A Ravenous Pack: Wolf's Hunger 5 Books

by A. K. Michaels

  Sending out his senses to double check the area was clear, which it was, Fox undressed before leaving the safety of his temporary home. Stretching his cramped muscles, he ensured his injuries were completely healed before transforming and heading off in search of food. Today, he hoped to eat what he brought down without damn rogue Wolves snatching it from him. Once he’d had a good feed, he would need to think about moving on. This land was no longer safe for him. There were too many renegades wandering around and he didn’t want to get caught up in a war between them and the Pack whose land they were encroaching on.

  Not his problem. So he’d stock up on fuel, pack up his meagre belongings and find somewhere safer for him to stay for a few weeks. Once safe, he would decide what his next move was going to be. Maybe he would move into a town for a bit. Get a job and some money to restock his dwindling funds and resources, or go back to basics and just hunt for everything. Damn it, he enjoyed some home comforts like his coffee in the morning, and he had a penchant for chocolate that never seemed to go away. Guess he’d be finding a town, and a job, for a little while anyway, but first he needed to hunt and eat, as his stomach growled loudly to remind him of that fact.

  Fox cracked his neck, side to side, then called his beast forward, reveling in his shift as his transformation overtook him. He welcomed the momentary flash of pain as his body stretched, muscles and bones realigned, his Lion form appearing in mere moments. His ability to transform as quickly as his King had always been a bone of contention within his Pride and was just one more reason for him to butt heads with the man. And one of the reasons he had to leave before he ended up gutted in his sleep.

  He knew it would happen. The man was not one to risk his position by throwing down a challenge with the risk of losing . . . not against Fox. So he’d left. He had no wish to rule the Pride and to be honest he’d been young and foolish at the time. Now? Maybe he would take on the ass and wipe the smug look from his face to make him pay for every time he had uttered his name with such derision. But no, his Pride was far away and a life time away. There was no going back, not now, the time for that had slipped away and Fox knew it.

  As his claws dug into the soft grass, a soft rumble grew in his chest, one of contentment as he pawed at the ground instinctively, shaking his head, his mane flowing freely around him, Fox allowed a soft purr to break free before he loped off in his hunt for prey.

  He’d slept longer than he’d wanted, the accumulated weakness of lack of food and his injuries sustained the previous day had more an effect than he would have liked. He preferred to hunt early but it was now late morning, and he would have to have his wits about him in case the rogues were also up and about. He wasn’t worried about one or two Wolves, he could deal with those easily, but if there was a pack of them, then he could be in trouble.

  Fox used every one of his enhanced abilities as he moved stealthily through the forest. For an animal of his size, he was silent as a mouse, and so far, he found no sign of any other Shifters nearby. No new signs that is. There were plenty of old ones, both Pack and renegade, all over the damn place, so his senses were on high alert. His hearing was picking up everything all around, his eyes scanning the minutest movement, his nose taking in every scent from the wildflowers that were in abundance, to the scat of every creature that lived in the area. He could separate every single aroma, from the pleasant to the not so pleasant, and the downright nasty like the rotting carcass that was lying in the brush off to his left. Damn, that was rank.

  His nose twitched at the stench as he pushed on past it and finally caught a whiff of a deer. Honing in on it, he veered off toward it and hoped no other predator was in the area. He needed this and didn’t want to get into a fight for his food. He was too tired, too grumpy, and too dang hungry. If anyone got between him and this deer he’d tear into them without a moment’s thought, and then go straight on and grab him some brunch. Yeah, that was his plan and nobody better get in his way. Not if they wanted to stay in one piece that is.

  Swerving around a gigantic oak he caught sight of the deer, it was smaller than he would’ve liked, but it would have to do, and unfortunately it was on its own so he didn’t have the choice of going after another. Dropping to the ground he listened carefully for signs of the rest of the herd but they were nowhere nearby. Damn. He’d much prefer something larger than the one he was looking at, but needs must be met, so he crawled forward, staying upwind of the animal that was grazing lazily under the sun in the small meadow.

  The sight was beautiful, the land he was on was stunning, and in another life, he might ponder staying longer, but with rogues prowling free and his funds low, Fox knew it was time to move on. But first he needed to feed. He was thin and growing weak from lack of food so this deer was his, and after he’d eaten he would try and find another before heading back to pack up and leave for good. As that thought entered his head, a vision of the white Wolf from his dreams of the night before slammed through his brain, causing him to pause and shake his head.

  What the hell? He thought as the sight shimmered and faded slowly. You’re losing it. He told himself. Too long without food. He refocused on his prey who was none the wiser of his presence. Fox tensed his massive hindquarters, his muscles bulging in readiness for the sprint to close the short distance between him and the deer. His long legs would eat up the earth and he’d be on the beast before it knew it was even in danger. Just the way he liked it. He wanted a good, clean kill. One that was over as quickly as possible so he could devour it and get on his way to find something else to eat and sate his hunger.

  The sooner he was on his way the better. The longer he stayed here, the more chance there was he’d run into those renegades again.

  Launching himself forward, he sprang out of his hiding place silently, and was almost upon the deer before it was aware of his threat. He heard the moment it became conscious of him, its heart thudding wildly in its chest as its head whipped around, eyes wild with fear as its dainty feet skidded trying to gain purchase on the damp grass. That brief pause was all it took for Fox to take a flying leap and land on his terrified prey, his gigantic jaws encompassing its neck and snapping it as easily as a twig. As its blood gushed inside his mouth, the heady metallic liquid alighted his taste buds like a tasty wine as the body collapsed beneath him.

  He wasted no time in ripping into the carcass, tearing it apart with teeth and claws, a delectable delight as he feasted on the young deer. Every part was consumed with relish, his favorite pulled from the beast and left until last . . . the liver. Once there were only bones and hide lying on the ground, Fox lay down and took his time on the most delicious and mouth-watering organ, nipping small parts from the small tissue to make it last that little while longer. When he was finished, his raspy tongue licked around his face to clean it as much as he could, before licking his front paws to clean even more as he chuffed.

  Once he was content he’d cleaned himself as well as he could, he stretched and rose, ready to hunt again, heading back toward the forest. As he approached the trees, his tail shot up as his senses picked up paws headed his way, scents of rogues hitting his nose from all sides . . . including three behind him.

  Fox spun around to spy the Wolves hurtling toward him from several hundred yards away and tried to figure out which was his best bet. Three behind, three in front, four on his left and two on his right. Right it was then. So he turned that way and took off, glad he’d had some sustenance to fuel his flight and pissed off they’d managed to find him . . . again. Were they after him specifically or were they after his kill?

  Didn’t matter. He was bigger, faster, and all he needed to do was outrun them, then lose them so they couldn’t follow his scent . . . easy. Right?

  Sure. And he had a magic wand he could wave and make himself invisible! Or better still, he could turn them all into little bitty pussy cats. That would be nice.

  Get a grip, dumbass. He gave himself a telling off as he raced through the trees, no need for stealth at
this point. Speed was the name of the game. Get away first and then think of covering up his tracks . . . before they all caught up to him.

  He saw the two Wolves ahead, a mangy mutt out front that would cause him no problems and one that was lagging behind. He’d just barrel right on over it and then take out the next one. Fox increased his speed, ignoring the bushes ahead, planning on crashing through those too and then taking out the Wolf with his sheer size and speed. He careened right on, with no thought for stealth, his huge body demolishing the thick brush with ease . . . and excruciating pain filled his entire body, a roar tearing from his throat as his hind leg stepped in a bear trap.

  The trap snapped shut with brutal finality, the sound of his leg breaking loud in his ears as he tumbled head over ass, the metal digging deeper into his muscle, sinew and bone. He roared again, pain and frustration filling the air as he stumbled to his feet, dragging his useless leg behind him. Anger coursed through him as the nearest Wolf closed the distance between them, a howl of glee breaking free from its throat, alerting its cohorts that Fox was injured.

  Hell, if they thought they were getting off that easy they had another thing coming. He was a fucking Lion and even with only three legs, he wasn’t going down without a damn good fight. These dirty mongrels would soon find out what it was to take on one of his kind, especially one that was injured and cornered.

  He had nothing to lose and there was nothing more dangerous than a Lion in that situation. They just didn’t know it . . . yet.

  The Wolf stalked closer as Fox dropped down, acting his part as the injured beast to a T. Going so far as to make pitiful sounds that he forced from his throat and performing at trying to lift his head as if it weighed a ton. He dropped it down, making more sounds as if he were dying. Jeez, he should get a damn Oscar for his performance. Pity he wasn’t being filmed for this. If he put it online he’d surely win a dang award.

  The mutt moved in, obviously wanting to play the hero and take him out before his friends arrived—playing right into Fox’s hands. He could smell the rank odor of the Wolf as he drew closer, only a rogue could give off a scent that bad. The stench was one that reeked of something Fox wasn’t used to, not just dirt and lack of cleanliness. It was far more, it was what ran deep within that made a renegade. Not just a lone Wolf, nor someone like Fox who lived alone, but a true rogue . . . pure evil. It poured from this beast and cloyed in Fox’s nostrils, enough to make him gag. He’d be able to tell this beast was corrupt no matter where they were, or if he were amongst a thousand other Wolves.

  He’d take pleasure in ending this depraved being, and would have no remorse in doing so. And that would be in just a few more seconds. One more step . . . and now, as soon as that step was taken, Fox rose, using his size and superior strength to leap onto the Wolf, snapping the neck with such ease that he laughed inside at the stupidity of the animal. Were all Wolves this stupid? Or was is just rogues?

  Dropping the corpse, Fox looked around for the best place to make his stand. Would it be his last stand? Maybe. But he’d ensure to take more of these fuckers down if it were his last moments on the Goddess’ good Earth.

  The more the merrier.

  He took in the details of where he stood, a copse of trees set to the side, with brambles around the base of a large oak . . . perfect. They wouldn’t be able to sneak up behind him and with the arc of the trees and thick brambles they could only attack, at most, two at a time. Manageable, if it weren’t a prolonged battle, going by the blood loss of his wound. The pain he would cope with . . . he had no other option. It was that, or die, and he had plans for a large slab of chocolate and an even larger cappuccino with an extra espresso shot and sprinkles. Hell, he may go all out and add some marshmallows.

  He could almost taste both as he hauled his agonizingly painful leg behind him as he went to the only place where he stood a very slim chance of survival. You can do this, Fox. Don’t think, just DO!

  He set himself up, taking great gulps of air into his lungs and roaring so loud that leaves from the trees fell in a cascade around him as birds took to the air, squawking and wings fluttering in their haste to flee, just as the next two Wolves arrived.

  Game on, cocksuckers. Let’s see what you’ve got against a pissed off Lion who’s ready to do anything to survive. They stalked toward him, lips curled back, fangs dripping with saliva and Fox’s only thought was how fast could he kill them before their friends arrived, and if he did, would he have enough strength left to take them all out?

  Sheba tore through the forest with an urgency she’d never felt her entire life. Her heart ached with the need to reach her mate with the certainty that he was in imminent danger. After finding the cave where he’d obviously been living, she’d relaxed, briefly, thinking he was close, but then she’d taken off again trying to find him.

  Soon after, a pain stabbed her in the chest, so severe she fell to the ground, with Ray calling to her in shock. “Sheba! What’s wrong?”

  “I feel something! Something terrible, Ray! He needs us. Now! Oh my Goddess, we have to get to him.”

  She’d hauled herself up and raced after his scent, like a torpedo zeroing in on its target, Ray at her side. “I can feel him, Ray. He’s not too far away.”

  “That’s good, little one, that’s good.”

  And as her Beta finished, they both heard the roar of pain thundering through the forest. Sheba’s heart felt as if it was being ripped from her chest. The sound reverberating through her like a physical pain assaulting her entire being with a ferocity that she’d never encountered. She wasn’t sure she could take it, it was so all-encompassing that she almost collapsed from the sheer power of it. It was her beast that carried her on, her Wolf’s power that kept her upright and on the move to help the Lion that pulled her forward.

  “Oh my fucking Goddess! What’s happening to him?” She screamed, desperate to find . . . and protect the one that was calling to her.

  “We’ll find him. Come on!” Ray tore away, his size eating up the ground as he galloped ahead.

  He no longer needed her to locate her mate. Ray had heard his roar as clear as day and could pinpoint his position easily by that alone. It took Sheba several moments to recover enough to fully engage again, but as soon as she could, she was firing on all cylinders and her pace picked up as she zoomed through the forest once again. Now using her Alpha powers, she could hear far more. Up ahead there was a fight going on . . . no . . . a battle. A full on fight to the death was happening and she was sure it was her mate that was on the receiving end.

  “Fucking rogues! Ray, there’s rogues up ahead, I can sense them, but I’m not sure how many just yet but I can sure as fuck smell a whole hell of a lot of blood and a lot of that is my fucking mate’s!”

  “I know, Sheba, I can scent it too. I’m almost there, I’ll help him, Alpha, I’ll help him!”

  “I’m right behind you!”

  “I know you are, little one. Just be careful!”

  “You too, big guy!”

  Her heart pounded as she ran on her paws barely touching the ground as she sped so fast through the land she knew so well, but which was now tainted with the scent of renegades, but over it all she could still taste her mate. His aroma was like a heady mix of citrus and musk that was ingrained deep inside her. It drew her like a beacon, but it was the scent of his blood that tore at her soul. He was injured and if the amount of the metallic odor in the air was anything to go by, it was severe, possibly even mortal.

  That thought spurred her on to speed up, her heart almost bursting with the effort, until she ran into a small clearing to witness a scene of carnage before her. One that almost caused her legs to buckle beneath her and her heart to stop beating in her chest. Fear stampeded through her as her eyes took in the horrific tableau…a second before fury and rage filled her.

  There were several dead Wolves lying on the ground before a wounded Lion . . . her Lion, who was backed up against a line of trees. Ray was fighting two Wolve
s while another two were closing in on the Lion, who looked to be on his last legs. His head was down as he panted heavily, his body covered in blood, both his and of those Wolves whom he’d fought, and as he moved, Sheba caught a glimpse of a damn bear trap on one of his hind legs.

  Fuck! He’d been fighting off these rogues while he had a trap on his leg? Damn! She didn’t think twice, she darted forward, roaring wildly and leaped high into the air to land on the back of the Wolf nearest her mate. She opened her jaws and sank her teeth around the back of its neck, biting down with all her might. The Wolf bucked beneath her, trying to dislodge her, but she wrapped her paws around the fuck, digging her claws into its soft underbelly and pulled viciously. Blood, gore, and entrails emptied from the beast as it howled in pain, her jaws clamping down harder until she heard the satisfying crack of the neck snapping and the Wolf collapsed beneath her.

  Nimbly jumping from the fallen beast, she turned to the second renegade who was backtracking away, its head turning between her and Ray who was down to one on one. Sheba stalked toward the lone Wolf, snarling as a white hot fury bubbled inside her. Using every inch of her Alpha power, she pushed the rogue to its knees before pouncing . . . she’d show it no mercy this day. Not after what it had done to her mate.

  It tried to turn and run but she was too fast, her claws digging deep into its hindquarters and bringing it down before it got away. The fight was over before it truly began. She would waste no more time than was necessary . . . her mate needed her. His injuries were grave and he looked like he was at death’s door. As soon as the Wolf’s heart stopped beating, she whirled around to find Ray already transformed and cautiously approaching her mate.

  “He’s badly wounded, Sheba.”

  She transformed, striding forward and snapping, “Stating the damn obvious, Ray! What are we gonna do?”