Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Wolf Bite “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” I stare at the eviction notice taped to the front door of my apartment. Jabbing my key into the lock, I wiggle the doorknob. It doesn’t budge. My heart sinks into my stomach. I might be a little late on my rent, but I have the damn check in my purse. If I hadn’t had to work the late shift at the twenty-four-hour gym up the road with a new client, I’d have had it through Mr. Remington’s mail slot already. Sighing, I spin on my feet and stomp down the few steps to the walkway wrapping around the four-building complex. I don’t give a shit if it’s past one in the morning. I’m only a couple of days late. The asshole landlord can’t possibly think I’m just going to sleep in my car all night until I can meet with him in the morning. “Uh-oh. Ms. Prissy looks pissed.” The masculine voice comes from one of the assholes in apartment four. “Mind your damn business, dickwad,” I snap, flipping him off. He laughs and flicks a cigarette in my direction. It lands on the ground a foot in front of me, barely missing me. In normal circumstances, I’d pick the butt up and threaten to shove it down the douche’s throat, but I’m tired as hell and in no mood to start a fight that might end with me in the back of a patrol car. His door slams, not even giving me a chance to call him another name. The soft light from his balcony turns off. The world dims around me with only the bright full moon overhead to illuminate the pathway. If it were cloudy, I’d be a bit more nervous about strolling through my crappy complex this late at night. Mr. Remington can’t even bother to replace the four burnt out bulbs of the lampposts, yet he can replace my lock. Shit. Anger burns through me, and I pick up my pace and jog to the corner building instead of cutting through the courtyard. I’d prefer to avoid the jerks in apartment seven as well, since I can hear their music from here. I don’t have the best neighbors, nor do I live in luxury, but I make it okay. Well, until tonight. Stopping at the corner building with Mr. Remington’s apartment, I inhale a few deep breaths to get my rage under control. I clear my throat and practice my Customer Service and Saleswoman Smile, as I like to call it, which has made me the number two personal trainer at Ripped Fitness. I’d be number one, but damn it. Caz Meadowview is hot, bulging with muscles, and a total showoff. I think people come into our gym instead of the chain one across town for that reason. I know I might. The soft hum of Mr. Remington’s TV filters through the screen of his open sliding door. Blue light glows along the walkway, and my stomach bunches with nerves. Fear trickles over me the closer I get. I’m not one to freak out but hell. I haven’t felt this bad since one of Dad’s clients banged on our door and hauled him away. If Dad hadn’t seen the assholes coming and managed to get me to our car, they would’ve taken me too. I thought my life was over then with no one else to turn to, but Dad had some savings in case his past caught up with him. He mostly kept me out of his business, but I always knew something dark hid behind the façade of his supposed fight gym. My knowledge of his gym was the only reason I ended up where I am—the coastal town of Evergreen Beach—with a job and apartment, teaching Krav Maga a couple times a week while working with a few wealthy men and women who live in huge mansions in Sunset Cove. Mr. Remington coughs, drawing my attention away from the bright moon overhead. I love the night and everything it brings. The quiet. The endless stars. What feels like safety as I shroud myself in darkness. I gather my nerve and stride the few feet to Mr. Remington’s front door. Rapping my hand on the flimsy wood, I wait for the old man to get up from his recliner. He doesn’t even bother to look in my direction, though I know he knows I’m here. The slider on his porch, only separated from the walkway by a short, white fence, doesn’t exactly provide privacy. Banging my hand to the door again, I say, “Mr. Remington, I can see you.” It’s enough to get him to shift up to look at me from in front of the TV. Lowering his brows, he scowls. His heated glare only sets me off. “You locked me out of my apartment,” I add when he’s not quick to respond. “You can’t do that. I’m only a couple days late, and you never gave me a notice.” His glower deepens, and he pushes up from his recliner. Without a word, he disappears down the hallway. The bedroom light casts a soft glow over his dingy brown carpet, and I step over his porch fence, preparing to enter his home uninvited. I won’t let him ignore me. I hook my fingers to the screen door, steeling myself to confront the old man. He pokes his head from the doorway and waves a paper at me. “I gave you plenty of notice, Ms. Larson. And you’re not only a few days late. You missed last month’s rent too.” I blink in confusion, narrowing my eyes at the papers in his hand like I could read them from here. He takes his time closing the distance and holds up a formal eviction document from the county courthouse. What. The. Fuck. Annoyance washes over me, and I jerk the screen door open. I snatch the papers from his hand. They look official, but there is no way they can be. I paid my rent last month. I put it in the front office mail slot like I have been doing for the previous six months. “You’ve had plenty of time, Ms. Larson. I left a notice with your knucklehead boyfriend, went out of my way to drop one off at Ripped as well. I even mailed you a damn letter and have posted the notice on your door four times. Since you didn’t contest to the courts, it’s in my right to lock you out now,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. I inhale a few small breaths, blinking my eyes like crazy to get them to stop watering. “You’re lying.” He releases an exasperated gasp. “This is the proof.” “But I don’t have a boyfriend. I never got the letter, and tonight was the first time that I’ve seen the notice. I paid last month on time. I can prove it. I have my cashier’s check receipt.” I rush to dig through my purse and tug out the white envelope from the bank. “I have this month’s rent right here too.” Mr. Remington’s jaw shifts and cracks as he stares at the envelope. “You still need to pay last month’s.” “I did!” My voice rings through the air. The old man waves me toward the door. “I’m sorry, Ms. Larson. You can take it up with the courts. You don’t pay, then you don’t stay.” My heart sinks into my stomach. “Can you at least let me into my apartment to grab a few things?” “It’s almost two. You can wait until the morning.” I knew Mr. Remington was a dick, but damn him if he’s not the worst person in the world right now. Lazy ass. Clenching my fingers, I consider knocking some sense into him for all of a second, but laughter behind me stops me from doing something stupid. I shift on my feet and peer over my shoulder at the assholes from apartment seven. Why the hell are all the jerks out so late? I meet the gaze of the blond guy, and he winks at me. I swivel back to Mr. Remington. “Please.” I’m not against groveling. It’s how I ended up at Ripped Fitness...apart from beating Zed, the owner, in a fighting match to prove my skillset. Mr. Remington shakes his head. “I’d have to go to the office and grab the keys. You can wait. Office hours start at ten.” I snap, my anger getting the best of me. “You fucking asshole! What do you expect me to do? You locked me out. I have nowhere to go!” My voice rises with my yells. “Get out,” Mr. Remington says. “No.” My muscles tense. “I was not late with rent. You’re lying about the notices. Now get your damn shoes on. I’ll carry you to the office if I have to.” A knock on the door drags my glare from Mr. Remington to the asshole from apartment seven. He stands a few feet away from the door with his arms crossed over his chest, a cocky smile playing on his lips. “Hey, Martin. Is there a problem?” he asks. Martin? Why the hell does this guy get to call Remington by his first name? Mr. Remington blew up the first and only time I did, exclaiming how disrespectful I was being. Mr. Remington nods his head. “Ms. Larson doesn’t understand the concept of paying rent.” Releasing an annoyed sigh, I throw the eviction documents at Mr. Remington and stomp toward the screen door. I knock it off the track as I thrust it open. I know I must look psychotic, because even the asshole in seven steps back a few feet when I glower. Strutting past him, I ignore his gaze and quicken my pace. If Mr. Remington doesn’t open my damn apartment, then I’ll do it myself. Because screw him. Footsteps clomp behind me, and I peer over my shoulder at the asshole from seven jogging after me. He doesn’t get within a few feet of me. I twist and kick my leg out, sweeping his feet out from under him. He lands on his back with a huff, dropping a few swear words. “You don’t chase after a woman in the middle of the night,” I say, putting space between us. The guy scrambles to his feet. “You bitch. I was just coming after you to offer you my couch for the night, but never-fucking-mind, you psycho.” I close my eyes and relax my shoulders. “I’m sorry. I’m a bit on edge. I wasn’t expecting to come home to a locked apartment after having to work overtime.” He dusts off his jeans and glances behind him. “How could you not know? I’ve seen the notice on your door for weeks.” “What?” I ask. “My parking spot is near your door. Ask anyone around here. I bet they saw it too.” He peers past me. “Give the old man a break. He could’ve had you out sooner.” I groan under my breath. He’s a fucking liar. I bet Mr. Remington gave him a discount on rent or some shit. I know there is a waitlist on our complex, and Mr. Remington wants to raise the rent for new tenants. He’s mad that I called him out on trying to raise my rent more than he was allowed to without the proper notice. “Now, do you want somewhere to crash tonight or not?” the guy adds. A huge part of me screams that I’d be better off sleeping in my car, but the exhausted part of me thinks I’d be better off on his couch. At least a bit safer. Sighing, I nod my head. “Yeah. That would be nice.” I lick my lips. “And I’m sorry for snapping. It’s just—this fucking sucks.” He smirks at me. “Not for me. I finally got the chance to talk to the infamous Ms. Prissy. You’re exactly how I imagined.” I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing, so all I do is shrug. “So are you.” He laughs and holds out his hand. “Come on. My friends should all be heading out.” Instead of accepting his proffered hand, I cross my arms and start walking in the direction of his apartment. He follows beside me, keeping my brisk pace. A shadow crosses the path up ahead, disappearing behind the corner of the building. A blip of fear trickles through me, the same fear that stole my attention outside Mr. Remington’s. Laughter sounds through the air, and a few guys step out from another apartment, one I swore an old lady and her cat lived in. I stop in my tracks at their sudden attention on me. One of the guys lifts his hand and waves at us. “Hey, Todd. Who’s the bitch?” The guy with black eyes breaks away from his friends. Something about him freaks me out. He smells strange too. Like cigarettes and garlic. “Obviously not your girlfriend. She’s way too hot for you.” It takes a second to register with me that the asshole from seven’s name is Todd. If he knows these guys, then I must’ve been mistaken about the lady. “This is...” “Lyric,” I say, bracing myself for the oncoming comments and pickup lines about my name. I get it every time. My dad chose my name to go with my mom’s name, Melody, because together, we were his life’s song or something like that. He definitely always explained it better. “I live—lived—in apartment twelve.” “She’s stay—” The guy swings out his arm and sucker punches Todd in the nose, sending him stumbling back. Shock freezes me in place for only a second. Positioning my foot forward, I get into my fighting stance, raising my hands in preparation. The guy might be bigger than me, but he obviously doesn’t know how to fight. He leaves himself wide open. “Grab her. We’re running out of time. They’re already here for her,” the guy says, motioning to his friends. “She’s the one.” Oh no I’m fucking not. One of the guys rushes me, and I swivel and strike him with my elbow in his sternum. It knocks him back into the third guy. Instead of fighting, I turn around. Running is the better option with the three of them against just me. I dart in the direction of my apartment, where my car is parked. None of the guys follow me, their footsteps sounding like they decide to run in the opposite direction. It doesn’t slow me down though. The fear gripping my chest grows more intense, and all I can think about is getting the hell out of here. I don’t have proof, but I’m starting to think I’ve been set up. Someone has obviously been messing with my life. I know I paid my rent and someone must have stolen it. Maybe the mysterious boyfriend Mr. Remington claims he gave a notice to. Maybe the same fucker intercepted the other eviction notices. I wasn’t even supposed to work today, but I was called in because of the new client. A howl rips through the night, the noise startling me. My arm hairs stand on end, the familiar sound digging a memory free. Growing up, we lived near the woods. Dad claimed the commotion at night belonged to coyotes, but I always thought he was mistaken and it was wolves. I never saw them though and had only occasionally heard them. But I haven’t since moving here. Until now. I pick up my pace until I reach my old Toyota, the paint faded with the peeling top coat. Spinning around, I press my back to the cold door and dig through my purse, searching for my keys. “Lyric Larson,” a man says, his throaty voice cutting through the air. It’s the asshole who punched Todd. The creep with the black eyes. “You’ve been a helluva hard bitch to find.” Dread tightens my chest. “Stay the hell back.” He doesn’t stop, but he slows down. “You’re exactly how they described you. Pretty little thing, aren’t you?” Oh, shit. Thrusting my bag out, I whack the man in the face. He releases a deep rumble—almost like a growl—from his throat and charges me. I spin on the ball of my foot and heel kick him in the side of the head faster than he can react. He stumbles but doesn’t fall, but it’s enough to give me an opening. I dart around my car and release a loud scream, hoping to wake up the entire complex. A figure jumps from the shadow of the far building and waves two arms into the air. “Number twelve! Over here. We gotta go. Levi sent me to help you.” Levi? My heart thrashes at the mention of my dad’s name. How the hell does this guy know it? What if it’s a trick? “He asked me to take you home. Your family has been waiting.” The guy motions for me to hurry to him. “They’re upset that you guys ran away.” I slow down at his words. We didn’t run away. Why would this guy say that? I don’t get a chance to react because a large black dog—no, a fucking huge wolf—launches in my direction. The guy charges the wolf and tackles it. The two roll a few times until the wolf pins him and snarls in the guy’s face. The guy grabs the wolf’s scruff and throws him off. “You idiot! You’re going to scare her. She doesn’t know.” I spin around and run in the other direction. I mean, come the hell on. Did Caz drug the doughnuts he brought in with him? I ate one on the car ride home. Maybe I’m tripping out. I wouldn’t put it past the guy to do something dumb like that without telling me. Growls reverberate through my bones, coming from my back. I lose focus, terrified that I’m about to get mauled at any second. I don’t see the man until it’s too late. He swings his arm out and I crash into it, winding myself. Landing on my back, I heave a breath that doesn’t come. The edges of my vision darken. I open and close my mouth to scream, but the sound refuses to escape. “I should’ve known your daddy lied about you. If you don’t fight, we won’t have a problem,” the guy says, peering down at me. His eyes flash impossibly red, stealing every ounce of strength from me. He’s different. Taller. His skin ripples, and I blink my eyes to make it stop. It doesn’t. “I’ll make this as quick and painless as possible.” Surely by “this” he doesn’t mean what I think he means. But then he pulls out a silver blade. Grabbing my wrists, the man hauls me to my feet. I take advantage of our close position and jerk my knee up, hitting him in the groin. He yowls and shoves me away from him, but I don’t stay on the ground long. Somersaulting to my feet, I hop up and run again. The man shouts my name, his angry voice pushing me to move faster. I decide to run toward the road instead of back into my complex. I need to get out of here. If I can get to the trees, I might be able to hide until morning. I can go to the cops. I can figure this all out. Strange, guttural noises continue to sound through the air around me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think a pack of wolves decided to move into my apartment complex. I still can’t believe what I saw. Who was that other guy? How did he know my dad? What the hell is all of this about? What the hell has my dad done? I thought he owed some sort of debt or something. It wouldn’t be unlike him to bet on a fight. A million questions swirl through my mind, and I do my best to push them away. If I don’t focus, I’ll get caught. I’ll mess up and bring that terrifying asshole to me, and I’m not sure I could take him or the guys I think he’s with. I’ve only ever practiced Krav Maga in a formal setting. I never really had to face the idea that I could get hurt or that I’d actually need it in the real world. I still get a little annoyed thinking about how my dad refused to let me join a dance class at the ballet studio next to his gym and instead insisted I participate in all of the classes he had to offer. Now I know why. The flash of headlights illuminates the dark road leading to the middle of town. A car speeds by without stopping, and I charge toward the forest of trees that obscure the view of the ocean. It’s why I live where I do. I can barely afford Mr. Remington’s rent. There would be no possible way I could live somewhere with a breathtaking view. I bolt between two trees and cut around another to hide behind. I can’t hear much apart from my heart pounding in my head. Taking a few deep breaths, I get my shit together. As long as none of the bastards saw me, I should be fine. A low growl, followed by a strange whimper, sounds from behind me. I swivel on the balls of my feet and catch sight of a white wolf with a bloody muzzle. Its golden eyes reflect the soft light of the moon trickling through the sparse branches of the late winter trees. I shiver, despite sweating. I’ve never seen a wolf this close. I know I should be terrified. I should look for something to protect myself with. But the wolf’s ears perk up and it slows down to sit back on its haunches. And then it darts away. I clutch my chest, my body on the verge of giving out. It takes everything in me to get my feet to work, and I trudge through the soft ground deeper into the forest. Fifty feet. One hundred. I count each of my steps, paying attention to the direction the trees cast shadows from the moonlight as it moves across the sky behind me. Peering around, I search my surroundings once more before sitting on the ground. I curl my knees to my chest and hang my head. It’s too dark to see anything, so I listen and pray, hoping that morning comes quickly. “Lyric! I know you’re here. Just come out already.” The rumbling voice cuts through the quiet night, the voice different than the man who attacked me by my car. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Who the hell are these guys? Why won’t these assholes give up? “We’re running out of time,” he adds. “You’re going to die out here if you stay.” Hunching lower, I shrink as small as possible to assure no one sees me in my spot. The assholes clomping footsteps fade after a few minutes. I blow out a breath and push to my feet. If he’s searching the forest now, I don’t think he’ll give up. I can’t stay here. Something rustles nearby, sending another wave of panic through me. I don’t even have time to react before the white wolf appears in front of me and plows me over. Heavy paws smash into my chest, pinning me to the dirt. This sucker is huge. I can’t stop the scream ripping from my throat. All I see are golden eyes and fangs, a bloody muzzle and black nose. Several howls echo through the night. More rustling. The white wolf locks his teeth to the front of my shirt and drags me a few feet. I grip the fur on his chest, trying to get the animal to let me go. A nearby howl gets the wolf to drop me, and he lunges at the black wolf, which might be the same one that attacked the guy who mentioned my dad’s name. Snarling, the two wolves pace in a circle with me in the middle. I dig my hands into the ground and scoop up dirt, hoping to slow the wolves down enough that they don’t tear me apart in a fight between them. They growl and bare their fangs, their frothy jowls glistening in the moonlight. The black wolf barks a few times and bolts away into the night. I release a breath but remain on the ground. The white wolf pads its way closer and sits in front of me before lying down. I stare in fear and awe, unable to take my gaze away. Something draws me to this magnificent animal as it remains unfazed under my scrutiny. If only it didn’t stand back up. Or bare its teeth. I don’t have a chance to react to the wolf launching at me. Holding my hands up to protect my face, I brace to get ripped to shreds. The wolf growls, the deep noise cutting through me. It sniffs my fingers before licking the back of my hand. And then the cute sucker bites me, sinking his teeth into the side of my hand, under my thumb. “Lyric, run.” The masculine voice swirls through my mind. “Run, now.” The ground shakes, and I scramble to get to my feet. Something explodes in the trees a dozen feet away, sending dirt and branches raining through the forest. The man from my apartment complex emerges through the trees, a strange red light glowing in his eyes. Fire ignites between the palms of his hands. “Lyric, go!” The voice echoes through my mind again, kicking my ass into action. I jump to my feet and rush away seconds before the spot I was sitting in explodes in flames. Something smashes into my back, knocking me forward. Howls echo through the air as I tumble down a steep ravine. Falling off a small cliff, I land headfirst into glowing water.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Lunar Crest “SHIT!” I SCREAM, MY head breaking through the surface. Icy air burns my lungs, and I thrash, trying to orient myself. Only seconds ago, I was sure the river would swallow me into its depths. I don’t even remember flipping around to kick to the surface. Water blurs my vision, and I kick my legs and let the river carry me a few feet as I wipe my eyes. A wolf howl sounds through the air. Then another and another. I spin and glance toward the shore to spot a dozen wolves watching me swim the best I can toward shore. “Over here, Ma Belle,” a sultry, masculine voice says. “The rocks block the current. Don’t make me dive back in to catch you. The water’s freezing.” The guy is crazy if he thinks I’m going to swim to him. I did not just run from some strange monster man to trust anyone. The second the image with the man with his red eyes and fiery hands flits through my mind, I sink back underwater. Something hot grabs my ankle, dragging me down. I thrash and scream, getting a mouthful of water. Panic rushes through me. “Damn it, Ma Belle,” the guy from shore says. My eyes widen, hearing his voice in my mind. Warm hands lock around my wrist, yanking me up and out of the water. I fly through the air and screech, kicking my legs. My back slams into the pebbly shore, and I struggle to get back up. A wolf jumps over my head and pounces on top of a figure emerging from the water. Glowing red eyes meet mine. The monster man from my apartment complex throws the wolf off and splashes through the water to me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. How does he still hold fire while being sopping wet? I manage to stand before he reaches the shore. Growls sound behind me—dozens of them—but the noise doesn’t frighten me like it should. The throaty, deep noises only push me harder. Fury engulfs me, and instead of fleeing from the man, I prepare to fight him. He obviously isn’t going anywhere, and for whatever reason involving my dad, the man wants me dead. Counting to five, I wait until he’s close enough to kick. I swivel sideways and bend my knee, rotating my body to put force into my side kick. The man stumbles, and I dart forward, sweeping his legs out from under him. I stomp my tennis shoe into his face, breaking his nose. Strange orangey-red blood sprays from his mouth, sizzling across my damp athletic pants. Pain burns over my shin, and I jerk away, splashing into the water. Three wolves dart from the trees and fly at the man, snarling and biting him. His hollers disappear with him as a wave of water drags him under and deeper into the river. “Impressive,” a husky, amused voice says from my right. “Who knew the daughter of Levi Stormhaven had it in her. I thought the Mortal World would have placated you a bit. Good to know you don’t need toughening up.” Stormhaven? My dad’s last name was Larson. I tip my head back and stare into the gorgeous butterscotch brown eyes of a ridiculously tall, muscular man—completely ripped and bulging in all the right places. He brushes his hand through his mahogany hair, the moonlight casting reddish streaks over his damp tresses. I can’t stop gaping at him. He’s hot, glistening with water, and only wearing light gray boxer-briefs, soaked and sheer from what I assume is from a swim in the river. My gaze uncontrollably darts down his well-defined abs and to the V of his hips that only slightly disappears into his underwear, pointing directly at what I’m pretty sure is the biggest dick I’ve ever seen. I can’t even imagine what the thing would look like if he were hard. Hell, it would probably poke my eye out from the distance he stands. He clears his throat, drawing my attention from his body and to his eyes. “You don’t have to be frightened. I won’t hurt you.” “Because I’m tough,” I say, mostly to myself, while once again glancing down to his dick. And damn it. He notices me looking. Not just looking—gawking, gaping, and staring like the thing will arouse at any second. “I can handle yo—myself.” I groan and cover my eyes with my hands, inhaling a few deep breaths. “Fuck. I’m going to kill Caz.” “Seriously, Lyric. After all these months, you want to kill me now? What have I ever done to you?” Caz’s voice rings in my ears, and I shift on the ground, peering around. “I’ve been watching your back, giving you extra clients, and keeping all the assholes away.” I blink. “Shit. I’m hallucinating.” Pushing up to stand, I rotate on the balls of my feet, remaining guarded and ready. I spot golden eyes blinking at me from the shadows of the trees—wolves. More than a dozen. They watch me with the same fascination I watch them with while also keeping my attention on the guy before me. He’s taller than I realized, looming a good ten inches over my five feet-seven inches. “Just take a deep breath, Ma Belle,” a soft voice says from somewhere I can’t see. “You’re safe. No one here will hurt you.” I catch sight of the guy from the riverbank strolling behind the tall guy. He steps up beside him and runs his hand through his damp light brown hair. “Give me a minute with her, will you? I’ll help her.” “Damn right, you will. You were the one who bit her without warning,” tall and well-hung man says. Every time I think of the dangling hunk of flesh between his legs, I can’t stop from looking. “I had to. Antone would’ve otherwise. I couldn’t let him think he has a claim on her for that.” The guy slowly reaches for my hand. His muscles flex with his movements, and it’s enough to get me to check out his body next. Why are they both in underwear? “I hope it doesn’t hurt too much. I tried to be gentle.” “Huh? What do you mean you bit me?” The words come so softly from my mouth that the only reason I know I say them is because the two men look at me. Bringing up my hand, I gawk at the still bleeding teeth marks under my thumb going from the top of my hand and to my palm—the spot the wolf bit me. “You didn’t bite me.” The guy purses his lips, wrinkling his scruffy chin. “I’m sorry. You were in danger. It was the only way to get you through fast enough.” “Through where?” My hands tremble, a strange feeling washing over me. I lick my lips. My mouth dries the longer the guy looks at me in silence, like he doesn’t know what to tell me. “What are you talking about?” My stomach twists in agony, and I bend forward in surprise. Pain radiates through me, stealing my vision for a second. I fall to my knees, hitting the pebbly shore. I arch my back through the tightening of my body before bowing to curl into myself. My muscles spasm like crazy, stiffening my whole body. Panic collides through me. What the hell is wrong? Why is the world spinning? “Ah, hell. Hurry up, Bastien. She’s gonna get sick,” the tall guy says, bending down to touch his hand to my forehead. “It has to be you. You bit her. You must finish it.” The other guy, Bastien, kneels beside me. “Lyric, you’re going to be okay. I’ll help you, but you need to look at Dax.” My name sounds so beautiful coming from his mouth. It’s the first time he’s said it. “It’s easier to just show you before I get you through the hard part.” My stomach clenches again. An embarrassing whimper escapes my mouth. I hate this. I hate everything about this. I never get sick. I never stay down long after a fight. I sure as shit don’t cry in front of hot guys either. “Please, Lyric. Look at Dax,” Bastien pleads with a strange huskiness to his voice that I haven’t heard yet from him. Dropping to my stomach, I lie on the ground. The river water sloshes over my feet in lapping, icy waves. Forcing my neck to move, I finally manage to gather enough strength to turn my head toward the two men. And hell. Dax stands a few feet away in all his naked goodness. I should be terrified that I lie here helplessly with a hulking naked man stepping closer. I should try to scream. I should do anything apart from tipping my head more to greet him with a damn smile. But with the distraction of looking at him, my pain fades a bit. “I think she likes me,” he says, amusement lighting his handsome face. He smirks and raises his eyebrows. “Only because she hasn’t seen me yet,” an unfamiliar masculine voice says. “Or me.” This grumbly voice echoes in my ear. Dax cracks his neck and stretches his arms, flexing his muscles. My heart picks up pace, my body buzzing. The strange sensation tightening my muscles burrows deeper into my bones, possibly reaching my soul. “Doesn’t matter who she fucking likes.” A shadow falls over me, blocking out the light of the moon. “The winners of the games get to stake their claim.” “Unless she wins,” a soft voice says. The guy growls. “Not possible. They never win.” I open and close my mouth, trying my best to get a good look at the asshole. I already hate him with the way he speaks about me like I’m not even here. How he talks about strange games and claims and how I’ll never win. “Now get on with it,” he adds. “Fuck you,” I mutter. “You all need to leave me alone.” “Sorry, Ma Belle. You’ve always been one of us.” Bastien snaps his fingers in front of my face. “Now, look at Dax. You’ll understand soon enough, and your pain will subside. The first time will be the worst, but it’ll get better.” “First time?” I struggle to arch up, but agony seizes my muscles. I throw myself back, smacking my head on the ground. “Fuck, get away.” “Just do it, Bastien,” Dax says. “She’s too freaked out and confused.” Bastien growls and digs his hands under me, lifting me up. I scream and thrash, my body summoning my strength to fight. Bucking, I kick my legs, trying to throw the bastard off balance. He’s strong as hell, locking me to him. He knows exactly how to hold me to avoid my attempts to hurt him. “Show her now!” Bastien yells, his voice turning almost guttural. He breathes a hot gasp against my ear. “Get ready, Lyric. Five seconds.” Dax stands before me, his muscles rippling like someone threw a pebble into a placid lake. I squint my eyes, trying to make the strange sight stop. It doesn’t work. Actually, it makes it worse. So much worse. Dax’s body contorts, his bones cracking and moving, his handsome face shifting into something I can only describe as monstrous. His lips thin and reveal his teeth, which grow and elongate into fangs. His eyes light up and flash. Fur sprouts through his changing form, starting on his chest to consume the rest of him. I cringe, watching the hulking man transform into a beautiful, mahogany-colored wolf with startling yellow eyes. The wolf pads closer to me and licks my hand, sending my skin humming. I swear I see sparks in the night. Holy shit. “Brace yourself, Lyric,” Dax says, his voice humming through my mind. “You’re turning next.” I don’t have the chance to fight or scream or do anything as Bastien grips me across my chest with his arm. Using his free hand, he holds a golden dagger in front of me. More wolves stalk from the trees, and several begin to howl. Aiming the dagger, the fucker stabs me in the stomach. Pain explodes through me, and I scream and clutch my bloody middle. Bastien sets me on the ground and more than a dozen figures surround me. A warm nose touches my cheek, and the majestic silver wolf licks the tears branding my face. “We’re here for you, Lyric. Just give in to your wolf. She will get you through,” Bastien says, running his fingers through my hair. I shudder and convulse, a dozen voices swirling through my mind. My head pounds with my slowing heartbeat. Fear cascades through me. I never imagined I’d die like this. I never imagined my death at all. Someone hums. “Stunning.” “I can’t wait,” another man says. “Get the cage. She’s going to be a wild one.” Darkness consumes me, stealing my consciousness. The last thing I hear is Bastien whispering in my ear. “I know you don’t realize this, Lyric, but you’re one of the most important beings in our world. You’ll make a magnificent leader of the Lunar Crest pack.”
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 The Change A SOFT WHISTLE TUGS me from the dark recesses of my mind. I open my eyes to a dimly lit room. Everything hurts—my head, my muscles, my bones, my skin, my soul. I attempt to push to my feet, but I hit my head on something metal. Everything looks so strange. Sounds funny. I know I’m alone, but I can hear a bunch of men talking somewhere nearby. They’re talking about me. Everything smells weird as hell too, like dirt and grass, rain, something floral, and a hint of something musky, feral almost. Stretching my head up, I realize I’m surrounded by bars. “What the fuck! Let me out of here!” I expect my voice to ring through the air, but only a whimper sounds out. I know I said the words. I know it. Shit. What’s wrong with me? A door squeaks and bright light illuminates the room. I expect to find myself in the middle of a dirty basement, surrounded by bodies or some shit, but the room screams old lady luxury. It’s overly pink in several shades. The rose pink carpet looks like it’s been around for years. Golden light fixtures with fake vines, hearts, and birds hang on the warm wooden walls that meet a beamed wooden ceiling. A giant gold-framed mirror hangs on a floral-papered accent wall with a pink spiral staircase leading to another floor. I can’t see the rest of the room from my cage, but it’s like the guys who dragged me here saw pink and thought it was the perfect place to kill me or something. “No one’s going to kill you, gorgeous,” a smooth, light-hearted voice says. “That’s the one thing we’ll assure never happens.” Did he just respond to my thought? Who the fuck is this asshole? “You can call me whatever you want, but my name is Sagan.” The man kicks off his dirty boots by the door and steps closer. “You’ll learn to shut us out soon enough, but it’s a good thing you can’t yet. It’s nice to know what you’re always thinking.” “Why am I here? What happened? Did I die? That fucker stabbed me.” Again, my voice doesn’t come from my mouth, only a whimper. Squatting in front of me, Sagan hooks his fingers around the bars. His soft blue eyes rove over me, drinking me in inch-by-inch. I don’t turn away from him, scrutinizing him the same as he does to me. His blond hair is a few shades lighter than mine and cropped close to his head. Stubble peppers his cheeks, giving him a ruggedly handsome look with his angled jaw and full bottom lip. “You can punch that fucker in the nuts later. Right now, we gotta prep. Sunset’s coming and the games will start. You’re new here, so you need to learn the rules. It’s more fun that way. Can’t have you cowering in some bush now, can we? You don’t seem like the type to submit.” He sticks his hand into the bar and pets my head. Fucking pets me like I’m some kind of animal. I whack his hand, and he catches my arm. And holy fucking shit. That’s not my arm. That thing doesn’t belong to a human. I stare at the cream-colored paw with sharp, pinkish-clear nails. Panic cascades over me in an icy wave, and I yank the strange limb away and shove myself in the corner, half expecting a beast to attack me. But I’m alone in the cage. That paw—fu-u-u-ck. No. No way. It can’t be mine. “Hey, hey. It’s okay. It’s not permanent.” Sagan shifts to move to the side of my cage that I cower against. Again, he reaches in and touches my head. “Only semi-permanent. When you want to.” A growl sounds through the air, and instead of trying to whack him, I snap my jaw, catching his pinkie finger between my teeth. He rips his hand away and shakes it out before inspecting it. Another growl reverberates through my bones, shaking me to the core. It comes from me. “Why don’t you try to change back? I’ll help you through it. It’ll be easier to talk. Right now, your emotions are all over the place, and I feel like a dick sitting on the outside of this cage with you in there. You don’t deserve this.” He pulls a key from his pocket and shoves it into the lock. “If I open the door, do you promise not to bite my nuts off? I kind of need them to win the games.” A deep-seated, carnal part of me wants nothing more than to escape this cage to tackle Sagan. I want nothing more than to do exactly what he asks me not to, but another much more dominant part of me doesn’t want his balls anywhere near my mouth. Someone chuckles from who knows where. If Sagan heard my thoughts, he doesn’t react. He remains expressionless and eases the cage door open. His muscles bulge on his arms, and he gets to his feet, standing tall. The fucker whistles. I growl again. He smiles, the gesture turning him even more handsome. “Come on. The door’s open. Don’t overthink your movements. One paw at a time. The less aware of the change, the easier it is. Let it become natural. This is who you were always meant to be.” Yeah-fucking-right. I highly doubt that I was meant to be this—this monster. “A monster? Nah. You’re a she-wolf, gorgeous. Only one of three now mature enough to play the games. The next competition doesn’t come around for another five years. Three after that.” I don’t respond to his words, unsure of how to take them. Because what the hell? I’m so confused. A she-wolf? Games? “Come over here. I’ll explain everything once you—” My body decides that it wants nothing more than to launch itself at Sagan. The world flies around me, and Sagan howls a laugh and lets me plow into him. I knock him off his feet, slamming my paws into his rock-hard chest. My breath pants, my heart racing. My mind turns into a jumbled mess as I stand on Sagan, staring into his blue eyes. His Adam’s apple jumps in his throat the longer I remain unmoving. Rolling his shoulders, he manages to shift my weight enough to lift his arms. I stay utterly still, every single weird-ass hair on my body tingling with electricity. Sagan draws his fingers up, gliding them up my sides until he sinks them into my coat hard enough for me to feel the pressure of his strength. “Your wolf is mesmerizing, but I’d really love to meet the woman with those ocean-blue eyes,” he says, his voice lowering. “Take control back. Break free.” “I can’t.” The words trickle between us in some bizarre mental link. “If you don’t, I’m going to scratch behind your ear,” he teases with a smile. “Don’t you fucking dare.” A growl rumbles from my throat, my words trapped in my head. He slides his fingers higher through my fur, acting as if staring at me like this is the most normal thing in the entire world. “You afraid I’ll make your leg shake?” This. Guy. I snap at him in annoyance. Hooking his arm around me, he knocks me off faster than I can react. I land on my back and thrash until he pins me down, pressing his hands to my chest. A burst of pain explodes in my heart, sending fire through me. The agony lasts a few seconds, and I gasp in a breath, my screech ringing through the air. Cool air engulfs the room, chilling my hot skin. Sweat prickles on my forehead and chest. My muscles relax as the pain vanishes. “Whoa.” Sagan’s whisper tickles my ear as he lies on top of me, his big hand around my side and pressing firmly into my back as he holds me against him. My blurry vision clears as I blink, and I finally come to my senses. The warm skin of his stomach touches mine, his shirt rolled up from my movements. It’s now that I realize I’m butt-ass naked, my boobs squished against his chest, my hands gripping his hips, pulling them hard into my thighs. My legs curl around him, refusing to let him go. “Well, look at you. Just as gorgeous as your she-wolf.” Sagan sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, searching my eyes. I head-butt him and shove him off. Planting an arm across my boobs and a hand over my crotch to hide my ladybits, I shuffle backward in search of anything I can use to cover myself with. Blush blossoms up my neck and burns my cheeks. I’m not usually shy, but something about this guy standing there, blatantly gawking at me with blood trickling down his forehead from where I got him, freaks me the hell out. I open my mouth to scream at him, but Sagan grabs the back of his shirt and tugs it over his head. He tosses it at me, and I automatically reach to catch it, regretting the gesture immediately. Thankfully, Sagan already faces his back to me, getting some sense not to just devour my naked body with his eyes. “I’m sorry, gorgeous. I forgot for a minute that you grew up in the Mortal World. You just transformed like a natural. Amazing.” His soft voice snuffs out the anger rolling through me. I quickly pull his T-shirt over my head, the way too big fabric stopping just above my knees. And damn it, does it smell good. Incredible. Unlike any fragrance I’ve ever smelled in my life. I bunch the front of the fabric between my fingers and pull it to my nose, inhaling another breath. “Do you want my pants too? Apparently Dax forgot what it’s like having a woman around and thought this pink room would be enough.” I open my eyes and catch Sagan staring at me in the wall mirror, totally getting my sniff on with his shirt. And fuck me. The look he gives me...I need to get out of here. Now. Something is wrong with me. Here I am, one second a she-wolf and in another back to myself. I was attacked outside my apartment, nearly drowned in a river, and then stabbed only to wake up in a cage. I should not be standing here and sniffing a man’s damn shirt. He chuckles. “It’s a compliment that you can push all the shitty things away and enjoy just a breath of me. Means I have a chance with you. A guy needs a little encouragement to win the damn games with so much competition. Not all of us want to end up in a pack with a woman who will cut out a man’s throat in his sleep.” I clutch my temples. “Get the fuck out of my head, you asshole.” He raises his hands. “Sorry. I won’t comment anymore, at least, not in this form.” Sucking in a few breaths, I attempt to get myself under control again. The edges of my vision darken. This is too much. My stomach twists and turns and heaves, trying to expel the nonexistent food from my belly. I dart across the room and toward Sagan, dodging past him to get to the door. I expect him to tackle me or something, but he steps out of the way, probably afraid for his balls, since I think about kicking them to escape if I have to. Thrusting the door open, I rush outside and gawk at the vast hillside leading into dense forest. It looks familiar yet different than the one near my apartment. The trees stretch toward the sky, much more vibrant and green compared to the sparse winter branches that turn the world brown. The azure sky stretches on for miles without a cloud in sight. I spot a silver wolf running across the enormous, deep emerald lawn that stretches toward a white-beamed fence separating the property from what I thought was a road. But the road isn’t there. Neither is the collection of houses that make up the east side of Evergreen Beach. A loud whistle rips through the air as someone catcalls for my attention. I stiffen and strut to the balcony’s guardrail and peer down. And I really wish I hadn’t. There are dozens of men standing on the grass below, all gawking up at me. A few wolves howl, traipsing closer from who knows where. “Damn it, Sagan. The games haven’t even started and you have the lass in your shirt,” a man hollers. Cupping his hands, he turns his attention to yell at me. “Hey, sweetheart! Why don’t you give me a chance? I’ll take off my clothes too.” The man rips his shirt and tosses it to the ground. I scowl and flip off the man. A few other men howl and yell, following his lead to undress in front of me. They laugh like I’m their new form of entertainment. A tall, buff man, who I recognize from the river, swings his fist and punches the first guy, knocking him off his feet. Dax glowers as he grabs the guy’s neck to lift him back up, preparing to punch him again. I stare in utter fascination. That man is so hot, even from here. “Do not disrespect Lyric. She will wear whatever the hell she pleases and she is too good to ever adorn herself with something of yours.” Whoa. Damn. Did he just stand up for me? Hottie just turned into super sexy. I had no idea that gruff chivalry was such a turn on. Dax’s attention jerks up to me, and my cheeks flame red. He heard my thoughts. I know he did. “When you’re one of the few females around here, you’ll learn quickly that there are two types of men here. The ones who expect you to bow and the ones who’ll pretend to let you rise as their queen. And Dax is the latter. I wouldn’t mind if he won a claim on me in time for mating season.” The velvety voice comes from behind me. A woman leans against the doorframe of a room with a faded plaque on it which must’ve had a number at some point. Behind her, I spot an interesting blue room with similar gold light fixtures like the one I woke up in but will definitely refuse to ever call mine. Sagan releases a low growl. “Come on, Harlow. I haven’t had the chance to explain anything yet. You’re going to scare her.” Harlow smirks at me. “Highly doubt it. She looks surprisingly tough for a Mortal World dweller. I bet you’ll never get your big hands on her or your cock ever in her.” I suck in a sharp breath. “What the fuck?” She laughs. “Okay, maybe I was wrong about her fears. It’s not the game that’ll scare her. It’s the prize. With her reaction, I can tell she’s a virgin. Some of you bastards will just love that, huh?” Is she for real? I open and shut my mouth, the words lost to me. I don’t even know how to respond. My sexual prowess is none of anyone’s damn business. Plus, it’s not even Sagan’s dick I’m afraid of. It’s... Kill. Me. Now. A few guys howl a laugh, and Harlow raises her eyebrows at me. I close my eyes, realizing that it’s not only Sagan and Dax who can hear my thoughts. It’s everyone. I’m pretty certain with my thought about Dax’s dick came an image of him in all his naked intimidation. Harlow steps away from her door and closes the space to me. Reaching out, she touches my shoulder. “Don’t worry, hon. No man here wants a woman afraid of them. That’s not the point of the She-Wolf Games.” Again with these damn games. “Then what is the point?” “We’re trying to save our species from extinction, and it’s especially our duty to pitch in. The games ensure only the best of the best get a claim. Packs from all over have gathered to participate.” She slides her arm through mine and tugs me along, guiding me toward her suite. “We’ve been waiting months for you to come. With the shit your daddy pulled, most of us were certain you wouldn’t make it.” Packs? Extinction? My duty? My dad? My heart races as I repeat her words over and over again in my mind. Whatever the hell is going on here, I don’t want any part of. “Sorry, hon,” she says. “You don’t have a choice. The games start at sunset, and everyone must play. But don’t worry, if you win, you can pick who you room with.” “Room with?” “You know...” Her voice trails off, and she winks. “A little incentive to get to know your future pack mate.” My muscles tense as another wave of sickness washes through me. I arch my back with my oncoming muscle spasms that send me stumbling away from her. Sagan rushes to my side and grabs my hand. Panic consumes me, kicking my body into action. I strike my elbow into his throat, cutting off his airway. He drops to his knees, his face turning red. Pain explodes through me, and I fall to the floor and curl in on myself. “Stay calm, Ma Belle. I’m coming up the stairs now.” The familiar voice in my mind ties a knot in my heart. Bastien stops at the end of the outside hallway, blocking one of my exits. He holds up his hands. “It’s okay. The changes happen uncontrollably for a while until you can get your emotions settled.” “Good luck with her,” Harlow says, strolling past me and back into her room. “I can’t help her if she doesn’t want help.” She’s right. I don’t want help. I want out of here. Spinning around, I snap at Bastien getting closer. A hand touches my back, and I snarl at Sagan next. Launching forward, I manage to dodge out of the way of both men and to a short bridge to the expansive hillside. I run.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 The Chase STUPID BODY. STUPID WOODS. Stupid wolf men and their stupid speed and strength. I don’t know how I do it, but I manage to race on my four creepy paws up the hillside. If I make it to the forest, I’ll have a better chance of losing these fuckers. Because eff their crazy-ass mating games. Howls and yips bounce through the air. Without looking, I know the wolves chase and surround me, but these assholes will not get away with forcing me to participate in something I don’t care about or ever will. This wolf business is a mistake. Maybe I’m still tripping on something Caz put in the doughnuts. “Lyric, slow down. This isn’t a race. You need to save your energy for the competition tonight.” It’s like my subconscious knows exactly how to mess with me. Now that I think about Caz, I hear his voice in my head. “Screw off, fake Caz. Get out of my head!” I yell the words with my mind, releasing a strange screechy bark in the process. “When I see you at work, you’re a dead man for spiking those damn doughnuts.” “So I take it you don’t want me to try to catch you in the games?” he asks, his voice echoing through my mind. “You’re dead!” I yell again. A massive silver wolf speeds up next to me and nips at my front leg. It’s enough to send me skidding to a halt. I don’t get a chance to spin and bolt in another direction before teeth pinch my neck, and I land on my back. Two heavy paws rest on each side of my head as the silver wolf cages me in with his long body. The striking wolf bows into my face, meeting me with light gray eyes nearly as shimmery as his coat. “I love a good practice run, blondie,” a gruff, throaty voice says, trickling through my mind. “You’re exactly the kind of mate I want—feisty, stubborn, and wild. You’re a good time I look forward to experiencing.” I growl, preparing to rip the jerk’s throat out, but the sucker nips my ear before licking it, shocking me. He takes advantage of my moment of surprise and gets off of me. Footsteps thud closer. A sprawling blanket engulfs me along with two strong arms, lifting my wolf body from the ground. Pain explodes through me with my sudden transformation, and I flail in the guy’s muscular arms. He flips me onto his shoulder, ensuring the blanket stays around me. I heave a couple of breaths, summoning my strength to combat against the deep ache inside me—an ache I haven’t felt since my dad was dragged away. The same pain in my chest when I came to accept that he would probably never come back. “Shit, is she crying?” The voice hums in my ears instead of my head. The blanket shifts from my face. I hang lifelessly upside down with my arms stretching toward the ground. A man with steely gray eyes, familiar eyes, bends down and shifts my blond hair out of the way, not letting it veil me, though all I want to do is hide. “No tears,” he says, not talking to me. Combing his fingers through his pale tresses, he pushes the strands from his face. “Damn, I’d hate to feel her if she were really crying,” the man holding me says. “Here, why don’t you take her, Sterling? I know you have it in you to make her laugh. Caz is a chicken-shit douche and afraid to face her, but I think a familiar face will do her good. Take her back so I can drag his ass out. We only have an hour until sundown. The games must start tonight for proper amount of time to bond before late winter.” These supposed She-Wolf Games last that long? Of course they do. I don’t know much about animals, but I know a lot of them breed for the spring. And fuck. I keep changing into a wolf. These guys don’t want to just breed me. They want to breed with me. “You make it sound so unpleasant,” Sterling says, catching me in his arms. “I don’t know what kind of experience you’ve had before, but there will be nothing but an immense amount of unforgettable pleasure if you let me get my clam hammer into your pink pearl—” Swinging my fist, I jab him in the nose with my fist. The world falls out from under me only long enough for another set of arms to catch me. I expect Sterling, the silver wolf, to growl and lash out at me, but the man tips his head back with a laugh. Blood drips from his nose, and he grabs part of the blanket around me and presses it to his face. “Nice catch, Rylan, but I got her from here,” Sterling says. He shifts me in his arms and grins at me. “Sexy and wild. Still my favorite.” I attempt to hit him again, but he expects it and catches my wrist. Linking his fingers through mine, he holds my free hand, managing to cradle me in one of his muscular arms. Warm arms. Comfortable. Shit. He heard me. Another chuckle escapes his lips, but he doesn’t comment. Strolling toward the white wooden mansion—or hotel? Maybe it once was—Sterling bounces me a bit with his excited steps. In the sunlight, I can’t help drinking in the magnificent view surrounding the most interesting buildings I’ve ever seen. There are several on the property, all similar with white wood siding and intricately carved railings and outdoor spiral staircases. Each door we pass has a unique plaque and themed light fixture. There are dozens and dozens of doors. I can’t help wanting to look into each one. “Each suite is unique,” Sterling says, listening to my thoughts. “You’ll get to see the rooms of those awesome enough to capture you in the games...which might not be many. Just me. I think you’ll like my place.” I don’t respond to him. He sounds like none of this is a big deal, like transforming into a wolf and playing some weird-ass game with me as a prize is normal. But it’s far from normal and okay. I will not just let them treat me like this. I won’t. Sterling sighs and sets me on my feet. The cool grass feels strange on my toes, softer than the stuff back at my apartment. I automatically glance down to look. I narrow my eyes, staring at my flawless skin, something I never had before. Before I ended up here, I had a long pinkish scar down the front of my shin from a fight test with my dad where he got me in the leg with a blade. Yeah, I know. Parents shouldn’t pull weapons on their kids, but it was part of my self-defense training. Attackers sometimes have weapons when victims don’t. It’s just the way of the world. Sterling adjusts the blanket higher on my shoulders, drawing my gaze from my toes and back to him. He tilts his head slightly to the side as he studies me. His eyes dart over my face like he’s trying to memorize the shape of my lips, the blue of my irises, and the arch of my brows. “You forgot the tiny smattering of freckles on your nose,” he says, offering a half-smile. I bet he expects me to punch him in the face. “Can you stop?” I step back. “It’s not fair that you can listen into my head when all I get is silence from yours.” His eyes flash gold, turning the gray color almost green. “You don’t want to know what I’m thinking about.” “The hell I don’t,” I say. I hug the blanket tighter and narrow my eyes, glaring so intently that I imagine him feeling the sting of my gaze penetrating his soul. Sterling smirks again and touches my cheek, unfazed by my mood. Tingles buzz along the trail he draws to my mouth before he pokes my bottom lip. “I bet they’re as soft as they look. As sweet as she smells.” I frown, staring at his unmoving mouth. He projects his thoughts, but he’s not talking to me. I’m taken aback that he lets me into his mind. Along with his thoughts comes a crazy-intense amount of desire. My eyes widen, my body awakening. Now I can’t take my eyes off his lips...or the rest of him. His abs tighten and flex under my scrutiny, and I trail my gaze lower. His shorts do nothing to hide his boner, growing to point at me. “Moans coming from her pouty mouth will be as poetic as her name,” he adds. Once again, his jaw remains tight, his mouth not saying the words aloud. “I can’t wait to have my way with her—” Swinging my hand out, I slap him on the shoulder, cutting off the thoughts he allows to enter my mind. And he was right. I did not want to hear everything he thinks about me. Because now my heart won’t stop racing and warmth builds between my legs, the intensity of his gaze, the sudden feeling of his desire washing over me, setting off my own. It helps how handsome he is and how sexy he makes me feel even if he’s a bit crass in his flirting. “You like it,” he says, leaning in closer. Oh hell. Not only can these assholes hear my thoughts, but they can also feel my emotions. Sterling releases a small breath a few inches from my mouth. I hadn’t realized it was me who closed the distance between us even more. If I move any closer, I’ll get way too close and personal with his impressive hard-on. I snap my eyes shut, trying to push away my curiosity to see it. “Being able to know how you feel ensures I’ll be a better mate to you.” He sounds so certain that we’ll be together. “That I can satisfy you on every level. Mind, body, and soul. It comes in handy, blondie.” Shaking my head, I inhale a few breaths. What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I like the sound of that? I haven’t felt so horny in a while. Not once have I slept with any of the guys at the gym, not like at my dad’s when I had to sneak around to do so. “Which is why I’ve been keeping my distance from you,” a familiar voice says. “Knowing how pissed off you are has probably saved my balls. Please don’t kick them or kill me.” Jerking my head up, I spot Caz strolling from the double doors of what looks like a lobby or lounge or something. Water trickles down waterfalls on either side of the path, sparkling in the bright sun as it lowers in the distance. “I didn’t know murder felt like something until now,” he adds. I blink a few times and rub my eyes, seeing if Caz Meadowview will suddenly disappear. I just saw him yesterday, but something about him is different. He’s changed overnight, but I can’t put my finger on it. Sterling steps back to give me space to turn to Caz. Both men stand erect and stiff, bracing themselves for my reaction. A few dozen feet behind Caz and in front of the grand main building, a few unfamiliar guys hang out and blatantly watch me. Annoyance rushes through me. I’m used to getting checked out at work, but at least those guys try not to make it obvious. These men, on the other hand, act like they want me to know. “They do,” Sterling says. “It’s all part of the game prep. Gauging your interest.” Swinging my arm, I strike Sterling in the solar plexus. He bows forward with a gasp, the breath escaping him with the force of my punch. “Stay out of my head,” I snap. I turn toward the small crowd of silent guys. “I mean it. All of you.” I glower for good measure but the jerks only smile in amusement, pissing me off even more. Caz risks stepping closer and offers out his hand to get me to walk with him. I refuse it, so he nudges my shoulder with his. “I had no idea you were so...aggressive, Lyric. You’ve always been so sweet and friendly.” “It was part of the job and before—before—this.” I wave my hand in a circle, unable to even say the words out loud. He tightens his mouth. “That’s too bad.” Groaning, I push past him. He doesn’t let me get more than a foot from his reach like he knows the second I get a chance to run, I will. And he’s right. “Oh, fuck off. You know what’s too bad? That I’m here. That I thought you were my friend. Hell, it’s too bad that I can barely look at you now. I always thought you were hot, friendly too, you know.” I quicken my pace, continuing to test him. I have no idea where I even am, but there has to be some sort of civilization somewhere. I can beg for help. Ask for the police. Something. “I’m still hot and friendly.” He rushes to get in front of me and raises his palm up. “Do I need to remind you?” Before I can respond, Caz yanks his shirt over his head to show off his chiseled body. I pause in my steps and plant my hands on my hips. I feel ridiculous trying to be intimidating wearing the blanket, but I can’t let him see that it bugs me. “See?” he says, offering me a smile. “I’m still the same guy.” Starting at his bare feet, I give him a long once-over, hoping to make him squirm. It doesn’t work. He remains straight-backed with his chest puffing out and the confident smile lighting his face. He’s always been a charmer. “Not quite. I figured out what was so different about you,” I say, meeting his brown eyes. He cocks an eyebrow. “I thought it was obvious. You know I’m a wolf now and can see things normal mortals miss.” I shake my head. “Nope, it’s not that. I think today might be the first time I’ve ever seen you wear a shirt.” His cocky-ass expression softens, and he breaks into a genuine smile. “Ah, hell. Now this is the girl I know. Little tease.” My guard cracks just a little, Caz’s friendly familiarity stroking the beast inside me, drawing me closer to him. He offers his hand out to me again, and I finally take it, letting him guide me up the winding pathway to the same building where I escaped the pink room. Caz watches me in his peripheral vision, and I stare at him right back, a dozen questions flitting through my mind. “I know this all seems so fucked up, Lyric,” he begins, finally speaking when we reach the spiral staircase leading to the fourth floor of the whimsical building. “But you know what’s really messed up?” I hum and tip my head up, catching sight of a towering man gazing at me from the window of a room—Dax. My face flushes at just the thought of him. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from earlier. “Well, that was kind of fucked up, but funny as hell,” Caz continues, responding to my thought. I jerk my attention to him and glare. “All of this is messed up, Caz. It’s like everything I knew about my life was a lie. Even you.” He sighs and lets me climb the stairs in front of him. I bet he doesn’t want to see my expression. I’m nearly certain I wear a permanent frown. I can’t help it. What annoys me the most is that I know nothing. I don’t understand any of this. Dad never told me. Why wouldn’t he tell me? “I’m sorry, Lyric. I wanted to tell you everything. It was my job to prepare you, and I failed. I just—I got caught up in the Mortal World. I didn’t expect things to happen so suddenly or that the Fire Mountain Clan would find you. We were lucky it was just a doppelganger they sent to do their bidding.” He stops at the top of the staircase and links his fingers to the guardrail, peering at the world stretching in front of us. “I thought we’d have a few more days, and I’d get a chance to tell you everything. But someone stole your final eviction notices until your landlord locked you out. You were supposed to come to me to ask for a place to crash—” My muscles tighten. “Are you fucking kidding me? It was you who set me up? You were the mysterious boyfriend that accepted the notices? You stole my rent check?” Caz’s jaw tightens, his brown eyes focusing on the hillside instead of me. “Like I said, just the ones in the beginning. I had to figure out how to get you close to me. You’ve been guarded since the day we met, but I couldn’t give you the wrong impression or ask you out. It would’ve been unfair to the others here who want to join your pack.” “My pack,” I say the words out loud before thinking them over and over again in my mind. My pack. My pack. My-fucking-pack. This is all completely insane. A warm hand rests on mine, and I stare at Caz’s fingers. “I’d give anything to change things, Lyric, but the peace is fragile around here. The She-Wolf Games is one of the few things that has managed to save our species. We’ve been at war with a few other species in the Mortal World. Lycans have been hunting us for a century now, taking out our territories.” “Other species? Lycans? What the hell?” I’ve heard of lycans but I always thought they were werewolves. Aren’t I a werewolf? “Technically, yes. We shift into wolves. We’re born and our bloodlines are passed down through our packs. Lycans are a bit different. They’ve been cursed. They’re more man than beast—violent and loners. Packless. Humans who survive a lycan’s bite will change into one, but it’s rare.” Holy shit. My mind spins with a million thoughts. This is too much. I can’t even comprehend that I’m a wolf. A she-wolf. “Fuck, Caz. I swear if you say vampires, witches, mermaids, or anything else along those lines, I’m done here.” Because those things shouldn’t be real—but neither should wolf me be. “Okay, I won’t then. There is plenty of time to learn our history. There are many here vying to teach you everything, including me,” Caz says, tightening his hand around mine. “But for now, let’s concentrate on the games. It’s the most important thing you should know right now. Sagan’s waiting for you in your room to go over the rules.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “I’m not doing the fucking games.” He sighs. “Mostly everyone plays. You’ll really get a chance to get to know those worthy of you this way.” “Still not happening.” “It’s not as bad as you think.” Spinning, I lock my fingers through my hair. He’s right. It isn’t as bad as I think. It’s much, much worse.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 The She-Wolf Games “IF YOU WANT ME in the damn cage, you’re going to have to force me into it,” I snap, crossing my arms over my chest. “Oh, come on, Lyric. Stop acting like this is the worst thing in the world. You know, if you didn’t pull that shit earlier, the cage wouldn’t be necessary.” Harlow straightens her shoulders and glares at me. “Sagan went over the rules with you, didn’t he?” I turn my back on her and glower at the wall without a word. Soft footsteps pad from the bathroom and a woman with red, curly hair saunters out naked. “Give her a break, Harlow. Lyric’s been here for a day. I can’t even imagine what she’s going through. How would you feel if someone dragged your ass to the Mortal World and said you need to repopulate humankind?” Harlow laughs. “I’d be happy to. I hear the options are endless.” “Oh, whatever.” The red-head comes up beside me and bumps her shoulder against mine. “Don’t listen to her. She wouldn’t. She might look tough, but she’s mostly talk.” Harlow growls and playfully snaps her teeth. “It’s what the men like. Fierce yet not too tough. Some of them need to think we’re damsels to boost their egos. Those are the men you’d probably want. I know Emerson does. Right, Em?” The red-head, Emerson, giggles. “Right. But that doesn’t mean Lyric is into that kind of thing.” “What are you into, anyway?” Harlow strips her shirt over her head and unclasps her bra, letting it drop to the floor. I can tell she expects me to dart my eyes away and blush, but I remain expressionless and keep my gaze trained on her eyes. I see naked women all the time at the gym. I’ve seen naked men in my personal life too...just not in a while. And nothing like some of the guys around here. I push the image of Dax from my mind, praying to myself that neither of them realizes he comes to my mind every time I think about a naked man. If either of the other she-wolves notices, neither of them says anything. “Do you know what you like?” Emerson asks, flicking her gaze to mine when I’m not quick to respond. “It’s okay if you don’t. I mean, maybe you can just throw it out there what you think you like, and we can point you in the right direction if you win tonight.” “She’s not going to win,” Harlow says, shimmying out of her pants. “She can’t even control her changes yet.” Emerson sighs. “Still. If Lyric has a preference—” “Tall, buff, and well-hung...or not,” Harlow says with a laugh. “You never did tell me if you were a virgin.” I close my eyes, digging my fingernails into my palms. The way she asks about my sex life so casually gets under my skin. I’ve been alone for months, and before, I didn’t have many friends to talk to. There was no way I was going to talk to my dad either. It’s kind of left me to figure things out on my own. Now, I worry. The three guys I’ve been with never complained and neither did I, but now that I can’t shut my thoughts off...this is so fucking uncomfortable. Harlow puckers out her bottom lip. “Wow. That sucks. No wonder you’re not on board.” Ugh. I inwardly groan. Emerson hooks her arms around me, pressing her naked body against the robe I refuse to take off. “Don’t let Harlow’s words get to you. The games aren’t all about sex and procreating. They’re about building the strongest packs and blending the ones left. It’s about finding our families and creating a future.” “And our duty isn’t so bad,” Harlow says, smiling. “I bet you’ll get over the whole Mortal World in no time. Maybe even after tonight. I hear several contenders can’t wait to give their efforts to seduce the hell out of you.” My cheeks burn at her comment. “Great. Just what I’ve always wanted.” She laughs. “It will be after tonight. You know, I thought I wanted a chance with Dax, but if he helps you get pumped up for the rest of the games, he’s all yours.” Fuck. Me. “Save those words for him, hon. A little invitation and reward goes a long way.” Harlow nudges her hand into my lower back, pushing me toward the cage again. “Now, be a good girl and get in. It’s almost time for the games to start.” I force my feet to move, knowing that the last thing I want is to have someone shove me in, and Harlow looks ready to. Crawling in, I sit in the middle and curl my legs to my chest, resting my chin on my knees. This is so humiliating. Torture. Howls cut through the air, trickling through the window. Someone bangs on the door, pushing it open before either Emerson or Harlow can answer. Four hulking men come into the room, thankfully still wearing their clothes. No one says anything as they lift the cage with me in it, carrying me toward the wide door like I weigh nothing at all. Emerson claps her hands, her excitement so palpable, I can feel it rush through me. She grins at me, trying her best to silently ease my building nerves. Harlow wiggles her fingers at me from over her shoulder. A collection of hoots and hollers and cheers echo through the air when we reach the balcony. “Good luck, ladies,” an older woman says, standing in the doorway. It’s the first time I’ve seen her. “You will do all your mothers proud.” A loud whistle sounds through the air, ringing in my ears. Someone shouts, “Let the She-Wolf Games begin.” *** “All right, Ma Belle. These are your options.” Bastien stands in front of my cage, staring down at me. His brown-sugar colored eyes drink me in sitting in the middle of the locked cage. Combing his fingers through his hair, nearly the same shade as his eyes, he says something that I ignore. I can’t help it. For one, I don’t want to hear him tell me that I’ll have fun if I just give this life a chance. Enough people have told me that already. Sagan said that this was better than the alternative because apparently my dad’s enemies wouldn’t stop going after me in the Mortal World. But at this point, I’d rather face the monsters from my nightmares. And two, these men need to realize I’m apparently easily distracted like a dog who sees a meaty bone. Only with me, I’m a she-wolf who clearly needs desensitizing to boners. There seems to be an unnatural amount of them always pointing in my direction. Even if Bastien doesn’t have one, he only wears his underwear, and the fabric is tight enough to give me a view of the outline of his bulge. And I can’t take my eyes away because my damn body anticipates his erection. Shit. I hope my sudden fascination with all these hot, sometimes naked, men subsides soon. Bastien snaps his fingers in front of my face. “It won’t always be like this. After mating season—” Howls and yells of excitement cut off his words. I can’t see the dozens of men, but I know they’re nearby. They’re as human as we are until the whistle goes off. The She-Wolf Games is basically an obstacle course with a blend of Hide-and-Seek, Chase, Tag, and run for my damn life...well, not really. Maybe for my vagina’s sake? That’s not right either. Harlow said whoever catches me will only try his best to seduce me, and I’m stronger than my suddenly raging libido. If only the she-wolves got more than a whole measly ten-minute head start to race for the finish line. Because if we make it there first, our reward is picking the companion we want to hang out with until the next round. Sagan never mentioned that I couldn’t choose no one, so that’s the plan. But if I don’t make it to the finish line and get tackled, captured, and forced over the finish line by one of the competing assholes, I turn into the reward and they would get me to themselves until the next round. I’d have to share a room, meals, and all that shit while suffering through round after round of flirting, attempts at seduction, and whatever the winner thinks will charm me. And things just get harder the longer the games draw out. Alliances will form, people will strategize, and eventually, some of the men will lose and get cut from the competition until the four spots on my pack are filled. When that happens, I’ll lose too. “Are you listening?” Bastien’s voice draws my attention to him from my inner thoughts. I shake my head. There’s no point in lying. I know he knows I wasn’t listening and is trying not to make it so obvious that he’s heard everything I was thinking. He sighs and scrubs his cheeks with his hands. “Look, we know you don’t want to play the games, but it’s important that you at least try. You are a she-wolf, Lyric. You can’t go back to the Mortal World, and you need a pack—people to lean on. People to teach and care for you. People you might not even realize belong in your life. You shouldn’t be alone. Who knows, you might end up having fun. If I catch you, I assure you will.” Pulling my robe around me tighter, I sink back on the bars of the cage. “I don’t need a pack, and you can’t make me play. You might as well just take me back to my room. You can say you won, and then leave me the hell alone.” He raises his eyebrows. “No one would go for that, Ma Belle. Too many want the chance for you to ignore them all day.” He smirks as he says the words. “And like I said when you chose to ignore me—you either put in an effort and make a run for it, have fun, and hopefully win or the leaders will have you relocated in your cage by non-participating pack mates. They will leave you until one of us finds you. If you choose the latter, you accept defeat and will not get the chance to pick your companion. You will automatically lose.” Well, those are some shitty options. There’s no way I’m strong enough to break the cage open, so...ugh. “What will it be, Lyric?” he asks. “Do you want to play or not?” I swallow my annoyance and tilt my head up. “Open the damn cage.” At least, if it’s open, I can try to find my way out of this place. Who says I actually have to cross the finish line or get caught? Bastien chuckles. “If you manage that, I’ll petition to pull you from the games. I’ll even offer to join you to watch your back in the Mortal World.” “Nice try, Bastien,” Dax says from somewhere within the trees. His grumbly voice summons his naked body to the forefront of my mind. “Fuck, I’m gonna catch the lass so I can steal that image from her mind and replace it with my own. If I have to think about Dax’s schlong one more time—” Shit. Not this asshole. A whistle cuts through the air, and Bastien quickly helps me from the cage. He silently waves his hand, motioning for me to get my act together. He darts in the direction I sense the wolves ready and waiting to transform upon the second whistle. Glancing toward the other she-wolves, I catch sight of Harlow and Emerson. A red and white wolf lurches toward me and pokes her nose into the side of my bare leg, nudging me. The other wolf—a beautiful black, gray, and white wolf, smaller than the red wolf, darts away without waiting. “Hurry, Lyric. Transform.” Emerson’s sweet voice trickles into my head. Sucking in a breath, I close my eyes. Nothing happens. I don’t even know how to transform into a wolf. The last few times have been spontaneous, like my wolf fighting to break free. Now, not so much. I can’t stop thinking about the dark forest in front of me and what lurks within it. Emerson pokes my leg again. “I’m sorry. I can’t stay. You shouldn’t either. Some distance is better than none at all. Remember, head north until you reach the orchards, then go west. You have to cross the river and keep going until you reach the caves. Only one goes through the mountain. The other she-wolves are waiting on the other side.” Emerson darts away, leaving me standing in place, staring at her blur through the trees at a speed I’m not sure I could ever summon. “Get a move on it, Lyric,” Caz yells, his voice bellowing through the air instead of in my head. “I’m sure you don’t want the lot of us brawling it out to get to you. Plus, you’d have to get carried for miles.” His words are enough to get my legs to work. Giving up on transforming into wolf form, I tighten my robe and break out into a sprint. The terrain is crazy-difficult to navigate when I reach the dense trees that create a never-ending forest. It would be hard enough to run through here in the day. Now that the sun sets completely, no light filters around me. Not even the moon shines, like the sky wants me to fail, filling with clouds that match my stormy mood. A loud whistle rips through the air, far closer than I need it to be. Has it really been ten minutes? Fuck. Howls echo through the air, and a couple different voices swirl through my mind, teasing me in their excitement. My heart thrashes, and I pick up my pace into a full-blown sprint, not caring that I keep brushing against the trees. I make it another few yards before I stumble on a tree root. Unable to catch myself, I tumble forward and tuck my head in, catching my hands on the ground to flip onto my back so that I don’t inhale a breath of the moist dirt. “Don’t make it easy, gorgeous,” Sagan says into my mind. “Get up and run. You’re doing great.” “Why are you helping me?” I ask, immediately regretting it because my voice sounds through the air. I slap my hand over my mouth and scramble to my feet, hearing a low growl hum from behind me. Snarls echo through the air and two massive wolves crash into each other twenty feet away. The two of them attack each other, flashing their fangs while trying to get an opening to dash toward me. Pain bursts in my chest, flowing through the rest of me. I drop to my knees, paralyzed by my tight muscles. My skin ripples and moves. I groan with the arch of my back. Thrusting my robe off, I curl in on myself and wait for the wolf within me to break free. The spasms last only a few seconds, but my whole body trembles and buzzes. I whimper with my stretch, getting used to being much shorter on four legs. My vision shifts, turning everything aglow. The scent of something sweet, possibly fruit, drifts on the breeze, consuming my senses. I focus on tuning out the rustling and growling and snarling and concentrate on listening for the sound of running water. I can’t see the wolves closing in on me, but I can sense them. It almost feels like a tether ties me to every being in this forest, making me ultra-aware. A huge, dark-coated wolf flies over me, skidding to a stop. Dax’s butterscotch eyes sparkle gold, flickering with each of his cautious steps. He doesn’t rush me and tackle me like I expect him to. He doesn’t move at all, just devouring me in my wolf form without a sound. Something crunches, and a tree branch falls between us. A naked man lands on his feet between us, dropping from above. I scramble back at the sight of Sterling in all his delicious nudity. I can’t help wondering if every single one of these guys is attractive. Sterling offers me a gorgeous smile and holds his arms open to me. “Come on, Lyric. Let me take you to the finish line.” He says it so nicely that I’m pretty fucking sure this strange new set of bones growing above my ass wags like a puppy expecting a treat. Dax growls from behind him, but he doesn’t get a chance to intercept before another wolf—a black and white one—crashes into Sterling. “She’s mine!” a hoarse, growly voice hollers in my mind, making me wince. I cower away, the wolf barreling in my direction too quickly for me to react. I growl and snap, wanting nothing to do with an asshole who just shouted his claim on me like I’m his piece of property. I mean, what the hell? Who does this guy think he is? Not my keeper. No-fucking-way. Getting my shit together, I launch at him and knock him off course. We tumble a few times through the dirt. I land on my back, and he pounces on me. I struggle beneath him doing everything I can to get him off. He doesn’t budge and growls in my face. The jerk has the nerve to nip at my neck. In my wolf form, I don’t know how to fight. I’m useless. A million thoughts flicker through my mind. I can’t believe he caught me. I can’t believe I’m going to lose so soon, and to this guy. I can’t believe I’m here in the first place. Or that this is the first of many torturous nights. If I can change into my strongest form, I could kick his ass. I could escape. “Gotcha, pretty girl,” he says into my mind, his voice feeling as if it digs into my very soul in the worst way possible. “No need to fight anymore. You’re mine.”
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