Reclaim the Wolf: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Wolf Valley Raiders Book 3) (8 page)

Because when she watched them take her keys from her truck and throw them away, she knew this was not going to end well.

“Now, little girl. Are we going to have some fun?”

“What do you want?” she asked, although it was clear by their faces, especially the one: his voice, his manner. He reminded her of the sheriff. This was a man who liked inflicting pain.

Kira didn’t wait for them to get any closer. She had no time to search for the keys on the ground, so she summoned her wolf, moving from this world, a shimmer of static in the air as she returned as a silver grey wolf. Before her four paws touched the ground, she was moving off, leaping the fence that surrounded her home and heading for the safety of the mountain. There she could lose them in the high rocks. She knew the slopes so well there was no way they would be able to track her.

As she leaped away, a laugh rang out, echoing around the hills, filling her with dread. Something told her there would be no hiding from these men.

Blood pumping, breath burning in her lungs, she took long strides across the grass. She didn’t look back to see if they were following, because she knew they were, that they had been sent by the sheriff to teach her a lesson.
He was in charge
.

It was a lesson she didn’t need. She had seen him at his worst, knew what he was capable of. Climbing higher she wanted to howl, tell Cole she loved him and that whatever happened she always would.

Inside her, something flipped. Cole. If she allowed these men to hurt her, or worse, kill her, he would spend the rest of his life mourning for her, unable to move on, unable to have children, the family he wanted. It was up to her to stay alive; it was up to her to send a message to the sheriff.

Someone needed to show him that his time in power was up. Just because Cole wasn’t the new alpha, it didn’t mean things couldn’t change. They had all given up hope. But today she was going to grab that hope back.

As a wolf, she was fast, light on her feet and with incredibly long legs, she knew she would be able to outrun them. However, she didn’t want to lose them; instead, she wanted to lure them into a trap. Leaping from rock to rock, she led them over the boulder field, pausing briefly from her vantage point to look back. As she thought, one was a lot faster than the other.

Although mangy, his coat lacking lustre, one of the wolves outpaced the other. He was the one she was going to lead a merry dance, but not before she had dealt with the straggler. Taking the rest of the boulders at break-neck speed, she left a clear trail up the narrow pass leading out onto one of the wide meadows.

Once satisfied her paw prints were easy to follow, she let the trail peter out, hoping it would look as though she had tried to disguise her trail. Would he guess she had doubled back?

Skirting around the boulder field, she stayed low so that when the mangy wolf came along didn’t see her, and instead headed through the pass, hot on her trail. Triumphant her plan was working, she made straight for the other wolf. He was a good way behind, only just starting to make his way through the boulders. He was heavier set than the other wolf, not so light on his feet, and so was weaving his way through them instead of hopping from one to another

This gave her an opportunity to incapacitate him without bloodshed. Hoping she had her plan straight, she leaped lithely from one boulder to another, one eye constantly turned to check the mangy wolf hadn’t come back through the pass. All clear.

Pausing, keeping some distance away from the wolf below, she formulated her plan. This would have to be timed perfectly. Eying up what she needed, she jumped across a couple more boulders and then in one fluid movement changed back to her human form.

The wolf below her caught her scent on the breeze, but by the time he looked up, Kira was leaping down onto him, a large rock in her hand. At the last second, he saw her, saw the danger, and changed back from his wolf, raising his hands to shield himself. But it was all too late; she had him where she wanted him. Careful not to kill him—she only wanted him out of the way—she hit him with the rock, rendering him unconscious.

Wiping the nervous sweat from her hands, she checked his pulse, happy he was all right and then began to remove his belt. And his pants, just for good measure.
Let’s see him run back to town without them.
It would send the subtle message she needed in one blatant act.

She used the belt to tie his hands behind his back, managing with some effort to wrap it around his ankles too. It would take him a while to get out of that. Now on to the next wolf. Only when she looked up, she realised she wouldn’t have to hunt him. Her trick had only worked so far. It had bought her the time she needed. But that time was up.

“Hello, pretty. This is much more cosy, I won’t have to share you with anyone.” He sat on his haunches looking down on her, even more mangy-looking in his human form. “And so secluded too. No one to hear you scream.”

“Where the hell have you been, Cole? And what happened to your shoulder?” That was the welcome he got from Riley as he walked up to the house.

“Long story. But I’m hoping it will have a happy ending.” Cole grinned at his brother and then at Sol, who appeared behind him. “Morning, Sol.”

“Cole,” Sol said happily and came down to see his brother, bounding around like a dog. “Riley said you had run away. Did you run away?”

“No, Sol. I got shot.”

“What the fuck!” Riley jumped clear off the porch to come and examine Cole’s shoulder. “I don’t think I would be so happy if someone shot me.”

“Ahh, but if I hadn’t got shot, I wouldn’t have met my mate.”

Riley stiffened. “You met her.” His face clouded. “Does that mean you are the new alpha?”

Cole’s smile left his face. “Unfortunately not. Although that isn’t going to stop me sorting the town out once and for all.” He thought of the sheriff, and the things left unsaid by Kira. If it took him the rest of his life, he was going to wrestle control off the sheriff. Unless of course his brother Riley took over the town.

“So it’s me?” Riley said, his excitement clear in his eyes, but he held it in. Cole knew it was for his sake, but now it didn’t matter.

“Listen, Riley, I know we fought about it. But really, I would be more than happy to kneel in front of you or even stand on my head if you asked me to. As long as you hurry up and find your mate.”

Riley caught the tension in Cole’s voice. “You want to come inside and tell me what happened? You need a change of clothes. Your shirt looks as if it’s been torn from your back. Your woman must be some kind of wild animal.”

“I always knew I could count on you to be sympathetic towards a wounded man,” Cole said, but he had to admit his T-shirt was barely hanging together. How he even considered going into Wolf Valley was beyond him. He stuck out; no wonder the sheriff came by. Word must have got back to him that Kira had half killed a man and was bringing him into town.

“That’s what I’m here for,” Riley said and then became sombre. “I want you to know, when I do become alpha, I won’t ever make you do anything like that. We’re brothers. You, me, and Sol. And Bliss, of course.”

“That is good to hear.” He took the steps two at a time. “Once I’ve changed, I’ll tell you all about it.”

Cole headed to his old room. How quickly he had got used to the idea of being with Kira, of living with Kira. Grabbing a T-shirt, he ripped his old one off, threw it in the trash, and replaced it with the clean one. Later he would talk to Kira about coming and collecting his things. He wanted to move in with her as soon as possible, to be with her every minute of the day.

Although, he couldn’t forget about his brothers. Sol needed to be looked after, and it wouldn’t be fair to leave Riley to look after him alone. Especially since it was imperative he go and find his mate; the sooner he became the new alpha of Wolf Valley, the better for everyone.

When he went back to find his brothers, they were in the kitchen, Riley preparing lunch for them all, while Sol sat and looked at a picture book.

“That smells good,” Cole said, coming to sit down next to Sol.

“Can’t your woman cook?” Riley asked, putting a juicy piece of steak on a plate. “There’s fresh bread too. Bliss came over with some supplies.”

“Then I chose a good time to come back. Perfect timing. I’m beginning to think that this fate thing is looking better and better.” He
wolfed
his food down, savouring every last morsel.

“So tell. What’s she like?” Riley asked.

“Does she bake cookies or have a pet dog?” Sol asked. “Riley won’t let me have a dog.”

“I told you it’s not a good idea.”

“A puppy could run with me when I’m a wolf. It would play with me. I would have fun.”

“Maybe once we’re all settled,” Cole said.

“We are settled, this is our home,” Sol said. “I want a dog like this.”

Cole leaned over and looked at Sol’s picture book. “Well, first we have to get this house up together.” He looked sheepishly at Riley. “Plus, I have said I would help repair the barn of one of the old woman we stole from.”

“You did what? Don’t we have enough to do?” Riley asked between mouthfuls of food.

“I know, but I feel responsible. It was those two clowns who ran with us for a while that did the damage.”

“You’re sure?” Riley asked, finishing his meal.

“Yeah. She said it was the same guys who went with us the first time. It’s why she tried to shoot me.” He put his hand to his shoulder; the wound was healing nicely. It might need a few more days before he went back to town to confront the sheriff, though.

“You want to help a woman who shot you? I’ve heard everything now. Having a mate turns you soft.”

“You are wrong there, my friend. She makes me strong, makes me want to defend her.” He stopped and tried to get the conversation back on track. “We went into town today, I wanted to get the timber ordered, and let’s just say the sheriff is the biggest jerk I’ve ever come across. And I’ve come across some.” Cole’s look darkened, something Riley picked up on.

“I thought the sheriff was supposed to be the good guy.”

“Not in this case. He is most definitely bad.”

“If he knew you were responsible for the raids around here, don’t you think he has a right to be angry with you? With us.”

“It goes beyond that.” He looked at the clock. “That reminds me. I need to get going. I came here because Kira wanted some space, to get her thoughts together before she tells me about the sheriff. I get the feeling he’s hurt her in the past.”

Riley spoke quickly. “Listen, Cole. The sheriff is the sheriff. You want to be careful if you take him on.”

“I hoped that one of us would be the alpha and then we wouldn’t have to take him on. But since that isn’t happening, then I might have to do it the old-fashioned way.”

“Well, if you do, you come get me.” Riley was deadly serious.

“I might do that, Riley. Look, Sol, I’ll have a think about that puppy for you. But right now I have to go.”

“Bye, Cole. See you soon. Least we know you aren’t dead. Riley told Bliss if anyone had hurt you, he would rip their throat out.”

Riley threw a rolled-up newspaper at Sol. “Shh, man. Some things aren’t supposed to be shared.”

“Nice to know you care, Riley.”

“Anytime. Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t. I’ll bring Kira next time. Maybe tomorrow.”

“We’ll be here. I’m going to make a start on the roof if you’re interested. Or will you be too exhausted from all that female company?”

“You can only dream. There is nothing quite so sweet as holding your woman in your arms.”

Cole waved as he left, going a few steps away from the house before changing into his wolf and loping off across the track, his speed picking up once he felt the grass beneath his feet. Soft and prickly. Just like his mate.

“Thing is, mutt. They won’t be able to hear you scream either. I won’t be the one sounding like a girl when I tear you apart.” She sounded braver than she felt, but she knew that words alone weren’t going to get her out of this. The look on her pursuer’s face told her this was going to end in blood. Kira was damn sure that blood was not going to be hers.

“So full of it. But I heard what you’re like. Turn tail and run away like a scared she-wolf, don’t you? I bet you want to run now. Go on, I’ll give you a chance. I almost enjoy the chase as much as the kill.”

Kira looked up, judging distances, then in one fluid movement she leaped up into the air, her wolf emerging as she landed. His sinister laugh rang out, echoing around her, he thought she was trying to run. But she soon cut it short, when instead of running, she pistoned off the boulder, four wolf paws giving her the leverage to sweep back towards him. He changed, but not fast enough to outrun her in the tight space. Teeth bared, she sank her teeth into his shoulder, tasting his blood.

His pain voiced in an ear-splitting yelp, she pressed forward, her feet on his chest, claws ripping his skin. He was hers, she had struck him to the ground. But what now? She wasn’t a killer.

The mangy wolf made the decision for her, the body beneath her feet a mass of charged electricity as he changed back to a man, lying beneath her.

“You wouldn’t kill a man, would you? Imagine if you tore my throat out, little lady. The sheriff would hunt you down and put a bullet between your eyes.” His face pulled into a sickening sneer. “Oh, wait, you already know that, don’t you. The sheriff likes to hunt wolf.”

As though he had struck a blow to her chest, she hesitated for one moment, enough for him to leverage his weight and push her back. A sharp pain went through her spine as it came into contact with the rocks behind her.

Her wolf eyes watched him get up and lunge at her, but she was faster, diving away from him and changing into her human form, to stand before him, fists raised.

“You might have heard of my father, but you never met him. He knew how to fight, with his fists, and he taught me well. So come get some, you coward.”