The Crane Curse Series Complete Boxed Set (Shape Shifter Romance)

by Liliana Rhodes

  Chapter Five

  The street was deserted except for a one-story shack at the end of the block. The building tilted a bit to one side as if it would collapse with a strong wind. On the front of the dark grey shack was a green neon sign that said Night Shift. Surrounded by auto body shops and a now-defunct processing plant, the bar was tucked away in a part of town Hannah had never been to.

  Pinky parked her small sunshine yellow Toyota in the lot and stepped out of the car while Hannah quickly applied lip gloss using the mirror in the sun visor. As she exited the car, Pinky took a deep breath, then huffed it out and smiled as it made a cloud in the air.

  "I love when it gets cold like this," Pinky said as she looked over at Hannah. "Wait a sec, you're not wearing that cloak, are you?"

  Hannah looked down at herself. The navy cloak her mother made for her billowed around her, hiding her lucky outfit. Normally she wouldn't wear the same thing twice when seeing a guy, but he didn't see her lucky star sweater, so she figured it was all right.

  "What are you talking about? You just said it yourself, it’s cold."

  "Seriously, please take that off. We're just a few feet from the door, you're not going to freeze. I'm not wearing a jacket," Pinky said as she twirled in a pair of relaxed fit jeans and an aqua smocked jersey top.

  "What's wrong with my coat?"

  "It’s not a coat, it’s a cloak. There's no other word for it. Plus, you're wearing that damn thing and with your red hair…dammit, Hannah, you don't see it? Let me put it this way. I'm not taking Red Riding Hood in to see the wolves."

  Hannah laughed and shoved the cloak in the backseat. "Sure it'll be okay in the Yota?" she asked.

  "Of course, no one's going to touch a prized vehicle such as this," Pinky said as she tapped the back of the car where it no longer said the full name of the car brand, only 'Yota'.

  Watching a group of women walk past in miniskirts, Hannah felt out of place. Each one was more beautiful than the next and each had legs that extended for miles. A couple of them looked at her as they walked past with curious expressions. It only made Hannah feel even worse.

  "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Hannah said as she folded her arms in front of her chest and stroked the soft fabric of her sweater. "I don't know what I was thinking wearing this cutesy sweater."

  "You don't fool me, Hannah Crane. That's your good luck sweater. You're hoping to see Mr. Naked Wolfman."

  "Of course, but look at those girls. He's not going to give me the time of day with them around."

  Pinky shrugged. "They're not that great…okay, so they are. But you never know. Maybe he likes stars on sweaters and is tired of gorgeous, sexy women."

  Hannah shoved Pinky playfully as they walked towards the worn wooden building. The green neon sign cast a strange glow around the doorway, and Hannah could feel her heart flutter nervously in her chest. She must have slowed down too much for Pinky's taste, because next thing she knew her friend grabbed her by her hand, yanked open the large wood paneled door, and pulled her into the building.

  As they entered the bar, a massive man blocked their way. He was easily the size of the door, with tattoos on both of his arms and his long hair pulled back into a tight braid. Grimacing, he looked down at them, then smiled sweetly.

  "Pinky! Been a long time. I thought you decided to stop slummin' with our kind," he said.

  "Ha, never! You know I love you guys. This is my friend Hannah."

  "Ahh, a first timer," he said, then wrinkled his brow. "You smell…interesting. Half breed?"

  "What, me? No!" Hannah said, shaking her head adamantly.

  "Hmm okay, if you insist, but I'd bet at least one of your ancestors was a shifter. If you're from Leeds Point like the rest of us, then it’s likely. Well, except for Miss Pinky here. She's just special."

  "Aww Bubbles, you're too sweet," Pinky said before giving the large man a hug.

  "Head on over to the bar. I'm sure Rafael wants to see you," Bubbles said as he stepped out of their way.

  The room was an open space with wood paneled walls that looked sticky with use and age. At one corner, a group of four muscular men played pool. A stack of dollar bills grew on the edge of the table as they continued betting.

  Next to the pool table was a small dance floor with several bodies writhing to the beat of the pulsing song coming from the nearby jukebox. At the end of the room, just beyond several round wooden tables with mismatched wooden cafe chairs, was the long bar.

  Still holding her hand, Pinky snaked through the crowded room towards two empty stools at the end of the bar and waved at the bartender. Rafael was a good looking man with dark brown hair and caramel colored skin in a tight black t-shirt that accentuated his strong physique.

  "Wow, it’s like his muscles have muscles," Hannah whispered.

  "Mmm, he is yummy, isn't he?" Pinky said.

  Rafael refilled a couple of drinks before sauntering over with a sly grin and a twinkle in his sky blue eyes.

  "I knew you couldn't resist," he said as he leaned over the bar and kissed Pinky on the lips before turning to Hannah. "I asked her out last time she was here. She said she'd never date a bear. Talk some sense into her, will you?" He grinned mischievously before winking at Pinky and walking away to mix a couple of drinks.

  "A bear?" Hannah whispered as she leaned in towards her friend. "I thought you said it was wolf night. And look at him! I can't believe you said you wouldn't date him because he's a bear."

  "He works here. It's only the patrons who have to be whatever shifter night it is. Just like Bubbles. He's not a wolf either. Anyway, I only said that to get Rafael off my back. He was pushing hard for a date and it got me worried."

  "Worried? Why?"

  "Because I'm human. There are a lot of shifters who date humans just because we're human. They think we're easy. There are no mates or packs or anything complicated like that, so in that sense we are easy. But that's not the easy he's thinking."

  Hannah looked back over at Rafael. Even though he was at the other end of the bar, his eyes were still on Pinky.

  "And you don't want to sleep with him?"

  Pinky laughed. "Are you kidding? That man is fine! No, he's fiiiiiiiiiinnne. I'd love to sleep with him. But I know how I am. I'd get all attached and he'd get over the whole fucking a human thing and ditch me. Then what am I supposed to do? This is the only place anyone can go to meet a shifter without worrying about territory, so I'd have no choice but to see him."

  "Wait, step back a sec. You keep saying things I don't understand at all. Mate? Packs? Territory? I didn't realize there was a whole new vocabulary I needed to know."

  Rafael came back and set down two pink frozen drinks with umbrellas, cherries, and hunks of pineapple sticking out of the tall curvy glasses. "Lava Flow. Your favorite, right? See, I remember everything."

  "Thanks Rafael," Pinky said as she took a sip. "What do I owe you?"

  "A date. That's all I ask. No strings attached," he said. "If you're worried about anything, bring your friend along. By the way, the wolves are drooling over her so I'm sure she'll have no problem finding a date."

  Hannah looked around the room. She noticed how a lot of the wolves gave her the once over, but she thought it was all in her head. Scanning the room, she knew they were all shifters, but she didn't know how she knew. Unfortunately, the one wolf she was looking for wasn't there.

  Rafael leaned in towards the two of them. "Watch out for this one," Rafael growled low under his breath as a man made his way towards them. "He's Omega."

  Pinky grabbed Hannah's arm and quickly whispered, "I'm sorry, I forgot how little you know. I'll explain it all later, but Omega means he doesn't have a pack."

  A thin man, on the smaller side of every other wolf in the bar, with wispy light brown hair and tortoiseshell glasses sat on the stool beside Hannah. He put his hand up to order a beer, but Rafael ignored him. Feeling bad for him, Hannah reached over the bar, grabbed a glass, and poured a beer from the tap
in front of her then slid it over to him.

  "Thank you, but you didn't have to do that," the Omega said with a thick southern drawl before he took a sip. "He would've given in eventually. There's no rule that says you have to be bound to a pack." He looked around as if he was speaking to all the other wolves in the bar before focusing back on Hannah. "I'm James Renfield, or just Renfield, as most people call me."

  "Nice to meet you, I'm Hannah and this is Pinky," she said as Pinky turned away.

  "Their Alpha knows I'm here," he said to Pinky’s back, looking hurt before turning his focus back on Hannah. "He's a strict wolf, but reasonable as long as you register when passing through his territory. I'm sure you know that."

  "Alpha?" Hannah asked. "Sorry, but all this is new to me."

  "New? Really?" Renfield said excitedly. "Forgive me, I thought you were…never mind. I'm sure you heard I'm Omega."

  "Yes, but I really don't understand," Hannah admitted as she felt even more stupid.

  "Look around. You see all those strong, beautiful bodies? Those are all grey wolves. They are also all part of the Rowan pack. A pack lives within its own territory and has its own laws and protections. These laws are created and enforced by the pack's Alpha."

  "Why aren't you part of the pack? Is it because you're different?" Hannah asked.

  "Ah, how nice of you to notice. I am different. I am a red wolf, but no, that's not why I'm not part of this or any other pack. The red wolves are in danger of extinction. Because of that, the Shifter Council has seen fit to allow red wolves into packs with grey wolves. I simply choose to not be part of a pack."

  "But what about protection? You said the pack–"

  "No," he said, cutting her short, "I don't need their protection. I respect Caleb as the Alpha, so I let him know of my presence. I don't need anything from them and they certainly don't want anything from me. The pack's day will come though. Mark my words." He was silent for a moment when his expression suddenly changed from anger to sadness. "And when that happens, I hope you're nowhere near these shifters."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Stay away from them. That's all I can say. You're putting yourself in danger by coming here." Renfield drank the last of his beer and smacked a hundred dollar bill he pulled out of his wallet onto the bar. "Your drinks are on me the rest of the night. After that, forget everything you learned about shifters and this place, Hannah. Their day is coming."

  Before she could speak, he disappeared into the crowd. Hannah turned back to Pinky, who was deep in conversation with one of the waitresses. Rafael took the cash, then leaned across the bar towards Hannah.

  "Whatever he said, don't listen to him. Red wolves are known to have a few screws loose. They're a lot like coyotes. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Look, you and Pinky aren't even the only humans here."

  Hannah followed his gaze across the dance floor, towards the tables where a beautiful woman with jet-black hair sat. She wore a sparkly white top that made her look ethereal despite the plunging neckline. Seated across from her was a brawny, handsome older man with salt and pepper hair. Hannah couldn't speak. Without looking, she swatted at Pinky.

  "Hey, that hurt!" Pinky said, then noticed what Hannah was looking at. "Holy shit! Did you tell her we were coming here?"

  "Of course not! She would've freaked if she knew."

  "Then why is she here?"

  "I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Hannah said as she hopped off her barstool.

  Hannah never lied to her mother before, but not saying something and lying were two different things. Suddenly she realized her mother hadn't been telling her much lately either. Like, why did she smell like a shifter last week? Had she been at Night Shift? Never in a million years did Hannah think she'd see her mother at a shifter bar, or any bar really, yet there she was.

  "Mom? What are you doing here?" Hannah asked when she got to the table.

  "Hannah?" Eliza looked confused and began nervously wringing her hands. "I suppose I could ask you the same."

  "I just don't understand. All these years, all you ever said..." were bad things about werewolves, Hannah wanted to finish saying, but couldn't.

  "It's complicated. And something we can talk about another time. Not here."

  "Fine, whatever. I don't think I even care, Mom. I'm just surprised to see you here." Hannah looked at the handsome man across the table from her mother and then noticed an old photograph she didn't recognize on the table. Whatever was going on, she was done interrupting. "I'll see you later, Mom. I'm going to visit Pea."

  "But it’s not a full moon."

  "I know. I just really need her right now. Maybe I'll get lucky. You know I don't need the full moon, it just helps."

  Eliza nodded and lowered her head as Hannah kissed her on the cheek. Hannah could tell whatever her mother was going through, it would take some time before she was ready to talk. She also knew it involved Pea somehow.

  Hannah returned to the bar where Pinky was flirting with a tall, hunky man with dark brown hair. She hated to interrupt, but she needed to get out of here.

  "I'm sorry Pinky, but can we go?"

  "One sec, Hannah. I'd like to introduce you to Cade. We were just talking, and I think I found your guy."

  "What? How?"

  Pinky left her stool and moved Hannah a couple of feet away before excitedly speaking.

  "Cade was just telling me how there's been some territory problems recently. Some wolves have been found dead, and others are missing. They're not sure yet whether it’s because of hunters or a rival pack, but the Rowan Alpha has taken it upon himself to patrol the area. Including parts just outside their territory."

  "I'm sorry Pinky, it’s been a long night. Spill. What are you trying to say?"

  "That man you can't get out of your head? That's their Alpha, Caleb. That's Mr. Naked Wolfman."

  Hannah couldn't explain how, but she knew Pinky was right. Now more than ever, she needed to get back to the woods. She had to see him again.

  Chapter Six

  The night air was cool, crisp, and still. Almost too still. The other creatures in the forest knew there was an intruder.

  The rash of recent killings could have destroyed many other packs, but as Alpha, he wasn't going to let that happen. Caleb heard of other Alphas being challenged and even removed for less. He'd be damned if anyone in his pack was going to take his place. They'd have to kill him first. But that was the risk one took in being Alpha.

  Caleb Overstreet had been the Rowan Alpha for the past fifteen years. At the time of his induction, he was the youngest Alpha in history. His age didn't matter to him though. He knew since he was a child that he would one day be Alpha. That he was destined for it.

  An Alpha was born, not made, but to be pack Alpha, certain things had to happen. Either an Alpha died and his child took his place, or an Alpha was killed by another Alpha and his pack then forcibly taken over. In rare circumstances, an Alpha could be named by the Shifter Council, but usually those appointments were temporary. Caleb wistfully remembered the day he became the Rowan pack Alpha.

  ~ Fifteen Years Ago ~

  Caleb threw open the metal framed screen door, letting it bang against the weathered shingles as he stormed into the Cape Cod style house he grew up in. The air was thick and damp as many summer nights were, and his grey t-shirt clung uncomfortably to his sculpted torso, but that was the least of his concerns. Followed by his closest friends, Erich the powerful bear shifter with his slicked back dark brown hair, and Joaquin the lean, swarthy panther shifter, he spotted his mother sitting on the small floral Victorian settee with her face in her hands.

  Dropping to his knees in front of her, they didn't need to speak. Caleb and his mother had always had a special connection. When he heard her say his name on the other end of the phone, he rushed over, understanding the pain in her voice. She didn't need to say anything else. He didn't care that he was out having drinks with his friends at Night Shift, his family was more i
mportant than anything to him.

  She looked smaller to him than usual. Her light brown hair helped cover her face, but he knew her dark blue eyes were red from crying. As he wrapped his strong arms around her, she let out a soft sob before collapsing into his arms, her face in his shoulder.

  "I asked him not to go," she choked out. "I knew that pack was nothing but trouble. I should've done more. I should've stopped him."

  "Shh, Mom. There was nothing you could do. Nothing any of us could do," Caleb said, holding back his anger and pain. "Dad was stubborn and idealistic. He genuinely believed he could reason with them."

  "Humph, reason," Erich snorted loudly, and Caleb shot him a look to stay quiet. Even at eighteen, Caleb had a commanding presence.

  "He's gone, Caleb. He's really gone. I kept hoping he'd come back, but he's not. He's never coming home," his mom said as tears choked her up and forced her into silence.

  Caleb could only imagine the kind of pain his mother was experiencing. His parents always told him they were true mates. Fated mates. He didn't know if he believed in that, but he had never seen two people who seemed more perfect for each other than them. There was always a happiness that shone from within when they were together. Even when they looked at each other, he could see the depth of love they had for one another.

  His father always told him to wait for that kind of love. To wait until he scented the woman who was made just for him. He couldn't tell Caleb much more than that, other than the fact that he would just know when or if it happened.

  But Caleb's father had always been a dreamer. And it was those dreams that made him blind to the fact that he was heading directly into danger. Caleb hardened himself so he wouldn't break down. Emotions weren't something he needed right now. What he needed was to be strong for his mother, now more than ever.

  After making sure his mother was okay, Caleb pulled aside his friends and took them outside. Filled with anger, he could barely think straight, but he knew one thing–he needed to make things right for his father. This wasn't about becoming Alpha. Caleb was guaranteed to succeed his father as Alpha of the Rowan pack. Caleb was looking for vengeance.