“That’d be appreciated. Tell your brothers that we’ve got most of our people out checking their herds every night. If anyone catches this werewolf, we’ll give you a call.”
“Thanks.” Jacob checked Rick, obviously unsure if Rick was going to back off for good. “I’ll get going. If you want help with those two carcasses, I’m happy to lend a hand.”
Rick flared again. “We don’t need your help. You just get that fucking wolf.”
“Fine. Just offering, is all.” Jacob backed away, not turning around and showing his back to them until he’d made it back to his pickup.
“You could’ve handled that better.”
Rick leaned against the railing, making a show of acting as though he was relaxed, but Gunner could see through the act. His brother was still upset about the cattle and even more about Mallory.
“I guess you’re thinking I owe her another apology. Again.”
“I don’t know which of you has the harder head, but if you guys don’t stop butting against each other, we’re all going to lose out.” He wasn’t sure how he’d handle it if he had to make a choice. Could he choose between his brother and his mate?
Chapter Ten
Mallory had arrived back at the house after skirting around it, hoping to avoid running into Rick. Once she’d tied her horse close enough to their horses so that they’d see it, she’d come up to the rear door of the house, then slipped inside. As she’d reached the stairs, she’d heard voices and her curiosity had gotten the better of her.
I should tell them I’m here, then go upstairs. Or better yet, just go. I can’t eavesdrop. That wouldn’t be right.
Yet she couldn’t resist. Had she heard Rick talking about her? She leaned her head against the door.
“Just know this, Jacob. Once we catch up to that fucking werewolf bastard, we’re going to get payback for our losses. After that, you werewolves can have him.”
Had he said werewolves? That, of course, was ridiculous. She must’ve misunderstood. Or were they joking like Gunner had joked with her? Concentrating, she put her ear against the door again.
“Rick, you know that’ll cause problems. If you get to him first, you hand him over, unhurt. Do you get my meaning?”
Was Jacob humoring him? Or did he believe it, too?
“Jacob, we’re in this together. We’re doing whatever we can to help out, but this is a rogue werewolf.”
She jerked away, sure that she’d heard correctly this time. Werewolf. Oh, my God.
Had she missed something? Did Rick and Gunner have mental problems and make up fantastic stories?
“Yeah, he is. We still don’t have any idea who he is. Or if he’s working with others. I can promise you, though, that he’s not from Forever.”
Rick snorted, a derisive sound she’d heard before. “Like we can trust a werewolf’s word.”
“Damn it, Rick, knock it off. Jacob’s one of the good ones. He keeps his pack in line.”
Pack? As in werewolf pack?
It was impossible. And yet, they talked about it like they were discussing anything else.
“He got two more of ours.”
She gaped at the door. Rick was talking about the cow and her calf. She stumbled backward, then caught her heel on the bottom step. She sat down, hard, but barely noticed. Her attention was fixed on the door as her mind struggled to understand.
Amber eyes. Rick’s wound. Strange teeth. Growls and snarls.
Gunner had said they were werebears. Had he told her the truth? But that was crazy.
Her breath hitched in her throat. It couldn’t be real, could it? And yet didn’t all those factors point to them being werewolves? Or were they werebears? How could she know? Did she want to know?
And yet, she already knew.
She had to get away. The men she’d trusted to tell her the truth had lied to her. But it was more than a lie. They were either insane or…supernatural creatures. She clamped a hand over her mouth to hold back a hysterical laugh. Or was she the insane one?
Primal survival instinct took over as she half ran, half scrambled up the stairs. She’d grab her purse and phone, leaving her suitcase behind. If she was lucky, they’d see her suitcase and think she was still around somewhere. In the meantime, she’d call Kid and beg him to come rescue her.
Rescue her? How had her life gotten thrown upside down so fast?
She hurried to get her things, then crept down the stairs and paused. Although she could hear Gunner’s and Rick’s voices, it didn’t sound like they were talking to the other man any longer. She had to get going before they came inside and caught her.
How much more pain could she handle? She’d gone from suspecting them of animal cruelty to loving them, only to be twisted up inside when Rick had killed the cow. He’d been right to put the animal out of its misery. The long ride home had given her enough time to get past her shock and realize that she’d been wrong to rail at him. She had intended to apologize later, after he’d cooled down.