by Casey Morgan
It. Gets. Everywhere. My clothes, my backpack, my skin, just watery and disgusting dirt all over me. It’s the grossest feeling. Things were already looking pretty bleak for me. There was only a shred of hope keeping me going, but this is the last straw.
I try to hold my emotions in because I’m not one for passionate outbursts, but today, and really my entire life has been much too much of a struggle, so I just let it out. I start to cry like the big baby I am. The tears stream down my face as I throw myself a little pity party down here on the ground in the mud.
At this point, what am I even doing? I feel like such a failure, and like there’s nothing I can do about any of it. I ran out of the only home I know with zero money, zero planning, and zero sense. I’m a fucking dumbass.
I pick myself up and do my best to get all this mud off of me. What I need is a shower and a washing machine. Maybe I’ll find a gas station bathroom where I can splash some sink water on myself for the time being.
I look in the direction I was just walking and see the blue corvette just idling there. I can’t see inside since the windows are tinted, and the top is up, but it seems like whoever is in there is watching me.
Do they want something from me? Are they getting a kick out of my tears? Whatever the reason, it’s a little creepy having a car just watching you. Or not, I can’t even tell because of the tinted windows. Maybe he’s checking on directions. It is just a long, straight stretch, but how in the world can I know what this other person is thinking?
Suddenly, the car does a U-turn and comes back. I’m wide-eyed watching this happen. It looks like they were looking at me. But why are they coming back? Maybe they feel bad for knocking me into the mud?
Or maybe whoever is inside has decided to make me their next victim.
The car stops in front of me, and the window rolls down. Inside is a very handsome man with very black hair and very blue, bright eyes. The fact that he’s cute warms me up to him a little. I mean, I know good looking guys can also be horrible, but then, maybe he’s not. I don’t mind taking the time to find out.
This mystery man is looking at me like I’m some curiosity. I look back at him, not wanting to reveal any of the emotions I’m having.
“Are you okay?” His voice is smooth and low. I could see this guy being some kind of salesman. He’d have to be a rich one given the car he’s driving. Which is pretty advantageous for someone like me who is broke.
I can tell I might be able to get this guy to help me out. I’ll just need to turn up the helplessness, mixed in with a little sex appeal. I lean over in the window, letting the strap of my tank top slide down my arm. It gives him a healthy view of my cleavage, which his eyes dart to the second he gets the chance.
“I’m fine,” I answer. “I just need a ride to the bus station, if that’s okay.” I bite my lip, hoping to draw attention to my mouth this time. I can see the lust take over his face, which is what I wanted — not that that makes it any less weird.
Doing this always makes me feel a little skeevy, but it’s the fastest way to get what I want. I know if I spend too much time outside in this heat, as unprepared as I am, it’s not going to be good. I didn’t even bring a water bottle.
“Of course, I can help you. Why don’t you hop in?”
He unlocks the door, and I open it to slide in, not giving it a second thought. It’s such a nice car. Maybe there are a few other things I can get out of this guy before he drops me off at the bus station. I’m not sure what, but it’s pretty obvious that he’s into me, so there has to be some magic I can work.
A few seconds after I close the door, it locks automatically. That puts me on high alert. It’s probably locked just because it does that, right? I know some cars do that for safety reasons, and this one looks really new.
I look towards the strange man I just got into the car with, and he has this big Cheshire grin on his face. It’s almost predatory.
It is predatory.
I smile back, not wanting to give away the fact that I’m a little worried. His hand rests on my knee, and he slides it up my thigh slightly. It takes every fiber of my being not to flinch.
“Like I said, I would be happy to help you out, but for a price.” His fingers massage the flesh on my thigh, causing me to internally cringe. “I just have to make a quick stop first to take care of some business, and then we can be on our way to the bus station or wherever you want to go, and maybe, on the way, we can have some fun?”
“Fun?”
“Yeah, we can get to know one another better.”
Looking into his eyes, I can see behind the brightness is something sinister. At this point, it might be better if I just get out of the car and walk to the bus station. Even without sunscreen or water, it might be safer.
But there’s no way for me to get out of the car without making it awkward, so I nod, agreeing to his terms. “Yeah, I like to have fun,” I smile.
“Amazing.” His smile gets even bigger.
I keep my face pleasant, maintaining the deception.
He takes his hand off of my thigh and puts it on the wheel. He does another U-turn, and we’re on our way. I look out the window, watching miles and miles of land. I can’t help but think about this price that he asked for. I don’t really want to because I’m worried about how bad it could be. I have some thoughts, but my imagination is only going so far. He probably has a wider breadth of ideas.
Living the way I have, I know that men are capable of some crazy things. I do not even know this guy’s name, which is on me.
I’m sure I’ll be fine. It’s not like I’m some innocent thing. I know some of the things that guys want, and I’m not opposed to providing it, I guess.
It’ll be fine.
Get The Pack’s Secret here!
Pax Stayman isn’t your usual werewolf. For one thing, he’s bored. His pack of silver wolf shifters lives on a rural apple orchard in North Carolina where the outside world and any connection to it is shunned, and nothing ever happens. He can’t even get his alpha to allow him to use technology to make pack life easier.
It seems life is about to get a lot more exciting for the Stayman Pack, but not in a good way. The Staymans have a secret. It makes them stronger and more invincible to threats, so no one takes it seriously when there are rumors of a rival pack on their land.
But when two strangers show up in a blue convertible, the wolves have to take notice. Something is changing, and not for the better. Yet Pax can’t help but feel an attraction to the female human passenger with the gorgeous curves, despite telling himself that getting involved with her would be dangerous.
Mini Taylor can’t stand another second at home or in her small North Carolina town. She’s convinced she is destined for bigger things than a job as a house cleaner at the local motel. When one more fight at work sends her over the edge, she sets out on foot in the muggy Southern heat.
Without any water or money, she knows she needs help. When a blue convertible speeds towards her, she thinks she is saved. Little does she know, her troubles are just really starting. The man driving, Flint, seems like a regular guy, but he has the smile of a predator and he wants something in return for the ride. She’s just not sure what.
Pulled into a new world of shifters and secrets, Mini tries to run, until her heart is captured by one of the pack. Once she meets Pax, Mini’s curiosity gets the better of her, or maybe it’s just her long-neglected hormones. She’s drawn to him with out-of-this world chemistry but, other than the obvious— his six-pack abs and chiseled chest— she’s not sure why. All she knows is that she was probably right to run away, but the only place she wants to run is right into his arms.
Can she accept that the love of her life comes with a secret? Or will the brutality of pack life send her running away for good this time?
The Pack’s Secret is a full-length wolf shifter paranormal romance. It is intended for ages 18 and up due to its heat level and adult situations and language.
Get T
he Pack’s Secret here!
Here’s a preview of Hot Alpha Nights
Here is a sneak peek of my STEAMY PNR shifter and fantasy romance collection, Hot Alpha Nights. This box set contains The Spell of Three: Luck's Hollow Urban Fantasy Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance, Alpha's Birthday Virgin: A Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance, and Sold To The Wolves: Paranormal Ménage Romance. Enjoy!
Prologue
Shanna
“I really think that you should calm down, Shanna.”
My mother looked at me with un-compassionate eyes, like the fact that I was making a scene was the big deal.
I glared at her and my sister and my now ex-fiancé. Derek looked down and shuffled his feet a bit. But he didn’t look sorry. Not at all.
I frowned at him.
“It’s two days before our wedding, Derek. Two days! And you expect me to be calm?”
My anger made my voice raspy.
Without even thinking, I gathered the magic in the air around me and brought it into my body. I didn’t have a clue what kind of spell I wanted to cast: a fireball, a blast spell, an illegal curse? Whatever would make me feel better in this moment.
“Shanna!” My father hissed, looking down at my palms. “There will be no magic in this house. Drop it, young lady!”
I breathed out and released all the magic in my body.
“I’m the better witch anyway,” bragged Nora.
My bratty little sister stood with her arms, crossed facing me. Derek, my ex and now her fiancé, was standing right by her.
It was Thanksgiving and I had just caught the two of them kissing in the hallway. I had been walking down the hallway to let them know dinner was ready, when I saw that they had already gotten started enjoying a pre-dinner treat of their own!
Derek was kissing my little sister two days before he was supposed to marry me. It was absurd! Like a crazy nightmare that I couldn’t wake up from.
And to make matters worse, my parents were supporting Nora. She had always been their favorite, a fact they never bothered to hide from me, and now they wanted me to calm down and support my sister and her new love. I wanted to claw her eyes out.
Instead, I ignored Nora’s comment and took a seat on the tan couch that occupied my parents’ too-sterile living room. My mother had just recently been convinced to take the plastic off the furniture, but it still looked like no one lived here.
I never knew why they insisted on living in a museum-like atmosphere. Now I was thinking that perhaps it was to match their cold, empty hearts.
“Okay,” I said, my voice hard and barely just above a whisper. “Let me get this straight. You two have been dating and sleeping together for months. Months during which you, Derek, lied to me and let me continue planning a big wedding that you had no intention of ever going through with?”
My mother wandered over to sit next to me. She put a bony hand on my thigh in a way that was supposed to be comforting, but was not at all. I flinched under the iciness of her hand.
“Pumpkin,” she looked at me with wide blue eyes that mirrored my own. “Love just happens. Nora and Derek didn’t plan this. I don’t understand why you aren’t happy for her.”
I moved my knee out of her grasp and glared at her. Mom always took Nora’s side, even if that side was crazy.
“How long have you and Dad known about this?” I asked, my voice even and cold.
Mom dropped her eyes from mine. “A few months. You see...”
I jumped to my feet. “A few months!”
I glared at her and my father; neither looked sorry.
“I spent so much of my own money on this wedding and the honeymoon.” I glanced at Derek. “The wedding and honeymoon in Ireland that you convinced me to book, so that we could meet my distant relatives! What the hell, Derek? Why would you even have me do that?”
“Well, Shanna,” Derek shuffled forward. “I figured, you know, that you could give Nora and me the tickets. I mean, that’s her family, too.”
Oh, hell no!
“Derek, I paid for the tickets.”
I shook my head, partly to show my refusal to his ridiculous suggestion, but mostly to hide the fact that I could no longer hold back my tears.
“There is no way that I’m sending you and my sister on what was supposed to be our wedding and honeymoon trip.”
Dad tutted at me. “Be reasonable, Shanna.”
I turned to glare at him. I felt the magic in the room rush into my body again and wove my fingers through the movements of a blast spell.
My mom, dad and Nora all sucked in magic of their own. We didn’t send spells at each other much, but, as a family of witches, it did happen from time to time.
I fingered the blast spell resting in my palm. It felt like a ball of swirling hot air. I wanted to release it at my sister; to see her crushed against the wall and maybe taking out my mom’s pristine couch with her.
But I wouldn’t do that. I was a good witch. I was a good girl. A lot of good it had done me in life, but, like it or not, that was who I was. So, I dropped the spell, grabbed my purse and headed towards the door.
Derek followed me outside. He seemed anxious, as I unlocked what was formerly our car. As far as I was concerned, it was my car now.
“Where are you going, Shanna?” he asked.
I didn’t even turn to look at him. I couldn’t. I had loved him this morning. Two hours ago, we were engaged and happy, or at least that was what I thought. My heart clenched. It was heavy and aching in my chest.
How could he do this to me?
I felt the magic in the air around me again, but quickly pushed it away. There was nothing it could do to help. I had all the magic in the world, but no spell would fix a broken heart.
“Shanna?” Derek asked again.
“I’m going to Ireland,” I told him. “Clearly, the wedding is off. But I’m still going on our honeymoon.”
He blinked at me, as if he wasn’t comprehending. Just in case there was any chance he thought I might be delusional and meaning “with him,” still, I decided to clarify things.
“Alone.”
And with that, I got into the car and shut the door in his face.
I had no idea what the future had in store for me, or why Ireland of all places would hold anything better than here, but I figured I had to go somewhere, try something. Clearly all that was left at home was heartache and betrayal. Plus, I was not about to waste the money I had spent on my portion of the ticket, at least.
Well, that’s over, I thought. Time for something new.
Chapter 1
Shanna
“Oh, my God, a sheep!”
The rain was blinding in Southern Ireland as I tried to drive towards Luck’s Hollow and my honeymoon destination, a bed and breakfast called Hennessey House. I could barely see the road, much less what was in it. Until it was right in front of me.
The large black ram regarded my rental car as a mild nuisance, ignoring it and the rain that was causing the dirt of the road itself to churn into a stew-like consistency. The sheep didn’t move. I turned the wheel quickly to the right to avoid him.
The car slid, caught in the mud. There was a popping sound. Then, I couldn’t get traction with the surface of the road, so I turned off the car and tried to assess my situation.
“I think I blew a tire,” I said to myself.
The ram wandered up to my car and bleated his agreement. He then gave me a resentful look, strolled out of middle of the road and into the field that was running alongside it. With a flick of his tail, he was gone. It was like he had only been there to deter me, and now that his purpose had been served, he was heading off on his way again.
With nothing left to do, I opened my door and tried not to cry as my high-heeled boots sank into the mud. The rain was coming down sideways now, in cold, large drops that clung to my hair and ran down my neck, into my yellow wool jacket. I cursed a little and tried to clear my forehead and eyes of water.
I moved my fingers
in a subtle pattern, pulling the magic in the air around me and refocusing it in to a rain-ward. It wasn’t big – smaller that your usual umbrella, something I should have thought to bring along with me on this stupid adventure.
I walked around the car and eyed my flat tire on the passenger’s side. It had caught a nail, a rock, or something. I knew a spell to air things up but that was useless in this case. It would just be flat again in a few miles. And I was pretty sure I had at least fifteen or twenty more miles to my destination.
The tire iron and jack were buried in the trunk. I rooted around as best I could but with only such a small rain-ward to cover what it could, my luggage still got soaked.
“Crap,” I muttered under my breath.
I grabbed the jack and iron and ran towards the flat tire on the passenger’s side. The dirt road was thick mud now, my foot caught, my boot stuck fast, and I plowed face forward into the sludge with a splat.
“Oww!” I moaned and scooted till my back hit the car.
Damn rain. Damn, stupid dirt road. Damn stupid rural Ireland. Damn Derek.
Tears sprung to my eyes, clinging to the already wet lashes. I rubbed my forehead again, trying to summon the will to get out of the mud and claim my captured boot.
These boots were suede, costly, and at this point, ruined. Another thing ruined this week. I closed my eyes. I needed to calm down.
“Everything all right, Lass?”
I opened my eyes and focused on a small sprite flying in front of me. This part of Ireland was supposed to be filled with them.