The world tilted. My stomach churned violently. I staggered back, clutching the edge of the couch for support before doubling over. I vomited into a nearby potted plant, the acidic taste burning my throat.
“Vanessa, please—”
“Don’t touch me!” I screamed, my voice raw and trembling as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “You didn’t contact me because you missed me or wanted to fix things. You brought me here to save your other daughter’s life. Or that you have a grandson. You don’t even care how I’ve been, how your sons are doing, how Dad is coping—no, suffering—because of you. Do you even remember that the mate bond doesn’t break just because you left? You're not even divorced! You didn't have the guts to get the papers! Do you even know what you did to him? Does Tom know his wife is still tied to her soulmate? Both in bond and by state law?”
“Vanessa, lower your voice!” she hissed, her eyes darting nervously toward the kitchen.
“I will not!” I roared, my chest heaving. “You’re a coward. A terrible mother, a pathetic excuse for a wife, and your karma is going to be that girl’s death. Because if that illness doesn’t kill her, something else will.”
The slap came out of nowhere, stinging across my cheek like a lightning strike. For a moment, we both froze, the silence thick with shock and fury.
I didn’t hesitate. I swung back without thinking, the sharp crack of my palm meeting her face echoing through the room. “What? Did you think I wouldn’t hit back?” I snarled, my voice low and venomous.
She stumbled slightly, her hand flying to her reddening cheek, her eyes wide with shock. For the first time, she didn’t have anything to say. And neither did I.
I waited my time, catching my breath before I straightened my form. “Don’t ever contact me. I hate you. I hate this entire situation. Call Dad, and break the bond, get divorced. He hasn’t changed his number. Break the fucking bond, suffer from the pain. Then you can really be sure of your love for Tom. I won’t say I wish you well. Honestly, I want to hit you again and I hope you die a miserable death because you do not deserve happiness. Good day.”
I stormed out of the house after that. I spotted Tom who I'm guessing is Kelly, peeking their heads out of the kitchen on my way out. I didn’t say a word to them. As far as I’m concerned, Tom is complacent in helping my mother leave my father.
Getting back into that large truck was easier than I expected. That was probably because I was too angry to think about anything else.
Colton noticed my expression the second I shut the door.
“You look like you’ve been cryin’.”
“Just take me back to your ranch. I’m stuck here for two months. Unless I can find a quicker way out of here.”
I kept myself from crying. I need to call my father and apologize and I need to call my brothers. They were right. I shouldn’t have come here.
The car breaking down was likely a sign I should have found a way to go back. Dusty Creek, I think you’ve convinced me to enjoy my time off.
Once I leave here I am going to Rome. No, Paris. No, I’ll find a place to curl up and cry for the next four months until I can get back to work and enjoy my life.
She broke my heart all over again. Closure... doesn’t fix anything.
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥
Driving her back to the ranch, i noticed how quiet she got all of a sudden. Vanessa, although still a stranger, talks quite a lot. She strikes me as an extrovert, and a woman who can’t seem to lose an argument. I wanted to say something, but I’m just not a chatty guy. I let her stew in her silence, even though my upbringing always taught me to help out a troubled lady.
Well not just a lady. Vanessa looked like she had been crying, i wasn’t a fan of that. Her emotions were in the high and i was a stranger. I doubt she would want to share those thoughts with me.
Once we arrived at the ranch, she was quick to get out. I worried she would sprain her ankle from how quickly she had jumped.
I exited, and went around the back to collect her bags. She was still waiting there, she looked like she was going to be sick. I didn’t like that. I can’t have her feelings this way. I dropped the bags by her feet, and enclosed my arms around her. Tightening the grip until her face was pressed up against my chest.
I didn’t her hear sob, but i felt the sudden dampness in my shirt. I hadn’t asked her who she went to see. I wonder if she was here to see a lover.
It doesn’t seem that way though. Perhaps she was here to see a family member. I had gotten just a glimpse of the woman that had opened the door.
Is that why she came all this way? It has to be family. What else would draw a city loving hybrid to this small quaint town if not for family.
I rubbed my her back slowly, trying to ease the tears. She clung to my shirt, quietly crying. My heart feels like there’s something tugging at it’s strings. Like something is going on in there. This poor girl. Annoying, and stubborn, but she shouldn’t be crying.
I stood there for as long as i needed to be. The sun had fully risen, the sounds around me reminded me that i had things to do. Animals to care for. And people in the pack who might need help around their houses. I have chores for the day, i can’t stay comforting this strange woman.
But i will.
My mother told me to always help. Even if the person turns out to be my enemy. She died saving catia’s life. She didn’t need to run out after her sister’s daughter in the middle of a storm. She could have had one of us do it. Hell, there are so many things that could have been done differently to save her life that day.
However she decided to save an innocent even though it cost her the one thing she can never get back. Her life.
My family will handle the ranch and farm this morning while i care for my guest. She’ll be here for three months, hopefully that’s enough time for me process the many emotions I’ve felt since she arrived. From rage, to desire, to empathy.
“Darlin’ it’s piping hot. Let’s get you inside.” i swept her off her feet in one motion, she hid her face from my view. With her secured in my arms, i manuevered my body so my fingers could grab the handles of her bags. There are just two bags, so everything is fine.
I’ve carried cows.
She’s lighter than that. She also smells better. I carried her and the items into the house. I hadn’t locked the door when we left, and I’m pretty sure no one in my family locked it either.
It’s a safe pack. Locking doors is a rarity.
I took her upstairs to the bedroom that she spent the night in. She collected herself on the way. I wanted to tell her it’s okay for her to cry, but i get the feeling that wouldn’t make her feel better. I gently kicked open the door.
Placing her gently on the bed. She wiped her eyes.
“Sorry about that. You shirt is ruin.”
“I’m fine darlin’. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m good. I just need to figure out what to do with myself for the next two months.”
I wanted to explain to her that it would be more than just two months, but i didn’t.
“Sure. There are ways to get into the town to find out what to do. Or you can help around here?”
She squeezed her nose. “What would i do?”
“I’ll find something. Wash your face, you’re an ugly crier.”
She tossed a pillow at me, but i could feel her mood lifting. I dropped her bags, letting the pillow go over my head.
“I’ll be in the living room. I have to start my day. Would you like to follow me?”
She pondered over it for a few minutes. “Sure. I guess i can ruin my day even more.”
I almost said something rude to her. I was able to bite my tongue.
“Be down in ten minutes.”
I left her to do what she needed to do. Stopping by my bedroom to grab my wallet, and to change my shirt to something sleeveless. Then i jogged down to the living room to wait for vanessa. Goddess, this strange woman will be here for three whole months.
I might end up committing my first murder.
I was there for fifteen minutes, getting agitated. I contemplated just leaving her when i heard the sounds of her footsteps coming down the stairs. I practically swallowed my tongue at the sight of her. She’d changed her boots to something less high, and traded her clothes of yesterday for blue shorts that hugged her hips and ass. A plaid shirt that she tied at the center, i could see her black lacy bra through the gap in the shirt.
Her hair was packed up into a pony tail.
“Sorry, i had to call my family. To let them know I’m okay.” her words brought me back to reality. What the fuck was i doing again?
“Right.” i cleared my throat as quietly as i could. “Let’s go. The first task today is to check on the crops on the other side of the land. Then the horses. And a few cows. Then i have a meeting. I believe catia will handle the chicken coup. And my brothers can handle pack business. I’ll text them to find out what they’ve done.”
Vanessa groaned, clearly unhappy with everything I’ve said. It’s funny, if she had a better attitude I’d be thinking of ways to ask her out by now.
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★My shoes and i are not made for the farm life. I don’t need to explore farms to know that to be the truth. The farm is huge, and a definite sign of generational wealth. According to colton, no one in the pack paid or built their house. His family did all that. They supply light, and water as well. All the pack members have to do is a pay a monthly sum, and help around the farm. Imagine getting a four bedroom duplex for three thousand dollars a month- which includes light, electricity, and water. That’s an insane deal if you ask me. How are the hayes family not broke with this sort of hospitality?The biggest houses on the land belonged to his family. His house has a total of seven bedrooms, from what i gathered, and I’m guessing so do the others. This excludes the two living rooms, two extra guest bathrooms, the basement, attic, library and office. This man is rich rich. My family aren’t poor, the only reason we have a house in manhanttan is because m
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I knelt beside my father, the midday sun streaming through the cracks in the barn walls, casting sharp beams of light onto the straw-strewn floor. The warmth of the day made the air heavy, mixing the scents of hay, manure, and the sharp tang of Mila’s labor into something almost suffocating.Mila lay on her side, her flanks trembling as she fought through another contraction. Her sides heaved with the effort, and she let out a low, guttural moo, her eyes wide and rimmed with pain. My father crouched beside her, his hands steady and sure as he murmured soft reassurances.“Easy now, girl,” he said, his voice low and soothing. “We’re almost there. Just a little more.”The sweat on my brow had nothing to do with the heat of the day. I wiped it away with my sleeve, glancing at my father for guidance. Despite his calm exterior, the furrow in his brow told me he was concerned.“She’s struggling,” I said quietly, watching as Mila tensed again, another contraction rippl
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Rachel was complaining about Ezra, and how he’s taking Benny on a week trip out of the city. Without her. She’s upset because she can’t do anything, if she goes to court Ezra will win. He knows the best lawyers, and it also doesn’t help that one of the best divorce lawyers is Lincoln. Our older brother. I listened as much as I could while the heat was trying to melt me. God, I’m gonna need another shower. Why the fuck is it so hot here? And Colton’s house has no air conditioning. It has fans. But what good will those do for me?“- I’m so frustrated. Can’t he just talk to me? What is wrong with him?”I sighed. “Rachel, I am stranded in this town for the next few months. I cannot be the buffer between you and Ezra. Talk to my father, he might be able to help. Or here’s an idea, Rachel give him some space. Ezra is feeling hurt and vengeful right now. The only reason he’s trying to think rationally is because you two have Benny. Let him take Benny for the br
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥As expected sending my brother and sister to get Vanessa didn’t go as well as it should. The whole day i did my work, i was thrown by a wild horse into a mud pit for the pigs. This is what happens when your family invests in every thing. We have a chicken coup, pigs pen, horse barn, cows, bulls, dogs, people. Like fuck. And the crops. The crops as well. Which leads to insects, and a million more problems. Let me tell you right now i am exhausted, but i love it. This is a day’s work. A slow day at that. I returned home soaked in mud, and smelling rank when my brother ross road up in a horse. The sun had set long ago, and i was fucking tired, and hungry. I’d skipped lunch for good reasons. The reasons all being that i had too much to do i couldn’t take a moment to eat. What the hell was ross doing here anyways?His house isn’t close to mine.“You won’t believe the ass on your guest.”I would have dropped my jaw if i wasn’t trying to avoid getting mud into my mou
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★No mainstream channels, and he turned me down? The nerve. To even say I’m the girl guys fuck before they find their missus right. I am so fucking pissed off. I could seduce him. I could totally fucking do it, I haven’t even tried. He doesn’t know. I would have made his night. Instead, I’m here watching the local news while he eats his dinner. I sighed, I shouldn’t even be upset. He’s nothing special, but his comment irks me. Why the fuck did he say that? That’s not a compliment at all, it’s a fucking insult to me. Like I’m Missus wrong?I glanced around the room. He’s not wrong, actually, if you consider my boundaries and the sort of shit I’m into, I’m not for the faint of heart. I picked up my phone and went through my company group chat. The people on my floor were discussing the latest cases. God these are so intense. Trafficking, the mayor’s daughter was taken last night. Holy damn, that’s fucked up. They have to find her before she’s moved out of
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I wasn’t sure how long I was there in the bathroom stall, trying to calm myself down as my brain was going haywire. My heart was beating so fast, and I was crying. Eventually, I was able to reel it in and step out of the stall. I turned on the tap and splashed some water on my face. I looked at myself in the mirror. Taking in my clothes, my body language, and the sadness I could see in my eyes. I need to put on a good poker face. The stall next to the one I’d been in popped open, and a girl walked out. Tall, beautiful dark skin, black curly hair, brown eyes, busty, and dressed in a floral dress. She reminded me of me if only I were taller. “You okay, honey?”Had she heard me crying? She must have. She came towards the sink to wash her hands and I shook my head.“No, I’m having a crappy day.”She offered me a sympathetic smile. “Anything I can do?”“I don’t suppose you know where I can get wasted?”She grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Honey I
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Riding the bicycle back to the farm late at night, with my eyes fuzzy was not a good idea. I had to paddle slowly. I’ve walked down the busy manhanttan streets while drunk off my ass before. I made it hope in under two hours from the club, and i only got hit on four times, and pepper sprayed two guys. I do not recommend going home by foot or alone when drunk, and i do not recommend riding a bicycle down a hiker trail in the middle of the night. It is unsafe. I have to keep my speed slow to avoid death.I came across Colton, he was tugging the body of a sheep. How much cattle do they own?Colton spotted me in the dark, his eyes glowing like bright lights. “What the.... are you out of your mind?” He tossed the sheep onto a pile of dead sheeps. From the gasoline, and the matches on the ground i think he’s planning to burn them. He’s dug a hole so they don’t to the trees, and dry twigs and set the entire forest ablaze.“Oh my god, cowboy!” I turned, lifting m
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I looked at colton over and over again. His strong arms, muscular back, firm ass in his boxers, the taste of mint in my mouth, his handsome features, his shirt on my body. What in god’s name? Why am i in... this is the room he gave me so it’s not an accident that he ended up sleeping here. I can see his trousers on the floor next to the bed. And his shoes. My skirt, shirt, underwear.... what the hell happened? Not that i would complain, but I’d like to remember him if i fucked him. He’s a good catch- for a sex partner. All his nonsense about finding true love gives me an ick. It’s always the handsome ones that have the dumbest ideals. He stirred gently. The sun wasn’t up yet. From the clock, i could tell it was 4 AM. Colton opened his eyes one at a time, taking in my form. He rolled onto his back and sat up. Taking his time to look over the room.“Fuck, i was so tired yesterday i fell asleep in the wrong room.” he grumbles out and i sit there frozen b
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★It was buried.Like someone had wanted it to be.I’d been combing through articles for hours, the motions mechanical now, almost numb. My mind was on autopilot—just picking through keywords, cross-referencing names, digging into obscure land deals that didn’t make sense, tracking down vague, half-mentioned connections between people who seemed irrelevant at first glance. The rabbit holes I’d gone down had been endless, some of them leading nowhere. But I couldn’t stop. I had to find something. Anything besides what I found about the drug dealer. Still, I wanted more details. My eyes were aching, and my fingers were numb from tapping the keys. I was running on nothing but cold coffee and the burning need to dig deeper. I had spent the better part of the morning and afternoon chasing down leads that now felt pointless. But then… I found it.It was another old article, buried under thousands of newer headlines, hidden like someone had intentionally tucked i
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I stayed long enough to make sure they both ate. Ashley had come down minutes after I'd urged Samson to bathe and dress in something else. He didn't need my judgment and neither did she. Didn’t matter that it was just eggs, pancakes, and the last of the sausage from the freezer. I stood in that damn kitchen like a drill sergeant, arms folded, watching Samson poke at his plate like food was something foreign. Ashley sat across from him, silent, her eyes rimmed red but dry now. She wouldn’t meet my gaze. I didn’t ask her to.I didn’t ask them anything.I just waited, and eventually they started eating. Slowly. Quietly. But they ate.That was enough for now. They drank some juice and told me they'd be staying indoors for the day. Well, not Ashley. Catia was coming to take her to her place so she could be away from Samson.Once I was sure they wouldn’t go back to bed hungry, I stepped out and headed down the porch stairs. The air was already thick with humidity, t
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 The water ran hot over my shoulders, and for a while, I just stood there, letting it scald the edges of everything I didn’t want to think about. My hands braced against the tiled wall, breath slow, heavy. It didn’t do much to rinse away the ache in my chest—but it helped. Just a little.It was easy to smile around Vanessa, but away from her, my brain was starting to think again. I'd love to have my ability to think fucked out of me. When Vanessa and I have sex, I can only think about her. I do love just thinking about her. It's better than thinking about all the problems in my life. By the time I dried off, dressed, and placed my hat over damp curls, the morning had already fully settled in. Vanessa hadn’t moved from her spot in bed when I peeked into the room again—still buried in her research, sharp as ever, focused like she was stitching the world back together with a single thread. She didn’t even look up when I asked her if she'd need my truck to go into
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I barely noticed the time passing.The world had narrowed down to my laptop screen, the dull hum of its fan, and the occasional click of my nails against the keys. Morning light had crept in slowly through the window, shifting from gray to gold while I chased paper trails and public records down digital rabbit holes. Every tab I opened spun into another, and another—property deeds, business filings, court case summaries, suspicious shell companies that seemed to tie back to a single name again and again.Alina.She was careful. Calculated. Her name was rarely listed, but the fingerprints were there—metaphorically speaking. I was stitching together something ugly. Bigger than what Colton had suspected. It wasn't just a bad deal gone personal. She was tied into something far-reaching. And worse—she was good at hiding in plain sight. I didn’t have the full picture yet, but I had the edges. And the more I found, the more certain I became: this was more than r
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I woke up warm.Not just in the way that meant the blankets were doing their job—but in the way that made my chest ache. Like a fire had settled there overnight. Slow, steady, and kind.Colton's arm was wrapped around me, his hand resting just below my ribs, his body curled into mine like he always belonged there. My cheek was pressed against the solid muscle of his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat—slow, even, completely at ease.It made me want to cry. In a good way. Maybe. This must be the good thing about having a partner. You're never truly alone. And if you want to be alone, you can. Take a moment to yourself. It works if you have someone who understands. Do I suddenly believe love strengthens and fixes everything? No. Heck, who knows if our relationship would stand the test of time. Who knows how this might end? In an affair? God I hope not. If Colton suddenly decides he's actually found his Mrs right, I'll kill them both. I nestled closer t
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I must’ve misheard her. No way she just said—Vanessa narrowed her eyes like she could feel my doubt. “I’m in love with you,” she said again, firmer this time. “I am. And when you said you wanted more than casual... well, I want that too.”My heart damn near leapt out of my throat. My wolf—usually quiet and brooding—sank somewhere warm and content like he’d finally been fed after starving.She said she loves me.I stared at her, stunned into silence for maybe the first time in my entire life. Vanessa. The girl who ran from any emotional talk as if it were fire. Who flinched at the mentions of true love, side-eyed people talking about mates and marriage, ducked out of the room when things got too real—just said she loved me. Out loud. On purpose.And she hadn’t even looked away. She stood there, her chest rising and falling like she was bracing for something, arms crossed like she needed to hold herself together. But she was still standing, still meeting my eyes
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I could have gone to my bedroom to take this call, but I didn’t want to go that far.. I stopped in the hallway, just out of earshot. I’m not the type to run from my problems. Hell, I run right into danger, that’s just who I am. But I’m avoiding the main conversation with Colton. I want to have it. I want to talk about it. I want to say, yeah, I want more than casual with you, too. I want more, I love you. I don’t know how or when I fell for you, but it kind of just happened. However, I cannot throw my whole life away. Long distance won’t work for us.... i mean, fuck, why am i even thinking about this?I brought my eyes back to my phone.The number was unfamiliar, but I answered it anyway, partly because I needed a distraction and partly because a flicker of dread told me who it might be.“Hello?” I said cautiously.There was a pause. Then a shaky inhale.“Vanessa?” a voice I hadn’t heard in days, maybe weeks, not in person, not like this. But I knew it i
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 After a moment of watching the lake, each of us silently making a plan in our heads, we decided to return home.We didn’t say much on the walk back. Vanessa kept close, her steps quiet but fast to keep up with mine. The storm had left behind a world slick with mud and the chill of lingering rain. Trees dripped steadily, and the sky overhead was still a dull sheet of grey, hanging heavy like the grief inside me.By the time we stepped back into the house, I shrugged off my damp jacket and tossed it on a hook. Vanessa followed, tugging her sleeves down her wrists like she was trying to ground herself. The house was too quiet without the family. Too hollow. The air still smelled like breakfast and loss.“Coffee?” I offered, needing something to keep my hands busy.She nodded, and we moved into the kitchen. I prepped the machine in silence, only the gurgling hum of it filling the space between us.“I was thinking…” she said eventually, leaning on the counter, “we s
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I arrived back at the farm—Colton’s house—just as the sky slipped further into gray.From the second I parked, I knew something was off. The driveway was clear. No voices floated from the porch. No creak of floorboards or clatter of kitchenware inside. It was empty.Too empty.I stepped out of the Jeep and onto the damp ground, the air thick with leftover moisture and the scent of wet wood. The storm had passed, but the rain hadn’t fully let go. It lingered in droplets that clung to the leaves and coated the windows like tears that didn’t know how to fall.Inside the house, the silence clawed at me.“Colton?” I called out, voice echoing just slightly. No response. My footsteps padded quietly over the wood floors as I walked from room to room, scanning for any sign of him.Nothing in the kitchen.Nothing in the living room, either of them.His phone wasn’t on the charger. His keys were gone.A slow panic started bubbling in my stomach.I checked the front p