The Embers of Phoenix (The Inferno Pack Book 1)

by AJ Blackburn

  Shit, my heart hammers against my ribs. I don’t know this male. I don’t know if he intends to hurt me, kill me, or fuck me. As much as I’m hoping for the latter, I’m not sticking around to find out. I might be a good fighter, but shit, there is no chance in hell I could take on such a powerful male on my own. I turn tail and bolt into the thick cover of the pines. A howl rips through the air, an eerily deep soulful sound and then feet pound the soft earth behind me.

  We search the woods, every square mile of our vast territory, and I can only pick up a faint scent of Phoenix. My heart is pounding in my ears and my hackles stand on end. Hunter rubs his head along my jaw and rests it over the back of my neck, kind of giving me a wolfie cuddle, trying to sooth my tension.

  We will find her, Ember, I promise you. Dane and Josh are on the way here now.

  Josh is not only the Beta of our pack, he’s also the most skilled tracker we have, but my heart still sinks. My head lowers to the ground and my tail tucks up between my legs. Dane can hurry up and get here because I am going to actually tear him that new one this time. Soon enough my father and his Beta come running into the clearing where our ceremony was held just a few nights ago. Now those happy feelings and memories are long replaced by concern for my sister.

  Ember. Dane’s voice is soft, as it always is talking to me.

  Don’t you, Ember, me! This is your fault. I push into his space. He doesn’t move of course, but his eyes train in on me a little harder. Being daddy’s little girl has its benefits because it means he doesn’t like to assert his dominance over me. But I know that if I keep pushing then he will.

  How do you presume it’s my fault, child. I merely had a conversation with her, if she’s childish enough to wander off in a huff after, that is not my fault. His voice as reasonable as always, echoes through my mind.

  Maybe let’s stop pointing fingers and get on with finding Phoenix. Josh's mind pushes into both of ours, trying to ease the tension that’s now clogging the air, and the mention of her name sobers us both back to reality.

  Hunter, take Ember back home. Am I right in thinking you both have been out here for hours looking?

  No! I shoot at my dad.

  Yes, we have. Hunter’s brown eyes look at me, he doesn’t want me to stop looking for my sister, but he also wants to care for me. We will come back out, once we’ve eaten and rested. He tells me privately.

  I’ll call if I find anything. Josh sounds so military like, a little hope flutters through me at his words.

  With that we split in opposite directions. I feel guilty walking back to my cabin, but Hunter is right. I am hungry and exhausted. Our territory is huge and we have covered every square inch, still no sign of Phoenix.

  Phoenix, if you can hear me, I’m going to kick your arse when I find you. No answer again, my heart sinks lower and I let out a soft whine. Hunter's body is pressed against mine as we walk in silence. A melancholy cloud hanging over me.

  I’d crossed out of pack territory, shit I hadn’t even noticed until I’d come to a tarmac road. We rarely go near humans in our wolf skin, they know about us but as long as we keep away from them they leave us alone. We go shopping and things, but they can’t recognise we are shifters in our human skin. In our wolf skins there are subtle differences between shifters and real wolves, not all know what to look for, but the hunters do.

  They have never found our pack, our forest is so dense and vast that they end up going around in circles mostly. I know the hunters are brutal and barbaric, sometimes skinning us alive, selling our pelts. They slaughter us just for sport, but lately they have been doing much worse. Trapping and caging any wild animal is a worse fate than death in our eyes. Unable to run and be free, tormented constantly by captors, the thought makes me shudder.

  So, not only am I running from the black wolf, now I must avoid being seen by hunters. I could loop around and go back into our territory, but I’m unsure what this wolf wants. This plan would lead him back to my family and pack, back to Ember, meaning I need to keep on going. I have to keep them all safe. Though the wolf at my back could have easily caught me by now. I’ve figured out he is toying with me, so far he hasn’t come close enough that I can see him again, but I can smell him clearly enough to know he’s still following me. Stalker!

  I can hear the noise of a busy road not far away, so I keep to the mountains. I was already too close to humans and I didn’t want to get caught up by the road, you never know who might be driving by. I also need food and sleep, so I head further into the mountain range and head towards the forest I can see down in the valley where the river runs. Sorry, Mr. Rabbit, wherever you are, the big bad wolfie is coming. My stomach rumbles at the thought of a juicy fat rabbit, or a hare if I’m really lucky. I won’t risk a farmer’s sheep, farmers are far too handy with guns.

  Mr. Fucking Rabbit is an elusive arsehole, I think to myself two hours later. Stomach growling louder now as I curl into a ball at the base of a huge old oak tree, tucking my nose under my tail and feeling more defeated and upset than I should. I am most definitely overtired. My black wolf is nowhere to be seen, heard or scented. My black wolf. Possibly shouldn’t refer to him as mine. Oops. Perhaps he’s grown bored with following me.

  I must have drifted off to sleep fast. I’m roused a short while later by that tantalising scent, sandalwood and male musk, and the smell of blood...wait blood? My eyes snap fully open and I shoot to my paws, ears pricked, hackles raised, and tail high. I can’t hear anything or see anyone, but I can smell him. My mouth waters and my stomach let’s out another loud moan of annoyance. As I move around the side of the oak tree I find where the blood has come from. Two Mr. Rabbits are laid out waiting for me. I know they are from my black wolf, I can smell him all over them. No matter where they came from, I’m too hungry to turn down food.

  Belly now full and quiet again, I carry on trotting through the woods with no real destination in mind. It's quite thrilling really. I like this, maybe a little too much? Though I wish my sister were with me. I should feel vulnerable, but I have the comforting sensation of being protected. Deciding that I want to find out what the pulling sensation is that I have towards this male, I figure a few more days in the forest won’t hurt, as long as I finally tell Ember where I am.

  Opening the link that I share with Ember slightly, I brace myself waiting for the shit storm to hit. And shitting hell it hit alright! I even stumble a bit from the booming anger that bashes it’s way into my mind. I don’t like angry Ember. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t get angry very often, so when she does it’s seriously scary.

  PHOENIX. WHAT. THE. FUCK! I bellow in my sister’s mind. She knows how pissed I am because I hardly ever swear, unless I’m really angry, or drunk.

  Ember, you need to calm down. I’m totally fine, I promise. I just needed to get away for a while. You know how Dad gets. There she goes again, trying to distract me like usual, but it wont work. Not this time.

  Yes, and I’ve screamed at him too. I try to lace my mind's voice with anger but I know that if my sister’s wolf skin could pull an ‘are you serious?’ face, she will be doing it right now, regardless of whether I can see her or not.

  I did scream at him, but you won’t believe me, so whatever. Where are you? Hunter and I are coming for you. And why did you leave pack territory? I ask her, words now flying out like vomit. I need to know everything before the heifer blocks me out again.

  I...there was... Her words come through like a phone going in and out of signal. How suspicious that she is stalling, Phoenix doesn’t stall. She just comes out and says it, no matter what it is she has to say, good or bad.

  I... just…wanted to take some more time to breathe. I knew you would all come looking for me after a few days.

  Funny how I don’t believe you, Phoenix? Fine, whatever, we will come now. I tell her.

  No, I’ll make my way back in a few days. Please, Ember. Please, I need this. The hint of desperation in my sister’s tone makes me fold to her will, s
he never pleads for anything.

  Fine. But you better not block me out again. And I’m still going to kick your arse when you get back.

  Okay, okay. I’ll see you soon. Love you, Embs.

  “Where is she?” Hunter’s arms wrap around me from behind and he kisses my neck. He isn’t trying to seduce me, but fuck, his mouth is seductive all on its own. I relay my mind conversation with Phoenix back to him as I dance my fingers over his arms.

  “Sooo, now we don’t have to look for Phoenix any longer...” His voice is enticing and heavy with a need that makes me clamp my legs together, feeling myself growing damp at his implication. I can feel him growing hard behind me as he grinds his pelvis against my rounded arse.

  Suddenly I'm being pulled off the bar stool and bent over the kitchen table, his powerful hand pushing between my shoulder blades and his other gripping my hip.

  “You have made me wait for this too long, Ember.” His voice has gone from silky seduction to hungry power. I have made him wait. I’d been too busy panicking about Phoenix, who happened to be just wandering around for the freaking fun of it. I needed him, I needed Hunter, I needed my mate, and I need him now.

  “Are you going to just hold me here till we are both bored?”

  “Mmm, little wolf,” he chuckles. “I’m going to hold you here while I slide inside this hot little body of yours.” His hands quickly tug my jeans over my arse and down to my ankles. He then trails his hands back up my legs, moving my thong to the side. My body and centre are now quivering in anticipation and need. A finger slides inside me and a moan slips from my lips. Pressed to the table, I am at his mercy. He leans over me, slowly dragging his finger in and out, in and out, going deeper and harder with each pass. My breath is coming in quick short bursts.

  “Do you like that, little wolf?” he whispers in my ear. I answer with a moan as a second finger thrusts in along with the first.

  “Want more, little wolf?”

  I cry out in pleasure as his two fingers go faster and harder. Then they are gone and I feel them trailing up to my back hole. Nope. I clench my arse cheeks together, no, no, no. He chuckles softly and leans over me, pinning me more. “Now now, you know you love it really, you just need to relax, little wolf, I’ve got you,” he says against my neck, then runs his mouth down my spine as he stands again. I take a deep breath and try to relax. Dipping his finger inside my juices, enticing pleasure before pain makes me relax further. Trailing his now lubed digit to my puckered hole, I feel him slowly push in. I hiss a breath in at the sting of him working his finger into the tight hole.

  “Good girl, I’ve got you. You know I won’t hurt you,” he says softly. There’s an undertone of heat to his voice as he watches his finger push in and drag out of my arse. After a few passes the burning pain subsides to pleasure, my hissed breaths turning to moans. I tense a little again as I feel him stretching me further when a second finger glides in with the first.

  A needy groan passes between Hunter's lips. “Look how fucking pretty you look with two fingers in your arse. Let me hear how much you like it, little wolf.” He moves his fingers harder into me, eliciting the pleasured scream he is looking for. I know he is preparing me to take his cock in my arse, and with the delicious way his fingers feel, I might just let him.

  Feeling the thick head of my mate’s cock start to rub between my folds, drenching himself in my need, I part my legs as far as this position allows me to give him better access. He shoves his pelvis hard into me, my slippery walls eagerly clamping around him as his pulsing length stretches my core.

  Bent over the kitchen table, Hunter driving himself into my centre with his fingers plunging into my arse, screams of pleasure escape me at their own will.

  I sure as heck hope no one comes strolling through my front door right now because they will get one hell of an eyeful.

  After my ‘chat’, shall we call it, with Ember I feel even better. Floating on my own little cloud nine, I chase and pounce and play. I want to meet my black wolf, but I’m not going to chase him, so I keep pouncing on the butterflies. Hours later I’m still prancing like a pup, it feels so freeing.

  Behaving like a childish little pup though means I let down my guard, and I feel the prickle of danger a millisecond before I hear the trigger click.

  I move fast, but the crossbow bolt still hits me in the shoulder. The burn of pain lances through me and the yowl I let slip at the unexpected agony echoes through the forest. Shit. They found me, and I didn’t even realise. Ignoring the pain that’s throbbing in my shoulder, I run into the trees. These woods aren’t dense like the ones at home however, and bolt after bolt comes shooting after me. They whistle past my ear, hitting a tree as I run past. They spray mud at me as one lodges into the dirty ground just shy of my left leg. I dodge and weave as much as I can. I need to get far enough away so that I can loop around and come back at him from behind. If not I’m going to have to face that crossbow head on, and whatever else the fucker has on him, but I’m not going to think about that right now. I just need to survive.

  I can only pick up one human scent, so I hope he is alone. I don’t want to have to take on more of them, I’ll be fucked if I have to. Hot blood is running down my foreleg, matting my fur, but I keep running, adrenaline pumping wildly through my veins. This hunter is fast, meaning he’s fit, obviously trained to run us down as well as shoot us. I see a formation of boulders up ahead. I could get behind them and just come at him. Considering he isn’t letting up, I’m going for my plan B and just savaging the arsehole head on. Weapons and all.

  A howl bellows through the woods as I push myself faster to reach the cover of the boulders, and I can hear the beat of his heavy paws as they pound into the earth. My black wolf. The bolts stop coming just before I reach my destination. I turn just in time to watch the huge black wolf leap with a growl so feral that even I’m scared. The hunter doesn’t even get a chance to scream or raise his crossbow before canines sink into his throat and rip it clean out.

  The black wolf’s piercing green eyes focus on me, his rage melting away. Is that fear in his eyes as he takes in my blood-soaked white coat? He comes towards me slowly, as if he thinks I might run away. Maybe I might have, but I’ve lost more blood than I thought. My vision begins to blur around the edges. I shake my head trying to stay conscious. It blurs again and blackness creeps in from the sides. Oh great, a predator is now stalking towards me and I’m going to black out. How. Fucking. Embarrassing. I stumble as I take a step backwards, then my muscles give out and I topple to the side. Right before the darkness takes me under, I feel myself fall into strong arms. Hmm, this is so much better than the cold, dirty ground. Then, nothingness.

  I stumble mid stride on my way to the main house, then fall to my knees. I feel a painful blow to my left shoulder. What the heck? I reach back and grab it expecting to see blood, but there’s nothing. Then it dawns on me that it’s not my pain I was feeling. I get back to my feet and the pain is fast becoming a distant echo. Then it feels like it’s been torn away just as quickly as it had hit me, meaning my sister slammed her walls up and blocked me out, passed out from the pain, or something much worse than either of those two. My stomach flips, I desperately try to call her with my mind, but there’s nothing. Just an empty void.

  Hunter, quick. Phoenix has been shot or something! Meet me at Dane’s. My panicked voice is even shaking in my mind.

  Sprinting the rest of the way, I burst through the front door to the main pack cabin. Dane and Josh are in the kitchen, my mother is in the lounge watching some television programme. They all jump to alertness as I come hurtling through the cabin.

  “What is it, Ember?” My father rushes to me, grabbing my upper arms to steady me and look into my eyes. Golden eyes the same as Phoenix’s bore into me filled with worry. I'm swept up in the resemblance, my heart clenches for my sister and not knowing what has happened to her. My father rocks me a little and my eyes refocus.

  “It’s Phoenix, something’s happe
ned.” I’m surprised I manage to get the sentence out, in my head I’m having a total meltdown. But I know I need to help my sister, and having a meltdown would not be very productive right now.

  Hunter comes rushing through the cabin and grabs a hold of me, pulling me from my father’s grasp. Meltdown complete. I bury my face into his shoulder, inhaling deeply, using his pine scent to steady myself. He’s all I need to keep me calm and focused. A few minutes later, I turn back to Dane and Josh, a little more composed this time. I relay what had just happened and what I had felt, along with how quickly our connection had been severed.

  The looks on their faces have me tripping over my final few words. “What? What is it?” No one answers, they just look at each other. I pull away from Hunter’s hold and cover the few feet between myself and my dad, my Alpha. “What. Is. It?” I grind out through my teeth.

  Dane brings his hand up to rub his face and runs it through his hair, then his golden eyes lock back on me. “You need to sit.” His tone is void of emotion.

  I swallow, but my fear gets lodged in my throat on the way down. Oh my God, he’s going to tell me she’s dead. But she’s not dead. I’d have felt it. I’d have felt my soul shred into two. I can’t sit. I can’t move. My heart is moving though. Belting against my ribs like at any given moment it is going to burst free and shatter all over the floor at my feet. Then a warm, strong hand laces its fingers with mine and tugs me towards the solid oak table and chairs, Hunter takes a seat and pulls me onto his lap.

  “She’s not dead.” The words just tumble out of my mouth.

  “No, Ember, that isn’t what I was going to say.” My heart calms a little at his reassurance, and I take a steadying breath.