Page 23 of Coral Rustling

Trey scowled.

“Asshole,” Ulkna hissed.

Agreeing, Trey nodded, gritting his teeth in irritation.

“Uh, o-okay.”Perry didn’t seem to know what to do with that answer.

As Mark led the way back into the tent, obviously preparing to get the last of their crates, he stated belligerently.“I’ll take the horses and release them close to the paddocks.They’ll either wander back on their own, or I’ll pretend to find them.”With a shrug before disappearing back inside, Mark continued speaking, his voice carrying through the canvas.“I’ll convince the guys that the gate must have been left open, or they jimmied it loose, and they wandered away.Just lost horses, not stolen.”

Trey growled low in his throat upon hearing Mark’s plans.“No way is he getting away with this,” he declared angrily, self-righteous anger surging through him.

“Nope.”Ulkna squeezed his forearm encouragingly.“We’re gonna stop ’em.”His mate glanced toward the trail Sam and the others had disappeared up.“That’s why the guys are calling the cops.”

Before they could say more, the pair brought out a third set of crates.They approached Glen, but the gelding didn’t seem too keen on being a pack horse and kept side-stepping and shimmying away.It took several minutes for Mark to get the animal settled enough for him to be able to lift and tie them into place.

Glen was a great trail mount, but evidently, this was something new, and he wasn’t too keen on it.

Trey smiled as an idea formed.

A great trail horse.

“I have an idea,” Trey whispered, glancing around the group.Seeing their questioning expressions, he explained, “To slow them down.To give the cops time to get here.”

Trey had no idea how long that would take, and he certainly didn’t want this pair to be able to make it to their trailer and get away.

Not gonna happen.

“What did you have in mind?”Ulkna massaged his palm soothingly.

Trey pointed at the horses.“They’re trained to follow the horse in front of them.They know me.”Indicating the others, he told them, “If you guys can give us a distraction, I can lead them along one of the hiking trails to a cave I know about.Ulkna can ride me to make certain they follow.Although they really shouldn’t give us much trouble til we want to lead them into the cave.”Pointing off to the left, Trey indicated where he planned to head.“We’ll hide out there until the cops get here and arrest them.”

After the guys exchanged looks, Trey was surprised when their attention fell on Ryan instead of Ulkna, considering his mate was the shifter there.Except, then he remembered that Ryan was the beta’s mate.

While he’s human, these guys must consider him to be the boss in the guy’s stead.

Huh.That certainly wouldn’t have happened in my old herd.

After a second, Ryan nodded.“Okay.”He swept his gaze over the area, then pointed at an escarpment fifty feet up.“Give me a sec to climb up there.”Ryan indicated the direction Barny should be in.“Hunter, Reuben, head into those rocks over that way and make some noise.Toss some rocks or do something to get attention.Pretend to be lost hikers or whatever comes to mind.”

Reuben grinned broadly and gave Ryan athumbs up.“We got this.”

Hunter didn’t look so certain, but he still nodded gamely.

Grimacing, Trey suddenly realized just how dangerous this could be, and he began second-guessing himself.He had no right to put these strangers in such a position for his nephew’s livelihood, the herd he worked with, and sort of considered family pets, and after hearing Mark’s comments, his wounded pride.Before Trey could attempt to call it off, Ryan slung the strap of his rifle case over his shoulder and ran off, his footsteps silent even on the rocks.

“Shit,” Trey mumbled uncomfortably.“Maybe we should just wait a little longer.”

Surely the cops wouldn’t be too much longer, right?

Ulkna rubbed his back, teasing his fingertips along his bare spine.“Don’t worry, babe.”Leaning over, he pecked a kiss to Trey’s temple.“These guys know what they’re doing.”

“Yep.”Reuben drew a handgun from the backpack and winked at him.“We’re good.”Focusing on Hunter, he ordered, “Stay here, man.I got this.”

Hunter hesitated.Then he nodded, and Reuben slipped away.

“Uh.”Trey didn’t know how to respond.

Snorting, Ulkna bumped his shoulder with his own.“These guys have taken on plenty worse than these amateur criminals.”

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