by Rhea Regale
Blood Moon Legacy 3
Wild Hunts
As a revered white wolf, Kasa Jones is well aware of the dangers stalking her. She and her brother, Jordan, track down holding cells and free innocent werewolves before they’re reprogrammed to kill her.
The night Kasa botches a hunt, exposing herself to the enemy, she flees for her life and lands in the claws of two mysterious wolves.
Micah and Slade Castrove have been hot on Kasa’s trail for months. With her finally in their care, the brothers vow to protect her from the dangerous rebels hungry for white wolf blood. They never imagined the challenges that would come with keeping Kasa safe.
Kasa is enraptured by her mates. Their body-heating good looks, powerful personas, and promises of protection easily sway her priorities. But when her brother is kidnapped and the only way to save him is to sacrifice herself, can her mates protect her from the ultimate hunt?
Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 70,351 words
WILD HUNTS
Blood Moon Legacy 3
Rhea Regale
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour
WILD HUNTS
Copyright © 2011 by Rhea Regale
E-book ISBN: 1-61034-732-3
First E-book Publication: August 2011
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
To all of my dearest friends who continue to support me and cheer me on. I wouldn’t be here without you!
WILD HUNTS
Blood Moon Legacy 3
RHEA REGALE
Copyright © 2011
Prologue
The white wolf is revered in the were community, a sign from the spirits of prosperity and good times to come. She is an alpha female who gives hope to her fellow wolves and reigns over all. As with any admired creature comes those who wish to watch her fall from grace.
Twenty-five years ago, a group of rebel wolves slipped into the quaint town of Hood River and slaughtered all residing white wolves, leaving the local packs in panic and dishevelment.
The last words spoken on a mother’s dying breath brought forth the vow of an adolescent. Beneath the cover of darkness and tragedy, a young man escaped the hunters with a baby tucked safely in his arms.
When danger passed and carnage remained, the young man began a journey with a package more precious than the air he breathed. He would raise her, teach her to fight and defend herself, and always sacrifice his life for hers.
His sister, a sacred white wolf, would never be safe from the hunters.
And so began the legend of the Blood Moon Legacy.
Chapter One
The howling chorus pierced the ominous night. Kasa gasped, coming up short of the ravine. Girl, you went and botched this one big time. Now wasn’t the time to dissect her strategy to find the flaws. She had to escape before they tracked her scent.
The free-bleeding wound on her arm became a lethal beacon in this wintry night. She cut left, dodging low-lying branches and vaulting over trees and rocks. Not even the crisp scent of pine and wilderness could mask the sour smell of sweat and blood. Enraged demands echoed through the forest. Damn, if she didn’t stop the bleeding and somehow divert the pack, they’d be on her soon enough. Years of painstaking planning and diligence would be thrown to the scavengers. All for nothing.
Of all wolves, I have to be a white.
After tonight, she was as good as dog chow.
A scraggly branch whipped against her face, tearing into her forehead. She snorted, sharp pain momentarily stunning her. More blood. Great.
With a careless swipe of her arm, she mopped up the mess of her latest infliction and pressed on. A moment lost was a moment too long.
Kasa skidded between two thick trees. Solid muscle slammed into her back, sending her to the ground with a chest-twisting humf. The uneven terrain failed to greet her sudden arrival hospitably. Rocks jabbed deep into her ribs. The massive weight that had fallen on top of her ground her smaller frame into the forest floor, squeezing every molecule of air from her lungs. She clawed desperately at the soft dirt, collecting debris beneath her nails, but remained wedged between beast and earth.
Her chest constricted. She fought to suck in air. Each breath became faster, shallower. Her heart hammered against her ears.
Don’t start panicking now.
The bristling wolf paced alongside her mind, protesting her demands. She wanted out. She wanted the chance to fight. Kasa swallowed a growl. She couldn’t afford to give away her true identity now, even if her blood confirmed what a white coat surely would.
The unbearable weight lifted from her back. She flipped herself over and whimpered.
Pain speared through her, blinding her. Air flooded her lungs and she clenched her teeth when bones grinded in her side. Her ribs were shattered from the assault, rendering her near
helpless. Silver splotches of color exploded in her line of vision. She tried to blink the annoying flares away and focus on the dark figure looming over her.
The burly man reached down and grabbed the front of her sweater. He held no regard for her condition or the article of clothing, jostling her excruciating body. He lifted her with that one beefy hand, roughly yanking her off her back, off the ground entirely. His fist dug into her chin. Her sweater bunched against her throat. The cold air chilled the exposed flesh of her belly, lending little comfort to the open cuts marking her skin. She held fast to his thick wrist, her nails lengthening as she dug them deep into his skin. The toes of her boots barely grazed the ground, dangling beneath her.
Damn, not good.
Swallowing the bile that rose with the throbbing pain emanating from her chest, she lashed out her foot, catching the bastard dog in the groin.
His howl slashed through the night, piercing her eardrums. His fingers loosened, dropping her in a heap. She shook her head, his cry of pain still vibrating through her skull, and scrambled to her feet. The man had crumpled into a fetal position, clasping his wounded cock, eyes aglow in anger and agony. His teeth glistened in the half-moon light, fangs sharp and prominent, revealing his feral nature.
Despite the numbing pain rushing through her body, she bent down and landed a single punch square to the man’s nose, snapping his head to the side. He shuddered and became silent, his eyes rolling back into his head. Blood poured from his nostrils.
Her satisfaction was smothered as her ribs grated, a brutal reminder that her injuries were dire and she was still in danger. Essentially, she couldn’t fight to protect herself, and being in the field in her condition would ultimately kill her.
Time to go. There’s nothing more you can do now.
Her wild instinct cooed to her wounded pride, which roared in protest. Yep, she had definitely fucked this one up, but she wouldn’t leave the mess due to a broken bone. She spun and—
“Dammit,” she barked, clutching her side with both her hands. How many ribs did that buffoon break? Just to ease her frustration, she kicked the unconscious man at her feet and hissed. That’s it. Broken bones won this time. She begrudgingly accepted she had no other option but to leave. Submitting to her failure, she turned away from the man and limped along, away from the torture cave and all the weres that would be left to a fate she couldn’t bear to imagine. Each step was agonizing. Each breath rattled her vision. At this pace, she’d be hunted in minutes by another beefed-up puppet. If she changed—
No!
The aroma of her flowing blood was bad enough, surely already in the noses of those tracking her. She picked up her pace. Warmth streamed down her face from the gash on her forehead, mocking her thoughts. She growled, wiping it away with her ruined sweater sleeve. The raunchy odor of deep earth and feces from her attacker clung to her skin and clothes, riling her already unsettled stomach. Dead leaves and pine needles tangled in her hair. A shower, a rare steak and wine, and time to recoup were all she needed. At the rate she was going, it was still hours away.
“You fucking thug. Can’t believe you broke my ribs,” she muttered under her breath.
A sharp crack snagged her attention. She froze and tried to suck in a deep breath. Her chest protested even as her wolf demanded it. A scent, one much different from what she had encountered a short time ago at the lake, shot her guard up. Her skin tingled. Her heart slowed a beat then sped up to racing. She sidled by a tree, using the thick trunk to shield her. If a human sought her, he’d walk right by.
If it was a wolf…
Bracing herself for another rush of pain, she crouched low to the ground and inhaled again. The scent magnified. Bones grated in her chest. It was a potent brew of wild, feral, and, as she feared, wolf. It was a powerful scent, an erotic scent that lit her lower belly to life. This isn’t the time…
No way around it. Her lip curled back. Practically helpless to defend herself in such a state, she could never outrun another wolf in her human form. She only had one chance to escape this cave-break gone askew. As it was, the fine, snowy fur had already begun to press through her skin.
With broken bones, she risked a change, knowing well enough something might not transform properly.
Crack, step, thud. Consecutive noises she felt vibrate through the ground. A beast lurked close, drawing nearer with each step. Her muscles stiffened, her wolf prowling along the seams of her spirit.
A howl split the brisk night air. A dangerous growl reverberated through the forest trees, followed by the pungent odor of blood. Fresh, metallic blood. The smell was so strong it churned with the furtive scent of fear and death. She tasted it on her tongue and breathed it into her spirit. Judging by the sounds, the predator was not far off and the death howl came from the general direction of her unconscious attacker.
Moistening her lips, she gave in to the restless wolf. Her clothing tore as her body fluidly melted from human to canine. Fur, as opulent and white as virgin snow, lengthened, coating her. Her bones rearranged themselves, her battered ribs grating slowly into place. She could feel her wolfen spirit mending her wounds, fusing bones back together at an astonishing rate. Her wolf would heal her quickly, but her stark coat would make her stand out in the dark night.
The predator snorted. Paw steps approached where she hid. Claws scraped over dead forest debris, raking across her nerves.
She twisted and leaped toward deeper forest as she finished her transformation. In this flesh, her injuries did little to hamper her extreme agility and grace. Fusing mind and body together, she fell into her natural self and followed her instinctual voice.
Each carefully calculated leap and bound whipped at her sensitive snout. Her fur rustled. Her paws barely grazed the ground as she pressed forward. The air smelled sweet and woodsy, bitter and bloody.
The hunt was on. She was the prey.
She lunged over a narrow stream, the waters high from recent heavy rains. She slid beneath a fallen tree trunk, grappled over a row of boulders, and landed on the ground below. Her claws failed to grip the steep, needle-covered incline and her rear swung around, pulling her down. As she slid, her hind legs caught beneath her. Swallowing a yelp, she anchored her hind paws into the soft dirt, scrambled to right herself, and used the downhill momentum to propel her forward, closer to escape.
The hill leveled, and she plowed ahead.
A dark figure stepped in her path. Kasa tried to bank right, but the predator was too close. She slid on her ass and spun in the opposite direction.
Weight pressed down on her unstable hips. Her legs buckled and she landed on her belly, splayed over the ground. Teeth clamped down on her scruff. Strong paws held her shoulders, pinning her helplessly to the forest floor. The dark figure that had blocked her path slinked around her, coming in front of her once more.
Her heart pounded against her chest. Two of them.
The large black-and-gray wolf lowered at her head, his snout inches from hers. She growled despite the vibrant heat that washed through her blood. The wolf on her back returned the growl against her scruff. The one at her snout merely pulled back his lips in what seemed to be a smile.
“Foolish of you to be out here alone, putting yourself at risk. Good thing we found you.”
Kasa stiffened. She couldn’t tell which one spoke to her, but neither seemed to know just why she was here. Which could be good.
Or very, very bad.
“What are you doing out here where rebels stalk the night?”
Kasa tried to shimmy from beneath the wolf on her back. His teeth tightened on her flesh. His paws pressed into her shoulders. The black-and-gray at her nose shifted closer and licked her. Desire struck her fiercely, dimming her vision. A new sensation extinguished the last of her pain, replacing it with a basic yearning. A basic hunger. The heat pulsing off this stranger spread over her, through her, deep inside her spirit. His pale blue eyes flickered before his warm tongue brushed her again.
; “Answer me.”
Kasa tried to fight the urge to close her eyes while pinned to the ground in a hot zone. They were barely a mile away from the cave, too close to be considered safe. Despite the heaviness weighing in her womb and the sudden weakness that curled along her muscles, she blinked and held the black-and-gray’s piercing gaze.
“That’s none of your business,” she snapped along the newly acquired telepathic line. A familiar hum touched along another line.
The approach was stealth and silent until the moment the two wolves launched themselves at the duo holding her. The weight on her back vanished with a rumbling growl. The black-and-gray viciously engaged the wolf who jumped him. Kasa sprang to her paws and shook the dirt from her coat.
“Dammit, Kasa. How many times must I tell you to stop your thrill-seeking ordeals?” A light brown wolf trotted up to her, his amber eyes seeing past her to the brawl taking place among the four wolves. He snorted then swatted her hind quarters with a paw. “Let’s go.”
“I don’t think they were captives.” The tremor in her tone drew that soul-penetrating amber gaze back to her. Pointed ears perked up. She shook her head and started away from the brawling wolves. “Jordan, don’t give me that look. I’m not in the mood.”
“You think I’m in the mood to chase after my insane sister who insists on breaching rebel territory? I’d much rather be home with a damn beer and a girl.”
Kasa snarled, slinking alongside her brother. She cast the wolves a glance over her shoulder. The two wolves from her brother’s pack retreated behind them. Their threatening growls rolled through the night, warning the strangers not to follow. By the looks of it, the two submissive wolves whom her brother and their pack mates saved her from took their warnings seriously. The black-and-gray bared his white teeth but showed no signs of attacking. The other, a gray-and-white, sat down and looked around as if nothing was out of the ordinary for this night.