Possessive Wolf
Author: Nikki Landis
Date: 2022-05-27 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Shapeshifters; Romance
Description: An arrogant alpha. A pack torn apart by lies. A wolf possessed with finding his mate. Rinnick is always in control. He’s the alpha responsible for the safety and well-being of every shifter in his clan. He’s stern, unapologetic, and brash at times, but it’s the only way to protect his pack from the dangers of the outside world. No one questioned his orders until he met Savannah. She’s opinionated, feisty, and so beautiful he stares after her like a lovesick pup. Their chemistry is nearly combustible until an anti-shifter organization begins hunting down the clan. Savannah isn’t letting the mal

Copyright © 2022 Nikki Landis

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover by MoorBooks Design

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 – Rinnick

Chapter 2 – Savy

Chapter 3 – Rinnick

Chapter 4 – Rinnick

Chapter 5 – Savy

Chapter 6 – Rinnick

Chapter 7 – Savy

Chapter 8 – Rinnick

Chapter 9 – Savy

Chapter 10 – Rinnick

Chapter 11 – Savy

Chapter 12 – Rinnick

Chapter 13 – Savy

Chapter 14 – Rinnick

Chapter 15 – Savy

Chapter 16 – Rinnick

Chapter 17 – Savy

Epilogue

Lycan Families

Cedar Creek Shifter Clans

Chaos Valley Shifter Clans

Feral Breed Preview

About the Author

An arrogant alpha.
A pack torn apart by lies.
A wolf possessed with finding his mate.

Rinnick is always in control.

He’s the alpha responsible for the safety and well-being of every shifter in his clan.

He’s stern, unapologetic, and brash at times, but it’s the only way to protect his pack from the dangers of the outside world.

No one questioned his orders until he met Savannah.

She’s opinionated, feisty, and so beautiful he stares after her like a lovesick pup.

Their chemistry is nearly combustible until an anti-shifter organization begins hunting down the clan.

Savannah isn’t letting the males fight this war alone, but she doesn’t realize how determined the Society is to eradicate all shifters.

Rinnick’s wolf becomes possessive, determined to hunt her down when she disappears before he loses someone else he loves.

Will the alpha claim his mate, defeat the Society, and protect Cedar Creek before it’s too late?

* Third in the Cedar Creek Shifters series. Each book features hunky alpha wolf shifters who fiercely protect their mates.

Chapter 1

“Any reason in particular why you’re sniffing out my territory, Baxter?”

The gruff words were spoken with a hint of irritation and plenty of amusement. I stood next to the fence that bordered Grid’s property, not the least bit fazed that he noticed I was here. Again.

“Dropping by to have a neighborly chat,” I drawled, ticking my head at his compound. Grid’s lands were as impressive as my own. He didn’t live in the center of Cedar Creek like I did with my clan, but he was still situated at the base of Timber Mountain, close enough that our packs had an understanding. Neither of us encroached on the other, but we certainly kept an eye out. I knew exactly where his property lines ran since they butted against mine. Something everyone was keenly aware of since the feud we had over a decade ago. Now, we tried to keep the animosity to a minimum, especially since rival packs were too goddamn territorial, and no one wanted bloodshed.

Of course, I did whatever the hell I wanted, so here I was leaning against his fence like I didn’t have a care in the world, catching Savy’s scent in the wind. It was faint. She wasn’t here but had been around recently.

“This wouldn’t have something to do with Savy, would it?”

Scowling, I didn’t reply. Grid Dempsey was far too intuitive.

A dark chuckle escaped from his lips. “That’s what I thought. She’s not around, but I figure you know that since you aren’t trying to force your way inside my territory.”

We both knew I could if I wanted. Grid wouldn’t kick up much of a fuss either. Being that we were both Alphas, we understood our competitive, headstrong, determined personalities. The peace we kept was sometimes held together by a thin thread, but that was just how rival Alphas handled their shit. Some days we were all smiles, neither of us feeling threatened. Other days, like this one, we both felt the tension in the air.

His fingers twitched before he clenched his fists and cracked his neck, veins popping out in his throat on both sides. “You’re making me feel edgy, Rinnick.”

His confession caught me off guard, and I snickered, backing away from his fence so he wouldn’t shift. We didn’t need to fight this one out. Not today. My girl’s scent wasn’t tangled up with his own, so I didn’t have a reason to quarrel.

I’d find Savy soon enough. Didn’t need to say shit to Grid about it.

“You have any trouble from the bears?”

His shoulders lost a little of their tension as his hands uncurled, and he sighed. “No, but that doesn’t mean Rory Black isn’t making any plans to visit us soon. You still got your pack patrolling your borders?”

“Yep,” I admitted, crossing my arms over my chest as we locked eyes. “Can’t have the Black brothers causing problems. Not with the Society out there. I won’t lose any of my pack to those assholes.”

Grid’s upper lip lifted into a snarl. “Fucking anti-shifter pussies. I’d like to see them try to jump my fences. Been waiting for a chance to get my hands on them.”

“You and me both,” I agreed. “They came after Theo and nearly killed his mate.” The human who tried to kill Becca led the anti-shifter movement in the Cedar Creek area. We only knew him by his last name Hall, but the Society had compounds set up all over the U.S. I wasn’t naïve enough to believe killing Hall ended the threat.

Grid shook his head. “I don’t like how quiet it’s been since they attacked and you took out their leader. It’s like they’re setting something up, and we’re just waiting around with our dicks in our hands, useless to do a damn thing about it.”

A loud guffaw boomed from my chest. This was why I couldn’t stay mad at Grid for long. We were a lot alike. Two hothead Alphas with headstrong, determined personalities and the foul mouth, no bullshit attitudes to go with them. “That’s how I’m feeling.”

“Then we should form a plan of our own. I hate being in the dark. Pisses me off,” he exclaimed, slamming a hand down on the top of the fence post.

I heard the wood crack, and my lips twitched with humor. “You want to meet with the other Alphas?”

“Yeah. Tomorrow afternoon. The Baxter compound. Most neutral ground I can think of.”

“Agreed. I’ll pass it along. Three p.m. Don’t be fucking late.”

Grid snorted. “Don’t piss me off, Baxter.”

“More than you already are?” I asked, knowing he was agitated and enjoying the fact that I had something else to do besides worry about Savy.

Grid pushed off his fence and took a couple of steps back. A wicked grin spread across his face. “I’ll be seeing you, Rinnick. Right after I check on Savy.”

Motherfucker.

He spun on his heel and left me standing on the other side of his fence, tempted to hop over and kick his ass for insinuating that he stood a chance with my mate or knew her whereabouts. Blowing out a frustrated breath, I turned around and began stalking my way toward the line of trees a short distance away. A warm breeze skated across my skin, and I felt the restless wolf within clawing his way to the surface.

My head tilted back, and I let out a howl as I crouched down. The first impulses of the change came over my body with a fierce, swift shift. Bones snapped and cracked and the muscles in my body strained, the transformation coming on much faster now than it did in my youth. Claws lengthened along with my canines. Thick, nearly black fur sprouted up over the layers of my skin as the muscles in my body responded, pulling and snapping into the lengths required. My snout elongated and my keen sense of smell sharpened. Everything around me came alive, a slight buzz tingling along my skin as I felt the wolf take control.

The shift was quick and almost painless. Years of undergoing this same excruciating torment had desensitized my mind and lessened the agony. I was only vaguely aware of how much it hurt now.

In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter. The pain was nothing compared to my regrets.

Four hours later, I returned home, finding my brother Cole and Theo, along with Rudie and Brand, gathered around my living room table, dozens of maps spread out across the surface. Brand was pointing to a spot in Cedar Creek, close to Black territory. The bears had distinct property lines too.

“This is the last place we found human tracks. They set up camp but weren’t there for long. Black and his bears tore through it, leaving a bloody goddamn mess. Didn’t even bother cleaning up the tents, blood, or bodies. Just left it all for the scavengers.”

“No,” I disagreed as I approached, “They left it for us to find.”

Four heads snapped up, glancing in my direction.

“Well, fuck,” Theo cursed.

“Doesn’t surprise me at all,” Cole agreed.

Rudie shook his head as Brand pounded a fist on the table, clearly agitated.

“Rory is always looking for trouble,” he complained. “We don’t need his fuckin’ ego causing problems.”

“I don’t disagree,” I answered, pausing as I stared at each of my packmates in turn, “but this was a message to the Society too. Much like the one we left after we took out Hall.”

Rudie snickered. “I don’t think they’re gonna be using that compound anytime soon.”

Brand snorted, ticking his head at the youngest of the Baxter/Fillan bloodline. “We added to the surprise the bears left behind.”

When Theo rescued Becca from Hall and the Society, he swore to get revenge. We arrived at their warehouse, where they tortured shifters only to find that Rory Black and his bear clan had slaughtered them all. We placed Hall’s body with the remains, a big red bow wrapped around his chest to warn the rest of the humans and their anti-shifter organization.

Since then, the humans had returned, setting up camp close to Black lands like it was a dare. That was the camp destroyed and left for the Society to find. Rory let us know he was just as pissed and ready to fight off the Society as the wolf clans. He knew we’d find it too.

“We still have a problem, though,” Theo announced with a growl. “The toxin they created is potent. It’s strong enough to kill in high enough concentration, and in low doses, the poison can incapacitate, prevent healing, and prevent transformation.”

“That’s not the worst of it either. They’re producing it in capsule form and then placing the poison in humidifiers, using it as an aerosol. The concentration is multiplied when inhaled, absorbed into both the skin and lungs.” I shook my head, knowing this wasn’t over. The Society would never back down. “We need to stay vigilant. They’re coming onto our lands and looking for weaknesses, testing our limits, and trying to learn our routines. We need to fight back.”

Theo pounded his chest over his heart. “You know I’m in.” After what happened to Becca, I didn’t doubt his sincerity.

Cole straightened, a hard glint in the steel of his eyes. “My mate and Theo’s are pregnant. We’ll do anything to protect them.”

Brand ticked his head, giving me a wicked grin. “I feel the need for a run.”

Rudie clapped a hand on his shoulder as he ticked his head toward the door. “Not without me.”

“Scout the area and report back by midnight. Tomorrow I meet with the other Alphas. I’m not walking away until we have a plan to end those humans and destroy all the toxin.”

Chapter 2

“Is he gone?” I asked, peeking through the shades of Grid’s trailer as I stared out into the forest, hoping I didn’t catch a glimpse of Rinnick.

“Yeah. Not for long, though.”

Pursing my lips, I made a face. “Is that what he said?”

“No, I can just tell. Baxter isn’t the type to back off easily.”

“And you know that how?” I asked, tossing him an impatient look.

“It’s a trait I share,” Grid admitted, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. “Alpha personality, I guess.”

“Right.” They were both arrogant and egotistical, so that wasn’t a surprise. “Did he say anything else?”

“Plenty, just not about you.” Grid shrugged his shoulders as I gave him another exasperated look. “He didn’t confide in me, and I didn’t expect him to, hon. Rinnick Baxter keeps his thoughts to himself. He’s closed off to those who aren’t his closest friends and family. That’s how it is. I’m the same way.”

“Uh-huh.” There was no point in disagreeing because both Alphas were a pain in my ass, and I didn’t need any additional stress. Rinnick was enough.

Just thinking of him irritated me. Rinnick was all Alpha. Everything he said was a command. It was time he learned I wasn’t his to order around which was why I kept my distance from the Baxter compound and its Alpha.

Grid didn’t elaborate on his statement because I knew plenty of Alpha males. The Cedar Creek valley was home to quite a few wolf packs and several different Alphas, not to mention my cousin over in Chaos Valley. Quinn Hogan was the Alpha of his clan with over a dozen nearby packs, not including the four he already provided for on his lands. Shifters were everywhere. The leadership needed to keep them in line was why the Alphas formed their alliance decades ago.

The point was that I wasn’t naïve or ignorant when it came to Alpha wolves.

“Why are you avoiding him? Seems a bit silly to me.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s what you always say, Savy. What happened between the two of you?” Grid wasn’t backing down this time, and I sighed.

“Let’s just say there’s plenty of history between us, and not all of it is good. Okay?”

Grid leaned against the wall, the dark brown of his eyes almost black as he focused, staring me down with that intimidating gaze only Alpha males used but somehow perfected. “I think I have a right to know, especially since you agreed to marry my younger brother.”

He was right. I did say yes when Makon proposed. He was a sweet-tempered young man and promised he would never try to control me like the other men in my life. I enjoyed his company, and he never made me feel pressured about anything.

“I know. Makon is—”

“Talking about me behind my back, sweetheart?” Makon asked, hopping up the steps of the trailer and sauntering my way, stopping to drop a kiss on my cheek. “All good things, I hope.”

Grid folded his arms over his chest, giving me a stern look before he ticked his chin at his brother. “Shit. She was just confessing how much more handsome I am. Tried to convince her I’m the better brother, but she’s not having it. Just has eyes for you.”

Makon smirked, punching Grid on the shoulder affectionately. “Piss off. I’ve always been the better brother.”

Both guys snickered as Makon reached for my hand and tugged, pulling my body next to him. “Can’t have you stealing my girl, can I?”

I lifted my head, staring at the long thick strands of his blond hair and the deep chocolate brown of his eyes. Makon was certainly attractive with his athletic physique and broad shoulders, freshly shaven jawline and bulging biceps. A girl would be a fool not to take him as a mate. Sweet, charming, and funny—he was a lovable jokester and a loyal companion.

“Did I just catch you staring at me, honey?” His head lowered, and he gave me a short but passionate kiss. “You’re the exact distraction I need,” he murmured against my lips.

“What’s going on, Mak? Trouble in paradise?” Grid didn’t miss the stiffness in Makon’s back or the hard line of his jaw as he straightened.

The playfulness in Makon’s tone disappeared. “No. Humans.”

“The Society?”

Makon nodded. “Need to check on the west side of the compound. A couple of pack members have reported human tracks close to the fence.”

Grid frowned. “We’ll check it out. Savy, you can’t stay here. Go home to your family. Makon doesn’t need to worry about you right now.”

I was about to protest but didn’t get a chance.

Makon’s lips crashed down on my own, and I felt the tension in his body as he lifted his head. “He’s right. It isn’t safe for you out here.”

“We’ve indulged your need for independence long enough. The clans are on the brink of war, and you’re using up resources we need to keep our packs safe.”

Grid didn’t pull any punches, and I felt guilty for asking to stay in this trailer to escape dealing with my problems. Still, he didn’t have to be an ass about it.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ll go back to Cedar Creek.”

Makon gave his older brother a pleading look. “Stay at my place. It’s safe. Safer than running across the valley without protection right now.”

Like I couldn’t handle myself if attacked. How annoying.

Grid sighed but conceded. “Our place, Savy. Go now. We’ll be right behind you.”

I left the two brothers deep in conversation, pausing only once to look back as they stood outside the trailer, watching as I ran to the trees and shifted, heading toward the main compound on Dempsey lands.

“The barn is on fire!”

I heard the cry of horror from one of Grid’s pack members, several running toward the west side of the compound only a few minutes after I arrived. There wasn’t enough time to drop my bags at Grid and Makon’s place. I joined the others, skidding to a halt a few feet away as I watched billowing black smoke rise in the early rays of dawn. Flames engulfed most of the exterior wall on two sides as a small explosion caused the roof to cave in. I covered my ears and ducked as wood splinters, straw, and ash were tossed toward the dirt, thrown wildly from the greedy fire as it consumed everything in its path.

The doors were yanked open and several animals frantically burst through the entrance, hauling ass away from the intense, scorching heat. Others weren’t so lucky. Charred corpses could be seen in the stalls lining the barn on both sides. My hands covered my mouth as I watched helplessly, shocked at the brutality.

Who would do such a thing?

Only the Society had a reason to retaliate with such disregard for animal life, be it shifter or not.

Some of the bigger, bolder males hurried inside, grabbing what tools and machinery they could salvage. People were rushing toward the massive well located in the center of the property and the additional water tanks, filling up buckets that others used to help douse the flames.

Strong arms wrapped around my middle as I was lifted, carried a fair distance from the flames that burned hot enough to singe anyone standing nearby.

“Baby, you were standing too close,” Makon shouted, turning me over to look for injuries. “You’re alright? Not hurt?” His wolf rumbled his chest, and I knew it was concern that caused his reaction.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Grid sprinted back and forth with several others, throwing additional buckets of water onto the structure, calling out orders as he tried to contain the wild blaze. The inferno grew out of control, and I worried the flames would carry on the wind, igniting other buildings in the vicinity.

Makon joined his brother, desperate to contain the fire. An hour later, small pockets of flames still burned low, but the majority had burnt out. Wet piles of black and gray ash filled the interior of the barn. The intense heat that remained prevented the removal of the remains until later.

Both Grid and Makon stood among the others, covered in bits of ash and soot, soothing the worries and concerns of the pack. I kept my distance, allowing the Alpha and his beta to handle the necessary arrangements.

Makon joined me once the group dispersed, following Grid’s orders.

“We’re going scouting. The group that did this is probably already long gone, but we’re not taking any chances. We need to ensure the clan’s safety.”

“I understand,” I assured him. “Your den was attacked. Grid has to be furious.”

“We both are,” he spat, sliding a hand through his tousled hair. “Would you stay here? Wait for me? I don’t know how long we’ll be gone.”

“I’d like to go with you.”

“Baby, it’s dangerous.”

“I know.”

He searched my eyes and whatever determination he found there; he suddenly gave a stiff nod of agreement. “Stay close. Don’t wander off. Who knows what the hell we’ll find?”

“No problem.”

Gid, Makon, me, and about ten other shifters grouped together and exited the fences that bordered Dempsey lands. Scouts were still patrolling the perimeter and watching for any sign of additional attack.

“We’re going to search by grid. Let’s take this quadrant here that leads to Cedar Creek. If the Society is bouncing between the gates of our properties, it should be easy enough to notice.”

Makon nodded, following his Alpha brother as we began prowling through the forest, searching for any clues that would help us locate the Society or its members. It seemed a lost cause. No humans were going to jump out of the bushes and between the trees and shout their location.

Until that was precisely what happened.

“Do you smell bear scat? Like a shit ton of it?” Makon asked Grid.

“Yeah, it’s fucking weird. I don’t sense any bear shifters.”

“Neither do—"

Human hunters jumped out from behind the trees and jumped down from above, shooting darts into the unsuspecting group of shifters.

“Ambush!” I shouted, crouching low to shift when Makon shook his head, gesturing to the odor permeating the air. Heavy, oppressive, rank—the poison dominated the previously strong scent of bear scat, causing my skin to prickle and itch, a slow burn covering every exposed area.

“Shit. Don’t go any closer to them, Savy. That’s what they want.”

With horror, I realized that he was correct. Shifters shot with darts collapsed on the ground, shaking and crying out with pain. A few shifted, attacking the humans but were quickly subdued with additional darts.

The humans were smart. Darts weren’t the only weapons they brought. Spears and machetes were used to fend off my brethren. Shouts of congratulations rose around us as the humans ran into the forest, abandoning the writhing bodies on the ground.

“They came here to taunt us,” Grid growled, giving chase. “Stay with the others and get help!”

“I’ll go!” I shouted, not allowing Grid, Makon, or anyone else to stop me.

The males of Cedar Creek weren’t the only ones who could be useful in a crisis.

I’d return with help and prove that the females of his clan were just as capable.

Chapter 3

My wolf was restless.

Whenever I closed my eyes, all I could see was Savannah’s panicked expression. She’d been afraid for the injured shifters, but there was more to her anxiety. Her worry for the safety of the wolf clans in Cedar Creek was part of it. Something else was bothering her, and I intended to find out why she brushed me off and hurried from my side.

Blinking, I inhaled a deep breath, my thoughts drifting to the recent past . . .

“We’re ready.”

Cole and Dane joined me in the back of Theo’s truck as we hopped in and drove to the Society’s warehouse. Gravel and rocks crunched beneath the tires when we pulled off the interstate a short while later. Theo parked, and we quietly unloaded, unease settling over my skin as I thought of the humans and their sick agenda to murder wolfkind. Everyone shifted, knowing our beast form was the better option in the event of an attack. Our chances of being ambushed were lower if we could use our enhanced senses of hearing and smell, but that wasn’t what we found when we approached the warehouse.

The stench of rotten flesh and stale blood alerted me to the gruesome scene long before any bodies were discovered. Numerous corpses were scattered outside the facility, streaks of blood leaving a trail in multiple directions. Posed purposely with their guns, each of the humans appeared terrified at the time of their death, shocked expressions of horror etched into their frozen visages. Something wild and feral had hunted them down.

I shifted back to human form and turned to the others who followed my lead. “There’re no humans left alive.”

Cole whistled low. “Nope.”

Turning to Theo, I ticked my chin in his direction. “Did the two of you notice any other shifters the day you rescued Becca? Anyone else in cages or captured?”

“No,” Becca replied, answering before he did, swallowing hard as she shook her head. “We left almost a month ago, but no one else was here other than the Society members.”

“These are fresh kills,” Cole observed. “Someone beat us here.”

My brows drew together in a frown as I agreed. “Let’s find out who it was. The stench is so bad I’m not picking up a specific scent apart from scavengers.”

We walked through a minefield of scattered body parts, slashed organs and limbs, and puddles of dark blood. The inside of the warehouse was worse than the outdoors. No humans could ever create such a grisly scene, no matter how depraved. Only shifters tore into bodies and flesh this way, ripping apart their enemies in a bloodthirsty rage. It was instinctual, a base and feral response that only an animal could accomplish—a beast who lost control.

To my knowledge, blind fury was the only way to unleash such carnage.

“All of the cameras and surveillance equipment have been destroyed. No files or evidence to collect other than a smashed laptop and a single box stuffed full of papers. We’ll salvage what we can.” Flustered, I blew out a breath. My suspicions had risen since the moment of our arrival, and now I was almost positive of the culprit. No wolf would do this, even in an enraged pack. “This looks like the bears. Theo?”

“Yeah, I’d say that the Black brothers have some explaining to do.”

We’d all seen bear attacks before, and their handiwork was unique. Wolves used teeth more than claws. Bears loved to rip shit up.

“Cole? Dane? What does it look like to the two of you?”

“I’d say either werecats or the bears,” Cole agreed.

“Bears for sure,” Dane answered thoughtfully. “I’ve seen the fresh kills after Yarl Black went on his murderous rampage. All of the bodies had similar slash and claw marks. I’d put money on the fact that bears are responsible.”

“Which means the Black brothers are hiding something,” Theo added. “We need to pay Rory Black a visit. Now.”

“There’s definitely more going on than we’ve been led to believe,” I surmised, my voice so low it sounded almost guttural as I fought the urge to shift and invade his property, demanding answers. “I intend to find out exactly how much Rory knows about the Society and my brother Seth’s death. It’s time we had a nice, long discussion.”

“We’re coming with you,” Cole insisted as Theo smirked. “I’ve got my own reasons.”

Yarl Black was responsible for two attempts on Briar’s life and nearly succeeded. He was also the same rogue shifter that terrorized our clan for weeks before Cole stopped him. He murdered almost a half dozen wolves and a fellow bear shifter. His true identity was revealed along with the truth of the murders the day he was caught and tried to drown Briar in the creek. Yarl had murdered Cole’s first mate and Briar’s older sister Renleigh as well as our brother Seth.

“I suspect all of you feel the same way.”

No one disagreed.

We piled into the truck again without further discussion, each of us alert. Rory Black was the Alpha, but his brothers Cull and Vinton were equally powerful bears. Their clan was the largest bear shifter community in the area. Providing for so many of their kind meant they needed wealth and an ability to support their growing clans. It was also the reason they opened the hunting lodge and resort for humans and kept their true identity secret.

Theo drove to the base of Timber Mountain, where the Black Bear Lodge was located. Rory Black wasn’t the friendliest toward wolves. He was prideful and angry, and the loss of his brother Yarl left his clan on the verge of breaking the peace treaty between the shifter clans. Yarl had already broken the treaty once with his numerous attacks and paid for his crimes with his life. Rory met with me briefly when Cole killed Yarl to stop the murders, but the peace agreement between the clans was held together by a thin thread.

I wasn’t sure what we would find when we arrived.

Rory Black was already waiting for us at the entrance to the lodge. His arrogance was evident as we piled from the truck and his gaze swept over the group.

“What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Rinnick?” His tone was barely civil and laced with sarcasm. Cull and Vinton stood to his left and right as movement from the corners of the lodge proved there were numerous bears within the vicinity. If a fight broke out, this would be a slaughter.

I gestured to the group to remain behind me. Bears were unpredictable with foul tempers and explosive anger. Wolves kept their distance since we were natural enemies. That didn’t mean we weren’t ready to engage and protect our own if necessary. Wolves were pack hunters and vicious when provoked. Rory knew this and wisely didn’t press the issue.

I smirked at his stance of aggression, not bothering with any pleasantries. This wasn’t a friendly chat or visit. “Noticed your handiwork today.”

Rory shrugged, pretending to examine his fingers as if bored. His head lifted to meet my accusatory stare. “I may have traveled recently.”

A few snickers could be heard from inside the lodge.

“Your travels take you to the outskirts of town? Toward a warehouse owned and operated by humans?”

Rory’s smile faded. “And if it did?”

“We’d like to congratulate you on your victory.” I tapped a finger on my bearded chin thoughtfully, carefully choosing my words. “Of course, you missed a few. We were happy to oblige and lend a hand.”

Hall’s body joined the macabre display outside the warehouse along with a few of his Society buddies.

“And who might we have missed?” Rory stepped away from the building and walked a few steps in my direction.

Cole and Dane moved forward and joined me in a show of support.

Playing it cool, I shrugged. “A human who prefers to eradicate and torture shifters, but he also doesn’t have a problem gunning us down and murdering our species to the point of extinction.”

“This human have a name?”

“We only knew him as Hall.”

Rory suddenly seemed uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry. We left the humans a little gift. All wrapped up with a shiny red bow. They can’t miss it.”

Before we left the warehouse, Cole and Theo set up Hall’s body in front of the building with a big red holiday bow on his chest and a sign next to his body that read ‘We Know.’ It was pretty macabre and frightening, and I hoped the humans would understand the threat and back off.

Our attempt to recover Intel turned up little in the way of new information. We learned the organization was much larger than we anticipated. Bases of operation were located all over the United States. There seemed to be a heavy military influence, but the maps and files we recovered proved that they had people on the inside. Traitors. Shifters who were supplying information about our numbers, locations, and abilities.

This was much worse than anyone realized.

I couldn’t help but believe that Rory Black was at the center of this problem and risked every single one of our clans. Glancing at Theo, I gestured toward the truck. We found out what we needed to know. Rory was guilty. The depth of his involvement was uncertain, but aside from outright attacking the bear lodge, we couldn’t prove it. Not yet.

“I’m sure they’ll enjoy the gift,” Rory spat, his fists clenching at his sides.

My lips twitched with a grin when I realized I’d gotten under his skin, and I started walking backward toward the truck as several snarls and growls could be heard from the surrounding bears. We didn’t wait around for Rory to lose his shit or break the treaty further. We loaded up and sped out of there like the hounds of hell were on our heels, and it sure felt like it.

A bark of laughter left my mouth as we traveled along the dirt road toward home. “Rory did seem to be a bit shocked about Hall, didn’t he?”

Becca pulled her long black hair back into a thick ponytail to keep the wind from snarling it into a kinky windblown mess. “He knew him, Rinnick. Not just his name. He knew him personally.”

“I agree,” Cole shouted above the noise of the engine as Theo switched gears. “Did you see his reaction?”

“He stiffened right up and clenched his fists. Something is up, Rinnick. We need to keep the pack alert.” Dane sighed softly. “I’d feel better if we kept extra security from the other clans. I know it was supposed to be temporary, but this new threat worries me.”

Dane was the pack enforcer. His judgment was trusted even if he did have a rivalry with Cole. Frankly, I was surprised he left Ivy long enough to come with us, but I suspected he’d be right back with her once we arrived home.

“I already anticipated trouble and sent for more reinforcements from our brother packs out west and south. I expect our friends to arrive any day.”

“Shit!” Theo cursed, slamming on the brakes as he nearly ran over a frantic woman waving her arms in our direction as she darted into the middle of the road.

“Help!”

“Everyone alright?” I asked as we slammed into one another.

Cole laughed. “Get your sexy ass out of my face, Rinnick.”

I swung my fist and missed as he chuckled, ducking out of my way.

“We’re good,” Dane announced, scooting away from us.

“Who’s the girl?” Becca asked, pointing to the petite blonde running up to Theo’s door.

“Theo!” the female shouted. “I thought it was you! Where are Rinnick and Cole? Are they in the back?” She didn’t wait for an answer as I blinked with recognition.

“That’s Savy Paxton,” Theo exclaimed.

“Savy?” Becca squealed with delight and slipped from the truck. “Savy, where the hell have you been?”

“Becca!”

The two women embraced as I exited the truck with Cole, Dane, and Theo.

“You’re back? Since when?” Bec asked as the girls separated.

Savy’s bright smile faded as her gaze swept over each of us. “We’re on our way to Cedar Creek. Humans ambushed our group a few miles from the river. We have several injured. I was sent to find help.”

Worried for her, I walked forward quickly and picked up Savy’s hand. “We’ll make sure everyone is taken care of, Savy. Take my place in the truck and ride back with Theo and Becca. I’ll take Cole and Dane with me to help the others.”

She shook her head and pulled her hand from my grasp as a strange expression crossed her face. “No, thank you, Rinnick. I promised I’d come back. I’ll lead you and anyone else who wants to join us.”

Cole chuckled at her refusal as I glared in my brother’s direction.

“We’ll follow you,” I promised. “Lead the way.”

The remainder of the afternoon passed swiftly as the incapacitated wolves were brought to the Baxter compound, their wounds cleaned and wrapped, and everyone settled for the night.

Savy described the details of the ambush, confirming my suspicion that the Society was hunting on our lands despite Hall’s death. I ordered additional security measures for the night, warning everyone to stay vigilant.

“How are we dealing with this?” Cole asked, pulling me aside. “I need to take Briar home. Theo already left with Becca and it’s getting late. My mate needs rest.”

“A meeting tomorrow at 3 pm. I’ve already sent word to the other Alphas.”

His chin dipped in acknowledgement. “I’ll see you then.”

Chapter 4

She hadn’t noticed me yet. At this point, I doubted she would.

Savy sat on the plush cushion of the couch in my living room, her eyelids drooping with fatigue. Every few seconds, her head would bob, and she would sit up straighter before she slipped back against the seat again. Most of the pack had already retreated to their rooms for the night, camped out on the floor, or left for home. She stayed until the last wolf from her group of companions was secured and comfortable, and those with injuries were given what they needed to recover. Savy had a generous heart, and she always cared for others first before herself.

It was one of the reasons I adored her and cherished the female with such affection. It was nothing new for her to juggle so many responsibilities at once. She came from a big family—three brothers and a sister. Life with an alpha, his sons, and two daughters taught her plenty about prioritizing her time and energy. She was used to the demands of males who fiercely provided for their families.

Gage was the alpha of the Thompson clan. Warrick and Max were protective over Savy, but Gage was the worst. He didn’t like Savy hanging around the Baxter compound. When she was old enough to mate, he sent her away.

I knew he didn’t like so many males near his daughter when she was so young and barely reached the age of maturity. I understood, but his interference was poorly timed.

Savy and I were attracted to one another but it didn’t become something more until the summer she turned eighteen. The day before I lost her, we finally declared our feelings. The chemistry between us was palpable, nearly combustible, and steadily increased from the moment she came of age. I’d have done anything to keep her close. Savy was the girl of my dreams.

Until her brothers intervened, warning her father of our growing connection.

Gage lost his shit the second he caught us.

One kiss. One passionate, life-altering, bone-jarring kiss.

That was all it took to know that she was mine.

I never believed in true or fated mates. It was all a bunch of conjecture and romantic crap I didn’t care about indulging. I took females to bed, slated my lust, ensured they got off enough times to prove I knew how to please a woman’s body and then sent them on their way. No cuddles. No emotion. I did what I damn well pleased. After all, I was an Alpha. I could have any one of them that I wanted, whenever I wanted. They flooded my doorstep and even stalked me at the bar. I was the most eligible wolf in the creek, but that didn’t matter to me. My wolf only wanted Savannah.

Losing her plunged my world into a downward spiral. I turned to booze and sex for comfort, but it didn’t fill the void left behind. Savy was the female I wanted. Without her, I was lost.

Everything changed the night I drank a little too much and ended up walking home alone . . .

Ten years ago today.

It should have hurt less by now, but it didn’t.

It should be me in that grave, but it wasn’t.

I should have called Cole even if it were unlikely that he would answer. Lots of should have moments in my life. None of them changed the past.

My older brother Seth was dead.

I was too damn smashed to walk a straight line as I left the bar, much less attempt to drive. Couldn’t take my truck, and I didn’t have enough sense to focus and shift. Staggering down the road, I swerved down the dirt highway that led back to Cedar Creek on two unsteady legs.

Moonlight filtered down through thin, wispy clouds as the wind whistled lightly through the trees. It was late, nearly closing time for the bar. A lonely, desolate road was my only companion. Beams of silvery-white light illuminated my path as thoughts of Savy filled my mind. Every time I got offered a drink tonight, I took the shot instead of accepting the open invitation to take another female home to my bed. Lust and desire tried to take over more than once, but all I could picture was the petite blonde, the night we shared that mind-blowing kiss, and her sassy attitude.

She’d gotten under my skin, and I hated it.

Hated she left. Hated she wasn’t here. Hell, I even loathed myself for wanting her so damn much.

I was nearly home when headlights from a car approached from the opposite direction. The driver slowed down as I stumbled, moving out of the way much too slowly. The front bumper of the vehicle swerved and caught my right leg. I went down like a ton of bricks and remained on the ground.

Drunk, disheveled, and completely brokenhearted.

It was the anniversary of Seth’s death. A night I despised and always refused to stay home alone. I wasn’t looking for a hook-up with a pretty she-wolf whose name I would never remember or a good time with my pack brothers. The pain was too close. Too sharp.

What I needed was my brother Cole, but he left, consumed with his own pain and loss. Three years since he fled the pack, the little fracture that opened when Seth died had grown into a gaping cavern without Cole here as a buffer.

I was on the verge of breaking down, and I didn’t want any of my wolves to see it. An Alpha didn’t show weakness.

The alcohol was supposed to help, but I just felt my grasp for control slipping.

“Rinnick!” a female voice shouted, nearly frantic. “Shit! Are you alright?”

I looked up through bleary eyes and caught a vision of my perfect angel, all in white.

Savy sank onto her knees, oblivious to the dark smudges that stained the creamy lace of her dress, and scanned every inch of my body for wounds. Gravel had scraped all my exposed skin like a razor blade. I was sure I was bleeding from a few different places. The alcohol dulled the pain in my body, but my heart didn’t get the memo. My chest ached.

“Never better,” I lied, groaning as I tried to sit up.

“I can’t believe I hit you. I’m so sorry!”

“Well,” I slurred with a stupid grin, “I was in the middle of the road.”

“Dammit, Rinnick. It’s not funny!”

To me, it was. Tragically, pathetically, downright fucking hilarious. “Whatever you say, baby.”

She sighed, helping me to my feet. “Let’s get you into the car.”

I wasn’t much help. Drunk off my ass, I could barely keep my head up. She drove me home and had to stop twice as I threw up the contents of my stomach. Not a pretty sight.

If I were sober, I would have been pissed that she saw me like this. My leg throbbed as the alcohol began to lose its allure, and I barely made it inside the house. With great effort, we managed to climb the stairs to my bedroom. Once I was on the bed, Savvy removed my boots and left in search of a washcloth. She returned with a glass of water, a bottle of aspirin, and a trash can that she placed beside the bed.

I didn’t say a word as she washed the dirt and blood off my face. Her expression remained neutral, but I could sense deep emotion within and held back at the risk of revealing too much. The gentleness and patience she showed meant everything. “I know what today is,” she finally whispered. “I’m sorry about Seth. If you want, I’ll stay with you. I already planned to stop by tonight.”

Tears filled my eyes, a weakness I hadn’t exposed to another soul since the day of his funeral.

My hand reached for hers, and she held it. “As long as you want.” I couldn’t say anything else, much less my brother’s name. The words wouldn’t leave my throat.

“Until the morning,” she whispered.

“Until the morning,” I agreed with a pained whisper.

Savy saved me that night. She brought me back to the Baxter compound and cleaned up my minor wounds, tucked me into bed, and left with a small chunk of my heart in her hands.

Her kindness and compassion came when I needed them the most.

She gave me something I craved and longed for but didn’t want—the gentleness of a mate.

I avoided attachment before now, preferring not to be tied down to a single female. That was why I still didn’t have a mate. My youngest brother was already going to be a father. Cole and Briar were happy. Hell, Theo and Becca managed to sort through their shit too. Even Dane found a possible mate.

A part of me was envious. I wanted that loyalty, love, and devotion. Since the death of my older brother Seth, I’d become closed off. My body sought release, but my heart remained untouched. I kept females at a distance. If they were down for a good fuck, I’d give it. Nothing else.

Savy changed everything. She fucked up my system. The plan to remain impartial was blown to pieces.

I wasn’t the same carefree guy anymore, easily swayed by a pretty face or nice set of tits. I didn’t crave that party lifestyle or a new girl in my bed every night. All that shit was gone.

I was a changed man.

In fact, I was fucking possessed with the thought of pursuing Savy to the point of reckless. I snuck onto Dempsey lands to make sure Grid and Makon kept their hands off my Savy. More than once, I showed up unannounced. Grid thought I was visiting Alpha to Alpha. Fuck no. I was stalking the only female to snare my attention and lust since the night we kissed.

Three years, five months, and seventeen days.

Yeah, my wolf was as obsessed with Savy as I had become. We wanted her. We needed her.

Maybe I was too possessive. I just couldn’t stand the idea of her with anyone else. She was already mine the first time I saw her smile. My wolf knew. He latched onto her much faster than I anticipated. Even now, I almost trembled with anticipation and desire, fighting my instincts that all roared what my wolf kept trying to make me understand—I needed to mate Savy.

When I slowly approached the couch and scooped a sleepy Savannah into my arms, my wolf howled with the need to possess her, mate her, and brand her as our own.

I was so screwed.

Her delicate, sweet scent engulfed my senses and sent them into overdrive. I was hard as a diamond in less than a second. My jeans pressed against my erection, and I nearly groaned.

She smelled as wonderful as I remembered, like sunbeams, female, brown sugar, and fresh cherries. Heat pounded my body in scorching waves. I nearly broke into a sweat as my nose pressed to her soft alabaster skin. Lust skyrocketed as my body ached with the need to feel her touch.

I climbed the stairs quickly and brought her into my room, intending to leave her on my bed and watch over her, the same as she had done for me months ago before Cole’s return.

Savy blinked as I settled her on the bed, waking up faster than I anticipated. She jumped back like I was a snake and ready to strike.

“You fell asleep downstairs,” I offered in the way of explanation. “Thought you’d be more comfortable in a bed rather than the couch.”

“I was fine.” Her chin rose, and her eyes narrowed.

What was that about? Lifting my hands, I shrugged. “Fine. I was only trying to be nice.”

Okay, maybe the part about sniffing her and sporting major wood wasn’t exactly nice, but my intentions were honorable.

“I don’t belong to you.”

Huh?

“It’s not appropriate for me to be here.”

So?

“I don’t get what you’re saying, baby.” The endearment slipped out faster than I could catch it.

“I’m not doing this.”

“Doing what?” I asked, growing irritated.

“I’m not rehashing the past with you, Rinnick.”

As far as I was concerned, there was nothing to rehash. We never got a chance. She left before we could begin. “Good. Let’s focus on the future.”

She blinked, pushed away from me, and scooted to the edge of my bed. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“Why?” I was offended. Did she think I would force myself on her? Make her do a thing she didn’t want? “I didn’t suggest a damn thing, sweetheart. Just put you in my bed so you could get some sleep.”

“Yeah, that’s what you say to all of the females you bring home, huh?”

What the hell did that mean?

I wanted to scream at her that I hadn’t fucked a single female since the night we kissed, and I had plenty of chances, but I didn’t. The only action I got was my fucking fist. Grinding my jaw, I refused to give her ammunition she could use against me later on.

She stood to her feet, and I noticed her hands were trembling. Was she afraid of me?

Fuck.

“I need to leave.”

Her reaction broke my heart. I didn’t know what to say, which was pretty rare for an Alpha.

“Don’t worry,” I replied smoothly. “I’m the one that’s leaving. You’re staying here where I know you’re safe and no one will bother you.”

She seemed exasperated with my response. Was I ever capable of handling things right in her eyes?

“Do you ever tire of ordering people around?”

I pointed at my chest, a sneer on my lips. “ALPHA.”

“You’re such a caveman,” she retorted.

Growling, I was mildly annoyed with the fact that arguing with her was turning me on. My erection hadn’t softened since the moment I was close enough to touch her. “Stay here.” I stomped to the door and reached for the handle. “Lock it after I leave.”

When she didn’t reply, I slowly turned and faced her.

Savy was sitting with her hands in her lap, her shoulders sagging. She sniffled, and I regretted becoming angry. My temper always flared when I felt challenged—another unfortunate side effect of being an Alpha. Usually, I loved the aggressive response. Right now, I loathed it.

“What’s the matter, Savy?” I asked softly, stopping only a few inches away.

Tears glistened in her pretty blue eyes as they met mine. “I’m engaged.”

Chapter 5

“I’m engaged.”

Rinnick recoiled, snapping back as if I had slapped him. “What?” The word left his mouth in such a deadly calm that I flinched.

“I’m getting married,” I announced, hating the betrayal that filled his stormy gray eyes.

Be strong, Savy.

“Who?” he demanded, clenching his fists as I stood. “Who the fuck thinks he can mate with you?” Rinnick growled, towering over me as he leaned closer.

My eyes narrowed at his possessive, brutish attitude. “Whoever the hell I want to mate!” I shouted, not backing down. “You don’t own me. I’m not a possession.”

His wolf was so close to the surface that Rinnick’s jaw locked, his body vibrating with fury. “Not. Gonna. Happen.”

“Excuse me?”

His big body practically caged mine in as he pushed closer, almost knocking me backward onto his bed, but his arm snapped out from his side, snaking around my waist as he removed any distance between us. I barely noticed the faded t-shirt he wore, but the heat of his body—it warmed mine up in more ways than one.

That warmth suddenly sank into my middle, pooling in delicious waves that reminded me of the dangerously attractive man breathing hard as our eyes locked. His steely gray gaze held a myriad of emotions, too many to decide if the big Alpha was pissed, excited, turned on, or ready to tear apart the entire Baxter compound in a burning, destructive rage.

With every ragged breath that he dragged into his lungs, his chest brushed mine, and I couldn’t help the desire that uncurled like an unwilling flower in the dewy rays of dawn. The t-shirt he wore accentuated his giant pecs, and those perfectly chiseled abs I knew lingered beneath the soft material. A tattoo of his brother’s name and date of death were etched into his skin above his heart in dark ink. I couldn’t see it now, but I remembered the day he got it, showing Cole and Theo as I tried not to stare.

Tousled, just out of bed hair that I longed to weave my fingers through draped over his forehead. And then there was that midday scruff he always sported, grazing the strong jawline still snapped tight as his nostrils flared. I swear my body was ready to abandon morality and invite him to slip inside, rocking my entire world.

“You feel this between us, and you still want another wolf?”

Yes and no. Rinnick was far too possessive. I hated the loss of control I felt in his presence: the same dominance and overbearing quality as my father and brothers. Warrick and Max were ridiculously overprotective, but my oldest brother Gage was the worst. He practically dictated my entire life. The only way to ensure my freedom was to either leave Cedar Creek or marry—preferably not an Alpha. I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving my family, my packmates, and the life I knew here in the valley. That only left one choice to escape all the dominant males in my life.

“I want my freedom,” I finally announced, lifting my chin higher. “I don’t want someone else telling me what to do every minute of the day.”

“And you believe a male you mate won’t do that?” His incredulous expression annoyed me.

“Yes. As long as it’s not an Alpha.”

A frown creased the skin of his forehead, and I could tell he was thinking of every unmated wolf in Cedar Creek.

“Who. Wants. To. Mate. You.” Each word left Rinnick’s mouth in short bursts, grumbled with restraint I was surprised he could maintain.

Such a barbarian. And he had the muscles like one too. Stop drooling over him, Savy.

I didn’t see the point in announcing Makon’s name. Grid’s younger brother was a kind soul, and he didn’t deserve the shit Rinnick would put him through once Rinnick knew. “None of your business.”

The Alpha’s grip around me tightened, and something I didn’t expect happened. His tightly controlled mask of dominance faltered. I thought I caught a flicker of fear before he swallowed hard, dipping his head as his mouth hovered only a few inches from my own.

“If that’s what you want, Savy. I won’t stand in your way.”

Taken aback, I blinked. Twice. “You’re okay with this?”

His upper lip curled into a snarl. “No,” he blurted. “Never. But I won’t force you into something you don’t want. You think I’m some Neanderthal who doesn’t understand, that I can’t release control for any length of time. You’re mistaken, Savy. Tragically fucking wrong. When Seth died,” his voice cracked, and I felt a rush of guilt, “I realized that time with the ones we love is all that matters. We can’t control what happens or when, but we can make the most of every minute with them, so we don’t have regrets when they’re gone.”

My chest felt too tight as he spoke, my lungs unable to fill with air. Was I wrong about Rinnick? Did I form an opinion based on his dominant personality and abundant rumors instead of getting to know the handsome, caring male who stood before me now?

“I don’t know why you ran after we kissed,” he continued, “but I haven’t forgotten you, Savy. Not once in the three years since it happened.”

I’d seen him at his worst, the lowest of lows like the night he wandered down the road drunk on the anniversary of Seth’s death alone and consumed by pain. I’d seen him rage out and shift, protecting his brother Cole from bear shifters when they attacked our lands. And now, I saw a new side to the complex, undeniably attractive Alpha—reasonable, understanding, honest. Traits I didn’t believe he possessed until now.

Had I formed a negative opinion of him so quickly because of my experience with my brothers? Was I so set on my independence that I pushed away a man that was a possible mate?

Confusion consumed my thoughts, and I pushed lightly on his chest, putting a little distance between us as I sank back down on his mattress.

“Talk to me, Savy,” he pleaded, “The silence is killing me.”

“I, I don’t know what to say,” I admitted, stuttering slightly like I used to do as a young girl when my emotions were too overwhelming. “Th, the, this is too much.”

Concern etched into his features as he sat next to me, reaching for my hand and gently caressing the skin on the top. “You’re tired. I can see it. I’ll let you rest.” He lifted my hand and pressed his lips in a soft kiss on the surface before releasing me. “I’ll sleep downstairs.”

“I can’t take your bed,” I protested, but he shook his head, giving me a small smile.

“I won’t take no for an answer.”

Always the Alpha.

“Rinnick?”

“Yeah, Savy?” My name left his lips like a caress.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime, sweetling.” He winked, rising to his feet as he walked to the door, turning as his hand reached for the knob. “When you’ve had some time to think about tonight, I want to know what you decide.”

“About?” I asked, slightly bewildered.

“Me. Us. Marriage. Your future.” He shrugged. “If I’m part of your plans in any way, I want to know.”

“You do?”

“Of course. Good night, Savannah,” he whispered, opening the door and moving into the hall, “Pleasant dreams.”

The door shut with a click, and I flopped back against the comforter, staring briefly at the textured white ceiling in his bedroom. Outside, a howl bayed at the shy crescent moon that peeked through thick, cotton ball clouds, the silvery-white beams casting a pale shadow on the hardwood floor. The Alpha gave into his wolf, rushing into the forest to hunt.

Rinnick lingered in my thoughts as I climbed beneath the covers on his bed, taking in his whiskey-scented sheets. The pillowcase smelled of spices and liquor and pine trees and dark licorice—all of my favorite smells. I breathed him in, struck by how my wolf reacted to them.

A possessive urge to run outdoors and find Rinnick, shift, and rut with him in the forest flashed through my mind. My she-wolf had never wanted to claim any male before tonight. Even when I kissed Rinnick that first time, she didn’t react as fiercely as she did now. A small moan left my throat as I thought of Rinnick’s embrace, the truth of his words, and the desire he never tried to hide as he held me against him.

I should have thought of my fiancé. Makon should have been the male that caused butterflies to flutter in my stomach. Instead, I imagined that first kiss with Rinnick, and I knew that I secretly wanted to experience his lips on mine one more time to decide if the attraction and desire I felt toward the Alpha and the memory of that first kiss were a fluke or destiny.

Guilt for my feelings swept over me, and I knew I needed to speak to Makon in the morning and confess that I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I didn’t want to rush into marriage with him and regret it, shackling us both in a miserable relationship. He didn’t deserve to be with a girl that wasn’t fully committed to him alone. I needed time and it was only fair that he had the same opportunity.

My eyes closed as I relaxed, clutching the pillows closer as I inhaled, my wolf content with Rinnick’s scent surrounding us.

Chapter 6

“What the hell are you doing here so early?” Cole asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he opened the door.

I’d knocked five times before he finally stumbled downstairs and answered. It was only six a.m., but I couldn’t sleep. I needed fucking advice, and the only two guys I trusted with such intimate detail besides my father were my brother Cole and our best friend, Theo.

“It’s not that early,” I contradicted, pushing his door open with my boot. “We need to talk.”

Cole smirked and headed toward the kitchen, putting on a pot of coffee as I paced the room. He kept glancing my way with amusement, not saying a word until he placed two steaming cups on the table. His tall, athletic frame dropped into one of the chairs as he began drinking, ignoring the scorching temperature. Once he had caffeine in his system, he turned his attention my way.

“You sure seem twisted up about something. Let me guess. It’s a woman.”

“Isn’t it always?” I asked, taking a gulp of my own coffee and swallowing it down. “The same one as always,” I clarified.

“Savy again.” His lips twitched. “She reject you or something?”

“No,” I growled, shooting to my feet. “She’s just marrying someone else.”

Cole’s surprise matched my own. “Shit. I didn’t see that coming, bro. What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “She’s been avoiding me since our kiss.”

“Which kiss? The one from three years ago that you keep pining over?”

“Fuck off,” I exclaimed, hating that I was that transparent, “And yes, it’s the only kiss we’ve shared.”

“That’s how you know she’s your mate?”

“Of course. My wolf wants to claim her. She’s all I want. I can’t fucking stop thinking about her. It’s driving me crazy, Cole.”

He finished his coffee and set the cup on the table, leaning back as he scratched the stubble on his jaw. His gray eyes mirrored my own as he shrugged. “You’re Alpha. Do what you want.”

“That’s your advice?” I asked, annoyed with his response, “Seriously?”

“Rinnick, when have you ever listened to me about women?”

Sighing, I began pacing again. He had a point. “Fine. Never,” I admitted.

“So why now?”

“Because I fucking love Savy, that’s why. I need to make her fall in love with me too because my wolf is about to lose his shit, bro. I can’t handle this separation for much longer.”

He whistled low. “You got it bad.”

“Yeah.”

“Date her. Sweep Savy off her feet. Be romantic. Sweet. Show her that you’re not just the big, bad, possessive, dominating Alpha.”

“Fuck. That sounds like a lot of work.”

Cole belted out a loud laugh. “Patience is not one of your virtues.”

“No,” I agreed. “I can’t keep stalking her. It’s not getting me anywhere.”

Cole chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m not gonna ask what that means. Where is she?”

“In my bed.” My wolf sure liked that she spent the night in our bed. He wanted her in his den every night after this.

“Shit. You slept with her? I thought she was engaged.”

“She slept alone,” I hissed, hating that as much as I loved her in my room.

Cole’s laughter rubbed all my nerves raw. “You’re pissing me off.”

He snickered. “Yeah, I can see that. Your wolf needs to chill. Spending time with her will help. Trust me. Just being close will ease some of the strain on your body.”

“How do I do this? I just want to keep her in my room, fuck her hard, and claim her with the mating bite. Easy. I can have it done in a day.”

Cole practically howled with humor. “Shit. This is too fucking funny.”

I glared at my brother, not seeing how this was so amusing. “You’re an asshole.”

“Yeah, that makes two of us.” His lips twitched as he smiled. “Listen, you can’t force her to do anything even if you are Alpha.”

“I know that. I’m just saying that’s what I want. My wolf is done waiting.”

“Waiting on what?” Briar asked as she walked into the kitchen, fighting back a yawn. Her hand rubbed her swollen belly as I watched her approach Cole, sinking onto my brother’s lap. He caressed her face and leaned in to capture a kiss.

Envious, I wished it was Savannah who was pregnant with my child, eager to settle on my lap as I caressed her stomach. My brother would be a father by Christmas. It was surreal.

“For my mate,” I clarified, folding my arms across my chest.

“Savy? She’ll come around.”

Blinking, I wondered why she said that. “How do you know?”

“Because she looks at you like I do with Cole.”

Fuck me. That was the best news I heard all month. “Good. Shouldn’t take long to mate her then.”

Briar tilted her head to the side, staring at me with an amused curve of her lips. “I see why you knocked on our door so early now.”

The two of them were starting to make me uncomfortable with their knowing grins.

“What does that mean?” I asked, unable to keep the growl out of my voice.

“Oh, Rinnick. More bark than bite,” Briar mused aloud. “Show Savy your best, okay? Prove to her that you’re the mate she wants and needs. Do that, and she won’t be able to resist you.”

Blowing out a breath, I tried to consider the advice they gave me this morning. Now that Savy was back in Cedar Creek, I needed to work fast before she disappeared.

“Okay. Any ideas?” It fucking killed me to be so open and bare, to relinquish control and admit that I didn’t have an answer for everything. Alphas weren’t supposed to struggle with a fucking thing.

Briar’s expression softened, and she nodded. “Yes. Take her on a picnic today. Walk the creek. Talk. Listen to her.”

I rubbed my jaw, forming a plan in my head. “Alright. Thanks, Briar.”

“You’re welcome. Go get her,” she urged, laying her head on Cole’s shoulder. Dark circles below her eyes proved she was exhausted, and I felt terrible for busting in on them so early.

“Later, Cole. Meeting at three p.m.,” I reminded him. “Don’t miss it.” He knew we still needed to discuss the attack on our packmates and how to deal with the Society.

“I won’t. Enjoy the hunt, big brother.”

Oh, I would, without a doubt.

A fucking picnic. What did I know about romantic dates or packing a picnic basket? Nothing. Not a damn thing, but I was willing to give it a try for Savannah.

As soon as I left Cole and Briar, I marched my ass back home and stepped around the wolves still sleeping all over the house. Most of them would be nearly healed by now, their injuries from the attack repairing faster than any human, especially with a long night of rest. I didn’t think anyone would be up before noon other than those who patrolled the grounds and watched for the Society members to show up. Their inevitable return to Cedar Creek Valley proved they were a threat we couldn’t ignore. I didn’t want to put my clan or any of the other packs in danger, but we didn’t start this war.

They did.

Rummaging around in the kitchen, I found the leftover pot roast, ham, and a pasta salad with vegetables that someone had recently stuck in there. It was just cold enough to take a heaping portion of it in a container. I found brownies, a few cans of soda, and a big bag of chips. With the meat, I made over a dozen sandwiches and placed everything into a big cooler with a bit of ice on the bottom layer. As an afterthought, I added a couple of water bottles and a small jug of sun tea I snatched from my back porch since I knew Savy liked it. I even remembered half a roll of paper towels. There. Done.

I cleaned up my mess and made my way to the stairs, climbing three at a time to get to my room. Excitement bubbled under the surface of my skin as I knocked lightly on the door. It swung wide on the hinges as I heard Savannah’s voice.

“Yeah, I’ll be here. I promise, Grid.”

Grid? What the hell did he want?

“Sure. Okay. Tell Makon I’ll be waiting. Yes. Thanks.”

There was a pause.

“I know. You too. Bye.”

The part of me that was a nosy, possessive fucker wanted to demand answers, but I knew that would ruin my chances to take her on a picnic, so I stepped back out, knocking again as if I had just arrived.

“Hey, Savy. Good morning,” I greeted her cheerfully as she opened the door wider.

“Hi, Rinnick.”

“I’ve got a surprise for you. Would you come with me?” I asked, holding out my hand and hoping like hell she wouldn’t reject me.

Indecision crossed her features before she tentatively placed her small hand in my larger, enveloping grasp. I led her down the stairs and into the kitchen, reluctantly releasing her hand as I picked up the basket.

She tilted her head to the side. “Where are we going?”

“Surprise,” I repeated, a goofy-ass grin on my face.

“With a big cooler?”

“Yep. You’re gonna love it.”

A hint of a smile ghosted across her lips. “Okay.”

“Follow me, sweetling.”

I headed toward the door, confident that I would win her over by the end of the afternoon.

Chapter 7

If you had asked me before today if the big bad Alpha Rinnick had a romantic bone in his body, I would have firmly said no. Right now, I was shocked as he reached for my hand, tugging me along the bank of Cedar Creek as a warm, inviting wind swept through the familiar cedar trees and lush green banks of the creek. Trickling streams of water weaved in and out of the numerous stones as the water babbled all the way down into the broader part of the lake, where it spilled into the chilly, fuller body.

The light breeze blew through the branches and rustled the leaves as I inhaled the fresh fragrant air ripe with cherry blossoms. Tiny blooms fell effortlessly from the branches as I watched the lazy circles that flowed outward when the petals landed noiselessly on the water’s surface.

After several minutes of silence, we paused, staring out at the canopy of cedar, oak, big-leaf maple, and spruce trees along with the wild, colorful blossoms that grew in the tall, wavy grasses beyond the lake’s edge.

“It’s so peaceful here,” I whispered, not wishing to disturb the tranquility surrounding us.

“Agreed. My favorite spot.”

“I remember,” I replied wistfully, recalling the many summers growing up when the Baxter brothers and their friends swam in the creek, spending long days in the afternoon sunshine as they learned to control and bond with their beast. I was much younger, watching from a distance as I wished I would grow up and find a place among my kind one day.

I was a late bloomer. My wolf didn’t surface until I was nearly thirteen. Teased mercilessly by my peers, I found it challenging to shift and bond with my wolf. We eventually found our rhythm, but by the time that happened, most of my friends had already undergone their transformations and strengthened their bonds while I was only beginning that journey. As a result, I didn’t have a chance to cultivate many deep friendships except with Briar Lovell. She understood awkwardness, loneliness, and self-doubt. Briar was a late bloomer too, tall for her age, and terribly shy. Her older sister Renleigh outshined her on most occasions.

Our friendship strengthened as we recognized kindred spirits. I loved her like family. Our circle grew with Theo’s cousin Elena, Becca Harlow, and my older sister Jenna. As the youngest in the group, I always felt a little left out, waiting for my life to begin while the others moved on, found mates, and formed lifelong attachments with their wolves. Briar was the only one who understood my unease.

Coming here to the creek reminded me of those summers so long ago when I would catch Briar in the lake with the others, and she would wave, inviting me over without a care about what others might think. And there was always Seth, Cole, and Rinnick with their half-brothers Brand and Rudie, running wild with Theo as they chased the girls. Until one summer three years ago when Rinnick stopped chasing other females and focused on me. The same summer that Renleigh died and our world turned upside down.

I thought I was special to him when he kissed me, that I was a female that he considered a possible mate.

Until I saw him kissing another girl a week later.

I knew then that Rinnick was the playboy talked about in rumors. The young handsome Alpha most of the females in our clan swooned over, eager to spend a night in his bed. Or so they boasted.

That was not the kind of mate I wanted.

Ever since, I avoided Rinnick and denied the attraction I felt. It was easier than admitting I’d fallen for his charm.

“How many summers did we come here?” Rinnick asked softly, gazing down at me. The cooler rested on a patch of wild grass as he approached, tugging me away from memories I usually kept shoved in the back of my mind. “Ten? I lost count of the years I spent watching you.”

Scoffing, I gave him a wary look. “Me and every other girl.”

He shrugged. “True enough, for a time. Until that summer when I realized you weren’t a little girl anymore. Your wolf had matured too. She wasn’t timid or afraid to be noticed.”

“No,” I agreed, “We grew up.”

“Almost overnight. It wasn’t so inappropriate to indulge my attraction or desires.”

Surprised, I didn’t know how to respond to that.

His hand lifted, and Rinnick hesitated before brushing his knuckles over the hill of my cheek. “You became my obsession. The only woman I wanted.”

Irritated that he would lie, I shoved his hand away. “Was that before or after you kissed Herra Anderson?”

Rinnick frowned. “What?”

“A week after you kissed me, you kissed her,” I reminded him. “So don’t make me feel like the kiss we shared was special. It wasn’t. At least not to you.”

“Fuck,” he whispered, dropping his hands as his shoulders drooped. “That’s why you hated me, isn’t it? The reason you ran?”

What was the point in denying it now? “Yes.”

“Shit!” The curse burst from his lips as he backed away, running his hand through his hair in agitation, nearly tugging the strands from his head. “I didn’t know you saw that.”

“So?” I asked with attitude, planting my hands on my hips. “I’m glad I did. It proved you weren’t the guy I thought you were, Rinnick. That the Alpha gets what he wants, whenever he wants, and it doesn’t matter who he hurts in the process.”

“Wow. Fuck, Savy. You break my fucking heart.” His expression of devastation matched his words.

“Why are you acting like you’re the one who’s hurt? You b, broke my h, h, heart!” I shouted, stammering over my words as my chest heaved, and I fought back the tears. “I th, thought you wanted me, just me.” The truth was now out. I cringed as I realized how whiny and desperate that sounded.

Rinnick rushed forward, tugging me into his embrace even as I tried to fight him. “I’m so sorry. Fuck. I’m sorry, baby. It wasn’t real. What you saw, it was just to make Dane Valko jealous because he only had eyes for Briar, and Herra wanted to see if she could catch his attention. I agreed after she kept begging me.”

“That is the stupidest, most immature thing I’ve ever heard,” I spat, glaring up into his tortured flint-colored eyes. “You actually expect me to believe this?”

“It was stupid,” he agreed. “I thought it was innocent. I was just helping a friend out. That’s all.”

“No, you weren’t. You didn’t care about the consequences because you didn’t care about my reaction.” I thumped my chest with my free hand, right over my heart. “You. H, hurt. Me.”

Rinnick shook his head hard before lowering it and resting his forehead against mine. Both of us were breathing hard, tormented by something that happened three years ago and really didn’t matter now. It was the past. Why did I care? I was marrying Makon.

“I never meant to hurt you, Savy. I’m truly sorry.”

I couldn’t deny he sounded sincere. “It was long ago. Just forget about it.” The bitterness in my voice was far too noticeable.

“I can’t forget about it, baby. It tore you away from me.” His hand slid behind my neck, holding us close together. “Don’t you see? When your heart hurts, so does mine.”

The tears that lingered in my eyes spilled over, slipping silently down my cheeks as he lifted his head, cupping my face with both hands. “I swear I never meant to hurt you. I was careless, thoughtless of your feelings and what you would think. I own that. It’s entirely my fault, but I don’t want to lose you, Savy.” He swallowed hard, wiping the hot tears from my cheeks. “Seeing you in pain is killing me.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out? That I wouldn’t hear the whispers of the others as they gossiped about how you slept with every girl you could? I was nothing but a conquest to you. It’s lucky I found out what you were really like before it went further.”

His expression turned hard, cold, and distant as his hands dropped, and I stepped back, hating the stupid ache in my heart and the mournful howl of my wolf. This conversation should never have happened. Learning about his kiss with Herra changed nothing. Rinnick Baxter, Alpha wolf and clan leader, was nothing more than a selfish flirt and a deceiver who had no regard for the feelings of others unless it suited his whim.

“I guess there’s nothing else to say.”

No, there wasn’t.

“I’ll leave you alone.” He gestured to the cooler on the ground, happily squatting in the sunshine a short distance away. “Enjoy the lunch I prepared. Maybe your fiancé will want to join you for the picnic I planned. I find that I no longer have an appetite.”

Spinning on his heel, Rinnick held his head high and walked away from me as if I was nothing more than a nuisance, a bothersome fly, and a disappointment.

I watched him disappear into the trees and then collapsed to the ground, overrun with so much emotion and conflicting thoughts that I could hardly breathe. My wolf retreated, anguished with the result of the conversation and the finality of my afternoon with Rinnick, knowing whatever might have been between us at one time would never bloom into anything more.

Sorrow washed over me, and I turned, staring up at the sky for long minutes, listening to the creek as it admonished me with cruel, accusatory whispers. Even the wind conspired against me, robbing my skin of the breeze as the heat nearly burned to the bone.

A shaky sigh escaped my lips as I turned toward the cooler, and a sob escaped my chest.

Sometimes, I was my worst enemy.

Chapter 8

Loud music blared from the speakers located to the right of the stage, the music thumping in low, vibrating tones that rippled beneath the surface of my skin. I lost track of the hours I sat on the barstool, throwing back shots of whiskey as my mood grew darker with every swallow.

Savannah Paxton hates me.

My mate fucking hated my guts. She thought I used women, carelessly disregarded their feelings, and slept around with any female who walked through the door. Ashamed, I knew there was a time when that was true. The rumors had merit, and I couldn’t deny that I was once the whoring bastard she accused me of being.

That was before we kissed. The revolving door of women stopped when I realized Savy was my mate, and my wolf had latched onto her, determined to claim her as his own. So how could I have kissed Herra so casually? Why didn’t I walk away instead of giving in? What the fuck was the matter with me?

My chest ached, and the buzz did nothing to remove my emptiness or the shame and guilt I had struggled with since I walked away from her, leaving my Savy at the creek with a picnic basket and a broken heart.

What a fucking fool!

I actually believed we would end up naked together, and limbs entwined as I confessed how much I loved her, and then fucked her until she promised never to leave me. For a guy like me, it was simple. I didn’t need a bunch of flowery words or romantic gestures, but I understood that females were different. For Savy, I’d do anything that would warm her heart toward mine, even if that meant humbling myself and showing weakness. Hell, I already did that in front of Cole and Briar. I was a goddamn wuss now.

Muttering under my breath, I lifted the shot glass and tossed back the contents, no longer feeling the burn or tasting the liquor. I picked up the bottle left in front of me and poured another shot, determined to drown my sorrows and regrets since staying sober seemed moot at this point.

My glass was halfway to my lips when a hand shot out and snatched it, tearing away my prize.

“The fuck you doing?” I snarled, turning toward Cole. “Need it,” I slurred.

“Fucking drunk off your ass already,” he responded with equal bravado, tilting his head back and stealing my drink before he snatched up the bottle I reached for, risking my wrath.

“Don’t make me kick your ass, little brother.”

He made a noise of doubt, snickering at my comment. “You couldn’t hurt a fly right now.”

“Later then,” I relented, knowing he was right but too proud to agree.

Cole poured a shot, gulped it down, and then shoved the bottle out of reach, farther down the bar as he turned in my direction. “What happened?”

“My past,” I mumbled, leaning forward as my elbows smacked onto the hard surface of the bar.

Cole sighed, his hand landing on my shoulder. “You said you loved her earlier today. Did you mean it?”

For the first time, I didn’t hold back as I answered, putting every ounce of feeling I had into my confession. “With all my heart, Cole.”

“Then I’ll help you win her back.”

Blinking back sudden tears, I stared at my younger brother, unable to put into words what that meant.

“I know. You think I’m amazing. Fuck. You should. The whole fucking clan loves me.”

Snorting, I managed a small chuckle. “Damn straight. The Baxter clan ain’t shit without its beta.”

“Or its Alpha,” he quipped, growing serious. “We have a meeting planned in two hours. The Alphas are arriving from all over the valley. You’ve got to be ready.”

“I am,” I promised, rising to my feet as I swayed, and he caught me. A wicked grin twitched my lips. “Sure is good to have you back in Cedar Creek, Cole. Missed your ugly mug when you were gone.”

Three years we lost to the past, Seth’s death, and the result of our trauma. I’d never been as grateful as I was now that my brother had returned home and we repaired our strained relationship. Family was the only thing that truly mattered besides the pack. Loyalty to one another was the foundation built upon by love, respect, and the secrets we all shared. A burden only other shifters understood.

“We’ll figure this out with Savy. I swear it, Rinnick.”

A tiny sliver of hope blossomed in my chest. “We will,” I agreed, standing to my full height. The liquor was already burning off with my body heat. In a few minutes, you’d never know I devoured nearly an entire bottle of smooth Tennessee whiskey. One of the perks of being a wolf was that I could consume as much liquor as I wanted and hardly have a reaction after no more than an hour. Only drinking it nonstop without a break resulted in a buzz, hence my afternoon at the bar.

“Let’s go,” Cole urged, giving me a light shove. “You need a fucking shower.”

Chuckling at his insinuation that I stunk, I flipped him off and strolled toward the exit, eager to put all my plans into action, including the one where I claimed my reluctant mate.

The Alphas gathered in my library, an enormous room with vaulted ceilings and plenty of windows that let in natural light. The spacious area was roomy enough for four oversized sofas, several tables surrounded by chairs, and consisted of three levels. It was no secret that this was my favorite part of the house and a place I loved to entertain. Not to mention it was the one room off-limits to the public, and I could retreat into, enjoying a bit of solitude in a world where the Alpha hardly ever managed to obtain seclusion.

My father Marrok took the seat across from me as Cole settled at my side. As my beta and second in command, his presence was required. From the Thompson clan, Gage and his beta Warrick arrived along with their father, retired Alpha Sean. Savy’s brothers greeted me coolly as they sat on the sofa to my right. Sean lifted his arms, placing them along the back of the furniture, much more at ease than I would have suspected. Gage and Warrick didn’t hide their displeasure, giving off vibes that I ignored.

This wasn’t the time to let pride or arrogance take hold and ruin this meeting before it started.

From the Harlow clan, Elias and his brother Lor arrived. Their father, retired Alpha Jedd, greeted me with a warm welcome. These males were Becca’s family. Theo’s mate was an Alpha female by birth. Quite the scandal when they first got together, but any animosity was buried in the past.

That left the Dempsey clan. My back straightened when Grid and Makon entered, heading to the only remaining seats. I caught the look of curiosity from Grid, but the hostility on Makon’s face confirmed he was the male intending to mate with Savy. Ignoring the urge to growl and exert my dominance, I squared my shoulders and rose to my feet, greeting the group as I welcomed them into my home.

My reputation for maintaining peace and neutral ground for Alphas began with my father, Marrok, and I intended to keep it that way.

“As you all know, we have a major problem on our hands. The anti-shifter organization known as the Society has been attacking different areas in Cedar Creek Valley and along Timber Mountain. We’ve had females kidnapped and tortured. Our lands compromised. The secrets we’ve kept for generations are on the brink of discovery. Humans don’t understand our kind and the Society only proves that point.”

“Agreed,” Sean called out.

“Been a long time comin’,” Elias added.

“I’ve called you all here to discuss a plan for eradicating this group before they escalate further and any more of our pack members are harmed. I’m open to suggestions.” Gesturing to the empty floor in the middle of the room, I sat down, waiting for the debate to begin.

Grid shot to his feet. “Fuckin’ assholes attacked my fences on the west side of my property. They broke into the barn last night and killed a bunch of my livestock. Stabbed every single animal that I had, even the babies. These fuckers are toying with us, and I’m done. Whatever you want to do, Rinnick, I’m in.”

Makon pursed his lips and cracked his knuckles but didn’t contradict his brother.

“Fuck, Grid. I’m sorry. I didn’t know about the slaughtered animals. Anyone have cows, pigs, or sheep they can spare? I’ve got a few horses I’m happy to lend until you can buy or breed more.”

Grid dipped his chin. “Thanks. I’ll take you up on that. We’ve got more crops going in the ground and need to be ready for harvest in the fall.”

The shifter communities in Cedar Creek were self-sustaining. Many farmed the land, fed their families from the crops, raised animals for slaughter, and sold milk and other products to larger food chains. We decided long ago that keeping the humans as far from us as possible made sense. This way, we could control how much interaction we had and avoid complications.

Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the Society from forming.

Gage ticked his head at Grid. “I’ve got a couple of cows I can part with and a few swine. We’ll drop them off later.”

“Appreciate it.”

By now, news had spread among the clans about the toxin found when we raided the Society warehouse and rescued the female shifters. Kept in cages, they were subjected to high doses of the poison to determine its effectiveness and duration based on dosage. I glanced at Theo, noticing the slight twitch in his right hand. It wasn’t there before he touched a sample, carrying it back to save his mate when she nearly died. Our doc was able to conjure an antitoxin, but the long-term toll on wolf physiology was unknown.

“One more thing. The toxin the Society created was used to subdue wolves and paralyze the shift. It’s dangerous and deadly. One of the priorities needs to be destroying as much of it as we can find.”

“We fucking eliminate it. Every last drop,” Cole announced.

“That won’t get rid of their ability to create it,” Elias countered.

“Then we raid every single warehouse they fucking own.” Gage stood to his feet, pacing as his wolf hovered close to the surface. “We look through their phones, files, computers, everything.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Elias rose, gesturing to the setting sun. “The longer we wait to fuck this anti-shifter organization up, the more time they have to plot and plan against us.”

“Agreed,” I growled out, rolling my shoulders. “The only logical step is hitting them all at once.”

Theo chuckled along with my father. “The same night. All at the same time.”

“How many warehouses do we know about?” Makon asked, directing his question at his brother instead of me.

I answered because this was my goddamn house and meeting. Better pay attention, little pup. “Eight.”

Cole whistled, shaking his head. “That’s a lot to organize, but we can do it.”

“We will. It’s the only fucking choice,” I reminded him.

Gage turned my way, his tone sharp. “You visit the bears yet?”

“After Cole’s fight with Yarl and his death, yes. About this? No. I didn’t want to make that decision without consulting the other Alphas first. Anyone want to comment on that too?”

I wasn’t surprised when Sean snorted with humor, and my father chuckled. Jedd appeared amused as well. Everyone always had a goddamn opinion, and the older wolves knew it from plenty of experience.

Gage leaned forward. “I’d like to ask him a few questions, starting with why Rory is so fucking hostile and why his bear clan tore up all those humans at the compound where your females were rescued. We had plenty of reason to be there and want justice. Rory Black? None of his business.”

“Unless he’s involved somehow,” Grid replied, voicing what we all suspected.

“I’m willing to call him out on it,” I announced, “and it’s sure to cause a ruckus.”

Some of the tension in the room eased, and I relaxed slightly, leaning back against the cushion of my chair, the only piece of furniture made of leather and worn in just how I liked it.

“And after the meeting with Rory? What then?” Elias asked, standing to his feet. “We haven’t decided shit.”

He was right. We didn’t. No surprise there. Nothing was gonna happen until we confronted Rory Black and found out the truth of his involvement with the Society.

“I propose two things. One, we go on a pack hunt tonight. Most of the packs are restless, and we can cover a lot of ground if we let them loose. They run off all that energy, and we tell them to be aware of Society members or camps. No one hunts alone.”

None of the Alphas protested.

“Two, we let them sleep off the wild night that follows, and tomorrow morning we pay Rory Black a visit nice and early. Me, Cole, Grid, Makon, Elias, Lor, Gage, and Warrick. Four clans united against the Society and any threats to our communities. Anyone object?”

Not a soul spoke up.

“Afterward, we meet back here and decide which night we’re going after the Society.”

I’d been waiting for this, and finally, the other Alphas were fed up enough to do something about it. My fists curled as my wolf hunched, ready to strike out and remove all threats against us.

Bring on the hunt.

Chapter 9

Bonfires were lit around the Baxter compound as the meeting with the Alphas concluded, and the feast began. Whenever the packs were brought together, it was a momentous occasion full of food, friendship, entertainment, and a whole lot of alcohol. Shifters loved to let loose, allowing their beasts to take control. At times, it was a battle to keep the wolf contained, and when we could allow total freedom, life was a lot more cohesive. Most of the Alphas did this every full moon, coinciding with our need to shift and overwhelming desire to hunt.

I wasn’t surprised when the Alphas declared the hunt would commence at midnight.

Until then, everyone was free to eat, drink, mingle, mate, or anything else their wolves wanted. There were few rules involved. Only one that truly mattered: no wolf could force themself on another.

The power of the moon drove our desires, libido, and sexual urges to the surface. We grappled with the wolf’s mating instincts and the will to maintain control. Fighting and fucking were common. Ruled by basic and primitive survival, many wolves enjoyed the freedom to indulge their carnal pleasures in a safe space. The Alphas were always watching, observing the behavior of the pack, ready to intervene if necessary. It rarely happened.

Rinnick stood with Elias, Lor, and his brother Cole. Theo joined them, passing around cold bottles of beer in the muggy heat. Dusk settled over the valley, blanketing the compound and surrounding forest in warm colors of amber, gold, violet, and scarlet rays. A light sheen of sweat clung to my skin and increased the restlessness I felt. I’d changed into a tank top and jean shorts earlier, preferring to wear as few articles of clothing as possible. When my wolf was this restless, anything on my skin felt oppressive.

I snatched up a cold soda and parked my bottom in one of the many folding chairs set up around the bonfires. Seven were lit around Rinnick’s home and many of my brethren already balanced plates of food and beverages on their laps, already flirting with the opposite sex. Having little appetite with the scorching temperature, I didn’t indulge.

Usually, I was content with my surroundings, enjoying my solitude. Not tonight. My thoughts kept returning to the creek, Rinnick, and the picnic he packed for us. Lifting my head, I found his gaze already focused on me, quietly watching as he stood with the other males. A part of me wanted to walk over and talk to him about our argument, and the rest knew it was useless.

The debate didn’t last long as I noticed my friend heading my way, her bright smile a welcome distraction.

“Hey, babe. How’s everything going?” Briar asked, plopping down next to me with a bottle of water and a plate that nearly overflowed with food.

Shrugging, I didn’t want to open that Pandora’s box and didn’t answer. Pointing to the mound of food she was snacking on, I smirked. “Feeding two or three or four? There’s some kind of epidemic going on around here. You, Becca, and Elena all about to pop out new little pups.”

“Stop. If Cole gave me twins or triplets, I’d kill him.”

Snorting, I couldn’t help finding this incredibly ironic. Briar thought she’d never find a mate and have kids. Now she was pregnant and bonded to Cole. Life had come full circle for her, and I couldn’t be happier for my friend. “You’re mated, Briar, and having a baby. Everything you ever wanted. Renleigh would be so thrilled for you. She always wanted you to find your fated mate and settle down.”

Briar swallowed the bite of chicken in her mouth and set the plate aside. Her chin wobbled as she leaned over, crushing me in a hug. “Thank you. That means more than you know.”

“It can’t be easy after her death, but it wasn’t your fault, and it wasn’t Cole’s either. I’m glad you’re together. I’ve never seen a couple more in love or perfect together.”

When she leaned back, her fingers swiped under her cheeks. “Renleigh knew. She understood that Cole was supposed to mate with me. Neither of us gave into our connection until after she was gone.” Briar sniffled, reaching for her plate and cradling it with one hand over her stomach. “I see that same connection with you and Rinnick.”

Nope. Not going there.

“Briar,” I warned.

“What?” The innocent expression on her face didn’t fool me.

“Don’t.”

Briar picked up a carrot stick and began gnawing on it. “I heard you went on a picnic.”

“If you could call it that.”

“You’re still upset with him,” she mused, chewing up the carrot and swallowing before crunching down another bite.

“I am.”

“Did you confront him about Herra?”

“I did. He says it meant nothing.”

“And what do you think?”

Sighing, I rubbed the space between my eyes, feeling the tension and a slight ache. “I don’t know.”

“You should talk to Herra. Ask her about it. Maybe she can clear up any confusion you feel.”

“Who said I’m confused?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest as I scowled.

“No one, but if you want to know the truth about that kiss you saw, she’d be the one to tell you.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. “Why would she be honest or even care what I think?”

Briar finished her carrot and then popped a strawberry into her mouth, delaying her response as I impatiently tapped my fingers on the wooden bench. “Because she’s in love with Dane Valko. Herra isn’t a stranger to heartache.”

Wow. I didn’t know that. “You’re sure?”

“Yep. I just talked to her about it a couple of weeks ago. She’s hoping Dane will come around. He’s been spending every minute with Ivy.”

“The girl rescued with Becca’s mom?”

“Yes. Dane doesn’t know about Herra’s feelings, so don’t let that spill, okay? I promised not to spread it around.”

“I won’t tell anyone. I’m not like that,” I assured her.

“I know, babe. That’s why I trust you.”

I couldn’t find Herra. After my discussion with Briar, I searched for thirty minutes, and she wasn’t anywhere close to the rest of the pack, possibly even Cedar Creek. Most of the time, I could scent other shifters with ease, so I was confident she wasn’t around. Maybe she didn’t want to participate in the hunt since she knew Dane wouldn’t be here. I could understand her reluctance to let her wolf out, only to be disappointed when the male she wished to mate with didn’t show up. That kind of rejection was hard to recover from and worse when every wolf in the valley witnessed it.

Leaning against one of the perimeter fences, I sipped on a bottle of water and avoided the festivities for obvious reasons. Rinnick’s gaze burned into me whenever we were in the same vicinity, and I didn’t want to rehash what happened at the creek earlier. Fireflies hovered above my head with slow, unhurried blips of light that glowed yellow in the fading twilight. I reached out and caught one, watching the tiny beetle crawl over my skin before taking flight again.

“There you are,” a deep male voice exclaimed as my chin lifted and I stared into the soft brown eyes of my fiancé. His brother Grid was nowhere in sight, probably chasing prospective females before the hunt. “I thought I lost you.” The lightness of his tone meant he wasn’t serious.

“Never,” I breathed out, stepping into his embrace as his arms slid around my back. “I couldn’t handle a life without you in it.” Makon was one of my closest friends, romantic feelings aside.

“You feeling okay, baby? You’ve been quiet this evening,” Makon teased.

“Oh, sure. Just anxious for the hunt, I suppose.”

“Not having second thoughts about us?” He tilted my chin up, staring into my eyes. “Because if you are, now would be the time to talk about it.”

Why was he asking? Did he hear something about Rinnick and me? “Is there a reason you’re bringing this up?”

Makon lowered his head and dropped a sweet kiss on my lips. “You seem on edge. My wolf senses it.”

Feeling guilty for not saying something sooner, I shrugged. “It’s happening fast, I guess.”

“We don’t have to rush our mating or the claiming. I can be patient, hon.”

I cupped the side of his face with my palm, loving his kind nature. His wolf was calm and nothing like Rinnick’s, who made me feel like prey he wanted to chase and dominate enthusiastically. “You’re so wonderful to me.”

“Because I love you,” he replied simply. “It’s easy.”

“To love me?” I asked, unable to hide my grin.

“My wolf believes you’re the one. He doesn’t feel the need to push you into anything.”

How different from Rinnick, the Alpha who always made me feel backed into a corner.

“How is everyone doing? Healing from their injuries?”

“Yeah. No complications, which is good. A few of them that inhaled toxin and still struggle with symptoms.”

“Nothing serious, right?”

“Not that we can tell.” His expression turned fierce. “Promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you. We don’t know what the Society is planning.”

He was right. “I will.”

“Good.” Makon’s mouth pressed to mine, and I felt his warmth, affection, and loyalty wrap around me like a comforting blanket.

Something about being with him felt easy and carefree, like best friends who shared both secrets and kisses. The problem was that I wasn’t sharing my secrets. Not that I had anything to hide from Makon. My heart was still deciding on the outcome, and my wolf was being far too stubborn to discern her motives. At this point, I bet she was holding out for Rinnick.

“Savannah!” A familiar voice called out my name, and I spun around, stepping away from Makon as my oldest brother approached, flanked on both sides by Warrick and Max. Gage frowned as he glared at my fiancé. “Give us a few minutes, beta. I need to talk to my sister.”

Makon stiffened briefly before dropping his head to press a chaste kiss on my cheek. He winked before he walked away, heading back toward the bonfires.

“What is it?” I asked, slightly irritated. “You didn’t have to send Makon away. It wasn’t very nice.”

Warrick chuckled. “She wants us to be nice, Gage.”

“To a wolf who wants to mate our sister,” Max added.

“Your father wants you home until this mess with the Society is taken care of. I agree. It’s far too dangerous, Savy.”

Gage’s words pissed me off. “Would you tell me that if I was a male?”

Warrick shook his head.

Max snorted. “Don’t go all feminist on us again.”

“You don’t get it,” I argued, ignoring my youngest brother’s remark. “I’m just as capable as any of you. I’m not a weakling, and I can defend myself.”

“That’s not the point, little sister. You’re far too vulnerable without a mate.”

“You’re unbelievable. So I’m not mating Makon fast enough, but you don’t want me near him? Or is it just that I’m a female and I should be docile and stay home to raise pups?”

Max took a step back, lifting his hands in surrender.

The tirade started; it was full steam ahead now. “And all females need a male to keep them safe, huh? Can’t save their own asses because they’re too busy cleaning, cooking, and caring for the males?”

Warrick retreated next, his lips twitching with a suppressed grin.

“It must be my duty as a female to give birth and lose my independence because the males in my life know better and are more capable?”

Gage flinched. “Savy.”

“No,” I growled, fighting the urge to shift as my wolf hissed, as pissed off as I was. “Don’t you dare. You think you know everything because you’re Alpha, but you don’t. You all think your duty is to suffocate the females of our clan while you fight a battle that affects us all. It’s not right, Gage. You’re a fool to turn away females. We’re a lot stronger than you believe.” Spinning on my heel, I marched away from the three males I called family—even if we had different biological fathers—so livid I didn’t notice the shadow that followed, keeping hidden among the trees.

Chapter 10

Savy avoided me all night.

She thought I didn’t catch on to her little disappearing act, but I was keenly aware of her presence everywhere she retreated on Baxter lands. When she talked with Briar, I watched her from across the yard. When she finished her conversation and walked to the edge of my property, I followed to ensure her safety. And when Savy stood with a dozen fireflies, bathed in their honey-colored glow, I thought my heart would burst at the sight of her beautiful smile.

Only when Makon showed up did the blissful moment end. Rage bubbled under the surface of my skin as I watched the young woman I wanted for my own, accepting the kiss of another male. He touched her like I longed to, caressing every inch of her soft skin. His lips molded to hers, coaxing a reaction from her body how I imagined doing for three long years. It was goddamn torture.

My skin rippled as I fought the change, cracking my neck as I stepped from the trees, heading in Savannah’s direction.

Until I noticed all three of her brothers approach and order Makon away. Retreating into the shadows, I observed their interaction with interest. Savannah seemed upset, but when she stomped off alone in anger, I followed.

Once her brothers were out of earshot, I purposely made noise so she would know she wasn’t alone. My wolf could have tracked her silently for hours, but I didn’t want to spook her, and it was growing dark—time to head back toward the compound before the pack hunt.

“I can hear you, you know,” she muttered, spinning on her heel to face me.

“That’s why I made so much noise,” I deadpanned, lifting my shoulders in a shrug.

“Is there something you want?”

I refused to take the bait and offered a wistful smile instead. “Just your company. If you want to rage against the world, I’ll stand here and take it.”

Her reaction wasn’t what I expected. Savy took a step back and shook her head as her chin wobbled. Tears filled the pretty azure color of her eyes, and my wolf wanted to break free, tearing apart anyone who upset our mate.

“Sweetling, are you alright?”

“Rinnick,” she whispered, “I don’t know. Everything seems so overwhelming.”

My arms were around her before I could blink, drawing her into my chest, cradling her as the precious woman she was to me. Inhaling, I caught the familiar scent of her skin, the musk of her wolf, and the fragrant, intoxicating lure of the soft pink center between her legs. My body reacted fiercely and whatever control I had over my lust nearly vanished.

It was the wrong fucking moment, but I couldn’t help the soothing balm of her presence or how right she felt as I held her. Savy wasn’t looking for a quick fuck, and she was engaged to another male. Didn’t stop me from wanting her anyway. Not just for sex, although my wolf really wanted that quick fuck. Right here. Right now.

Inside, I could feel the tension, desire, and his will to dominate. My wolf wanted more than one night. So much more.

My tongue lifted to my canines and found them no longer human-sized. Sharp and elongated, those teeth were ready to puncture through her skin with the mating bite. My wolf wasn’t playing around. The need to mate, to claim Savannah consumed my thoughts.

This is stupid. She hates you.

Only my cock didn’t agree.

My erection pressed against my jeans, wanting more contact.

“Rinnick?” Her breathy voice was the only thing to cool the burning lust within.

“Yeah, baby?”

“We should head back to the compound,” she reminded me, her hands in total contrast to her words as they slid up my back, gently gliding over the material of my t-shirt.

I wanted to rip away the barrier between us, every stitch of clothing I had on. My cock pulsed as I imagined stripping her bare and spreading her thighs apart, sinking between them as I tasted her.

“You smell good,” she whispered, and I lost my tenuous hold over my body.

I had her pushed against the rough bark of a nearby tree in less than a heartbeat. My finger found her chin and guided it upward, staring into the beautiful face I adored. “Don’t you ever get tired of resisting what you want? Of fighting against me?”

Her eyelids closed briefly and reopened, undisguised desire reflected within. “This isn’t the right time, Rinnick.”

“When will there ever be one?” I asked gently, not letting her turn away from me as I gripped her chin. “Tell me that the pull between us doesn’t affect you, and I’ll walk away.”

She didn’t answer.

“Tell me that you don’t crave my touch on your skin. That you don’t want my hands exploring every curve of your body.”

Savy bit her lip, clenching her thighs together. A whimper escaped her throat as one of my hands encircled her throat, the other gripping her waist.

Her touch, the feel of her velvet soft skin, was an instant aphrodisiac. Every inch of her fingertips that grazed along my arms left me aching and hungry for more.

“Tell me that you don’t want this feeling to last forever. No other male will ever be able to give you what I can, sweetling. It’s about time you were kissed the right way.”

Her eyes widened as I cupped her face, tilting her head up at the exact moment my lips slammed down on hers. Fucking heaven. My tongue pushed through the seam of her mouth and collided with the timid yet exploratory warmth of her own. My brain stopped focusing on anything other than the softness of her skin and the round slope of her ass, my fingers sliding around her waist as I gripped the plush flesh. My mouth dominated hers as my knee pressed between her splayed legs, angling one thigh against her heated core.

Mate her. Mate her. Mate her.

The words became my mantra, and the kiss deepened. My body ignited with blazing heat like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Savy’s hands slid up and over my shoulders, tugging at the loose tendrils of hair at my nape. A groan vibrated low in my throat, accompanied by clarity that I could never have imagined before now.

I knew I wanted Savy. Hell, I knew she was my mate.

What I didn’t know before this kiss, the one thing that shocked the hell out of me and my wolf was the fact that she was fated to be mine.

I didn’t believe in fated mates. I’d seen nothing that proved we were destined to find that one soul in the universe that was born just for us. Nothing to demonstrate that two souls were cleaved from birth and placed into two separate bodies—one male and one female—and only when we found each other would we feel complete.

Stunned by the knowledge that Savy was the other half of my aching, restless spirit caused my body to stiffen, and I broke the kiss, staring into her eyes as I held her in place.

“My soul’s other half,” I whispered, gazing down with reverence. “My fated mate.”

Savannah didn’t move. I wasn’t sure if it was shock or displeasure, or disbelief.

“My sweetling. You’re it for me.”

A panicked expression crossed her features, and then my love, my future Luna, and the mother of my pups, the one I adored and would spend my life treasuring—she fucking ran.

Howls lifted in the air around us as the pack signaled the need to hunt. We weren’t the only ones lost to lust, desire, and the will of the wolf. When the moon was this full and ripe, our bodies tuned into the basest of needs. Mating was thrust into the forefront of our minds. We were overcome with the desire to fight, fuck, and dominate.

My packmates couldn’t wait until midnight. Their wolves no longer fought the change.

Turning in the direction of my mate’s scent, I lifted my nose and inhaled. Sweet desire, burning lust, a hint of fear, and a heavy dose of determination collided as my skin erupted and my wolf broke free. The restless energy I’d felt for days dissipated, and my beast consumed with only one objective: find Savy and mate. Nothing else mattered.

My howl joined the others, giving permission for the clans to join me. Answering growls, howling, and the pounding thud of other wolves signaled the joining of every shifter that called Cedar Creek home, dispersing into the forest as the hunt began.

The chase was on, in more ways than one.

There’s no outrunning me, princess. You’re mine.

Chapter 11

That kiss.

Rinnick was right. I’d never been kissed that hungrily, that perfectly.

A bad boy kiss—a naughty girl kiss.

A let-me-get-down-on-all-fours-and-let-you-ravage-me kiss.

And I wanted it. I wanted him.

I was practically high off his words, his scent, the throbbing ache in my core, and the shocking revelation that Rinnick, the cocky Alpha of the Baxter clan, was my fated mate.

Holy shit!

I could hardly wrap my head around the truth.

When he stared into my eyes, all I saw was the truth accompanied by the fiercest longing and sincerest love. The arrogance, the controlling dominance, and even the uncertainty he always projected faded away. No barrier remained between us. I saw the man destined to be my life’s companion, and I panicked.

Stupid! I ran from him, darting into the trees as I shifted, unable to hold back my wolf or her need to mate. Only she didn’t return to Rinnick. No, the stubborn hussy lifted her ass in the air and wiggled it so that our scent was in the air, enticing our mate.

His howl joined the others, signaling the hunt could begin as the moon suddenly darted into the sky above, hanging low and perfectly round, unobstructed by clouds or stars. Chaos exploded around us as the forest came alive, predators launching between the trees to chase prospective mates and fuck or find food and engorge on the flesh.

My paws barely touched the ground as I sped through the trees, knowing Rinnick followed. His wolf howled again, much closer than before. Giddy, a giggle escaped my lips. What would he do when he found us? What did I want him to do?

Too much, if I was honest.

All thought of Makon and our engagement fled, replaced by the all-consuming need to be penetrated by my mate. His canines. His cock. His bite. I wanted to be subdued, held down, fucked, and claimed with an abandon that was a frightening yet exhilarating aphrodisiac. My wolf preened at the idea, slowing down as she anticipated Rinnick’s arrival.

I spun around, catching his wolf the second that enormous beast with a shiny coat of onyx burst through the line of trees. He approached cautiously, expertly using his skills as a master hunter to keep me from bolting again. Slowly, I was corralled as he cornered me, stuck between the trunks of several massive Cedar trees as they towered overhead.

A low growl left his muzzle as the eyes of his wolf glowed silver.

In response, I whimpered.

He moved closer, each placement of his paws deliberate but slow enough not to spook me.

I matched his movements until I could no longer retreat. The bark of a tree scratched against the fur on my back, and I lifted my snout, howling at the moon as my wolf wrestled for control. She won.

Rinnick’s wolf reached me as he lowered his head and nipped at my ear, chiding me for running away. I lowered my head in a submissive response as he bared his teeth, a rumble growing deep in his chest until he howled again, the noise triumphant as he sensed my acceptance of his wolf and dominance.

His body blurred, and he shifted, taking human form as his cock hung low and thick between his legs, bobbing once in the air as I joined him, our naked bodies fully displayed for the other to devour greedily. His lecherous gaze boldly appraised my body from head to toe, lingering on the freshly shaven mound at the apex of my thighs.

“What do you want, Savy?” he growled, using that Alpha intention that forced me to answer.

“I want to be consumed and claimed. I want to be owned, my heart and soul captured by a man whose every desire is to tame me until I submit.”

“Lower on all fours,” he rasped, the order given in a guttural, sensual tone.

“My mate,” I whispered, acknowledging that whatever happened between us next was consensual. The past and our disagreements meant nothing. I belonged to him, and he belonged to me.

My shoulders relaxed, and I lowered to my hands and knees, turning so that my submissive pose proved I was ready to accept my mate and his claiming. My ass lifted slightly in the air as he growled, his fingertips gripping the flesh of my buttocks and squeezing.

I felt him settle behind me, the warmth of his touch as hot as a blazing sun. My body broke into a sweat and my core clenched. I could feel my arousal drip from my weeping cunt as he brushed through my slit, swiping at the dew I couldn’t hide.

He tasted me, and a hiss escaped his lips. “Fucking perfect, my delectable mate. You ready to be fucked and claimed?”

My voice was hoarse as I answered, pressing my bottom into his groin. “Please.”

“I’ll take you when I’m ready, my naughty wolf.”

Two of his fingers slid inside my aching channel, slowly pumping in and out as I gasped, rocking my hips in order to release some of the tension building inside. A tight knot curled in my lower region, growing in intensity as I let out a low, breathy moan.

“Stay still,” he ordered, increasing the speed he used his fingers, stretching me wider as he plunged in a third. His other hand teased the hood of my clit, circling the little nubbin with pressure but not enough to let the release I wanted. “Naughty girl,” he growled as I swiveled my hips, desperate to take the throbbing ache away and come.

“You come when I allow it.” His deep, husky tone tickled my ear before he playfully bit down, pumping his fingers faster, harder.

“I can’t,” I cried out, burying my fingers in the soft mossy grass beneath us.

“You’ll come on my cock, Savannah. That’s it. You understand me?”

Nodding, I whimpered as he slowed his pace, his body draping over mine as I felt the engorged tip of his cock brush against my inner thigh.

“My Rinnick,” I whispered, too low for him to hear.

But he did.

“My beautiful, headstrong, fierce mate.”

My chest filled with warmth as his hips thrusted forward, burying his thick cock inside me and bottoming out, his balls slapping against my ass as he stilled. Both of his hands kneaded the skin of my ass before he slapped one cheek, and I cried out, my core clenching. Soft laughter left his lips, and he slammed the other, soothing the skin as I jolted, filled to capacity with that impressive monster between his legs.

He pulled out and lowered his head, his hot tongue swiping at my core, licking and curling at my opening with renewed hunger.

“Oh, shit,” I cursed, hardly able to keep from tipping over the edge as he growled, lifted his head, pulled my hips back, and shoved his dick back in. Pleasure exploded in my brain as he pistoned his hips, taking me savagely as our cries of ecstasy echoed in the forest and among the trees.

I lost track of how long he fucked me, succumbing to the thrill of finally becoming one with Rinnick Baxter, the man I’d secretly masturbated to for three long years.

“Yes,” I cried as he lifted me higher, moving me up and down on his cock as his chest pressed against my back. At this angle, he slid deep, thrusting hard as one arm wrapped around my chest, and the pad of his thumb circled my clit with his other hand. The strength needed to keep us in this position and not falter was mind-blowing but nowhere near as impressive as the skill he possessed, grinding his hips into mine with expertise. He hit the secret spot within, gliding in and out in a rhythm that nearly stole the breath from my chest in its perfection.

And then he slowed down as I gasped, my pussy soaked from the continued onslaught of pleasure that rippled across every muscle in my body.

“I’m claiming you, Savannah Paxton. You’re fucking mine.”

“Yes,” I moaned, “all yours, Rinnick.”

“Tell me this pretty cunt is mine to fuck, tease, and play with.”

I gushed as his dirty words flowed around us. “All yours,” I repeated.

“Tell me you’ll marry me and be my Luna.”

My body stilled, and my head turned, catching the flashing silver in his eyes and the look of pure adoration. “Yes.”

He reached for my left hand and tugged the band that Makon had given me off, tossing it down in the grass. “No jewelry but mine. No ring but fucking mine.”

“Always, Rinnick,” I agreed as he picked up the pace, growling as his mouth met mine, his tongue fucking me like his cock.

Our mouths separated as he pressed down on my clit, pounding into my body as he ordered, “Come, my sweetling.”

My core pulsed, and the knot uncurled, throwing my body into the most intense orgasm I’d ever had. My hips wouldn’t stop bucking as Rinnick stayed lodged inside me, strumming that bundle of nerves until it became too much, and I screamed his name.

His teeth sank into the fleshy part of my shoulder, close to my neck, as his mating bite marked me, piercing the skin and drawing blood before he lifted his head and licked at the wound. My hips still rocked in time with his movements, riding the high of my orgasm. After a few more thrusts, I felt the hot jets of his cum spurting inside, and then his triumphant howl, informing the clans his mating was complete.

Peace took over as I sagged against him, held securely in his embrace as neither of us moved. His thick cock had swelled inside me, and I knew we needed to remain still and relax before he slipped free.

Panting, our hearts began to slow to a more regular rhythm as we breathed in sync, the moment so beautiful and perfect that I whispered three words he hadn’t dared to utter yet.

“I love you, Rinnick.” I’d fought this between us for so long. We wasted too much time. I didn’t want to be parted from him ever again.

His embrace tightened, and I heard him swallow. “My Savy, I’ve wanted to—”

His words were interrupted as a wolf pushed through the trees, facing us with a snarl. His familiar gray coat betrayed his identity, and I noticed the soft brown eyes of Makon Dempsey.

“No,” I whispered, devastated that he learned the truth in the most cuckold of ways. I never meant to betray him.

Rinnick’s cock slipped free as I pushed him away, climbing to my feet as Makon howled in agony, stumbling backward before he fled, the accusation and pain evident as his wolf almost slammed into the nearest tree.

“Savy,” Rinnick called out as I shifted, chasing down Makon. I had to apologize. I needed to tell him that I was sorry and stupid, and I didn’t realize the truth until Rinnick’s kiss and the moon’s power revealed everything.

I felt terrible for leaving my mate behind, but I knew he would forgive me. Through our new bond, I sent a pulse of reassurance, a flicker of the love that I felt, and then focused on Makon’s scent. Tracking his erratic movements proved difficult. He never stayed still long enough to catch up.

Pushing through the fatigue of chasing him for over an hour, I caught Rinnick’s scent, relieved he was also on the hunt. Sooner or later, we’d all catch up to one another.

I never expected that moment to happen as viciously as it did.

The ground swept out from underneath me as I catapulted into the air, thick binding ropes closing me up in some kind of cocoon. Fighting against unknown attackers, I did nothing but tangle up my fur and rub my flesh raw as I dangled far above the muddy forest floor. An odd odor assaulted my senses, and I recognized the toxin that the Society used to subdue shifters.

A moment of panic broke free from my chest, and I howled with fright before something sharp poked me in the ribs. Two heartbeats later, I closed my eyes unwillingly, engulfed in a darkness that would only hold future horrors.

Chapter 12

My mate left me.

She fucking left me after we bonded, and I only had myself to blame since I didn’t consider what could happen if I took her out in the open. Or maybe I did. Truthfully, I didn’t give a fuck who saw our mating. Savy was mine. I claimed her and made sure I finished the job.

Not that the moon or my wolf would have allowed any different. I couldn’t stop the rage-filled growl that escaped my throat as I thought of her rushing off to Makon seconds after my cock slipped out of her body. I could still smell her cum and the combination of our fluids, the blood from my claiming bite, and the sweet nectar of her tight cunt.

Fuck. My cock thickened as I imagined all the ways I’d punish her before I fucked her again. I didn’t miss the way her pussy clenched when I spanked her or how her arousal spiked when I spoke dirty words and commanded her to listen to my instructions. She had all the meekness of a submissive, all the persuasiveness of a dominant. I loved the contradiction and looked forward to our activities in the future.

Right now, none of that meant shit.

My wolf growled, and as I stood, the transformation into my beast happened without coherent thought. Savy’s scent tickled my nose as I headed in her direction, tracking my mate in her wild dash through the forest. A sense of urgency increased my efforts as I followed her into a clearing, my head swiveling left and right without finding Savannah in the area.

Makon’s scent grew more potent, and I followed, knowing Savy couldn’t be far behind. I heard her yelp from a distance, and my wolf howled, growling aggressively as her whimpers echoed in my ear. Someone had frightened her, and when I found out who it was, there’d be hell to pay.

When I closed in, human stench festered in the surrounding woods. The Society.

I should have known. Of course, they’d come on a full moon. It was far too easy to snatch up unsuspecting shifters when they were consumed by the moon’s pull and overtaken by primitive desires. The packs were scattered across miles of forest from Cedar Creek to Timber Mountain. Even running in groups of two or three, they were vulnerable to human weapons, especially that fucking toxin they created.

I sent them all to the enemy.

A roar of fury boomed from my chest as I surged through the trees, desperate to locate Savy. I wasn’t prepared for the ruthlessness of the humans as she stared listlessly through a net comprised of thick, heavy rope. The trap snatched her upward, wrapping around my mate as she swung in the air, her desperation and fear palpable as I snarled. My body lunged in her direction when I noticed Makon leaping from the trees opposite of my position.

He didn’t get far. Something shot into his back, and he collapsed, whining as two more of the same projectiles embedded into his abdomen and thigh. His body twitched, and he crumpled, shifting back into human form as a groan escaped his lips.

My only thought was protecting and rescuing my female. My paws pushed off the ground, intending to snatch the ropes in my teeth and tear them to shreds, freeing Savannah from the temporary prison. It didn’t happen. Mid-air, several darts speared my flesh at the same time. My body contorted and twisted, seized by intense, excruciating agony. Fire erupted along my limbs as I fought for control over my wolf. I lost the ability to focus, and my massive Alpha form tumbled to the ground, landing with an uneventful thud.

The unmistakable, putrid odor of poison burned into my nostrils and brain as I heard laughter.

Fucking cowards. They couldn’t fight us fairly.

My muscles twitched as my tongue flopped out of my mouth, rendered completely immobile as I watched helplessly while my mate was cut down and her naked body loaded onto a stretcher.

Nooooooo!

I failed her. My eyes fluttered, and I lost consciousness but not before one of them looked down and kicked at my side with his boot, spitting on my fur as he muttered about vermin.

I’ll kill them all.

The first pink and lavender hues of dawn stretched across the sky as I groaned, turning my head while awareness slowly penetrated the cobweb-riddled space in my head. My stomach roiled when I sat up, noticing the hour . . . and then the terrible, gut-wrenching knowledge that the female I loved was stolen away, and I did nothing to stop it.

My hands curled into fists as my jaw locked, resignation sweeping over me in guilt-ridden waves. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would rip out every throat of those humans. The Society had been a thorn in my side for long enough. I really didn’t give a damn what the other Alphas thought, not after marking my mate and finally claiming my Luna. Protecting my pack and my mate was all that mattered. I’d get my revenge as soon as Savy was safe.

The ground would run a river with the humans’ blood.

A hoarse cough snatched my attention, and I turned with a snarl, claws popping out until I noticed Makon Dempsey. He rose slowly to his knees, shaking his head before leveling me with a glare.

“Where did they take her?” I growled, not in the mood for his shit.

“Like I fucking know. I just woke up, asshole.”

Maybe I deserved his censure, but I was an Alpha, and I couldn’t let his insubordination stand. Infusing my voice with authority, I stared him down, feeling the power ripple through me. “You won’t take that tone with me, pup. Fall in line or else.”

The threat was a dick move, and we both knew it.

“You’re not my Alpha, Rinnick,” he spat but couldn’t maintain eye contact as his head lowered, and he hissed through his teeth, unable to remain defiant.

“We’re wasting time. I need to find my mate.”

Makon’s head snapped back up as I released the hold over him and jumped to his feet, rushing forward as I crossed my arms over my chest, daring him to strike me. “You stole my female. Savy was mine.”

Heartbreak apparent in every word that he spoke, I sighed, shaking my head. “We’ve been in love with one another for three years, Makon, since the first night we kissed.”

“No.” He stumbled backward, his body trembling as his wolf threatened to break free. “You’re lying.”

“Think about it,” I replied quietly, trying to lessen the blow, “She’s kept herself at a distance. Maybe not consciously, but she has. Savannah was always meant to be mine. We’re both stubborn, and she fought it, but not after last night.”

“No,” he repeated.

“I marked her, Makon. It’s final.”

Agony swept over his features. “Did she mark you?”

“Not yet.” There wasn’t time. Everything happened too fast.

“Then maybe you forced her into something she didn’t want.” He was grasping at straws, willing to believe anything other than the fact that he had lost the girl he loved. And I did believe Makon loved her, which made my guilt resurface. Briefly.

“I’m going after my Luna. Go find your brother. Grid should know what happened because I need the other Alphas to follow. We’re going to tear every warehouse they have apart until I find Savy, starting with the closest.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Fuck no. “Stay here,” I ordered, forcing my Alpha will on him a second time.

Makon squirmed, a low whine in his throat as he exposed his neck, turning his face away. “Stop.”

“Do as I ask. Now.”

He tried to fight me but lost, his head lowered and his shoulders hunched as he turned and ran into the forest, rushing to find his brother and deliver the news of Savy’s kidnapping.

Nausea churned in my gut as I shifted, and my wolf stumbled, shaking his heavy head free of the clutter and remnants of the Society’s poison. A lesser wolf would still be in recovery. The toxin was potent and shot into major muscle groups, sinking into my flesh and quickly immobilizing me during the ambush. I was lucky I could shift, much less move as fluidly as usual, but I fought through the last dredges of weakness and pain and focused on my she-wolf.

My mate was out there, taken by a group of ruthless murderers, and any discomfort I felt didn’t register as important at all. I’d do anything necessary to bring her back home safe, even if I had to hunt them all down in cold blood until the last human in the Society was dead.

This anti-shifter organization was run by fools.

You never took anything from an Alpha and lived to tell about it.

Chapter 13

My return to awareness was slow, creeping in a little at a time as I registered what was happening, like tiny droplets from a faucet trickling together to form a shallow pool. Each detail came into focus as my eyes snapped open. Uncomfortable itching around my wrists and ankles. The metallic tang of blood. A consistent throbbing ache in my head. The low murmur of voices. And a lightbulb that wouldn’t stop flickering as it swung from the ceiling.

My tongue felt too thick and dry in my mouth, and I tried to swallow, lightly coughing instead. My throat scratched with a tickle that wouldn’t go away no matter how many times I tried to breathe calmly through my nose. My lips felt dry and cracked like I’d been left in the desert sun too long. Muscles sore and stiff, my movements were jerky as I struggled to sit up.

Chains rattled as I lifted my arms, shocked to find metal cuffs were clasped around my wrists and ankles. But much worse, I realized that I was naked, shackled to the cool concrete wall of a dingy basement. The Society. They used a trap to capture me in the forest during the pack hunt. I’d been so occupied with Rinnick and our mating that I let my guard down. Then Makon found us, and all I could think about was how I betrayed him. I just wanted to make things right.

But I never got the chance.

Irritation with these humans and their twisted, evil agenda pulsed through me. My wolf would rip out every one of their throats as soon as I broke free. Yanking on the chains, I expected her to growl and rise to the surface, snapping the steel they used to keep me prisoner.

Nothing happened.

There was no sign of my wolf. No hint of her presence at all.

I closed my eyes, digging deep within, but she wasn’t there. It was like she never existed at all. Swallowing hard, I couldn’t help the tears that rushed to my eyes, filling them with fat, salty tears that threatened to flow down my cheeks.

How could the Society do this? What kind of drug did they find that suppressed our beast and prevented any ability to fight back? The toxin was just a poison, right? Couldn’t an antitoxin be manufactured to counteract the effects?

Theo was poisoned when he found Becca’s mother and Ivy. He barely made it back to the compound alive. Doc Barnes synthesized some kind of cure, and I was willing to bet it was an antitoxin to counteract the substance the Society created. So why the hell wasn’t it mass-produced? Why weren’t we using it to fight back against these humans?

My head tilted back, resting against the wall. I refused to blink or allow the tears to slip down my cheeks. Anger slowly replaced disbelief. Something wasn’t right.

I intended to find out who was sabotaging the shifter community and expose them to the Alphas.

A sharp pain erupted in my chest when I thought of the Alphas, my attention immediately returning to my mate.

My fated mate.

Would Rinnick come for me? Did he know the Society invaded the forest during the full moon?

There was no way to know for sure, but I believed our connection and bond were real.

I loved him. Always had. It was the reason I pulled away when I thought he betrayed me. I couldn’t allow myself to acknowledge my true feelings, so I pushed it all away and wallowed in denial.

Closing my eyes, I pushed my feelings of love and hope through our shared connection, an intuition only mates found with one another. I’d always heard fated mates could communicate in ways that defied logic. Maybe Rinnick would sense my location and find me sooner.

As the door opened and several human males entered, I knew if he didn’t arrive soon, there was a possibility I wouldn’t be alive when he found me.

“Where’s your wolf?”

A sneer on his lips, the young man who asked couldn’t have been older than his mid-twenties. He stared me down, his bold gaze raking over my nude form before he lifted a whip, shaking it in front of me with an obvious threat.

My jaw clicked shut, and I refused to answer.

“Not going to indulge me?”

Hell no!

The others stood around him but slightly farther behind, watching our interaction like they were fascinated by the idea of torturing a helpless woman. Of course, I was much more than that, but without my wolf, I didn’t have the ability to fight them off. Chained to the wall, I wasn’t a danger.

This confrontation was purely for sport.

The whip in his hand cracked as he flipped his wrist, the braided rope striking the center of my belly. Fire ignited my skin, burning through the layers as my mouth opened and I screamed. My body jolted as the flesh ripped open and a bit of the toxin seeped through, eroding the outer layers of skin as my blood trickled downward, painting my lower body in scarlet rivulets.

The whip struck again, this time on my left thigh.

My chest seized as I gasped, agony spreading across my muscles as I tugged on the chains, rattling the metal links in a fury.

Where the hell was my wolf?

Come back! I need you!

“Why?” I rasped when I could catch my breath. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I panted, painful throbbing almost robbing my mind of conscious thought. “Why do you hate us?”

“You killed my uncle,” he accused.

“Who?”

“Hall.”

The human that put Becca in a cage, tormented her, beat her, and nearly destroyed her wolf permanently.

“He was a monster,” I spat, hissing as the whip cracked again, slicing into my other thigh.

“You’re the monsters!” he yelled, flipping his wrist as the whip bit into my flesh.

I lost count of the times that I was struck, my head dropping as I sucked in painful, burning breaths of air, trembling from the constant barrage of agonizing, brutal strokes of the rope. Every wound blistered around the edges, sizzling like hot coals. The toxin eroded the flesh, and my skin continued to tear open as a pool of blood grew beneath my body.

The other humans did nothing to stop the attack.

After what felt like an eternity, the torture stopped, and I sagged against the wall, trying not to move a single muscle. My vision filled with scarlet. I’d been painted in my blood from head to toe, the splatters on the wall a gruesome testament to the hatred of this group.

I barely had the energy to breathe, much less glance in their direction.

My hair was grasped in a fist as my head yanked upward, and I stared into the young man’s eyes.

“This was for Hall. Tomorrow, it’s for me.”

He shoved my head into the wall, and I winced, unable to remain awake a second longer.

“Where do you think you’re going, you dick?”

I turned to my right and smirked, catching Theo as he leaned against the trunk of the nearest tree, arms folded across his chest.

“Rescuing my mate.”

“I know a little something about that, ya know.”

Of course. After all, he had already exacted justice on the humans that harmed Becca. “You sure do.”

He flashed a grin. “Then you know why I’m coming with you.”

“Me too.” Cole emerged next, stepped around Theo, and strolled my way with determination. “Like you get to have all the fun alone.”

There was a loud laugh as Grid joined us, followed by Makon. “Not missing out either.”

Makon cracked his knuckles, narrowing his eyes. “Try to stop me a second time, you controlling prick.”

Well, fuck. Okay then.

Shrugging, I didn’t deny him or his accusation. My head lifted, and I caught Savy’s scent, a delicate trail of pure sunshine, fresh cherries, and that intoxicating hint of brown sugar. Sweet, seductive, and irresistible. My wolf radiated in that fragrance until it was tainted with the odor of the Society’s toxin.

A wild roar launched from my chest as I leaped into the air, shifting so fast that my paws hit the ground when I landed, and I was off, rushing through the forest as I heard the others follow. I’d forgotten the humans drugged her when she was caught, subduing her wolf before she could bite through the ropes and attack.

It never occurred to me to stop and question why they didn’t take me. Or why those fuckers left Makon too. We were virile male wolves—the shifters they wanted to hunt down and murder until none of us were left. To leave us behind and only temporarily incapacitated didn’t make sense. It wasn’t logical.

My focus remained on my mate as I followed her scent, stopping when it grew cold until I located the remnants again, howling before I resumed my frantic pace, desperate to find Savy before they harmed her just for spite. I remembered Theo’s stories, his fury when he saw Becca, how they kept his mate in a cage and prodded her with taser guns, shocking her wolf until the beast no longer wished to fight.

They conditioned her to remove the wolf’s presence. It almost worked.

What if they hurt my Savy and tortured her wolf?

A painfilled howl erupted from my chest as I swore they would never have access to another shifter again.

Chapter 14

The unmistakable odor of death, decay, and rotten flesh assaulted my senses as I approached the warehouse from the southern end of the property. Dried blood coated the mangled remains of the bodies left behind. I’d already been to this crime scene, but the mangled flesh belonged to human hunters last time. Now, the victims were shifters.

And not just wolves.

It was challenging to differentiate between the different species, but I categorized bears, wolves, werecats, and even a few avian brethren like eagles and crows. My muzzle opened wide, and I howled, baying my sorrow at the murder of so many creatures. Bullets riddled the bodies from human weapons, and the toxin—it overshadowed everything with a foul evil.

This was a slaughter. Pre-meditated carnage. VENGEANCE.

An eye for an eye.

Rustling in the bushes to my left confirmed we weren’t alone. I recognized the familiar odor of bear shifter and faced the trees, crouching down in case of attack.

Rory Black emerged, flanked by a half dozen of his clan. He shifted into his human form, and I did the same, warily observing the others.

“Damn, Baxter. Are you ever not in the middle of shit?”

Fury and adrenaline still pumped through my veins, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with his arrogance or lies. “Don’t come any closer, Black.”

“Don’t you think we’ve been at odds long enough? The human hunters are the enemy, not shifters.”

I didn’t disagree, but I also didn’t trust the bastard. “You gonna fess up to the truth?”

He shrugged. “Which truth? The one where I admit that my clan destroyed this facility or the one where the motherfuckers infiltrated the forest, rounded up as many shifters as they could find, and brought them here to murder in retaliation?”

I inhaled a deep breath and released it. He was right. Warring with one another solved nothing. “They took my mate,” I admitted, keeping tight control over my wolf.

Rory lifted his chin, staring right into my eyes. “My mate Sedona was also stolen. Two other bears as well.”

Shit. “Do you know where they went?”

He hung his head briefly before meeting my suspicious gaze. “Yarl was the shifter that betrayed our clans. He fed information to a human named Hall and his nephew Felix. They run the Society, an organization constructed for one purpose only—”

“To wipe out the shifter community,” I finished for him with a growl. “Why would Yarl help them?”

“Because he hated all shifters, even himself. After his twin was killed by your brother Seth, he became consumed with vengeance. That was why he tried to kill Cole’s mate. He wanted revenge on your family.”

“And you don’t?” I asked, scoffing as he shook his head.

“No.” I didn’t detect a lie. Rory spoke the truth. Shifters could sense these things when emotions ran high, and Rory Black wasn’t lying. “Our families have suffered enough. We both lost a brother.”

“And his deception? What of the Society?”

“They’re not well organized outside of the state. It’s mostly a local group of haters and extremists. If we work together, we could stop him from harming any others of our kind and rescue our mates. What do you say?”

His arm shot out, and I gripped his hand, giving it a firm shake. “Deal. You know they’re expecting us, right?”

“Of course. It’s a trap. Our mates are the lure.”

A few loud curses spilled from my lips. “I’m getting Savy back.”

“Then we head to the warehouse—”

“Not yet!” A frantic voice yelled, and I spun around, surprised to find Doc Barnes waving his hands. A leather satchel was strapped across his shoulder as he approached, nearly out of breath. The old wolf was a trusted friend and the only doctor I trusted around my clan.

“What is it, doc?”

“This,” he blurted, shoving the satchel my way after he lifted it over his head. “The antitoxin you asked about when Theo was poisoned. I synthesized it.”

Blinking, I looked inside and found dozens of vials of the stuff within, all a transparent, vivid green that hinted of mint and sage. “How long will it last?”

“Hard to know. It depends on weight and body mass, but most shifters will be inoculated for at least four hours. Those who’ve been poisoned should see symptoms improving within half an hour.”

“So we can take it before we come in contact with the toxin?” I clarified, gripping a vial in my hand.

“Yes.”

I popped off the top of a vial and downed it, swallowing down the concoction that slightly burned like strong liquor. Turning to face Rory Black, I tossed one in his direction.

The bear Alpha didn’t hesitate to toss it down his gullet with a calculating smile. “Enough to go around for all of us?”

I nodded, handing out vials to every wolf and bear in attendance. Once I finished, I clapped Doc Barnes on the shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough. I’m going to keep a few vials for the shifters being held hostage.” Handing the bag over, I kept a grip on the leather when he stepped backward, flashing a smile.

“No need. I’ve got hundreds of these back at the compound. Take the pouch. Something tells me you might need it.”

“I’ve got good Intel on the Society location, Baxter. We need to move. It’ll take an hour to get there.”

Rory didn’t hide his anxiety or worry, no doubt over his mate and stolen pack members. I felt the same.

“I’ll take care of the remains of our friends.” Doc gestured to the carnage around us, shaking his head. “Make them suffer for this.”

“I will,” I vowed, catching Rory and Grid’s nods of agreement.

There was no other reason to delay. Gesturing for the bear to lead, we let the shift overtake us and our beasts free. This night would end in bloodshed and triumph. Of that, I didn’t doubt.

I’m coming, my mate. Hold on a little longer.

All I could think about was the pain.

It danced on every nerve. Throbbed in every muscle. No matter how slight, any movement reignited the searing flames along my skin. I pressed against the chilled surface of the concrete wall, hoping it would help douse the fire that raged inside, burning down to a cellular level. Every memory in my head was replaced with endless waves of agony.

My body wouldn’t heal. Scratch that. It couldn’t because of that damn toxin. The acrid odor burned my lungs as the meager breaths I took rattled in my chest.

And that human, he didn’t stop using his whip. He only gave me enough of a break to catch my breath, the bleeding to minimize, and then he was back again. My body stopped reacting to the pain and horror, flopping against the wall with every strike. The others watched, laughing, taunting as I whimpered, no longer trying to reach my wolf or where she retreated.

After a time, I was abandoned.

Water slipped between my lips, and I drank, desperate to quench the ravenous thirst that resulted from my blood loss. I could feel the flesh on my body jagged and raw as someone whispered in my ear, promising retribution. I didn’t reply, positive it was a fantasy. The person—shifter or human, I couldn’t tell in my present condition—left me with promises to return.

The hours dragged on. Maybe it was only minutes. To me, they were the same.

At some point, I noticed I was no longer alone.

Another female cried silently across from me, her big brown eyes swimming in tears.

“Don’t cry,” I managed to croak. “We’ll get out of here.”

“No, we won’t. They’ll keep whipping us until we die.” Her skin was stained red, a bloody, beaten mess that probably looked as awful as I did.

“We’re getting out of here,” I promised. “My mate will come.”

She hung her head, sniffling. “My mate won’t.”

Her words hit me in the gut like a sucker punch. “Why?”

“He thinks I don’t want him.”

A soft sigh escaped as I winced. “My mate thought so too, but he didn’t stop fighting for us. I bet your mate is the same way.”

Her lead lifted, and the hope in her eyes was hard to miss. “You think so?”

“Definitely. What’s his name?” Talking to her banished some of the pain, and I could focus on something else besides the agony and torment.

“Rory. Rory Black.”

Oh shit.

“The bear Alpha?” I asked, incredulous. I didn’t think that big bossy shifter had anything but attitude, certainly not a pretty young mate.

“Yes. Do you know him?”

I tried to keep my tone neutral. “Yes. He’s similar to my mate in many ways. My Alpha wolf is ruthless, and he won’t stop until he finds me. Rinnick is the strongest male I know.”

“Rinnick Baxter?”

Uh-oh. She knew something about him. “Yes.”

“I met him once. He was kind but sad. I don’t think he noticed I was there with the others, but I remember him talking about a beautiful young wolf he wanted to mate and how much he loved her.”

“Was he in the bar?” I asked, only slightly joking.

“Yes, actually, but not the way you think. He sat with other wolves from his pack. One of them was his brother Cole. I remember that. Females kept trying to take him home for the night, but he turned them all away. His loyalty is what caught my attention. The devotion he carried for this young female he wanted to mate.”

Stunned, I didn’t know what to say.

“It was a long time ago. Maybe two or three years if I recall correctly.”

Right after we kissed, the same summer that we fell in love, and Rinnick kissed Herra. Maybe it did mean nothing to him. I’d been so sure, so adamant that he didn’t care about me or my feelings, that I screwed it all up. And poor Makon got swept into this through no fault of his own.

I was a fool.

When Rinnick found me, I’d make this right.

My mate loved me from the beginning and he never meant to hurt me.

Chapter 15

“Two Alpha mates, how charming.”

The voice belonged to our tormentor, dripping with sarcasm. I still didn’t know his name, but when this was over, I’d make him pay for what he did to us and the other shifters. The sounds of suffering echoed through the underground rooms where the captured were either chained to walls or kept in cages, all heavily dosed with the toxin to keep them docile.

A whimper left my throat as he grasped my chin, tugging my face upward. I hated the vulnerability I betrayed as a vicious smile widened his mouth. “I think we’ll start with you today.”

“Felix,” one of his men called out, rushing down the stairs from the first floor, “There’s trouble at the gates.”

Felix. A name I’d never forget.

“Go check it out,” he ordered impatiently, not looking away from me, “I have business down here.”

“Yes, boss.”

The man rushed to obey as Felix stepped closer, right into my body, as if he wanted to share a secret. Disgusted, I didn’t miss the arousal he didn’t bother to hide.

“I’m going to tell you a story. A lovely little tale about a ten-year-old boy who loved his parents and uncle and how they raised him to be kind and compassionate. They loved and spoiled him, and he was happy.”

Blinking, I knew this would end badly, but I didn’t say a word.

“Until one night when a group of men broke into the house. They beat his father and uncle, wrapping them up in chains as they dragged out my mother.”

His nostrils flared, and cold cruelty dominated his expression.

“I hid from the men, but I could see them. They were so loud. I remember being shocked that they didn’t strap me down in the kitchen on the dining room chairs like my uncle Hall and my father.”

Oh, shit. I didn’t want to hear this.

Felix’s grip tightened, and he refused to let me look away. “Do you know what those men did to my mother while we were forced to watch?”

“No,” I whispered, horrified to learn what happened next.

“They raped her, sodomized her, repeatedly for two days. Just left her on the floor, crying and naked. One by one, they took turns, eight men using her up until she passed out. Do you know what that was like?” he shouted, slapping my face before his hand wrapped around my throat. “I didn’t even know what sex was yet. I had no clue anyone could be hurt so violently.”

Tears filled my eyes and silently slipped down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Felix.”

“No! Don’t you say my name!”

“I’m so sorry,” I rasped as he tightened his grip, choking off the air to my lungs.

“When those two days were over, they untied my uncle and father and laughed when the two men attacked. It was a game, you see. Those men who entered our home weren’t normal. No, they shifted into beasts. Wolves and bears that ripped my father apart and nearly killed my uncle.”

My vision was tunneling, spots dancing in my peripheral. I couldn’t fight back, weakened from the abuse and blood loss.

“My mother died within hours. They stole her from me.”

His bitterness now made sense. The reason the Society was created, the ruthless way shifters were held in cages and the development of the poison. Hall and Felix must have taken years to develop an effective poison against shifters.

“You’re going to die too. All of you. I won’t stop until you’re all destroyed.”

I tried to reply, but I couldn’t speak as he increased the pressure, nearly crushing my windpipe.

“Let her go!”

My body jolted as I heard Rinnick’s voice boom from above. He ran down the steps, transforming into his wolf before hitting the bottom. His massive black beast barreled toward Felix as I heard a roar upstairs, and then the largest bear I’d ever seen lumbered through the doorway, practically shaking the entire structure as the male slammed into one of the humans, knocking him out. His claws swiped at the flesh, ripping the man apart as he kept moving, his gaze focused on the young woman across from me. Rory Black was here to rescue his mate.

A howl of rage so loud it bounced off the walls alerted every human and shifter within the building. The Alpha wolf was pissed. His jaws snapped as he lunged toward Felix, and the human released his grip around my neck, pulling a gun from behind his back. He aimed the barrel at Rinnick’s chest and fired, a triumphant smile on his face as the bullet struck Rinnick’s right shoulder.

I screamed, sucking in a huge lung full of air as I fought for release. The chains rattled with my panic when I still couldn’t hear my wolf or break free.

“No!” I cried out when Rinnick stumbled, blood soaking into his dark fur.

“That’s no ordinary bullet,” Felix chortled with glee. “It’s dipped in toxin.”

Rinnick growled, his gaze sweeping over me as he noticed my nudity and blood-soaked skin, the wounds slowly healing but still fresh, unable to repair from the poison. His wolf snarled, slamming into Felix as they collided. The two tumbled to the ground as Rinnick bit down on Felix’s arm, ripping it off.

Horrified, anguished screams left the human’s mouth before Rinnick picked him up and shook his body, flinging him into the nearest wall as I heard bones crunch from the force of the collision. Blood spurted from Felix’s shoulder where the limb had been severed. He cursed Rinnick, spitting in his direction.

“I’ve poisoned her. She’s going to die, and you can’t save her!” Maniacal laughter tumbled from his lips amid bubbles of blood-tinged saliva.

Rinnick’s wolf went in for the kill. His jaws snapped, clamping down on Felix’s throat, locking in place as he crunched hard and snapped his neck. His body was tossed to the side, discarded as the human’s remains landed in a pool of his own blood.

Relieved that he was dead, I blew out a breath, anxious for my mate. His concerned gaze met mine, and I knew he would make everything okay.

“Savy!” I shouted, shifting as I rushed forward, ignoring the sting and ache in my shoulder. I wasn’t worried about my wounds. The antitoxin would prevent the poison from causing harm, and the bullet wasn’t deep. My body would expel the casing soon enough.

Nothing was nearly as important as my female.

Around me, I heard Rory Black taking down any humans left underground as more of our shifter friends joined him. Growls and roars of fury were drowned out as I focused on Savannah. The chains used to bind her had rubbed her flesh raw, but her naked body and the gaping wounds exposed to bacteria worried me the most.

I had her free within seconds, cradling her body against mine as I inhaled, catching the distinct odor of poison and a heavy dose of it. Felix’s final words sent a chill through my body as I remembered what he said. She’s going to die, and you can’t save her.

But he didn’t know we had a cure.

I carried Savy upstairs, rushing outside to where I left the satchel, pulling out a vial of the antitoxin and pouring it down her throat. Her eyes rolled back, exposing the white as I nearly panicked.

“Don’t leave me, sweetling. I need you,” I confessed, cradling her closer, “I love you.”

“You fucking better.”

My head snapped up, and I saw Savy’s brothers staring down at us, wondering when they arrived. “I do.”

Gage ticked his head toward Savy as he tossed a blanket down, and I wrapped up my mate. “She’s everything to me. I swear I’ll spend every day proving it to her.”

Warrick smirked. “If you don’t, you’ll have the three of us to deal with.”

Max cracked his knuckles. “I’d really enjoy it.”

I didn’t doubt Savy’s brothers would make good on their threat if I ever fucked up. Somehow, I wasn’t all that upset about it. Anyone looking out for my mate was alright in my book. Her family only wanted her to be safe, cared for, and happy—the same things I swore to provide.

Gage shoved his brother playfully. “Give them space.”

When I looked back down, Savannah’s eyes were open. “Did you mean it?”

“Which part? That I love you? That you’re mine? That I’d kill for you, and I did today? Or the part where I spend the rest of my days loving you as much as I can?”

“All of it,” she whispered.

“Every word is true, my love, my mate.”

“I love you, Rinnick.” Her hand rose, shaking slightly as she pressed her palm to my cheek. “I have since the night we kissed. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you about Herra—”

“Shhh, baby. None of that matters now.”

My head lowered, and I captured her lips, pushing every ounce of love, devotion, and promise I could into the kiss. A soft moan echoed in her throat before I stood, breaking the kiss as I held her against my body, eager to take my mate home and care for her wounds.

My fated mate.

Nothing in this world sounded sweeter or more fulfilling.

“Shifters attacked Felix’s mother?”

That explained the motive behind the Society’s hatred for all shifters.

“Yes.” Savy rested her cheek over my heart, snuggling closer against me after her bath. With the antitoxin in her blood, her healing accelerated, and the wounds were closing up. Bandages covered multiple places on her body, but she wouldn’t need them for long. “It was so horrific.” She shuddered. “I don’t blame him for hating us.”

“He was a psychopath, using his past to justify his racism and narcissistic agenda. Yarl Black fed into his plans and helped Hall and Felix murder shifters. It’s disgusting.”

“Yarl Black?”

“Yeah. We found out about his involvement with the Society from Rory. Black isn’t the threat I thought he was or even an enemy. He wants peace too. A chance to mate and let his clan thrive. I accepted his truce. We’ve had enough drama among our kind. It’s time to let the past stay there.”

Savy lifted her head and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “I agree.”

“And us? Do you think you could forgive me for kissing Herra?” My heart thrummed an anxious rhythm as I waited for her answer.

“Oh, Rinnick, I forgave you the night we mated.”

Joy burst inside my chest, and I hugged her, thrilled to have my mate in my arms and the threat against us eliminated. My wolf retreated, content that I had our mate safe and close.

“You’re my forever,” I whispered, kissing her gently. “All that I need, baby. Always.”

“Always,” she repeated. “I love the sounds of that.” Savy stifled a yawn, and I laughed lightly.

“Rest. I won’t leave you.”

She lowered her head to my shoulder and closed her eyes, soft breaths blowing along my neck that confirmed she fell asleep almost instantly.

As I held her throughout the night, I felt contentment settle inside me I didn’t know was possible. Maybe fate wasn’t something you could ignore. After all, I finally had the female I wanted and loved as my mate, claimed, marked, and exactly where she belonged.

Life didn’t get any better than that, even for an Alpha.

Chapter 16

Makon Dempsey knocked on our door the following morning. I never did pay much attention to him or Grid during the rescue. The two brothers took down their fair share of humans, but that was all I bothered to ask about it. My wolf still didn’t trust Makon’s motives around my female, which would take time for any change on the subject.

Savy removed the bandages this morning, finding no scars or any hint that she’d been whipped and abused. My fingertips had inspected every inch to be sure, and she laughed when I declared her skin as beautiful and flawless as always. There was something there under the surface, a sorrow and pain that weren’t visible to the eye, and I promised myself I would be there for her through her recovery, both physical and mental.

Now, we both faced Makon downstairs, all of us seated at my dining room table and the house empty for once without other shifters being nosy. After Doc Barnes administered the antitoxin, everyone had healed from the previous attacks, and the packs dispersed, seeking fellowship among their brethren. Some went to mates, others hunted, but everyone made peace with the knowledge that the Society was disbanded and those responsible brought to justice.

Makon cleared his throat awkwardly. “I’m glad you’re healed, Savy.”

She bit her lip, reaching for my hand under the table, and I slid my palm against her, clasping our fingers together. “I’m sorry, Makon,” she began, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know. I see that now, even if I was pissed when I found you both together in the forest.”

“I didn’t realize I loved Rinnick until that night. He’s my fated mate, Mak. We were always meant to find one another.”

“She’s my Luna,” I added, trying to keep the growl from my voice. “My queen. Your queen too. We’ll have to put the past behind us and move on.” I shrugged, reaching out my other hand. “What do you say?”

He hesitated and then nodded slowly, his hand clasping mine as we both smiled. “Who am I to question fate?” There was a catch in his voice, and Savy noticed.

“Your mate is out there somewhere, Makon. I truly believe that.”

“I don’t know.” He pulled his hand away and stood, shoving away as if the entire conversation pained him, and I knew it did. “You both take care of one another. If I had to lose you, Savy, at least it was to an Alpha who loves you.”

Makon didn’t wait for a reply. He held his head high and walked away, shifting as we heard his wolf howl outside of the compound. Savy cringed when the sorrow and pain he couldn’t hide while in beast form reached our ears.

“He’ll come around, and when he finds his mate, all of this will be forgotten.”

“I know, but I think I’ll always feel a little bit sad about it.”

“Because you have a tender heart, sweetling.” I tilted her chin up, brushing a soft kiss over her lips. “One of the many things I adore about you.”

“I could get used to this.”

“What? Too mushy and sweet? I’m happy to alternate spankings and rough play in between all the sweet moments.”

“Oh, Rinnick,” she laughed, “I think we’re going to have a wonderful, passionate future.”

I opened my mouth to tease her more when Cole threw the front door open, practically taking the damn thing off its hinges. “Elena is in labor!”

About time. The whole clan had been waiting for weeks. Elena was overdue with her first child, and shifter births were complicated, especially if the pups were large.

“Let’s go, my mate. She’s going to need you and Briar.”

“Briar is already with her.” Cole looked a little pale. “Elena seems like she’s in pain. What am I gonna do when Briar has our pup? It’ll fucking kill me.”

My chest rumbled with laughter as I hauled my brother outside, and we ran to Elena’s home. She never moved out after Joe Harley was killed by Yarl Black, the first victim in his murderous rampage. His half-siblings Vickie and Landon were rushing around, boiling water, setting out blankets, and sterilizing equipment for Doc Barnes.

The whole house was in chaos, but Elena didn’t notice. She was breathing hard through a contraction, gripping Briar’s hand as Savy rushed to her bedside. Elena clasped my mate’s hand, looking relieved that two of her best friends were in the room.

I felt out of place. What did the Alpha know about giving birth? Not much. The basics? Yes, including how to make babies with skill. Helping a woman deliver a pup? Hell no.

Swallowing hard, I tugged Cole out of the bedroom and down the stairs, finding quite a few of the Alphas, betas, and pack members gathered to support Elena and her child.

A scream rattled the windows as Cole jerked his head, gesturing toward our mates. “Fuck. This is awful.”

Snorting, I pushed him over to the minibar and poured us each a couple of drinks. Grid and Makon kept their distance, but Gage joined us along with Theo.

“I don’t think I’m gonna make it without going up there,” Theo admitted.

Elena was his cousin, and the two were close. She loved Theo like a brother, and he protected her and shielded her from gossip after Joe’s death.

“She’s gonna be fine, bro,” Cole announced, clasping Theo on the shoulder. “Focus on Becca instead.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Elena screamed again.

All four of us jolted as Gage laughed. “I’m glad I don’t have a pregnant mate. This is fucking stressful.”

Elena’s labor lasted another four hours. By the time she gave birth, every male in the house was inebriated. Our shifter DNA would burn it off soon enough, but it was comical that grown males, shifters, and powerful beasts could be intimidated by one small female and her cries of pain.

Savy called down to us, and I followed Theo and Cole, running up the stairs and into Elena’s room. She held a small bundle in her arms, cradling the baby as she soothed him in a soft voice.

“Meet my son, Luke Joseph. L.J.”

As I watched the miracle of new life, my gaze swung to my mate, and my chest tightened. I wished for this blessing. A son of my own with the mate I cherished above anything else in this world.

If fate could smile upon us one more time, I’d never ask for anything else again.

The next two days passed in a blur. Life in the creek had returned to normal, and Elena’s pup was thriving. My mate smiled as we walked throughout the compound, enjoying the sunny afternoon. With my hand clenched in hers, everything felt perfect.

Bonfires were lit that night, the clan in a celebratory mood.

The group around our fire grew as Cole, Briar, Theo, and Becca joined us. It was sometime later when I felt the presence of a new shifter among us, someone with a scent I didn’t recognize. Rising to my feet, I turned, wondering who was here and why they showed up at my compound. The mystery was solved swiftly as Savannah jumped up, a squeal of surprise leaving her mouth.

“Quinn!”

Ah, her cousin. The wolf Alpha of Chaos Valley.

He strolled our way, crushing my mate in a fierce hug. “How are you, Savy? As wild as usual?”

She slugged him on the shoulder. “Shush. Don’t make me look bad in front of my mate.”

“Impossible,” I laughed, reaching out a hand, and Quinn shook it.

“Pleasure to meet you, Rinnick. Should have happened long before now, but Savy is as stubborn as her brothers, and I am. Family trait. You’re shit out of luck on that one.”

Chuckling, I led him to the bonfire, instantly liking his candid demeanor. “Join us. We’re celebrating.”

“I heard.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s why I came.”

The serious undertone of his words didn’t escape me. “What’s up?”

He took a seat and the beer I tossed his way. “I’m wondering if it’s really over.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” I asked, frowning. “We took out the leaders and completely destroyed the two biggest facilities. Most of the humans involved were killed. I doubt anyone wants more trouble.”

“That’s the thing. There’s so much propaganda out there. It’s an exposure risk, Rinnick.”

Fuck. I hated that he was right. “What do we do? I’ve already got pack members regularly checking on all the known warehouse locations. We’ll continue to keep watch.”

Quinn nodded. “Good, but that’s not what bothers me.”

“What do you mean?” Savy leaned into my side, listening to the conversation as she tried not to betray her anxiety. I picked up on it anyway. Squeezing her hand, I pulled her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her as if I could shelter her from the entire world and all its evil.

“What do we know about this anti-shifter organization? That can’t be how they market themselves. It’s too fucking obvious,” Quinn pointed out.

“No, they call themselves the Society. A bunch of radical, gun-toting, racist individuals that believe it’s their duty to eradicate lesser beings, including shifters. It began as revenge, but it’s grown into something more.” I never said that out loud until now.

“I got that part,” Quinn replied with sarcasm. “What about their website? Who do they recruit, and how do they do it? That’s what we need to find out.”

“You’re right. We need to know how the humans are trained. How they hunt us.”

“And don’t forget the toxin,” Savy added. “They used bear scat to distract us once too.”

Quinn shook his head. “See? It’s a fucking nightmare, Rinnick. I don’t think it’s close to being over yet.”

I squashed the panic in my chest, hoping Quinn was wrong. “Then we form a plan with the other Alphas. Make sure we keep an eye on the traffic to those websites, the warehouses they use, and any hint of anti-shifter propaganda.”

“Agreed. Let’s enjoy the beer tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll figure the rest out.”

Chapter 17

“I have a surprise for you,” I whispered, taking Savy’s hand as I led her outdoors, walking with purpose toward the creek. I’d passed the word along that I didn’t want to be disturbed and knew the others were happy to indulge my request.

“What’s going on?”

“A second chance.”

Her eyes widened when we approached the blanket sprawled on the ground and the feast I’d gathered, including all of her favorite dishes. “Rinnick!”

My lips lifted in a smile when I saw how happy she appeared. “Yes, my Savy?”

“You did this for me?”

“Of course. We never got to have our picnic.”

We sat on the blanket, and I asked her to sit, taking my time pulling out all of the food and offering her bites. It satisfied my wolf to care for my mate and feed her, supplying one of her needs. The other—sexual release—would follow as soon as we were done eating.

“I’m stuffed,” she finally admitted, throwing up her hands. “I can’t eat another bite.”

Oh, she’d be stuffed soon.

“Not even dessert?” I asked with a naughty grin.

“No,” she laughed, shaking her head.

I pounced, knocking her gently back as she rested against the blanket. My hand slipped between her silken thighs, finding her warmth as I cupped her mound. “I’m starving.”

“You just ate,” she teased.

“But not what I wanted the most.”

Her eyes glazed over as she spread her legs wider. “Then feast, my love.”

A growl left my lips as I lowered to my stomach, tugging her into my body as I shoved the hem of her dress up, inhaling her arousal. Lust slammed into my brain, and I couldn’t resist a second longer to taste her. Her panties were ripped away before I dived in, parting her wide. A gasp launched from her mouth as I licked into her, parting her outer lips with my tongue, tracing the inner ones as her body jolted. Savy’s hips bucked, and I held them in place, teasing her as a single finger slid into her warm sheath.

“Rinnick.”

“More?” I asked, loving it when she cried out my name.

“Yes. Don’t stop.”

“Never.”

Her pussy leaked honey as I plunged a second finger inside, pumping in and out. I lap it up, dragging my tongue over her clit and sucking on the sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Oh, God. Rinnick, I’m so close.”

My efforts increased, coaxing the orgasm from her until her body quaked, thighs going into spasm as her core clenched around my fingers. I didn’t stop fucking her with them and using my tongue until she shuddered, coming down from the delicious high.

By now, I was revved up and needed my own release, but not without her coming a second time. With a wicked grin, I spun her around and pulled her onto her knees, shucking my clothing until naked, and my cock bobbed in the air between us.

“I need you.”

The moan that followed her words vibrated my dick as I hissed.

“Not as much as I will ever need you, my Luna.”

Her plump ass suspended in the air, dress hiked up and draping over her back while her pretty cunt was exposed to my gaze was my undoing. My hand wrapped around my cock, and I pumped up and down the shaft a few times before the head bumped her ass.

“Rinnick.” Her bottom jiggled as I lightly slapped one cheek. “Take me.”

The tip of my cock pushed through her opening, slick with her cream. After a slight pause, I thrusted forward and sank into her. A soft cry escaped her lips as her fingers dug into the blanket.

“More?”

“Please.” The word came out as a whine.

Her heat wrapped around my dick like a fist. So fucking tight. I would never last long. A part of me wanted to pound into her until I found my release but not yet. I want her to writhe beneath me, begging for my dick.

One of my hands gripped her hip as I began to move, slowly gliding in and out before I paused again, reaching around to cup her mons. “Mine.”

“I love it when you growl like that.”

“Say it,” I ordered, clenching my teeth.

“Yours.”

“My pussy.”

“Your pussy,” she repeated.

“My mate.”

“Your mate. Forever.”

Her swollen, sopping cunt kept gripping me with every thrust. Knowing her orgasm was building, I pressed my fingers into her clit, rubbing into the sensitive flesh the way she enjoyed.

“Yes, oh yes.”

“Call out my name.”

“Rinnick. Rinnick.”

My breaths grew erratic, my body movements jerky as I plowed into her harder, slamming her hips backward into my loins as I fucked her. Pleasure exploded in my skull, and my eyes nearly rolled back in my head. A wild, primitive howl broke free as I buried deep in her and came, thrusting a dozen times as I filled her with my cum, hoping she would conceive.

My body felt languid as my Savy pulled away, pushing me on my back before straddling my waist, shoving my dick back in her pussy. Even with my orgasm and how hard I came, I was still hard. Swiveling her hips, she was using my body to get off, and I loved it. Her fingers strummed her clit as I slapped them away, replacing them with my own.

“Bad girl,” I growled. “I’ll punish you later for that.”

A cry fell from her lips, and she clenched her thighs, riding me faster. I felt her inner walls flutter, and then her head lowered, her mouth opening wide as her teeth gleamed in the sunshine. A heartbeat later, she bit me. My body jolted once and then awakened, set on fire as I rolled, pinning her down as I began pounding into her, tugging her into my hips until I roared, coming a second time.

My shoulder throbbed where she’d broken the skin with her teeth, and I welcomed the pain.

I was marked.

Claimed, mated, and bonded to the one I loved.

“I love you, Savy,” I breathed out, pulling out of her to roll us on the side, curling my body protectively around my Luna.

Whatever the future held, I welcomed it. After all, the fates couldn’t be wrong.

They brought me together with Savannah.

Epilogue

My bike rumbled beneath me as I sat idle, staring down into the Cedar Creek Valley. I’d heard rumors about this paradise and the mountain that stretched high around it. Tales of shifters that were welcomed with open arms, of mates that found one another after decades of loneliness, and the fertility of the females who blessed their clans with new offspring.

Not everywhere in the U.S. did a shapeshifting human find the happiness he longed for. There were communities out there that thrived on chaos: shifter Alphas that enjoyed carnage, bloodshed, and a life of crime. And then there were those like me.

The ones who wished to escape it.

My leather gloves gripped the bars as I heard the metal whine. Dialing back my temper and refusing to indulge the reasons for my arrival in Cedar Creek, I slowly rolled forward, letting my Harley lead the way down the mountain. The road winded downhill, beyond the motels and seedy bars, curling around the base of Timber Mountain as it led closer to the creek.

Revving the engine, I picked up speed, eager to put the miles behind me and forge a new beginning where the name River Hawkes didn’t conjure fear, disdain, or a need to inform the law. I might be an outlaw, a rebel, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t escape the stigma.

Maybe there was still hope that a leather-clad stranger could make something of himself in the world. My father tried. He didn’t get far enough. I wasn’t making the same mistake.

Hundreds of miles of open road later, I found a place to kick off my boots.

Only fate knew if I made the right choice.

The ride toward the creek let my mind wander, and I thought of the dwindling number of shapeshifters being born around the U.S. and the Alphas growing desperate to find fertile females. Some talked of breeding them—others of captivity.

I couldn’t stomach the idea of forcing anyone into a life they despised.

Riding down a dirt road, I turned onto a path nearly hidden from sight, but I was a good tracker, and I noticed small things like that. Grass had overgrown much of the gravel, and I knew no one had used this trail in many years.

It was over an hour before I found any sign of life beyond the animals that scurried out of my way and the massive birds flying overhead, watching my every move.

I was in the right place.

When I pulled up to the gates of a compound, I sensed my own kind. Wolves. Hundreds of males and females, some of them young. Offspring. Hope surged in my chest.

This was a community of shifters. Exactly what I hoped to find.

In the distance, only a short walk away, I heard a baby’s cry. The pup couldn’t be more than a few weeks old. I stood, kicking down the stand as I removed my shades, and that was when it happened.

My entire world tilted, falling off its axis.

Standing on a porch, staring at me with curiosity, was the most beautiful female I’d ever seen. Her brown eyes widened as she took in my appearance—the leather, jeans, boots, chains, bandana, motorcycle—and I hoped she didn’t make a snap judgment. In her arms, she held an infant, the tiny child cooing as his mother gently rocked him.

Our eyes met, and she shyly smiled.

Fates. This female is mine.

If you enjoyed the story between Rinnick and Savannah, please leave a review to help others decide on the book. The series continues with Rebel Wolf, Cedar Creek Shifters #4.

Click here to read: Rebel Wolf

Click here for more in the series:

Rejected Wolf

Biker Wolf

If you enjoy shifters, try these other books by the author:

Silver Moon

Tarek

Feral Breed

Mystic Hallows Harem

CEDAR CREEK SHIFTERS

Haunted Wolf

Obsessed Wolf

Possessive Wolf

Rebel Wolf

Rejected Wolf

Biker Wolf

Lycan Families

BAXTER CLAN

Lovell –

- Renleigh – oldest sister, former mate of Cole Baxter – deceased

- Briar – youngest sister, Cole’s mate

- Zev – Renleigh & Briar’s father

- Aimee – mother of Briar & Renleigh

Baxter –

- Cole – Beta, brother of Rinnick, youngest son, half-brother to Brand & Rudie, Briar’s mate

- Rinnick – Alpha, brother to Cole & Seth, half-brother to Brand & Rudie, Savy’s mate

- Seth – brother of Cole & Rinnick, oldest son – deceased

- Marrok – retired Alpha, Cole, Seth, & Rinnick’s father, first mate of Sienna

- Sienna – mother of Rinnick, Cole, Brand, Rudie, and Seth – deceased

Fillan –

- Howard – second mate of Sienna, father to Brand & Rudie – deceased

- Brand – brother to Rudie, half-brother to Cole & Rinnick

- Rudie – brother to Brand, half-brother to Cole & Rinnick

Bardolf –

- Theo – Rinnick and Cole’s best friend, Becca’s mate

- Ted – Theo's father, brother to Arianne

- Annette – Theo's mother – deceased

- Arianne – Theo's aunt, mother of Elena – deceased

- David – Theo's uncle, father of Elena

- Elena – Theo's cousin, mated to Joe Harley

Valko –

- Dane – twin brother to Tessa, brother to Dax

- Dax – brother to Dane & Tessa

- Tessa – twin sister to Dane & sister to Dax

THOMPSON CLAN

Harley –

- Joe – half-brother to Landon & Vickie – deceased

- Vickie – sister to Landon, half-sister to Joe

- Landon – brother to Vickie, half-brother to Joe

- Marl – first mate of Pippa, father of Vickie & Landon

- Joe Sr. – second mate of Pippa, father of Joe

- Pippa – mother of Vickie, Landon, and Joe

- Elena – Joe's widow, Theo’s cousin, mother of L.J.

- L.J. (Luke Joseph) – son of Joe & Elena

Thompson –

- Gage – Alpha, brother to Warrick & Max, half-brother to Jenna & Savy

- Ginny – mother to Savy, Jenna, Gage, Max, & Warrick

- Warrick – beta, brother to Gage & Max, half-brother to Jenna & Savy

- Max – youngest brother of Gage & Warrick, half-brother to Jenna & Savy

- Sean – retired Alpha, first mate of Ginny, father of Warrick, Gage, & Max

Paxton –

- Jenna – sister of Savy, half-sister to Warrick, Max, & Gage

- Savannah (Savy) – sister of Jenna, half-sister to Warrick, Max, & Gage, Rinnick’s mate

- Vet – second mate of Ginny, father of Jenna & Savy

HARLOW CLAN

Harlow –

- Becca – sister to Elias & Lor, Theo’s mate

- Elias – Alpha, brother to Becca & Lor

- Lor – Beta, brother to Becca & Elias

- Jedd – retired Alpha, father of Becca, Elias, & Lor

- Mary – mate of Jedd, mother to Becca, Elias, & Lor

Garvey

DEMPSEY CLAN

Dempsey –

- Grid – Alpha, brother to Makon, son of Flip and Nikita

- Makon – Beta, brother to Grid, son of Flip and Nikita

- Flip – retired alpha, father to Grid and Makon, mate of Nikita – deceased

- Nikita – former Luna, mother of Grid and Makon

Anderson –

- Herra – sister to Buck, daughter of Gray and Cami

- Buck – brother to Herra, son of Gray and Cami

- Gray – father to Herra and Buck, mate of Cami

- Cami – former Luna, Gray’s mate, mother to Buck and Herra

Williams

Cedar Creek Shifter Clans

WOLVES

Baxter – Baxter, Lovell, Fillan, Bardolf, Valko

Thompson – Thompson, Harley, Paxton

Harlow – Harlow, Garvey

Dempsey – Dempsey, Anderson, Williams

Timber Mountain Shifter Clans

BEARS

Black – Rory, Cull, Vinton, Yarl – deceased

Turner – Jape, Fisk, Hank

Brown – Zion, Rafe

Chaos Valley Shifter Clans

HOGAN CLAN

Hogan –

- Quinn – Alpha, cousin to Savvy & Jenna Paxton, mated to Tess

- Tess – Luna, sister to Teague, Quinn’s mate

- Maribel – Quinn’s mother, former Luna

Desmond –

- Brick – Beta to Quinn

Johnson –

- Teague – Brother to Tess, mated to Posey

- Posey – Teague’s mate

Kenway

Axel

Hartwell

Feral Breed Preview

I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason why I awakened. It wasn’t one specific sound or feeling, but I rose off the hammock in a hurry, goosebumps popping up over the surface of my skin.

An eerie wind had picked up, and the windows of the shop rattled as I walked to the front, double-checking that everything was locked up for the night.

One glance outside, and I knew all the rumors about the Chaos returning this year probably had merit. The sun blazed as scalding as earlier in the day but was now covered in a hazy film that dulled the usually bright rays.

A howl rose above the wail of the wind, and I stilled, instantly freaked out. It wasn’t the fact that a shifter was nearby. It was the familiar sound of a wolf I didn’t care to meet.

Vandal.

My heart thumped hard in my chest, and I backed away from the windows that exposed the fact that I was home alone.

Scratching sounds alerted my attention, and I spun around, running for the back door of my shop and the tiny warehouse where I created all my products. Thankfully, I’d remembered to lock the back door, but I could still hear the claws that slowly dragged down the screen, ripping the rough aluminum material to shreds.

A strange odor wafted through the open window to my right. The sickly, pungent smell made my stomach roil. I was nearly nauseous as I ran to all the windows on the bottom level, tugging them all closed as I flipped the locks.

What the hell was that gross scent? It was disgusting.

Shivering, I squirmed as more howls soon joined the first. What did Vandal want? Why was he here? Did he order his pack to intimidate me?

Well, this was my shop. I wasn’t going to stand here frightened or helpless. No way.

Picking up the keys I usually kept clipped to my waist from the nail on the wall, I ran to the gun cabinet. My father’s guns had been stored in the back of the store in case I ever ran into trouble since I was a child. My mother always said they were emergency use only. Today was excuse enough to pull out his shotgun. I fumbled with the lock, swung open the door once it clicked, and reached for the gun. Once the weapon was loaded, I slammed the door shut, locking it again after placing extra bullets in my jean shorts’ front pocket. I wasn’t foolish enough to leave it unlocked. There was no way to know if I had unwanted visitors trying to get inside.

The scratching ceased as I spun around, cocking the gun out of muscle memory. Since I was twelve, my father insisted I knew how to clean, dismantle, load, unload, and shoot all of his guns. He used to say that no child of his would be unable to protect themself. Since his death, Teague spent every Sunday with me at the old shooting range. I wasn’t some damsel in distress.

This little human knew how to aim and hit a moving target.

Kicking my back door open, I stared out into the late afternoon sunbeams that glittered off the tail end of Bloodmoon Lake. The body of water wasn’t far from my home. Thick haze was descending over the valley, but I could still see clearly enough.

A thick snarl was the only warning before a heavy, furry body exploded from the line of trees. I squeezed the trigger, hitting the wolf in the left flank as it was thrown backward, rolling to a stop a short distance away.

“Come on!” I shouted, “I’ve got plenty of bullets!”

Pissed off, I cocked the gun again, daring another wolf to pop out. My eyes squinted as I watched the edge of the forest. Leaves crinkled from within the tightly clustered trees. A flock of birds flew up into the sky as if startled. More growls echoed on the back of the gusty wind.

The attack came from the right this time. Three wolves. I hit the first in the chest. The second was nearly on top of me before I landed a bullet in his skull. The third hit me hard, and I went down, slamming into the dirt as I rolled, avoiding the gaping jaws and sharp claws as he swiped at my head. Ducking, I managed to reach the gun but never had a chance to shoot. Another wolf chomped down upon the barrel.

Snatched from my hand, I cursed as he crushed the metal with his teeth and snapped the gun in half. I scrambled backward on my hands and knees, putting a few feet of distance between us. My fist formed fast as survival mode kicked in, and I clocked him in the side of the head as he surged forward. Another punch landed in his eye as I stood on shaky limbs.

No one was getting me without a fight.

I should have been afraid, but I was far too angry to think rationally. Kowing that my life was in danger, I fled into the forest. Maybe if I could reach the lake, I’d avoid becoming their next meal. Who knew if they wanted to capture me, eat me, or just ravage my corpse?

Vandal and his pack were wild. Notoriously unpredictable, they had a reputation for messing with humans and causing trouble. The odd thing was, I’d only met him twice. There wasn’t a reason to target my shop or me. I didn’t understand his motivation.

Branches scraped my arms as I ran. One slapped my cheek, and I felt the trickle of blood as it dripped down the side of my face. Not pausing to assess the damage, I kept moving, jumping over fallen logs as I heard the snap of twigs behind me. The ground rumbled beneath my feet as I pumped my arms and legs.

When I reached the edge of the shore, I didn’t watch my step. My foot slipped in the mud, and I went down, sliding through the thick sludge as my ankle twisted, and I landed with a thud on my back. The impact knocked the air from my lungs as I gasped, knowing my final minutes on this earth were probably approaching.

“Teague,” I whispered, worried for my brother. “Don’t come home.”

Howls rose into the sky as I blinked away tears, terrified that I would never see Teague again.

A deep growl reached my ears, far too close to outrun.

“Please,” I whispered, fighting off a sudden wave of fatigue. “Help me.” Rising on my hands and knees, I pushed upward and managed to stand on my uninjured foot. Pain shot up my other leg, pulsing from my ankle.

I was nearly hysterical trying to figure out how I would outrun Vandal and his pack of wild dogs when big, warm hands closed over my arms, sliding down to wrap around my waist. Before I could turn around, I was lifted right off my feet.

Quinn.

My heart pounded hard in my chest as I realized he must be following me or, at the very least, watching over me. His deep earthy fragrance was familiar as I remembered the scent he left behind when he entered my shop, and I ran him off. There was a hint of leather and spice but mostly fresh pine mixed with rugged male musk.

I couldn’t say why his scent latched onto me so firmly or why it even mattered. All I knew was that I recognized and even enjoyed the pleasant fragrance.

My Alpha rescuer handled me with ease, swinging my body upward into his arms. He stalked through the forest quickly in the hazy amber light of twilight. The sun was setting far too early tonight. It was bizarre. I barely had time to finish the thought as my breath hitched, realizing how close I was to the handsome wolf.

He carried my weight as if it were nothing and no burden at all. I wasn’t heavy, but I wasn’t considered tiny or petite. He didn’t stop until we reached the side of a dirt path where a sleek, black motorcycle was parked next to a tree. Quinn plopped my bottom down gently on the leather seat and then swung a leg over the side in front of me.

“Hold on tight,” he ordered as I slid my arms around his waist, marveling at the tightness of his core and the muscles that bunched beneath my touch. He inhaled a sharp breath before the engine rumbled beneath us. My core throbbed with the heavy thrum.

I squeezed my knees, swallowing hard as we shot off, speeding through the dirt pathways that led toward the edge of Bloodmoon Lake. I knew the area well. The falls were only about ten miles from our location. A favorite place of mine since I was a child.

In the back of my mind, I worried about Teague. He could be anywhere right now. I didn’t know who he was with or what he was doing. Would he come home soon? Was he in danger?

My hands gripped Quinn’s jacket as we jumped over puddles, skid in the mud, and took the corners of the pathway much too fast. The crazy ride was almost exhilarating. If I weren’t in a considerable amount of pain, worried, and confused about the attack from Vandal and his wolves, I would have enjoyed being on Quinn’s motorcycle.

Bloodmoon Falls loomed ahead. Quinn turned onto a trail I’d never seen before, riding uphill toward a hidden cave. The dirt path was overgrown with grass, weeds, and sporadic rocks. We pulled to a stop outside as Quinn looked over his shoulder, his flint-colored gaze sweeping over my face with a frown.

“Listen, we need to move quickly to ensure none of Vandal’s pack caught our scent. We’re going inside this cave. I know how to see through the dark, and I’ve been here often. We should lose them in the next few minutes. Lots of odors to confuse the trail.”

A cave? Were there wild animals in there? Stupid thought. I was riding on a steel beast with one right now.

“Don’t be scared. We’ll be fine.”

“Sure.” I sounded far more confident than I felt.

The bike rolled forward, passing through the jagged edges of the cave’s entrance as I tightened my hold around his waist. The bike’s engine echoed loudly within the hollow interior. I expected to stop somewhere inside and park the bike, reducing the noise level. It would have made sense to stash it within the cavern to avoid being followed by Vandal and his pack.

We didn’t stop. For the next ten minutes, we slowly rode through the interior, pausing once as Quinn ticked his head toward the roof.

My jaw dropped open when I saw the cavern lit up with tiny aqua-colored sparkles. Some kind of organism lived inside, and the entire area glittered like thousands of starbursts had exploded all at once.

“Wow,” I managed to say before he rolled forward again, picking up speed as I squealed.

He grasped my leg and held onto my thigh with one hand, gripping the bike’s handlebars with the other. I didn’t have time to ask why or what he was planning.

We exited the cave in a burst of power, rising nearly a foot off the ground as we landed on the hillside above the waterfall. The impact was jarring but not painful. He’d seen to that. Quinn laughed as we plunged downward, skidding along the ground until we turned onto another skinny dirt path. The tiny road appeared to end at the base of the falls.

“Uh, we’re not going through the waterfall, right?”

Quinn’s chuckle wasn’t reassuring. “Hold on, little firecracker! Keep that leg secure!”

Shit!

He revved the engine, and we surged forward, heading directly into the mist. Droplets of water clung to my skin and clothes as I sucked in a breath. Damp and breathless, I knew this wasn’t over yet. A rocky ledge was coming up fast. There was no way to tell what lay beyond it or where we’d end up.

I closed my eyes as we jumped over the side, going airborne for several heart-pounding seconds, then landed on a slippery, rough surface that jolted my entire body. My ankle was the only thing that didn’t ache. I nearly bit my tongue.

He tossed a grin in my direction, probably figuring out that my bottom was going to have bruises later. Laughter shook Quinn’s chest, and I slapped him, releasing my hold as I sat back. I had no idea of the beauty that lay behind the waterfall.

Mouth gaping open, I was shocked to find we were inside the falls. Cascading sheets of water fell steadily into a crystalline pool about thirty feet below our location that spread out into an emerald lagoon. The water was so clear that it was visible all the way to the very bottom. Jagged rocks jutted out in a stairstep, allowing the trickling water to flow down and over the smooth, polished stones. That wasn’t even the most interesting or impressive sight.

The entire cavern was decorated like a fairytale or one of the old historical romances my mother used to read, transformed into a paradise that boggled the mind. Candelabra were lit along the rocky walls, held in place by iron sconces. Furniture was scattered about the interior. A long, rectangular table with eight chairs, two bookcases filled with rows of books and antique volumes, and a couple of recliners with an end table between them. Even a few coolers were stacked next to an enormous hutch covered with various knives, cutting boards, and wheels of aged cheese. Meat hung from above, dangling from a thick cable anchored by the rock. A stove sat next to the hutch, already giving off a generous amount of heat. Logs burned inside as the flames flickered in the low lighting. Round, braided rugs of various colors were placed beneath furniture while several long runners went the length of the cavern.

“This is incredible,” I exclaimed, not understanding why I was here. “Isn’t this some kind of sanctuary for your pack?”

That was the logical conclusion. I didn’t know you could reach behind the falls, and I lived in the valley my entire life. I’d never seen anything as magical as this place. It was straight out of a storybook.

“Let me check on your ankle, and I’ll explain.”

“Okay.”

He unzipped and tugged off his leather jacket, revealing smooth, tanned skin beneath. I never noticed he wasn’t wearing a shirt. It seemed to be a common occurrence with him. Quinn tossed the jacket over the tank of his bike as he sank low to the ground.

His jaw clamped shut as he stared down at my ankle, frowning at the swollen sight of my foot. Carefully, he used the pads of his fingers to press along my skin as he assessed the damage.

From this angle, as he rested on his knees, I had the advantage and seized the opportunity to look him over at my leisure. A few stray curls fell over his forehead, but my gaze slid over the detail and focused on the wide expanse of his bare chest instead.

Was it possible to have ten-pack abs? And those rounded, sculpted shoulders that looked like they could balance the weight of the world? I’d never seen such muscular arms except on the cover of romance novels or in the movies. Then there was the dark ink that spread across those bulging biceps and up over his shoulders to the base of his neck. Intricate, twisting tribal marks stretched across and met a moon with clouds that hovered above a dagger on his upper right arm. To the left, a massive mural of a wolf covered his bicep and forearm.

My breath hitched in my throat with the realization that I was checking him out. He was either ignoring my reaction or too busy to notice as he reached for his saddlebags and pulled out a t-shirt, tearing off a strip to wrap my ankle tight. I nearly salivated as the muscles of his body bunched and moved with the effort. I ignored the pain but couldn’t do a single thing about the way my heart was jackhammering inside my chest with his proximity.

What the hell was my problem?

He was a wolf. A shifter. And that meant nothing but trouble. No matter how handsome or charming he could be. Not that he’d done any flirting. His instincts seemed more protective than anything else, and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t attractive. He was downright delicious, but this afternoon proved I wasn’t a part of their world and didn’t need to be either.

Deciding it was best to focus my attention on something else, I asked a question I’d wanted to know for a long time. “Why are the falls named after a blood moon?”

“Because of the Chaos. All the red haze and fog glistens as it hovers over the surface. It’s been Bloodmoon Lake for as long as I can remember.”

“Are we safe here?”

“Absolutely,” he replied with confidence, rising to his feet. “We’re camouflaged in more ways than one. The constant water flow helps disguise sound and conversation while the numerous scents of dirt, lake water, grass, and river sludge combine to cloud a shifter’s ability to pinpoint location with accuracy. Then there’s the added layer of wildlife in every direction.”

“So, you use this as a home base of operations?”

His lips twitched with humor at my choice of words. “Yes, to an extent. No one will bother us here. They don’t come to the waterfall unless I give the order.”

Interesting. “I guess that makes sense.”

Quinn helped me off the bike, scooping under my legs to lift me in his arms. “I think you should rest that ankle. I’ll fix something to eat. You’re going to need protein to heal.”

He must have had plenty of injuries in his past to know that. “Thank you, Quinn. For finding me, bringing me here, and for protecting me from those monsters.”

“You’re welcome, but we still need to talk about Vandal and his pack.”

“I know.”

“It can wait, but I’m not taking you home until we discuss everything.”

“Fine,” I agreed, suddenly overwhelmed, depleted of energy, and ready to take a small mental break.

“You can use my bed. I’ll wake you up in an hour or two.”

Dozing off, I vaguely noticed the enormous bed I was gently placed upon. A soft, thick blanket draped over me as my eyes slid shut. The last thing I noticed was the crimson velvet curtain that dropped over the nook where his bedroom was hidden, the splashing of the falls muted by the luxurious barrier.

Feral Breed is available now!

Click here to read: Feral Breed

About the Author

Nikki Landis is the USA Today & International Bestselling, Multi-Award-Winning Author of over 50 romance novels in the MC, reverse harem, paranormal, dystopian, and science fiction genres. Her books feature deadly reapers, dark alpha heroes, protective shifters, and seductive vampires along with the feisty, independent women they love. There's heart-throbbing action on every page as well as fated mates and soul bonds deep enough to fulfill every desire.

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Table of Contents

- Chapter 1 – Rinnick
- Chapter 2 – Savy
- Chapter 3 – Rinnick
- Chapter 4 – Rinnick
- Chapter 5 – Savy
- Chapter 6 – Rinnick
- Chapter 7 – Savy
- Chapter 8 – Rinnick
- Chapter 9 – Savy
- Chapter 10 – Rinnick
- Chapter 11 – Savy
- Chapter 12 – Rinnick
- Chapter 13 – Savy
- Chapter 14 – Rinnick
- Chapter 15 – Savy
- Chapter 16 – Rinnick
- Chapter 17 – Savy
- Epilogue
- Lycan Families
- Cedar Creek Shifter Clans
- Chaos Valley Shifter Clans
- Feral Breed Preview
- About the Author