“You fought your own pack?”
Link nodded once. “Me and Elyse both did, and she took me in after that. She’s a loyal sort. Oh, she knows I’m headed straight to hell, but she’s determined to take care of me while I’m sane. She’s a good person like that. She gave me one of her outbuildings to fix up and stay in. Even kept me fed when hunting and trapping was lean. In return, I kept watch over her place in case my old pack returned. They’ve scattered to the wind by now, though, so she’ll be all right this winter. Tobias had a kill order on one of them this season. Likely, Jenner will have one when he wakes up from hibernation next season. There are a lot of McCalls, and half of us have lost our damned minds already. The bear shifters’ handler, Clayton, likes to take turns with them so their animals don’t get a taste for the hunt. Bloodlust would be bad on those Silvers.” Another long growl sounded from Link, but stopped abruptly, and he continued as if there had been no interruption at all. “If they go rogue, it would take an army to end one of them. Clayton’s right to switch it up every season. You claimed?”
The last question caught her off-guard, so she blinked rapidly and dumbly asked, “What?”
“Tobias sounded like you are important to Jenner. Did he claim you?”
“Y-yes. But he’s trying to get me to leave.”
Link gripped the wheel and frowned at the road passing beneath his ride. “Why the fuck would he do that? We only pair up once, if we’re lucky.”
“He’s worried I won’t be happy here.”
Link’s face ticked. “Then it’s his responsibility to make sure you are.”
“The hibernation is what he’s hung up on, I think.”
“Yeah, well, me and Tobias are working on that.” Link clicked his mouth closed with an audible clack, and his eyes went comically blank.
“What did you say?”
“It’s Jenner’s responsibility to keep you happy.”
“Nooo, after that.”
“Nothing, and don’t ask me again or you’re going to get my life ended before I go mad. If Tobias wants you to know what we’re working on, he’ll tell you his damned self.”
Link turned up the radio to an uncomfortable volume and didn’t say another word the rest of the trip to Elyse’s homestead.
And just below the notes of an old country crooner, Link’s feral, wolfish growl rattled on.
Lena would be lying if she said she wasn’t intimidated by meeting Elyse. Everyone spoke so highly of her that Lena had drawn up as tight as a guitar string by the time Link pulled in front of a small log cabin. In the yard, a black and white husky with bi-colored eyes barked in a constant fashion.
Link called out, “Quit it, Miki,” and the dog trotted over and greeted the werewolf with a friendly lick to the knuckles.
Such a strange sensation washed through Lena as she stood by the open door, scanning the homestead. There was a large fenced cattle pen with one momma cow and her half-grown calf, and beside that was a horse corral with a brown horse who looked to be asleep and a shiny black one who was tossing his head and kicking at nothing as he snorted a pissed-off sound, wary eye on her.
“That’s Demon,” Link said, jerking his chin toward the horse. “He’s crazier than I am.”
There was a chicken coop with an outdoor area completely contained in chicken wire, probably to keep out the predator birds from swooping down and making off with them. The soft clucking of hens and the peep, peep of chicks filled in a silence that had descended over the homestead when Miki had stopped his barking. And all around the clearing was lush forest the color of vibrant rain-bloated moss.
Her heart was pounding unreasonably fast as her chest filled with some emotion she didn’t understand.
“Sounds like they’re back in the garden. This way,” Link said, striding toward the side of the cabin with a gait too graceful to be human.
Around the corner, Lena skidded to a stop. The garden Link had mentioned was towering with green plants in rows, highlighted with brightly colored vegetables. There was a row of young fruit trees along the back that were producing as well. And in front of a long row of corn stood a couple. The man, Ian she presumed, had his back to them and was holding Elyse off the ground. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, and they were kissing. A flush heated Lena’s cheeks at having barged in on such a private moment.
“Come on then,” Link said. “They’re always doing that.”
“Link,” Ian said, turning with Elyse in his arms. “I thought I heard—” His eyes went round with surprise when his gaze landed on her. “Hello.”
“Link, you dog!” Elyse crowed through a grin.
“No, boss lady, she isn’t mine. She’s Jenner’s.”
Elyse landed hard on her feet and swatted her mate. “Oaf, you dropped me!”
“You’re Jenner’s mate?” Ian asked, his striking blue eyes shocked.