Moon Promise (The Wild Pack Book 1)

by Carmen Fox

  Leo had stabbed him, because he couldn’t have beaten him in a fair fight.

  “Can you walk?” I squeezed Drake’s arm. “We have to go.”

  His eyelids snapped open, but no understanding lay in those red-veined eyes.

  I placed my hand against his cheek, which was cold and damp, much like this room. “Can you hear me? We need to leave.”

  I ripped his T-shirt, rolled it up and pressed it against his chest wound.

  Still alive. Still alive. Still alive.

  “Come on.” I prodded him gently. “Move. Please,”

  He groaned and nudged his head to the side.

  I stroked his cheek, deflated. He was in no state to go anywhere. Leo had made sure of that. His best chance was for me to get help. I’d stick to the road, so that if Jonah was on the way, I could flag him down.

  But how could I leave Drake behind? His cold skin needed warmth, his bruised face gentle kisses.

  “You need to shift.” My words spread through the room without making any difference.

  Drake gurgled, struggled for breath.

  “Sh-sh. It’s okay.” I rested his head against my chest.

  My whispers seemed to soothe him, and his inhalations grew lighter and more regular.

  But this wasn’t getting me anywhere. Go or stay? It had to be one or the other.

  “Shift, dammit. Shift now.” If I had dominance, I could have compelled his change into wolf form, weak as he was.

  Drake didn’t even move.

  I rested my chin on his hair, which was matted to his head. “I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult. I have so much to tell you, things I tried to keep secret. But you deserve to know.”

  A moan. Quiet, but a sign he was listening, of hope.

  I caressed his cheek, rough with stubble. He probably hadn’t shaved since he’d gone on the run.

  No more dithering. Without help, Drake wouldn’t make it. I searched his pockets, but he didn’t have his phone on him. Maybe he’d left it in his car. I took his keys and carefully placed him onto the ground. “I promise I’ll be right back. Just...don’t go anywhere.”

  I ran up the stairs when an ominous scrape forced me back into a corner.

  Twenty-four

  Leo limped toward me, one step after the other, grimacing each time his weight shifted. His hand wrapped around the red-stained knife he’d stuck into Drake earlier.

  “Thought you were all clever, didn’t you?” He propped an arm against the wall and briefly closed his eyes.

  I raced back toward Drake and crouched. “Come on. We’re out of time.”

  A miraculous recovery would have been well-timed right now, but as predicted, that wasn’t how things were working out for me in this goddamn town.

  I lunged to the shelf on my right, curled my fingers around a metal rod that stuck out of a bucket, and moved forward, putting a buffer zone between me and Drake.

  Leo’s eyebrows lifted by a fraction. “You really think you got a shot at getting out of here alive?”

  “I was raised to be an alpha, with all the training that entails.” I swished the rod through the air, which already felt more comfortable in my hand than the heavy frying pan.

  Leo halted his approach, but only for a second. “Your bravado is sexy, though. We could have created something wonderful together, you and I.”

  “I’d have eaten you alive, buddy. Not that you ever stood a chance, not with Jonah and Drake around. But that’s your real problem, isn’t it? Always the bridesmaid, never the guy in charge. You’ll always be the alpha that wasn’t.”

  His facial muscles hardened, and he pointed his blade in my direction. “I wanted this to be as painless as possible for you. I changed my mind.”

  My werewolf force would give me a lot of bang per swing, but Leo’s genes also made him harder to injure. Harder, but not impossible. I feigned up, then slammed the bottom of the rod against his shins, where the frying pan had struck him during round one.

  He hissed out a stream of air and bent his knees.

  I spun the rod and tapped its end against his left shoulder, immediately followed by his right elbow.

  He sagged, stepped back.

  The rod was heavier than the sticks I’d trained with in my youth, but that only meant a more lasting impact.

  “Not bad for a girl.” He thrust his knife toward my chest.

  I sashayed out of his reach and kicked him in the stomach.

  He fell back, tripped over a small pile of tools on the floor.

  A whole cache of weapons that could hurt me. Swell.

  “Come on then.” I grinned and beckoned with my free hand. “Afraid of a woman now, are we?”

  If I got him angry enough, he might not see the arsenal by his feet.

  He slid his T-shirt over his head as his eyes narrowed and grew dark. His mouth bowed forward, his forehead reclined, and fur sprouted between his eyes.

  Crap. A shift wouldn’t just heal him, it would also mean the end of the road for me.

  He stepped out of his pants.

  I dove forward and slammed my rod full-force into his skull.

  He opened his snout wide and let out a bark, revealing his teeth. His dominance wrapped around me like barbed wire, whipping my arms. I bashed him again, but none of my blows could take him down mid-shift. His skin would close up quickly, again and again, until he’d fully changed.

  The hammer, screwdrivers and spanners lay useless on the floor. The rod in my hand was already the best weapon around, and it hardly made a difference anymore. Still, I applied my full might to bash my metal stick into his furry back, onto his skull, across his snout.

  His pained howl chilled my blood. I brought my weapon down again, my energy wiped now. A breath, that was all I needed. Just a quick break.

  But my time was up. Leo’s head rotated and his legs transformed into powerful hindquarters.

  The fully formed wolf lunged at me, mouth withdrawn into a snarl.

  I swung back and struck. The rod scraped against the ground, grazed paws that looked far too lethal.

  Leo’s teeth caught my skin, just barely, but enough to leave a trace of fire in their wake.

  “This wasn’t your plan, remember?” I shoved him away with my hand and spun to keep my neck safe.

  He bounced off the ground and leapt again.

  I hopped to the side, opening a gap between us. “No one will believe that Drake tore me apart, you idiot. Jonah will never buy that.”

  Leo’s mouth opened, but as much as he wanted to exchange insults, that privilege was mine alone.

  “Let’s finish this.” I blew my hair from my face. Watched his body. His eyes. “Come on, you gray sack of fur. Let’s play. Come on.”

  He snapped for me. His mouth might not be able to form words, but his eyes said it all. That guy was pissed, and his dominance finally became painful.

  But pain was relative. After Jonah and Drake, it took more than a moderately powerful wolf to throw me off my game. I motored my rod through the air, keeping him at bay, away from Drake. Nothing else mattered. Sweat soaked through my top into my jacket. My face and limbs ached with a dull thud. How long until my arms grew too tired to lift? How long until Leo got his opening?

  A growl behind me disturbed my rhythm.

  Leo didn’t take his chance. Instead, his gaze drifted past me to the furry shape that slinked out from the shadows and stood, a little taller than Leo, next to me.

  Drake’s dominance was devastating.

  Leo hunched back.

  I slammed the rod into his flank.

  He whimpered and retreated. His instincts were telling him to leave Drake alone, to not push his luck.

  The burning stings that peppered my skin left a mark on me, too. I took a deep breath, flexed my hand muscles to stop my weapon from slipping from my grasp. Yet some part of me, the wolf part, recognized the flavor of Drake’s power. He’d unfolded his alpha might into me before, and this time, it infused me with his strength to compe
nsate for a lack of my own.

  Leo lowered his head, but within a few seconds, his human reasoning overcame his animal instinct. His pelt bristled, and with his tail as straight as a baseball bat, he lunged at Drake.

  The two snapped and tore into each other, so fast, with such devastating power, their shapes became a frenzy of fur and canines. I flattened myself against the shelf and kept my weapon raised against my chest. After all, I might still need it. Drake’s injuries had been serious. If he flagged, it would be my turn again to fight.

  If my dad had picked a wife who’d been a full werewolf, I could have shifted. Stand head and tail by Drake’s side. Let my dominance force Leo into submission.

  But he’d lacked foresight. It was his fault Drake was bleeding, limping, fighting to save us even though he could hardly stand.

  Despite being at a disadvantage, Drake caught Leo by the neck, teeth buried deep. His rumbling growl fed his dominance, and I had no choice but to channel more into me, or risk being wholly overcome by it.

  He had the upper hand, but his strength was waning. He shot me a glance, swiveled it between my face and the metal bar in my hand.

  I tightened my grip and took a deep breath. Then I nodded.

  He intensified his bite, forcing a high-squealed whine from Leo, then withdrew.

  Leo stood still for a precious second, long enough to let my weapon connect with his skull.

  He whirled around, but his focus was off, allowing me to land another blow.

  He swayed on his legs—yet didn’t go down.

  “Come on,” I shouted, exasperated. “What the hell does it take to put you out of your misery, you stupid wolf?”

  I swished the bar again, and this time, Leo ducked out from under it.

  Drake leaped, once again buried his teeth in Leo’s fur.

  A rumble sounded outside the door, then the door swung open, and two more wolves darted down the stairs.

  Twenty-five

  Drake retreated to my side, panting, yet watchful.

  Leo barked, hackles up, but the spark was out. The two wolves knocked into him with their chests and shoulders.

  I crouched, not yet ready to yield my weapon, and patted Drake.

  “We did it.” I blew a kiss onto his forehead.

  He pressed his head against my shoulder, and we rested, waiting for Leo’s ultimate submission.

  One of the wolves had Leo in a muzzle-bite, forcing his nose toward the ground and holding it there.

  “Everyone all right?” Jonah skipped down the stairs, his face still gray but more determined than ever.

  “I think so.” I squeezed Drake and let out a jagged breath.

  Jonah stood tall before Leo and shot out his dominance with so much precision, I only caught a few stray pheromones.

  “You’re done, Leo. You’ve forfeited your life.” Jonah’s voice held no sorrow for the loss of a friend, but all the pride and conviction of an alpha. “Was it worth it?”

  I got to my feet. “You need him alive.”

  Jonah lasered me with his gaze. “Excuse me?”

  His dominance radiated in my direction, and yet it barely affected me. Drake’s power still hummed inside me, making me all but immune. I dusted off my own alpha urges and straightened to my full height.

  “The police think Drake killed Raven, and Buck’s death is also unsolved.” I limped toward him. “If we want to clear Drake’s name, we have to give them the real killer.”

  “A werewolf in a human prison? They might get suspicious when he doesn’t age.” Jonah’s jaw flexed, but he nodded anyway. “We’ll work it out. Come on, guys. Take him away.”

  While I followed Jonah and the three wolves out, Drake stayed glued to my side, also limping, but alive.

  Still alive.

  Outside the cabin, two cars had parked behind Drake’s pick-up. Natalie waved from the passenger seat of one of them.

  I returned the greeting with an uncertain hand movement. “Um. Jonah. Did you know Nat’s sitting in your car?”

  He gave a weak smile. “Oh no. How did that happen?”

  I lifted my head and eyebrows, begging for an explanation.

  “When you said you were at Leo’s, I got Channing over there to check out his home.” Jonah pointed at one of the wolves who guarded Leo relentlessly. “You weren’t there. Clearly, Leo owned, or at least had access to, another place, and who better than the local librarian to help out?”

  “How are you going to explain this to her?” I gestured at the four wolves. “She isn’t stupid, you know.”

  He gave a sheepish smile that spread into a full-on, high-beam grin. “That much has dawned on me. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll hit her with the truth and see where we go from there.”

  “Are you serious?”

  The playfulness died on his lips. “What choice do I have now?”

  Drake, still bloody, prodded my thigh with his snout. If I had to guess, I’d say he was eager to get back to his human shape. And even though he had few inhibitions, showing his package to Nat might be a step too far, even for him.

  “I get it. Things change.” I rubbed my eyes, worn and tired. “I just wish change could come without so much personal loss. Raven. Leo. Especially Buck. I wish I’d taken the chance to get to know him.”

  “He won’t be forgotten.” Jonah placed a hand behind my neck and pulled me closer so we stood forehead to forehead. “Thank you. For everything.”

  This intimacy was usually reserved for loved ones, and my heart swelled. I lowered my eyes, a deliberate sign of respect for an alpha who was dealing with his pack issues in a way that made me optimistic about their future.

  Drake nudged my leg, and we separated.

  “Hang on.” Jonah opened the trunk of his car and threw me a pair of jeans, a shirt and a pair of shoes. “For Drake.”

  I squashed the clothes under my left arm and slipped two fingers into the breast pocket of my jacket to retrieve my USB.

  “It’s got a built-in recorder.” I pressed a few buttons, then played a snippet of my earlier conversation with Leo. “Play the recording to your pack. They’ll be so pissed, Leo will confess if it means not having to face their wrath.”

  “Thank you.” Jonah raised a hand as a goodbye. “I’ll see you at the Moon Festival.”

  Drake poked my hip with his nose.

  The afternoon had whipped up a breeze, offering fresh air that cleared my lungs. I walked back toward the cabin, favoring my injured leg. Drake lapped at my heels, surprisingly sprightly after his fight.

  He’d shifted into his birthday suit by the time I’d laid out his clothes across the kitchen table.

  The sooner we got out of this place, the sooner I’d forget about this nightmare. My job was done. Despite the pain and rollercoaster adventure ride of the past two days, I couldn’t fault my actions as far as the case went, and damn it, I wouldn’t fault my decisions in as far as they related to Drake either.

  “Do you want me to leave so you can get dressed?” Despite my words, I lifted myself atop the counter and dangled my legs.

  He gestured down along his body. “I wouldn’t want to deprive your royal eyes, princess.”

  From my seated position, I checked his fierce legs and the beautiful landscape of his abs for wounds. “You’re too kind.”

  “What, you’re not telling me off for calling you princess? You must have been worried about me.”

  “I’m giving you a one-time pass, but mind your tongue.”

  Drake stalked toward me, jeans buttoned up, T-shirt clutched in his hand. “I hoped minding my tongue would be your job now.”

  He kissed me, long and deep. Brushing my hand across the artwork on his arm, I inhaled his tangy sweetness. His shoulders flexed under my brazen hands, his skin radiated warmth.

  He wrapped my good leg around his waist and yanked my butt toward him. Perched on the edge of the counter, I grazed the softness of his hair at the back of his head, the rough terrain of his chin and neck, the satin s
moothness of his chest.

  Our lips parted, yet we remained locked in our entwined state, unwilling to lose the heat that curled between us.

  “We should go,” I whispered.

  “You’re right.” His breath grazed my cheek. “The sooner we get my charges dropped: the sooner we get to—”

  “Talk.” I tracked his jaw with my thumb.

  “Talk. Sure.” He stepped out of my embrace. “You took the word right out of my mouth.”

  Deprived of their purpose, my arms dangled uselessly by my side. “Thank you for helping me save you.”

  He tilted back his head and let out a deep laugh. “I simply couldn’t allow you to carry the weight of my death. I’m just sorry you got hurt. That’s on me.”

  I placed my hand over the dull thumping inside my knee. “I heal fast. And you did keep me safe. Alive is safe.”

  He hopped onto the counter in the space next to me and pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. “Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.”

  If only there were an elephant in the room. Even a squirrel would have provided sufficient distraction.

  He covered my hand with his, both now flat between us. “Is it possible you don’t possess any physical dominance?”

  My ears rang with the echo of his words.

  I glanced at his fingers, big-knuckled yet capable of so much tenderness. “It’s possible.”

  “And you can’t shift?” His voice coaxed me with its velvet pitch.

  The area between my chin and throat tightened to make swallowing difficult. Not too long ago, I would have told him anything he wanted, if only he survived. Now, reality had set in. My father’s warnings. The future his advisors had painted for our pack should my secret get out.

  The corners of my mouth trembled, and I bowed my head. “No.”

  “Okay. Wow.” Drake removed his hand from mine, leaving a chill that drilled into my bones.

  “Not yet.” My face, my voice, everything was back under my control, even the arrogant chin-lift I practiced so often. “My father is sure my wolf will break out soon.”