Page 61 of Lost Mate

They all grumbled but the wolves allowed their human mates to fit them with a tracker. Ross did as he was told, making sure the collar didn’t catch any hair, but he didn’t love on his mate like the others were. He swore he heard a whimper from Dylan as he stepped back.

Niles nodded when they were all ready. “Wolves, your humans will be with you at all times. Human mates, it’s your job to keep track of your wolf. You’ve got your ATVs. Do not lose sight of them. If you do, find me. I am tracking you all.”

“You’re coming on the pack run?” Ross asked, not hiding his amusement.

Niles scowled at him. “As an observer. That’s all.”

Ross grunted, but he didn’t say anything else. He climbed into an ATV and waited for the order to go from Joe. He had a job to do tonight. Whatever happened, he needed to keep an eye on his wolf. Dylan’s life depended on it.

The wolves were gone, silvery shadows padding out of the yard under the full moon.

Chapter Eighteen

Milo was right, damn him. Ross felt the tension that had knotted every muscle ease under the moonlit sky. It wasn’t the journey itself, because the ATV seemed to find every lump and bump. It was the clear air and being on his own, with his only job to focus on the wolf in front of him. The wolves stayed together for a while, but he knew which was his wolf. He didn’t need the tracker. Dylan was right, he was a beacon in the darkness.

They didn’t talk across their link and Ross was grateful for that. He needed time to decompress under the night sky. He thought about Milo’s comment about the dark night of the soul. Could he have his dark night just for a few hours? It wasn’t a tantrum, no matter what anyone said.

The wolves ran and played for miles and miles. There had been a general understanding that the human mates would leave the shifters alone until they were ready to interact with their mates. Shifters didn’t get enough chance to be themselves. Owen had tried to explain how easy it was to lose yourself as a wolf and how he’d rather be a wolf than a human. Ross wasn’t sure he understood, but he tried.

Ross had forgotten just how large the acreage was between Sapphire Ranch and the new Cavalry office. Just how many farms around the ranch had they bought to give the pack somewhere to run safely?

Wolves need a lot of space to run. Most packs own a huge amount of land.

Dylan’s unexpected comment thrilled him. The link between them was still open.

How do you manage to hide yourselves? Ross asked, wanting to keep talking to his mate.

Years of practice. No one is looking at the large ranches or farms.

Ross wondered just how many shifters he’d met over the years and never realized it.

More than you could imagine.

Does it scare you that more humans know about your existence now?

It terrifies me. You think you’re protecting us, but we’ve protected ourselves for much longer.

Dylan had a point. They were newcomers to the secret. Only a few humans had discovered it before, like Milo’s dad and his shifter mate who had died young.

“Ow!”

Ross growled as he launched upward as the ATV found a large hole.

You need four legs and night vision.

I’ve got four wheels, Ross pointed out. I can keep up with you.

It’s not like having a wolf inside you.

His wolf was right. Shifters were amazing.

You didn’t think so a few hours ago.

He heard the pain in Dylan’s voice. Ross sighed. Dylan had a point. He didn’t know what to say.

I’m sorry, Dylan said. I should have told them where to stick their test.

Yeah, you should. But you thought you were doing the right thing.

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