The Rogue Mate

Chapter Seven.

Dodging every creaky floorboard I slowly descended the stairs and slipped my boots on. I knew that everyone in the house had supernatural hearing and for today I wanted to be alone. The door squeaked as I opened it and I froze, my heart beating in my chest- thankfully though no one came bursting out of their room.

I ran to the barn, quickly saddling up Obi before thundering out of the barn. The outer paddock fences needed to be checked as they hadn’t been fixed up as of yet and soon I wanted to get the cattle out to the lusher fields to fatten them up before selling season came.

I didn’t have the tools with me but it would be good to show the newbies how to fix fences tomorrow; for now I would just see if they even needed fixing- hopefully not.

After the third fence check I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise- I was being watched. When you’re in the slammer, you become very weary and I learnt to constantly be on high alert- I guess old habits die hard. I turned my head and noticed a streak of grey before it vanished- something was definitely out there. The cold weight of steel on my hip was comforting thought and I knew I also had a knife in my boot- never could be too careful, especially not out here when there’s not a person around for miles and so many wild animals.

For the rest of the day my hunger and agitation grew as I and Obi checked all the fences in the outer paddocks on the North side of the ranch. I could literally feel the piercing stare of whatever or whoever was watching me the entire time, it was unnerving at first but then I shook it off; I knew they were there, but they hadn’t done anything… yet.

It was early afternoon by the time I’d finished the three paddocks I wanted to graze the cattle on when I turned and in the distance saw a grey shape coming towards me; a wolf. It was far away but I knew what it was; I’d become accustomed to seeing them, as now lived with nine of them.

I turned back towards Obi who I knew would be terrified of the wolf; he knew the scent but he was a horse, a prey animal and his fight or flight reflex would kick in, he would run. I tied his reins up so he couldn’t stand on them and let him go; knowing that he’d either return to the barn or wait in the next paddock- though the former was more likely. If he wandered off home it would be a few hours of walking for me to get back and if I needed a quick escape I’d be more than screwed, but Obi was my baby and I wouldn’t let a wolf get him if things turned ugly, plus Chev would probably come looking for me if Obi returned tacked up without me.

I turned and sucked in a ragged breath when I came face to face with a bare chested man. I got a really bad vibe from him though and I knew he wasn’t like Chev or Jake; this man would and could hurt me. He was a werewolf; that much I could tell.

I crossed my arms and squared up to the wolf. “Why are you on my land? This is private property and I can and will prosecute you.”

“This land belongs to the pack and you harbour rouges; my alpha is not pleased.”

I raised my eyes brow and shook my head. “This land belongs to me; I own it, I decide who stays and who goes. You, you need to get off my land before it ends badly for you.” If he thought that I’d kick my friends off my land, he was mistaken; he and his pack of mutts didn’t and wouldn’t scare me.

He growled and I watched as his eyes darkened. “Don’t threaten me foolish girl; this land is part of Alpha Cordero’s territory and he does not welcome rouges.” Chev had told me that my land was outside of pack boundaries and I trusted his word; this man was lying and so was his Alpha. I didn’t suffer liars lightly and I wouldn’t tolerate either of them.

I glared up at him, cracking my knuckles as I looked for weak points on his body. “Get off my land now and tell your alpha that I’m not scared of him or you, and that won’t be told what to do; tell him that I don’t care if he thinks this is his territory because it’s not and if he continues with this farce, I will send hunters after you and you will regret ever messing with me.”