by Sarah Makela
Cold Moon Rising
Cry Wolf, Book 1.5
Sarah Mäkelä
Passions flare when the cold moon rises…
Kelly: a normal college girl, who knows what she wants—to survive her final exams, and find someone to share her life with. Studying with Jacob is becoming too hot to handle; she’s falling for him, but he’s going too fast...
Jacob: a not-so-typical frat guy, who hides a secret—he’s a werewolf. Whenever the moon is high, he’s driven to shed his human form and satisfy his powerful desires. He craves Kelly, but she’s pushing him away...
Fallout: Jacob can smell Kelly’s arousal, but she insists she doesn’t want sex. A wolf can only take so much before his natural instincts win out. When the tension between them explodes, Jacob has no choice but to walk...
Kidnapped! Kelly is abducted by evil scientists who’ve mistaken her for a female werecat and, despite their differences, Jacob has to try and find her. But it’s a race against time and the lunar tides. The scientists have taken Kelly to their lab and turned her into a shapeshifter for real. The full moon is rising, and soon neither Kelly nor Jacob will be able to control their inner beasts. Who knows what the consequences will be when they are consumed by unquenchable animal lust…
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to my husband and mother for brainstorming with me and listening to my many rambling thoughts and to my awesome beta readers who looked over Cold Moon Rising and gave such great feedback.
CHAPTER ONE
Kelly
With Jacob this close, it took every ounce of focus to keep my thoughts on the impending exam. More than once, I caught myself staring at his lips wondering how soft they’d be as they kissed my skin. I only hoped he didn’t notice my glances that might make things highly embarrassing.
The fresh scent of my clean sheets ever so slightly mixed with his musky, warm aroma that fascinated me to no end. The way his hair moved when he turned his head in my direction caught my attention. His presence in the apartment made life seem more bearable, from the studying to the incredibly noisy neighbour who thought everyone wanted to hear his heavy metal albums all throughout the night.
“Think you’re up for a break, Kelly?” He shut his textbook with a loud clap and quirked his lips to one side. “We’ve been going at it for a while now.”
My notecards toppled from my hands, and I jerked back, caught off-guard by his words. “Uh, yeah...” If we’d really been ‘going at it,’ I would’ve refused to take a break. Stop thinking about him like that. “Yes, that sounds good. Want something else to drink? Maybe a coffee or Coke?”
The amused twinkle in his emerald green eyes melted my insides. Maybe studying on my bed hadn’t been the best idea. However, the dinette set would barely be enough room for one of our textbooks, let alone...
“Water.” Jacob leaned over me, brushing his palm over my exposed knee as he reached for the fallen study cards. “It’s kind of hot in here, isn’t it?”
He had to be kidding me. With him this close, it was like a sauna in here. I wanted to touch him, show him that all of this flirting was more than I could handle. My heart pounded in my ears. If I didn’t do something to him soon, I might explode.
As if on cue, he turned to face me. Our lips were barely inches apart, and I saw flecks of gold in his green eyes. Seconds ticked by. Was he going to make a move? I didn’t have the strength to sit by and not take this chance. Not if it meant this brief encounter would pass by forgotten.
I leaned into him. The moment our lips touched, a spark of lust... desire... chemistry burned its way inside me. One brush of lips wasn’t nearly enough. My body thirsted for more kisses.
Jacob froze in place, and I wondered for a split second if what I felt was only me. Maybe the flirting had been meaningless to him. He pulled me up so we stood beside my bed. His messy blond hair brushed across his forehead, and I ran my hand through his hair, savoring the softness.
He held me ever closer, his lips caressing mine. The kiss was gentle, careful as if afraid to take things too fast. This moment was heaven.
My arms circled his neck of their own volition, and I trailed my hands down Jacob’s back. The hard muscles flexing beneath my fingertips sent heat coursing through me. This so wasn’t a good use of our study time, especially now that final exams were on top of us, but I really didn’t care.
He’d been the only stable thing in my life since I’d come to college last September. We had three classes together that first semester, which was kind of crazy, but I didn’t mind. Ever since, we planned our courses together, as much as we could, at least.
Two of the three classes we had this semester were science and math, so I didn’t hesitate to take him up on study sessions. Fortunately, the last was English, my forte.
Jacob nibbled on my ear lobe, and tingles of pleasure blanketed my body. “Your skin is so soft, Kelly.” He slid his hands along the hem of my skirt stroking the backs of my thighs, the intensity of his touch growing less controlled by the second. His palm brushed against my backside.
If this kept up, we’d hit the point of no return. The simple kiss had gone far beyond what I’d anticipated. While I really enjoyed making out with Jacob, I wasn’t ready for sex with him. Intimacy shouldn’t be rushed. I wanted to wait for the right one, for a committed relationship. One-night stands weren’t in my vocabulary.
Besides, why give something away too fast? Most guys moved on after sex, right? Not that I suspected Jacob was that way. Besides, I counted on him studying with me. Without his help, my chances of doing well on finals for College Algebra and Physics were slim to none.
He slid his hands higher as his tongue slipped down the length of my neck, making my insides weak along with my self-restraint. A moan rasped from my throat, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure that had been my voice.
Could going to bed with him be that bad?
His mouth feels like heaven, but no! I wouldn’t go there. My rational mind struggled to make its point, but the more Jacob kissed me, the less resolve I had.
My knees gave way, and only Jacob’s hold kept me upright. This had to stop.
I pulled back, planting my hands on his chest, but he didn’t seem to notice because he hooked his thumbs into the waist of my panties. One moment they were on my hips, the next they were dainty strips of lace hanging from his hands.
A smirk curled the corners of Jacob’s lips. “Lovely. Just like you.” He didn’t seem like the Jacob I knew. There was something wilder, more untamed about him.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered, snatching the remainders of my underwear from him.
He blinked at me, his feral green eyes tightened with confusion. “What’s wrong? You seem into it too.” He circled his arms around me, either unwilling or unable to stop the delicious intimacy we had going.
What is he doing? I made myself clear. I squirmed in his arms and almost wished I hadn’t. My hips bumped against the bulging erection in his jeans. Desire mixed with an overwhelming need to take a few steps away.
The second I brushed against him, it was as if a dam burst. The intensity of what I felt for him had me spiraling out of control.
My lips met his, and I opened my mouth to him, wanting him so much and loving the feel of his body against mine. Abstinence be damned—
Wait, this isn’t what I want. But it feels so good.
Jacob squeezed my bare butt, and he lowered me to the bed. For a moment, his eyes shifted from forest green to amber. Had it been the lighting? Otherwise, I must’ve dreamed the change.
Doubt clenched my chest, and I
pressed against Jacob’s chest, but he didn’t back away. I pushed harder. Desperation slammed through my veins.
“Get off me, Jacob.” I bit my lower lip, suppressing a moan as he kissed my neck. “Stop it!” I threw all my strength behind the shove and finally nudged him away. Although, I strongly suspected he let me go from confusion rather than me gaining the upper hand.
“Are you okay? Am I hurting you?” he asked. None of his questions hit on the fact I was uncomfortable with this, like he had no intention of letting me off the hook with this sudden onslaught of intimacy.
“I’m fine. You should leave. I can’t believe you were forcing yourself on me like this.” I shook my head and rolled to the far side of the bed, wanting distance between us.
Jacob frowned, but it transformed into something a little more menacing. “Don’t you dare get self-righteous on me. I was not forcing you into anything. You blatantly enjoyed yourself. I heard your moans and smelled your arousal. I can’t believe this.” He huffed, grabbing his backpack from near the door. With barely a backwards glance, he tossed over his shoulder, “Good luck on the exams. You’ll need it.”
The door slammed shut behind him, and I blinked back tears. Oh God. My hopes of doing well this semester had just taken a nosedive. “Why me? Why now?”
He’d been right too. I did enjoy the feel of his hands and mouth on my skin. So why had I made such a fuss?
He smelled my arousal though. I guess he had a great sense of smell, or something. Ugh.
Why hadn’t he cared how I felt?
I slammed my body back onto the mattress, shoving down my denim skirt. Would it be too weird to chase after him and apologize? My thoughts warred over what to do, until it hit me. Doing well in college wasn’t the reason I wanted him here. I really cared about him. I wanted our friendly relationship to become long-term, not the casual fling we had going on. We’d been on the path to a deeper relationship, and I just screwed that up.
Jumping to my feet, I prayed Jacob hadn’t gotten too far. Maybe I could still catch him. Hope swelled in my chest, but I shoved it down. First, I had to find him, then I’d get excited about settling this.
A brisk knock at the door had me lunging for it. Yes! We were going to be fine after all. I threw open the door without checking the peephole, giddiness bubbling in my chest.
Disappointment and confusion slumped my shoulders as two men stood in the hallway of my apartment building. One of them was bald and muscular while the other was slender and wore glasses.
I opened my mouth, but before I could ask what they wanted Baldie shoved me back into my studio apartment with enough force to knock me to my ass. His gaze darted between my legs, obviously catching a look at Jacob’s handiwork. I rolled to my feet, channeling the fluidity my dance instructor had drilled into me.
I flinched at the quiet snap of Baldie shutting the door. They wanted something. Maybe to rob me, but I didn’t have any cash. My cell phone was on my bed, but Baldie blocked my access to it.
“Careful, Lloyd, she’s dangerous. You’ll want to stay back,” Baldie said to his slender friend.
Lloyd rolled his eyes at the other man and pulled a gun from his pocket. He aimed it squarely at me.
I threw my arms in the air, holding back a scream. My eyes widened, and tears blurred my vision. If only I hadn’t royally screwed up with Jacob, maybe this wouldn’t be happening. “Please, don’t hurt me. Take whatever you want. I don’t have any money, but my computer is in my backpack. It might be worth—”
“Shut up!” Baldie took a step toward me, drawing my attention back to him. They were probably hoping I’d lose focus of Lloyd, but no, I wouldn’t cave that quickly. If I played things smart, I might be able to run out the door and find a neighbor to call 9-1-1.
Lloyd must’ve caught my gaze because he positioned himself to cut off my access to the door. No, no, no! Give me exams any day over this!
Panic rocketed through me. The only other way out was the window. If they were going to kill me, then I would rather break an arm but get away alive. I spun on my heel, managing two steps closer to the window.
Thwap.
I yelped. Pain radiated along my right buttock, and I reached back to pull out a dart. What the hell? They used a tranquilizer gun on me. But that doesn’t make sense if they’re here to rob me. Cold tendrils of fear slithered over my skin. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Dizziness dropped me to the ground in slow motion, and blackness narrowed my vision.
“Why did you hit her in the ass?” Baldie flipped me to my back.
Lloyd crouched on the other side and brushed my hair away from my face. “Bad aim?” At Baldie’s glare, he huffed. “Fine, I got distracted. Guess I was focusing on her rear.” The last thing I saw was a blush darkening the man’s olive skin.
CHAPTER TWO
Jacob
I leaned my forehead against the steering wheel, either unable or unwilling to leave Kelly’s parking lot. I could be mad at her all I wanted, but the plain truth was that I’d pushed her too far. What would she say if I went back and apologized?
I didn’t think I’d be able to smell much more of her arousal without acting on my beast’s instincts. Yet, I regretted my last sniping words to her. Good luck on your exams. You’ll need it. What a jerk! That hadn’t displayed the kind of man I was. I cared too much for her to treat her so poorly.
With the full moon almost upon me, my wolf snarled below the surface of my skin, demanding our need for intimacy to be satiated. I’d assumed that my relationship with Kelly had advanced far enough to reach a sexual level, but I’d been wrong. Growing up around werewolves had altered my sense on how intimate relationships worked.
It wasn’t the first time I’d gotten carried away and shunned, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. I envied my fellow Pack members who had steady relationships with female werewolves. At least they had someone in their lives who understood the full moon’s persistent stresses on their bodies. There were some nice, available female wolves, but none of them interested me as much as Kelly did.
Footsteps sounded nearby, but I could care less about humans going about their business. At least that’s what I tried to tell myself, yet I was still in the parking lot of a very special human female’s building. I glanced over the wheel to see a thin man in glasses peeking around as if trying to make sure no one was watching.
Curiosity rose within me, and I leaned closer. My wolf knew he was up to no good, but I didn’t have time to speculate about other people’s business. I had my own to take care of. I’d be a man and go make things right with Kelly. If it didn’t go so well, then at least I’d tried.
Worst case scenario, I could crash at Alayna’s. It wasn’t my favorite option, but I had to indulge my urges, especially after nearly ravaging Kelly. My body craved hers alone. Anything else would be a poor substitute.
The man with glasses had disappeared by the time I made it to the entrance of Kelly’s building, but something was wrong. Very wrong. I smelled her delicate rosy perfume along with two other male scents. If they hurt her, I would kill them.
My breath rushed from my lungs, and I sprinted to Kelly’s apartment taking the steps three at a time. I didn’t care if someone saw me moving this fast. The only thing I focused on was finding Kelly. Damn me for leaving her.
Her door stood wide open, and I flared my nostrils. The scent of the two men grew stronger here, and I wagered that the guy in glasses had been part of this. However, I hadn’t caught a look at the other man who undoubtedly had been carrying Kelly.
I clenched my fists at my sides. Rage replaced the fear I felt for her, and I shut her apartment door behind me. I used my full stride, eating up the space between the parking lot and me. They could already be gone. What good would I have been to her then?
Her scent still lingered in the air, driving me into making my decision. Before I realized what I was doing, my wolf howled within me determined to hunt down the men responsible. Three scents, two
of which were targets for the beast now. If we caught them, they’d pay for what they did.
Bursting through the door, I spotted a dirty white van peeling away from the curb. From the hurry they were in, I strongly suspected that had to be their escape vehicle. I dashed to my black muscle car, and within moments, I sped down the avenue in their direction. The van made a sharp right turn just as I spotted them, but a stoplight—and the police car behind me—halted my progress.
I gritted my teeth. Please don’t let them get too far.
When the light finally changed colors and I rounded the corner, they were nowhere to be found. I slammed my fist against the steering wheel, hearing the metal groan in protest. The one woman I’d developed feelings for had been taken right from under my nose. If I hadn’t been such a jerk, I would’ve been there to protect her.
I scanned the streets but saw no sign of them. Traffic was light, but there was just enough to lose even the van in question. A few utility vans cruised the avenue, momentarily holding my interest, until I saw their sides, with various corporate signs and commercials on them. Even with my enhanced vision, I couldn’t pick them out of the crowd. Had I missed my chance?
No, I wouldn’t give up this easily.
For a split second, the thought of going to my Pack entered my mind, but I brushed it away. There was enough going on in the Pack as it was. Jared, the Pack’s second in command, was up to no good. He had a few loyal followers, and anyone could see that he was planning something. Since the beginning of December, I’d taken a step away, not wanting to get involved in the clashing politics. The Alpha’s son could be an ass at times, our Alpha was a good leader who wanted the best for his Pack. I respected him. I only hope the others wouldn’t see that as a sign of me shirking my duties to the Pack.