"Hey! What the hell are you doing!"
Elena Michael's had arrived for the annual howling a few hours ago, and immediately began tracking the delicious scent wafting on the breeze, her mate was here, she could feel it.
Her search had led her to a small track in the woodland area on the outskirts of the Shadow moon territory, she had rounded the corner just in time to see five teenage were boys jump an unsuspecting omega wolf, hitting the back of his head with a large rock, as they laughed at him crashing to the ground unconscious.
They began to kick his still form and Elena knew if she didn't do something now, the poor young man may not survive against his cowardly attackers.
"Let him go!" She bellowed, the sheer rage tapping into her magic as an elemental wolf, causing the wind to pick the boys up and suspend them in midair, bound tightly by her wind fist.
"Hey, you can't do this outsider, do you even know who we are?" The bigger wolf blustered, trying in vain to free his limbs.
Elena grinned "The real question here boy is DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"
With a small flick of her wrist, the boys were thrown and as they touched the ground, they swiftly shifted and ran off towards the packhouse, no doubt to tell their Alpha an elemental wolf had crossed into pack lands.
Hmph, Neanderthals, little did they know, the Alpha was her uncle, and he had invited her specifically to this event in the hopes that this year she would find her fated mate.
Elena had been shut away for so long in the jungle, training exclusively with the small but powerful elemental pack there as she learned to control and use her abilities, it felt good to finally be amongst other wolves, sharing food and gossip, chatting like normal society.
At nineteen Elena was the youngest Alpha born in her line, her wolf was a proud creature named Sephora, her coat a straight slate grey with light grey eyes, colors she shared with her human side, as Elena's hair was a shimmery silver with the same liquid eyes.
She was a lean figure, perfect for tracking, ensuring she could run for days without tiring, her gift of harnessing wind useful for keeping her cool no matter the heat.
In the eyes of her own pack, she was a prize, unfortunately, none of the unmated males there gave her the tingles, and she yearned for someone to call her own.
A groan bought her out of her introspection and she remembered the poor Omega lying several feet away, probably needing pack attention.
'Dang girl,' she chided herself, 'get your head in the game and your brain outta the clouds, Alpha borns don't waste time with daydreams.'
As she drew closer to the downed wolf, his scent wafted towards her, scrambling her senses, waterfalls, and mossy earth...'MATE MATE MATE!!' Sephora screamed in her head, challenging Elena for control of her body 'MUST HELP MATE!!' This Omega was her mate? Elena's heart thundered in her chest as she ran the short distance to the downed male, upon closer inspection, her wolf seemed confused, "He is no Omega Elena" Her wolf confirmed "His blood smells like a strong Gamma, why would a Gamma be demoted to a lowly Omega?''
"Someone has tried to break mate!" Sephora growled, pushing forward, taking full control as she leaned towards her mate, there were injuries everywhere, some old, some new, his lean body was covered in them, and it made her blood boil.
Slowly one eye opened, and Sephora could see the male's wolf peering back at her, through pain hazed chocolate-colored eyes, "Mate?" he rumbled, before losing his battle to unconsciousness again.
Elena used her wolf's momentary distress to force her wolf back and regain control, 'Dammit Sephora, you have to stop doing that! Who knows what sort of trouble you could've gotten us into if we'd wolfed out without permission in another pack? What good are we to our mate if our arse is thrown in the bloody dungeon?' Sephora grumbled and retreated to the recesses of Elena's mind in reluctant submission, she never apologized and would often sulk for a few days if Elena got cross with her, but at this point, Elena couldn't give a rats butt if she sulked or not, a bit of humility would do her arrogant wolf some good.
As for her mate, and the telltale smell of Gamma blood, that was a puzzle she would like to solve, but first, he needed medical attention.
She opened her mind link to call on the warrior accompanying her on her journey through the howling, one of her father's men.
"Cade, are you busy?"
"Just grabbing a bite to eat with the Beta's son Elena, why?"
"I've just found my mate, he isn't in good shape and requires medical attention, I could lift him but I don't know where the pack doctor is located, can you find someone to help please?"
"Sure thing, the Beta's son has offered his assistance, where are you?"
"There is a small bush trail on the outskirts of their territory, about a kilometer north of the foothills, we are easy to spot, but Cade...you need to hurry, he's not doing too good and for some reason, his wolf isn't healing him...."
"Okay Elena, congratulations on finding him before the Howling, I'm guessing that's why you took off so quickly when we arrived? Mikhail and I will shift to get to you quickly, hang on we'll be there soon."
Cade cut the link and Elena sat down beside her mate. He was the most gorgeous male she had ever seen.
She wanted to run her hands over his body, he was HERS and those ignorant little punks tried to hurt her beloved, for that they would face her wrath, but first, she had to make sure he was safe.
He was tall and slimly built, with a wiry body and lightly tanned skin, his face was all angles and Elena could tell that that with a little feeding up, his face would fill out and become panty dropping sexy, Goddess help any other female that looked at him though, as an Alpha blood, Elena and her wolf wouldn't tolerate that.
He had messy blonde hair, that looked as though he spent a lot of time in the sun, and Elena found herself wondering, "What's your story mate?" as she waited for Cade and the Beta's son.
Cade was a simple man. He had a lovely Omega mate waiting at home for him, with two young pups and a small patch of land where he had built their home still on pack territory.Hisneedswerestraightforward enough, the same as his job was..usually.Exceptnow he wastrudgingthrough the underbrush with the hosting packs' Betas son Mikhail, grumbling about having to rescue a wolf that couldn't hold his own in a fight.
Her smile beckoned him, and as always, he followed, enraptured by her beauty.This strange yet oddly familiar woman danced in his dreams every night. With her fiery red hair and mysterious violet eyes, she moved for him daring Shadow to take her hand.The woman's laugh sounded like heaven, and he felt himself getting aroused by her undulating hips. Without any warning, he found himself naked, his taut muscles rippling as Shadow walked towards his dream maiden.
Fifteen-year-old Raeann Romano loved her job; working alongside Dr. Williams in the Pack clinic was challenging and rewarding at the same time.Most girls her age lived for school, and teenage crushes, but not Raeann, after school always filled her with excitement, especially today when the Shadow Moon pack hosted the Annual Howling; she wasn't yet old enough to shift and was a few years off finding her mate, but Raeann didn't mind.She had promised herself from a very early age that she would never rely on a mate to make her life feel worthy, Isabella, Raeann's older sister was all the proof she needed to convince her that forming a strong attachment to another being made you vulnerable, and that was something R
'Fucking thorns!' Mikhail picked another one out of his face, flinching as a hundred others still embedded in his skin made themselves known; it would be getting dark soon, and he was still out off the beaten track, too prideful to mind link for help, thorns stuck every which way but loose, and he was damned if he knew where that mini tornado came from?One minute he was talking to a visiting pack warrior, the next thing he knew, Mikhail was twenty feet in the air, spinning around like sugar in a candyfloss machine speeding away from his intended destination.And, they didn't even check-in to see if he managed to escape from it, it was unacceptable, and he was pissed.
The moon was at most, an hour away from itś highest peak, and in the clearing on the north side of Blakewood forest, hundreds of naked figures stood silently waiting.The airwas alive with electricity and racing heartbeats, the smell of hope perfuming the night air as each wolf present hoped that this year would be the year they returned with a fated mate.Each pack had itś own space, members standing side by side according to age and rank, with the Royal pack on a stage above everyone else.This year four young Royals were looking for their fated, sending many a heart aflutter at the thought of being tied to the s
Colette heard it, the moment she shifted into her Russett colored wolf. The powerful howl pulled her in and before she knew it she was answering his call with one of her own.Her mate was here!Any thoughts of Mikhail fled as she searched for the owner of the compelling howling, picking up itś pace now that he had heard her wolfś answering call, wolves from different packs began todisengage from the masses, trotting to the front, making it easier to find their fated mate.
Amonstrous black wolf was prowling just inside the entrance to the hidden springs. He was the stuff of legends, or what parents would conjure up to keep their young pups in bed at night. Battle scars were proudly adorning his massive shoulders, rippling muscles flexing and relaxing with every movement as he growled at the small russet wolf, cowering behind the outcrop of rocks, COLETTE!Mikhail attempted to go to her rescue, but Narelleś wolf grabbed him by his scruff, pulling him back out into the forest, where she swiftly phased into her human skin.¨SHIFT!¨She commanded, using her Alpha voice, uncaring
Seven years earlier...The rogues he had paid were in place. In ten minutes, all hell would break loose, and at the end of it all, the woman Beta Romano loved and leadership of the Howling warrior pack would be his.Luna Abigail Stalker was heavy with his child, the Alpha completely unaware of his mate's infidelity, but Santos felt no guilt. His own mate had given birth to three of his pups whom he loved dearly, but Maria Romano was a weak wolf, and he craved Abigail's touch. How she made him feel when they lay together was unmatched, and all he needed to do was get rid of her husband and the two
Shadow felt his breathing begin to slow as he looked up at his mate. He tried to manage a smile, but the pain was too real, and all he could do was grimace as it arced through his torn-up body. Bella was telling him to hold on, that Valenar was reasoning with the threat, but he knew that there wasn't enough time for him, so using the last of his strength, he lifted his hand and gently placed it against her lips. "I waited a lifetime for you, my Bella," he struggled to get out the words, knowing that this was the last time he would feel her touch, "I will search through a thousand lifetimes to find you mate. You have my heart, you have my soul and no matter where you go after I'm gone, know that in your heart I'll always be here." Bella's lips trembled, and her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head at him, "You promised me forever, Shadow, please don't leave me!" As Shadow closed his eyes against the pain, he was vaguely aware of Bella's screams,
Down in the cellar, the children were quiet. Some trembled while others bristled, eager to get out amidst the fray and earn their place as pack warriors. When the ground above started trembling, and the hatch heaved as though the earth itself was trying to break in, that's when hysteria hit. Onyx struggled to hold back the retired warriors and mothers whose children were valiantly fighting to keep them safe. The tension grew higher as Onyx barked for them all to calm down. Reason was rapidly going out the window, and Lucifer awakened, shining wrathfully through Onyx's eyes as his leadership was challenged. Then, out of the darkness, a clear voice rose, weaving its way through the pack bunched up in close quarters, and Onyx looked gratefully over at his nephew.Tarakona sang of times gone by, the history of the Howling warriors, and his parents' courtship. He spread calm throughout the cellar as they were all transported back to the time of Shadow and Isabella, the magic of th
Like the plague, Hael's anger washed through Howling, killing dozens in its wake. Pyro's magic was depleting itself quickly under the onslaught of his friend's fury, and sensing his master's struggle, Barghest's howl signaled his hellhound's arrival in Howling. Unfortunately, the boy had only lasted seconds as Hael tore his intestines out, half-crazed by the thoughts of his mate being with another man. For the first time in their lifelong friendship, Pyro doubted his ability to reign Hael in."Marie is going to make me eat my own balls," He thought grimly as his legs gave way, blood dripping from his ears as Pyro faced his death. He was lucky in the sense that while he would die in this space, as an overlord in Hade's realm, Pyro would end up back where he belonged anyway, and Marie would be waiting to tear him a new one, as she did every time he went on a jaunt with Hael. Barghest came at a run, bowling through half a dozen wolves as Pyro's magic finally deserted him. His fa
Ratchet left Sal's with a full belly and a grin on his face. Maeve was like the ray of sunshine in his life that made everything okay, and whatever it was that she was dealing with, he was sure she would slay it like she did everything else in her life.Lost in his thoughts, Ian reached his bike in no time, grabbing his helmet and pulling his bandana up to keep the bugs out of his teeth. He didn't see the freight train until it hit him full force in his side. Like a spring flinging loose from a trampoline, he sailed through the air landing heavily on his side. "What the fuck?!" He roared, reaching for his handpiece. When Ratchet found who had rammed him, his mouth dropped open, and the gun fell from his boneless fingers. It was the two giants he caught sniffing around Maeve's shop earlier on. Only now, the one called Hael looked like some avenging angel. His eyes glowed with fury, and his muscles quivered with the urge to smash someone's head in. That someone being Ian.
"I had to stay and run the pack!" Lucien barked defensively, crossing his arms and glaring at the pint-sized woman in front of him. Bella's eyes widened, and he swore he could see steam pouring from her ears. "I call bullshit!" She retorted, getting right in his face; her eyes crackled, and the fury held barely in check started to leak out, giving the Luna a frightening look."You haven't been running the pack," Bella brutally pointed out, "You've been curled up in your bed like a teenage girl listening to sad songs and eating ice cream. Why do you think I'm back so early?"Lucien couldn't find an answer for that. But it didn't matter because Bella wasn't finished, "You have thirty minutes to get dressed and pack a bag, I've already organized a replacement bike for you, and my strongest tracker picked up traces of her scent on the Eastern borders. Got and get your woman Lucien, before someone else claims her." She tossed him the keys to his bike and looked at her watch
The ground felt strange beneath his feet. Grass tickled his toes as he wandered along, breathing deeply of the mountainous air. Beside him strode his friend; he was aware of the appreciative stares from females as they passed by and wondered if maybe it was unusual to see humans in Howling, but then again, they weren't really human-now were they?"Of all the places Hael? I'm allowed one free pass from Hell each millennium, and you bring me to Hicksville?" Pyro Diego glanced at his friend, who didn't bother to answer, and hoped for the sixth time that venturing into a wolf pack disguised as humans was a wise choice. Shaetan only knows what Marie will think when he returns home in a few weeks, and he rather liked his balls."She's here, man, I can sense her," Hael muttered as he began to look in the shop windows, and as the demi-gods came to the one on the corner, Hael stopped and took a deep breath, a guttural growl sounding deep in his chest."This is it."
The vortex appeared directly in front of them, and Jarvis shoved Lucy behind him as he prepared to shift. The sound was deafening, and when the light pulsed, expelling a figure from the portal, Jarvis shielded his eyes from the glare."Well, damn, this is a sorry excuse for a welcome, but I'll take it."Bella stood there, cradling the pup gently in her arms. She knew that their luggage was already at home. Lucy and Jarvis looked at her with their eyes popping and jaws dropping as she smiled back at them. Lucy was the first to recover. "You weren't gone for that long, Luna? What is this? Immaculate conception or something?" She drawled, and Bella laughed. It was good to be home."It's a long story, my friend, and will need to wait until Caspian is settled in. Now, where is my foolish mate?" Bella easily took control, and as they continued walking down the street, it was a relief for Lucy to hand over the reins. As she revealed what had transpired in Bella's absen
Something was wrong in Howling. As Jarvis pulled up to the local herbal shop, it was obvious that something significant had happened here. Many stores were closed, and the usual hustle and bustle of a small town were missing. It made the lion shifter nervous. He was still in his car, wondering at the best course of action, when a familiar figure jogged straight past him."Lucy!"Lucy turned around, and a huge smile greeted him as she jogged back. Jarvis opened the door and stepped out in time for her to pull him in for a hug. "It's so good to see you," She gushed as they pulled away from each other, and Jarvis noticed her eyes sparkled and her mouth curved easily into a grin. If he were ten years younger, Onyx might have had a fight on his hands for Lucy's affections.As he looked at his friend Jarvis, saw the dark circles under her eyes and the weight she had lost, instinctively knowing that something was really, really wrong. When he quizzed her on it, L
"I know it's late, but do you think you would like to take a stroll with me?"Thorn felt like he was drowning as he waited for Raeann's answer. He couldn't even turn around to see what her expression was like; he was that nervous. There were several seconds of silence where Thorn thought he might actually throw up. Then with the tiniest of voices, she replied, "I think I'd like that." Expelling a breath he didn't know he was holding, Thorn turned and let his eyes drink in her beauty. Raeann smiled softly, "April tells me that the thermal baths on the other side of the mountain are nice at this time of the morning?" And Thorn almost stumbled over his own tongue as he hastened to agree. Raeann held out her hand for him to grasp, and he did, almost shyly, shivering as the ever-present tingles made their way up his arms.For a time, they walked in silence, taking in the beautiful view of the sun coming up, as they slowly traversed fire mountain. Eventually, it flattened out near t