Chapter 123

After I announced my decision, nobody argued with me. Yet the tension in the cabin continued to build as nighttime came closer.

We ate our delicious supper of cheeseburgers and potato salad washed down with iced tea while William told us the history of the lake.

“The town was built in the early 1800s by a group of Alphas who rented the land near here to Betas for farming,” he said.

“The lakefront property was sold to other Alphas for vacation homes about a hundred years ago, and now there are about two dozen cabins around the lake.”

“Betas in this area still farm the land or live within the town, working in the shops and stores.”

“Has your family owned the property for a long time?” Victor asked.

“No,” William replied. “My parents bought it last year as an investment. When I left the city after Daisy’s ball, it was the first time I had been here.”

After the meal, I taught the guys dishwashing skills before we all went onto the porch to watch the sunset over the lake.

It was stunning. The vibrant colors reflected off the water's surface as the sun sank lower on the western horizon until it disappeared behind the trees on the other side of the lake.

After even the slightest orange glow was gone, a quarter moon appeared and was reflected in the now-dark water.

The other’s eyes were on me as they waited for me to signal it was time.

I didn’t make them wait long. I was looking forward to exploring the area around the lake in my wolf form.

Getting up from my deck chair, I said, “Let’s go. But remember, there will be no arguing, or Jennifer and I will run by ourselves.”

Jennifer was quivering with excitement. Betas rarely had the chance to shift, but she knew she had to stay a few paces behind any Alphas in the pack unless otherwise instructed.

“Jennifer and I will shift at the rear of the cabin,” I said. “We will meet you here in a few minutes.”

Jennifer followed me into the cabin. “Thank you so much, Miss. I’m lucky to have you as my employer.”

“You’re very welcome, Jennifer,” I replied. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

We stepped outside the back door into total darkness and removed our clothing.

“Jennifer, you may call forth your wolf and shift,” I said before summoning Diana.

Jennifer shifted into a pretty little brown wolf with soft brown eyes. As soon as she shifted, she lay on the ground before me with her throat exposed to show her respect and my dominance.

I heard her speak in my mind, “I am ever your servant, Miss.”

“Thank you, Jennifer,” I responded. “And I would like you to meet Diana, my wolf.”

“I am at your service, Diana.”

“Thank you, Jennifer,” Diana said. “What is your wolf’s name?”

“I am called Susie,” Jennifer’s wolf responded.

“Hello, Susie,” I said. “Let us go find the males and explore this place.”

Jennifer followed me to the front of the cabin, where we found the black and the golden wolves waiting for us.

Jennifer stayed behind me and again showed her respect to Victor’s and William’s wolves.

“Hello, ladies,” Victor said. “Which way shall we go, William? You know your way around this area.”

“Let’s just follow the shoreline and circle the water,” William replied. “On the other side of the lake, there are open fields where we can run.”

Since he knew the area, William took the lead. Victor was behind him, and Jennifer was a few paces behind me.

We trotted along, single file, near the edge of the water. The crickets and tree frogs drowned out our footsteps and breathing, but I could still hear the others in my mind.

Diana was holding duel conversations with Adam and Mark. The rivalry caused by the double-mate bond was still intense between the two Alpha males.

But William and Victor managed to keep them under control. Yet, there were times when I still felt uncomfortable. I could sense an unspoken tension running like a current between the three of us.

I froze when a large shadow moved between me and the lake. It was an animal getting a drink. But I didn’t recognize its scent as that of a wolf or a deer. What was it?

It had tawny fur and a long tail and was as large as William and Victor, but it had a smaller head and shorter ears. After it drank from the lake, it sensed me watching it and began to growl.

“You’re some kind of a cat,” I said in my mind.

It seemed to hear me and let out a horrifying scream before it turned and prepared to charge at me.

“That’s a cougar, Miss,” Jennifer said. “We don’t want to fight with her. Let’s stay together and back away slowly.”

But before I could respond, William and Victor were at my sides. Snarling a warning at the big cat, they stomped their feet and bared their teeth.

The cougar screamed again before leaping away from the water and running through the trees, out of our sight.

“I’ve heard of cougars, but I’ve never seen one before,” I said. “They are much larger and more powerful than I thought they would be.”

“A lone wolf would be wise to steer clear of them,” Victor said.

“They have powerful jaws, sharp teeth, and razor-sharp claws,” William added. “But you were in no danger with the two of us here with you.”

“Why are they not in my father’s woods?” I asked.

“They prefer more secluded areas,” Victor explained.

“But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find one on Alex’s property,” William said. “They sometimes wander farther south in the winter.”

“Thank you for your protection,” I told them both. “Jennifer, are you okay?”

“Yes, Miss,” she replied. “I’m enjoying the adventure.”

We safely reached the fields on the other side of the lake, and after sniffing the area for a while, we ran laps around the open space until we grew tired.

We lay in the grass to rest a moment before returning to our side of the lake. After the run, I was relaxed enough to fall asleep, where I lay in the high grasses and wildflowers.

But then William sat up. “Do you smell that, Victor?”

Victor tilted his nose upward and sniffed. “There are other wolves nearby. Are your neighbors friendly?”

“I didn’t have any problems with them the last time I was here,” William replied. “I was approached by other wolves several times, and they were welcoming.”

“Why are these wolves staying hidden?” I asked. I was concerned because the situation was new to me.

“Perhaps because we are a pack of four strangers,” Victor suggested. “They may be checking us out first to determine if we are dangerous to them.”

“Should we go to them and talk?” I asked. I could smell more than one wolf, and they were all male, but I wasn’t sure how many there were.

“Let’s stay calm,” Victor said. “If they don’t present themselves in a few minutes, we will make our way back to our side of the lake.”

We waited as we sensed the other wolves’ eyes upon us. I heard Victor and William discussing how the wolves were about fifty yards away in the tree line to our west.

I tried not to look in that direction, but I grew more nervous by the second.

At least five minutes had passed when Victor declared it was time for us to go.

“William, I’d like you to take the lead,” Victor said. “I will be last. That way, Daisy and Jennifer will be protected in the center.”

“Why don’t you take the lead, and I’ll take our flank to protect Daisy,” William argued. “I …um, may have met these wolves before.”

“Please do as I ask,” Victor said. “If we have to move quickly, I would rather have you leading the way.”

I could feel William’s resentment as he started walking around the lake.

Jennifer and I followed him. I could feel her fear, and it made me more anxious to be back on our side of the lake.

But even though we could tell the other wolves were following us, no attack came. We made it back to the James’s cabin safely.

Gratefully, Jennifer and I went to the back door to shift into our human selves.

But as I rounded the side of the cabin, I overheard Victor say to William, “We need to talk right now.”

The tension between them had grown on our way back from the fields. It had been unpleasant to hear their thoughts.

What was happening between the two Alpha males in my life? Perhaps I could listen to their conversation.