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Even being ignorant of all things equestrian, Jules understood a gesture of "don"t be afraid". He"d used it many times for many a frightened young boy. Jules hesitantly put his hand up to touch Brave. The horse"s nose felt soft and cool, and his whiskers tickled a little. Jules smiled, and rubbed his forehead.

Halian Joined him. "Brave is able to smell your fear the same as any alpha would," he said quietly. "He would never harm you, Jules. He"s the kindest of creatures.

Jules nodded, and continued to pet the horse.

"One day," Halian said, "you will ride as I do, bareback, and you will find out what it"s like to be really free."

Jules looked into Hal"s eyes. He could never avoid doing so for very long. Grat.i.tude overwhelmed him for having Hal at all. He leaned forward and rested against Hal"s lean, strong body, asking for his touch.

Hal wrapped a careful arm around his waist. He skimmed his lips over Jules"s throat, resting them on the mating bite scar.

???"?? ????? ?? ????, was the message.

Jules shuddered in relief. He knew Hal wouldn"t forget him, abandon him, or throw him away. He knew those things. Why did he need the constant reminders?

Hal held him as long as he wanted, unmoving except for the occasional, gratifying nuzzle. "Thanks, Hal," Jules whispered, starting to pull back. "I needed that."

"Novar," he heard Charles say. "You"ve got riders coming onto the property. Landed alphas, by the look of them."

Halian squeezed Jules"s hand, and stepped to the barn entrance.

Jules counted ten men. They were armed with sabers, two inches pulled free of the scabbards, which showed angry intent. A warning they meant business. The biggest man, also on the biggest horse, rode nearly right up on top of Hal, having to rein in hard when Hal didn"t move.

Wow. Hal wasn"t going to back down at all, not even if it meant getting hit. That was...

"Novar, you d.a.m.ned interfering ??????," the big man with curly brown hair said, spitting afterward to one side. "What"s your game?"

"Whist," Halian said promptly, monotone. "Sometimes I like the occasional game of charades, but only with close family."

Jules pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. Hal could be a smart-a.s.s, when he wanted.

"You know what I mean, you son of a b.i.t.c.h!" The man shouted, his face red with anger.

Halian slowly began to remove his belt. "Insult me all you wish, Errgard, but not my mother. Apologize to me for that."

"I"ll do no such f.u.c.king thing, you-!"

Halian whipped his belt outward. It wrapped around Errgard"s neck. One jerk had him falling into the snow, hard. All the wind left him in a big whoosh. He gagged and gasped soundlessly as Halian tossed his belt toward Sam. "Sam, shoot anyone who dismounts to help this disrespectful fool."
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"Right, Master Novar," Sam said, pulling his gun.

Guns were extremely rare and only allowed on farms, Jules knew. He"d never even seen a gun before Sam showed him the Colt, so long ago it seemed. That weapon would certainly keep people on their horses.

Jules had missed most of the fight between Halian and the state representative. The evidence had been all that was required, afterward, to know Halian was a brutal brawler. But, Jules hadn"t expected the swooping sensation that went through his guts as Halian picked Errgard up and punched him in the stomach so hard he vomited.

Wham, wham, wham, Halian hit him time after time, hard and fast, giving his foe no chance to recover. No expression on his face, just like when killing highwaymen. He pulled Errgard"s sword free and snapped it like a dry twig over his knee, a terrible insult, while the man writhed in the deep snow.

"Apologize for insulting my mother," Halian said, his growl deep and dark. He put his boot on Errgard"s face. "You come up here to threaten me on my own land, in front of my hadja and his father, in front of my servants, armed to bully me like you do the unfortunates in the town? And, carelessly insult a woman whose boots are too good for you lick?" He shoved down, disgust and loathing finally showing on his handsome face. "I will break your bones one by one until I hear what I want, you repulsive maggot."

Jules had no alpha to lean on except his father, but he took that. His legs were about to go out from under him. There was so much blood in the snow that it churned up a violent pink. Halian"s anger was mighty, so powerful in scent that the horses the men rode were rearing up, nervous, wanting to be away.

Errgard p.i.s.sed himself as Halian crushed his nose like an egg sh.e.l.l. It sounded wet and disgusting, and Jules clamped a hand down on Charles.

"I won"t ask again," Halian intoned.

"Forgive me!" Errgard wailed through all the blood and the compression of Halian"s boot. "I"m sorry!"

"Hm," Halian said, pitching his voice upward for mockery. "It seems all the bravery you drank this morning has abandoned you. Get on your horse and go. If I see you here again, you die. That goes for the rest of you."

Jules thought he might heave up at the sight of Errgard weakly trying to get on his horse. He failed over and over, sliding, never quite able to lift himself. Someone grabbed him and hauled him over the saddle, and another took the reins of his horse. They left quickly, more quickly than they"d ridden in.

Halian washed his hands clean of blood with snow, and dragged his boots in it for good measure. Jules looked at those long, beautiful fingers, hands that had touched him so carefully and with so much reverence. He felt worlds colliding within himself.

Halian had told Jules that he was an animal.

Jules still didn"t believe that. Even now.