Wild (Wolf Ranch 2)

Colton was going to get a crick in his neck if he kept looking over his shoulder at me, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Because every time he looked at me with such indulgence, such fondness, I melted a little more.

14

COLTON

* * *

I took Marina out into the open fields and showed her how to take Lucy into a gallop. She whooped and laughed with the joy of it, her face shining with life. She was so fucking beautiful with her blonde hair bouncing off her shoulders, her eyes alight. And that smile. Fuck, it made my wolf happy, and it hit me square in the heart.

I’d had women, appreciated even more, but her smile ruined me. All that and on the back of a horse like the cowgirl-in-training she was. I was a goner because she took to it like a natural. I was surprised when anyone hadn’t ridden a horse before, but I’d pretty much grown up on one. Watching her though, made it better for me. I was sharing something of myself, something I loved, without any words.

Not just the riding—the land. It was the best way to see it, on the back of a horse. I took her closer to the mountains, followed a stream for a bit, but the views… fuck, I’d forgotten how pretty it was here. Peaceful. Quiet. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I was back.

In the past, I’d been fine driving away once leave was over. I never thought twice about heading back to base. But now, with hindsight and all, I had to wonder why I was so eager for a deployment, for living in a sandbox with the enemy for months when I had this. Sure, I was proud to serve my country, but had that been the reason I’d enlisted in the first place? Had I been eighteen and eager to get the fuck out of Montana?

Yes.

I wasn’t eighteen anymore.

I stopped when we crossed over onto Old Man Shefield’s place. The view was to the east side of the valley. Pretty as a picture.

I leaned on the pommel and pointed. “This is our neighbor’s ranch, but he died this past year.”

She looked my way. “Oh. Is it okay that we’re over here?”

“Of course. We were close with Shefield. We’ve been looking after his place for him since he broke a hip a few years back, and he had to go stay in Billings.”

“Who owns it now?”

“Well, according to Rob, some niece of his inherited the place, but she hasn’t been around yet to claim it. It’s no matter because we’ll look after the property for her.”

Well, my brothers would. But I was already starting to think of myself as living here again. Staying. Getting involved in the daily operations. I had to figure out where my little niche would be. Maybe I’d settle into one of the smaller cabins in the hills just like Boyd had. I looked to Marina, wondering if she’d like that. Montana in the winter was for the hardy and a cabin almost off the grid wasn’t for the weak.

She was strong, and I sure as fuck would keep her warm.

“Isn’t there some hot spring and waterfall here?” Marina asked.

“You know about that?”

“Audrey told me Boyd took her there. Sounded like fun. A secret spot.” She sighed.

“Of course, he did.” I chuckled. It was the perfect place to take a date. In high school, we used to sneak over there at night with girls from the pack. Never when the moon was full, though. We knew better than to fuck around with raging hormones, she-wolves and the full moon. It was a good way to mark a female who wasn’t your mate, and then you’d be saddled with her for the rest of your life.

The full moon was tonight, and in the broad daylight, I could feel the madness creeping in once again. My mind was filled with animalistic visions of tugging Marina off her horse and onto the ground. Settling her beneath me in the soft grass, fucking her mercilessly while I bared my teeth, ready for the mating bite. Came deep in her pussy as she screamed her pleasure, only to mark her neck for the world to see.

Fuck. I might not make it through the full moon without losing my shit.

I wouldn’t be able to go back to base like this, especially after she went back to LA. I’d have to retire. I couldn’t live with moon madness and stay in the military. It was too dangerous. I would be too dangerous. If I remained here on the ranch, at least the others would understand. I could shift. Run. Survive.

Maybe if I could keep up with her when she was back in LA, it would keep me from going insane. It was long distance or… death. Which meant we needed to get to know each other better. Out of bed. She’d quizzed me this morning about my life. I needed to do the same. I trotted my horse beside hers.