Free Reclaim the Wolf: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Wolf Valley Raiders Book 3) by Harmony Raines

merry dance, but not before she had dealt with the straggler. Taking the rest of the boulders at break-neck speed, she left a clear trail up the narrow pass leading out onto one of the wide meadows.
    Once satisfied her paw prints were easy to follow, she let the trail peter out, hoping it would look as though she had tried to disguise her trail. Would he guess she had doubled back?
    Skirting around the boulder field, she stayed low so that when the mangy wolf came along didn’t see her, and instead headed through the pass, hot on her trail. Triumphant her plan was working, she made straight for the other wolf. He was a good way behind, only just starting to make his way through the boulders. He was heavier set than the other wolf, not so light on his feet, and so was weaving his way through them instead of hopping from one to another
    This gave her an opportunity to incapacitate him without bloodshed. Hoping she had her plan straight, she leaped lithely from one boulder to another, one eye constantly turned to check the mangy wolf hadn’t come back through the pass. All clear.
    Pausing, keeping some distance away from the wolf below, she formulated her plan. This would have to be timed perfectly. Eying up what she needed, she jumped across a couple more boulders and then in one fluid movement changed back to her human form.
    The wolf below her caught her scent on the breeze, but by the time he looked up, Kira was leaping down onto him, a large rock in her hand. At the last second, he saw her, saw the danger, and changed back from his wolf, raising his hands to shield himself. But it was all too late; she had him where she wanted him. Careful not to kill him—she only wanted him out of the way—she hit him with the rock, rendering him unconscious.
    Wiping the nervous sweat from her hands, she checked his pulse, happy he was all right and then began to remove his belt. And his pants, just for good measure. Let’s see him run back to town without them. It would send the subtle message she needed in one blatant act.
    She used the belt to tie his hands behind his back, managing with some effort to wrap it around his ankles too. It would take him a while to get out of that. Now on to the next wolf. Only when she looked up, she realised she wouldn’t have to hunt him. Her trick had only worked so far. It had bought her the time she needed. But that time was up.
    “Hello, pretty. This is much more cosy, I won’t have to share you with anyone.” He sat on his haunches looking down on her, even more mangy-looking in his human form. “And so secluded too. No one to hear you scream.”
     
     

Chapter Fifteen - Cole
     
    “Where the hell have you been, Cole? And what happened to your shoulder?” That was the welcome he got from Riley as he walked up to the house.
    “Long story. But I’m hoping it will have a happy ending.” Cole grinned at his brother and then at Sol, who appeared behind him. “Morning, Sol.”
    “Cole,” Sol said happily and came down to see his brother, bounding around like a dog. “Riley said you had run away. Did you run away?”
    “No, Sol. I got shot.”
    “What the fuck!” Riley jumped clear off the porch to come and examine Cole’s shoulder. “I don’t think I would be so happy if someone shot me.”
    “Ahh, but if I hadn’t got shot, I wouldn’t have met my mate.”
    Riley stiffened. “You met her.” His face clouded. “Does that mean you are the new alpha?”
    Cole’s smile left his face. “Unfortunately not. Although that isn’t going to stop me sorting the town out once and for all.” He thought of the sheriff, and the things left unsaid by Kira. If it took him the rest of his life, he was going to wrestle control off the sheriff. Unless of course his brother Riley took over the town.
    “So it’s me?” Riley said, his excitement clear in his eyes, but he held it in. Cole knew it was for his sake, but now it didn’t matter.
    “Listen, Riley, I know we fought about it.