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from the farm crops.
Trey grinned.  You ll be bringing something more valuable, to my mind. The
whole mountain knows you are one of the best bride fetchers.
Patrick frowned and muttered,  Didn t do so good the last time.
Camille Anthony Bunny Tails: Bad Hare Day - 78 -
 Never you mind that. It weren t yer fault. Outside meddling s what messed
y all up, and that don t lessen yer status none. You brung a bride, right?
 Yeah, I did. Pat brightened.  Ya know, Trey, I reckon I just might be of a mind
to join up with y all. Got to think on it a mite& Can I get back to you?
The twins nodded in sync.  Take your time.
Elmer spat a wad of tobacco juice toward the can, missing it.  We ain t in no
hurry. Cain t go nowheres  til after the crop s in.
Chapter Ten
Winds of Change
With an almost human grin on his face, Xen loped up to me, trailed by an
exuberant Brax and Usher.  Vance, I m glad you came, but before we go forward I have
to ask& Are you here against orders, or did Westyn approve this journey?
I clasped Xen s outstretched forearm, gripped his right hand with mine and
pulled the slighter wolf to me in an embrace of camaraderie before offering the same
greeting to my former lieutenants.  As always, I am the Alpha s Prime Enforcer and
here with his full approbation, empowered to speak on his behalf.
Xen s shoulders relaxed.  I m glad for that. This situation is hairy enough as it
is.
I eyed my former second, wondering for the nth time what crisis could have
precipitated him contacting the pack with his strange message.  While I am glad to see
you, in fact, had planned to hunt you up, I regret it is danger to the pack that makes this
meeting necessary.
Xen leaned slightly to the left, surreptitiously searching the area behind my right
shoulder. He disguised it well, but I d noted and understood. He was looking for
Ouida, but he should have realized she wouldn t have been behind me waiting for
permission to speak. Not her. My mate would have already defied tradition and pushed
past me to embrace her ex-lovers.  I didn t allow her to come.
The chagrined expression on Xen s face revealed how much he disliked being
caught out.  Did you fear I would be inappropriate with her?
Camille Anthony Bunny Tails: Bad Hare Day - 80 -
Anger bled through his tones, sparking a reciprocal reaction within me, so my
answer was stiffly worded.  Not at all, Xen, but when you send a cryptic message to the
pack warning of danger and momentous change, only a fool would bring his most
precious treasure into possible peril.
He bristled even more.  I would have warned you if that were the case.
 I took your message as that warning and acted accordingly. Would you have
done differently?
 No. Xen bowed his head.  Forgiveness, Alpha. I&  He paused halfway
through the traditional apology, and I watched him recall he was no longer my beta,
but an alpha in his own right, on his own terms. This was the first wolf I d ever trained,
the first I d chosen as trusted backup. I was proud to see him matured into a wild, fierce
animal that faced the world fangs bared.
Xen s head snapped up. Shoulders braced, he stood and faced me, meeting my
eyes without flinching.  As I was saying, I ask forgiveness for questioning you, Vance.
As her mate, Ouida s safety must always be your primary concern. I would have it no
other way.
My wolf still felt riled by Xen s implied insult and was not even a little mollified
by the stiff apology. Being fair, I suppose a good portion of that anger was due to the
twinge of guilt I felt over failing to protect Ouida from that bear. Ignoring my animal s
desire to strike out, I answered with a slight nod of my head.  Believe me, I sympathize
with you more than you can imagine.
The twist of Xen s lips didn t denote humor.  Somehow I doubt that. After all,
you are in sole possession of the treasure. I have nothing, not even a pack anymore.
 That could change if the two of you would quit pissing on the bushes long
enough to get to the issue at hand. Focus on what precipitated this meeting, Xen, and
introduce me.
I turned to confront the person who d dared to interrupt my conversation and
froze in shock. The male -- a stranger who had managed to get within ten feet of me
Camille Anthony Bunny Tails: Bad Hare Day - 81 -
without my knowledge -- was one of my kind, but not of my pack, for I know each and
every member. This one I did not know.
More shocking to me than his ability to blindside me was the aura of supreme
confidence rolling off the stranger. This male was something outside my experience, but
not outside my knowledge. He was an Alpha Prime, recognized as a natural leader
among my people. My eyes almost crossed as I realized the most powerful wolf I d ever
encountered also seemed to be the first metrosexual wolf I d ever met. He could have
stepped off the cover of GQ.
This wolf stood at least six foot five. His thick, dark gold hair swept back from a
strong, wide brow, then fell to lay in a sleek salon power-cut that had to have cost
hundreds of dollars. His lashes and eyebrows were a darker brown than his hair, the
brows so perfectly arched they too had to be courtesy of the salon. Tall, raw-boned and
powerfully built, he sported an Armani suit that had obviously been tailored to fit his
muscular body. Large, well-manicured hands swung in relaxed ease at his sides.
Xen stuttered over the introduction.  Vance Forrester, this is Chase McCallum. I
met him a week ago. Chase, this is Vance, the wolf I told you about.
Stunned, I stared into hazel eyes that were tinted in nothing like the muddy [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]