Winter's Rise (The Winter Series Book 1)

by Breezy Jones

  I rushed around Seth and sprinted toward the stairs.

  “Nina,” Seth hissed, reaching out for me but missing by an inch. By the time, I reached the second level my heart sank. Seth came up behind me breathing deeply. My room was much the same as downstairs—ransacked. Slowly, I walked over to the bed where the books Joe had given me lay open with pages ripped out. I shook my head.

  “Why would someone do this?” I asked in a whisper. My stomach sank at the look of Joe’s destroyed books. I hoped he wouldn’t be mad. Seth’s face was a stone mask as he looked around the room.

  “I don’t know,” he said, rubbing his forehead as he dragged out a phone with his other hand.

  Dialing a number, he placed the device to his ear. “Yeah, Ryker. Nina’s house has been broken into and trashed… They’re gone now.” He waited silently for a few moments. “Yeah, okay.”

  Seth gave my room one more look before shoving the phone into his pocket. “Come on, Ryker’s on his way.”

  When we got downstairs, Seth relaxed a little. As he surveyed the mess, I frowned and wrapped my arms around myself. Seconds later, the front door opened, and Ryker strode in.

  He came straight for me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” I said with a deep breath.

  “What happened here?” With his hands on my arms, Ryker looked over at Seth.

  “I’m not sure. They’ve been gone for a while,” Seth said.

  Ryker sniffed the air as he looked around the room then back at me. His eyes softened as he guided me into his chest.

  “Who was it?” I questioned.

  He held me at arm’s length, warmth radiating from him as he looked me up and down. “I’m not sure. From the scent, it was definitely a wolf, but…”

  “But what?” My heart pounded in my chest.

  “He’s something else too.”

  I peeked up at Ryker from beneath my lashes.

  He gazed down at me and whispered as I moved closer to him. “We’ll figure this out.”

  “Why do you think they were here?” Seth questioned. “What could they have been after?”

  Ryker breathed heavy against my hair. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. And when I do, I’ll kill them.”

  Seth didn’t reply. The quiet spanned out between us for a moment.

  Ryker cupped my face, grazing my cheek with his thumb. The gesture left my skin tingling and my heart beating for a different reason.

  “I may not be able to be with you, but I will damn sure protect you.”

  I shivered at the thought.

  Ryker tightened his grip as his eyes bore into mine. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. Run with me tonight. Let me show you what it’s like to be a wolf.”

  My throat dropped into my stomach and sizzled all the way to my toes.

  Eric’s words flitted across my mind, and I yanked away, my breath heavy. Ryker’s eyebrows knit together as I shook my head.

  “I don’t know. Is it safe?” I asked, and my heart ripped inside my chest.

  I drew my brows together, searching his face.

  His eyes were fierce. “That’s why you need to run with me. I can protect you no matter what.”

  “I…” I started to say.

  He sighed. “I promise to keep you safe.”

  His words were so quiet I almost didn’t hear them. My gaze flicked around the room, worrying my bottom lip. Relenting, I agreed.

  Ryker cradled my cheek against his palm. “We will figure all this out.”

  I closed my eyes for just a moment, leaning into his palm before pulling away and facing Seth. He stood only a few feet away with his hands folded behind his back. His focus was on the room and not Ryker and me. My cheeks inflamed, and I took another step away.

  “Seth, go ahead with the pack. Nina will stay with me.”

  “You got it boss,” Seth said with a nod and left the apartment as fast as his feet could carry him.

  “I’ll go change. The moon’s already rising, and we need to go.” I didn’t wait for a reply before I darted up the stairs for clean clothes and a bag for later. My wolf whined to be with Ryker, but I forced her down, building a wall around my heart with the promise to stay away from him. Running with him I could do, but I’d have to keep my guard up.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The idea of shifting with Ryker was both comforting and terrifying—and through it all, my heart ached for what we’d started and been unable to finish. I watched the snow-covered trees pass by in a blur as he drove down the highway. Snow fell in light layers and my chest ached with the same coldness reflected by the frozen landscape. My mind drifted back to the feel of his soft lips against mine. I could almost feel the heat from the memory. I pushed those thoughts away and forced myself into the present. I told myself that I had this—that I was totally going to concentrate on shifting, on learning to embrace my wolf.

  That was what mattered tonight.

  But the closer we got to the woods, the higher my heart rate rose. I felt like my stomach had jumped into my throat. And every second I watched the sun slide lower toward the horizon brought me closer to the change.

  “It’s gonna be okay,” Ryker assured me from the driver’s seat of his pickup. I glanced at him, my heart sinking as I saw the encouragement behind those golden eyes. He had his hair pulled up now in one of those irresistible man buns that always made me want to pull it free and run my hands through the soft brown waves. My chest tightened knowing I’d never get to do that.

  “It’s just you and me out here, okay?” His tone was soft as if speaking to a frightened kitten.

  “Where are the others?” I asked, focusing on my hands in my lap.

  “They’re looking into who was in your apartment.” Ryker took a deep breath, his fingers relaxed against the steering wheel as we drove further down the highway. “And into the missing shifters.”

  I glanced out the window and then to him. “Why aren’t we going with them?”

  “Because you’ve never shifted with an alpha, let alone shifted free.”

  I tilted my head from side to side, not arguing with that.

  He continued, “Tonight’s the full moon, so it’s the best time for them to search for someone.”

  Frowning, I asked, “Why?”

  “We’re strongest on a full moon. Everything—our senses, our strength. All of it is heightened. It makes it easier to track someone.”

  “Totally,” I said, my voice drifting off. My thoughts were still focused on the idea of running free. The threat of the unknown had me wringing my hands harder as Ryker turned off the highway onto a dirt path shaded by rows of thick trees.

  “We’re here,” Ryker informed me as he stopped the truck.

  We were at the opening of a wide clearing high in the mountains. Slowly, I hopped down from the truck, taking in the mountain valley covered in an endless white blanket. I marveled at the sheer wonder of Mother Nature basking in the rising moonlight. For the first time in the last hour I forgot my fears.

  Ryker climbed out and came around the truck to stand beside me. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, like my own personal sun. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent—an intoxicating mix of pine cones and wolf.

  He was antsy to shift, I could sense it on him, and my wolf wanted it—and him—now.

  I moaned low in my chest, hoping Ryker assumed it was in appreciation of the landscape.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Ryker asked.

  I jerked my head toward the mountain range stretched before us. “Breathtaking.”

  Finally, he turned to me. “You ready for this?”

  I chewed my bottom lip, mesmerized as the moonlight highlighted the blond tones in his dark hair, and shook my head nervously.

  “It’s okay
,” he said. “We have all the time we need. I’ll be here every step of the way.”

  I looked up to the sky as if searching for courage.

  The moon shone vibrantly against the inky blackness, illuminating the world around us, and I tried to relax.

  For the first year, shifting had been so painful that I had begged for death at every full moon. And though I had learned to control the pain, I’d been so afraid of what could happen if I’d let myself free. Chaining myself in a forgotten cellar had been my only comfort—the protection of knowing I’d never chance hurting anyone.

  I sighed—unsure of what tonight would bring—praying that with Ryker, I would be safe.

  Ryker took a tentative step toward me. “It’s okay.” He reached up and pressed his hand to my face. I stepped out of his reach, and he exhaled slowly. “Trust me.”

  His words held so much emotion, so much power. I wanted to. I really did. But the whiplash my feelings gave me when it came to Ryker weren’t something I could trust.

  I glanced once more at the moon, taking in a steadying breath as I prepared to summon my wolf. The change was inevitable. Either I would force it, or the moon would, and the latter would be much, much worse.

  “Okay,” I whispered, closing my eyes. I imagined my nails elongating, my teeth sharpening, and finally, fur sprouting across my entire body as I willed myself to shift. “Here goes.”

  Ripping pain shot through me as every bone snapped then grew and twisted as my wolf form replaced my human one. I screamed and fell to my knees as the change continued to shift my body, inch by painful inch. I lost myself in it—the sheer pain—until time stopped.

  When I opened my eyes, I was a wolf. The clothes I had been wearing lay in shreds around me. Ryker stood over me, still human, staring at me with worry lining his expression. When our eyes met, he smiled encouragingly before he too shifted.

  Before my wolf eyes, his skin turned to brown fur streaked with blond highlights. His face elongated into a snout, and his hands and feet became paws. His process was much faster than mine. He hadn’t screamed or even grimaced once.

  In no time, his wolf stared back at me. His eyes were the same golden color as before, and for the first time since I’d become this creature, I wondered if my eyes were also still green.

  “Yes, they are.” Ryker’s voice echoed inside my mind.

  My breath caught, and I yelped.

  “You… You can hear my thoughts?” I asked.

  He laid down in the cold white snow, bowing his head once.

  “Can you hear everyone in your pack?” I asked.

  “As long as they’re in wolf form, I can communicate mentally with them even when I’m human.”

  The meaning his words held was enough to make my head spin.

  “How do you feel?” Ryker’s voice rang through my mind. “Any urge to attack something?”

  I looked away unable to meet his eyes. “No. Honestly, I feel free.”

  “See?” he responded finally. “I told you there’s nothing to worry about.”

  Excitement entered Ryker’s voice which was very unlike him. He wasn’t generally so open with his emotions.

  “It’s a lot harder to hide emotions through the link. Everything’s heightened, remember?” His voice came again, and I swear he raised a brow.

  Mentally I took note of that which seemed funny considering Ryker could hear that too.

  “I have to admit though; I was expecting to be here for hours before you shifted completely, especially with you having had no guidance before.”

  Frowning, I knew exactly what he meant as the memory flashed before my eyes of chaining myself to the cellar walls preparing for the endless hours of pain I knew was coming. Learning to change more quickly had been even more excruciating as it took so much focus.

  Beside me, Ryker whined, snapping me from the memory as I realized he must have felt it too.

  Suddenly, I felt naked as if my entire being was on display for this man to see, and it was not a comfortable feeling. But on some level, it felt lighter too. To share my pain, to have someone understand—not pity but to transfer strength into my situation. Somehow, I felt empowered as if my past had truly made me a stronger wolf.

  When I glanced at him again, I could swear even in wolf form he had that sexy grin to a tee. My wolf lips curved back into my own smile.

  “Come on, little wolf,” he said. “It’s time you understand how it really feels to be free.”

  Before I could ask what he meant by that, Ryker took off with a howl into the darkness. I watched for a second longer before taking off after him, pushing my fears into the recesses of my mind. No matter what Ryker and I were to each other, I knew he would always have my back. In this moment that was enough.

  At first, each paw against the ground fueled my anxiety, but after a few minutes I relaxed. It was the most amazing feeling running at full speed. The fresh snow packed tight beneath my paws as my muscles stretched and pulled with the effort it took to keep up with Ryker.

  The wind whipped through my fur as I pushed myself faster and harder—allowing myself to get lost in the moment. I ran quicker, using my senses to search for Ryker and follow in the direction he’d gone. It didn’t take long to catch him, and the sense of victory washed through me like adrenaline. Tonight, I felt as if I was invincible as we ran chasing each other through the darkness.

  We ran together for what must have been hours, finally stopping when the moon started its descent. Sunrise wouldn’t be too far behind. For once, I almost wished the morning would hold off. In the pre-dawn, Ryker and I sat on the ridge of the mountain, howling in unison until we were both exhausted and out of breath.

  When I stole a glance at Ryker, he was looking at me with startling emotion. My heart panged inside my chest, and I wished being with him could be as easy in human form as it was in wolf form. Then Ryker smiled stupidly, showing all his wolf teeth.

  My furry shoulders shook with wolfish laughter.

  Ryker’s voice rang through my mind. “Enjoying yourself, huh?”

  I nodded.

  Sensing his own enjoyment through the link, I smiled inwardly as he quirked his head.

  “It’s time we head back, little wolf. We should try to get some sleep.”

  Reluctantly, I stood to follow him as he took off with no hesitation the way we had come.

  His fur glistened in the moonlight, reminding me of my desire from earlier to run my hands through his hair. Realizing that he knew what I was thinking or at least most of it, I stumbled, and heat washed over me. I could feel my cheeks reddening, or at least they would have if I were human.

  When an image slammed through my mind, I stopped short. Green eyes so fierce they danced with fire. They were my eyes, I realized, as lust and attraction swirled within me. Just as quickly, the picture was gone, and suddenly I felt cold in the wake of it.

  I looked to Ryker who had stopped in front of me. He didn’t look back, just stood there for a moment sniffing the air. I tried to make sense of the image, of the feelings that had overwhelmed me so strongly it was as if they had been put there by some outside force.

  It’s not like I’d ever been that turned on by the sight of my own face.

  Could it have been something Ryker experienced? Could our mental link go both ways? I started to ask, but then a new sensation caught my attention—distracting me.

  I looked around for the source as my lungs felt constricted with the most disgusting odor. Ryker tensed, lowering himself in the snow as if preparing to pounce. My ears perked. Listening hard, I could hear urgent whispering from somewhere close but was unable to make out the words.

  Ryker was silent as he slowly inched himself toward the voice.

  Instinct took over, and I slunk down low behind Ryker as we inched our way through the trees. The voice fell silent, but I knew they wer
en’t gone thanks to the intense smell. My mouth watered with the taste of copper, and I tensed even more. I’d only sensed blood in the air once before, but I hadn’t forgotten what it meant.

  Vampires.

  We were so close now, I could just make out the shapes of two figures huddled on the ground ahead. I kept my breathing even, making myself as quiet as possible, then I licked my lips as I focused on my prey. I could almost taste the soft flesh of their vile bodies, and I licked my lips at the thought of ripping them to pieces.

  My wolf wanted to destroy them.

  One of the figures, a girl I realized, darted her head from side to side as if searching for something. I feared she’d sensed us. The moonlight illuminated her face for a second, and my heart sputtered in my chest.

  I froze.

  Lindsey was only feet from me, tears running down her cheeks as she knelt over a body in the snow. Her eyes landed on the two of us, and she glared straight at Ryker then at me. I could smell the fear wafting off of her, making my chest tighten so hard I wanted to scream—but no sound escaped.

  Beside me, Ryker yelped as if in pain, but I was too paralyzed to move, hypnotized by the woman in front of me. My friend.

  A vampire.

  Lindsey stood, snarling, ready for the attack as she flashed brilliant white fangs. I prepared for her attack—it’s not like she could have known it was me, not like this—but she too stilled as if seeing a ghost.

  “Nina?”

  The sound of her voice was like a knife slicing straight through my heart. I howled my pain. If I could cry, I would have as I watched the recognition light up her face then shift quickly back to fear. Her voice came out urgently. “You need to go. You’re in danger here.”

  Then she was gone.

  Just like that in a blink of an eye. Beside where she’d stood, a body lay still on the ground. The snow around it was stained crimson with blood.

  I could feel Ryker’s need to chase after her, but it was if he was paralyzed like me. I could hear him groan, and it hit me that he might be hurt. I ran over to him, sniffing and smelling, but there were no wounds.