Harlow"Come on, baby," I begged my 1972 Pontiac GTO. I peered around for a sign of civilization, but the last rest stop I'd seen was at least fifty miles back. It was dark in the New Mexico desert, and it was beginning to feel like mine was the only car on the highway. The squealing noise under the hood was only getting louder."Gnaw Bone – 4 miles" a bullethole-ridden sign read. In my twenty-one years, I'd never heard of a stranger town name, but it appeared to be my only saving grace at that moment."Just four more miles. You can do it." I tapped the steering wheel lovingly. But mere seconds later, the emergency battery light came on. "Crap." Then the car slowed despite my foot on the gas pedal. "Well, screw you, too," I sneered as I guided the car over to the side of the road and put it into park. "Please don't be the alternator," I said, even though that was where all signs pointed.With a huff, I turned the ignition off then tried restarting, but the car was dead. I flipped
HarlowI climbed behind Cyrus on his bike and caught sight of the MC insignia on the back of his leather vest. It said "Bone Hills Howlers" around the figure of a wolf howling in front of a full moon."I like your vest," I said."It's called a cut," he replied as he revved the engine. "Helmet," he reminded me."Safety first," I joked as I slid his helmet on.I leaned forward and grasped onto either side of his firm torso with my hands, breathing in a mixture of scents. Cologne and engine oil. Oddly comforting.Then we were off. Adrenaline rushed through me as we drove uphill and then sped down the other side. Each twist and turn of the road was exhilarating, and I found myself leaning into Cyrus with every bend in the road. We were soon at the outskirts of a small town."Welcome to Gnaw Bone, population 314," read a faded sign. The first building I saw was an old mechanic shop on the south side of the road. A bar with flashing neon lights sat directly across on the north.Wh
Cyrus"Get off of me!" Harlow's voice rang out from across the road. I'd just gotten her car into the garage and hooked up the OBD scanner. Peering out of the garage, I saw those two college-looking guys roughing her up and pulling at her clothes.It was all happening on Blood Dogs territory. Our paper-thin truce dictated that no one from either pack cross over for any reason. But I knew that the bar was so loud inside that no one would hear her. I had to do something. They were hurting her, and they were gonna do a lot worse.I didn't have time to weigh the pros and cons of breaking the truce. I saw red, and my body just took over. Before I knew it, I ran across the road and tore those motherf*ckers off of her.I could have just kicked the sh*t out of them and let them run away like the cowards they were. But guys like that didn't deserve second chances. The wolf inside me was begging to be set free, so I tore off my cut and let the beast come forward. Bones and muscles snapped
Harlow"Werewolves," I repeated Bonnie's last word. My gaze went from Red to Cyrus to Blayze and then to the dozen or so naked men and women standing around me as if this was just any other Sunday night.This wasn't happening. I must have gone completely insane. I winced as Bonnie put pressure on the wound on the back of my head."Werewolves," she said again. "But you've got nothing to worry about. We don't hurt anyone who's not a threat to us. You're not a threat to us, right?" She stepped back around into my field of vision.I shook my head vigorously. "I'm not. I'll get out of here and never come back. I won't tell anyone about this, I swear.""Not without a car, you won't," Cyrus said. "That'll take another day.""I can hitchhike.""Don't be silly," Bonnie said. "You've got a nasty gash on your head. You need stitches.""No!" I pleaded. "No doctors. No paperwork.""Relax," she said. "One of my guys can get you fixed up. You can stay on my couch tonight. My trailer's just b
Harlow"You wanna work for me?" Bonnie said over her cup of coffee."I'd offer to work it off over at the garage, but I get the feeling Blayze doesn't like me much.""Well, Blayze Rollins is a piece of sh*t, so don't take too much offense," she said. "You must have people. Someone you can call for help?"I shook my head. "I'm on my own. I find odd jobs here and there to feed myself and keep gas in the car."Bonnie contemplated my words for a moment, then finally said, "Red's been hounding me to get another bartender. Let's give it a try for a month. You can start tomorrow.""Thank you so much.""There's a vacancy a few trailers down, but it needs a lot of work done. I'll let you stay there for free if you can get it fixed up and ready for the next renter.""You own the trailer park, too?" I asked."Everything north of the highway for twenty square miles belongs to the Blood Dogs. What I say goes."She seemed to see the appreciation in my eyes. I was truly touched by the gestu
CyrusI knew Blayze would rip me a new one if he found out, but something in Harlow's big brown eyes made it hard to turn her down. I melted a little looking into them. So, I grabbed an extra helmet from the garage and tossed it her way. "Come on," I said as I straddled my bike. Grinning from ear to ear, Harlow put on the helmet and hopped on behind me. Her arms wrapping around me felt natural somehow. I started up the bike and headed west. We sped by the post office, the grocery store, the gas station, and the greasy diner, all of which were neutral territory between the Howlers and the Blood Dogs. I kept on going, and we passed the "Now leaving Gnaw Bone" sign."I thought you were going to show me around the town!" she said, just barely audible over the motor. "That's pretty much it," I replied. "I'm giving you the scenic tour." After a few miles, I went south on a dirt road toward the canyons. The Bone Hills. Soon we were winding uphill on a dirt road. The sun was getting
HarlowCyrus's lips met mine, and in an instant, a rush of desire overpowered my senses. I kissed him back, opening my mouth a little to let his tongue in. Our hands finally released one another, and I placed both of my hands at his jaw. He grabbed my hips, and soon I was straddling him.I pulled away for a second. "I assume this is against the rules?"He responded by pulling me back to him, kissing me harder. Adrenaline swept through me. I let out a soft moan as his rough hands traveled under my jacket to the bare skin on the small of my back. I quickly removed my jacket and pushed his chest back so that he reclined on the ground. As the sun set, a cool breeze sent shivers up my spine, so I pressed into his body for warmth. My hands soon found their way underneath his shirt, and my finger traced over every muscular crevice they could find. Another moan escaped from my mouth as his lips made their way to my neck. When he reached my ear, he whispered, "Tell me you're real." I lau
Cyrus"What the hell are you doing here?" Harlow grabbed me by my cut and pulled me into the trailer. Somehow, she was more beautiful than I remembered.I extended the flowers. "Happy housewarming," I said. I noticed the switchblade in her hand. "You gonna cut me?"Despite her worried expression, she softened. "If I have to," she said, playfully setting it down by the sink before taking the flowers. "Thank you.""I also brought you a few leftovers. Didn't know if you had groceries yet." I took the bag full of food Blayze's mom had given me off my shoulder and handed it over. She looked inside. "A few? There's a Thanksgiving feast in here!""Werewolves eat a lot," I said. I'd forgotten that humans don't need as many calories."You shouldn't have done this," Harlow said."I always get sent home with food.""No, I mean, you shouldn't have come here!" She pulled me toward the hallway, away from the windows. "I don't even have curtains on the windows yet!"Regardless, I went i
CyrusEveryone else in the bar parking lot looked as shocked as I was. Madoc was still alive. But how?I pulled Harlow close to me. To my disappointment, she looked relieved to see him."Now, I know what you're thinking," the vampire said, from the middle of the road. "Where did he get a new suit on such short notice? Spoiler. I got it at Mega Mart. I also picked up a toolset for only ten dollars—""That's it!" Blayze roared as he threw down his cut, shifted, and charged the vampire.He slammed into Madoc, knocking him to the ground, but in seconds. Madoc was on his feet again, seemingly unfazed. The Alpha attacked again, this time snapping at him with his jaws, but to everyone's surprise, all he got was air as Madoc rushed out of the way and reappeared several yards away.There were gasps from all around at how fast Madoc moved."Look, I just want to talk," the vampire said. Undeterred, Blayze rushed toward him, but again, Madoc evaded his assault."Honestly, I just want to ha
CyrusI held Harlow while she fell asleep. The sun had come up, and she'd be unconscious for a while after being bitten."I love you, baby," I whispered in her ear and kissed her mating mark. It was bruised, and the heat from the bite was quickly spreading to the rest of her body.Soon she'd have a fever. Then would come the pain of her human body being overtaken by the bite—a pain no one who was born a werewolf had to endure. Sure, the first few shifts were uncomfortable for born wolves, but what Harlow would be going through was an entire transformation; her DNA was rewriting itself.Hours went by before she finally began to stir. By that time, she was feverish, and it would continue to climb. Werewolves run hot."Hey," I said, helping her sit up. "How're you feeling?" I took the cap off a bottle of water and gave it to her with a straw."Ok so far," she said before drinking, then motioned for me to get into the bed with her, which I did. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed
HarlowAfter we pulled up to Cyrus's house on his bike, he picked me up and carried me inside. It made me think of the first time he'd done that before we'd made love. Turning on the living room lamp, he sat me down on the couch and planted a kiss on my lips."Wait here a minute," he whispered, and he headed into the bedroom.I was becoming nervous. I'd have been lying if I said I wasn't, but I was also excited for what was to come. I would be like Cyrus and the rest of the pack members soon. If everything went right… It had to. Cyrus was going to be my mate, and it felt impossible that our love couldn't withstand my first shift. It made me feel invincible.Regardless of how sure I felt, my knees were shaking. I placed my hand on my neck, where my mating mark would be."Oh, God," I muttered. My pulse quickened, and I tried to force myself to keep my breathing steady. My mating mark… This was really happening.Then I felt Cyrus's familiar touch on my arm, and it had an immediate c
Harlow"You…want to mark me?" I asked, astonished."You mean so much to me, Harlow," Cyrus said, pulling me in close. "If you still want me to—""YES!" I blurted louder than intended. In an instant, our lips were locked in the sweetest embrace.We spent the next several hours there just holding one another. Cyrus and I sat wrapped in each other's arms overlooking Gnaw Bone from up high in our spot. Knowing how seriously he'd thought about marking me made it all the more special, but a text from Bonnie eventually brought me back down to earth.It read, "Can you come to the bar? It's important."I hated that we had to leave, but I did as requested. We rode our bikes back to Gnaw Bone side by side as the sun went down. When we arrived, Cyrus and I walked into the bar, where Bonnie and the rest of the Blood Dogs officers were waiting for me."Hey, Harlow," Bonnie said. "I know that was hard for you today, but we couldn't—""Mind control," I interrupted. "You couldn't risk me spi
HarlowI was relieved when we drove back into Gnaw Bone. All I wanted was to go back home with Cyrus, take a hot shower, and crash. I still couldn't believe the crazy stunt I'd pulled to get my car back, but I was pretty proud of it.I parked my car outside the garage, and everyone else got off their bikes. Remy and Leon stepped out of the SUV parked around the back and came to watch us unload.But instead, Butch and Shorty quickly took both of Madoc's familiars into chokeholds."What are you doing?!" I asked, confused."I'm sorry," Cyrus said. "I couldn't tell you in case Madoc forced you to spill information.""You couldn't tell me what?""We're not handing the smack over to Madoc," Bonnie said as everyone else began unloading a small mountain of heroin behind the garage. "We've gotta show Sunrise Corp that we won't be their foot soldiers."I didn't know what to say. I got why everyone thought they had to keep it from me, but it didn't make me feel any better, being left in t
HarlowSitting in the Mega Mart parking lot, I watched the heist unfold in the reflection of my rearview mirror. I'd parked near the gated entrance that led to the loading dock. It was surrounded by a chain-link fence where I could see several Seventh Circle members pacing near five semi-trucks.Bonnie, Blayze, and Gunner kept watch from the adjacent parking lot so their bikes wouldn't draw attention. Stella and Stitch, on the other hand, were already inside working undercover as dutiful Mega Mart employees. And for the next fifteen minutes, everyone else took turns walking inside and getting into position.Tank was the first to go inside, followed by Shorty, then Butch. They all definitely blended in with the rest of Mega Mart's typical clientele, wearing things like cargo pants and T-shirts with stupid phrases on them.Goldie and Wyatt went in together. From the moment they stepped out of their van, they assumed the role of a bombastic couple and pretended to bicker as they made
Harlow"You're..." I couldn't believe what Bonnie had just told me."Keep it to yourself," she said. "No one else knows."I didn't dare ask who the father was, but I had a pretty good idea.At that moment, Blayze walked into the bar."Hey," he said, "Bonnie, we have a last-minute addition to the security squad. Cyrus told me Seventh Circle's got five escorts on the trucks. He wants to add Butch and Shorty. Cool with you?""That's fine," she said, not meeting his eye."What was it you wanted to talk about this morning?" he asked."Nothing," she replied. "Let's just focus on getting through tomorrow for now."Ok, I knew who the father was."You sure?"I felt really uncomfortable between the two of them."Yeah," Bonnie insisted. "Don't worry about it."I spent the rest of the day thinking about what Bonnie must have been going through. But it also got me thinking about Cyrus and me and our future together. I didn't know if he wanted kids, but I'd always thought that I would e
BlayzeI woke up to someone knocking on my front door. The two sweet butts in my bed both groaned as I climbed over their naked bodies to get my boxers. Looking at my phone, I saw that it was about 7:00 AM. I went to sleep only three hours before."Better be f*cking important," I mumbled. I nearly tripped over my underwear, pulling them on as I made my way for the front door. "What!" I demanded when I swung it open, which I immediately regretted when I saw my mother's face."Good mornin' to you, too, Sunshine," my mom said as she waltzed past me and toward the kitchen. "Ugh, Blayze," she said disapprovingly. "It smells like cigarettes and a** in here. I brought leftovers."I rolled my eyes as I closed the door. But the truth was, I appreciated my mom making sure my fridge was stocked with her home-cooked food. Unlike Cyrus, I'd never let her teach me how to cook. My dad had always said cooking was women's work, and I'd, unfortunately, listened to him. Now I pretty much relied on my
Harlow"Get your hands off her!" Cyrus's voice boomed from the bottom of the cellar stairs. Within seconds, he shifted and charged forward as Madoc released me and put his hands up."Woah, woah! I just gave Harlow her birthday gift. That's all," Madoc said.Cyrus didn't listen. Before I knew it, Madoc was on the floor, and Cyrus was on top of him."Cyrus, stop!" I cried. "He wasn't doing anything to hurt me!"Cyrus now had Madoc's mangled wrist in his mouth. He looked over his shoulder at me with his wolf eyes and let out a low growl."Please, let him go," I begged.He released Madoc and slowly shifted back."What was he making you do?" he asked as he picked his cut up off the floor."He wasn't making me do anything!" I shouted angrily. "I was just hugging him to thank him for my gift.""Why are you crying?" Cyrus asked, gesturing to my tears.I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Madoc set up a call with my dad. That's all. I haven't so much as heard his voice in years. I'm ju