by G. K. DeRosa
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Wolfish: Fateborne, the final book in the series, which will be released on December 1 and available for pre-order now.
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Sneak Peek of Wolfish: Fateborne
Chapter 1
Hunter
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Sierra’s anxiety bled through the bond, her restlessness making it difficult for me to sit still. As I sat across the table from the vampire queen, Carmen Rosa, I had to clench my jaw to keep from twitching. I internally cursed my father for forcing me to come to this tedious meeting. When Sierra had found Zade’s family, I had to beg her not to leave immediately. I could practically picture her pacing across her small den awaiting my return. Not to mention this trip had blasted my hopes of seeing the high warlock, Garrix about the curse.
I kept my expression complacent as the queen droned on about the troubles along the borders. The Etrian Assembly liked to pretend the vampire realm, Nocturnis, was as civilized as the others, but the truth remained that immortals were a completely different species than Fae, witches or merman. Trouble always seemed to abound in the vampire and demon territories, despite their rulers’ best efforts.
The darkness that ruled within vampires and demons was a difficult one to constrain. All supernaturals were inherently dangerous, given our vast powers, and now with the doors between human and supernatural realms open, issues were bound to occur.
“What about your hunters?” Deacon, one of the tiger alphas growled. “Aren’t they supposed to prevent these rogue vampires from crossing into our lands?”
“They are and they do,” the queen replied, her porcelain skin a mask of calm. “Believe me, if they weren’t around, you’d be collecting more than a handful of bodies in feline lands.”
The huge tiger’s neck snapped back, his emerald eyes widening. “If these new vampires are so uncontrollable, why don’t you ban their making?”
A wave of muttered agreements rolled across the long table.
“I can’t hinder my race from creating more of us. We do not procreate in the normal sense. Vampires are forbidden from turning another creature against their will, but if they consent, I refuse to deny them.”
“And what of the academies?” Lucien asked. “Isn’t that where all new vampires are to learn to control their bloodlust?”
“They are and they do.” A sharp sigh expelled through her deep ruby lips. “Unfortunately, some slip past.”
“And make their way directly into Marlwoods,” another alpha I didn’t recognize growled. “To kill and turn our kind.”
This meeting wasn’t going anywhere. They’d been arguing over the same point for hours. I was certain Tyrien had sent me here as punishment. The only upside was that I’d finally had a chance to meet Carmen Rosa in person. The vampire queen had been the head of the immortals for nearly a century, but you’d never know by her perfectly preserved features. She was a striking Spanish beauty with jet black hair, sharp, high cheekbones, along with cunning and intelligence that could only be gleaned with age.
There was a reason she sat the throne of Nocturnis for as long as she had. She glanced up at me as if reading my thoughts, her dark chocolate eyes piercing. She looked at me with less disdain than I’d seen her throw at my father. Lucien, on the other hand, she seemed to like. She was one of the few outsiders that knew about the special Lunar packs. In fact, rumors were that it was from Carmen Rosa’s bloodline that the Royals drew their vampiric abilities.
“I’ll tighten security along the borders as discussed, and I’ll double the presence of the hunters. We have a new batch joining us soon. I’ve heard there are quite a few new recruits with excellent potential. We’ll meet again next month to discuss the continuing situation.” She rose, and her two vampire guards mirrored her movements. With a subtle head nod, she dismissed us all.
Most of the alphas grumbled their goodbyes before filing out of the great hall. Lucien turned toward the exit, but I halted him, ticking my head toward the queen. “I need a minute. I’ll meet you outside.” I eyed the doorway that led into the castle’s atrium, but Lucien stayed put. “I need to speak to the queen in private,” I hissed.
With a nonchalant shrug, he headed toward the door. I didn’t have high hopes he wouldn’t listen in on our conversation. His supernatural senses would likely extend into the chamber even if he did wait in the corridor.
Steeling my nerves, I marched toward the ageless queen. Her two guards stepped in front of her as I approached, fangs sliding from beneath their upper lips. “Your highness, I was hoping to have a word.”
Her keen eyes sharpened as they narrowed. Some said the queen could read minds, a very unique trait amongst only the oldest and most powerful of vampires. In case it was more than just rumor, I cleared my head of all thoughts.
“Aristaeus, son of the supreme alpha, Tyrien, correct?”
I nodded and bent slightly at the waist before meeting her gaze once more. “I only wanted to say hello and introduce myself. As alpha heir, I hope to take over my father’s position in the near future.”
“How soon?” Her dark eyes glittered in delight. “I understand the alpha trials have nearly reached their culmination.”
A chuckle slid through my clenched teeth. “That is correct. I hope that with the end of the competition, new leaders will emerge.”
“That is welcome news, Aristaeus.” She studied me, her predatory gaze moving over every inch of me. Perhaps, she could read minds. “If there is anything I can do to help the process along, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you and you as well. Once the trials are over, I’d be happy to send some of my wolves to the border to help. We all need to work together, after all.”
“Rightly so, young alpha. And congratulations to you, I understand you’re newly mated. I’ve heard very interesting tales of your female counterpart.”
Heat surged up my neck, and I fought back the urge to growl. How much did she know about Sierra? And more importantly who’d told her?
Her cold hand closed around my forearm, and her lips curled into a knowing smile. “Don’t worry, Aristaeus, you have nothing to fear from me. I pose no threat to your mate. I only like to be aware of all that occurs within the leading houses of the realm.”
I forced my mouth into a tight smile. “Of course. I look forward to seeing you again soon.” With a quick dip of my head, I turned on my heel. Well, that hadn’t gone as I’d planned. I was supposed to be the one manipulating her and instead, she’d had the upper hand from the start.
At least I’d determined one thing, she wasn’t a fan of my father and that was crucial. If I hoped to steal the supreme alpha throne right from under his nose, I’d need all the support I could get from the other heads of the Etrian Assembly.
As I stalked toward the door, Lucien poked his head through the entryway. “How’d it go with Carmen Rosa, Aristaeus?”
“Just great, thanks for your concern, Lucien.”
He moved in step with me as we traversed the old stone corridors. Royal Castle had served as the seat of the ruler of Nocturnis for centuries. You could feel its age within the cold stone walls, the secrets they kept, the dozens of vampires that had come and gone. A chill tiptoed up my spine.
“Carmen Rosa is a valuable ally,” Lucien whispered. “Especially if you’re planning on making a play for your father’s throne.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Lucien. I’m trying to focus on the Alpha Trials.”
He scoffed. “We all know Sierra will come out the winner. You’ll see to it, I’m sure. From the looks of it, you have your eyes set on a bigger prize.”
“I’m in no hurry to fill the less than desirable shoes of the supreme alpha, Lucien.”
“That’s a shame. I feel it is time for change. With the resurgence of the Mystics, it’s time for Tyrien to back down, either willingly or
by force.” He regarded me from the corner of his eye, but I kept my expression neutral. “Where there is one Mystic wolf, there are surely more.”
I halted in the middle of the corridor and spun at him, throwing my shoulders back and allowing my beta power to trickle into the space between us. “You keep saying that, and now I’m wondering if you know more than what you’ve led us to believe.” I probed into his mind, but the old vampire hybrid held a firm wall around his thoughts.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m only saying if it were true, perhaps it was time to let the wolf out of the closet.”
My pulse accelerated, and I drew in a deep breath to slow its erratic pace. With Lucien’s vampire hearing, he’d know I was hiding something. “Thank you for your unsolicited advice. I’ll be sure to keep it in mind should the issue arise. For now, Sierra is the only Mystic in Moon Valley.”
“Perhaps you need to search beyond Moon Valley then.” He smirked and nodded at the portal just beyond the walls of Royal Castle. “Shall we?”
“You go ahead. I’m meeting a friend before my return home.”
He dipped his head into a mock bow and turned heel. “It’ll do you well to remember to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Aristaeus,” he called out over his shoulder before he vamp-sped away.
Lucien knew there were more wolves, but the question was, did he know about Braxton or something more?
To be continued in the final book in the series, Wolfish: Fateborne which will be out on December 1st and you can preorder it now.
And don’t forget to join my Facebook group, GK DeRosa’s Supe Squad for more fun.
While you’re waiting for the epic finale, check out my completed series, Darkblood Prison, to find out more about Vander’s past with Azara :)
Welcome to Darkblood Prison, where the worst criminals in the supernatural realm roam the murky corridors, A.K.A. my new home.
According to my cellmate, there are three rules to survive the notorious prison:
1.Don’t mix with the other supes, stick to your own kind.
2.Anything can be made into a weapon so get creative.
3.Stay away from the infamous Triad, the three brothers who run the prison.
Rules aren’t really my thing so I doubt I’ll survive my first week, let alone my ten-year sentence for soul sucking an entire Fae village I have no memory of.
As if coming to terms with my own demon and making nice with the scary inmates wasn’t bad enough, someone seems hellbent on permanently ending my stay at Darkblood. Thankfully, the devastatingly gorgeous and equally infuriating leader of the Triad, who hates me for no apparent reason, still manages to show up whenever I get into trouble.
With his help, I begin to piece together my missing memories and discover there’s much more to my bogus incarceration. There’s a reason I was sent here, a dark family secret is coming back to haunt me.
As it turns out, the baddies in this prison are nothing compared to the forces of the Underworld that are coming for me.
Start Darkblood Prison now!
* * *
Or check out more of my completed series here :)
Also by G.K. DeRosa
Darkblood Prison (World of Azar)
Darkblood Prison: Demon On A Dime
Darkblood Prison: Demon Double-Agent
Darkblood Prison: Demon At Large
Darkblood Prison: Demon Dark Lord
* * *
Royally Hitched Series (World of Azar)
Royally Hitched: The Fae Prince
Royally Hitched: The Fae Twins
Royally Hitched: The Fae Princess
* * *
Darkblood Academy (World of Azar)
Darkblood Academy: Half-Blood
Darkblood Academy: Supernatural Slayer Squad
Darkblood Academy: Demons
Darkblood Academy: Prophecies
* * *
The Hitched Series (World of Azar)
Hitched: The Bachelorette
Hitched: The Top Ten
Hitched: The Final Five
Hitched: The One
* * *
The Vampire and Angel Wars (Stand Alone Series)
Wings & Destruction
Blood & Rebellion
Souls & Salvation
* * *
The Vampire Prophecy (Stand Alone Series)
Dark Fates
Dark Divide
Dark Oblivion
* * *
The Hybrid Trilogy (Spin Off of the Guardian Series)
Magic Bound
Immortal Magic
Beyond Magic
Magic Bound: The Hybrid Trilogy The Complete Collection
* * *
The Guardian Series
Wilder: The Guardian Series
Wilder Destiny
Wilder Revelation
Wilder Legacy
Wilder: The Guardian Series The Complete Collection
Acknowledgments
A huge and wholehearted thank you to my dedicated readers! I could not do this without you. I love hearing from you and your enthusiasm for the characters and story. You are the best!
A special thank you to my loving and supportive husband who always understood my need for escaping into a good book (or TV show!). He inspires me to try harder and push further every day. And of course my mother who is the guiding force behind everything I do and made me everything I am today. Without her, I literally could not write—because she’s also my part-time babysitter! To my father who will always live on in my dreams. And finally, my babies, Alexander and Stella, who bring an unimaginable amount of joy and adventure to my life everyday.
A big thank you to my talented graphic designer, Sanja Gombar, for creating a beautiful book cover and to Samaiya Beaumont for the lovely Sierra wolf chapter headers. A special thank you to my dedicated beta readers/fellow authors Jena, Mary Ellen, and Lydia who have been my sounding board on everything from cover ideas, blurbs, and story details. And to all of my beta readers who gave me great ideas, caught spelling errors, and were all around amazing.
Thank you to all my family and friends, author and blogger friends who let me bounce ideas off of them and listened to my struggles as an author and self-publisher. I appreciate it more than you all will ever know.
~ G.K.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, G.K. De Rosa has always had a passion for all things fantasy and romance. Growing up, she loved to read, devouring books in a single sitting. She attended Catholic school where reading and writing were an intense part of the curriculum, and she credits her amazing teachers for instilling in her a love of storytelling. As an adult, her favorite books were always young adult novels, and she remains a self-proclaimed fifteen year-old at heart. When she’s not reading, writing or watching way too many TV shows, she’s traveling and eating around the world with her family. G.K. DeRosa currently lives in South Florida with her real life Prince Charming and their little royals.
www.gkderosa.com
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