Free AlphaMountie by Lena loneson Page B

among a large family of cousins in the forests
in British Columbia, just north of Prince George where he worked now.
    “We would run for days sometimes,” he said. “Even before I reached
puberty and could turn into a wolf. We’d just run and run, some in wolf form, the
rest of us human, our feet tough as moccasins with calluses.”
    As he spoke, he kept one hand on her thigh. She was preternaturally
aware of the warmth of him, of his presence beside her in the car. She napped and
when she awoke, his hand was still on there. She drifted in and out of sleep for
the rest of the ride, comforted by his presence beside her. I could definitely
get used to this , she thought. The life of a park warden was fairly solitary,
and with Fawn now dead, she had no family left. Noire wanted a large family and
had always looked forward to raising her children the way she had been raised—to
know the woods inside out, and to be capable and able to survive anything, the way
she was. She’d almost given up on the idea, as there weren’t many men who shared
her lifestyle.
    She shook the daydreams from her mind as they arrived at the
beginning of Algonquin Provincial Park. As Cam continued to drive down a winding
path into the park, Noire pressed her face against the passenger window, thrilled
to be home. Her eyes took in the towering pines and the few remaining spots of orange
and yellow as the deciduous trees lost the last of their leaves. She rolled down
the car window and inhaled the scent of home—a heady combination of pine, moss and
fresh air. They drove past a sign that noted a popular deer crossing, warning motorists
to slow and keep an eye out for wild animals on the road.
    She couldn’t stop smiling. God, she loved this place. Noire tossed
a quick glance at Cam and saw he shared her pleasure in finally arriving at the
wilderness. They made eye contact and grinned at each other before he turned back
to the wheel.
    Cam and Noire stopped at Noire’s cabin for supplies, knowing
they might have to hike the forest interior for several days. It was a small wooden
building that had running water and electricity, but that was the end of the creature
comforts provided. The main room was decorated much like a hunting cabin, all in
shades of wood brown and moss green, but without any trophies hanging on the wall.
While Noire did hunt, stuffed moose and deer heads had always bothered Fawn, so
she kept no reminders of what she’d killed—simply ate the meat, and shared the hide
with local Natives who turned them into moccasins or clothing for themselves, or
to sell to tourists. At this southern edge of the park, there were quite a few small
gift shops run by locals.
    Noire and Cam each took a shower, knowing this might be their
last chance for hot water. Noire re-loaded her pack with supplies, including maps,
a tent and a large amount of ammunition. She tossed two shotguns in the trunk of
the rental car; they would be able to drive a bit farther before heading out on
foot or canoe.
    She knew Cam’s plan was to fight their enemy as a wolf, though
he hadn’t said as much. They were on the same page as far as Page’s fate—they wanted
him dead, not in jail. For Cam, the issue was exposure—the fewer people who
knew about shapeshifters, the better. And if they were right about the possibility
of their enemy being a skinwalker, it was possible a prison wouldn’t hold him. A
smart skinwalker would find a way to smuggle in the pelt of a small animal like
a squirrel or bird, and simply slip out of the cell.
    Noire didn’t care about practicalities—as long as he was dead
at the end of their trip, she would be happy. She agreed that the best way to do
it was to have Cam fight him. A wolf kill was much less traceable than a bullet,
and they wouldn’t have to explain anything to local authorities or the detective
team from Toronto. Still, it would be foolish not to pack her own weapons, since
they didn’t know which pelts Page had obtained