Shifters Hallows Eve

by Lori King

  A Midwesterner by birth, R.E. spent much of her childhood rewriting her favorite books to include herself as the main character. Later, she graduated on to writing her own books after “retiring” from her day job as a secretary to become a stay-at-home mom. When not playing with her kids, wrestling her dogs out the door, or cooking dinner for her family, you’ll find her typing furiously and growling obscenities to the characters on the screen.

  http://www.rebutlerauthor.com

  Other Series by R. E. Butler

  Arctic Shifters

  Ashland Pride

  Hyena Heat

  Necklace Chronicles

  Norlanian Brides

  Saber Chronicles

  Wilde Creek

  Wiccan-Were-Bear

  Were Zoo

  The Wolf’s Mate

  Mate Hunt by Sydney Lea

  When Eva finally returned home, she had three goals. Find a place of her own, get settled into her new job…and avoid Jackson Hollinger at all costs. Little did she know that the man in question had very different plans for her.

  When a rogue wolf kidnaps the alpha’s new mate and sends a human hunting party in Eva’s direction on the eve of her first shift, it’s up to Jackson to make sure he finds her first. Will Jackson get there in time?

  It’s Halloween, and it’s time for a mate hunt.

  For Avril, who helped me find the right words and the perfect ending. xxx

  1

  Eva McKay used the spare elastic band she had around her wrist to tie up her hip-length blonde hair. Stretching her arms and then her calves one last time, she took in a deep breath as her running shoes hit the dirt track. She set her stride smooth and swift, cutting her way along the path that wove through the dense trees that made up the preserve near her home. The cool breeze fell over her as she ran, the beat of the latest song on her playlist acting as a soundtrack to her morning routine.

  Since moving back home after finishing up university, Eva had made a point of waking up a bit early each day to start her day just like this… peace and solitude. That was something she had been missing in the week she had been home. So used to her two-bedroom apartment and quiet roommate, who had never seemed to be home, the culture shock of moving back into her parents’ house with three younger siblings had made her even more determined to find a place of her own.

  Plus, running was kind of a necessity. She wasn’t thin and toned, which didn’t bother her at all, since Eva embraced her curves as much as the next woman, but she was the first to admit keeping weight off was tough. At five foot six and a size sixteen, the only way to maintain a curvy yet healthy figure was to either stop eating or exercise...and she enjoyed food far too much to stop eating.

  She continued her morning routine, weaving in and out of the tree line, sometimes sticking to the path, and other times veering off for something a little different.

  Eva stumbled for a moment when a flash of movement out the corner of her eye drew her attention. Something black and fast. Tugging her earphones out, she tried to listen out for any signs of movement. When a low, growling sound reached her ears, she slowed to a walk, her head pivoting left and right to see if perhaps there was a loose animal in the preserve. It wasn’t completely unheard of for owners to unleash their dogs once they hit the tree line, and the last thing Eva wanted was to come across an animal mid-hunt. Particularly if they weren’t tamed.

  When she came to a stop and didn’t hear anything, she called out, “Hello? Anyone there?”

  There was no answer.

  Eva waited a moment more before shaking her head. “I’m hearing things.”

  Rolling her eyes, she stuck her headphones back in and picked up where she left off, continuing down the dirt track.

  As she came up to an old, familiar footbridge, a small pang of hurt hit her as she recalled the last time she had been to that very spot a little over seven years ago. She felt herself slowing down before she even fully registered what she was doing.

  Coming to a stop at the edge of the aged timber structure, she took a few unsteady steps to reach the peak, staring out at the creek that ran below.

  Eva raised a tired arm to swipe away the drops of sweat that had built above her brow and threatened to fall as she slowed to a stop. Her breathing was labored as she struggled to slow her racing heartbeat, the jog having turned into an all-out sprint toward the end.

  Removing her earbuds again and bending over to catch her breath, hands firmly planted on the hard wood of the bridge’s railing, she heard the same sharp growl from before. That sounded like a feral dog.

  Oh, shit.

  Drawing up to her full height, Eva turned in the direction the noise had come from only to stop short. Shock held her still as she came face-to-face with the last man she had expected to see. And by that, Eva meant she had planned on actively avoiding him at all costs.

  Jackson Hollinger.

  “Eva,” Jackson said quietly, eyes dipping down to the ground before lifting up to pin her with an intense stare. “I had heard you were home.”

  Eva's voice caught in her throat. She didn’t know what to say, what to do. So many contradicting emotions raced through her at once. The desire to throw herself at Jackson warred with the sudden urge to turn around and race out of there.

  Jackson had been the man of her dreams in high school, the only problem being that while Eva was an eighteen-year-old senior, Jackson had been the new twenty-six-year-old Deputy Sheriff her father had hired.

  So totally off limits.

  And there he stood at six foot five, looking as delicious as ever in a pair of black running shorts, red sneakers, and a tight-as-sin powder-blue tank top. His dark-brown hair was short now instead of shoulder length like it had been the last time she had seen him. His whiskey-colored eyes drew her in like a beacon.

  Finally finding her voice, she offered up a weak smile. “Ah, yeah. I got back a couple of weeks ago.”

  Silence fell between the two of them, and Eva wasn’t sure what to say to fill the awkward void. Thankfully, Jackson had never had an issue with finding something to talk about.

  “I hear you’re looking for a place.”

  Eva arched a finely shaped brow at the abrupt turn in the conversation. “I see my father’s been talking at the station. What part of ‘retired’ does the man not seem to get?”

  Jackson smirked. “Of course he has. And you can’t blame him. He was the Sheriff for a long while. He hired all of us. He’ll always have a place there with us.”

  “You sound like you miss having him there?”

  “We do,” he said with a shrug.

  “New Sheriff not working out or something?” she asked, confused as to why she even cared.

  That earned her a chuckle from the man. “No. Nothing like that. It’s just...different now.”

  “Well, things change.” She winced at the harshness of her tone. She hadn’t meant to sound so disapproving, but after years of being lied to by this man, she felt justified in a little annoyance.

  She watched and studied his every movement as they spoke and couldn’t believe how obvious the signs were when you knew what to look for. Jackson Hollinger was a shifter.

  What he shifted into, Eva had no idea, though.

  She had learned about paranormals her first year of college. Having your paranormal roommate ask which pack you were a part of was certainly a turning point. It seemed her close and regular contact with Jackson and the others of his pack had left a scent on her. Something she suspected may have been done on purpose.

  In front of her now, Jackson cocked a brow. “Apparently. You know, your parents missed you. A lot. You rarely ever came home, and they were surprised when you didn’t come back right after you graduated. I think they like having you under their roof again.”

  She bristled at the judgment she heard. “Yeah, well, as much as I love my parents, I think I got a little used to doing my own thing. With everything changing, I needed a few months to sort things out before c
oming back.”

  Jackson chuckled, and her pulse quickened. “Yeah. I remember what going away for school was like. It’s a bit of a culture shock once you go back home. I think that’s why a lot of people don’t return home afterward.”

  A peculiar expression flitted across Jackson's features, gone as quick as it came, but Eva thought perhaps it was a look of longing. Well, if he had wanted her to come home that badly, why hadn’t he told her the truth? Unless…

  For some time after discovering the truth, Eva had begun to see the things that had been subtly kept from her. When her roommate had found her true mate, and Eva had witnessed their interactions, Eva had begun to suspect that perhaps there was more to their discussion on the bridge all those years ago.

  Were she and Jackson mates?

  “So, you’re doing well?” she asked in lieu of something else to say, needing to change her train of thought.

  “Yeah. Yeah, I am. And you? I heard that you graduated top of your class… again.” Jackson smiled, folding his arms across his chest and smirking. “Not that I’m surprised. When you set your mind to something, very little deters you.”

  She gave a careless shrug, trying not to reveal just how much Jackson's praise meant to her. Eva saw his nostrils flare a little, scenting the area, and something in the tilt of Jackson's lips and the sparkle in the man’s eyes told her that she wasn’t quite as successful as she had hoped to be. He could smell her satisfaction.

  Dammit.

  Clearing her throat, Eva gestured toward the rest of the track. “Well, I should really get going. It was good seeing you again, Deputy Holl— ah, Jackson.”

  The man’s name felt foreign and yet familiar all at once to her, which should have been impossible, and that sensation completely unnerved her.

  “Wait,” Jackson said quickly, reaching a hand out to stop her. The warmth of Jackson's hand soaked through her skin, heating her up from the inside. “Have coffee with me? I’ve missed you, Eva.”

  “Missed me?” she asked, somewhat surprised.

  She hadn’t expected that. Even with her suspicion about them, Eva couldn’t help that it wavered sometimes. The last time Eva had made it home for Thanksgiving break two years ago, she had headed to the grocery store for her mother, only to turn in the aisle and come face-to-face with Jackson. More importantly, Jackson and another woman. The pair had appeared extremely friendly, and while it was obvious they were taking precautions to not be overtly affectionate in public, Eva had seen the desire in the woman’s eyes. A desire reflected in Jackson's own.

  That had been the first time she suspected she had been wrong about them.

  In the here and now, though, Jackson stood before her, alone and asking to spend time with her. The look in Jackson's eyes said Eva's decision was more important than she knew.

  God, the man was confusing as hell.

  Jackson seemed truly startled by her response, as if he had expected her to know. His eyes narrowed, and he cocked his head to the side quizzically. “Are you really that surprised? You didn’t miss me?”

  Miss him? Of course she had. She had also loved him and hated him equally. Regardless, or perhaps because of, Eva was hesitant to take Jackson up on his suggestion. Even after all these years, Jackson's words, sending her away like he had, still caused her a fair amount of pain. Yet in the end, she knew she couldn’t walk away from a chance to spend some time with the man. Without knowing the truth.

  Wanting to break the tension that was building, Eva answered as honestly as she could. “I’d be lying if I said there weren’t times…”

  In response, Jackson gave one of his cocky little grins that they both knew for a fact had made many catch their breath. “How much?”

  “How much… what?” she asked, confusion marring her features.

  “How much did you miss me?” He pushed for an answer, taking a step toward her and looking every bit the predator she now knew him to be.

  “A lot,” she whispered, silently berating herself for letting the words slip out. Against her will, arousal shot through her, and she noticed his nostrils flare a little. He caught her gaze, unwavering in its intensity.

  Did he just...growl?

  “Do you have anywhere to be today?” he asked abruptly.

  “No, ah, I mean...” Jackson seemed extremely pleased with the way he was leaving her all flustered. “Not really.”

  “Then grab a coffee with me?” he urged her, his eyes travelling across her face like he was trying to take in every nuance of her features.

  She laughed at his eager expression. “I should probably go home and at least shower first.”

  Jackson nodded. “There’s a new café that just opened up a few months ago on the corner of Park and Rogers.”

  “I know.”

  “Good. Then I’ll meet you there?”

  “Okay.” Her agreement brought pleasure to his eyes, making them warmer than she thought possible.

  Taking the steps necessary to fall in line with Jackson, she walked beside him as they cut their way through the forest toward the old highway where she had parked her car before heading off into the preserve.

  “The coffee is good there, and they have a pretty decent lunch menu if you're hungry.”

  Eva suspected his statement was more to break the uncomfortable silence they had found themselves in. “Yeah, I know. I dropped in there not long after I got back. I know the owners; they were a couple of years ahead of me in school. They opened the cafe the year I graduated.”

  Eva winced at the memories that particular comment brought up and looked out into the forest, at anything that meant she didn’t have to maintain eye contact.

  “Maybe…” Jackson started, then fell quiet.

  “Maybe?” she prompted.

  “Well, not that I have anything against the place, because I don’t. Believe me. I spend plenty of money there every week. Sometimes it is the only thing helping me make it to the end of the day. I guess, I was just wondering if you were free for dinner instead.”

  “Dinner?” she asked, heat infusing her cheeks, which elicited a chuckle from Jackson. All of which did very little to tame the sudden spark of hope and desire inside of her.

  “We haven’t seen each other in a while, and I figure there are a few things we should, or at least could, discuss. A good meal, quiet location. I thought that would be...nice.”

  Nice? Oh man, nice never ends well.

  The hope that had begun to rise plummeted in one swift movement. Was that what Jackson wanted to talk to her about? To rehash their reasons for not being together? It all seemed fairly moot now, and she had thought perhaps Jackson wanted to finally admit everything to her.

  She was getting some seriously mixed signals. “I don-”

  “Don’t say no.”

  Her eyes widened at the forceful tone, and before she registered her actions she nodded. “Okay. Dinner.”

  Crap.

  “Great.” Jackson's answering smile was almost blinding. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  An awkward silence settled over them until they finally reached their cars, and while she felt a slight relief in the break of tension by parting ways temporarily, another side loathed to let Jackson out of her sight. What was her problem? She wasn’t a teenager anymore.

  Still, with a quick exchange of numbers, Eva found herself behind the wheel and steering the vehicle in the direction of either the best idea ever, or the worst decision she had ever made.

  2

  Jackson trailed his gaze after Eva’s retreating car, a primal sound slipping free as his wolf howled deep inside. He hadn’t wanted to let her go, had struggled to keep his hands to himself. Only the threat of a rogue wolf on his territory had allowed him a moderate level of control.

  He tilted his head and sniffed the area, trying to pick up a scent. Pulling out his phone, he dialed his beta’s number.

  “What’s up, boss?” Cassidy answered after the first ring; her tone was the usual mixture of
amusement and deference that she used when addressing him.

  As her boss at the Sheriff’s Department and her Alpha, Cassidy was used to showing him a certain amount of respect, but it was curved by the fact that Cassidy’s older brother Sam had been best friends with Jackson since they were ten.

  “Hey. I’ve picked up a scent that I don’t recognize out near Oaks Bridge,” he explained, getting straight to the point. “I need you to round up a group of trackers from the pack and search the surrounding lands for me tonight.”

  “Sure thing,” she replied immediately, the threat of an unknown intruder on their lands turning her serious. “You joining us?”

  “No. Not tonight,” he hedged, knowing he was just asking for it when he revealed the truth. “I, ah, I have a date.”

  The sound of something crashing had him pulling his phone away from his ear and glaring at the device. Bringing it back to his ear, he rolled his eyes as Cassidy’s cackling echoed through.

  “Oh, my god. Oh, jeez. You move fast, stud, I’m telli—”

  “You do remember I’m your Alpha, right?” he snapped with very little heat. Cassidy was like a sister to him, but damn, she could annoy the hell out of him. When her laughing only increased, he growled. “At the very least I’m your boss. You know I could fire you.”

  “Sure you could, but you wouldn’t,” she said, clearly trying to get herself under control. “All right, all right. I’ve had my fun. For now.”

  “Cass,” he warned. “Rogue wolf on our lands. Pay attention.”

  Cassidy sighed. “Got it, yeesh. I’ll send out a few of the underlings and see what they come up with.”

  “Not Ramirez or Collinford.”

  “While the hell would I send humans? Particularly ones that aren’t part of the pack.”

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jackson grunted. “I stopped trying to work out why you do the things you do a long time ago, Cass. Just set it up and I’ll check in if I don’t hear from you soon.”