Monroe, Marla - Belonging to Them [Men of the Border Lands 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Marla Monroe

When he woke up several hours later, he couldn’t go back to sleep.
    Trying not to wake anyone up, he slid out of bed and grabbed his clothes. He slipped downstairs and dressed. It was nearly five, so it would be time to get up in a couple of hours, anyway. He would get a head start on the chores.
    Heather usually got the eggs and milked the cow. He’d get all of that done after he made a pot of coffee. It wasn’t long before he heard footsteps on the stairs, and knew they were Brandon’s by the heavy tread. He steeled himself not to light into him when he walked into the kitchen.
    “What are you doing up so early?” his brother asked.
    “Couldn’t sleep.”
    “What are you planning to do?”
    “Gather the eggs and milk the cow so Heather doesn’t have to get out in the cold this morning.” Bolton poured a cup of coffee as soon as the pot was full.
    Brandon took down a cup and helped himself as well. He didn’t say anything, so Bolton kept quiet as well. The rift between them was palpable, but he wasn’t going to be the one to bring it up. After a few minutes, he finished his coffee and grabbed the buckets and left his brother standing at the kitchen counter.
    Maybe he should suggest that Brandon move back into his room and stay away from Heather altogether. It would hurt her at first, but she would get used to it, and it would put a stop to the constant upheaval she was going through daily. He wasn’t sure he could do it, though. Should he discuss it with Heather first? He didn’t have the answer to that.
    Once he finished the chores, he took the milk and eggs back inside and wrote out a note to let Heather know he’d already done everything so she wouldn’t look for the buckets. Then he went back outside to join Brandon feeding the cattle. They had to keep hay out in the field for them to eat in the cold. They had brought them closer to the house to offer some protection from the harsh winds.
    Bolton found Brandon already out in the field spreading hay. He joined him, and they worked in silence for nearly an hour in the harsh cold. Then Brandon motioned for him to follow him farther out in the field.
    “Look what I found.” He pointed to some tracks in the snow.
    “Fuck, is that a wolf?” Bolton squatted to get a better look.
    “Yep. It’s the only set I’ve found so far, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t more. We’re going to have to watch for it. It will be going after the cows and the chickens.”
    “Maybe we should hunt for it.” Bolton stood back up.
    “I figure so as well. We’ll wait and see if we find anymore tracks. It might just be passing through. They hunt in packs. It might be looking for a pack to join.”
    “I was thinking of going deer hunting tomorrow morning. I can keep a lookout while I’m out,” Bolton said.
    “Good idea. Fresh deer meat would be good. Um, Heather has lost some weight.”
    “Yeah and you should know why.” Bolton walked off, fuming.
    He walked back to the house and when he opened the door, he found Heather cooking breakfast. She turned and smiled.
    “You are out early. Thanks for doing my chores. I appreciate it.”
    “Woke up early, so I decided to get a head start. Breakfast smells great.”
    “Brandon coming in?” She asked it casually without looking at him.
    “Should be on in, in a few minutes. He was checking the horses.”
    She had breakfast on the table before Brandon finally walked through the door. He peeled out of his coat, scarf, and gloves and hung his hat on the peg.
    “Something smells good.”
    “I cooked some of the deer sausage this morning. I figured you could do with some extra protein being out in the cold.”
    “Thanks.” Brandon sat down and filled his dish. Then he looked over at her plate and frowned. “You need more than that.”
    “I nibbled while I was cooking. I’m already nearly full.”
    Bolton caught his attention and shook his head. Brandon frowned at him, but didn’t say anything more about her needing