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

by Liliana Rhodes

  "Tell me everything," he said.

  "Abel has been kidnapping and holding werewolves in cells at the catacombs. He's experimenting on controlling them for his own purposes."

  "How is he doing this?" he asked. She looked down at the floor and Erich knew she didn't want to answer. He leaned forward in his chair and without thinking, took her hand. "I promise, whatever your involvement, I'll protect you."

  She looked at him skeptically, and he didn't blame her. Even he couldn't believe what he told her, but he meant every word of it.

  "I'm helping him," she said softly. "I'm a charmer."

  ***

  The large paws of the grizzly bear thudded along the dank cement floor of one of the many stone corridors in the catacombs. His nails softly clicked as he chased after the coyote Alpha Abel in animal form. Erich knew he was being lured away by the coyote, but it was all part of the plan.

  The sudden arrival of grey wolf Alpha Caleb Overstreet meant Abel would be even more ruthless as he tried to escape. After the release of most of Abel's captives and the capture of his pack, the biggest threat would be dealing with Abel's seething rage. His was an anger that grew more uncontrollable as his coyote spirit gained more power over his human form.

  After a sharp turn, the bear slid briefly, trying to keep his footing as the coyote began his transformation back to human form. His snout shortening, his ears pulling down to his balding head, his shoulders hunching forward, Abel Barlow was the whisper of the man he once was. Knocking him over, the grizzly Alpha bared his teeth and snapped it inches from the man's ashen face.

  "Get off me, you oaf!" Abel said, annoyed, his voice echoing into the darkness ahead of them.

  Erich quickly shifted into the hulking, muscular, dark-haired man with broad shoulders that struck fear in many men. Standing up to his full height, he swept his hair back off his face then spat at the ground next to Abel before narrowing his eyes and putting a hand out to help him up.

  Pulling Abel to his feet was simply a sign of respect towards his fellow Alpha. He despised Abel and shifters like him who recklessly allowed their animal spirit to control them. Seeing Abel's human form age quickly as his coyote took more control made Erich wonder where the benefit was.

  After Faith had come in asking for help, the Council put Erich in charge of capturing Abel and his pack. What the Kapok didn't know was that he had been contacted by someone higher than them and was instructed to do even more.

  Because of some history with him, Erich's main mission was to become Abel's confidant. It was a difficult task since no one knew what Erich was doing, not even the other Council members, but Erich was under strict orders and as long as he could be near Faith and keep her safe, he would do anything.

  Using bear politics as a ruse for the Council, Erich was able to infiltrate Abel's pack and get closer to the coyote. Erich had been trying to learn more of what he was doing with his prisoners but wasn't having any luck. The coyote was more cunning and sly than Erich ever imagined.

  Abel reached into a panel hidden behind a large stone and pulled out a pair of slacks and a button shirt for himself. Erich shamelessly stood naked before him, waiting as the smaller man dressed.

  "Caleb and Joaquin are here. You know they can't find me talking to you," Erich grumbled.

  "Yes, your beloved Shifter Council. A bunch of do-good Cub Scouts if you ask me. I know the real reason you're here with me. You know I'll rule them all very soon. You want a place beside me. Must be hard always living in that wolf Caleb's shadow," Abel said before rummaging through the secret panel again.

  Erich didn't dignify Abel with a response. If he knew the real reason Erich was there, he'd never let him get so close. Erich made it clear to Abel that he would do what he could to protect them from the Council. But more specifically, Erich only wanted to protect her.

  Although he knew she'd never admit it, Faith was in trouble out in the other room. She hid behind a veil of confidence, but Erich easily saw past that to the vulnerable woman inside. With her flowing blonde hair, emerald eyes, and delicate features, Faith could distract and charm anyone. When she chose to use her powers, she had proven herself formidable.

  Believing her talent was the reason Abel kept her around, Erich glared at him with disdain. He didn't understand why she was there. She deserved better than this aging wisp of a man who was more coyote than human.

  Abel knew she wasn't the fabled wolf charmer, the one who would open the gateway between the human and spirit worlds, yet he kept her anyway. Erich had been unable to find out why, but he knew the coyote Alpha did nothing without motive.

  "There's an empty cabin in the woods, in neutral territory," Erich said. "Go there and take the witch with you. I'll do what I can to free her and give you two time to get away."

  Abel nodded then tossed a pair of jeans to Erich. Some of Abel's humanity flashed before Erich's eyes and he recalled the young, unassuming, highly intelligent man he once knew. As he pulled the jeans on, Erich heard a woman scream and sprinted down the long corridor to Faith.

  Rounding the corner, Faith came into view with her empty bow. Hannah, with her long auburn hair and green eyes now the amber of a wolf, took an aggressive stance towards Faith, who had charmed Joaquin, now in panther form purring at her feet. Hannah's wolf spirit had grown much stronger in this short time and made her haughty and strong. Erich found it amusing.

  She will be a formidable werewolf when her transformation is complete, he thought, but he couldn't waste time on that now. Approaching his old friend Caleb, his shoulder bloody from Faith's arrow, he couldn't help but smile.

  "She got you good," Erich said, but he could see Caleb's attention was elsewhere. "Everything's under control. Abel has been captured and I'll take care of his witch."

  Caleb nodded, his focus strictly on Hannah. Erich wondered if it was truly love or if she really was the key Abel had been searching for, but Erich didn't want to believe in nonsense such as charms and spells. Plus Hannah didn't affect anyone the way she affected Caleb.

  As Hannah returned to Caleb, Joaquin shifted back into his human self, looking confused as he remained seated on the ground. His tanned skin accentuated his long muscles in contrast to Erich's large figure. Joaquin was not a small man, but he wasn't as imposing as his old friend and fellow Alpha.

  Erich walked past him knowing the window to freedom was closing for Abel and Faith. Faith was picking herself up off the floor while rubbing her jaw gingerly. Grabbing her arm a bit too roughly, he pulled her down the nearby corridor he just came from.

  "Let go of me, you beast!" she shrieked as she tried to pull her arm away.

  Ignoring her, he continued dragging her towards the darkened passageway where he left Abel. She struggled and pushed against him, but he didn't have time to explain anything to her.

  "Let go of me, you damn ape!" she said as she kicked at his thick legs.

  "No, not ape, bear," he growled. "I promised to protect you, remember?"

  "But..." her voice trailed off, confused. "I thought..."

  "Things aren't always as they seem," he said.

  Erich purposefully stayed away from Faith since their meeting months before. To protect his standing within the Council, any meetings with Abel were held in private as he gained Abel's trust.

  He had only seen her from afar since that day in his office, but her scent filled his soul with such raw emotion he knew she was the one, his fated mate. It didn't matter to him that she was human or a witch. She could be a hedgehog for all he cared. His senses never lied.

  Turning the corner, Abel came into view pacing the floor. Erich slowed briefly, disappointed that Abel hadn’t taken the opportunity to run on his own. As Abel looked up, he saw Faith and his face softened. He held his arms out to her as Erich reluctantly let her go and she ran into Abel's arms.

  "There's no time for this nonsense," Erich grunted. "Let's go. Do you understand the danger I'm putting myself in for you?"

  "You'll be well comp
ensated for this, Erich. Just get us to safety," Abel said.

  Familiar with the catacombs from when Erich was a teen, he led the couple out to a clearing away from the growing crowd by the main entrance. As Abel and Faith ran, Erich made his way towards Caleb and the others who were loading police cars with the rest of Abel's pack. Joaquin, now dressed, pulled Erich aside.

  "There's more here than we bargained for," Joaquin said. "They found a body, a panther Alpha I recognize from a territory in Maine. I'm sure there are others."

  Erich shook his head. Abel had taken things way too far. There was no easy fix now. His only hope was that Faith wasn't as involved as she seemed.

  ***

  "What do you mean they got away?" Liam, the Alpha of the Oak lion pride, roared at Erich. "Abel Barlow needs to be questioned immediately. How could you let them escape?" he said as he pounded his fist against the antique wood table the Council met around.

  Erich fought back his desire to attack. He didn't like being questioned, especially when he couldn't give them the answers they wanted. The Council thought he messed up, and Erich Krause never made mistakes. His instructions were clear, the Council could not find out about his mission.

  "That witch is powerful. Perhaps she charmed Erich like she charmed me," Joaquin said. "I barely remember anything, but I was completely under her control."

  "I can answer for myself," Erich said between clenched teeth. "I don't have to answer to any of you. I'm as much an Alpha as any of you," he said as he looked at each of their faces around the table, waiting for any of them to say something. "Abel has always been an intelligent enemy. We should be focused on him and not what some of you think I did."

  The room grew quiet. Liam snorted before sitting down again. Erich met each of their gazes, silently challenging each of the twelve members of the Kapok Shifter Council if they questioned him further.

  "Enough!" Caleb said. "The Hawthorn Pack has been captured. Abel will need time to regroup before he strikes again. Does anyone have information about this witch? I don't believe anyone has mentioned her before. Is this the first we've seen of her?"

  "She has eyes like your girl, Caleb," Joaquin sneered. "Maybe you should ask her."

  "I have, she doesn't know anything. Her mother doesn't either. That's a dead end."

  "Then we turn to the archives," Liam said. "It's doubtful she's from another area, so at some point she had to attend the Smythe's school. The Kapok helped fund that school for this very purpose, and my son dated the Smythe girl. The one with the ridiculous name." He paused a moment as he thought. "Pinky, that's her name. Someone should speak with her. I remember her once saying they kept meticulous records dating back hundreds of years. Interesting human, that one," he muttered.

  "I'll go to the Smythe's," Erich said, interested in learning more about Faith and her connection to Abel.

  "Not alone," Monica said. The slim fox Alpha with chestnut hair was the most senior member of the Council. "Bare your teeth and growl all you want, Erich. It's been a long time since I've been in a fight, and I'd welcome it. I might be smaller than you, but I'm smarter and quite wily." She leaned across the table towards him. "And don't you forget that."

  "Erich, Monica is right," Caleb said. "You're lucky we trust you enough to not suspend you for letting Abel and his witch get away. Rafael, your second-in-command, will accompany you. He needs to be brought up to speed."

  Erich nodded. They had no reason to trust him. He needed to be more careful if he was going to get this assignment done and still keep the Kapok Council in the dark. His instructions came from a higher entity than the Kapok could ever hope to be and it was time he met with him for some guidance.

  Chapter Three

  Sitting at the small round kitchen table, Faith Galloway stared at the glass of water in front of her, wishing it was something stronger. For weeks, she and Abel had been staying at the small cabin in the center of the forest. By the looks of the place, she was lucky to have the luxury of electricity.

  White paint cracked and peeled over the few cabinets surrounding the cast iron sink. With layers of dust and dirt all over everything, Faith spent the better part of her days trying to get the house cleaned, making the cabin air thick with the scents of musty wood and cleanser.

  Tilting the clear glass, she swirled the water around as she made a mental list of what else needed to be done. She didn't know how long they would hide there, but she'd be damned if she was going to sit around and do nothing in the filthy house.

  The place didn't bother her though. She could live in a grass hut and be happy, she just needed a place to call home. What really bothered her was the company.

  After Erich brought them to the cabin, she and Abel had been left alone. Since his pack had been captured, Abel became even more distant and angrier. And he existed in a state Faith didn't know what to make of, somewhere between the man she loved and the coyote she despised.

  Abel had been her first love. Her one and only, man of her dreams, love of her life. Unfortunately, after thirty-something years on this planet, Faith knew there was always a but.

  "Faith!" Abel yelled. "Come here!"

  Faith cringed with each syllable she heard. The cabin was tiny, barely more than a shack in the neutral zone of the woods. Abel was on the other side of the thin plaster wall, in the main room, while she sat in the kitchen. He didn't need to yell. After sliding her bangs away from her eyes, she chewed her bottom lip while contemplating the back door, its four panel handblown glass begging her to escape.

  "Faith! Don't make me get up!" Abel barked.

  Abel's voice deepened and became more gravelly. Closing her eyes, Faith saw him in the overstuffed barker lounger he demanded to have. His face wider, his nose longer, ears raised, and sprouts of reddish brown fur sticking out of his hands and arms. She didn't need to use magic to know the coyote had taken over.

  Her heart pounded in her chest as she walked towards the door, her flowing black skirt softly swishing with each step. Seeing her warped reflection in the glass, her eyes paused over the greenish bruise on her cheek. Faith heard the Alpha werewolf she injured call her assailant Hannah. It was a name she'd never forget.

  Wincing as she tenderly touched her cheek, Faith was reminded of the fault in her charming ability–it only worked on Alphas, not that Abel would ever let her forget that. This wasn't the first time she had been surprised by a shifter.

  She didn't even realize the pretty girl with auburn hair was a shape shifter. Were her senses dulled because Hannah hadn't completed her transition? Or was it because Faith was stunned by seeing eyes the same emerald shade as her own change to those of a shifter? They were questions she couldn't answer.

  What she did know was that she never met anyone with such green eyes before. And she knew if she told anyone they would think she was crazy, but she felt connected to her. She couldn't get Hannah out of her head. She really didn't care that Hannah attacked her. She deserved it. But she couldn't help but wonder exactly who this girl was.

  Faith spent her life looking for her family. She knew nothing about them except that her mother left her in the Our Lady of Faith maternity ward and never returned. As if the abandonment hadn't been enough, the woman fought each time the state tried to terminate her rights to Faith, leaving her in a state of limbo in the foster care system.

  Her mother couldn't even be bothered to name her. Without a legal name, she was named after the hospital and the town she was born in–Galloway Township. Through the years, the only thing she had that was genuinely hers was a silver pendant of a strange looking, long-necked bird. The social worker who handled her case told her it was left wrapped in the blanket with her. She clung to the hope the story was true and maybe it meant her mother would come back for her, but that never happened.

  "Dammit, Faith! What's taking you so long? You know better than to keep me waiting," Abel growled from the other room.

  A chill ran up her back and spurred her to move. Before she even realized
what she was doing, Faith was outside the house on the small wooden porch. Rubbing her arms over the long thin black fabric of her blouse, she considered stepping back inside to the warmth of the kitchen until she heard the soft yip of the coyote before Abel's voice again.

  "Get in here now, Faith!"

  Abel's voice shook the door and froze Faith. How did she let herself get into this situation? Why didn't she just leave? Swallowing tears, she knew what the answer to her questions was. She loved him. But she was beginning to hate him, too.

  Faith didn't think Abel would ever hurt her, but sometimes his words could slice into her worse than anything physical. It didn't matter how many times she reminded herself it was really his animal spirit, Abel wasn't the man she met fifteen years ago.

  Ten Years Ago

  "Faith? You awake?" Abel whispered into the darkness of their bedroom.

  "No," she said, "someone keeps talking." She laughed and rolled into the spot in his arm she called his nook.

  "I've been wanting to ask you something since the day we met."

  She laughed again. "That was years ago. Why wait so long?"

  "I don't know," Abel said. "Guess I know you well enough to know it was something you didn't want to talk about."

  Faith didn't answer right away. There were a lot of things she didn't want to talk about, but if there was someone she could trust with the bullshit from her life, it was him.

  "What is it?" she asked, her stomach churning as she waited.

  Abel shifted onto his side so both his arms were wrapped around her. She rested her head against his chest and listened to the timbre of his voice as he spoke.

  "When we first met, you said you didn't have a home. What did you mean by that? And why haven't I met your family? Are you ashamed of me? It's because I'm a shifter, isn't it?"

  His hand lowered softly on her arm as he let go of her. She propped herself up on her elbow to look at him as he turned away from her.