Hunted Wolf

by Stacy Claflin

  “Her phone’s in her room.”

  I slumped. Our resident essence expert was unreachable when we needed to learn about a wolf essence stone. “She’s coming back, though? Right?”

  Zia bit her lower lip. “I’m sure she will.”

  Without Brick, would she really return to our pack? It might only be a reminder of what she’d lost. I sat taller. “You’re right. She will. This is her pack, too.”

  My mind spun.

  The sounds of a bone breaking sounded a few chairs over. Stella’s face contorted and she threw her head back. The youngest wolves usually turned first.

  “You’d better hurry outside, dear,” Laura said. “Stay close, and we’ll meet you.”

  More bones popped and crunched. Stella pushed her chair out and fled the room.

  Laura rose. “I’d better get this food put away before shifting.”

  Zia jumped from her chair. “I’ll help. We should keep some out for the wolfborns.”

  A couple other young wolves sped out of the room as the sounds of more bones snapped and popped.

  Victoria returned. “Killian said he’d be here soon. Do you want me to shift with the pack, or stay here to talk with him?”

  “Of course I want you to shift with me—with us. I’ll try to hold off turning until we have a chance to talk with him.”

  “He said he had a few things to wrap up first.”

  I cringed. “Well, I’ll do my best to fight it. Wait. Why didn’t you shift while we were fighting my father’s pack? You were clearly upset.”

  She sat on my lap and leaned her head against mine. A few others ran from the room.

  “Are your shifts changing?” I asked.

  Victoria shook her head and ran her hands over my chest. “I turned a bunch of times before the tribunal. I think my body can only take so much. I didn’t even shift when I was really upset.”

  “Do you think you’ll be able to shift tonight?” I ran my fingers through the length of her hair.

  She shrugged. “I want to run with you all—especially you and Stella—but maybe I should stay with the wolfborns tonight. It would be good to let them know about the stone.”

  “I understand. It’s just with Brick’s loss…” I sighed. “But I don’t want you shifting too much, either. That could turn out to be just as bad as not shifting at all.”

  Laura came over and kissed the top of Victoria’s head. “I’ll watch over Stella, honey. You do what you need to. And I’m sure the others will take good care of Toby. Right?” She gave me a look that I dared not oppose.

  “Right. They’ll do anything for me.”

  One of Laura’s bones popped. “Speaking of, I’d better get out there.”

  “Thanks for everything,” I said.

  She nodded and then ran from the room.

  My shoulder popped. I cringed, trying to push away the shift.

  Victoria ran her hands over my arms. “If I can, I’ll turn and find you, but it’s probably better that I’m here to speak with Killian and the wolfborns. We need to find out what we can about that stone.”

  “Don’t force a shift. As much as I want you with me tonight, I don’t want you to risk hurting yourself.”

  She stared into my eyes and then pressed her lips on mine, kissing me deeply. “Join the pack. They’re waiting for you.”

  Howls sounded outside. Several painful pops ran down my spine.

  Chapter 32

  Victoria

  My inner wolf clawed to escape as Toby ran from the kitchen, pulling off his shirt. We were meant to be together during the full moon. I longed to be with him, but my bones didn’t even ache, much less attempt to break and shift.

  Ziamara turned to me and yawned. “Do you need anything?”

  I shook my head. “Get some sleep. You need it.”

  She rubbed her belly. “I can already feel kicking.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. Vampire pregnancies are so different from that of other species. They progress quickly, and there’s never any telling how long it will last. Could be three months, could be seven—and I’m carrying a werewolf hybrid, so there’s really no telling what will happen.”

  I got up and put my palm on her rounded stomach. I could feel the rhythmic movement. “That’s amazing.”

  “Tell me about it.” She beamed. “Jet acts cool in front of everyone, but he’s actually beside himself. He gets all giddy. It’s so cute.”

  “Sweet. So, has there been a vampire-werewolf hybrid before?”

  She shrugged and yawned again. “I wouldn’t know. Well, I’d better get some rest.”

  Footsteps sounded in the hallway.

  “Killian?” I called, hoping Gessilyn’s husband had arrived earlier than expected. My heart skipped a beat as I thought about learning more about the wolf essence stone.

  Instead, Alex walked in with two teenagers, a boy and a girl. Our wolfborns had shifted for the night as humans. Behind them followed a tall, muscular guy about Toby’s age with dark hair and equally dark eyes.

  “Charles?” I whispered, suddenly feeling emotional—not that it would be enough to help me shift.

  He nodded and shook my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, again.”

  I shook his hand and couldn’t pull my gaze from him. “Thank you so much for everything. I’m not sure I would’ve made it without your support.”

  “You would have.”

  I cleared my throat and pushed aside my feelings. “This is Charles, the wolfborn who kept me going when James had me—well, both of us—captive.”

  Ziamara shook his hand and introduced herself to him and the younger two wolfborns.

  Alex introduced the girl with curly red hair as Emery and the lanky boy as Mateo since we’d only met them in their wolf form.

  Zia shook their hands. “I’m off to sleep while the pack plays. Have a good night.”

  “Goodnight,” they called as she meandered out of the room.

  I introduced myself and showed them where the food was. They dug in, and the younger two chatted excitedly. I half-listened, waiting for Killian’s footsteps. When would he arrive? I tapped my fingers on the table.

  “Are you okay?” Alex asked.

  “Sure. I probably should sleep, too, but I need to speak with Killian about a wolf essence stone.”

  “Isn’t that an urban legend?”

  I stared at Alex. “You’ve heard of it?”

  “I’ve spent the majority of my human days in the Faeble. You’d be surprised how much I’ve learned, just sitting back and listening to the conversation around me.”

  “What do you know?” I leaned forward, having lost my fatigue. “Tell me everything.”

  “There have been quite a few werewolves passing through the bar in search of it. Some have called it a double-edged sword.”

  Emery and Mateo both stopped eating and stared at Alex.

  “Why?” The room warmed by at least ten degrees. “Is it dangerous?”

  Alex paused and frowned. “Some have said that its destruction would kill every werewolf.”

  My jaw dropped. It made sense—something so powerful to rid us of the moon’s curse could also annihilate us. “It can also reverse the curse of the moon. How many are after it?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve seen maybe four or five groups of wolves over the years.”

  “Other wolfborns?” Emery asked.

  Alex nodded. “Part of mixed packs, like we are.”

  “I didn’t realize that was so common,” I said.

  “It’s not. That’s why I’ve only seen a few a year.”

  I twisted my hair into a tight knot. “I hope none of our rival species have caught wind of the stone.”

  “What did Toby and Sal say about it?” asked Alex.

  “They both looked as shocked as I felt.”

  Alex bit into some casserole. “That’s a good sign. Have you guys talked with Tap?”

  I nearly smacked my forehead. “
I didn’t even think to ask him. I went straight to the witches. I wonder what he knows. I’ll bet he’s heard plenty!”

  “I take it they don’t know anything?”

  “I’m waiting for Killian to get here. They’re still busy helping Gessilyn.”

  “We’ll do whatever we can,” Emery said.

  “Yeah,” Mateo agreed. “Anything.”

  “Thanks. I don’t know what anyone can do at this point. We need a stone that nobody can locate, and we don’t even know what it looks like.”

  “I’ve heard it’s bigger than the Hope Diamond,” Alex said.

  “Really?” I exclaimed.

  He nodded.

  “What does it look like? What color is it?” My mind raced with possibilities.

  “I really don’t know.”

  My mind buzzed with excitement. “I wonder what else it can do? What if it can help us in more ways than just breaking the moon’s curse? If it’s really that strong, the possibilities are endless. What if—?”

  “Looks like you have the fever.” Alex set down his fork and studied me.

  “What fever? I’m not sick.”

  He shook his head. “Everyone I’ve seen discussing it has that same look in their eyes.”

  I sat taller. “I’m not being greedy—I’m merely thinking of the possibilities.”

  The three wolfborns exchanged a glance.

  “I’m not.” I rose and pushed the chair in. “I’m going to call Killian again. Eat whatever you want. There’s plenty.”

  “Wait,” Alex said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t.” I pulled out my phone. “I just need to find out what the witches are up to and what they can tell me about the stone. Oh, and Toby put your pack rings in the drawer with the nice silverware. Hopefully soon, you can wear them more than one night a month.” I turned to Charles. “And we’ll have one made for you, as well. You’re certainly a part of this pack after all you’ve done.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “Just Victoria. Please.”

  Charles nodded.

  I found Killian’s number, called him, and paced the hallway.

  “Hi, Victoria. I’m really sorry I haven’t made it over there like I promised, but Gessilyn got herself into a bit of a pickle with a new spell. We’re all heading over to the other side of the globe to help her out.”

  Disappointment washed through me. “I understand. Is she okay?”

  “Once we get her out of the tree trunk she’ll be good.”

  “What?” I exclaimed.

  “Long story. We’ll all laugh about this over some drinks later. I’ve got to run.”

  “Do you have just a minute to answer a question? A quick one?”

  “I’ll call you soon. We really need to get Gessilyn out.”

  “Okay. If you need anything, let me know.”

  “Sure. Talk to you later.” The call ended.

  I walked to the living room in a daze and sat on the couch. My mind spun as I tried to piece everything together. I wanted to learn everything I could about the wolf essence stone. Since Tap might know something, I called him.

  “Victoria, is it an emergency?” Something crashed in the background. “I’ve got a group of mesmers here, and they’re going a little crazy.” Glass shattered. Tap’s assistant, Quinn, shouted curses.

  “No, it’s not an emergency,” I said. “I’ll talk to you when your hands aren’t so full.”

  “Talk soon.” Loud laughter bellowed in the background as the call ended.

  I stuck my phone in a pocket and tried to think of someone else who might know something. No one came to mind. Sighing, I tried to conjure enough emotion to shift and run with the pack, but after everything I’d been through, I was on empty. My inner wolf seemed to have settled in for a long winter’s nap.

  “You okay?” Alex stood in the doorway, arching a brow.

  “Yeah. Just wishing I could shift.”

  He sat next to me. “I know the feeling. Wanna watch a movie? I haven’t seen one in a long time. Ember and Mateo never have.”

  “Seen a movie?” I stared at him.

  “Welcome to the world of only being human one night a month. They’ve spent their entire lives in the woods. Remember when you first met me?”

  “Always in the woods.”

  He nodded.

  I grabbed a remote and turned on the TV. “What are you guys in the mood for? A comedy?”

  Everyone agreed. We found a movie, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the wolf essence stone. It was something we needed to deal with, but after the wedding.

  Chapter 33

  Victoria

  Chilly fingers ran over my cheeks, waking me. My eyes fluttered open. Toby sat next to me on the couch, wearing the same thing he’d worn before shifting. He smelled strongly of wolf, meaning he must have just recently shifted back. He smiled and placed a cool kiss on my lips.

  I pulled him close and wrapped my arms around him. “Why are you so cold?”

  He snuggled against me. “Let me show you.”

  “Okay?”

  Toby took my hand and led me to the front door and onto the porch, where thick white flakes floated from the sky and stuck to everything in sight. My breath caught.

  “It’s snowing.” He wrapped his arms around me. “That’s why I’m so cold. I wound up shifting back halfway between here and the Faeble. I had to run through the snow in the buff. My clothes were just outside Moonhaven.”

  “You poor thing. We should get you inside.”

  He tightened his hold on me. “I’m happy here. This is romantic, don’t you think?”

  “Most definitely.” I relaxed, enjoying the moment. “How was your run, despite the chilly end?”

  “Lonely.” He backed up, pressed me against the side of the house, and pressed his warming lips on mine. I gripped his muscular arms and opened his mouth with mine, deepening the kiss, growing greedier by the moment. I allowed myself to forget everything else and for a moment, my world only consisted of the two of us.

  A breeze blew icy snowflakes onto my face and arms. Toby shivered. I pulled away from the kiss, gasping for air. “We should get you inside.”

  He stared into my eyes, his expression intense. “I didn’t shudder from the cold.” He closed his eyes, trailed kisses from my earlobe to my mouth, and put his hands on the small of my back and pulled me against him. He shivered again and held my gaze. “I got your note in the mail.”

  My mouth fell open. I’d forgotten about it.

  Tears shone in his eyes. “The only thing that has ever broken my heart more than what I read was when you died in front of me.” He pulled me closer and kissed me with such passion I nearly went limp. He led me over to the bench and sat, pulling me onto his lap. “Did you really expect to die again?”

  I raked my fingers through his hair and nodded. “There was no reason to think you knew I’d left the werebears’ protection. Your father couldn’t wait to kill me. He thought once I was out of the way, you’d finally see the light and join him.”

  Anger flashed across his face, but then his expression softened and he ran his fingertips down my face. “We showed him, didn’t we?” He gave me another mind-melting kiss and then pulled back with a serious expression. “Don’t ever do that again, though.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Give up. You and I are going to live a long, happy life. I swear it on my own life. We’re going to be alive centuries down the road with great-great-grandchildren running around our feet. Do you understand?”

  I swallowed and then nodded.

  “It’s the truth.”

  “I hope so, but I really think we should get you inside. Your fingers are still cold.”

  Toby took several deep breaths. “You’re right. I just want to be alone out here with you. You intoxicate me.” He put a fingertip on my lower lip and opened my mouth and looked at me with hungry eyes.

  It took all my self-control to stand and
take his hand. “Let’s get you inside.”

  “We need to start making those wedding plans.”

  I pulled him toward the door. “Let’s discuss those as we watch the snow fall from inside the house.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Inside, I grabbed a blanket from the living room and wrapped it around him. He walked me over to a large picture window and pulled me close. “How does a winter wedding sound?”

  “You want to wait a year?”

  He kissed my ear and whispered, “I want to marry as soon as possible.”

  “I can’t argue with that. How about tomorrow? Tonight?”

  Toby laughed and placed his lips on mine. “Sounds good to me.”

  More curses…

  What will happen next? What is the secret of the wolf essence stone? It will change everything, but how?

  Find out more in Broken Wolf, coming in early 2017!

  Learn more and see the gorgeous covers here!

  Sneak Peeks

  Can’t get enough of Toby? Read Deception and Hidden Intentions to get more of him while you wait for the next Curse of the Moon book!

  Deception is where it all started—and also from the series that first introduced us to Toby and the wolves. You can read Deception (my very first novel) for free…

  About:

  Alexis Ferguson wasn’t blessed with the perfect body, but the ambitious overachiever has used her book smarts to get her where she is today. It’s too bad that everything she knows is wrong.

  After meeting a gorgeous stranger on a blind date, Alexis feels like she’s known him her entire life. Suddenly, dark long-forgotten memories swirl in her mind. She realizes she’s powerful, stunningly beautiful, and marked for death.

  As she faces the one who ordered her execution years ago, Alexis must learn her strange new powers and trust in unlikely allies to keep herself alive.

  Preview:

  As I stood in the woods, the hair on my arms and neck stood up, and I knew I was being watched. Here it was—the moment of truth. It was of little comfort to know that at least I wasn’t going to get mauled to death.