Chapter 1
Nathan
The smellof charred meat and the hum of excited voices filled the air as I stood on the back porch of my home, surveying the members of the Stock Creek Wolf Pack. They lounged in groups across my sprawling lawn, laughter rising above the crackle of the barbecue. The full moon hung low, a glowing orb tugging at the marrow of our bones, silently calling to the wolves within us.
"All right, everyone," I said through the chatter. "Let's bring it in."
They gathered around me, their faces illuminated by the flickering light of the fire pit. Despite the relaxed atmosphere, there was an undercurrent of anticipation.We didn't need the full moon to shift, but it sang to us all the same—a siren song for our kind.
"Before we head out," I said, "let's fill up on some good food. We've got a long night ahead, and you can't eatallthe bunnies in the forest."
They made their way to the tables lined with aluminum trays heaped with ribs, burgers, and sausages. The pack members piled their plates high, wolves being voracious eaters.
Our property stretched far and wide, the dense woods providing a natural barrier between us and the rest of the world. The inn, nestled just close enough to see the outline of its roof from where I stood, no longer posed much of a threat to our secrecy. Its owner, a human-turned-dragon-shifter, was well-versed in the existence of shifters since she'd mated with the alpha of the Beck Dragon Clan. We still didn’t shift at my house much, being so close. The pack house, deep on the pack’s property behind my home, made a much better place for pack meets, shifting, and runs.
"Remember." I locked eyes with a few of the newer members. "We stay in human form until we're deep in the woods. They've got guests at the inn, andnot all of them are privy to the wonders of our world."
Nods of understanding met my words. Discipline was key, and I trusted my pack to uphold our traditions with respect.
"Let's enjoy tonight." I allowed a smile to break through the sternness of my leadership. "We run together under the moon, as one pack, one family."
With that, I grabbed a plate for myself, content for the moment to simply be part of the thrumming life that surrounded me.
After everyone had their fill of amazing food, I stood before my pack, the glow of the firepit casting flickering shadows across their eager faces. "This month." My voice carried over the murmurs of conversation. “Has been one of prosperity. No injuries, no sickness. We're strong and united." A chorus of cheers rose, and I raised my hand for silence. "Let's not forget to congratulate Mike on his college graduation." Applause broke out as Mike stepped forward, beaming with pride.
As the clapping died down, a subtle shift in the air tugged at my senses. My wolf stirred within me, nostrils flaring as it caught a scent that was all tooappealing. I scanned the crowd, my gaze landing on a woman who stood apart from the rest. She was young, probably in her twenties, with long black hair that cascaded over her shoulders like a midnight waterfall. Her large brown eyes reflected the firelight, holding depths that could drown a man's soul.
Damn it. It had been too long since I'd felt this kind of pull, this primal attraction. I clenched my jaw, feeling the unwelcome heat rise. No, I couldn't afford to go down that road again. Losing my heart again was not an option. Plus, I had a teen daughter to look out for. I turned away, focusing back on the task at hand.
"All right, enough chit-chat," I said firmly. "Let's head into the woods. Remember, we don't shift until we're covered by the trees."
I pressed a kiss to Elle's head. "Keep an eye on the little ones."
She rolled her eyes. "I always do, Dad. It won't be long now, and I'll have my first shift."
I cupped her cheek. "I know. You'll be going out here with us." It was a bittersweet thought, my little girl growing up enough to shift.
Picking up a toddler, Elle went into the house, followed by a heavily pregnant young woman who was too close to her delivery date to be shifting. It was possible, but shifting often induced labor for some reason, so it wasn't encouraged until the due date had passed. Then, the women often did it to get the show on the road.
The pack moved as one, a mass of bodies slipping through the darkness toward the sanctuary of the forest. We left the warmth of the fire behind, the moon above our silent witness. The anticipation built as we ventured farther, our human forms itching to give way to the call of the wild.
Finally, deep within the embrace of the woods, where the outside world couldn't see, we stopped. I nodded to my pack, and without another word, we all shed our clothes and shifted into our wolves. Fur replaced flesh, limbs morphed and elongated, and snouts took the place of noses. The transformation was a familiar dance, one we each knew by heart.
Within moments, the night was alive with the sounds of the Stock Creek Wolf Pack. We ran, we howled, we were free. The forest became a blur beneath our paws, and the scents and sounds heightened to an exhilarating degree. For a few precioushours, nothing else mattered but the run and the bond we shared under the full moon's light.
My muscles flexed with power and pleasure, the thrill of the chase coursing through my veins. It was then, amidst the rush, that her scent hit me, a mixture of something wild and untamed, mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest.
Without a thought, my wolf veered off course, drawn to her like a magnet. I found her easily, her dark fur sleek against the moonlight, moving with a grace that matched the night itself. As my wolf, I couldn't resist the primal urge. I bounded over and nipped playfully at her haunches, expecting a chase or a playful growl in return.
Her reaction was anything but. She whipped around, snarling with a ferocity that took me aback. Her large brown eyes, so human and expressive, blazed with a fire that had nothing to do with play. Then she bolted, her speed astonishing as she put distance between us.
I stood there for a moment, my wolf's impulse to give chase warring with the shock of rejection. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Confusion swirled within me, the sting of her rebuff sharperthan I cared to admit. This wasn't the time for dwelling on the complexities of attraction and social faux pas—not when the pack was out, spirits high under the full moon. Normally, nobody treated an alpha that way, but she wasn't pack, and even if she was, I didn't run my pack with an iron paw, so to speak.
Shaking off the encounter, I focused on the sounds of my pack mates—laughter carried on the wind, the thud of paws against the soft earth. Gavin was ahead, racing through the underbrush. With a powerful lunge, I caught up, running shoulder-to-shoulder with him. We were leaders, brothers in all but blood, and tonight was about celebrating the freedom our kind rarely enjoyed. He wasn't just my best friend; he was my beta.
We raced, pushing each other to greater speeds, reveling in the sheer joy of movement. Our course took us over streams and through thickets, chasing after scents that promised a hunt. Together, we brought down a deer, swiftly and mercifully. The pack gathered, sharing in the feast even though we'd all eaten less than an hour ago. The bonds of our community strengthened with every shared bite and lick.
The run continued, a symphony of howls and heartbeats beneath the watchful gaze of the moon. For those hours, nothing else mattered—not the strange woman who'd rebuffed me, not the concerns of leadership, not the ghosts of lost loves that haunted my quieter moments.
