by M H Soars
Wolf’s Calling
Wolves of Crimson Hollow Book Two
M. H. Soars
Michelle Hercules
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
About the Author
Also by M. H. Soars
Also by Michelle Hercules
Read a sample of Savage Dawn
Wolf’s Calling © 2018 by M. H. Soars and Michelle Hercules
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Book Cover Design: Rebecca Frank
Editor: Cynthia Shepp
Chapter 1
Red
After Valerius, the alpha of the Shadow Creek pack, called me the Mother of Wolves, he simply left without answering any of my questions, the most important one being what he plans to do with me. The bindings around my wrists don’t bode well. I struggle against them, ignoring the sharp bite of leather on my skin until my wrists go numb. The feeling of impotence only serves to spike up my heart rate, and all I can hear is the pounding of my pulse in my ears.
Focus, Red, focus. Panicking won’t help one bit.
I let my gaze skitter around the room, scrutinizing every single detail of my confinement. There isn’t much to see. Only depressing gray walls, no windows. The metal door has a little glass opening enforced by metal bars. This is a prison, like I ever had any doubt I was in one. The fact I’m not shackled to the wall by an iron chain, but trapped to a bed instead, makes no difference.
Maybe if I shift, the binds will snap. I close my eyes, trying to tap into the wolf’s essence that now swirls in my chest. But there’s nothing there, not even a shred of the animal’s wild energy. The raw power in my core is gone, as if it never was. What has Valerius done to me?
Without a window, I can’t tell what time of the day it is or guess at how long I’ve been out cold. It could have been hours or days. If Sam, Dante, and Tristan have noticed my absence, will they know I didn’t leave voluntarily? My past speaks against me. I did try to escape a few times since I was turned into a wolf, but things are different now. We’re bonded.
I jerk in my bed, forgetting for a second I’m stuck. The mating bond. I was able to feel them even when we were apart. Maybe I can communicate with them now, tell my mates I’m Valerius’s captive and, most importantly, that Seth and Lyria betrayed them.
Closing my eyes, I focus on their faces, trying to find their auras somehow, though I’m not even sure if aura is the correct term. I still don’t know how the connection works. Before, there was a sense of awareness, almost like an invisible blanket draped over my shoulders, if they were nearby. Now, there’s nothing but a big, cold void that brings an ache to the back of my throat. Why can’t I feel them? Did something happen? It feels like a stone dropped in my stomach.
I hear the door unlock before it’s pushed open. My entire body freezes, not knowing who will come through. A petite teenager walks in, carrying a tray of food in her hands. Her head is down, and her unbound dark hair has fallen forward, framing her face and hiding most of it.
“Who are you?” I ask.
She doesn’t even glance in my direction. Instead, she approaches the bed, then presses the button that lifts the hospital bed to an upright position. The smell of scrambled eggs and bacon reaches my nose, making my stomach grumble. At least they don’t plan to starve me to death. But how do they expect me to eat with my hands bound?
“What is it? Cat caught your tongue?” I press again.
The girl peers at me from under her lashes, her moss green eyes almost too large for her face. She’s as pale as Valerius, with sharp, striking features. But while the enemy alpha emanated strength and health, this girl appears as if she would bend and break if hit by the softest breeze. Her high cheekbones seem more evident due to her gauntness. She’s so thin I’m afraid she hasn’t eaten in days. Shit, maybe she hasn’t. I have no idea what kind of alpha Valerius is.
There’s no malice in her eyes, but also no spark. It’s like her soul has been crushed. A sharp pang in my chest makes me suck in a breath. For a split second, I feel my wolf stir inside, albeit quite subdued. My power hasn’t deserted me, thank God. Maybe I’m still under the tranquilizer’s effect. Once that wears off, I can attempt a shift. I’m sure the bindings won’t be a match for my wolf. But first, I need to get as much information from this girl as possible.
Quiet as mouse, she grabs a spoon, the only utensil on the tray, and scoops up a bit of food. So, this is how it’s going down. She plans to feed me like a baby. Even the bacon has been chopped to small pieces. I suppose a fork and knife would be too much of a risk since they could easily be turned into weapons—if I were free of my constraints.
“I’d much rather eat by myself. Why don’t you just untie me?”
As expected, she simply shakes her head, bringing the spoon to my mouth. I’m tempted to clamp it shut, but I need to regain my strength, so eating is a must. My compliance seems to ease some of the tension in her shoulders. She’s afraid of something.
After I swallow the lump of food, I try once more to get her to speak. “What’s your name?”
She freezes as if my question were offensive or worse, dangerous. Her gaze connects with mine for a brief second before she reaches for the simple silver chain around her neck, pulling the pendant from underneath her loose T-shirt. Her name is spelled out on it—Nadine. But that’s not all I notice. My attention is drawn to the scar marring her neck—three lines of puckered skin. It’s as if someone clawed her throat out. A chill runs down my spine. Most likely, that’s what happened.
Catching me staring, Nadine quickly drops her chin, pulling her hair over to hide he
r scar. A nagging suspicion takes root.
“You can’t talk, can you?”
She shakes her head, still avoiding my gaze.
“Shit. Now I feel like an ass. Please, forgive me.”
It’s not an act. I do feel badly.
The teen lifts her chin. Maybe I’m wrong, but I read surprise in her eyes. The reaction doesn’t last. Soon, she’s staring at the plate again, scooping up more food. I take another bite, barely savoring the taste, when the loud bang of the door hitting the wall has the girl scrambling to her feet. In her haste, she drops the spoon, but she’s too rattled to pick it up.
Valerius enters. Nadine takes a step back, her shoulders hunching and head dropping as she attempts to make herself even smaller. He scrutinizes the tray of food, notices I barely made a dent, and makes a tsking sound.
He swivels to me. “I take it you’re still being difficult.”
“Not really. You interrupted my meal, but I would have eaten faster without these.” I turn my hands into fists as I stare at my bound wrists, locked to the rails of the bed. Come to think of it, why does Valerius have a hospital bed in this cell?
“Your freedom is completely up to you.” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans in a casual gesture, as if discussing something stupid like the weather.
Narrowing my eyes, I try my best to keep my voice neutral. “Let me guess, you’re going to make me promise not to run.”
Valerius’s lips curl into an arrogant smirk. “Something like that, but you’ll have to make me believe your words first.”
I scoff. “And how am I supposed to do that?”
“Very simply, Amelia. By answering all my questions about the Crimson Hollow pack.”
My heart stops beating for a moment before lurching inside, drumming fast while my tongue goes dry. Valerius wants me to betray the pack—the ones who saved my life. Does he know I’ve bonded with all three Wolfe brothers? He called me the Mother of Wolves before, but he couldn’t possibly have gained that information from Seth or Lyria.
“What makes you think I have any worthwhile information?”
“You’re the Mother of Wolves; you have information I need even if you don’t know it yet.”
Dread drips down my spine. There he goes again, calling me by that moniker. What does he know about the legend?”
“I’m not going to betray my pack.”
Valerius frees his hands from his pockets, gripping the end of the bed railing until his knuckles turn white. His face twists into something feral, almost demonic. There’s a flash of red in his pupils—not ember like most wolves—which causes my heart to beat in a staccato rhythm.
“I’m only going to say this once. You’re not a Crimson Hollow wolf. You belong to me, and I don’t tolerate disloyalty among my subjects.”
“Subjects? Are you a king then? I belong to no one,” I say through clenched teeth, letting my temper take control. “This is not my home, wherever the hell this is.”
Valerius growls, peeling back his lips to show elongated canines. In the corner, the sound of china rattling against the metal tray diverts my attention from the deranged alpha. Nadine is shaking like a leaf in the wind, biting her lower lip.
“It seems those idiots down South didn’t explain how things work among wolves,” Valerius says, his voice guttural now. “A Shadow Creek wolf turned you, which means you carry the Shadow Creek wolf strain. Ergo, it makes you mine. Get used to it, darling.”
I pull against my bindings once more, barely feeling the bite of the rough leather against my skin. “What do you want with me?”
Valerius keeps staring at me cruelly, his lips curling into that odious smirk that seems to be his trademark.
“I already told you. I want information. Later, well, we’ll see how it goes.”
His statement is ominous. Whatever it is, it won’t be anything pleasant. I need to get out of here.
“You can’t keep me here forever. They’ll come for me.”
Valerius chuckles. “They? You mean the dead alpha’s sons? Let them come. I’ve been provoking those Crimson Hollow idiots for months, trying to make them take a stand. But their alpha was too cautious for my liking. He never did anything that would justify a war. Now he’s dead, and my sources tell me his sons have taken a keen interest in you. So you, my dear Amelia, just gave me the excuse I need.”
A shard of fear spears my heart. A war between the two packs would have devastating results on both sides. I can’t let that happen. “Are you going to attack the Crimson Hollow pack because they rescued me?”
Valerius lets go of the bed, straightening up to his full height. “It’s obvious you’d do anything to avoid that.”
I don’t answer the man, hating he can so easily figure me out. Instead, I ask, “Since when have you been in cahoots with Seth?”
Just thinking about the enforcer’s betrayal brings my blood to the boiling point. Lyria’s backstabbing wasn’t so unexpected. The bitch had been gunning for me since I arrived in the pack. But Seth was Tristan’s closest friend. I still can’t believe he betrayed us.
“Cahoots?” Valerius laughs. “I don’t think I’ve heard that word in a very long time. It must be your grandmother rubbing off on you.”
My body begins to shake. Estrangement or not, I have to protect Grandma from Valerius.
“Leave her out of this,” I hiss.
He narrows his eyes, leaning forward. “I have no intention of meddling with an old witch. At least, not right now. But I can easily change my mind. Don’t forget that, Amelia.”
My nostrils flare, but I bite my tongue. It won’t do me any good to throw demands around while I’m Valerius’s captive and he’s threatening open war against my family and my pack. For once in my new wolf life, controlling my temper will be my only hope of getting out of this mess.
“If I give the information you want and remain loyal to the Shadow Creek pack, can I have your word you won’t attack the Crimson Hollow pack?”
The alpha doesn’t answer right away, but keeps staring at me with his devilish eyes. I try to not squirm under his scrutinizing gaze. Finally, he flashes me a satisfied grin.
“Now we’re getting somewhere. I knew you were a smart girl. Losing Felix was worth it after all.”
“Felix?”
Valerius nods, his eyes shining with amusement. “My best soldier.”
Suspicion makes my brain spin. First, my grandmother creates a ruse to send me into the woods, and now Valerius’s comments… No, it can’t be.
“What are you saying? Did you send that wolf to attack me?”
Valerius’s smirk blossoms into a bared-teeth smile. “Oh, you poor thing. Did you think you were turned into a Shadow Creek wolf by chance?”
Chapter 2
Tristan
Goddamn it. I should have never gone in to town this morning. Maybe if I had been around, Red wouldn’t have disappeared. And it was all for nothing. I made the trip to have another chat with Zeke, show him the device Mom found implanted in the back of Dad’s head, and see if the imp could also sense a demonic presence in it. But he wasn’t in his bakery. Since the lowly demon has an aversion to cell phones, I wouldn’t be able to find him until he wanted to be found. However, he did have something for me. Somehow, he knew I would be back. It was a note with random names of people and dates next to them. Until I could figure out what they meant, it was useless to me.
I should follow Mom outside, help her get the enforcers, but I’m glued to the floor, unable to move. The hollowness in the center of my chest seems to be expanding, and drawing air in is painful. Is this how Mom is feeling right now? If so, how can she function?
“Are you all right?” Dante stops in front of me, his green eyes filled with concern.
“No. Why does it hurt so badly? Do you think it means Red is…” I can’t bring myself to say the words. When had I turned into such a wimp? When had I started allowing my emotions to take control?
“She’s not dead.”
Dante’s tone is hard and certain.
“How can you be so sure? And if she’s not dead, then why can’t we sense her presence? If she was taken, she can’t be that far.”
Running a hand through his messy hair, Dante glances away. “There could be a million reasons why we can’t sense Red right now.”
“And none of them are good.”
Dante whips his face to mine, his eyebrows scrunched into a frown. “Where did you go?”
The sudden change of subject is clearly on purpose; Dante doesn’t want to dwell on what could have befallen Red. I feel the darkness creeping in, crippling and oppressive, but I can’t succumb to it. I won’t allow my bond to Red to turn me into a useless ball of feelings.
“I went to see Zeke, ask him about the device we found on Dad. The girl working in his shop told me he went out of town last night, but he left me this.” I hand Dante the note. Maybe he can make some sense out of it.
He scans it quickly before raising his gaze to mine. “What’s this? I don’t recognize any of those names.”
“I have no fucking clue. Maybe it’s nothing. I wouldn’t put it past Zeke to have left it behind as a practical joke to mess with our minds.”
Dante reads the paper again, his forehead furrowed in concentration. “No, I don’t think this is a joke. These names and dates mean something. Only one woman is on it, and all the others are…shit.” Dante jerks his head up. “I think I know what this is.”
“Know what? Did you find Red?” Sam joins us in the foyer, dressed in sensible clothes that can be stripped at a moment’s notice. He’s ready to go on a hunt.
“I went to talk to Zeke. Couldn’t find the imp, but he left a note with names and dates,” I reply.
Dante passes it to Sam, who quickly reads it. He seems puzzled. “What does it have to do with Red’s disappearance?”
“I’m not sure it has anything to do with it,” I say.
“Maybe it’s not related to her disappearance per se, but it’s definitely related to Red, or more precisely, to what she is.”