The Embers of Phoenix (The Inferno Pack Book 1)

by AJ Blackburn

  “We have received a letter from Maximus Belmont,” my father continues, Hunter’s hand stills in its circling motion on my thigh.

  “Who is he?” I say to no one and everyone. It’s Josh who answers me. He stands like a sentry; arms folded, blond hair slicked back, and wide shoulders. There was no doubt that under his clothes he is built like a beast, muscle layered upon muscle, maybe too much? Too much for me, that’s for sure.

  “Maximus Belmont, is the leader of the hunters.” His words hang heavy in the air.

  “No.” I shake my head. “No,” I repeat, unbelieving. They couldn’t have gotten Phoenix, she had just been talking to me this morning. She would have told me if she was being followed. She would have come home, wouldn’t she? Unless she thought she was saving us all by not coming home. That’s it, I’m definitely going to kick her butt when I get her back here.

  “The letter read; ‘We have found her. If you want her, come for the hunt, Wolf. MB.’”

  I’m on my feet. I don’t know where I’m going, but I can’t sit around here a moment longer. “Come on then, what are we waiting for?” My tone is matter of fact. Why is no one moving? Dane looks at me, his head slowly shifting side to side.

  “No, baby girl, you will stay here with Hunter.”

  Hunter rises to his feet. “I wish to join the hunt, Alpha. She is my sister-in-law, and I want to do everything in my power to bring my mate's sister home.” I don’t think I could love the man more, but he surprises me all the time.

  “And I need you to keep my other daughter safe for me.” Damn, Dane played that good. “If we cannot find her in a few days we will regroup and come up with another plan. For now I need to know Ember is safe, I cannot afford to be worrying about both my girls.” With that my father turns to Josh and starts to discuss plans, dismissing us both. I am numb, rooted to the spot, the shock of the situation settling into my bones. Do they just expect me to stay here in the safety of my log cabin while my sister is in the hands of hunters? I’m momentarily paralysed by their dismissal of me. They truly think I’ll just fold over and accept this decision, like a good little girl. Yeah, their heads really are that far up their buttholes, apparently.

  “I’m not God damn staying here!” I bellow at all three of them. Dane’s mouth thins as he turns back to me, trying to bite back the words he knew he shouldn’t throw my way. The storm brewing in his golden eyes makes me try to gulp down the fear that’s firmly lodged in my throat, but I pull my shoulders back and raise my chin. Father or not, Alpha or not, I’m going out there to help my sister, and he isn’t telling me I can’t.

  Hunter’s perfectly sculpted face, adorned with dark stubble after not shaving for two days, blocks the line of sight to my father. His hands cupping either side of my face as his liquid brown eyes swim into my focus.

  “Baby, I want to go out there just as much as you do. I know Phoenix means everything to you, she is like my sister too. But your father is right, we need to rest and gather our strength to help if they can’t find her.” He just looks and waits. He knew only he could have reasoned with me at this moment. I am torn. Do I go help my sister? Or do I trust my Alpha, our Father, to bring her home? Whichever I choose seems to betray the other. I let out a long breath, and look into Hunter’s eyes as I tell everyone, “two days.” My voice is much stronger than I feel. “If you haven’t dragged her butt back here in two days, I’m coming whether you allow it or not.” Without waiting for an acknowledgement of my statement from Dane, I turn and stalk out of the main cabin.

  A hum of contentment rumbles in my chest. The thick, warm blankets, crackling fire and that delicious, sensual scent. I breath deeply, taking a lungful of it, sandalwood and male musk, mouth-watering. Mmm mmm, I think I’ll have myself a good lick of that. I move to stretch my back slightly, urgh I‘m stiff and there’s such an ache in my left shoulder. It’s like a constant throb, throb, throb; how weird. Warm fur brushes my back as I move slightly. Hmm, that is nice. I snuggle back a little further and the warm fur moves. Hang on. Wait. Blankets? A fire? Breathing warm fur?

  I snap fully awake and shoot to my feet, taking in my surroundings as a wave of dizziness assails me. I put my hand out to steady myself and meet rock walls that are damp. Gazing around my unfamiliar surroundings I see a fire crackling away, thick fluffy pelts where I was just sleeping and piercing green eyes that are trained on my every move. Yet the black wolf keeps his head resting on his crossed paws, his breathing steady. However, I’m not stupid or naive; if I run, he is fully ready to pounce. Looking down at myself I find I'm dressed in grey sweatpants and a loose-fitting t-shirt. Least I’m not naked, though at some point I would have been. I refocus and replay what happened in my head, grabbing the side of the shirt I put a knot in, so it isn’t hanging like a tent. Though I wasn’t looking at the wolf, I know his eyes haven’t left me.

  “So, you.” I finally look at him and point. “Just a few things I’d like answered. First of all, how did I end up in these clothes?” I gestured to my attire. “Second, who are you? Third, where are we? And fourth, and last for now, what fucking took you so long to take the hunter down, you wanker! Following me for so long, I finally needed your big fluffy arse, and you were nowhere to be seen!” I throw my hands in the air, just to add some dramatics, and instantly regret it when the pain in my shoulder nearly makes me heave. I try to brush off how much it hurt, but I’m sure the blood just drained right out of my face.

  The black wolf stands, my God he is pure pulsing power; tall and broad. Then he shifts. And my mouth dries up and another place becomes wet, very wet indeed. The smile that tugs half his mouth up tells me he can smell it. Shit if that isn’t embarrassing. But it’s okay, I’ll own that shit.

  He has to be heading for six foot four at least because even from the other side of the room I feel tiny compared to him. His face is a work of art all by itself; angular cut jaw, piercing green eyes, closely shaved beard, and dark brown styled hair that is calling out to have my fingers raking through it. Every inch of his body is covered in muscle; arms of steel, strong neck leading down too hard pecs that carry on down to his squared abs. I’m momentarily distracted by his mouth watering abs before I see that the curve of his hips lead down to a sexy muscled V, which is like a fiery arrow pointing the way down to an… Oh. My. God. My eyes shoot back to his face and the blood that just drained out from the pain goes right back into my cheeks. His smile spreads open, baring perfect teeth and his canines elongate. God, I need some water, maybe a freezing cold bath to jump into, with ice included. He turns away from me, grabs some sweats off the floor and pulls them on. Shit that is one hell of an arse too. Lifting my eyes, I notice the tattoo on his left shoulder. A Phoenix. What the… He turns around, before I can get a real good look though. Maybe I didn’t see what I thought I did?

  “You want me to answer your questions now, pretty wolf?” His voice is rugged, deep and gravelly, and it just did wicked things to me. I can feel the wetness now flowing down my thighs.

  “First answer, as much as I liked looking at your naked hot body, I thought it rude to have you wake up like that. Second answer, my name is Ryder Flint, I’m a lone wolf. Third answer, we are in a cave a good few miles away from where you were attacked, it’s one of my rest stops. And fourth answer, you were perfectly happy batting butterflies, so I decided I’d go and catch your dinner, considering how terrible you were the night before. I didn’t want my pretty wolf going hungry again.” His green eyes shine as he takes in the blush that is colouring up my cheeks even more now.

  “A lone wolf.” My mouth curves into a sensual smile. Now didn’t I just like the sound of that. “Mated?” I question him, already knowing the answer, but a girl has got to make sure.

  “Not yet.” There is heat in his eyes and it's setting my blood alight. I nod, fold my arms over my chest. I’d meant to close myself off a little, but I inadvertently only managed to push my tits up a little higher. I realise this as his green eyes flick directly to them, and I s
ee the huge length twitch in his sweats. I need to change the subject, or get out of here, or get in that ice bath I thought of earlier, before I launch myself at this stranger. No matter how much he doesn’t feel like a stranger, he still is, for now at least.

  “So, did you manage to catch any dinner?” I take another quick look around the cave, just to take my eyes off him.

  “I went and got something while you were passed out.” He is smiling again, fuck could he just stop with that smile? “I better get them cooking because I’m sure you are starving.”

  A short while later the rabbits sizzle away on the spit roast over the fire, my stomach growls, the smell is nearly as mouth-watering as Ryder’s scent. Well, nearly. “How long was I out?” I need to try and gauge what my family knew or were doing. I keep trying to mentally talk to Ember. I knew she would have felt the pain in my shoulder, but I tried crashing the wall up quickly to stop her knowing. I think I slammed the wall up so fast that I have disconnected us, or I blocked too hard and now I just can’t get to her. I don’t even have my phone with me as I left our territory on paws.

  “I don’t suppose you have a phone on you?” I asked, a little hopeful. “I really need to ring my sister.” I tap my head. “It seems I've been disconnected,” I say, not letting the fear of that leak into my voice.

  “Sorry, pretty wolf, I don’t, but we can pick one up when we get into town.”

  He said when my shoulder is fully healed we can make our way to the nearest town, but that we are best to not head back just yet as the hunters are still trailing me. He keeps going out to scout the area and each time there are a few hunters combing the woods below us, but they haven't come up this way yet. They would follow us back to my territory if we went that way, I definitely don’t want that.

  I don’t know him, but my instincts are telling me to trust him. I can only hope that Ember isn’t freaking out too much, and I’ll just keep trying to break the wall I erected in my mind.

  I hiss through my teeth as Ryder’s hands peel back the dressing on my shoulder the next morning. Damn, I’m not normally such a fanny about pain, what is going on?

  “Why hasn’t it healed yet?” My voice muffled by the blanket I’m laying face down on, I resisted biting it through the pain. “I should have healed by now.” Trying to not sound whiny, but come on, wolf shifter here. We heal at super speed, yet here I am with what feels like a gaping hole in my shoulder.

  “The bolt was laced with Aconite.” He sounds pissed. “I thought I’d managed to flush it all out, but I’m going to have to do it again.” His calloused hand rests gently on my ribs.

  “Wolfsbane! Mother fuckers.” Now I’m pissed too. “Not enough to kill me?” I say.

  “No, these hunters know exactly what they’re doing. They must be working with alchemists, or they are also alchemists themselves. This is going to hurt, pretty wolf,” his voice softens as he says that damn nickname again.

  “I’ve told you, it’s Phoenix.” I deadpan at him, he just chuckles. His earlier statement of ‘but you are a pretty wolf’ ripples through me again.

  “I know it will be hard, but try to hold still.” His powerful legs straddle my back and he grips my body between them.

  “I’m sure we should be the other way around right now,” I quip at him. Yeah, I was going for sarcasm, but my heart is pounding in my chest because the feel of him against me is anything but funny. His hand smooths down my back.

  “Keep breathing, pretty wolf. Here we go.” Urgh, his serious lack of laughter at my statement doesn’t bode well for how much this is really going to hurt. Just great.

  Yeah keep breathing, was he having a fucking laugh? I bite my lip and the coppery taste of blood fills my mouth. This hurts more than the bolt hitting me in the first place, it burns like he’s pouring lava into the wound. I will not scream! But dammit, I can’t stop the tears that leak from my closed eyes. Locked between Ryder’s legs I try to get away, but I can’t move, not even an inch. Okay that’s it, I’m going to die. This is how I’m going out, with some hot ripped male straddling my back while scorching my wound, my ancestors are having a real giggle at my expense. Then, it’s over. I’m a panting, sweaty mess, and not the good kind. I stay lying on my front, I just want to hide for a short while, the world can carry on without me for now I’m sure. Ryder has other ideas however, I suddenly find myself flipped back over and straddling his lap as he presses me into his chest, covering my dignity.

  “It’s all out now, baby.” With my face buried in the crook of his neck, I tense at the baby part of his words. But then his hands run up and down my naked back and I relax into his touch.

  “You’re starting to heal now.” He is right, I can feel my skin knitting back together. I plan on staying like this for, well… ever. I decide, in his embrace, I feel safe. That brings my thoughts around to the why I need to feel safe, fucking hunters. I inhale deeply and pull my head back to look Ryder in the eye, I have every intention of asking him what we should do now. The intensity in his green eyes however makes my breath hitch instead.

  “Ryder.” My voice is embarrassingly breathy, and it’s like a siren's call to him. Not even a second passes before his mouth consumes mine, but there is nothing rushed about this kiss. He savours, explores and plays with my lips, as one hand knots in my long black wavy hair and tilts my head back. His inferno mouth trails down my jaw to my neck, a moan slips from my parted lips as I dig my fingers hard into his muscled arms. His other hand grips my ribcage and holds me there flush against him, my bare nipples pebbling against his hard chest. I am fluid and pliable to his hold. In this moment right here, wrapped in this powerful males embrace, I don’t feel like an Alpha’s daughter. I‘m at the mercy of this black wolf, and not a single fibre in me bucks at that thought.

  He stops his teasing nips and nibbles. Breathing hard, he rests his forehead against my collarbone, battling with his internal carnal instincts. He finally lifts his face to mine.

  “I’m sorry, my pretty wolf. I want you. But I need you to be safe first.” So, now I’m the right kind of a sweaty, panting hot mess and he gets some morals? This could only happen to me. Full on, face-palm and curse the Gods to Hell moment right here. Mentally of course, I would never let on that he has such an effect on me.

  He smirks. “Don’t look at me like that. I can feel the need pumping through your veins, the same pumps in mine, but I need to go check where the hunters are. And you need to put these delectable breasts away, before I take a bite.” Okay, so maybe my face shows a little of my incredulous frustration. Wait, biting the titties, now he’s back on my wavelength.

  “Then we need to get moving, unfortunately.” Giving me a chaste kiss, he stands us both up. My knees feel like jelly, but they somehow keep me upright.

  “Clothes, Phoenix. I’ll be back in half an hour.” Then he shifts, licks my hand and bolts from the cave. Damn fucking dominant male, thinking he can leave me all hot and bothered and then give me orders.

  Josh and I have been staked out at the warehouse for a few hours now, but nothing has happened so far; no one in, no one out. I have my hearing trained on the building to see if I can hear Phoenix inside or any commotion at all. If I knew my daughter well enough, she would be trying to kill someone no doubt. My precious girl, in the hands of these monsters. A dark growl vibrates in my chest again. My Beta looks over at me from where he is lying front down on the grass bank.

  “We will get her, Dane, don’t worry. You raised her to be one badass bitch, don’t you forget that,” Josh reassures me.

  I know he’s right, but she’s still one of my little girls. No matter her age or how well trained she is. There’s a reason I trained her hard, her and Ember are Alpha’s in their own rights. I’d pushed Phoenix more so she could be an Alpha female of her own pack some day and Ember would take over from me. Being a mere two minutes older than Phoenix makes her first in line. I don’t want them to fight over who is going to be the next Alpha, there has never been joint Alpha’s
among any of the shifter packs, it just wouldn’t work. So I made the rule of it having to be the eldest. Neither of them knows why I did what I did, but there are reasons for it. I trusted my ability of how well I’d trained Phoenix, I just didn’t fully know the enemy who held her. I know enough stories about the twisted, cruel, and sick acts of Maximus Belmont for a little worry to creep in. If he has touched my daughter he won’t just burn, he will regret that he ever took his first breath of air.

  The more I think about the harm my daughter could be facing, the more my body vibrates with a need for blood, but we need to wait. Not much longer now though. I am so glad that I have Josh here with me, he’s keeping me grounded and focused at the moment. Like a good Beta, he’s the calm to my storm.

  We waited another few hours, long enough to watch two men leave; they got into a black truck and drove off. Giving it another ten minutes, they still don’t return and we see our opening.

  “Let’s get in and out, before they know we are here,” Josh states, ever the optimist.

  “He wrote a letter, he knows we will come,” I point out to him.

  “Yes, but he doesn’t know when we will come, or that we found this place.” Josh is in full Beta mode now. He’s here for blood just as much as me, but he also won't let that blind him. I would go in and tear the place apart for Phoenix, burning it all down as we leave, but like I said, Josh is the calm and reasonable side of me. If he could get in and back out with Phoenix and not be noticed then he would. He would have us come back later to finish the job when she was safe. One of many reasons why he is my Beta.

  We descend the hill as quickly and quietly as we can. Getting to the building, we keep to the shadows and edge around the corner, met with nothing but silence. We move in further. The side door is locked, but a quick yank with shifter strength has it opening. Holding our breath and not moving a single muscle, we wait for anyone to have heard the door, but not a single guard. They are either confident no one would find this place, or this building is empty.