Sedona Scandal (Sedona Pack Book 3)

by Lisa Kessler

I tried to imagine the body wasn’t real, that this was some kind of first-aid class in high school.

  I stretched my fingers toward the second hole, trying not to look at the body. It was still warm. I dug deeper, circling my fingers around until I found the smooth edge of a bullet casing.

  “I’ve got it,” I whispered, as if the cat would understand. I withdrew the silver nine millimeter bullet and dropped it in the dirt, wiping my hand on my jeans. “Now what?”

  He growled and opened his mouth wide, exposing his sharp white teeth. He sank them into Brad Newport’s shoulder and dragged the body off into the darkness. Even in the moonless night, I could see the wet, bloodstained dirt. Maybe the police would think the attack happened here, and when they saw the drag marks, they’d eventually find whatever was left of Brad Newport.

  I put the bullets in my pocket and went back to the car, praying no one showed up. Then I remembered the phone.

  Shit.

  I jumped to my feet, following the scent of Nautica cologne and blood. Newport’s mangled body was abandoned under some brush, no sign of the jaguar. I frowned, searching the darkness as I dug into Newport’s blood-soaked pocket. I retrieved his phone and stood up. Bone-crunching pops broke the quiet. They were coming from the right, away from the car. Chandler was shifting back.

  I glanced at the bloody phone in my hand, trying to think straight. Should I try to erase the video? What if it had been sent to back up to a cloud? I slammed it against a boulder. It wasn’t doing anything now. I wiped it down and stuffed it back into his pocket.

  My hands were shaking as I walked back to the car. A few minutes later, Chandler appeared, naked, dirty, and worried. He scanned the area as he came over to me. “Are you all right?”

  Inappropriate, uncontrollable laughter bubbled from my throat as the stress and horror of the night drowned me. “We need to stop asking that dumb question.”

  He pulled me into his arms, holding me tight. “I’m so sorry.” He finally let me go. “We have to get out of here. The bullets?”

  “I’ve got them.” I patted my pocket. “I smashed his cell phone and got it back into his pocket.”

  “No prints?”

  “Nope. I wiped them down first.”

  “Good.” He opened the Z and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top from the back seat. “His gun?”

  Shit. I had forgotten all about the gun. I walked around, scanning the dark mountaintop clearing until I finally found it. I picked up the weapon, wrapping it in the bottom of my shirt as I carried it over to the car.

  Chandler was dressed now. He took the Glock and slid it under the driver’s seat of the Z.

  When he straightened, he took my hand. “You saved my life tonight.”

  I looked up at him and shook my head. “He needed you alive.”

  “I mean before. You were right, that interview was too close to my shift. If you hadn’t gotten between us, I would’ve been shifting in jail tonight.” He searched my eyes. “I know this was ugly up here, but we did what we had to do.”

  I nodded, trying not to think about what we’d done.

  Chandler drove us back to his place in silence. I sat in his living room while he changed and washed up. When he came out, he was already on the phone with Asher. He kept it on speakerphone even though with my werewolf senses, I had no trouble hearing both sides of the conversation.

  “Newport is dead.” Chandler stared out the window into the darkness. He looked…sad?

  “What?” Asher’s voice was clipped. “I made it clear to the entire pack that we needed to keep our distance. This guy was a Senate candidate. Do you have any idea how many FBI agents will be here to investigate?” He paused, his voice dropping to a growl. “If we’re going to survive in this world, it needs to be pack first. You’ve hurt us all.”

  I stood up. I wanted to defend him.

  Chandler hadn’t killed Newport. I had.

  He put his hand up, gesturing for me to wait. “We cleaned the scene. He died in a mountain lion attack. It’ll look like an accident.”

  “You attacked him after you shifted?” The frustration was plain. “Are you insane? What if he hadn’t died yet? Your bite could’ve made him a jaguar shifter. No one in my pack can be this careless.”

  “I’m sorry. He followed us to Lookout Mountain and pulled a gun.” Chandler sighed. “It won’t come back to you. I swear I would’ve left him alone if there had been any other way.”

  I frowned at Chandler. Why wasn’t he telling Asher what had really happened?

  When Asher didn’t respond, Chandler’s voice dropped to a husky whisper. “I’m sorry I let you down. You all were the closest thing I’ve ever had to a real family.”

  My jaw went slack. Was he being kicked out of the pack?

  Before I could rip the phone out of his hand, Asher responded, “What are you talking about?”

  “I was careless.” Chandler ground his teeth. “So I get it. I’m out.”

  “Out?” He paused, his tone softening. “No. Yes, you were careless. You fucked up. We all do, man. But you cleaned up your mess.”

  “Wait.” Chandler blinked, frowning. “You’re not kicking me out.”

  “No.” Asher sounded bewildered. “I’m not letting you interview anyone during a new moon again, but no one is kicking you out of the pack. Get some rest. We’ll see you tomorrow at Bart and Ben’s birthday.”

  Chandler sat on the sofa with a relieved smile. “We’ll be there.”

  The call ended, and he tossed his phone on the table. I glanced at it and back to his face. “You thought Asher was going to kick you out?”

  “Yeah.”

  I settled beside him, resting my hand on his thigh. “Why didn’t you tell him the truth? I shot Newport. He was dead before you ever bit him.”

  His gaze locked on mine. “Bart and Ben are the last piece of your brother you have left. If anyone should be a member of the Sedona Pack, it’s you.”

  My vision clouded with tears as I realized what he’d been ready to sacrifice. “This pack means the world to you.”

  “But you mean more.”

  My heart was in my throat as I lost myself in his eyes. “You were willing to lose everything to protect me?”

  “I love you, Wendy. Seeing you happy and safe is all I will ever want.”

  “That’s all I want for you, too.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. I pulled back and whispered, “I love you.”

  His grin filled me with more joy than I could measure. He scooped me up from the couch and carried me back to his room, and for the first time in years, I could see a future. I never needed a cure. I needed acceptance and love, and I’d found both in Chandler’s arms.

  CHAPTER 26

  Chandler

  “The human remains discovered on the western side of Lookout Mountain have been identified as those of Brad Newport, a candidate running for Arizona’s open Senate seat.” I read the teleprompter with an appropriate sense of concern, burying my relief far from the cameras.

  Newport had been missing for almost two months. Scavengers had eliminated most of his remains, but a week ago a hiker came across the skull and a few bones. “The medical examiner has ruled the cause of death accidental. It appears he may have suffered a fall during a hike. The park service has closed the mountain to hikers while they continue the investigation.”

  Kay Hallmark took the next story, and together, we wrapped the evening news.

  I took off my mic and glanced over at my co-anchor. “See you next week.”

  She raised a brow. “Long weekend off for you. Are you going on vacation?”

  I shrugged. “Not really. I’m taking my girlfriend to Sedona.”

  Under the news desk, I cracked open a velvet ring box, tilting it in her direction. Her eyes widened, and she smiled. “It’s beautiful! Congratulations.”

  I closed it and slid it back into my pocket. “Thanks.”

  After shutting down my computer, I changed out of
my suit and headed for the hangar.

  Wendy was waiting outside in the moonlight. Evolution Defense hadn’t reached out to Wendy again, she was officially part of the Sedona Pack, and we’d been living together at her place. I’d never been happier. In fact, I had never realized I could feel this way, and even though we hadn’t been together very long, I’d never been more certain that forever wouldn’t be long enough to love her.

  If I were advising a friend with a velvet ring box in their pocket, I’d say it was way too soon to propose, but this felt right. I loved her, and I was already her mate. But I wanted to be her husband too.

  As I neared the hangar, those memories of Vivi saying no clawed their way forward. I shoved the thoughts aside, replaying my plan to fly her to Sedona and propose at the vortex by the airport.

  She smiled at me, and excitement welled, pushing out my insecurity. Maybe I’d ask once we were up in the air. But then we’d have to wait to celebrate… Every step I took toward her had my brain tossing out new options.

  As I came closer, I noticed something else. Something was different about her, but I couldn’t place what. I scanned her from head to toe. Her hair was in a ponytail—not a new haircut—her eyes sparkled, her lips begged to be kissed. Her T-shirt hugged her breasts perfectly, and her cutoff shorts were distractingly sexy. She had on sandals, displaying her purple toenails.

  I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her once before holding her out at arm’s length. “What’s different? You’re glowing.”

  Then it hit me. She’d missed her period. I hadn’t known what to wish for. Secretly I had always wanted a family, a chance to have the loving home I always dreamed about, but I wasn’t sure it was what Wendy wanted so I had kept my hopes to myself. “Wait, are you…?”

  She stared into my eyes. “No.”

  “Okay.” I couldn’t read her expression. “But something’s—” Her heartbeat. It was even. Too even? I peered down and saw her toe tapping in perfect time. Her tell. I raised a brow, meeting her eyes again. “Are you lying to me?”

  Holy shit, her smile almost knocked me down. “Yes,” she laughed. “I took a test today.”

  I took her hands in mine. “Are you…good with this?”

  She rolled her eyes, laughing. “Do I look upset?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “You look like the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”

  Suddenly, I realized this was the moment. I got down on one knee, and her jaw dropped.

  “Wait.” She took a step back. “You’re not doing this because I’m pregnant, are you?”

  “No.” I took the box out of my pocket. “I was planning to do this in Sedona, but I can’t wait another second to ask you…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Wendy Cain, will you marry me?”

  She knelt in front of me so we were eye to eye and whispered the best word I’d ever heard. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”

  I slid the ring on her finger and pulled her into my grateful arms. A tear escaped the corner of my eye. “I love you,” I whispered.

  The warm desert breeze wrapped around us and the stars sparkled above as we clung to each other, two parts of a new whole, of a family.

  Somehow, I’d gotten everything I never knew I wanted.

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks for reading my books. If you enjoyed the story, I hope you’ll leave a review. They help new readers find the wolf pack. I have so many people to thank for helping me bring this story to life. First off, thanks to my Dad for all his help with the Navion and all the pilot lingo! Any mistakes were mine.

  Next, I need to thank Tasha L. Harrison and all the amazing writers in the #20kin5Days Facebook group. I wrote this book during the COVID-19 lockdown, and quarantine had my anxiety so triggered I couldn’t focus on anything. Without our Zoom sprints, I don’t think I would’ve gotten this book written in time. You all helped me find my mojo again! Thanks so much!

  To my intrepid beta readers, Denise Fluhr, Heather Cox and Katie Roberts, thanks for reading another book so fast for me and inspiring me to write the next chapter. You all are the best!

  Big thanks to my fabulous editor, Danielle Poiesz-Luby from Double Vision Editorial and my cover designer, Fiona Jayde, for helping me make this book beautiful inside and out. I love working with you both!

  Thanks to my amazing Night Angel reader group on Facebook. You all make this journey so fun! Your enthusiasm for the wolf pack keeps me inspired to write the next book. I hope you enjoyed Chandler and Wendy’s story!

  And finally, a big thanks to Ken! Your support means the world to me, and your capacity for listening to me babbling on about fictional characters makes me the luckiest author ever. I love you!

  Other Novels by Lisa Kessler

  The Muse Chronicles

  LURE OF OBSESSION

  LEGEND OF LOVE

  BREATH OF PASSION

  LIGHT OF THE SPIRIT

  DEVOTED TO DESTINY

  DANCE OF THE HEART

  SONG OF THE SOUL

  The Night Series

  NIGHT WALKER

  NIGHT DEMON

  NIGHT NOVELLAS

  NIGHT CHILD

  The Moon Series

  MOONLIGHT

  HUNTER’S MOON

  BLOOD MOON

  HARVEST MOON

  ICE MOON

  BLUE MOON

  WOLF MOON

  NEW MOON

  The Sedona Pack

  THE LONE WOLF’S WISH

  SEDONA SIN

  SEDONA SEDUCTION

  SEDONA SCANDAL

  SEDONA SURRENDER

  The Sentinels of Savannah

  MAGNOLIA MYSTIC

  PIRATE’S PASSION

  PIRATE’S PLEASURE

  PIRATE’S PERSUASION

  Summerland Stories

  ACROSS THE VEIL

  FORBIDDEN HEARTS

  Standalone Works

  BEG ME TO SLAY

  FORGOTTEN TREASURES

  Stay up-to-date on new releases and giveaways by subscribing to Lisa’s newsletter here:

  https://goo.gl/56lDla

  Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of dark paranormal fiction. She’s a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal.

  Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.

  When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, and has performed with San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.

  You can learn more at Lisa-Kessler.com