Read Online Romance: Wanted by the Alpha Lion (A BBW Paranormal Suspense Romance) (Heroes of Shifter Creek Book 2) by Clara Moore - Free Book Online
Authors: Clara Moore
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reluctant to abandon their meal; Freddie dispatched them with a couple of quick shots.
The remaining four coyotes began to run. Matthew concentrated on chasing them down the trail toward where his brother was waiting with Sean. It was amazing how quickly the khaki-colored creatures could move. They ran with a fluid grace, leaping over obstacles effortlessly. Each coyote kept its pack mates in sight; as they ran, they’d get so close their fur was almost touching.
It was a tendency Freddie used against them. Riding at near full speed, the ranch hand had the rifle balanced expertly. He fired off a shot that went through one coyote and into the body of the one next to it. The first coyote fell instantly, the second continued running with a ribbon of blood flowing from its side.
They pursued the trio of fleeing coyotes until Freddie pulled up abruptly, holding up his hand to signal that Matthew should also stop. “We don’t want to get ourselves shot,” he explained. A split second later, a rifle shot cracked out, followed by a third, fourth, and fifth. “That’s probably your brother.” A moment passed, and there was a huge boom that echoed off the hillside. “And that’s Sean, with that pea shooter he calls a gun.”
The horses were breathing heavy. Matthew patted the side of his mount’s neck. “That was an exciting day, wasn’t it? You probably thought you were going to sit around eating grain all day.”
Freddie laughed. “It does them good to do some honest work for a change.” His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Sean says they got two of them,” he read. “We might as well ride down and take a look.”
Charlie was standing over the carcass of a coyote, looking like a man who’d conquered the world. “We did it!” he announced to Matthew, as soon as they arrived. “These bastards won’t be bothering my herd!”
Matthew smiled. He saw that the coyote his brother had killed was the one Freddie had wounded, but didn’t mention it. “You’re a way better shot than I am!”
Charlie beamed. “You should see Sean shoot,” he said, nodding toward where the other cowboy corpse lay slumped on the ground. “He got that one mid-air.”
“The other one got away,” Sean said. He was speaking to everyone, but his attention was on Freddie. “How did it go up top?”
“We lost two right from the get-go,” Freddie said.
“So there are three left,” Sean replied.
Matthew had the sense that the coyote hunt hadn’t been nearly as successful as either of the ranch hands had hoped, but knew neither man was about to mention that in front of his brother. “Let’s go down and let Ada know everything turned out all right,” he suggested. “I know she’s worried.”
Charlie looked at the position of the sun in the sky and nodded. “You’re right.” He turned toward Freddie and Sean. “Is it all right if we head down now, or do you guys need us up here with you?”
Freddie shook his head. “Sean and I are going to deal with these carcasses,” he said, “and that’s nasty work. You don’t want to have to deal with that.” He smiled. “But if you want to tell Ada to fry up a little bit more of that bacon for some BLTs when we get back down there later on, that’d be all right.”
Charlie beamed. “She is a good cook, isn’t she?” He swung up in his saddle and beckoned to Matthew. “We’ll go tell her.”
In the short time it took to ride back to the ranch, Matthew heard his younger brother explain exactly what it had been like
The remaining four coyotes began to run. Matthew concentrated on chasing them down the trail toward where his brother was waiting with Sean. It was amazing how quickly the khaki-colored creatures could move. They ran with a fluid grace, leaping over obstacles effortlessly. Each coyote kept its pack mates in sight; as they ran, they’d get so close their fur was almost touching.
It was a tendency Freddie used against them. Riding at near full speed, the ranch hand had the rifle balanced expertly. He fired off a shot that went through one coyote and into the body of the one next to it. The first coyote fell instantly, the second continued running with a ribbon of blood flowing from its side.
They pursued the trio of fleeing coyotes until Freddie pulled up abruptly, holding up his hand to signal that Matthew should also stop. “We don’t want to get ourselves shot,” he explained. A split second later, a rifle shot cracked out, followed by a third, fourth, and fifth. “That’s probably your brother.” A moment passed, and there was a huge boom that echoed off the hillside. “And that’s Sean, with that pea shooter he calls a gun.”
The horses were breathing heavy. Matthew patted the side of his mount’s neck. “That was an exciting day, wasn’t it? You probably thought you were going to sit around eating grain all day.”
Freddie laughed. “It does them good to do some honest work for a change.” His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Sean says they got two of them,” he read. “We might as well ride down and take a look.”
Charlie was standing over the carcass of a coyote, looking like a man who’d conquered the world. “We did it!” he announced to Matthew, as soon as they arrived. “These bastards won’t be bothering my herd!”
Matthew smiled. He saw that the coyote his brother had killed was the one Freddie had wounded, but didn’t mention it. “You’re a way better shot than I am!”
Charlie beamed. “You should see Sean shoot,” he said, nodding toward where the other cowboy corpse lay slumped on the ground. “He got that one mid-air.”
“The other one got away,” Sean said. He was speaking to everyone, but his attention was on Freddie. “How did it go up top?”
“We lost two right from the get-go,” Freddie said.
“So there are three left,” Sean replied.
Matthew had the sense that the coyote hunt hadn’t been nearly as successful as either of the ranch hands had hoped, but knew neither man was about to mention that in front of his brother. “Let’s go down and let Ada know everything turned out all right,” he suggested. “I know she’s worried.”
Charlie looked at the position of the sun in the sky and nodded. “You’re right.” He turned toward Freddie and Sean. “Is it all right if we head down now, or do you guys need us up here with you?”
Freddie shook his head. “Sean and I are going to deal with these carcasses,” he said, “and that’s nasty work. You don’t want to have to deal with that.” He smiled. “But if you want to tell Ada to fry up a little bit more of that bacon for some BLTs when we get back down there later on, that’d be all right.”
Charlie beamed. “She is a good cook, isn’t she?” He swung up in his saddle and beckoned to Matthew. “We’ll go tell her.”
In the short time it took to ride back to the ranch, Matthew heard his younger brother explain exactly what it had been like
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