“Umm... How are you getting home?”
“Don’t worry about it. I can get a ride if I need one.”
“Oh...” As much as it irked her to do it, her mother had raised her with manners. “Thanks for driving me home.”
“It was the easiest way to get rid of you.”
The smirk on his face washed away all her good intentions and she snapped out an angry retort. “You have to be the rudest man I have ever encountered.”
He grinned and dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Thanks. I try my best.”
“And you certainly succeed! I’m eternally grateful that this is the last time I’ll have to see you.”
“Really? After tearing down that sign, climbing the gate, walking almost half a mile, and facing a pair of wolves, you’re giving up on me?”
“What?” She had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“I’m Ryne Taylor, Melody Greene.”
Mel felt her mouth drop open then she snapped it shut and quickly turned away fighting for composure. Why did these things always happen to her? Yes, the man was being purposely aggravating but she still needed to work with him. She slowly shook her head in despair, completely at a loss as to how she’d repair the damage. Pasting a conciliatory look on her face, she turned around and opened her mouth to begin to say...something, though she didn’t know what....only to gasp. He was gone!
Looking up and down the road, she couldn’t see a single trace of him. What the...? Turning in a circle, she scanned the area. Nothing was in sight, except what appeared to be a large black dog...or maybe another wolf...running through the woods behind the cabin.
All too wary of canines due to her recent encounter, Mel wasted no time hurrying into the cabin. As she slammed the door shut, she was thankful that she’d changed her plans earlier on and bought groceries before going to Taylor’s. There was no way she was going outside again. She’d had enough encounters with animals for one day, thank you very much. Taylor, wherever he was, was on his own!
*****
Ryne headed for home, loping through the woods and enjoying the chance for a run. The exercise was clearing the alcohol residue from his body and the cobwebs from his brain, though there weren’t too many of those left after his encounter with Ms. Melody Greene. She was an impudent little thing; trespassing on his property and then insinuating that he had vicious animals on his land, trying to twist events around so it became his fault she ran into a tree. No doubt, she’d probably try to threaten him with a law suit.
He wondered why she hadn’t asked him about her ‘rescue’ but decided she was probably still slightly ‘out of it’ from the bump on her head and not thinking clearly yet. No doubt at some point in time it would dawn on her that someone had ‘saved’ her from the vicious canines. How he’d explain that, he wasn’t quite sure. Maybe he should make Bryan and Daniel come up with the solution, since it was their fault to begin with.
Grinning, he thought how insulted Bryan and Daniel would be when they learned that she’d initially considered them to be dogs. And the look on her face when he’d said ‘wolves’ had been priceless. If he’d told her the whole truth, and said ‘werewolves’ she would probably have passed out again from shock. It would almost be worth it, just to see her in that state. But the Keeping was one of their most fundamental laws. Breaking it on a whim was a serious offence; even pups knew better than that.
From his earliest memory, he could recall his mother drilling the Keeping—as they commonly called the law—into his head. Non-weres could never know their true identities. Ensuring the pack’s existence remained hidden from the human population was their first duty. Of course, out of necessity, some humans were aware of the truth, but selecting who to reveal the secret to, was carefully considered by the Alpha and his council, and had to be for the overall good.
Telling Ms. Greene she was in the Alpha den of a werewolf pack was definitely not in their best interests.
Ryne slowed down his pace, not tired, but thirsty. Damned alcohol always left him feeling dehydrated. Pausing by a stream, he took a drink, savouring the cold water as it cascaded down his dry throat. The spring thaw was on, causing the waterways to swell as the snow melted. Just last week, ice had covered this particular stream almost completely, with only the smallest trickle of free running water visible. Now it was a foot wide and by next week, he’d have to wade through it, rather than jump over it.
Bending to take another swallow, he absentmindedly noted his reflection; black fur, gleaming white teeth and bright blue eyes. Ah, you are a looker, he mocked himself. The female had noticed it, too. After all these years, he was very aware that women found him attractive and used it to his advantage whenever necessary. He wondered why he’d felt the need to provoke his unexpected visitor rather than charming her, as he usually did. It must be the fact that he was still hung over, he decided.