Ryder nodded, then shifted to his own human form. As he was arranging the wolves into teams, Hayden strode for the house. Mica greeted him at the door, armed with a kitchen knife. She glanced over at him, relief in her eyes, then headed outside to help Ryder. Hayden resisted the urge to grab her and kiss her.He let out a shaky breath, grounding himself, as he headed up the stairs. He stopped in his room for some clothes before heading to Echo’s room. The aura-demon possessing Echo was active in her circle of salt, trying to cross the barrier. When she saw him, a cruel smile twisted over her face.“How’s Mica? I do hope that she didn’t find herself caught up in a wolf fight. Such a weak little human wouldn’t stand much of a chance, after all.”Hayden ignored the obvious taunt. “What’s the name of your leader?”“Monroe.”“And your name?”“Echo.” That cruel smile was still in place.It was expected. No demon that Hayden ever met would admit to their own name. It made him wonder if they
MicaThe pack took the news of Monroe's possession by a demon reasonably well. At least, none of them went running around flailing their hands in the air, proclaiming they were all doomed. What they whispered to each other was another thing altogether, but Mica didn’t spare the worry about that possibility. For the time being, she focused on taking care of injuries.Once she was done, Mica sought Hayden out. He was with his team, plotting out their next course of action. Mica found a spot at the side of the room to sit and wait until they were done.Maverick shot her an uneasy glance but focused back on Hayden. It seemed to Mica he didn’t want her there, but until his Alpha was going to say something, he’d accept it. Hayden hadn’t paid much attention to her entrance into the room except to briefly glance at her. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said finally. “Tomorrow, we’ll start training the pack on how to fight the beast-demons. Until they’re ready to fight, we’ll have to keep the
Mica didn’t want this to end. She never wanted it to end. And if that meant holding her questions inside and refusing to let any of them out? That’s just what it would have to be.She wasn’t going to give Hayden up. Now that she had him, she wanted to keep him. So she held him tighter, fighting against the pressure building through her. Instead, she kissed him, the way he wanted. And their eyes remained locked open on each other as they continued the dance as old as time.***Chirping birds just outside of the window woke Mica in the early morning. She sleepily buried her face into Hayden’s chest, unwilling to get up just yet. Their naked bodies pressed together, soft and warm in the cool morning. Being in Hayden’s arms always made her feel safe and secure. His strength seemed to seep into her, giving her everything she needed to face their situation.The previous night’s activities had kept them up quite late. Mica hoped she wouldn’t be too tired to perform her duties today. Not that
HaydenThe scent of tilled earth met Hayden’s nostrils as he drove through the town. The team was spread through a handful of vehicles, each one keeping watch. They had just escorted the cargo van to and from the city for the latest shopping trip. Last time, Spencer had attempted to stop them from leaving.This time, they had barely seen a sign of any other wolf in the town. It seemed as though Monroe was keeping them busy elsewhere. This was why, along with food, Hayden bought a handful of camera drones from the city. Patience was a virtue, but sitting idly by without finding any additional information was a flaw that could easily prove fatal.He pulled to a stop in front of Monroe’s house and got out of the car, leaving the engine idling. The team all hopped out of their vehicles and gathered in formation around him.“Monroe,” Hayden bellowed. “Quit hiding and face me!”The door slammed open, but it wasn’t the possessed Alpha who came out. Instead, it was Spencer. He walked with a s
Prologue Anna They came without warning. As I glanced out the window, lightning streaked across the dark, furious sky revealing half a dozen silhouettes just a few feet from the window. Before the sky darkened again, they were in the hut. My father grabbed me and hurled me toward them like a bowling ball before shifting into his wolf form and breaking through the back door. Two bodies went down under me. Shock turned to immobilizing fear. Something pulled me back up. “Hold her.” Those were the only two words spoken, but the sound of his voice caught my attention. Confused, I snapped my head around, but he was already a wolf. Melting into the darkness, he was just a blur as he went after my father. They dragged me outside. Rain pelted the ground, and I slipped on the mud. It wasn’t a move to escape, but I was punished for it. Claws pushed me to my back and raked down my shoulder before resting against my neck. I stared into the dark eyes of the wolf and understood that th
Anna Three years later It was the third time in an hour that Danny’s hands accidentally brushed across my ass. There was no point in glaring at him or pushing his hand away. He’d just give me a sleazy grin and mouth sorry. It was just a show for the customers, or at least those customers who didn’t know who I was. When we were alone, he didn’t even bother with the fake apology. He didn’t have to apologize to me. I didn’t deserve it. So I ignored him as I pulled the wine out of the cooler beneath the bar and smiled at the customer in front of me. “Our chicken caprese sliders would go great with this wine,” I said as I pulled the cork. After pouring his glass, I nudge the menu in front of him. “Caprese, huh,” he grunted as he eyed me, the gleam of his wolf front and center. I didn’t need my own wolf to tell me that he was more powerful than me. Everyone was more powerful than me, but he wouldn’t touch me. This wasn’t his territory, and he had no idea who I was. Shifter pol
Anna I sank as low as I could against the floor. Had I let my wolf out, she would have clawed through the floorboards, certain she wasn’t worthy of being on the same level as Jax. At his low laugh, my skin flushed with humiliation while my mind raced. For three years, I hadn’t seen him, and it wasn’t like he’d stopped by when I wasn’t at work. I lived above the bar. I was always here. I figured he’d just left me here to rot with the bar. Maybe part of me hoped that by making this bar profitable, I’d gain his attention. Prove that I could be a capable member of the pack. Nothing. Not a peep. It was obvious he couldn’t care less about me. Was he finally here to do what he should have done three years ago? What would happen if he’d decided to marry? It wasn’t common for wolves to marry someone else if they were mated, but it did happen. Would he need to kill me? Or maybe he’d figured out how to remove our mating bond. There was a witch attached to the clan. Maybe it was possi
Anna “You have to learn to trust me at some point.” The whisper in my ear heated my skin, and I tried not to wiggle against the body pressed to mine. I didn’t understand what he wanted. “You. I want you.” And he could always read my thoughts. Damn irritating. His low chuckle filled the darkness as his hand slid over my belly. I was naked. I was always naked, floating in the nothingness, and he was always here. A dream. Just a dream, except I wasn’t asleep. Not always. Not this time. “It’s hard to see you and not touch you. To see you and know that you won’t let me hold you.” Let him? Nobody let Jax do anything. If he wanted to hold me, he would. And that’s how I knew it wasn’t real. This was just the mate I wanted. The hero. The one who would listen and understand. That was not the real Jax Bishop. “Are you wet, baby? Let me see.” I never stopped him. Never wanted to stop him. My body never reacted this way to anyone, and what was the harm? Instead, I turned to
HaydenThe scent of tilled earth met Hayden’s nostrils as he drove through the town. The team was spread through a handful of vehicles, each one keeping watch. They had just escorted the cargo van to and from the city for the latest shopping trip. Last time, Spencer had attempted to stop them from leaving.This time, they had barely seen a sign of any other wolf in the town. It seemed as though Monroe was keeping them busy elsewhere. This was why, along with food, Hayden bought a handful of camera drones from the city. Patience was a virtue, but sitting idly by without finding any additional information was a flaw that could easily prove fatal.He pulled to a stop in front of Monroe’s house and got out of the car, leaving the engine idling. The team all hopped out of their vehicles and gathered in formation around him.“Monroe,” Hayden bellowed. “Quit hiding and face me!”The door slammed open, but it wasn’t the possessed Alpha who came out. Instead, it was Spencer. He walked with a s
Mica didn’t want this to end. She never wanted it to end. And if that meant holding her questions inside and refusing to let any of them out? That’s just what it would have to be.She wasn’t going to give Hayden up. Now that she had him, she wanted to keep him. So she held him tighter, fighting against the pressure building through her. Instead, she kissed him, the way he wanted. And their eyes remained locked open on each other as they continued the dance as old as time.***Chirping birds just outside of the window woke Mica in the early morning. She sleepily buried her face into Hayden’s chest, unwilling to get up just yet. Their naked bodies pressed together, soft and warm in the cool morning. Being in Hayden’s arms always made her feel safe and secure. His strength seemed to seep into her, giving her everything she needed to face their situation.The previous night’s activities had kept them up quite late. Mica hoped she wouldn’t be too tired to perform her duties today. Not that
MicaThe pack took the news of Monroe's possession by a demon reasonably well. At least, none of them went running around flailing their hands in the air, proclaiming they were all doomed. What they whispered to each other was another thing altogether, but Mica didn’t spare the worry about that possibility. For the time being, she focused on taking care of injuries.Once she was done, Mica sought Hayden out. He was with his team, plotting out their next course of action. Mica found a spot at the side of the room to sit and wait until they were done.Maverick shot her an uneasy glance but focused back on Hayden. It seemed to Mica he didn’t want her there, but until his Alpha was going to say something, he’d accept it. Hayden hadn’t paid much attention to her entrance into the room except to briefly glance at her. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said finally. “Tomorrow, we’ll start training the pack on how to fight the beast-demons. Until they’re ready to fight, we’ll have to keep the
Ryder nodded, then shifted to his own human form. As he was arranging the wolves into teams, Hayden strode for the house. Mica greeted him at the door, armed with a kitchen knife. She glanced over at him, relief in her eyes, then headed outside to help Ryder. Hayden resisted the urge to grab her and kiss her.He let out a shaky breath, grounding himself, as he headed up the stairs. He stopped in his room for some clothes before heading to Echo’s room. The aura-demon possessing Echo was active in her circle of salt, trying to cross the barrier. When she saw him, a cruel smile twisted over her face.“How’s Mica? I do hope that she didn’t find herself caught up in a wolf fight. Such a weak little human wouldn’t stand much of a chance, after all.”Hayden ignored the obvious taunt. “What’s the name of your leader?”“Monroe.”“And your name?”“Echo.” That cruel smile was still in place.It was expected. No demon that Hayden ever met would admit to their own name. It made him wonder if they
HaydenAt the first howl, Hayden rushed to meet the attackers. He leaped from an upper window, exploding into his wolf form as he did so. Spencer howled again and charged over the fence at him. Hayden let out a howl of his own, rushing to meet him. They clashed head-on, fur and snarls flying through the air.Spencer lunged, his teeth white against his black fur. He feinted to the left, but Hayden anticipated his motion. He lightly leaped to the side and ducked, coming up at Spencer’s throat. Spencer clawed at his flank while the wolves of the pack clashed on every side.Pain burst through Hayden’s side as his teeth snapped just shy of Spencer’s jugular. Blood soaked through his fur. Spencer grabbed at his ruff, but Hayden twisted himself, rolling. He kicked all four feet into Spencer’s stomach, his claws ripping through fur. He flung Spencer through the air.Hayden jumped to his feet and took half a second to take stock of the others around him. His team was at the forefront of the fi
Mica smiled up at him, squeezing his arm. “And if they refuse to swear allegiance, they can’t stay. For now, though, I’m accepting them under my protection. Unless you wish for me to send them away, Alpha?”Hayden gave her a dirty look but jerked his chin toward the hastily built lean-to on the south side of the house. There were three such structures now. The south was for the unmated women, the north was for unmated men, and the west was for family groups. The special ops team all shared rooms inside the house now, too, with the other rooms holding any injured wolves.“You can keep them, for now,” Hayden said. “But see that you put them to work. I don’t want them causing us any trouble.”“Of course.” Mica bowed her head toward him, fighting back a smile.Unlike Monroe and his people, Hayden cared about the pack. He might say that he only returned because Ryder and the others from Bluebell Valley wanted to save the pack, but he did genuinely care. It reminded Mica so much of the Hayd
MicaMonroe sent someone to the house every day for the next few days, demanding Elin back. He even went so far as to send Elin’s father. Hayden refused every time, but only allowed one of them onto the property. Or, as Mica learned later, only one of them could come onto the property.Spencer, it seemed, had no demon influence on him, but many of Monroe’s people were possessed.Mica tried not to think about that. She tried not to think about her own mother under a demon's influence. The few times when she and Ryder ended up working together, Echo was a topic neither of them brought up. Mica couldn’t bring herself to ask. If Ryder said there was no way to save her, then the last bit of hope she clung to would shrivel up and disappear.“Mica, we’ve received three more women,” Tess told her one morning. “Clarissa, Monique, and Rachel.”“Really?” Mica reluctantly closed the laptop she’d been working at. “Spencer’s daughters?”Hayden had been up at the crack of dawn, and Mica had gotten u
Hayden chuckled, enjoying her demanding side. He pushed in until he was fully seated, groaning as her greedy heat sucked him in. Mica whimpered and Hayden rested his forehead against hers. He waited there, letting her adjust. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. She was the one that started moving first, rocking her hips back and forth to move him inside of her. Her eyes were at half-mast, her mouth slightly open. He swelled, his skin feeling too tight to contain him.She kissed him, panting into his mouth. Hayden started to move, slowly at first but with increasing momentum. Mica matched his rhythm, her hips thrusting upward. Soon, she was crying out every time they came together. Hayden gritted his teeth, fighting back on the pressure building inside of him. Hewould see her finish first. He was getting dangerously close, so he reached between them and stroked her clit again.“Hayden,” she cried out. A flush rose up her neck and face. Her back arched, and her mouth fell open.“That’s
Mica shivered. “But I’m fat.”“You are beautiful, Mica.” He ran his hand down her hip. “Your skin is soft and smooth. Your breasts are perfect. I want to get to know the rest of you.”He slid his hand between her legs and cupped her. She felt even better without the clothes between them. The heat of her sex radiated into his hand, already growing damp. He massaged her slightly, watching her reaction. The tension melted from her shoulders. Her head fell slightly back and she let out a soft moan.“You’re beautiful,” he repeated. “And I want you.”Mica turned back to him, letting her legs open for him. Her sea-green eyes didn’t leave his face.“I think that’s the first time someone didn’t say ‘You’re not fat, you’re beautiful’ even though I am… without a doubt—” She cut off, biting her lip.“Do you want to continue?” he asked.Mica nodded. “Yes.”Hayden waited a moment before adjusting his hold on her. He slid two fingers deeper, exploring her. They brushed over her entrance, already wet