Alpha of the Ranch

The Debrief

Victoria took another sip of her drink. It was smooth all the way down and exactly what she wanted right now. Oliver had spoken his piece; he’d used words like werewolf, pack, shifters. She’d listen attentively and, two drinks later, she was still digesting the information.

She couldn’t deny what he was saying. She saw exactly what happened outside. She’d seen how his body changed and the inhuman qualities he suddenly possessed. She also saw the boy, Eric he told her, go from a wolf to a human. And when she stopped to think about it, the little red-brown wolf did have human-like qualities. It had seemed like he understood her because he had. It had stood at her side to protect her because it understood the possible danger.

“So,” Oliver started. Victoria looked over at him as she took another sip. She had to admit this cabin had some fantastic alcohol, even with all the craziness. “Do you have any questions?”

She blinked at him. “Questions.” she repeated. Yes she had questions. Millions of them swimming around in her head. None of them seemed to want to pull together and make their way out of her mouth though.

“Yeah,” Oliver said slowly, nodding his head. “I just want to give you space to ask questions if you have them. To get them all out.”

Victoria nodded back at him. “I appreciate that.” Another sip. She noted her glass was starting to run low and felt a pang of disappointment. Would another glass be too much? She laughed at herself. This whole situation was too much.

Oliver called her name. “Victoria?” He watched her chuckle a little to herself and felt a bit of worry. Was the stressful situation too much? Fear coursed through him at the possibility of losing the chance to help her get to know him.

Victoria shook her head to focus again. “Honestly, I do, but I don’t even know where to start.” She looked over at Eric who had chosen to lean against a wall near the backdoor. Oliver had found some shorts for him, the cabin had a few to select from, but he’d refused a shirt. He’d been quiet while Oliver talked and it was hard for Victoria to know if he was even really listening. Now he turned his eyes to her and gave her a small, “everything is a little wild, but it will be okay” smile.

She squinted at him. “Where did you come from?” It was the first real question she was able to voice.

Eric laughed. It lacked the gruffness he seemed to exude at all times and was very sweet. “I was walking through the forest, hunting, when I smelled you. It’s rare to have humans around here so I came to check it out. The smell of food was enticing as well.” He rubbed his hand over his stomach. “I haven’t had a cooked meal in ages.” Victoria noticed then that Eric seemed a little on the thin side. It wasn’t so bad that he looked malnourished, but she could tell he’d benefit from a few steady meals.

“Where’s your family? Your…pack?” she asked. Why would they let someone in their family go hungry?

Victoria watched Eric’s face go hard. The laughter left his eyes as quickly as it had come. His hard exterior was back. “I don’t have a pack.”

Victoria frowned at him, then turned and looked at Oliver. “I thought you said werewolves were like the wolf animal? That they had packs and lived together?”

Oliver nodded at her. “That’s right. We do. But, sometimes, like with wolves, things don’t work out.” Oliver cleared his throat. “So there are wolves who don’t have a pack. We call them rogue wolves or just rogues. They wander on their own living alone.” He glanced over at Eric before looking back at Victoria. He decided not to say anything else on the subject. It wasn’t an easy life to live as a rogue; most of the time they lived in wolf form and went long stretches without speaking to another person. The solitude of it all eventually cracked their human side and they became more wolf than person.

Victoria frowned at the news. Eric looked so young. Why would he be on his own? She wanted to ask more, to figure it all out, but didn’t want to pry into his business. So she did the thing her mother had taught her to do in situations like these, though she doubted her mother expected her to be dealing with werewolves. She turned and smiled at Eric. “Would you like something to eat?”

********

The dinner was quiet and awkward, but they made it through. Victoria could feel Oliver watching her for most of the meal. Which, she voiced several times, was amazing. Oliver could really cook and, had he not partially turned into a giant, fur-covered animal earlier, she might have shown her appreciation with a little more than just her words.

Eric devoured the meal like he hadn’t eaten in days. Which he hadn’t. The thought kept breaking her heart, but he was eating now she reminded herself.

After dinner came another awkward stretch of silence. Where did they go from here?

Oliver cleared his throat. “Victoria,” he started and she felt a small shiver go up her spine. There was just something about the way he said her name. “This wasn’t exactly the date I had planned.” He glanced over at Eric pointedly, before taking a breath in and out. “I had hoped we could get to know each other a little better before I let on that I was a wolf. I know it’s a lot to digest. I just hope that it wasn’t too much for you. That you’d still give me a chance.”

Victoria looked at him. He seemed so vulnerable at that moment. It was a far cry from the snarling beast he’d turned into earlier. But she couldn’t forget that it had happened. That under the jade green eyes and sweet smile, was a creature that could rip her apart.

But could she hold a part of him that was unknown to her against the part she’d already met? She had to recognize this was all of him. The human side that he’d shown her so far was fantastic, she had to admit. Maybe the rest of him was just as wonderful?

She took in his eyes. His sweet, sad, jade green eyes. She’d given him her word that she’d see where this was going. And she would. She was. It was weird, but it wasn’t really bad.

She nodded at him. “Yeah,” she said slowly. “I’m still willing to see how this all goes.”

Oliver let out a relieved breath. “Thank you.” he said and meant it with every fiber of his being. This woman was even more fantastic than he expected. His wolf rumbled with pleasure as well.

Victoria stood. “Well. I had better head back before the guys start to search for me.” She smiled at herself realizing they probably would.

Oliver stood and so did Eric, who smiled at her now. “Thanks for inviting me in for dinner Victoria. I appreciate it a lot.” He patted his stomach and burped. “Sorry. Take it as a compliment.” He grinned at Oliver then made his way towards the backdoor.

“Wait!” Victoria suddenly said. “Where are you going?”

Eric shrugged at her. “I don’t really have a plan. Back to where I’ve been camping for the night and then I’ll probably move from this area tomorrow now that I know it’s a bit occupied.”

Victoria looked appalled. “You’re just going to go sleep out in the woods?” She turned to Oliver as if she expected him to object. He didn’t.

Eric c****d an eyebrow at her. “Yeah. I’m a rogue, remember? No pack, no place. My wolf keeps me warm so don’t worry.”

Victoria couldn’t believe he was saying this like it was nothing. And that Oliver wasn’t saying anything. She turned on him. “You’re part of a pack. Can’t he go with you?”

Oliver frowned while Eric let out a humorless laugh. “He’s not just part of a pack. He’s the alpha. The leader of the pack. Just like with wolves they follow his lead.”

Victoria understood his words, but didn’t know why he was laughing at her. “Okay,” she said slowly, “That’s even better, right?”

Oliver shook his head at her. “That’s not how it works. Just like wolves don’t just wander into a new pack and become part of it. He’d have to be invited in and make sure he fits in before I can make him a part of it. Otherwise he’s just a rogue in our territory and that can cause different problems.”

She looked at him blankly. “So just…make him a part of the pack. Invite him in and all that.”

Oliver watched her as he tried to figure out a good way to explain it. To explain why he couldn’t just bring in a person he just met. Especially one who his mate seemed to like so much. It set his teeth on edge.

Luckily, Eric saved him. “It’s more complicated than how humans just invite people over to their homes. There are similar dangers to if you let a random stranger have the keys to her house and your personal information. But don’t worry. I’ve been on my own for a while now. I’ll be okay.” He smiled at her, trying to ease the tension she clearly had. “I’ll find a new pack eventually then I’ll have a home again.”

Victoria didn’t believe him. The way he said it just didn’t seem like he really believed he’d find a new place, pack. “Well,” she started, looking at the floor and thinking. “I’m human so I’ll do the human thing and invite you over. You can stay with us on the ranch and work. So it wouldn’t even be charity.”

“Absolutely not.” Oliver snapped and the forcefulness of it shocked him as well as Victoria and Eric. He took a breath to compose himself, but his wolf was agitated. “You don’t even know him Victoria! You can’t just invite him into your home. What if he murders you?”

Eric soffed and Victoria rolled her eyes. “I doubt he’ll kill me, Oliver. He could have done that already. Besides, you both said it yourself. This is a very human thing to do.” She smiled again and turned to Eric “You’ll enjoy the ranch. The best of the wilderness and having a soft bed to sleep in at night. Plus the guys are hilarious.”

Oliver clenched his jaw. “Just because it’s the human thing to do, doesn’t mean it’s smart.” he gritted out.

Victoria turned her smile on him. “But you’ll keep me safe, won't you?” she asked. Oliver melted as he looked into her eyes. His wolf settled down and he felt like he was home. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, briefly closing his eyes when he felt the sparks.

“Yes.” He said. He’d keep her safe. He’d lay his life down for this woman and give her whatever it was she wanted. She just had to keep smiling at him like that.