Mallory's Bears(42)

They weren’t going to get away with it. Telling her to stay and then ignoring her wasn’t going to work. She’d have it out with them once and for all, demanding that they tell her where she stood. Were they playing with her? Or were they as serious as they’d led her to believe? What the hell was going on?

She’d paced into the living room again when she heard the thud of their feet as they headed down the stairs. “Hey, hold up.”

Rick stalled for a second, then started moving again. Gunner, ever the easier one to talk to, grinned at her. “You’re sure up early.”

“The better to catch you with.” Her Little Red Riding Hood joke fell flat. “I’m going with you.”

Rick spun around. “The hell you are.”

“Yeah, I am. I can help. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

“Baby, that’s nice of you to offer, but this is—”

“I swear, Gunner, if you tell me that it’s ‘man’s work,’ I’ll kick you so hard you won’t be able to sit in a saddle.”

He visibly cringed, his hands going down to cover his crotch before he realized what he was doing. “Who me? I’d never say that.”

“Maybe he won’t, but I will. This isn’t a job for a woman. Especially one who doesn’t know the area or the animals involved.”

Why was Rick so damned difficult to get along with? He hadn’t been Mr. Sociable to begin with, but lately he’d become a major bear of a grouch. Killer wolf or not, she was going to make him see reason.

“What do I need to know? A wolf’s killing your livestock.”

“It’s more than that. A lot more.”

She caught the exchange that passed between them. “When are you two going to let me in? It’s fine for you to get between my legs, but when it comes down to really letting me get close, to trusting me with your problems so I can help, you close the door fast.”

“This is bullshit. We don’t have time for this.” Rick pivoted on his heel and strode toward the back door. “Move it, Gunner.”

They had longer legs and were faster than she was. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t do her best to keep up. She followed them out the back door, picking up her pace as they widened the length of ground between them. It wasn’t long before they’d disappeared into the shadows of the barn.

She hurried, running now, but it did no good. “Where’d you go?” How could they have gotten their horses saddled that fast, much less left the barn without her seeing them?

A horse nickered, bringing her attention to the closest stall. She’d seen Rick riding that horse several times and knew it was his favorite. “Where’s Rick, fella?”

The growl brought her to a stop, fear zipping into her like the sharp end of a sword. Hardly daring to breathe, she searched the area of the barn to her left where the beginning of the sunlight eking its way over the horizon couldn’t reach.

Cold, amber eyes, brilliant and glowing, met hers.





Chapter Eight




Mallory drew in a breath that burned in her throat. The gray wolf, a huge animal that was twice the size of an average wolf, pulled back its lips. The snarl came first before the ominous sound of the growl rolled out from him. The eyes blazed with fury, but it wasn’t the kind of hate she thought she’d see in an animal’s eyes. The hate that burned within the wolf was different, more personal. More human.

Where were Rick and Gunner? She dared not take her attention off the wolf. If she did, she was certain she’d look back just in time to see it launching its body at her, jaws open, fangs ready to sink into her flesh and tear her open.

She had two options. She could face the wolf head on, grabbing for the nearby shovel to use as a weapon. Or she could run like hell.

The distance to the shovel was still far enough that she wouldn’t get to it before the wolf reached her. That left her with only one choice, and it was a sorry excuse for a real answer.

Taking a steadying breath, she gathered her courage. The wolf lowered its head, its ears lying back and its tail low but swishing back and forth, a signal of its intent to attack. It took one step closer, then another. On the third step, Mallory spun around and ran.

Please, let me make it to the house.

She heard the panted breaths of the beast behind her. Without checking, she sensed that it wasn’t running as hard as it could.

It’s playing with me. Tormenting me like a rabbit it would soon pounce on.

Her heart pounded, her breath burning her throat. The distance between the house and the barn had never seemed so immense. She knew in that next moment that she wouldn’t make it. But she still had to try.