Page 57 of Lost Mate

Thanks for including me in the decision making.

Always and not just you. Your wolf as well. We are three.

The gratitude he received from human and wolf made it all worthwhile.

“Owen will be pleased to have Dylan close by,” Zeke said. “My wolf has plans and he needs someone like Dylan to back him up.”

Ross wondered if he should ask, but he decided right now he didn’t want to know. “Is the situation with Wild Creek resolved?”

Joe’s face hardened. “Wild Creek is under notice that if they lay one fang or claw on Owen or Cal or any other wolf, they’re thrown to the hunters without any support. The doc has told them not to push it. He’s also asked to stay at Sapphire Ranch. It turns out he hates them as much as we do. He’s just more diplomatic about it.”

Ross stared at him, then chuckled. “We need more men to build houses.”

“And more land. I’m working on that too. I came back to Sapphire Ranch thinking I would sell up after Dad…you know. Now look at us.” Joe huffed. “Life was so simple being a professor.”

“But you’d never have met Cal,” Ross pointed out.

Joe’s expression turned stupidly soft. “That’s true. The same goes for all of you.”

They were silent for a moment as they processed that information. Ross couldn’t imagine his life without Dylan, even after a couple of days.

Same, my mate.

Ross sent up a thank you to the wolf gods for making him complete.

The yard of the office bustled with black-clad men barely visible in the early evening dark. The moon hadn’t yet risen enough to light up the yard. Eli and Niles were in the mix, talking to the team commanders.

“Why are they here, rather than Sapphire Ranch?” Dylan asked. He and Ross were watching the proceedings from the top of the stoop.

“I don’t know,” Ross admitted. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately. It was strange not to be one of the men leading a team. And it rankled on one level, but he’d get over it. Besides, tonight he got to travel the land with his wolf.

The rest of the pack plus the older wolves, the sheriff, and the doc were on their way over. Seven wolves and four humans. Their pack was growing by the day.

“What about Cal’s brother?” Dylan asked.

“He’s on his way home under grizzly escort,” Ross said with satisfaction. “He wasn’t invited to the pack run.”

“And Zeke and Owen would have found a way to kill him?” Dylan suggested.

“That too.”

“I would have helped.”

“So would the entire pack,” Ross said. “You know Joe Senior is desperate to eat someone.”

Dylan chuckled. “Newly turned wolves can be a bit feisty.”

“Move out! Move out!”

Ross’s attention was distracted by the team leaders moving out with their men until the yard was empty bar Eli and Niles.

“What if—” Eli started.

“Nothing will go wrong,” Niles snapped. “We’ve dealt with all the what-ifs.”

“I hope you’re right,” Eli said grimly.

“All they need to do is get to their station. The armor should work. God knows we’ve tested it enough.”

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