I WATCHED Sam’s place from the master bedroom window all evening. His fancy pickup truck had been gone all afternoon. My guess was he’d gone to pick up the drugs from wherever Murrieta dropped them. I didn’t take Sam for the kind of guy to go pick up drugs. It was beneath a billionaire to get his hands dirty. But he was the minion now. Murrieta’s mule. Literally. Unfortunately, we didn’t know about that angle of the operation, but if we got Sam in cuffs and in an interrogation room, we’d be able to get the details. Especially if we had him with the drugs. To Murrieta, Sam was a little fish. As for Sam, he only cared about himself, and if he could finagle any kind of deal with the DEA, I figured he’d squeal like a pig.
I kicked myself for not seeing him leave, so I could tail him, but so long as I got him with the drugs now, we were in business.
It was eleven o’clock when I heard the crunch of t
I KNEW IMMEDIATELY GRACE—CATHY—WASN’T in the house. I would’veheard her breathing. Hell, even her pulse. Now that I’d made the choice that she was to be mine… officially, my wolf was attuned to her. Or the lack of her.Her scent was in the air around the exterior of the house but not strong. There was a distinct path of the scent. She rarely used the front door. My wolf picked her up going in and out of the back door more. I followed across the back porch and back down the steps, across the grass and toward—“Fuck,” I said, cutting through the night. She was at Sam’s.I knew it. My wolf knew it. It was after eleven. Unless she was at his place to fuck, she was there for work. I didn’t even give the first any thought. I’d satisfied her. She didn’t need Sam for that. Besides, now that I could see past my anger at her secrets, I knew she wo
CATHY STRUGGLED, rolling to her side, then emitting a yip of pain. She was panicking, her amber eyes wild and almost feral. This hadn’t been one of her secrets. I was sure of it. She hadn’t known she was a wolf—or part wolf— because she sure as hell had smelled like a human before.Which meant… she’d never shifted before and only did so now because of the pain of being shot. Her biology kicked in to save her life. No one had seen her like this before. No one knew how perfect she was… human or wolf.I stroked my hand over her soft fur. “Shh… settle.” I put alpha command in my voice. “It’s all right. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re a shifter, like me. That’s why my wolf chose you.” I smiled down at her. “I know you hurt, but shifting is a good thing. You’ll heal and quickly. Your body knows what to do. Don’t be afraid, you’re go
THE LOCAL SHERIFF and his deputy arrived first. I was still a little lightheaded from the gunshot, or maybe from discovering I was a shifter, but years of protocol pushed to the forefront.“Agent Johnson?”“Yes, sir.”After I’d shifted back, I’d called Vaughn and tried to convince him to send backup, so we could catch whoever showed up with the empty trailer for the cows and drugs, but he wouldn’t have it—especially after he heard I’d already been shot at. He’d notified the sheriff to get there immediately, and the sheriff had arrived with lights flashing, which prockyably meant whoever was responsible for driving the drugs across the border would keep right on driving past.I kept my hand over the wound at my side as I reached out to shake his hand.John and Jenny had brought me a change of clothes, which I’d stained a little with blood from
“Take me, knot me.” Her eyes of shattered green glare at me.I growl, and the hoarse resonance of my purr vibrates up my chest, then spills over and echoes between us.Color flushes her cheeks. Her lower belly twitches and the sugary fragrance of her slickness bleeds into the air.My groin reinforces, and my balls draw up.Liquid warmth gushes from between her legs, bathing my shaft where it twitches against her softcore.Her pelvis tilts up and every part of her looks like to strain against me.My hardness twitches, the engorged head rocks into the triangle between her legs.I groan. So does she.I want to hear her plead. Better still if she fights me.Instead, she shoves her hips up, cradling me, pulling at me to slide into her, to satisfy her the way only I can.Liquid warmth pours through my veins. A bead of sweat slides down my neck and plops on her cheek.“Now.” She snarls, the
Genetic mutation brought on by climate change has divided the human race into three subspecies: leaders the predators and the protectors, dominions the nurturers, and betas who fall in between.This guy looks like to be a leader, except he's not as powerful as me. Of course, I have yet to meet another male as strong as me, and nope that's not my ego speaking, just hard facts.I peel back my mouth and my opponent squares his shoulders.He's shorter than me, leaner, and almost wiry in build.His brawns flex, and he clasps up his fists in front of him. There is a gun hooked to his belt, a sword on his back.All props. Not that I don't resort to them when faced with a worthy opponent. This man doesn't seem dangerous. Bet, I can take him with my bare arms, after all, that’s how I survived all this time on the streets. With my guts, my wits, one day at a time.“Get out of my way.”He stays where he is, gray eyes, shining w
“Don’t shit with me.” I march to him, grab him by the collar, and haul him up to his toes. He’s slimmer than me, but he’s still heavy. My brawns protest as I take the bulk of his weight.He doesn’t blink, just stays calm, and I am struck with the realization that the idiot is telling me the truth.I let him go so suddenly he loses his balance.He rights himself then clasps out his hand. “I’m John.”I double over my arms over my chest. “And I don’t like owing debts.”“I had you followed—not difficult given you are the only leader to rise out of the East End, who they all turn to for direction.”“So you know my whereabouts… big shiting deal. It’s not like my movements are exactly a secret.” I crack my neck. It’s time to put an end to this charade. “What do you want?”He clasps up his arms, palms face up. &
Alter’s room is big, at least five times the size of the hovel I grew up in.On one side there are ground-to-ceiling windows that let in the fading light. There is a massive couch, with the high couch frame taking up most of the wall at the back. It’s exactly how I remember.Same wooden grounds, the same rancid smell of overripe bodies and stale sweat; same idiot on the mattress, just a different dominion.She faces me, her hair streaming forward to cover her ample boobs. Her heavy flesh bounces as she moves, riding the man below her, reverse cowgirl style.She throws her head back, and for a second, I can’t help but admire the clean planes of her concave stomach that curve down to meet her pussy. Nestled into it is the girth of my dad's shaft, there right between her legs.The need to hurt pounds at my temples. I throw up my fists and march forward. I am going to shiting hurt this man.Halfway to the couch, the fragrance o
Behind me, I hear the dominion stagger to her legs. She must have turned and looked at the couch, for with a little scream she rushes out.I take in deep breaths of air, and again, then wipe the puke from my face.I hear the door open, and there’s the sound of footsteps entering. My shoulders tense. The heavy tread of what can only be another leader reaches me. The man marches across the ground to stand behind me.“The General is dead.”“No shit.” I laugh, not sure why, but it looks like the most appropriate response. I swivel around to face John.Those cool gray eyes watch me. There is no expression on his face.“A thank you, perhaps?” I smirk.He clasps my look, then lowers his head. “Long live the General.”My head spins, and I grip the ledge of the window for support. Of course, I am the leader of London now, except I hadn’t really believed what he’d said ear
THE LOCAL SHERIFF and his deputy arrived first. I was still a little lightheaded from the gunshot, or maybe from discovering I was a shifter, but years of protocol pushed to the forefront.“Agent Johnson?”“Yes, sir.”After I’d shifted back, I’d called Vaughn and tried to convince him to send backup, so we could catch whoever showed up with the empty trailer for the cows and drugs, but he wouldn’t have it—especially after he heard I’d already been shot at. He’d notified the sheriff to get there immediately, and the sheriff had arrived with lights flashing, which prockyably meant whoever was responsible for driving the drugs across the border would keep right on driving past.I kept my hand over the wound at my side as I reached out to shake his hand.John and Jenny had brought me a change of clothes, which I’d stained a little with blood from
CATHY STRUGGLED, rolling to her side, then emitting a yip of pain. She was panicking, her amber eyes wild and almost feral. This hadn’t been one of her secrets. I was sure of it. She hadn’t known she was a wolf—or part wolf— because she sure as hell had smelled like a human before.Which meant… she’d never shifted before and only did so now because of the pain of being shot. Her biology kicked in to save her life. No one had seen her like this before. No one knew how perfect she was… human or wolf.I stroked my hand over her soft fur. “Shh… settle.” I put alpha command in my voice. “It’s all right. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re a shifter, like me. That’s why my wolf chose you.” I smiled down at her. “I know you hurt, but shifting is a good thing. You’ll heal and quickly. Your body knows what to do. Don’t be afraid, you’re go
I KNEW IMMEDIATELY GRACE—CATHY—WASN’T in the house. I would’veheard her breathing. Hell, even her pulse. Now that I’d made the choice that she was to be mine… officially, my wolf was attuned to her. Or the lack of her.Her scent was in the air around the exterior of the house but not strong. There was a distinct path of the scent. She rarely used the front door. My wolf picked her up going in and out of the back door more. I followed across the back porch and back down the steps, across the grass and toward—“Fuck,” I said, cutting through the night. She was at Sam’s.I knew it. My wolf knew it. It was after eleven. Unless she was at his place to fuck, she was there for work. I didn’t even give the first any thought. I’d satisfied her. She didn’t need Sam for that. Besides, now that I could see past my anger at her secrets, I knew she wo
I WATCHED Sam’s place from the master bedroom window all evening. His fancy pickup truck had been gone all afternoon. My guess was he’d gone to pick up the drugs from wherever Murrieta dropped them. I didn’t take Sam for the kind of guy to go pick up drugs. It was beneath a billionaire to get his hands dirty. But he was the minion now. Murrieta’s mule. Literally. Unfortunately, we didn’t know about that angle of the operation, but if we got Sam in cuffs and in an interrogation room, we’d be able to get the details. Especially if we had him with the drugs. To Murrieta, Sam was a little fish. As for Sam, he only cared about himself, and if he could finagle any kind of deal with the DEA, I figured he’d squeal like a pig.I kicked myself for not seeing him leave, so I could tail him, but so long as I got him with the drugs now, we were in business.It was eleven o’clock when I heard the crunch of t
THE SHAKING of my bed made me groan.“Get up, asshole.”“What the fuck?” I growled.“You’ve had two days.”Seth.“I’ve never known you to drink yourself into a fucking stupor.” John.I blinked, tried not to have sharp spikes drill into my skull as I did so. My bed was soft. Warm. I didn’t want to move. I was pretty sure I’d been in it for twenty-four hours straight.“I’m keeping away the moon madness,” I muttered. “And thoughts about Grace. I mean, Cathy. Whatever the fuck her name is.”One of them kicked the bed.My stomach flip flopped.“You smell like the floor at Cody’s after closing.” Again, Seth.“Are you still wearing the same clothes as at the picnic?” Fucking John. Groaning, I sat up facing the window. It was dark
I MARCHED to the end of the property and split the barbed wire to step between it.Rocky and I had repaired the fence where the bull came through, but I had yet to confront Sam about it. I’d been saving it as an excuse to be on his property at some point. And truthfully? I’d been too wrapped up in spending time with Rocky for the last week to use that excuse.Now? It was time.I’d wasted a week, but now I was back on the job.Except the time hadn’t been wasted. It had been everything I needed to live. Now it was all gone. Returning to the life I had before Rocky felt like jumping in a lake with cement shoes on.Nothing could be done about that.I’d hurt him. He wasn’t going to forgive me. Even if he did, I couldn’t stay. I had a job back in Phoenix. Or wherever I went on assignment next.Except that thought made the brick in the pit of my s
WHAT THE FUCK was I going to do? In the past eighteen years as alpha, I’d never come across such a fucking mess. I was used to working out prockylems for other people. Handling disputes. Leading mating ceremonies. Funerals. But this?It was all about me.I stood stiff and still as the she-wolf was brought to me for introductions. My pack wanted to match me to this alpha’s daughter. I’d balked at the idea because Grace was to be mine.But what in the fuck did it matter?Grace wasn’t Grace. The whole thing had been a lie.I didn’t have a mate.And my pack needed me to take one.Maybe they were right. Maybe I had no fucking sense of what a mate was.That had been proven, loud and clear, when John had helped suss out the truth.How long would she have faked it with me?Unlike Cathy, this pack princess was a shifter. She would ease the minds of assholes like Nat
I STOOD ROOTED to the ground, staring at the beautiful alpha wolf meant for Rocky. The one Layla had told me about.Oh God.This was the train wreck I saw coming.Rocky wasn’t looking at her, though. He was looking at me—the pain of betrayal burning in his gaze. I’d made him look at me that way. It was my own doing.I scrambled into the car and rushed to start it. I had to get away. Leave him to get on with his life. I backed up fast, tires skidding the dirt, then took off for home.Home. Ha. What a joke.I tried to stay strong, but halfway back to the house, I broke down and cried the whole rest of the short drive. It was any wonder I didn’t end up in a ditch. Everything I’d thought would happen, had. Rocky learned the truth and felt slighted. No, that wasn’t the right word. Betrayed.He’d bared his soul, and that of his community, to me
WE WERE NEARING the full moon, but this wasn’t a get together to shift and run in the moonlight. Instead, it was an afternoon picnic. By five o’clock, about twenty pack members were in the field behind the house. Usually, we met in the barn, so there was some shade and a roof in case it rained, but the construction project wasn’t finished. Sawhorses with boards across were set up as tables for the hefty quantity of food everyone brought. From Layla’s and Jenny’s potato salad to peach pie, hamburgers and even homemade ice cream had been devoured. The Barn Cats were tuning their instruments and setting chairs beneath a tree where they’d perform. Some laid out blankets, so they could sit and listen. Others had brought fold-up chairs.Grace sat beside me in a pretty green sundress that matched her eyes and had me wanting to slip the little straps off her shoulders and devour what was beneath. I’d kept as close as I could to her since she