Wolf Ridge- Complete Series

by Jayne Hawke

  “What happened?” I said firmly.

  The man stood head and shoulders above me. Well-toned muscles were on full view beneath his tight dark t-shirt. Under other circumstances, I’d have been taken aback by how strikingly handsome he was. Standing there in the darkness with my pack in danger, he looked like a monster that lurked in the shadows waiting for innocents.

  “These teenagers broke in my parents’ home and stole this notebook,” he said, holding up the notebook.

  I glared at Briar who remained looking sullen as she dropped her eyes and muttered something.

  “They will apologise, and I will mete out appropriate punishment,” I ground out.

  The man’s mouth spread into a sharp-edged grin as he pushed into my space.

  “I’m Logan Blackthorne, and your packmates stole from me.”

  My blood ran cold. Of all the people they could have chosen to steal from, they went after the notorious hunters!?

  28

  LOGAN REACHED OUT AND ran his thumb along my cheekbone. It took everything I had to stop myself from sinking my teeth into him.

  “We have been looking for a pet...” he whispered.

  That was my breaking point.

  I punched him in the throat as hard as I could. He gasped and dropped to his knees with his eyes wide open as he put his hand to his throat. I grabbed his hair and wrenched his head back to look up at me as I snarled, barely keeping my wolf side down.

  “If you or your family come near me or my people again, I’ll make you beg for death,” I said coldly.

  Logan gasped and choked but remained defiant as he stared at me.

  I leaned in and allowed my wolf side forward enough to shift my very sharp wolf teeth. He fought against me as I leaned down and pressed my teeth against his jugular. He tried to shove me off, but I twisted and pinned him to the floor where I sank my teeth into his throat. Not enough to kill him, just enough to leave a reminder of what would happen if he dared return.

  “Next time I won’t stop,” I whispered as I gently caressed his cheek.

  I could smell the fear rolling off him and it sent a thrill through me. There was a temptation to ride that high and push further, but I needed to set a good example for the siblings.

  Standing, I bared my teeth at Briar and Adam. They dropped to their knees and bowed their heads.

  “Home. Now,” I snapped.

  COLE HAD RETURNED BY the time we got back home. Adam and Briar refused to look at me.

  “What the hell were you thinking!? We have simple rules here. You have a nice home, a car, and you go and steal from the Blackthornes!? What is wrong with you?” I shouted.

  Adam eyed the exit of the kitchen and started moving that way.

  “Don’t you dare move one more muscle,” I snarled.

  Briar was sitting at the kitchen table with her arms wrapped around her looking very sorry for herself.

  “Well? Tell me why you did it,” I growled.

  Cole walked into the kitchen and the siblings shrank down even smaller.

  “I needed the thrill,” Briar said softly.

  I heard the lie in her words.

  “Never lie to your alpha,” Cole said coldly.

  A tear trickled down Briar’s cheek but something told me it was a crocodile tear.

  “It was a stupid celebration, ok. We can’t drink, we don’t have any friends, and that’s the closest we can get to the thrill of running,” Briar choked out.

  “If you do it again, you will be handed over to the council,” Cole said flatly.

  With that, they were dismissed, and I had to face Cole’s steely glare.

  “They stole a notebook from the Blackthornes. A ‘Logan’ Blackthorne got in my face, so I sank my teeth into his throat and told him to leave us alone.”

  Cole threw his hands up.

  “Were you even thinking?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him.

  “I was thinking that I needed to protect my pack.”

  “By putting a target on our back? The Blackthornes will take that as a damn good reason to take us out. Logan is their precious son.”

  I wasn’t going to back down. Maybe my decision wasn’t the best, but I did what I felt I had to to keep the siblings and Cole safe.

  “They will understand that trying to take us on will result in a loss of life,” I said.

  Cole’s nostril’s flared and his eyes flashed gold.

  “An alpha thinks about the long term, not just what feels good in the moment.”

  The pulse of pride that he was considering me an alpha was overridden by my irritation at the entire situation.

  “We should be thinking what to do about Adam and Briar. They broke the rule and stole something.”

  I wasn’t going to mention that I thought Briar had been lying. We needed to deal with one problem at a time, and my gut twisted at the thought of losing my little pack. It was selfish, but the need for a pack was almost overwhelming.

  Cole pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “How badly did you bite Logan?”

  “Enough to draw blood and scare him, no more.”

  He nodded.

  “His parents are out of town for another month. His sister’s down in Mexico, possibly Chile, no one’s quite sure.”

  He visibly relaxed as he thought everything through. Finally he looked at me with those impossibly beautiful sea green eyes and smiled.

  “I’m glad you’re ok.”

  I shrugged.

  “Just a lone hunter and a couple of teenagers. No big deal.”

  Cole laughed.

  “I wish my evening was so simple,” he said as he turned towards the alcohol cupboard.

  “Council stuff?”

  He nodded.

  “Things are becoming difficult with the fae. There was a change in power recently. A new prince is refusing to step up into his role, and there are smaller factions stirring up trouble.”

  “Anything I can help with?”

  He pulled a bottle of expensive bourbon out of the cupboard and smiled at me.

  “Not right now. It’s all just talk at the moment. You’ll know if things get worse.”

  I went to him and ran my fingertips up over his strong forearm, enjoying the feeling of his skin beneath my fingertips. There was something soothing about it.

  “Do you want to talk about the blood witches?” I asked softly.

  “No.” He sighed. “I can’t. Not yet.”

  He poured us both a generous helping of bourbon and handed me a glass. Raising his, he said, “To complicated relationships and a reduction in paperwork.”

  29

  ADAM AND BRIAR HAD worked hard to make a nice breakfast the following morning. The French toast was edible, and I could see that the charred blackness had once been bacon. They kept their eyes down and didn’t say a word as they waited for us to start eating. It was unbearable. I hated the pressure hanging over us as the younger pack members desperately hoped Cole wasn’t going to kick them out. They picked at their food once Cole and I had both started eating.

  I looked pointedly at Cole. The need to tell Adam and Briar to relax was strong, but I was still new to this garou stuff and I wasn’t going to screw it up. Cole frowned and exhaled.

  “I am not going to hand you the council. Assuming you don’t screw up again.”

  Adam brightened immediately and devoured the over-cooked ‘food’ on his plate. Briar pushed hers around and remained quiet. Once we’d all finished she finally said, “I got the apprenticeship. There isn’t much pay, but they said I have a lot of potential and should be qualified quickly.”

  “That’s good,” Cole said.

  I glared at his back.

  “Well done. Are you happy with the place?”

  Briar nodded.

  “They seem cool. There’s another female mechanic there which helps.”

  Adam hurried her out of the room, and they left soon after. I assumed for their respective jobs, but I couldn’t help
feeling a little stone in my stomach wondering if they were getting into trouble again.

  “You need to be firm,” Cole said.

  “I was firm,” I said crossing my arms.

  “They need boundaries and clear rules. It’ll make them feel better,” he said as he approached me.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Bowing and scraping is so last century.”

  He laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist.

  “Don’t let them walk all over you. They’re not as weak and simpering as they like to play,” he said as he stroked my hair.

  I leaned into him and rested my head on his chest, enjoying the moment.

  “Briar’s a manipulative little cow,” I said.

  Cole snorted.

  “She certainly tries.”

  I thought back to the lies and crocodile tears the night before. What had they really been up to?

  A knocking came from the front door before the sound of high heels clattered down the hallway towards us. I bristled at the invasion of my home.

  Cole stepped back, leaving me feeling cold and irritated. I turned to snarl at the invader when Cole said, “Natasha.”

  A beautiful brunette strolled into the kitchen as though she owned it. Her long straight hair fell down her back standing in contrast to her tailored white dress and tawny coloured skin. She turned her dark brown eyes on me and raised an eyebrow.

  “I didn’t realise you’d hired a housekeeper.”

  I snarled.

  “I am an alpha, and you are?”

  She looked down at me from her high heels. Her gaze travelled up and down me, her expression said she’d been left wanting.

  “Oh. You must be the guardian.”

  I narrowed my eyes and tried to restrain my wolf side that was throwing itself against the inside of my mind giving me a headache.

  “Yes. I’m the guardian. And you are?”

  “Cole’s fiancée.”

  I felt as though she’d driven the air from my lungs. Cole hadn’t mentioned anyone important in his life. How could he keep something so important hidden?

  “Ex,” Cole snapped.

  The woman turned towards him with a hurt look.

  “I’ve never looked at another man since you...” she said softly.

  “That was your decision,” Cole said.

  The woman huffed.

  “Well you could at least offer me a coffee.”

  Cole remained rooted to the floor before he grudgingly made some coffee. I sat down at the table and watched the woman closely. She was certainly beautiful, it was easy to see why Cole would be attracted to her. She was most men’s dream, with long slender legs, a small waist, and full pink lips. Her expression turned predatory when she took the seat next to Cole’s.

  “It’s so sweet of you to take in the guardian,” she said to Cole while sneering at me.

  Cole tensed and said nothing.

  “Natasha Bellefleur,” she said holding her hand out to me.

  “Rosalyn,” I said crossing my arms.

  “It must be so difficult, finding your place in our world. As both guardian and made. You’re very lucky to have such a generous garou take you under his wing. I’m sure you’ll find someone else to take you in once he returns to his appropriate place, though.”

  My head felt as though it were splitting in two where my wolf side was baying to rip this woman open. An icy rage coursed through my veins and made me set my jaw as my fingernails dug into the palms of my hands.

  “My appropriate place is here, Natasha,” Cole said coolly.

  “Oh don’t be so ridiculous. You are the final Loxwood. Your place is with me sitting on the pack council. We were born to lead. Your little break has taken far too long,” Natasha chided.

  Cole growled and she looked away.

  “You do not hold that position any more, Natasha,” Cole said placing coffee in front of her.

  Cole handed me my coffee before he settled in Adam’s seat between us. My wolf was livid. He should have taken the seat next to me to show his allegiance. I pushed the feeling aside. We were a new thing, I didn’t know what it was but I wasn’t going to be childish about this.

  “Why are you here, Natasha?”

  “To finish old business, of course,” she said with a sickly-sweet smile.

  She took a sip of her coffee while looking at Cole. Natasha turned to me, “Be a darling and get me something to eat.”

  I openly growled. She was pushing my buttons, and the victorious spark in her eyes showed she was getting what she wanted.

  “There are cafes and restaurants in town,” Cole said coolly.

  “I was so looking forward to your cooking,” Natasha said as she put her hand on Cole’s forearm.

  “Get to the point, Natasha,” Cole said wearily.

  “I wanted to catch up with my fiancé. I’ve been worried about you.”

  Cole pulled his arm away.

  “Ex. Do not make me repeat myself again,” Cole growled.

  Natasha pouted.

  “Have you found someone else?”

  Cole continued to glare at her as he said nothing. My stomach twisted, I couldn’t be sure if that meant he didn’t want Natasha to know, or if he didn’t think we were more than a few kisses here and there. Exhaling, I let the tension go and stood up.

  “I’m going for a run.”

  “Have fun. I’m stealing Cole away for the day,” Natasha said with a little shooing motion of her hand.

  She was lucky I didn’t break her wrist as I walked past. My wolf side had set its sights on Cole, and it was not going to share.

  30

  TO MY CHAGRIN, NATASHA was a regular presence in my home over the coming few days. Cole was relaxing around her too, which did not improve my mood any. They were laughing about something from their shared past when I went into the kitchen and got the the ice cream. I wasn’t in the mood to make something healthy for lunch, and damn if I didn’t need that cookie dough and peanut butter goodness.

  Natasha raised an eyebrow and looked down at me when she saw me with the fresh pint of ice cream and a spoon.

  “Don’t you think you should be watching your figure?” she said.

  I gave her a positively vicious smile.

  “I haven’t heard any complaints about my figure from Cole.”

  A dark flash went through her eyes and her lips began to curl back. Cole came up behind her and she tried to entwine her fingers with his. Cole pulled away.

  “Any progress on your job, Rosalyn?”

  I wrinkled my nose.

  “Not yet.”

  I’d been chasing down every sign of a lead I’d come across on the blood witches and come up with nothing. Amy had been trying to get me into the witches’ online library, but the techno-witches were keeping us both out. Me, for being garou; Amy, for trying to get me in.

  The Grim had nothing, and the search engines were only giving me vague notions and some really weird new-age stuff. It was getting beyond frustrating. I was aware of their presence, they were waiting in the shadows somewhere. I needed to get to them before they got to Cole. They had to slip up somehow.

  A notification came through on my phone. I frowned seeing it was from the Grim. A gruesome image of a wolf popped up on my screen. Its legs had been broken and its head was lolled at a horrifying angle where the neck was barely more than a few sinews. My ice cream sat forgotten as I looked for details on time and location. The notification was anonymous, which meant a techno-witch was involved somewhere.

  The photo had been taken ten minutes ago about twenty minutes’ drive from home. I grabbed my keys and kissed Cole hard as I passed him before I ran out of the door. This was potentially exactly what I’d been waiting for.

  THE WOLF WAS JUST OUTSIDE of my territory. I parked the Mustang next to the road and ran between the trees, trying to ignore the urge to shift. I would be able to move more quickly, but I’d also be more distracted. Sniffing the air, I caught the scent of de
ath and decay. Turning, I moved towards that. There were no trails here, not even game paths. I circled around looking for some sign of the path that the witches must have used to get there. Broken twigs, indents in the dirt, something.

  I took my time walking gradually smaller circles looking for anything that might be useful. Footprints, a speck of blood, the hint of a scent. Breathing in deep, I tried to get past the broader scent of death and pick up something I could follow. Nothing. Moving slowly, I continued my visual search. Everything was as you’d expect. There wasn’t a single trace, and I found myself baring my teeth in frustration.

  The wolf was even more mangled up close. The rage bubbled up from somewhere deep inside to see a being not that unlike myself having died in such agony. Fear and pain filled the air and my nostrils. It hung like a thick cloud surrounding a neat little circle that I couldn’t quite see.

  I needed to push it all away and focus on the task at hand. I was hunting the witches. Crouching down I began with the head of the wolf. There was a small hole in its skull leaving dark blood matted in its pale grey fur. I couldn’t see any signs of magic, sigils, or anything in the dirt nearby or on the head itself. The hole was neat and precise, which made me fear that the wolf had been alive through a slow and agonising process. A rougher hole would have come from a quick blow, something that would have at least knocked it out.

  The last sacrifice had symbols carved into the heart, so that was where I looked next. The chest cavity was empty. Lungs sat tossed in a small bloody heap a few inches from the wolf’s tail. It took me a minute or two of searching to find the heart. Even around the body there weren’t any scuffs in the dirt from movement, not even a stray hair from the wolf struggling.

  The heart had been nailed to a tree some six or seven feet away from the main body. The innards had been removed entirely, as had the left back foot, I noticed. Upon closer inspection, I saw that there wasn’t a single drop of blood on the floor. I made a quick note of that. They’d taken the blood to use in a future spell - that was worth knowing.

  The rest of the wolf’s insides and the missing back paw were all within six feet of the body. The intestines had been dumped in an unceremonious heap on top of a small scrubby bush. The paw was pushed against a slender young tree, the grey almost blending in with the dirt and bark. Picking it up, I noticed the cut was clean. White bone stood stark and bloodless, showing even that had been drained dry.