Fierce (Wolf Ranch 5)

“Huh?”

He sighed, hooked an arm about my shoulder. “You done in here?”

I was in the tack room, mending a broken bridle. I hadn’t done any major vet work since Colorado, only taking care of the pups and checking on the ranch horses, and I was puttering around for now, helping out on the ranch where I could.

“Sure.” I set the tool I’d forgotten I’d been even holding down on the table. Levi flicked the lightswitch off as we went by, then led me out into the early evening.

The sun was setting earlier and earlier, and the snap of fall was in the air. We’d even had a rogue storm come through the week before and dump several inches of heavy, wet snow. I didn’t mind. Not the colder winter than I was used to or the end of the glorious summer weather. No, I had Levi to keep me warm at night.

Every night. To imagine I’d even left him to sleep in my own bed that night we’d first had sex… I’d been an idiot. I’d been content ever since to be with him in his small bunk house bedroom.

His words swirled in my head. He was rich? Why did he stay in the bunkhouse? Why was he working as sheriff if he didn’t need the money? The sheriff election was less than two months away, and he’d officially put his name on the ballot. We’d decided—together—it was something he wanted to do. He was good for the community, Cooper Valley and the wolf pack.

“Doll, I can hear your mind working extra hard.”

“Well, I handled the fact that you’re part shifter pretty darn well, so you’ve got to give me a minute about this. What do you mean you’re rich?”

“My grandparents had money. Lots of it. While they might have disliked me, a lot, I was their only living heir. I guess they could have left it all to a charity or something, but they left it to me.”

We walked toward the bunk house. Pops had put a roast in the crock pot, and he and Johnny would have it all pulled together soon for dinner.

“When was this? Recently?” Had they just died, and he hadn’t told me?

“When I was twenty. They died within months of each other. I haven’t touched a dime of it. Haven’t wanted to. Didn’t need it. Still don’t. But we talked about starting a family, and you want your practice, and I’d like to run my own stable. It’s close to the pack and—”

I stopped, reached up and covered his mouth with my finger. “You don’t have to convince me. I think the idea is great.”

I knew his grandparents were nothing but bad memories for him, but perhaps using their money for something he wanted, for a way for us to make good memories, to raise a family in a way that was completely different than what Levi had gone through, might help.

“Fuck, I love you,” he growled.

I grinned, and he kissed me. Tongue was involved, and a hand was on my ass.

“When you two lovebirds are ready, dinner’s on the table.”

We broke away at Pops’ words, and we turned to look at him. He was standing in the open doorway, Shadow by his side. The scent of roast and baked bread filled the air.

He turned and went back inside, leaving the door open. “Think he’ll want to move?”

“The place has a mother-in-law suite over the garage. He can stay here if he wants, for now, but when it’s time, he can move in there. Whatever is best for him.”

I sighed. “Fuck, I love you,” I repeated.

He pulled the cuffs from his utility belt. “How about we take these for a spin later? I’m hungry for more than roast.”

He leaned in and nipped my neck, growled.

“Hurry up! The gravy’s getting cold,” Pops shouted.

Levi lifted his head, and we laughed. We’d wanted family. We’d wanted… love.

We’d gotten it, and we were ready for it to last a lifetime.