Page 17 of His Stubborn Mate

Amanda’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t back down. “Then we’ll deal with him if we have to.”

Rance admired her strength, but he couldn’t shake the worry gnawing at his gut. “I’ll deal with him,” he corrected gently. “But I need you to be careful, Amanda. Don’t take unnecessary risks. You have no idea what guys like this are like. You need to do what I tell you.”

Amanda’s gaze softened, and she stepped closer, her hand resting on his chest. “I’m not going anywhere, Rance. Albright will find he has more than one Arctotherium to deal with.”

The intensity in her eyes, the certainty in her voice, made something inside Rance snap. He cupped her face in his hands, pulling her into a fierce, possessive kiss. She responded immediately, her lips parting for him, her hands clutching at his shirt as if she couldn’t get close enough.

The world outside fell away, and all that mattered was the feel of her against him, the taste of her on his tongue. Rance’s control slipped, and he deepened the kiss, his hands moving down to grip her hips, pulling her flush against him. He could feel the fire between them, a heat that threatened to consume them both.

With a low growl, he broke the kiss, his forehead resting against hers as he fought to regain control. “Amanda… we can’t. Not right now. We need to stay focused.”

Amanda’s breath was ragged, her eyes dark with desire. “Rance…”

He forced himself to pull back, his hands trembling with the effort. “I need to keep watch. Albright’s out there, and I can’t afford to be distracted.”

Amanda nodded, though he could see the disappointment in her eyes. “I understand. Just… be careful.”

Rance leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “I will. Lock the door after me and try to get some sleep. I’ll be close by.”

She nodded again, watching him with a mixture of concern and affection as he turned to leave. Rance paused at the door, his hand resting on the doorknob. “Amanda… whatever happens, I want you to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I mean that.”

Amanda’s eyes softened, and she gave him a small, reassuring smile. “I know, Rance.”

With a final nod, Rance stepped out into the cold night, his mind already sharpening with the focus of a hunter. He would protect Amanda, no matter the cost. And if Donald Albright dared to come after them, he would make sure the hunter regretted ever setting foot on Kodiak Island.

Chapter Nine

Amanda

The early morning mist clung to the trees as Amanda trudged through the dense underbrush, her breath puffing out in small clouds. The forest was quiet; the only sounds were the crunch of her boots breaking through the icy crust that covered everything and the distant call of a raven. She was focused on the task at hand—helping one of the rangers track down a wounded animal that had been spotted by a hiker the previous day.

Randy was a seasoned park ranger and someone with whom she’d worked many times. He was walking several paces ahead, his eyes scanning the ground for tracks. Amanda was grateful for something else to do outside of her quiet practice. It allowed her to ignore the building tension between her and Rance since his warning about Donald Albright. She understood his concerns, but she refused to let fear dictate her every move. She had things to do, a life to live, and regardless of her feelings for Rance, she wasn’t about to let anyone dictate what she could and couldn’t do.

Stopping suddenly, Randy crouched down to inspect a set of tracks half-hidden in the snow. “Looks like it’s heading east,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. “Shouldn’t be far now.”

Amanda nodded, stepping closer to get a better look. There was a small blood trail, and the tracks were fresh, the edges sharp in the snow. The animal was close, and it was hurt. She could sense its distress, a faint echo of pain that resonated within her.

Just as Randy stood, he turned to look behind them. Amanda could hear the sound of approaching footsteps. She turned to see Rance emerging from the trees, his expression thunderous. Her heart skipped a beat, both from the surprise of seeing him and the intensity in his eyes.

“Rance,” she began, but he didn’t give her a chance to say more.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Randy?” Rance snapped, his voice rough with barely restrained anger. “Taking her out here like this? She’s a vet, not a park ranger.”

Randy straightened, his eyes narrowing as he met Rance’s gaze. “She’s more than capable, Rance. We’ve done this plenty of times before.”

“This isn’t about capability,” Rance growled, stepping closer. “It’s about common sense. There’s a hunter out here, and you’re putting her at risk by dragging her into the wilderness.”

Randy’s jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Amanda stepped between them, turning towards him, “I don’t need you to defend me, and you,” she said turning back to Rance, “do not get to tell me what to do. I’m right here, and I can make my own decisions. I don’t need either of you deciding what’s best for me.”

Rance’s gaze snapped to her, the fire in his eyes not dimming in the least. “This isn’t a game, Amanda. Albright could be out here. He’s dangerous, and you still chose to come out here?”

Amanda felt her own temper flare at his words, the frustration that had been simmering for days finally boiling over. “I am not going to let you or fear of some jerk stop me from doing my job. I have a contract with the state to help in situations like this, not to mention a moral responsibility to alleviate an animal’s suffering. I’m not helpless.”

Randy glanced between them, sensing the tension and clearly deciding he didn’t want to be in the middle of it. “This sounds like something you two need to figure out. I’m going to head back and give you two some space. Amanda, if I’ve caused you any trouble, I’m sorry. I’ll keep tracking the animal. If I find it, I can put it down.”

Amanda barely acknowledged his words, her focus entirely on Rance. “Well, that’s nice, Rance. Instead of my being able to tranq some poor dying animal and end its suffering peacefully, Randy has to track it down and shoot it. And what about Albright? Isn’t he pretty much after shifters in general?”

“Randy is capable of looking after himself.”

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