Everyone needed to register with a pack, pride, or clan; no lone wolves (or other shifters) allowed to settle in the western half of the territory. East of town was where all the troublemakers gathered, but they knew to behave themselves when they came to town.
Each pack would lay claim to an acceptable parcel of land, and would not encroach on other pack’s territory unless they wanted to challenge them for it. All disputes would be settled by traditional shifter rules – death challenge between Alphas, or a formally declared pack war.
It was the only way to ensure a decent quality of life for the many packs and clans and prides who’d made their way to the new territory, seeking to escape the human encroachment onto their lands that was happening in other parts of the country.
However, the human government was doing its best to dispose of all the nation’s shifter riff-raff by sending them to Greenlands, and it was a slow week when Miles didn’t have to step in and remind everyone who was boss – by ripping someone’s spinal column out.
Miles hadn’t told his pack members yet, but it was starting to take a toll on him. Not physically, but emotionally. Having to constantly summon up that bloodlust was dangerous for an Alpha Prime. Miles found himself struggling to keep control more often than he’d like, these days.
“Well, the news isn’t all bad. No challenger on the bus, but there’s some fresh talent right there,” Anders said, inclining his head at the women who’d just arrived.
The women were unloading their suitcases, stretching out after their long trip and looking around in wonder at their new surroundings. Off in the distance, the mountains were outlined in sharp relief against a pale blue sky. The town of Granite Flats, the center of the new Greenlands territory, looked like a set from a Western movie. Buildings up and down the main street were still under construction, but the businesses around the square were all complete. Thom’s General Store and Grocery, the meeting hall, the barbershop, the Watering Hole Saloon, Sam’s Steakhouse, the First National Shifter Bank, the Grubstake Restaurant, the Early Bird Café, and Finnegan’s Fine Furnishings were all so new you could still smell the paint drying. It was a beautiful thing.
Baldwin looked over at the women with mild interest. “I see some possibilities,” he allowed. “I see one I like. Hmm, that’s very interesting. I could work with that. I may have just spotted the future Mrs. Phillips.” He glanced at Miles. “With your permission, of course.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of words, Baldy. Must be true lurve,” Anders scoffed. “I see a date for Friday night. I’m just trying to decide who’s going to be the lucky lady.” Anders surveyed the women, his gaze roving over each of them.
Miles followed his gaze and found his attention drawn to a woman who was standing apart from the others, stretching and arching her back.
Hello.His day just got a little more interesting.
He felt a sudden rush of heat. Delicious full figure. Silky brown hair. Sweet round face with pouty lips. And on a bus full of single shifter females. How was it that no male had snapped her up already?
Anders’ two-way radio crackled, and he unsnapped it from his belt holster to answer it. “Pack Fenris, go,” he said, walking a few steps away so he could talk.
The brunette was talking to a redheaded fox shifter and a tall, skinny coyote female, pointing excitedly at the buildings in the town square and the mountains off in the distance.
Miles felt a smile tugging at his lips. He liked her enthusiasm, and how she wanted to share her happiness with those around her.
Anders was saying something, but now Miles’s attention was entirely focused on the new shifter female.
“Are you ignoring me?” Anders asked.
“Sure, sounds good.”
Anders spoke louder. “There’s a naked zebra unicorn running across the town square.”
“Uh-huh.”
“A thousand vampire bats just flew out of my ass.”
“Yep.”
“Are you even listening to me at all?” Anders said in exasperation.
Miles tore his gaze away from the sexy brunette who kept self-consciously touching her hair, and focused on Anders – but just for a moment.
“Nope,” he said. “Not in the slightest.”
Then he returned his attention to the brunette. The other women were invisible to him now.
Miles was so keyed up these days that he’d even stopped dating. Couldn’t enjoy it anymore. He turned down all the women who hit on him, to the surprise of his packmates.
But this woman…she called to him on a deep, primal level. Maybe she could ease some of the tension coiled deep inside his gut, just for a little while.
A man walked by and said something to her and she laughed, and he felt a rumble of anger deep inside. He kept his emotions wrapped up tight, not allowing his rage to hurt his two packmates, but he couldn’t stop the claws from curving out of his fingers. Who the hell was that guy, and what was so damn funny? Miles wanted to be the one who made her laugh.
The man cast a startled glance in Miles’s direction; without meaning to, Miles had let some of his anger leak out, directed right at him. The man tucked his head down fearfully and hurried off.
