“Good morning Tristan.”
A man was walking down the wide aisle in the center of the barn. Bree thought his name was Jeffrey, but she couldn’t remember if he was human or Lycan. As he approached, she shrank back against Tristan and he patted her arm gently.
“You’re fine little one.” He sounded so much like James that she smiled a little. They really were very similar.
“Good morning Jeffrey.” Tristan nodded to the man.
“Going for a ride?” Jeffrey gave Bree a friendly smile and she looked away shyly.
“No, just showing Bree the barn. She hasn’t been in here yet.”
“I’m heading to the smaller barn. Ian says that Bella should be ready to give birth any day now.”
“Alright. Let me know when she goes into labour.”
Jeffrey nodded and, whistling under his breath, left the barn.
“Who is Bella?” Bree asked timidly.
“One of our mares. We bred her with Samson and she’ll be giving birth soon.”
“Oh.”
Tristan led her down the aisle of the barn, telling her the names of the different horses they passed. When they were halfway to the end of the barn, she cleared her throat nervously.
“May I ask you something my lord?”
“Call me Tristan, and yes you may.”
“Why do you have so many horses? It seems strange for Lycans. Where I – where I was before they didn’t use horses at all. Do you not move faster than horses when in your Lycan form?”
Tristan laughed. “Aye, that is true Bree. We do move faster than horses.” He stopped in front of a stall, and reached in to pet the small grey horse that was standing in it. The horse snorted quietly and nudged at his hand with its broad nose.
“I have loved horses since I was a boy. My father had no use for them, but he indulged my love and allowed me to have a few when I was growing up. About fifteen years ago, Avery convinced me to do what I had always wanted to do and breed them. I’ve been breeding and selling horses for nearly ten years now.”
“Is that why you are so rich?” Bree blurted out without thinking. She stared at him in horror, afraid she had insulted him, but he threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“We are not rich, little one.”
Bree gave him a doubtful look. Their home was large, they had not one barn but two, and they paid their slaves to work for them. She was two when her parents died and her brother, only twelve years old, had somehow managed to keep them both alive. Even before they had been captured by the Lycans, they’d never had enough to eat. They’d slept in abandoned buildings and in fields, and she had never once had more than a few coins to her name. The most stable time of her life was the three years they had worked as slaves for a human family that lived just outside of the city.
Her brother had gotten them into the household, she had no idea how and he wouldn’t say, and she had worked in the house while he had worked the fields. They weren’t paid, but they were given one meal a day and beds in the slave quarters.
Her face darkened. Draken’s pack had attacked the home and taken the humans as their own slaves. She had spent the next two years living in fear, never knowing when she would be chosen to be hunted.
Tristan was staring at her and she gave him a timid smile. “I am sorry my lord. I did not mean to offend.”
“You didn’t.” He replied. “My father did very well for himself. When he died his wealth passed to me. I have lived a very fortunate life.”
“Is your mother still alive?”
“Yes. She lives with us actually. She is visiting my adopted brother Marshall and his family at the moment.”
He stopped in front of a stall that held the largest horse Bree had ever seen. It was completely black in colour except for a white blaze on its forehead. Its coat looked silky soft, and she took a nervous step back when it hung its large head over the stall door and snuffled at Tristan’s coat.
Tristan stared at her curiously as he rubbed the horse’s forehead. “Are you afraid of horses Bree?”
She licked her lips nervously. “No.”
“Do you know how to ride?”
“Of course.” She lied.
He gave her a stern look. “I would prefer if you tell me the truth, little one.”
Her mouth dried up and she took another step backwards. Even though Tristan had not raised his voice and his body language was relaxed, she could feel her pulse speeding up.
“Don’t be frightened Bree.” Tristan said gently. “I know why you fear my kind, but I promise no one here will ever harm you.”
When she didn’t reply he took his own step backwards, putting more space between them. “Have you ridden before?” He asked again.