Wolf Hollow (Wolf Hollow Shifters, Book 1)

by Nikki Jefford

  The shifter was with child.

  She shouldn’t be, not without a mate, but her mysterious illness suddenly made perfect sense.

  Sasha got to her feet and stormed over to the used dish basket. Anger suppressed her appetite. She stuffed the last remaining bites down, not wanting to waste food.

  Raider got out of line and walked over. “Good morning,” he said.

  “Morning,” Sasha replied, agitation leaking into her voice.

  “Palmer’s called for a council meeting this evening after patrol.”

  “Does it have something to do with Trish’s pregnancy?”

  “Probably,” Raider said, not sounding surprised in the least. “See you after patrol.” He jutted his chin and returned to the line, joining Kallie midway to the cauldron.

  Sasha didn’t feel like spending any more time around camp. Tabor could find her at the cave.

  Once there, she sat on one of the boulders and waited. It wasn’t long, but she felt impatient with every passing second.

  When Tabor arrived, his forehead wrinkled. “You weren’t at breakfast,” he said, stopping several feet in front of where she sat.

  Sasha slid down from the boulder. “I was there earlier. Now let’s go.”

  They undressed in silence, shifted, and trotted through the forest. The morning air dotted their fur with moisture, sealed in by the greenery growing at all angles along the wooded trail.

  The bluff was exposed to the sun, and it baked the earth, turning the path to dust. The valley, however, was still shaded at that early hour as the sun slowly slipped down the side of the hill to spill out across the land.

  At the bluff’s edge, Sasha shifted. Tabor followed.

  They stood up and dusted themselves off.

  “Something’s on your mind,” Tabor said.

  “It’s Trish. She’s with child.”

  “With child?” Tabor slapped his hand over his mouth then lowered it with a glint in his eyes. “That scoundrel. The night of the ceremony wasn’t enough? Palmer went and mated with her during the full moon too?”

  Sasha growled. “Likely why she was supposedly ‘unwell’ during the full moon. It must have been an excuse to get out of duty and mate with Palmer.” Sasha kicked a stone with the side of her foot. “Palmer called a council meeting for tonight.”

  “Probably to confess his sins,” Tabor said.

  “I don’t know what he’ll have to say for himself.” Sasha stared across the valley.

  Palmer had known exactly what he was doing, as though he’d sought out this very outcome. But why? He had a mate and a pup on the way.

  Sasha shook her head.

  “I don’t understand it.”

  “I’d love to sit in on that council meeting to hear Palmer explain his way out of this one,” Tabor said, rubbing his hands together.

  Sasha’s vision went out of focus as she stared at the same point on the valley floor. “I can’t think of one good reason,” she muttered. “The strange thing is Francine seemed eager to take care of Trish.”

  Tabor shrugged. “Beats the hell out of me. It’s not like Francine’s unable to bear children of her own and looking for a surrogate. You’ll have to tell me after your meeting. Come by my cabin. This is too juicy to wait until morning. Hell, it’s torture waiting for tonight.”

  Sasha snorted. “I swear men love gossip more than women.”

  Tabor chuckled and planted a hand on his hip. “Admit it. You’re just as curious. Nothing like this has ever happened in Wolf Hollow before.”

  “I’m concerned,” Sasha said. “What is Trish supposed to do now? Raise a pup on her own? She won’t find a mate after this. How could Palmer do this to her?” Sasha growled. Her fingers curled into fists. “If Francine can’t keep her mate in line, perhaps I should rip his throat out for her.”

  Tabor winced and rubbed his throat. “Would serve him right, but then that would leave two expectant mothers without a mate.” He pursed his lips. “Maybe Palmer’s in love with Trish and doesn’t want anyone else to have her. Maybe he wants her for his mistress and impregnated her in place of a claiming.”

  Sasha snarled loud enough to send an echo across the valley. “Wolves don’t have mistresses,” she growled.

  Tabor took a step away from her and held his palms out as though to calm a wild animal.

  “Palmer had no right,” Sasha said, grinding the words between her teeth like rodent bones.

  If only she could chew Palmer up and spit his rotten remains over the ground.

  She doubted he truly loved Trish. He certainly didn’t respect her, and one couldn’t love someone they didn’t respect. No, the only person Palmer had ever loved was himself.

  Sasha growled again then proceeded to pace back and forth along the edge of the bluff. She stopped and stared into the valley.

  She felt like killing something. Where was a vulhena when she needed one? It would be better for Palmer if she got some of the rage out of her system before the council converged.

  Tabor sidled up to Sasha and pressed his hip against hers.

  “There’s another important matter to discuss,” he said in a low voice.

  “You and me,” Sasha acknowledged, turning to face him.

  Tabor’s smile looked forced as he said, “We only have a week left and I can’t stand the thought of another shifter being your partner, even if it’s just to patrol.”

  “Me too,” Sasha said. The thought of being separated from Tabor made her stomach twist and curl into knots of discontent.

  Tabor’s grin reached his eyes. “Does this mean you’ve decided to claim me?”

  Sasha smiled back. “Once I get the council’s blessings.”

  “And if not?” Tabor asked, an edge to his tone. He folded his arms across his chest.

  “I’ll get it out of them one way or another,” Sasha said.

  Getting the council to approve her claim on a half-breed would be more challenging than fighting off a pack of angry vulhena. But if they wanted her to produce offspring for the pack, this was their one chance. Tabor was the only acceptable mate in her eyes.

  Tabor tapped his fingers against his thigh, staring off with a thoughtful gaze. “You know this thing with Trish might work in our favor,” he said, head lifting with his voice. “If you’re worried about how the council will react to our feelings for one another it won’t be as shocking as what Palmer’s gone and done. This could really lessen the blow.”

  “Not to mention Garrick’s actions during Hector’s visit,” Sasha said, warming up to the idea.

  Tabor’s eyes bulged out of their sockets and his mouth hung open. “Wait a minute. It was Garrick humping Hector? Garrick? How could you not share that with me right away?”

  Sasha grimaced. “I promised not to tell and now you have to promise you won’t either.”

  “Only because you asked.” Tabor shook his head. “Palmer and Garrick are such horndogs. One chasing tail. The other ass.” He snickered softly.

  “Palmer and Garrick have no right to vote against us,” Sasha said. And she’d have no problem reminding them. “Jager’s enjoyed your expertise in the healing arts and must value those skills. And I doubt Raider cares who I claim.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Tabor asked with a low growl. “Maybe Raider expects you to claim him now that the Hector is out of the way.”

  Sasha lifted her eyes skyward. “Raider has no interest in me. In fact, I’ve never seen him express interest in anyone.”

  “That’s just it,” Tabor rushed in. “Maybe he does have a thing for you, he just doesn’t show it openly.”

  This time Sasha huffed. “Even if he did, you’d have nothing to worry about.”

  Tabor’s eyes grew hooded the longer he stared at her. “Can’t resist me,” he said in a silky voice as he circled around her an
d pressed against her back. He grew hard and pushed his erection against her. A guttural moan slipped past Sasha’s lips. Tabor’s hand slid down her sides and had almost made it between her legs when she pulled away. Her eyes flew open and she looked around.

  “Someone approaches,” Sasha said, whipping around to face the sparsely wooded area skirting the bluff trail.

  Tabor fists tightened, head moving side to side as he searched their surroundings. The trees on the bluff were thin and spaced far apart, making it impossible for anyone to sneak up on them.

  The wolf that walked into view wasn’t trying to be sneaky, though Sasha wondered why it hadn’t howled first. When it spotted Sasha and Tabor it shifted, turning into Peter from the den.

  Tabor kept a wary eye on Heidi’s mate as he approached them. “Peter? What are you doing here?” he asked.

  A grim line thinned Peter’s lips. He didn’t speak until he had stopped two feet beside Tabor and Sasha. The shifter’s face was ashen, and it made Sasha’s heart tighten in dread.

  “There’s been another attack,” he said without preamble.

  A stunned silence followed.

  “The den?” Sasha asked in a whisper, her heart threatening to stop beating altogether.

  “No, thank goodness,” Peter said. “The den is safe. It’s Kallie. She and Raider were hunting the area outside the den when two vulhena attacked them. While Raider was fighting one off, the other got Kallie.”

  A silent scream rose up Sasha’s throat. She’d seen them at breakfast not that long ago.

  “Did it kill her?” she demanded. She had to know right away.

  Peter shook his head. “She’s alive, but she’s badly wounded and unfortunately she shifted during the attack.”

  Sasha’s stomach knotted.

  “Maybe I can help her,” Tabor said.

  Sasha appreciated the way he began moving toward the trail as eager as she to get back to the glade.

  Peter fell in line beside them as they started down the path.

  “Garrick sent me to fetch you,” Peter said as they walked. “The elders are moving patrols around for the rest of the day.”

  “Are the vulhena dead?” Sasha asked.

  Peter nodded. “Raider killed them both. Garrick’s already moved Aden to the forest outside the den. He’s searching now to see if there are any other vulhena nearby.”

  “I should help him,” Sasha said.

  “Garrick wants you to join the council for an emergency meeting at camp,” Peter cut in.

  She fought back a scowl. A time like this required action over meeting.

  “Where’s Kallie?” Tabor asked.

  “We’re taking care of her in the den,” Peter said. “I’ll take you to her.”

  The three of them got on their hands and knees and shifted. Transformation complete, they ran the rest of the way to camp.

  Palmer, Jager, Garrick, and Raider were all waiting when Sasha, Tabor, and Peter ran into the glade. Tabor and Peter didn’t stop to shift. They only briefly paused as she pulled away from their small pack before taking off toward the den.

  Sasha stared at the council, who sat in human form on stumps that had been arranged in a circle. One of them was empty.

  Garrick tapped his foot against the earth and frowned down at Sasha.

  The council members all turned their heads to stare at her.

  In her haste, she’d run straight to camp rather than stop and dress at the cave.

  Sasha darted around the clearing smelling the ground until she picked up the scent of clothing. Actually, the strongest scent was the human who had worn the sundress. Camilla had tossed her dress over a log.

  Sasha shifted and pulled the dress over her head. It was tighter than what she was used to. She and Camilla had similar curvy builds and large breasts, but Camilla chose to wear dresses that fit tighter, whereas Sasha liked her dresses loose and easy to get in and out of.

  At least she was clothed. Today, of all days, she was in no mood to have Palmer’s gaze hovering over her bare breasts. It would be too tempting to rip his eyes out of their sockets.

  She emerged from the woods and rejoined the council in the clearing, smoothing the skirt of Camilla’s dress back as she took a seat on the remaining stump.

  Blood stained Raider’s bare chest and jeans. He sat hunched over, arms resting against his legs, staring at the ground.

  “How’s Kallie?” Sasha asked.

  “She’ll live,” Jager said gruffly, “but she won’t be able to patrol again. The vulhena tore through her hind leg and still had a hold on it when she shifted. Wolf or human—makes no difference—her leg is permanently mangled.”

  A cry of anguish tore through Sasha’s lips. It was a fate almost worse than death. A wolf who couldn’t run was a wolf without spirit, without freedom . . . without purpose.

  Raider glanced up with bloodshot eyes. The anguish on his face was the most emotion Sasha had ever seen from him.

  Jager cleared his throat. “It’s time we discussed the security and future of Wolf Hollow.”

  They were always discussing it, but Jager’s clipped words made it sound as though things were about to drastically change. Sasha bristled inside, dreading what kind of scheme the elders might have planned. They’d already brought Hector in without consulting her first. Who knew what else they’d discussed in secret.

  Jager placed a thick palm on his thigh and leaned forward.

  “For starters, the den’s mated males will have to join in patrols more often, at least until our numbers are built up.”

  “So long as that doesn’t leave the den vulnerable to attack,” Sasha said, giving Jager a hard stare.

  He moistened his cracked lips. “That leads me to our bigger issue. The hollow needs more pack members to protect our territory. Our best chance for survival lies in breeding. Everyone understands the delicate balance we’ve faced in protecting and repopulating the den. It is why the elders have discouraged claims these past five years. In fulfilling their duties to the pack, our single shifters have shown little interest in claiming a mate. They’ve gotten used to having a partner rather than a mate. I propose we mandate one new claiming to take place before every full moon over the next year.”

  Sasha’s head jerked. “Don’t you think you’re rushing things?”

  “On the contrary,” Jager said. “We should have started doing this after losing so many elders. Mated pairs can still perform pack duties and try for pups on the full moon. This way is more efficient.”

  “The den will become overcrowded,” Sasha argued.

  Palmer acknowledged Sasha’s concern with a slow nod. “We’ve discussed limiting the den to couples with pups or pups on the way. Until the female is with child, the mated pair will remain outside the den.”

  Sasha scowled. “What about the couples who live there now and are still trying for pups? Are you going to kick them out of the den?”

  “They will understand it’s for the good of the pack,” Jager said without concern.

  The elders made it sound so easy to plan pack members’ lives for them.

  It felt difficult to breathe with Camilla’s dress snug across Sasha’s chest. Her temples throbbed and heat filled her cheeks.

  “Who will help protect the den during the full moon if you expect so many wolves to be mating?” she demanded.

  “The males whose mates are with child,” Jager answered impatiently. “The more females who become pregnant, the more the men will be freed up.”

  So nice of Jager to put the pressure on the females to free up their mates. Sasha’s toes curled over the earth. Her skin crawled. Just below the surface her wolf sensed her agitation.

  “And not everyone will be paired over the next year,” Jager continued. “Some might never be paired. We’re not all meant to be mated. I never claimed a femal
e. Garrick has chosen not to claim a new mate after losing his former one in the attack.” Jager’s words faded in and out as though from far away.

  The depth of Sasha’s aggravation had taken her outside herself and distanced her mind from the council members surrounding her in their small circle.

  “Palmer, on the other hand, will become a father any day and has made a special request of the council.” Jager paused until everyone had looked up and given him their undivided attention.

  Palmer folded his hands in his lap, waiting patiently.

  How could the filthy animal sit there looking smug? Sasha had to bite back the growl crawling up her throat.

  “Palmer has impregnated a second female,” Jager announced without preamble.

  The lack of surprise on the faces around her added to Sasha’s agitation. Raider still looked dazed, but he hadn’t acted surprised when she brought the subject up with him at breakfast. Garrick picked at the skin around his nails. Naturally procreation with a female would be of no interest to him.

  “Palmer has requested permission to take a second mate. He would like to officially claim Trish.”

  “One isn’t enough?” Sasha cried before Jager had a chance to say anything more. She stood up and got in front of Palmer, arms folded, scowling down at the mongrel. “How does Francine feel about this?”

  Palmer had the audacity to smile. “My mate wants this as much as I.”

  “I highly doubt that,” Sasha said.

  Palmer’s smile faded. His eyes narrowed. “I think I know what my mate wants more than anyone else. Francine and I both desire a large family . . . for ourselves and for the hollow.”

  “Ohh, for the hollow,” Sasha said with a derisive scoff.

  Ignoring her, Palmer lifted his chest. “Trish is happy too. She and Francine are as close as sisters. Trish can’t wait to be a mother and to help raise Francine’s child with us in the meantime.”

  With a snarl of impatience, Sasha turned to Jager. “You can’t tell me you’re okay with what he’s done.”

  “Palmer and Trish should have asked for permission first,” Jager said. “This isn’t the way we’ve done things in the past, but with our decline in numbers we have to adapt. Like it or not, this is one way.”