Page 30 of Fastlander Fealty

“Yeah, I heard about it from Owen. Sorry, little buddy. I’m busy tonight.”

Owen snorted at her calling Captain, ‘little buddy.’

“She’s busy leaving,” Corey pointed out.

“Technically the rodeo starts in the evening, not at night-time,” Captain pointed out. He canted his head and his smile faded as he asked Silver. “Want to go with me?”

Silver seemed to consider it, and a low, feral sound emanated from Owen. Silver’s leg brushed his arm and she looked down at him, her eyes harboring the lighter gold color of her animal. She turned to Corey. “Would you mind if I go to the rodeo tonight before I leave? I promise I won’t ask any questions or gather intel. I’ll just go there and eat corndogs and enjoy the night, and then leave right after. I can even have my car packed and leave straight from there.”

Corey narrowed her eyes, and looked to Ace, who nodded slightly. She looked to Gunner, but he was just watching Owen with a thoughtful expression on his face.

With a growl, Corey leaned over and stuck out her pinky. “You pinky-swear not to gather intel on us tonight?”

“Fuck yeah,” Captain murmured.

Owen was going to kill him.

Silver reached her pinky out to clasp Corey’s, but Corey yanked her hand back. “Before you do this, you should know how serious I take pinky swears.”

“Okay,” Silver murmured.

“You go back on a pinky swear, I’ll kill you.” Truth.

“Careful,” Owen said low to Corey. He didn’t like her talking to Silver like this. She meant it, and Owen had no doubt the threat was real. Corey’s inner grizzly was still new and running the show for the most part.

“That’s fair,” Silver said, and extended her hand farther.

Corey waited a few seconds before she hooked her pinky against Silver’s. “You leave right after.”

“Deal.”

“Wear something slutty tonight, okay?” Captain said. “Booty shorts. Maybe some cowgirl boots. I can take you shopping if you don’t have—”

“Owen, do you want to go with me to the rodeo?” Silver asked.

A slow smile stretched across Owen’s mouth as he looked up into her pretty face. She was really asking him out, right here in front of everyone. Her blonde highlights were framing her pretty heart-shaped face, and her hair hung in damp waves down her bare shoulders. Her tits were all smashed together with the way she was leaning onto the edge of the raft, and she wore the faintest smile. Her eyes were glowing gold. He didn’t know why her animal was loud inside of her right now, but he sure did like the molten color of those lioness eyes on her. Sexy woman.

“Sure. I’ll go with you.”

“That’s so messed up,” Captain barked out.

“Yeah, it is. You should stop messing with him,” Silver popped back at him. “Are you not paying attention at all? You can’t hear the sound he’s making every time you hit on me? And I know you aren’t doing it because you like me, or you even find me remotely attractive. You’re doing it to mess with that one.” She gestured to Owen. “I don’t give a shit what your issue is with each other, take me out of the equation. I’m not watching anyone bleed because of me, and that one?” She arched her eyebrows and glared at Captain. “He makes the whole river heavy when you pay attention to me. This is not about me and it’s not flattering. You’re drawing out the boar on purpose, and no one is putting a stop to it. Cut it out.”

“Whoo-hoo-hooo!” Hallie said, shaking her hand like it had been burned. “That hurt.”

“You’re right,” Captain growled, sliding off his half-deflated mattress into the waist deep shallows to pull it toward the exit ramp on shore. “You’re not attractive to me, and I don’t give a shit about hitting on you.” Truth. “You’re bait, and bait is fun to play with until it isn’t. You’re not fun anymore. You should leave now.”

And that was that.

For Owen, everything went black.

Chapter Six

“No!” Silver yelled as Owen disappeared.

She reached for him because she recognized that electricity in the air. His Change happened so fast, her hand was flung backward and nearly yanked her arm out of socket. His boar’s coarse hair burned her hand, and an explosion of water covered her vision completely as the wave his Change created rocketed the raft backward.

Behind her Hallie and Corey yelled something she couldn’t understand, and the roar of Captain’s bear rattled her ears.

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