was looking in a mirror, asking the question to myself.

Though I wasn't completely sure what Fallon's reasons were for her fear, this was a really big commitment. Maybe that's what was bothering me too. It was like signing away my rights to forever when I hadn't really lived yet. But Ranger wasn't like any Alpha I'd ever met. He gave me control and options at every turn we'd faced. Would it be the end of my freedom to mate him? Or would this just be another chapter in the rest of my life?

Admittedly, it was a good chapter so far.

Minus the death threats.

"I'm not sure," Fallon whispered through her fingers. "I don't even know him."

We know Ranger. He's perfect for us.

"Sometimes we have to trust our wolves." I sat down beside Fallon and rested my hand on her shoulder.

Finally. She speaks some sense.

Leaves crunched behind us. I turned my head to the side, fangs extending as I growled.

"I smell food," a meek voice said from a few yards away.

"Who is it?" Fallon scented the air just as I did. I looked at her. She looked at me. "You've got to be kidding."

*

Danielle and Amber came crashing through the underbrush. Their matching sundresses were torn and dirt-stained. Amber limped along with straps flapping on one sandal. Mud streaked their faces and clumped in their hair. We'd been out here less than two days and they looked like we were in the apocalypse.

Why are they acting like humans?

Very funny.

Amber hung back a few steps, discreetly sniffing the air, while Danielle–the older by what must have been five minutes–stepped forward.

"This is crazy, right?" Danielle smiled big, showing her hands to prove she was no threat. "How are you two doing? Did you know the show was going to put us out here?"

"Did your sponsors give you something to eat too?" Amber muttered under her breath as if we couldn't hear.

Fallon and I shared another look.

She held up the rest of the rabbit on the stick. "Here."

The tension radiating from her was thick enough to cut with a knife, but the girls didn't notice.

"Thank the Goddess." Both rushed forward. Danielle's delicate fangs poked out, but she grabbed the stick and handed it to her sister who snarled out a thank you to Fallon before chomping down.

There was a saying I'd heard once; that mankind was only nine meals from anarchy.

I had a feeling hormonal women only had about one missed meal before the feral set in. And I didn't blame them. Though I wasn't as hungry as usual with the coming heat. Maybe I'd packed on some storage calories with the free buffet line over the past few weeks.

Fallon softened a bit as the younger women settled down by the fire to eat.

"We must look so stupid." Danielle picked at the fraying hem of her dress. "I swear we aren't this helpless or pathetically unprepared at home."

"And what is home like?" Fallon made the question sound nonchalant.

I busied myself with checking out the branches above us, trying to seem disinterested. There was no way I actually pulled it off.

"It's beautiful," Amber gushed. "Our territory borders Lake Superior. We have properties near our fishing docks, but we live most of the year up in a log cabin way back in the woods. The winters can be harsh, but the summers are perfect. And fall's colors are to die for. The O'Neil clan is tight nit. Everyone knows everyone, but we all pitch in to help."

I could practically see the noose tightening around Fallon's neck and rushed to intervene. "How is your uncle as pack Alpha? Do they respect him?"

Danielle gave Amber a knowing look.

Amber cleared her throat. "He joined the Marines right out of high school and was stationed with the shifter grunt unit. We didn't think he'd come home to stay, but when he was visiting our grandma on leave, the old pack Alpha Oscar got drunk and challenged him. Uncle John tried to get him to sober up, even held him down, but in the end, his wolf took over. It was a clean kill."

Fallon gasped, smacking her hands over her mouth.

"The old Alpha was shit anyway. Oscar always had a chip on his shoulder and didn't like letting any of us leave. Especially the young ones," Danielle explained. "Uncle John turned things around after his honorable discharge. He encourages us to go to college. I just finished my associate's degree in business and came home for the season. I think I'm going to stay."

"And we both convinced him to come to the show." Amber nudged her sister conspiratorially. "He's been Alpha for six years now and still hasn't found a mate."

Somewhere along the story time, Fallon had gone from terrified to dreamy-eyed.

I held in my laughter, but couldn't not tease her, "He sounds like a real catch."

I ignored her territorial little growl.

"What about you two? Have your wolves decided on anyone this season?"

"Mine wants to wait until after the run," Danielle said. Her hand rested on the log next to her sisters' hand and they interlaced fingers. I glanced away, pretending not to notice as she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I think that's what I'll do too." Amber forced a smile.

"What's wrong?" Fallon frowned. "Who do you want to mate? I'll chase him down for you… Er… I mean… I'll go talk to the guy."

Amber and Danielle shared another amused look. It brought up an old hurt I thought I'd buried. Their silent language and secret giggles made them seem so young, but maybe having someone to share jokes with was the fountain of youth.

"You know…" Danielle started, not directly looking at Fallon but the intent was obvious. "My uncle isn't as uptight as he seems. He plays guitar at the local bar every Thursday night. You should hear how good he sounds."

Fallon was basically oozing arousal.

She stared at each of us, daring someone to comment with the murderous look in her eyes.

Goddess, it was so hard not to laugh.

"We're not talking about your uncle," Fallon growled. "Who is the male you want to mate?"

Amber grew silent and Danielle wrapped her arm over her sister's shoulder.

"Colton Penobscot," she answered for her.

Amber dropped her eyes, looking to her lap. "But they can have him."

"Who can have him?" I asked. We were jumping topics so fast my head was starting to spin.

"Edith and Meghan and the whole rich bitch operation they've got going on," Danielle said.

Amber rolled her eyes. "We stumbled upon their nests last night."

I glanced over at Fallon and she gave the ‘don't look at me' shrug.

"We were kind of surprised you two weren't down there," Amber continued. "All of you seemed close this season."

Was this what it felt like to be part of a girl clique? Guilt by association? Because no thanks.

"Politics," Fallon said by way of explanation.

"Ah. We see." Both girls bobbed their heads.

"Well, speaking of politics, they're assigning positions for the run and saying no one gets to veer off until we've agreed on our choices."

"That's bullshit," I blurted out. "Our wolves determine who we pick, not us. What makes them think they have any power? Money and a last name don't matter when it comes to biology. Tell them no and do your own thing."

It's unnatural. Sick.

The sense of injustice was riling my beast.

She'd be damned if someone told her who to pick during the mating season. We'd survived four so far, despite everything thrown at us, and we weren't going to listen to some bimbos trying to take away our freedom now.

We will end them if they try.

"Yes." Hope sparked in Amber's eyes as she shot to her feet. "Let's go."

"Go where?" I asked as Danielle tugged on my hand, glancing back at Fallon who looked just as confused as I was.

"Come on," Danielle urged me.

Why does it feel like we're being dragged to the slaughter?

What happened to ‘ending' them?

It was metaphorical.

"You're exactly what we need." Amber smiled as she hurried to Danielle's side.

"Need for what?" Damn. This girl is strong.

We probably shouldn't have fed her.

"To help the other girls," Amber said as she and her sister dragged me through the woods. "And you've already stood up once to Cindy. This is fate. You're the perfect woman to save the season."

Um…

Save the season?