We could both be farmers I supposed, or Roland could open a small clinic. But being by ourselves didn’t sound secure because without pack protection, we’d be on constant lookout for poachers.
“And if we’re close enough to the pack, maybe we can wear down their resistance.”
“That would be no better than what we have now, which is nothing.”
The only solution was to become members of the Stoney River pack. I refused to accept a deferred enrollment. We’d heard the Alpha was a reasonable guy, and the pack itself was still in its infancy.
Roland got up and offered me his hand. I kissed it, like the gallant gentleman I was, and he laughed.
“We’re on a dusty roadside and grimy with dirt in our ears and nose and on our clothes, but your kiss gave me hope that we’re going to be okay.”
“I should do it more often.”
He heaved me up, and we continued higher up the mountain.
There was no surprise when we rounded a corner and came upon the pack because we’d scented them and picked up on the chatter and laughter for the last three hundred yards.
We’d been led to believe there was no formal entrance to the pack, but as we surveyed the buildings through a large open gate, the land was surrounded by a wooden fence. Or the part we could see. The fence trailed into the woods, and we’d been told the pack had recently acquired more land. The fence wouldn’t keep out anyone intent on causing trouble, but it defined their boundaries, saying “This is us.”
“Here goes.” Roland took my hand, and we strolled through the gate and asked where to find the Alpha. We were directed to a small building. There was a guy outside chatting on the phone, and he told us to knock if we had business with Alpha. He introduced himself as Torin and seemed friendly enough.
Once inside, I was taken aback by how young the Alpha was sitting behind a desk. But there was an older grizzled guy sittingin the corner reading a newspaper. I was about to direct my greetings to him, but Roland nudged me and jerked his head toward the younger man.
Both men stared, open-mouthed, not at me but at my mate. If I hadn’t been close to unconscious when Roland and I met, that would have been my reaction too because unicorn shifters weren’t common.
“Welcome. I’m Creven, the Stoney River Alpha.”
Roland and I introduced ourselves, and my mate added that we’d heard the pack extended membership to shifters who had nowhere to call home.
“We pride ourselves on not asking too many questions about a person’s past.” Creven held up his hand. “Except where it may affect the pack.”
“A unicorn shifter with no herd suggests you’re running from something.” That was the older guy who told us his name was Auden. He tapped his lips. “And the only thing that comes to mind is you have something people want.”
He was a wily alpha, and his years of living in a group made up of renegades and rogues must have taught him to sum up people quickly.
Roland nodded but didn’t say anything, and it wasn’t my place to fill the pair in on possible poachers. But if anyone intent on taking my mate captive—making him shift and stealing his horn—came to Stoney River, everyone would be in danger.
“Torin, come here, please.” Creven didn’t raise his voice, but the guy we’d spoken to was outside the window with the phonetucked under his ear. He now had a toddler on his hip who was babbling about his friend.
Torin poked his head inside. “Yes, Creven.”
Alpha instructed him to take my mate to the dining hall. Roland and I shared a glance, knowing Alpha was going to grill me about our situation. I tilted my head in my mate’s direction as he left, letting him know I’d handle his story with care. The toddler's attention was diverted from talking about his friend, and he asked Roland who he was.
When the door closed, I crossed my hands and rested them above my crotch, waiting for Alpha to speak.
“Now I need you to fill me in on why you both have no den or herd.”
I told him about my brother and how I hoped he’d be here in the mountains, but I hadn’t scented him.
“He may find his way here in the future.”
“But you’ve been injured recently?” Auden stated.
“That was how I met my mate.”
The pair nodded as I spoke, saying my reason for being rogue was straightforward, and while the den may be searching for my brother, they’d probably ignore Stoney River because he wasn’t here.
But Roland had a price on his head. Auden told me how much poachers earned for a horn in pristine condition, and I was dumbfounded. A family could live on that amount of money for years.
