Page 8 of Cowboy Wolf Christmas

He was still reeling from what she’d said in the packmaster’s office.

“What’s this trip mean to you?”

That gut-wrenching question tore through him.

He wasn’t certain he knew the answer to that.

Or if he even wanted to.

He watched her as she approached from a distance, clutching yet another massive toolkit to her chest. He’d offered to carry one, but she seemed almost...protective of them. She caught sight of him standing there then, smiling in that sunshiny way of hers. All bright eyes and happy grins, any sign of their bickering forgotten.

Like she hadn’t once kissed him out of fucking nowhere as he’d sat by her hospital bedside, destroying him from the outside in. She’d been the only one who’d believed him then, in his innocence and it’d only gotten her hurt, worse. But she seemed to have forgiven him. Still, the list went on. Like he hadn’t reveled in the taste of her mouth, only to push her away. Like hehadn’taccused her of being deceitful less than an hour ago. Like he hadn’t been an ass, both then and now. Like everything in Maverick’s office was old news. All of it.

Nothing more than dust in the wind.

Fuck, he hated that goddamn Kansas song.

He swore under his breath.

Ever since she’d slammed that door in his face like she’d actually been hurt by what he’d said, he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe he’d been wrong about her.

Maybe shewasthat nice. That sweet and trusting. Lord knew she’d been trusting enough to kiss him, despite what any members of her pack would think. They knew her better than he did after all, and if she really was that sweet, that innocent . . . He frowned.

No wonder Maverick had tasked him with guarding her.

She was a walking accident waiting to happen.

Anyone could take advantage of her.

Especiallyhim.

Silas snarled. Trust test indeed.

He tore his gaze away, glancing toward the glittering, snowy hills. Thanks to the stay in the weather, the whole of Wolf Pack Run was alive now, buzzing with movement as the pack played and celebrated the coming holiday. Tomorrow those able-bodied adults who chose to participate would shift into their true forms, staying wolves for several days as they trekked out into the forest all the way to Bozeman to unite with their sister subpack. Meanwhile, the elders and others who chose to stay behind would care for the pups and children. Only for all of them to gather back home at Wolf Pack Run again.

The tradition was nothing more than a long romp through the snow-covered forest, like the wolves they truly were, except that it ended in all of them together. As one. On Christmas.

Silas scowled. He couldn’t say he was looking forward to it.

He glanced back toward Cheyenne again to find her stalled a few meters away with a handful of Grey Wolf males around her. One of them was standing in her path, talking to her with a not-so-subtle grin on his face. Some asshole in a plaid flannel and beanie who looked like he’d stolen his clothes from a hipster rather than a cowboy, though she didn’t seem to mind from the way she smiled back.

She was always smiling. At everyone.

It shouldn’t have bothered him. He knew how to the whole of the pack felt about her and yet . . . Inside, his wolf stirred.

He wanted those smiles to be for him and him alone.

And wasn’t that all kinds of fucked.

He frowned.

She’s not for you.

Silas’ gaze darted back toward the group. Asshole was stepping toward her now, trying to take the tools from her to help, but something about Cheyenne’s smile stiffened. Silas felt himself tense. She wasn’t pleased he was trying to help her.

She was smiling because she wasnervous.

Before Silas knew what he was doing, he was half-way across the snow-covered pasture, tearing through the snowdrift toward them. He didn’t stop until he’d reached Cheyenne’s side.

---