Allyn and Ransom – 10

 

"That wasn't nice or fair," Miranda said tightly.

 

"Nice? No it wasn't, but damn it, Miranda, I…" Ransom swallowed hard. "I should get out of here."

 

"Not until you listen to what I have to say, so sit your ass down and pay attention."

 

Ransom looked at her in surprise, but did as she ordered.

 

"All most people see of Allyn is the exterior. The bored playboy, partying hard, living in this fancy mansion, a waste to society. That's what you think of him too, and don't you dare deny it."

 

Ransom nodded, remaining silent.

 

"That's what he wants people to think. It covers what he really does. Something he can't be obvious about because it involves us—you, me, all of our kind."

 

"Meaning?"

 

"He goes after hunters, ranchers, anyone who want to eliminate us—us, the wolves," she amended. "Not us, the shifters, but all wolves—although we're just as much in the bastards' sights as any normal wolf when we're in our shifted form."

 

"Are you serious? Allyn?"

 

"Yeah, Allyn. Why do you think he asked if whoever abducted—and probably murdered—those three kids might have been after shifters? Because he knows that's a possibility. I didn't know until today that you and he had a history that involved—I'm presuming—someone who wanted to eliminate wolf shifters. He's never told me what got him started on this." Miranda smiled wryly. "I suspect he'll always see me as his little sister, even though as a wolf I'm almost as powerful as him—and you, I gather."

 

"That wouldn't surprise me in the least. Both his wanting to protect you and you being a big bad wolf. You've got the guts that entails, if what I'm seeing right now is the real you."

 

"You damned well better believe it is, Ransom."

 

He chuckled at her tough attitude before asking, "How does he manage to stop them and still pull off the, as you put it, playboy image?"

 

"Like any of us, he can teleport. It doesn't take but a minute or five to get where he's needed. Then he shifts, does what he can to warn the wolves in the area that they had better move on, and if they don't…? Well, he can play the big bad wolf too, even though he's smaller that the grays, and he's sneaky. He draws the hunters away from their prey, runs them in circles, then—" she grinned, "—lets them take potshots at him before feigning that they succeeded in killing him. Of course, they can't find his body, but as long as they think they've been successful, it gives whatever pack is in danger time, and a reason, to move to safer ground."

 

"I'll admit, I'm surprised. He never gave any indication he had that in him when I knew him."

 

"I find that difficult to believe, considering what the two of you implied happened when you first met," Miranda said dubiously.

 

"Saving some shifters who were in danger, even though it did involve a fight at the end, is very different from trying to protect the wolf population."

 

"True, I suppose." Miranda looked directly at him. "Now do you understand why I got so pissed at your attitude?"

 

"I do." Ransom smiled, reaching across to pat her shoulder. "He's a lucky man to have you as his defender."

 

"He's my brother. How else should I react when someone tries to cut him down?"

 

"You should do exactly what you did. But only—" he wagged a cautioning finger at her, "—with those of us who know…what's what, I guess."

 

"I'm not stupid, Ransom. I'm aware of that."

 

He chuckled as he got up. "Believe me, right now I think you're far from stupid."

 

Miranda grinned. "And a week from now?"

 

He grinned back. "We'll see. At the moment, I have to get out of here. Tell Allyn I said goodbye, and that I'll be in touch?"

 

"Sure."

 

"Thanks," he replied before leaving the room.

 

"Not sure how Allyn will react to the fact you'll be in touch," she murmured. "I guess we'll see."