Page 4 of Austin's Answer
My heart thudded, racing under the weight of her stare as the words I spoke that day crashed over me like a freezing wave. I’d been harsh with her, needing to put a distance between us that she wouldn’t try to breach. Because I knew if she did, I might fold. My feelings for her were that strong.
Now, the actions I’d believed were right were proving to be a big mistake. If only I’d waited a few months. Shifters only recognize our mates when both are over eighteen. After my birthday, I got restless, thinking about my fated mate. I was certain I would meet her soon. And with the way I yearned for Emily, I worried it would cause problems. So I broke both our hearts and ran away for the rodeo while Emily was still seventeen.
“About that?—”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t want to talk about it. Just like you refused to talk about it then.”
Emily reached for the barn door, but I grabbed it first, sliding it open for her. She crossed over to the first stall, slipping in to examine Molly.
I shoved my hands into my pockets. I wanted to reach for her. Pull her into my arms and explain everything. Ask her forgiveness. But she was stubborn, and I knew she wouldn’t be receptive. I only hoped that at some point she would soften.
She asked me a few questions about Molly’s history before moving on to the next horse. As she made her way through the barn, I watched. Her every move screamed confidence. She had always wanted to become a veterinarian, and she wore the role well.
I almost asked her when she finished school but stopped myself. She didn’t want small talk with me right now, and I needed to show I respected her wishes. “The horses in the main barn are all fine. It’s only these six,” I said instead.
“When were they separated?”
“Since they arrived last week. I need to work with them before they’re ready for guests.”
Emily frowned as she finished her examinations. She exited the stall, brushing her palms against her jeans. “Is the food supply for these horses separate?”
“Yes.”
“Everything I’m seeing suggests botulism.” She blew out a breath. “Testing takes too long and isn’t always conclusive. I should have enough antitoxin with me for all of them, but they’ll need to be monitored. They’re not recumbent, which is a positive sign. If any reach that stage, we might need to consider transferring them to a hospital.”
My mind raced as I considered her diagnosis. “The food supply should be good. I haven’t added anything new recently.”
“Let me administer the antitoxin. Then we can check out the feed.”
I followed her to her vehicle and helped her carry the supplies to the barn. She set up IVs for the horses, moving efficiently from stall to stall. After she finished monitoring for allergic reactions, I led her to the food storage. We inspected the hay for any mold or damp, but it was all perfectly fine.
“Let me shift. I should be able to smell if there are any dead animals in the bales.”
“That might not be necessary.” She pointed to the hay she was inspecting. “There’s some powder here. I can have it tested.”
I stooped to examine what she’d found.
“Any reason someone might want to poison your horses?” she asked.
I cursed, a long, inventive string that had Emily’s brow raising.
“We’ve had issues with sabotage since we started converting to a dude ranch,” I explained.
“Then you might need to call the sheriff.” She reached into her bag and pulled out an empty bottle. “I’ll take a sample while you get Sheriff Danvers.”
I straightened, huffing out a breath. “He won’t want to do anything. He only gets involved when someone actually gets hurt.”
“I’d classify a barn full of horses with botulism as getting hurt.”
“I’ll try, but he’ll probably brush it off as bad feed.” I grabbed my cell while she scooped a sample of the powder into the jar. When I finally got Danvers on the line and explained the situation, he proved me correct. He had no interest in following up. I argued with him, but he remained unmoved.
Suddenly, Emily grabbed the phone from me. “Sheriff Danvers? This is Dr. Emily Miller. I’ve taken a sample of themystery powder present in the hay supply and will have it tested. It is not something normally found in hay.” She was quiet as she listened to his response. “Well, my understanding is there’s a history of foul play on the ranch. In my professional opinion, this warrants further investigation. I will proceed with the testing and will provide you with a copy of the report.”
She hung up and handed me the phone. “That was frustrating. Does he have a grudge against your family?”
“Probably doesn’t like shifters.” I kicked a hay bale and swore. “I don’t understand how this keeps happening. Mason installed security systems on all the buildings.”
Emily
