Page 38 of Doubly Tied

Nerves assailed her as she watched Thomas Garrison, the Pack Beta enter the circle to start his inspection of both horses and arena. A rodeo, even one hastily thrown together, was a serious thing for folks who were into it. It went without saying this particular rodeo was extremely significant.

Hell.

Her entire future was at stake!

What would she do if she lost?

If Brody was ripped from her, and Mayne too?

Hurt and pain clouded her vision the second she allowed herself to think the worst. She couldn’t breathe as true fear began to take hold of her.

“We are right here, love, and we are not going anywhere.”

“You’re going to win this thing, Ani.”

Brody and Mayne spoke from right behind her and she spun around to see her mates standing there with identical, repentant smiles on their handsome faces. Relief coursed through her veins as she launched herself at them. They easily caught her. Holding her between them, her males peppered her cheeks and lips with kisses, running their hands over her back and hair, whispering words of apology, encouragement, love, and praise.

“We will be right here with you through this, Ani.” Mayne rubbed his hand over her heart and kissed her lips tenderly. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you too,” she replied automatically, brushing her mouth across his one more time before turning to Brody.

Her Alpha mate’s eyes glowed gold with his Wolf as he met her own blue gaze. She could feel his worry, his affection, and most wondrous, his absolute belief in her flow through their matebond. Both men filled her with love and their hopes and dreams for the future for the three of them, and Ani knew then she would have to win this thing.

“I love you, Ani,” Brody whispered. “You win this and come back to me, come back to us when it is over. We will be right here.”

“I will. I promise.”

Both her mates kissed her one last time before Brody walked over to the fence and stood on the top rail. He gave one loud, short howl, and the Pack quieted immediately. His Alpha powers pulsed through the arena, filling every nook and cranny until he had the absolute silence he craved.

“Big River Wolf Pack,” Brody roared, calling everyone to attention. “The first event is about to begin. Challenger, are you ready?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Megan sneered, licking her lips as she stared at Brody like he was a piece of meat.

Megan snorted as she passed Ani, looking her up and down, pausing as she got to her bright pink Crocs. There was no denying the she-Wolf was built for this. All lean limbs and tight muscles. Not only was she physically superior to Ani, but she knew more about horses and ranching than Ani could ever hope to learn.

“Don’t worry, Ani,” Sage said. “That mangy slut’s got nothing on you.”

“Yeah,” said Ginger inanely.

“I am so fucked,” Ani whispered.

She rolled her shoulders as she watched the female race through the cloverleaf pattern, the gelding she rode expertly hugging the barrels for a finishing time of 15.32 seconds.

Holy fuck.

No way in hell Ani could do that.

“Come on, sis. You got this!”

Of course, no one told Sage’s parting words to the eight-year-old gelding named Sandy that Ani was to ride. The horse took one look at her and seemed to laugh. Even if she could get on the thing without help, which she couldn’t, Ani knocked over two barrels trying to run them.

“Horse camp was never like this,” she huffed as she fell off the damn horse into Mayne’s waiting arms.

The laughs, snickers, and chatter of the Wolves and others in attendance was just background noise as Ani tried to catch her breath. She already hurt in more places than she could name. Two more events, and she had to win those otherwise this was it for her. She might never see her mates again.

“Don’t you think like that, sweetheart. There are two more events. Now, are you hurt?”

“No. I’m okay. What’s next?”

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