“Happy New Year, wolves,” the Black Mesa alpha said. “Come now. It's an excellent day for a fresh start.”
With that, he whirled and ran toward the mountains with a jubilant howl. His mate joined him, then another wolf, then another. In minutes, the pack was running again, leaping and howling and joyfully playing in the snow.
Luke looked at Caleb. Caleb looked at Luke. Ree took it all in with silence until she finally huffed out a bark that would have been an eye roll in human form.
“You two, stop it right now,” she ordered. “It's New Year's. You both have a lifetime to keep sizing one another up. Today, let's just play. And celebrate a fresh new start for us all.”
She gave them both a steely-eyed look, which was impressive considering how small she was in comparison. Luke looked amused, but he dutifully nodded. “I can see who the true leader of this pack might end up being,” he murmured, flashing that rare smile again that made him seem practically down to earth. Normal, even.
“She leads me, that's for sure,” Caleb said, letting a cheerful note creep into his voice. His whole life had just changed again. But Ree was right. Tomorrow they could worry about everything else. Today, with the wild bright sunshine and the epic piles of fresh snow everywhere, they would celebrate.
“Come, mate and alpha,” Ree said, nodding at each one in turn. “It's our new pack's time to run together. How perfect that it's the new year!”
Turning to nuzzle Caleb, she murmured for his ears only, “New you, love.”
“New us,” he said firmly, nuzzling her back. “Happy New Year, wolf,” he added to his new alpha.
“Race you both!” he suddenly yelled, and took off, bounding and howling through the mountains, his mate and his alpha running beside him, howling as well as they all greeted the shining new year.
About the Author
J.K. Harper writes about paranormal romance because despite a lifetime of wishing, all the cool supernatural book characters of her childhood just don't seem to be real. Besides, it's really fun to make stuff up. She lives in the rugged, gorgeous canyon country of the Southwest, which is a great place to let her imagination run wild.
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Read more about Caleb and Rielle in Hunting Wolf, book 3 of the Black Mesa Wolves series
Before the Hunt
by J.M. Klaire
Chapter 1
Sandra Martin tilted her head as she stared at her reflection in the church's warped full-length mirror. Her wedding dress was simple but elegant, clean lines with no lace or beading to adorn it. Her veil was a large square of lace her mother had been saving forever, just for this occasion.
Her gaze bore right through the lace covering her face, to stare into her own eyes in the mirror. Even covered with the soft fabric, her expression was easily read. Determination.
She narrowed her eyes at herself as a slight breeze found its way through the open window, making her veil sway just like the curtains as she took her last few breaths as a single woman.
She wasn't sure if it was the icy wind that made goosebumps break out on her skin, or if it was the realization that she was finally here.
She was finally about to step into a brand new chapter of her life. A better chapter, she knew. A chapter that started with a walk down the aisle toward the rich man her mother had basically sold her to. A prince, from what she had been told. A prince who would take both her and her mother with him after he kissed her as his bride, and provide for them, once this thing was official.
She was excited, although she still wondered why a prince like him was willing to marry her, a poor farmer's daughter, out of the blue.
"Don't look a gift prince in the mouth," her mother had said when Sandra wondered the same thing aloud to her a few minutes ago, before her mother stepped out, leaving Sandra alone.
"I'm almost afraid to speak of it at all, in case I jinx it," Sandra had said back.
Her mother smiled at her, and then asked, "Are you sure you're ok with all this? This was never what I wanted for you. I wanted you to marry for love, like your father and I did. When the offer came last month I honestly didn't expect you to agree. I only showed it to you out of shock, it came so out of the blue. I expected you to laugh and ask if maybe the message got delivered to the wrong house."
"The thought did cross my mind. I still don't know why he picked me. I thought princes married princesses, to unite kingdoms and grow their land, stuff like that. 'Love at first sight, spotting me as he was passing through town on his way back to his lands,' well it just seems so... odd."
"Rich people are odd, sweetie. There's no doubt about that."
"I guess. I am fine with it though mom, truly. I know it comes at a desperate time for us. My brother does what he can, sending most of his pay home to help out, but this wedding will change everything. We can't afford to keep the farm, not with dad gone, not even with Adam's help. This way Adam can live his own life. Find a wife.
It would be harder if you weren't coming with me. But Prince Kendrick says there is plenty of room for you at his father's castle. You'll have a whole wing all to yourself. You won't have to worry about money anymore. This is a good thing, mom. Think of it as an adventure."
"But you hardly know him. You've only seen him twice, for only minutes each time. If your father could see what we were doing..."
"If father was still here to see it, there would be nothing to see. We're only here because he died, mom. Grief doesn't pay the bills. Me marrying this prince does. Arranged marriages are common. We'll either grow to love each other, or we won't. Honestly, I'd be happy with just growing to like each other, if he stands by his word and takes care of us as he says he'll do.
I know you and dad loved each other very much, but you guys are the exception. It's a business arrangement, mom. Nothing more. The money will free us. Best case scenario, we fall in love and build a happy life. Worst case scenario, if we don't get along, we will just avoid each other. I'll move into your wing of the castle if I need to, after I give him a son of course. But either way we will be fed. You won't have to worry about money ever again. This is a good thing, and it comes at the perfect time."
Sandra could hear the few people who were attending the small wedding, the prince's attendants mostly, milling about in the great-room of the church, which her small changing room was just off of.
It was almost time.
Sandra smiled to herself as she thought of her father in the last moments of silence before she was to marry.
Her dad would have done anything to prevent his wife and daughter being where they were now.
She and her brother had grown up poor, as most farmers in the area were, working the king's lands and paying him a yearly fee to live on them. They'd been happy, but given the choice, Sandra preferred to grow up safe.
If her soon-to-be-husband died, as her father did, she would still be all right, unlike her mother. Her dad's death had left them with nothing. As a princess, she and her mother would never want for anything again. In her mind- trading a hard but loving existence for a safe, moneyed, if unloving life- well it was a no-brainer.
If she wanted love, she could always find someone on the side. Lots of people in arranged marriages kept diversions on the side. She'd have to be subtle about it, but she was sure her prince wouldn't be loyal to her, so why should she?
This will save us all, she thought. I can figure out the details later.
The chilled breeze blew again, stirring the curtains over the windows. This time quiet voices blew into the room with the icy air.
"Your father is going to be pissed! Do you hate him so much?"
Sandra quietly stepped closer to the window, keeping herself hidden as she listened.
"He's the one who gambled and whored the kingdom's money away. Now he expects
me to save him? He expects me to marry that bitch princess purely so he can start gambling and whoreing her money away as well? There's hardly anything left of his entire estate. I don't know why you're having second thoughts, this whole thing was your idea."
Peeking through the curtains, Sandra recognized the prince she was about to marry, speaking with his cousin.
The cousin spoke then, "I was just kidding! I didn't think you would take me seriously when I said 'you know what would really piss your dad off? If you came home as he ordered, but you were already married, to a title-less peasant.'"
"Why not? It's brilliant. If he is going to call me home like a wandering child, and push the princess's money on me, forcing me to marry just so he can carry on with his ways, it would serve him right."
"Could you have picked a more desperate peasant?"
"Now that was just luck. At least she's pretty enough. If I'm going to tie myself to someone forever just to spite my father, at least she isn't hard to look at. Can't you just picture his face when I introduce her as my wife, and have her mother in tow as well? No princess, no title, no land, no money, and two more mouths to feed."
"I'm not sure if you're brave or stupid. He'll probably disown you, then where will you go?"
"He won't disown me, I'm his only heir."
"You say that like there is anything left to inherit."
It got harder to hear them talking outside the window as their voices were starting to get drowned out by loud singing and laughing. It sounded like a parade was going by in the distance, like a gypsy caravan was passing through town on its way to set up one of their mobile carnivals.
"What the hell is all that racket?"
"Looks like fun, whatever it is. Not that it matters since you've got a wedding to attend. Are you ready?"
"Not really. But I must admit I am looking forward to tonight, after this farce of a wedding. I'm quite curious to see if this one is a screamer. I love a good screamer."
As they walked away, headed back around and into the church, Sandra stood rooted to floor. She'd wondered why a prince would be interested in her, and now she had her answer.
She'd spent so much of the past month imagining how today would go, how she was finally going to be able to give her mother a life that didn't include pretending she was full so that her daughter would have a few more bites to eat, that beyond a nagging suspicion that there had to be more behind this odd, quickly arranged marriage, she hadn't given much thought to why a prince would spot her in town and feel so moved by her mere presence that he had to propose.
It's going to snow soon, she thought as she stared unseeing at the caravan of bright colors and loud people that still streamed by about a quarter mile from where she stood looking out an open church window.
Then she realized that her mind had disengaged.
If she was standing here calmly, mentally commenting on the weather, instead of freaking out that her admittedly bad plan had gone admittedly bad, she knew she was in trouble.
She could call the whole thing off and go back home with her mother, until they were kicked out of the house they couldn't afford for much longer and hope for a miracle.
She could go out there and marry this guy, let him drag her and her mother home with him purely to piss of his father, and hope that they could make a life in a foreign land.
Or...
Or what?
"I'm quite curious to see if this one is a screamer. I love a good screamer," the words played over and over in her brain as she continued to stare mindlessly at all the commotion weaving through town.
If I choose to go through with this, and he's expecting an easily scared virgin, he's going to be sorely disappointed, she thought.
True, she had yet to marry, but that didn't mean she had yet to entertain herself in a hay loft or two. She had aspirations of a better life, yes. She was honestly willing to marry for money if it would keep her and her mother safe and fed, but that didn't mean she'd saved herself on the off chance that some prince would come through on a white horse and carry her away from all this, even if it had almost happened. Kind of.
She was rational, she was a hard worker, and she was willing to forsake a chance at a love like her parents had to avoid the same fate her mother was facing, but that didn't mean that she didn't have the need for a warm body and a good literal roll in the hay on occasion. It just meant that she was willing to do whatever it took to keep herself and her family fed.
"I'm quite curious to see if this one is a screamer. I love a good screamer."
She couldn't get his words out of her head.
Something in the still passing spectacle of people, animals and color caught her attention, and she actually looked at the caravan instead of zoning out and thinking while it passed in the distance.
The king's colors flew from what looked to be the middle of the fiasco. Her king, not her fiancé's king, wherever he'd said he was from.
Where was the king going? And why did it seem like he had his whole court with him, and then some?
Oh, right!
The winter festivals were starting. The king's entire court, and most of the castle's other inhabitants, were all headed the next kingdom over for the Christmas festivities this year, since last year they had all come here.
Wow, that is going to be one hell of a party, she thought. Everyone who's anyone for two kingdoms will be there., plus others.
Now that would be the place to find a rich husband.
Her mind started spinning with possibilities.
She couldn't marry this guy, not now that she knew he wasn't going to be able to take care of them like he'd said. And she couldn't just go back home with her mother and wait to be kicked off the farm she'd grown up on.
No, she thought as she watched the tail-end of the caravan move on, headed out of town. No! I promised my mother a better life, and I'm going to make sure we get it!
Sandra looked around, spotted something she could jot a quick note to her mom on, and then tucked the note under her hairbrush laying there on the dressing table. After thinking things through one more time, she shoved the dressing table over until it blocked the door that was supposed to lead her into the church and down the aisle.
She went to the window, yanked her dress up as high as she could, and then looked down, catching sight of her flimsy slippers.
Please, oh please, don't let the snow come until I can get better shoes, this is going to be interesting enough as it is.
With one more deep breath, she threw a hip up on the window sill, swung her legs over, and pushed off. The second her feet touched the hard packed dirt, she ran like hell for the last spot she'd seen the caravan before it had faded out of sight.
Guess you'll never know if I'm a screamer or not now, will you? Asshole.
She giggled as she ran, giddy on her own adrenaline and freedom as she set off to find her own damn rich husband.
Chapter 2
Naythan used the chaos of traveling to duck Candace yet again. Yeah, they'd kept each other's beds warm a few times, but she was starting to get clingy, which meant it was time to shut her down.
It's kind of a shame, too, he thought.
She would've been a fun one to play with as they traveled, especially if the snow did come. She definitely would have kept him warm, anywhere and anytime he'd wanted. But not now that she was starting to drop hints about this becoming more serious.
Nope, the last thing he was interested in was any kind of a relationship. His wolf was meant to roam free, and he planned on keeping it that way.
As second in command of his wolf pack, he had all the fun and none of the major responsibilities of running things. He just had to do what he was told, which was pretty damn easy to do when the pack was run by an Alpha like his.
Bane, his Alpha wolf, ran a tight ship, but he was also fair. Yep, life was pretty sweet. True, Bane was getting a little testy lately. Talk about a guy that needed to get some. But as an Alpha wolf, Naythan really co
uldn't have asked for better. Especially when the pack's duties included things like keeping the peace during the winter festival.
A month-long party where the only real dangers were people and shifters getting too drunk and rowdy. Fights would be common, but they'd pass as the combatants sobered up, only to have it all start back up as soon as they all started drinking again. So basically just another day.
Naythan's pack was one of the king's many levels of security. Usually they stayed put at the den, running patrols in shifts, but not this month. Nope, this month they left a skeleton crew at the castle and the den, since practically everyone and their brother was here, all headed to the neighboring kingdom for this year's Christmas party.
"Hey, Naythan! You look like you're on the run again. Some woman has you in her sights, I take it?"
Naythan looked around for Mac, Bane's best friend, and one of his as well. He knew the voice well, he just couldn't spot where it had come from in all the activity.
"Up here!"
Naythan looked up, spotting Mac, who instead of walking had caught a ride on one of the many wagons loaded down with supplies.
"Hiya Mac! How are ya?"
"Better than you, it seems. You look like a man bent on escape."
Naythan just grinned at the only bear shifter in their midst. Bane, Naythan, and the rest of the wolf pack were all, well- wolves. But Mac was a big ole bear, literally.
Practically adopted by the pack, Mac teased Naythan, knowing the odds were good that he was ducking a woman, since he was usually either pursuing one, or escaping one he'd already managed to catch.
"Who is it this time?" Mac grinned down at him.
"Candace."
"Ah, I see."
Naythan watched Mac look around for her, acting as a look-out from his higher position.
"I think you're safe, for a minute anyway. I see her fiery red curls way up toward the front."
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