Alphas in the Wild by Ann Gimpel Read Free Book Online Page A

head. “Nope. We were one short as it was. Not sure how that happened. Maybe it fell out of one of the mule packs on the way in.”
    “Are there woodstoves for any of the tents?”
    Jake shook his head again.
    “Okay.” She pinched the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger, trying to decide the best course of action. “There are eleven of you and five or six tents, so you’ve been sleeping two together?”
    “Basically.”
    She knew what that meant. The dopers were all in one tent. “These tents will sleep ten. We’ll put six in one and seven in another. We need warmth.”
    “What if the others don’t come back?”
    “Then whoever’s left will bunk down in here.” She thought about her satellite phone and wondered if she should call in an emergency. Moira looked at her watch. Three o’clock. “If the storm’s still kicking ass an hour from now and the rest of the crew’s not back, I’ll call headquarters.”
    Tim came forward bundled in a puffy jacket, wool hat, and thick overpants. Gloves covered his hands. Some of the color had come back into his face. He sank into one of the camp chairs and motioned toward an iso-butane cook stove. “Mind if I heat some water?”
    “Probably a good idea.” She was ashamed she hadn’t thought of it first. Warm clothes and hot liquids were the first line of defense against cold.
    “Jake, go see what happened to Mitch. I’ll make hot water for tea and coffee.”
    “Heh. Didn’t think he’d come back.” Jake smirked.
    “What did you think he’d do?” Alarmed, she stared at Jake’s bearded face.
    “Oh, probably take one of the mules and head up and over Baxter. With his stash.”
    “What? He can’t do that. Those mules are federal property. And the storm could kill both of them.” She sprang for the tent door, but Jake beat her to it.
    “You stay here. I’ll go look. No point both of us getting lost out there.”
    Tim had located the gallon water jugs and a pot. The water he’d put on the stove was already steaming. “There enough air in here to support this?” He pointed at the iso-butane burner.
    “Probably not. Stove vent hole’s not big enough even if it were open. Here.” She tacked the tent’s door open on a hook.
    “That water’s all going to freeze.”
    “True, but we can melt snow.”
    A raven flew into the tent, followed by another. Tim jumped to his feet, ducking as one flew right at him, latched its talons into his shoulder, and started pecking at his head. Moira grabbed the closest thing she could find. She swung the shovel hard at the bird and felt gratified when it connected. A mass of black feathers fell to the tent floor where the raven twitched spasmodically.
    “What the fuck?” Tim sputtered.
    What the fuck, indeed. I thought they wanted me.
    Breath rattled in her throat. Fear threatened to paralyze her. She remembered how insanely jealous Ryan could be, growling at any man who so much as told her good morning.
    “Oomph!” Tim shook himself from stem to stern. “Glad you got the bird, but you nearly took my head out along with it.”
    “Sorry if I scared you. Remember? I used to play semipro softball. You weren’t in any danger.”
    Tim rolled his eyes. “I’d actually forgotten that little tidbit. Did you kill it?”
    “Don’t know. Probably not, since it’s moving,” she answered, still brandishing the shovel. The other raven kept its distance.
    Tim stared at her through narrowed eyes. “That’s what you were yelling about up on the trail. Those wounds on your face look like beak marks. And that’s what you used your gun for. You shot at them so they’d leave you alone.”
    “Smart man.” She winced at the rancor in her tone. “Shit. I am so sorry I got you into this. Look, I’ll explain later, but we’ve got to shoo that other bird out of here.” She took off for the back of the tent, using her arms and the shovel to herd the bird forward.
    “Moira, he’ll leave on his own.” Tim’s voice