To Catch A Wolf: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Wolf Valley Raiders Book 2) by Harmony Raines Page A

stopped, sniffing the air, making sure it was safe. The scent of wolf reached him, but it was mixed with dirt and iron, iron ore . He had heard this part of Wolf Valley had narrow shafts that dropped down into the old mines. Now he realised why Bliss was here, staring down at the ground and talking to herself.
    Swiftly changing from his wolf, he went forward, calling her name softly. “Bliss. Are you OK? Can I help?”
    She turned around and scooted back from him, but then relaxed a little. He could see she had been crying, and his heart ached to hold her.
    “You should go. My brothers will be back soon.”
    He reached out to her, and she came to him, throwing herself into his arms. “I should have been here,” she sobbed.
    “What happened?” he asked, holding her close. “Has something happened to your brother?”
    “Yes. Sol’s fallen down into the crevice here.” She pointed to a thin split in the ground, and he loosed her to move forward to look down into the dark. As he did, a wolf leaped up, growling as he lurched for the light.
    Pulling himself back, Hugo said, “The area around here was mined extensively generations ago. These cracks in the ground litter this side of the mountain.”
    “Is there a shaft? Some way to get down there?” she asked hopefully.
    “There are several shafts. But I’ve never been too far into them. When I was a boy, I explored the ones closer to the mouth of the mine. But really, you need someone who knows them well. There is Colin, lives on the edge of Wolf Valley; he knows every inch of the tunnels. If we ask him, he might be able to pinpoint exactly where your brother is. Then we could go underground to rescue him.”
    “Will you help us, Hugo?” she asked.
    He touched her cheek, wiping the tear away from her face. “You don’t even have to ask. I will always be there for you.”
    At that moment, the two wolves appeared from out of the trees, Riley carrying rope around his neck. As soon as they saw Hugo, their hackles rose and they snarled in warning.
    “I think you had better introduce me to your brothers,” Hugo said, standing up. But by the look of the two wolves in front of him, they did not like him being so close to their sister. Well, if they thought he was going to back off just because they didn’t like him, they had a tough lesson to learn.
     

Chapter Thirteen – Bliss
    “Stop that right now,” Bliss said, getting to her feet and standing between him and her brothers. “Hugo can help us to save Sol. So you will do him the courtesy of not growling at him and change so that you can say hello properly.”
    Bliss was fed up of always been the outsider, and she could see that things would never change unless her brothers got over their dislike and mistrust of everyone. Once more, she thought of just how much their father had to answer for.
    The two wolves still circled around, but they no longer snarled; instead, they watched Hugo warily, just as he watched them. Bliss took another step forward and they looked at her steadily. She held their gaze, staring them down. She was an equal to her brothers, and she would do whatever it took to make them see they had to behave. It was time they were introduced to her mate. And they had better accept him.
    Cole changed first, although he still looked hostile. Then Riley turned back into his human form, standing with his fists clenched before Bliss.
    “This is the rancher?” Cole said accusingly.
    “Yes, it seems last night we went out to steal the cattle from my mate. So Cole, Riley, I would like you to meet Hugo.” She gave them a hard look, the one she saved for Sol when he was behaving particularly childishly.
    “Good to meet you,” Hugo said, holding out his hand.
    Cole looked at it and then stepped forward, taking Hugo’s hand and shaking it. “Hugo.”
    “Riley, it’s good to meet Bliss’s brothers,” Hugo said, offering him friendship.
    Riley stared at Hugo for a moment and then walked forward,