Chapter 170 Chapter 170
Kobie looked around the yard. There were so many guards. She didn’t know how many, but was glad some had stayed over at Ed’s with Irene, the Queen of all shifters—she still couldn’t believe she’d met her. Turning, she watched Gage, Blair, and Devin come back with huge grins on their faces.
Calum eyed them, “what’s going on?”
Gage shrugged, “we just thought a little fun has been earned.”
“Fun?” Calum frowned.
“Yeah, you remember fun, don’t you?” Devin glanced at Gage. “Was he ever fun?”
“I can’t remember,” Gage smirked.
“What have you guys done?” Kelsey looked from one to the other.
Blair motioned to the back of the property. “We hid something out there and want to see who finds it first.”
Calum looked over at his mate, then back to them. “Again? How many times do I have to make you guys look bad?”
Devin crossed his arms over his chest and grinned, “oh, we’re not participating.”
Blair turned and smiled at Kobie, “best tracker and hunter against the all-mighty Calum.”
Calum’s eyebrows both went up as he looked at them.
Kobie shrugged, “what are the rules?” She could use a little fun right now.
Gage was still smiling. “You both leave on two feet, once you reach the stake you can shift, and whoever brings back the hidden object wins.”
She looked at Calum, then back to Gage, “what’s the object?”
“A rabbit fur,” Calum said in an annoyed tone.
Kobie stood there for a moment, “how old is it?”
“A few days since it was cleaned., Blair confirmed, looking at Cooper.
“It’s not dried out?” She asked.
Cooper shook his head, “No, it’s still good and rank.” He tipped his head to her.
Kobie shrugged, “okay then. Any other rules I need to know about?”
Gage and Blair exchanged a look. “Nope.” Gage crossed his arms and smiled at Calum, “you in?”
Calum stood looking at them for a long silent moment, then gave her a quick smile. “I’m in.”
“This is going to be interesting.” Shepard stood in the doorway.
Devin glared at him. “Stay inside.”
His father stepped out the door and looked around at the number of people and guards standing there. “If they can get to me through all of you, then we’ve failed on many levels.”
Kelsey and Rayne came over to Kobie.
“Kick his ass,” Kelsey mouthed, then smiled.
“Can we carry our packs?” Kobie asked.
Daisie ran out the door with hers in her hand and gave it to Blair, who started walking toward her with a big grin on his face.
Kelsey leaned closer, “Blair is the only one that found the hide at the same time Calum did, but Calum runs faster.”
Kobie nodded, “yeah he’s got the speed I don’t have.”
Rayne looked over at Devin, “he’s even faster than Dev’s wolf.”
“Okay,” Kobie took off her jacket and handed it to Rayne, “so outmaneuver him is what you’re saying.”
Kobie bent down and pulled off her shoes as Blair reached her.
“You got this, babe.” He looked over at Calum where Gage and Shaelan were whispering to him, “use those amazing skills of yours and ignore him. He’ll try to send you on a wild goose chase and then run like the wind in the right direction.”
Kobie took the pack from him, “why would I follow a male when I can scent things for myself?”
Rayne and Kelsey glanced at Blair and then smiled.
“Good luck, we believe in you,” Rayne said and took Kelsey’s elbow and went over to stand with the others.
Kobie looked up at Blair, “I hope I don’t screw this up.”
Leaning down, he brushed a light kiss over her mouth. “I believe in you.” He smiled at her.
She held his pale eyes, her heart pounding in her chest, “that means a lot, Blair. I’ve spent half my life trying to prove to men that I was useful to the clan.”
“Babe, you don’t have to prove that here.” He motioned with his head to where Kelsey and Rayne had gone, “Kelsey’s been making us look incompetent for years.” He grinned.
“I doubt that, but thank you.” He continued to stand there and look at her. His expression was gentle, his eyes flicking to her mouth, then back to her eyes. Kobie’s insides tightened, “stop distracting me.” She hissed.
“I’m not doing anything.” He answered honestly.
Kobie rubbed her hand over his chest and then gave him a little push. “You don’t need to.” With that, she turned around and walked over to where Calum stood.
He inclined his head to her and motioned to start walking.
She did. “You didn’t know this was coming?”
Calum shook his head, “no.”
“You don’t seem happy about it.” She glanced at him but kept walking.
Huffing out a breath, he held her look for a moment, “I almost hope you beat me.”
That surprised her. “You do?”
He nodded, “yeah, then you can be challenged constantly every time there’s a group of shifters together.”
Kobie laughed quietly, “what clans have you beaten?’
“All that has challenged me.”
That didn’t tell her much about which type of shifters he had beaten in the past.
“Blair is the only one that came close.” He told her quietly.
Looking around for the stake they were supposed to be going to. “That doesn’t surprise me. Everyone only has good things to say about him.”
He looked down at her while he walked, “is that a bad thing?”
Kobie shook her head, “no, I just feel like everyone is trying to sell him to me.”
“Maybe they just want to see him happy and you’re what’s going to make him happy.” He said quietly, and then pointed to the red stake in the ground. “Who knows, maybe you’d end up being happy too.”
Kobie paused and looked at him, she hadn’t thought of that. Having someone that believed in her and trusted her had been something she’d been looking for since she was little. She frowned at Calum, “that’s cheating, distracting me right before this.”
Calum pulled his shirt over his head, “if you’re as good as I’ve been told, nothing will distract you from the task at hand.” He grinned, “nothing.” He turned his back to her.
Blowing out a breath, Kobie stood there. When he started to take off his pants, she turned her back to him and pulled her shirt over her head. Inhaling slowly, she scented all around. From this point, she could pick up Blair, Gage, and Devin’s scent. They were smart, doing this right after a rain when all the scents of nature were amplified and enhanced.
She pulled off her jeans and stuffed them in the pack and put it over her head. They’d be smarter than that, making sure their scents crossed all over this area. Find the pelt, she thought as she shifted fast.