Wolf of the Northern Star (The Wolfkin Saga Book 2)

by SJ Himes

  Kane frowned at that, but Caius had a point. Wren was fragile and weak, and though he claimed no affection for the man who’d made him, Kane wouldn’t kill the boy’s only parent without talking to Wren first. Caius continued, interrupting Kane’s thoughts. “And Birch Grove and Ashland are both in our debt—the Suarez wolves are safe and on their way home to Worcester soon, and Julian’s treachery and dishonor has been made known. I expect him to be challenged for the rank of clan leader any day now. I doubt his successor will spare him.”

  Kane nodded, agreeing. Birch Grove was in a riotous place right now—Julian held control only by his teeth, and packs and lesser clans were breaking off in droves by the day. Julian was still wounded, shot with silver and injuries from the fight with Kane and Caius. Unless Julian was deposed, Birch Grove may not last much longer. Ashland was indeed in Black Pine’s debt—Enrique Suarez, Gabe’s father and Heromindes’ favorite cousin, was quite vocal and adamant in his praise for Black Pine, and especially Kane and Ghost. Heromindes did not want strife in his clan nor his family, so his animosity towards Kane and Black Pine was lessening a bit. The likelihood of a blood feud was growing more remote. Heromindes held onto Ashland Clan by a slim margin, and had defeated a pair of Challenges to keep his position.

  The scouts Kane sent out to check the remainder of Dr. Harmon’s list reported back that the locations held nothing living. The first few were empty, but he was awakened by Burke in the early morning hours with reports of new discoveries. Plenty of the locations appeared to be information caches, holding servers and file cabinets full of data. Any place that once held people or active employees appeared to be abandoned in a hurry; word must have spread somehow of Remus’ downfall. No signs of more wolfkin prisoners, though, and Kane took that to heart.

  Kane, since Caius and Shadow were not to be disturbed, had ordered everything to be broken down and brought back to the mansion, where it would all be sorted and searched. Anyone discovered, be it human governments or private citizens, who might have been in league with Remus would eventually feel their wrath.

  A knock at the door interrupted them. “Enter,” Caius called, and Gabe stuck his head in around the door.

  “Gabe! How’s your family doing? Are they ready to go home?” Ghost called from his seat. Gabe came in slowly, shutting the door behind him, and he had some trouble taking his eyes off Gray Shadow. The shaman gave the young alpha a kind smile.

  “Um,” Gabe stuttered, but he gathered his courage and came deeper into the room. “I was wondering if the offer to remain in Black Pine was still open?”

  “It is,” Caius replied, and Gabe all but drooped with relief. “Though that’s not up to me anymore.”

  Caius nodded at Kane, and Gabe’s face lit up in a wide smile. He all but ran to Kane, stopping a foot away and vibrating with happiness. “That’s wonderful news, Alpha Kane! Congratulations! You’ll make a wonderful clan leader, I know it.”

  Kane looked in askance at Caius, but the other alpha shrugged and walked away, joining Gray Shadow on the couch. Ghost got up to make room, and the two mates curled into each other, as if they were the only two wolfkin left in the world, for all the attention they paid anyone else.

  “I,” Kane coughed, and tried again. “You’re family, now, Gabe. You’ll always have a home here.”

  Ghost barreled into Gabe, hugging his best friend ecstatically. Kane frowned, and shot Caius a dark look. “You already abdicated, didn’t you?”

  Caius drew back from kissing Shadow, and smirked at Kane. “I sent all the First Betas and Heirs that act as point of contact for the clans around the world an email last night. I said you were the new Clan Leader of Black Pine, and I was retiring to enjoy life with my new mate. There’s an entire inbox of well wishes if you want to get started.”

  Ghost and Gabe descended on him, and pulled him from the study. They chattered on about Gabe learning to control his gift of the Voice, and the problem with Wren. The small hybrid was weak, though he was recovering from his ordeal, albeit slowly. Burke’s careful and devoted attendance upon his mate was the stuff of romantic poems, according to the gossip from the betas.

  Kane let himself be dragged into the dining room. He was drawn from his chaotic thoughts by a heavy, expectant silence in the large room, and looked up to see the entire clan gathered. Even cubs were in attendance, pulled from school and university. Black Pine was thousands strong, and while they all couldn’t fit in the dining room, a few hundred were crammed inside.

  Gabe darted out of the way, sitting with Burke and young Wren, who leaned on Burke for support. Burke smiled and gave Kane a nod, and he warmed at the implicit love and support he could feel from his best friend.

  Ghost took his hand, gifting him with a brilliant smile full of love before turning to the assembled wolves. Ghost lifted their joined hands, and shouted.

  “Wolves of Black Pine, I give you your new Clan Leader, Alpha Kane!”

  The cheers rose in a deafening crescendo, and Kane pulled Ghost into his arms, kissing his mate.

  The Wolfkin Saga will continue.

  Character List

  Characters from The Wolfkin Saga Books #1 & #2

  An “Old World wolf” is a wolfkin born before the Great Exodus to North America.

  In no order, whatsoever. Contains massive spoilers, so read the books first!

  Caius McLennan—Clan Leader of Black Pine, greater alpha, grandfather of Ghost, Old World wolf, age unknown, but several centuries at a minimum

  Ghost/Luca—Shaman, soulbonded mate to Kane, grandson of Gray Shadow and Caius, 19 years old

  Kane—Greater alpha, gifted with the Voice, Heir of Black Pine, 44 yrs old

  Burke—Black Pine Speaker, greater alpha, third ranked wolfkin in Black Pine, 49 yrs old

  Sophia—Black Pine First Beta, Old World wolf, over 400 years old, becomes Alpha Mate to Royrick alongside Gerald

  Andromeda—clan leader of Red Fern, female alpha; Old World wolf, older sister of Shaman River, theorized to be the oldest living being on the planet

  River—Shaman, Red Fern and Black Pine, last child of Stormcloud, youngest sibling to Andromeda, Old World wolf

  Gerald McLennan—youngest living child of Caius McLennan; lesser alpha, Black Pine wolfkin, 225 years old, becomes Alpha Mate to Royrick along with Sophia

  Roman McLennan—second to youngest living child of Caius, great traitor of the clans, mass murderer, killed by Heromindes during the Tribunal in Bk #2, 250 years old

  Gray Shadow—Greatest Shaman of the clans, Black Pine, former lover of Caius, grandfather to Ghost, dies in Book #1, returns to the living in Book #2. Becomes Caius McLennan’s mate. Several centuries old, exact age unknown. Old World wolf.

  Helen—Andromeda’s great grandchild, whom Andromeda named after Helen of Troy. Teenager, though not yet an adult by wolfkin standards. Only recently found her wolf.

  Marjorie—Andromeda’s daughter, nominated to replace Sophia as Black Pine First Beta.

  Claire—Andromeda’s daughter. Traitor, occasional lover of Roman McLennan. Was banished after receiving 100 lashes with a silver-laced whip as punishment for her crimes.

  Simon Remus—Human businessman, runs Remus Acquisitions, responsible for kidnapping, experimentation, and murder of hundreds of wolfkin. Took over after his older brother took the fall for the Baxter Ambush that killed Gray Shadow, and was killed by Caius. Simon dies at the end of Book #2, Kane kills him.

  Dr. Mitchell Harmon—Human scientist, works for Remus. Created Wren in a lab, adopted Wren after the boy showed no wolfkin traits. Engineered a soulless clone of Gray Shadow. Captured by Kane at the end of Book #1. Still held captive at the end of Book #2.

  Julian Richards—Clan Leader of Birch Grove, Mad Dog of New York City, greater alpha. Joined human society as a business mogul, humans unaware. Psychopath. Sat on the Tribunal. Andromeda kicks him out of Baxter w
hen he becomes violent.

  Mercuriel—Clan Leader of Dread Claw. Greater alpha. Phenomenally strong. Tribunal member, Old World wolf.

  Heromindes—Clan Leader of Ashland. Greater alpha. Charges Kane with illegal use of the Voice and levies claims of blasphemy against Kane as well.

  Royrick—Clan Leader of Red Wraith. Greater alpha. Former lover of Sophia. Tribunal member. Manages to woo Sophia into taking him back, and claims Gerald as a mate as well.

  Dr. Walsh—Human scientist who takes over after Dr. Harmon was taken captive by Kane. Killed during the rescue by Ghost.

  Wren Harmon—Wolfkin/human hybrid. Sick, weak, and suffering from chronic illness. Adopted by Dr. Harmon after Wren failed to present wolfkin traits. Only successful attempt to combine species. All wolfkin traits are suppressed, though Ghost can see his soulstar, and claims it is not human. Immune to silver. Ghost believes Wren to be the biological child of Roman McLennan. Becomes Burke’s soulbonded mate at the end of Book #2.

  Josiah—Wolfkin beta, former First Beta of Black Pine. Went feral and disappeared after the death of his children and soulbonded mate, Marla. Son of Gray Shadow.

  Marla McLennan—Black Pine beta, only daughter of Caius McLennan, soulbonded mate to Josiah and mother of Ghost. Died in the same ambush that killed her cubs and Gray Shadow.

  Gabriel Suarez—Greater alpha of Ashland, Heromindes’ cousin. Captured by Roman and experimented upon by humans, then sold to underground sex slave traffickers. His father Enrique Suarez and his uncles remain captives of Remus. Gabe’s trauma spurs his gift of the Voice into manifesting. He has no control over the ability. Becomes Ghost’s best friend.

  Enrique Suarez—Father of Gabriel, greater alpha of Ashland. One of the captured wolfkin held by Remus in the labs.

  Catherine (Cat) Medeiros—biologist and conservationist, wolf specialist. Raises Ghost after finding him as a wolf cub, mistakes him for a feral wolf. Runs a wolf sanctuary in New Brunswick.

  Glen Mitchell—Human. Wildlife photographer, specializes in large predators. Runs the wolf sanctuary with Cat. Ghost calls Glen “his human alpha.” Raises Ghost with Cat.

  Sebastien Remus—Human, first began hunting and capturing wolfkin for experiments. Simon, his younger brother, arranged for Roman to have him killed so Simon could take over Remus Acquisitions. Dies in Book #1.

  Sarah Suarez—Gabriel’s little sister, abused by the same humans that hurt her older brother. Ghost heals her and her family in Book #1.

  Other Books

  The Wolfkin Saga

  Wolves of Black Pine

  Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series

  The Necromancer’s Dance

  The Necromancer’s Dilemma

  Standalone Title

  Saving Silas

  Title as Revella Hawthorne

  Bred For Love Series

  The Prince’s Consort

  The King’s Command

  A Royal Rebellion

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