Ruthless (Wolf Ranch #6) - Renee Rose Page 0,54

I want to show her off.”

They shooed us out the back door.

“They’re just excited,” I murmured once outside.

“For us,” Natalie echoed like she was a little bit in shock.

“Sorry, darlin’.”

She squeezed my hand. “No, no. Don’t apologize. They’re sweet. I’m just not used to sweet. My parents are miserable human beings.”

Yeah, just as I’d thought.

Willow and Rob were setting up folding chairs around a couple long tables.

“Natalie!” Willow cried with a wave.

I leaned in and whispered her name. Natalie smiled and walked over to her. “So great to meet you in person.”

“That’s right, you two talked before Willow came here pretending to be you, right?”

“Yes, we spoke a few times on the phone setting it up. I guess we do look alike.” Natalie eyed Willow.

“Well, close enough considering no one around here had seen you since you were ten,” Willow said. “Although my undoing was the violin. That’s how I got made. The Barn Cats were playing here, and they wanted me to get up and play with them.”

“Oh no!” Natalie clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Natalie played with them the other night, so she made up for your… shortcomings.”

Willow rolled her eyes and smacked me on the arm.

Natalie tipped her face up to me. “Wait… did you meet Willow when she was undercover and think she was me? You’re the one who saw me when I was a kid.”

“Nope,” I swore. I could tell the idea bothered Natalie, the fact that I might have confused her with Rob’s mate. “I didn’t meet her until it all came out that she wasn’t you. If I had, she definitely wouldn’t have fooled me.” I tapped her on the nose. “You are unforgettable, Red.”

I winked, and she rolled her eyes and hip checked me.

Rob came over and looped his arm around Willow’s waist. “Natalie. It’s nice to meet you. The real you—not that it wasn’t even nicer meeting the fake you.” He pulled his mate in tight against his body and breathed in her scent like it was keeping him alive.

In a way, it was. Unmated alpha wolves ran the danger of moon madness, and word was that Rob had been perilously close to it when Willow showed up. So she literally may have saved his life.

Natalie laughed and extended her hand. “I’m going to just introduce myself as the real Natalie around here.”

“Rob Wolf, your neighbor,” Rob said, grasping it.

“And our alpha,” I filled in even though she already knew that.

“I understand from Rand you and your uncle have protected our secret for years,” Rob said. “We’re indebted to you.”

Natalie blushed. “I wasn’t even sure if the story was real to be honest. A ten year old has a powerful imagination. But it’s a secret I’m honored to know.”

Rob glanced at me before redirecting his attention back to Natalie. “So, what are you thinking about doing with the property?”

I stiffened at his bold question. The guys sure as fuck didn’t know how to small talk.

The truth was, I hadn’t had any serious discussion with Natalie at all about her bed and breakfast idea. I knew I was supposed to redirect her for the sake of the pack, and I was fairly certain I could do that if it was something she really wanted to do, but like claiming her, it wasn’t something I could rush. Telling Natalie she couldn’t do something was the surefire way of getting her to do it.

Both Rob and Natalie seemed to notice my reaction because they shot curious glances my way.

“Well, I’m considering opening a bed and breakfast,” she replied. “It’s a huge house and property, and I don’t know the first thing about ranching.”

Rob adjusted the hat on his head, shooting me another glance. “There might be other options. We could rent your land for grazing,” he threw out, like it was an idea he’d just thought of. It wasn’t a bad one, even if she chose not to do the B&B. She could start making some extra cash right now, and she didn’t have to sling drinks all night.

A tsking sound behind Rob made us all turn.

Fucking Nathan Brown stood there looking like the cat that just ate the canary. “This is your definition of handling the girl?” he sneered.

Natalie shot me an alarmed look. “Excuse me?” she demanded.

My fingers bunched into tight fists at my side. I hadn’t gone to have a little chat with him for showing up at my mate’s house. Now I wish I had.

Rob’s upper lip curled. “Nathan. I