Moonlight Ridge

8

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Her time alone went by all too quickly. She had spent a lot of her free time with her animals besides doing the chores around the farm. Especially Rem. With everything that he had gone through, she decided to take him with her.

The morning that she was to leave, she got up very early to finish packing and to get ready. Her ancestor's journal was tucked safely between her clothes and she had nothing left to do. She had her trunks by the door and was going to sit and wait for the sheriff, but her nerves got the better of her. Breakfast of potatoes, bacon, sausage, and eggs were tucked into a basket by the time the sheriff knocked on the door. She was surprised to find that when she opened the door, the sheriff stood next to the man she recognized as the one that attacked her. She froze and Rem went wild at her side. Both men looked uncomfortable with Rem's loud barking but said nothing. At last, she touched Rem's head gently.

"That's enough. They are not here to harm us." She soothed.

Rem instantly quieted down but still eyed his former adversary suspiciously. Leo watched warily as the sheriff elbowed the man beside him with such force that the man winced. He cleared his throat nervously before speaking.

"Ma'am, I'd like to apologize for the hurt I've caused you and yours. I know I can never take it back but I pledge to give my life to make amends." He spoke in a subdued way.

She regarded him a moment.

"What is your name?" She asked.

The shifter's eyes shot up to hers with surprise.

"Walter, ma'am."

"Walter, I accept your apology solely based on the fact that you were not in control of your mind. If you gentlemen would help with my trunks, I would be delighted."

Both men rushed to help her and put her trunks in the wagon they had come in.

Walter had gone to sit in the driver seat while Brandon went over to Leo.

"The family that will be taking care of your farm are on their way."

She nodded and followed him to the back of the wagon. He turned and put his hand out to help her in. Without thought, she grabbed his hand. Once again, his hand brought an intense heat to hers. She regretted touching him because the moment they touched, a deep sense of longing hit her. It took all her will power to not snatch back her hand in an automatic response.

He pulled her up but looked surprised when Rem jumped in after her. She let his hand go quickly and felt immediate relief from the jumble of feelings that must have belonged to the sheriff. Leo looked at Brandon curiously. He was looking at Rem and frowning.

"Rem comes with me." She spoke in a tone that implied it wasn't up for discussion.

Brandon raised his hands in defeat and jumped in after them.

"No need to get upset, Leo. I ain't got nothin' to say." He chuckled.

She made herself as comfortable as she could with Rem by her side and quietly observed Brandon from afar. His head was turned so that he was looking out of the wagon as they started their trip to his home. She began to speculate on the times she felt his emotions.

She knew that she could feel how animals felt. Especially when she made physical contact with them. But from what had happened when she touched the sheriff, she could apparently feel how shifters felt too. Perhaps because they had an animal side to them or perhaps because they were closer to nature. She sat contemplating it, as the sheriff spoke.

"I hate to bother you, Leo but do you plan on sharing that massive breakfast in that basket?" He asked hopefully.

"yes, of course." She replied in an amused tone.

She divided up the food into three servings and gave more to the men. Brandon handed off one portion to Walter and dug into the other. After a long time of comfortable silence between her and the sheriff, he finally turned to her.

"I got a question for you, Leo. Provided that you feel like answering." He said in a timid sort of way.

Leo gave him her full attention.

"What would the question be?" 

His eyebrows furrowed as he spoke. "Us shifters heal fast. Even wounds that would be fatal to humans. The only exception being if our head is removed. Well, Jenny told me that you healed fast... too fast for a human. Do you know if you're mixed blood from anything?" He was gentle in his question.

Still she felt apprehensive. She knew what he meant by 'mixed blood'. He wanted to know if she was part shifter. Or fae. Or any other of the races that came from Athrea. She was sure she could trust Brandon but she wasn't so sure about his pack. She needed more time before she revealed who she was to him. So, she lied.

"I do not know."

The sheriff studied her a moment before nodding then laying back down.

"Best get some sleep. We got a ways to go. I'll wake you when we get there." He said.

She yawned and scooted down next to Rem. She didn't have anything to support her head so she used her hands but it wasn't the most comfortable. Despite that, she felt her eyes start to droop.

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Her mind came slowly out of the sleep haze. She felt very warm. It would have been too warm if the cold night air wasn't blowing into the wagon. She snuggled closer into her pillow and blanket. Odd emotions went through her. Contentment. A need that pulsed. She froze. Those weren't her emotions.

Her eyes flew open and she pushed off of the body she had mistaken as her pillow. She looked down to see Brandon looking back at her. His hair was messy and his eyes were wide as he looked at her. His shirt buttons had come undone and her eyes couldn't help but wander to his exposed skin. Down his chest and abdomen. It registered that she was ogling him. Her eyes shot back up to his and this time she didn't have to be touching him to know what he was feeling. Longing shone in his eyes. He had allowed her to look at him. She sucked in a breath and scooted away from him.

"I do apologize for my indecent behavior, sheriff. I suppose I must have rolled over in my sleep." She said with a blush. 

"I have to confess that I did not mind at all but I apologize if it made you uncomfortable." He murmured.

She looked at him sharply.

"Pardon?" She asked with narrowed eyes and pink cheeks.

He gave her a wolfish smile as he slowly re-buttoned his buttons.

"I already told you that I want you as my mate." He replied as he sat up.

"And I already told you why that cannot be. There was a loss of trust." She retorted back.

"I will earn your trust back. You will be mine." He said with determination.

A high whistle from outside the wagon interrupted their conversation. Brandon rolled over and jumped out quickly into the dark. Leo wasn't sure if that was a signal that they had made it to the sheriff's home or that they were under attack. So she stayed in the wagon and huddled close to Rem. 

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