Page 48 of Destined Predator
“But…” Jack glanced up at the skylight that showed the darkness of the late evening, something that would make it impossible for Rhett to see his quarry. “The drone’s got infra-red, sure, but it’s busted, remember? Ben, Casey’s probably goneto that no-man’s land area where you run, out beyond the base of the hills, right?”
“I got it covered.” Rhett shut off the conversation.
“So what you waiting for?” Jack half-yelled.
Rhett cocked his head at the footsteps outside the door. “That.”
That was Jerry…and Duke.
“Howdy.” The ranch hand greeted them, as unfazed by the stable full of people as he had been by Rhett’s request, made by phone earlier. “Here’s his Dukeship. Ya know, Rhett, you should get one of your own, if ya gonna keep needing one. I’m saying that as I’m siring from him—can put you down for pup? A ranch ain’t a ranch without a dog.” Duke pressed his head to Rhett’s thigh like he’d been born for the job.
“Well now…” Rhett considered. “Kids should grow up with a pup. Get back to you on that, Jerry?” He was leading Hurricane out of his stall as he spoke, and, with a command to Duke, who’d clearly remembered the scent, he touched his hat and set off.
It took him longer than he’d thought it would to find Casey, but Duke, trotting at Hurricane’s heels, stiffened and stilled, his ears and tail flattened when they got near a hollow, hidden behind a boulder.Casey must still be in his coywolf form.
He’d gotten a fair way into the hills—Rhett felt a little guilty, dragging Duke all this way and making him run home, but the dog was still fresh, ears cocked and tail wagging even as he set off again.
The moon was out, shining down strongly, showing Rhett the glossy coat of the large coywolf, an animal beautiful in its majesty and strength. “Come on out,” he called. “I don’t like thisany more than you do, but we gotta talk.” Even if he didn’t know about exactly what. “Casey?”
“What if I don’t feel like talking?”
Rhett wondered if he’d ever get used to not precisely hearing his matespeakin his head, but experiencing his words there, like they scratched against his brain. “What do you feel like?” he asked, still trying to get the right wavelength and volume for this very personal relaying.
The coywolf, sitting back on his haunches, tipped his head to one side. “Running.”And he was off, in a muted flash of gray, black and brown.
“Not a problem,” Rhett replied, wheeling Hurricane around and giving chase.
Casey zigzagged, but Rhett was prepared…and ready. He pulled free the coil of rope he was carrying on his saddle, played it out, keeping a grip on one end, then spun it in a shoulder-high circle, as his father and especially his rodeo-riding uncle had taught him. The target he was after was a little closer to the ground than even the smallest calves, but Rhett threw—and lassoed his prey. He jumped off Hurricane, commanding him to stay, and let Casey, yelping and barking, struggle himself into submission.
It took an eternity, and Rhett’s arms ached like a son of a bitch, but suddenly Casey was human again, a naked man trying to pull off the rope encircling him. “Here.” Rhett walked himself along the length of the rope he still held and pulled the coil from Casey…then used it to fasten his hands behind his back, making him Rhett’s prisoner.
“I’m a cowboy, remember?” he said in response to Casey’s astonished, outraged face. Rhett blew that stray lock of hair from his eye for him. “Count yourself lucky I ain’t hogtied you. I still can. Now, we gonna talk, like civilized folks?” Casey stared at the rope, then at him. “You’re an ass.”
“And you’re caught,” Rhett said. “Sit.” When Casey nodded, Rhett untied him then coiled the rope.
He whistled for Hurricane, who came, meaning Rhett could take out the clothes he’d stuffed into the saddlebag for Casey to put on.
Rhett sat and patted the ground for Casey. “I’m supposed to be the strong, silent one, but I’ll start. I’m fine. That injury? A scratch. I—”
“I lost control.” It burst from Casey like a river breaking its bank. “I cut you.” He didn’t sit, but paced, shoving his hair back. “It’s bad enough that you’re exposed to the ugliness—the reality—I gotta deal with, but I’m supposed to protect you, keep you safe and—”
“Hold up there.” Rhett held out a hand.
“Hold my horses?”
“Ha-ha.” But he was happy Casey was making a joke. “First off, exposure to the ugly reality of animals and their world? Casey, you’re talking to someone who’s been castrating bull calves every spring since he was a teenager, and things don’t get much uglier or real than removing bulls’ testicles, I can tell you. Now, protecting me, keeping me safe?” He scoffed. “Well, as much as two people do for each other in a relationship, sure.Twopeople. Each other.”
“It’s more that I lost control.” Now Casey sat, next to Rhett. “I really lost it, when that mangy jackal went to harm you. I’m always in control, Rhett. For the family, as the head, the alpha, and for you, so you know you can trust me. Trust yourself to me. It was a big step for you to admit to the kind of thing you want, and I broke that trust.”
“Hey.” He made Casey look at him. “I trust you to give over control to you when it comes to sex and that’s what we both need. Plus it’s so fucking hot! And you have never and will never let either of us down there.”
“I… Yeah.” Casey grinned. “But it shook me that I can maintain control around the kids, no matter what happens, but I’ve never felt anything like I do for you, and that threw me. I feltwild.”
“I like you wild. Youarewild.”
“And that’s a lot to accept.”
Casey blew out a long sigh and Rhett understood how serious and weighty this was. “No one wants coywolves or even accepts our right to exist. We don’t fit in anywhere.” He caught the flicker of that loneliness before Casey suppressed it.
