Page 23 of Crave

“Yes, sir. Kitten says that if we can’t get it under control by this afternoon when the winds pick up, the fire will rage.”

Courtland swore. “Let me know what you find.”

“Yes, sir.” I hung up and ran in the direction that Kitten and Murphy had gone. She was a half-blood and couldn’t shift, but she still ran like the wind. I could hear them calling for Rosa and Eris, two teens from town. There was a shout in the distance, and we switched directions.

My heart sank at what we found. An unconscious, bleeding Rosa and a frantic young Alpha, Eris.

“Be calm. What happened?” I pushed all my Alpha power at the boy. We needed answers, and we needed them quickly.

He told me hurriedly they’d had lunch, and all their stuff had been on fire when they returned. They’d gone to get the goats and herd them into town to get help, but at some point Rosa had tripped and hit her head. Now she was unconscious. Kitten was checking the girl, and then looked up at me with worried eyes. “She needs to see Tanner right now.”

Fuck.“Do you have an ATV out here?”

Eris shook his head. “We herd the goats out here on foot, then herd them back to their pen in the evening.”

Fucking hell, this was all going to shit. “Fuck.” I fished my keys out of my pocket. “Give her to me and shift. Now, Eris!” Taking the unconscious girl from his arms, I forced him to shift, then gave him my car keys and the girl back. “Go quickly, but don’t jolt her around.” I hoped to hell she didn’t have neck injuries or she was already in trouble. “My car is on the road south-east of here. Take her straight there, and then drive to the new doctor, Tanner.Do not stop—do you understand me?” Again, an Alpha command. The kid was an Alpha too, but he was young. He wouldn’t be able to shake off the compulsion to follow orders.

Eris ran off, gliding like he was a damn gazelle across the forest floor, barely jostling the girl. There wasn’t anything else I could do for them.

Kitten scaled the tree to get a better look, but I could smell the smoke and hear the crackle of flames from here, and I knew. I just fuckingknew.

We were already out of time.

Kitten looked down at me, the solemn look on her face confirming everything. “There’s nothing we can do. Call Courtland and tell him to get ahold of the human authorities. There aren’t even any fire trails out that side. They’re going to need to do aerial drops.” She dropped down beside my feet, agile like the Kitten she was named after.

Murphy gave a choked laugh. “I see where you get the nickname now.”

Then she started running again.

“Stop, Omega!” I shouted, using my Alpha command once more. “You’re going toward the flames.”

She gritted her teeth at me as she slowed, and I knew I’d fucked up. I was glad she wasn’t my Omega because I was pretty sure I’d have been castrated before the night was out.

“I’m aware of that,Alpha.” She said the word with so much derision it could have been a curse. “But the goat herd is just there, and if we can push them south, they’ll have a better chance of surviving.”

Murphy let out the kind of whistle that made me want to punch him in the face. “Go, Omega.” She didn’t need to be told twice. “I’d sleep with one eye open until she forgives you, Rick.”

Soon enough,a herd of goats were thundering toward us, the Omega shouting, “Hyuh!” behind them. “Keep driving them back toward town,” she shouted at me, like she was the Alpha. Then she turned and ran in the opposite direction. Not toward the flames this time, but not toward town either.

“Where the fuck are yougoing?!” I shouted after her.

“Home!” she yelled back, not slowing.

Murphy looked at me, wide-eyed. “Fuck. I’ll go with her. I’ll drag her back to town bodily, if I have to.”

I looked at those fucking goats, then back at him. Gripping his shirt, I kissed him hard on the lips. “Safety first, okay? I don’t care how much she hates it, you get both of you back to town alive. Got it? I’ll get our Omegas and get the hell out of Maxton.” I shoved my phone at him, so he could contact help if he needed it.

He gave me another hard peck on the lips. “I got it. Go play the sexiest goatherd on the prairie.”

I flipped him the bird, but watched him until he disappeared into the trees. This was a goddamn nightmare.

14

TANNER

The little Alpha who burst into my medical office was almost hysterical. I’d heard the car as soon as it pulled up, as well as someone saying very loudly that they’d need the spinal board. Probably to give this frantic baby Alpha something to do.

“You gotta come because she’s unconscious, and she keeps drifting in and out, and she was bleeding so much…” It all ran together in a single breath, not making much sense until you took the time to unpack it. I got the general gist, though, but I was worried the little Alpha was about to pass out from the anxiety of it all.

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