The True Beast (A Full Moon Mercy Novel) (shifter / MC romance)

by Ana W. Fawkes

  Welcome to the world of FULL MOON MERCY.

  This isn’t just a book about a MC… this is about a brotherhood, a group of men who share a bond not just within the MC, but within their souls…

  They’re men. They’re beasts. They are… FULL MOON MERCY.

  Don’t miss a Full Moon Mercy book!

  Connect with Ana W Fawkes:

  Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/ADM0j

  Twitter: @AnaFawkes

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  Site: www.AnaFawkes.com

  THE TRUE BEAST

  A Full Moon Mercy Novel

  Sexy biker/shifter, Lucas Trowwer, has put himself and Full Moon Mercy Motorcycle Club in a tough position. He's in love with Leah, but is about to be the father of another woman's child. All of this in the midst of the war in the town of Mercy.

  Lucas must lead the charge with Full Moon Mercy to negotiate with a rival crew to send the mother of his unborn child to safety all the while controlling his intense urges for Leah. When he learns a devastating secret from a member of the crew, Lucas realizes there's serious cracks within the MC.

  Against the clock, Lucas must save lives before it's too late... and that includes the life of the woman he loves.

  1

  He sat in the car, parked on the opposite end of the apartment parking lot, black leather gloves on his hands, waiting for the right moment to make the kill. On the seat next to him there were two guns and two knives, different caliber weapons and different blades. All of which would easily kill a person, but that’s not what he wanted. He wanted to change to make the kill. What would feel greater than emerging from the car, and jumping over it, shifting into a beast, and feasting right there in the middle of the parking lot?

  Licking his lips, he swore he could taste blood.

  There was no blood to be tasted. Not right then, not in the car. And there would be no blood to taste either. Those were direct orders. This could not have the look of an attack by a wolf. If that happened, a war would begin that would take the entire town of Mercy and destroy it. It would take the surrounding towns and crew and destroy them too.

  This situation was delicate. Very delicate.

  Releasing his grip on the wheel, he put his hands to his legs. His legs were bouncing with excitement. He put his head back and closed his eyes. This was his moment, his chance to prove to his crew he could handle tough situations. This wasn’t just a regular hit or some average kill.

  This was a big deal.

  This would be on his hands and in his soul forever. Life would end, but the memory would linger in him for a long time.

  What a moment to have and embrace.

  The apartment building and the parking lot was mostly quiet. There were a total of four lights on in the entire building, including one light in her apartment. That’s why he brought the array of weapons to kill. Just in case the parking lot and building had been busy, he would need the knives to take her life. But the way it looked right now, a single bullet would do the job with ease.

  A car came into the parking lot, the headlights bouncing as the car moved over a speed bump. The car made a hard right turn and parked six spots down. He looked at the car and slumped down in his seat. A man exited the car. He rushed to the other side and opened the door, offering his hand to a woman. She was pretty, in a dress. He was handsome, in a suit. The man led the woman to the building, laughing as he spoke.

  In the car, he could smell them. He could smell the desire pouring from their bodies. Now that would be a fun kill. Busting into a bedroom with two people in the heat of the moment. Shifting into a wolf and savoring their bodies. The blood. The meat. Their desires.

  He smiled and looked out the window again, but the couple was now gone. He set his sights back to the apartment building in front of him. He tried to play in his mind how he would do this. Just run after her and shoot her? Maybe he would hold her at gunpoint. He would never forget that feeling, having so much power in his hands. Part of him wanted to hear her beg for her life.

  “Come on,” he growled.

  The urge deep in his gut grew more and more, threatening him. He wanted to shift. He wanted to explore. He wanted to kill.

  The light went off in her apartment and he stiffened.

  It was time to kill.

  His eyes were intent and when he saw the door slowly open, he licked his lips. He had to resist her. Changing and killing would be bad. Very bad. This needed to be a quick kill. One pull of the trigger and that was it. Those were the orders. He couldn’t mess up the orders or else he’d be the one in big trouble.

  She stepped from the building and looked around. She wasn’t stupid. She may not have been around for a long time, but it was no surprise or shock how her paranoia settled in just fine. Without protection, she was so vulnerable.

  “Do it,” he whispered to himself.

  He reached across the seat and put his hand to the guns. There, he froze. He watched as she walked to her car. Yet he didn’t move. He stared at her. He studied her features as though he was just inches away. Fear trickled throughout his body and the fear soon turned into panic.

  There was a job to be done here, the orders were given. But what would come of this? This was cold blooded murder. This was revenge… yet it was revenge with the club. Full Moon Mercy was supposed to be made up of men who were loyal to a cause. This was more than playing with fire, this was dumping gasoline on a fire and helping it spread.

  He simply couldn’t do this.

  He watched Leah open her car door, climb inside, and speed away.

  That’s when he let out a sigh and a growl.

  He couldn’t kill her… he couldn’t kill Leah.

  If Leah ended up dead, Lucas would lose his mind. And then Full Moon Mercy would be at war with itself.

  2

  Lucas lit a cigarette and watched Cooper and Ian take their seats at the conference table. The room was only half full for this meeting, giving hint to Lucas its purpose. Cooper patted Lucas on the back and took a seat. He folded his hands and looked down at Vince, who rolled an unlit cigar in an ashtray. Vince looked deep in thought, maybe even a little lost. It hadn’t been the easiest time for Vince, Lucas, and a lot of the guys in Full Moon Mercy. But that was life. If life was meant to be boring, then there would be no purpose to it.

  “Close that up,” Vince ordered.

  Ian pushed at the door and it shut with a heavy thud and click.

  “We’ve taken hits here,” Vince said. “Haven’t we?”

  Lucas nodded and looked at Vince’s shoulder, where he had been shot by one of the wolves from the Reckingdune crew.

  “How’s it holding up?” Lucas asked.

  “I’m fine. Mostly healed. Just needed to spend a night or two as a wolf to clear it up.”

  “That’s good. That was dangerous out there.”

  “I could have helped,” Cooper said. “I know I was in my own mess, but I’m still hungry.”

  “You’re always hungry,” Vince said and smiled.

  “Women and blood,” Ian muttered.

  “What else matters in life?” Cooper asked.

  “Back to the point,” Vince said. “I have a gun with fingerprints on it that ties our friends to all the shit that happened up on that mountain. We’re in good hands for the moment with that. They’ll come again, we’ll fight again.”

  Lucas took a drag of his smoke and felt his lip curling. This wasn’t just a simple fight with the Reckingdune crew. Vince had made a promise to give up some of Full Moon Mercy territory ten years ago. That’s what the Reckingdune cr
ew wanted. They wanted the land they felt was theirs.

  “On to a bigger situation,” Vince said. He eyed Lucas. “Care to share your story?”

  Lucas nodded. He blew smoke around the room and said, “I fucked up, guys.”

  “I think fucked is a good word there,” Cooper said.

  “I did something during the last cycle I shouldn’t have done. I let my emotions get the best of me.”

  “You were horny,” Ian said.

  “I should have stopped myself. But it’s too late for that now. Debbie’s pregnant and it’s with my child. It’s pretty damn obvious that what’s inside her isn’t completely human. She’s growing at a fast rate and she needs help. Help we can’t give her here.”

  “She needs to see a doctor,” Vince said. “We have an old friend, a good doctor who understands our situation and who has helped in delivering under the circumstances Debbie is going to face.”

  “She’s not going to make it,” Cooper said. “I mean, sorry for saying that, bro.”

  “No sweat off my back,” Lucas said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d hate for her to end up dead, but she’s not my woman to take care of.”

  Vince clamped a hand down to Lucas’s arm. “Right now, she is.” The room just became very serious. “Your blood is in her body right now. The future son - or daughter - of this club. Fresh life in Full Moon Mercy, Lucas. That’s pretty damn important to all of us. And if it’s not, it should be.”

  “Look, I’m sorry then,” Lucas said. “I just… I’m just pissed at myself.”

  “I’m pissed at you too,” Vince said. “But there’s life coming out of it. We have to keep Debbie as healthy and as safe as possible.”

  “How do we do that?” Ian asked.

  “Get her to that doctor,” Cooper said. “But I’m going to guess that won’t be easy to do.”

  “Not at all,” Vince said. “We have to pass through Oreno territory. They won’t like it.”

  “Shit,” Ian said. “They’ll smell her.”

  Lucas nodded. “Yeah, I know they will.”

  “They’ll fucking know who we are,” Ian said, “and you.”

  Lucas put his smoke out and looked at Ian. “Any other obvious things you’d like to say?”

  “You seem to be spreading your scent around,” Ian said. “Reckingdune can smell you from miles away. You certainly worked wonders with that stripper, didn’t you? Of course, your little stunt with Oreno crew will bite us in the ass.”

  Lucas stood. Cooper grabbed for him, but Lucas shook away. “Why don’t you work this out then, Ian?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Ian stood too.

  “Christ,” Vince said. “You two need to sit down. We have to figure this out.”

  Lucas stared at Ian and waited for Ian to sit down first. Once he did, Lucas sat.

  “I think we all have a track record here of making dumb choices,” Vince said. “Maybe it’s that one thing that reminds us that we are somewhat human. We have to communicate with the doctor. I want a crew to find their way up north to see him. He’s in Plainter. His name is Dr. Aldis Carane. Right now he’s said to be funded for biological research purposes. I don’t know what the hell it means, but I know that he has the knowledge and the equipment to take care of Debbie for us.”

  “How long?” Cooper asked. “I mean, until she gives birth.”

  “Weeks,” Vince said.

  “Boy, you did that one right,” Cooper said as he elbowed Lucas.

  Lucas laughed. “Right place, wrong time, bro.”

  “Ian, I want you to man the crew,” Vince said.

  “I should,” Lucas said. “I’m the one with the pregnant stripper. I want to see this doctor. Meet him. Explain.”

  “That’s a dangerous move in itself,” Vince said. “If you go, I’m going.”

  “I don’t need protection. I can handle it on my own.”

  “I can relay any message needed,” Ian said. “Okay?”

  Vince nodded. “Here’s what we do then. Maybe we send two messages at once. Take a big enough crew so that when the Oreno crew tries to start their shit, we’re okay. We talk to them first and then we talk to the doctor.”

  “You want to talk to the Oreno crew?” Cooper asked. “They aren’t going to let us through.”

  Vince leaned forward. “Then we find a way to make them let us through.”

  “You open fire once and it’s done,” Lucas said. “We may get through that first time, but we won’t be able to travel again. Defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?”

  “I trust Ian,” Vince said. “However, I haven’t seen the doctor in a while. We didn’t part on good terms last time either. I should be there.”

  “Me too,” Lucas said.

  “I’m in,” Cooper said. “I owe everyone a favor after my outburst in that alley.”

  Lucas looked at Ian and nodded.

  “Yeah, I’m riding,” Ian said. “If shit goes south I can get away and get to the doctor.”

  “We’ll talk strategy,” Vince said.

  “Before that,” Lucas said, “what are we going to do about getting through?”

  “We have to give them something they want,” Vince said with a sly grin.

  “What’s that?” Lucas asked.

  “Bodies.”

  Lucas leaned back and swallowed hard. Full Moon Mercy would need to feed another crew as payment to get through their territory. That sounded like a giant task and an even bigger risk. But it could probably end up being the only way.

  Vince ended the meeting and pointed to Cooper. “I want you to put out the word and get some guys ready for the second trip. The first one will just be us. No need to approach the Oreno like we’re… a pack of wolves.”

  Vince smiled and Cooper laughed.

  Ian turned and tore the door open. Cooper followed and as Lucas walked behind Vince, Vince put a hand out and stopped him.

  “Try to take it easy out there for the moment,” Vince said. “There’s a lot going on at once.”

  Lucas looked at Vince. “Like what?”

  “You need to tend to Debbie. Make her feel safe.”

  “I’m not worried about her.”

  “That’s your son or daughter inside her.”

  “I know that, Vince.”

  “Have you ever thought that Debbie might be in the mindset to kill herself?”

  The question hit Lucas hard. He hadn’t thought about that. Hell, he hadn’t thought about anything with Debbie. His mind could only focus on Leah and nothing more.

  “She wouldn’t,” Lucas said.

  “She’s got something destroying her body. She’s growing by the day. Her hunger - what she wants to eat - it’s nothing human right now for her. And she’s tucked away and hidden. Think about that.”

  “I guess we should hide the guns,” Lucas said.

  “Yeah. Let’s hope she doesn’t hang herself with her bed sheet.”

  Vince let go and set his sights to the table. Lucas lingered for a second and then walked away. The last thing he needed was to feel guilty for all this, even if it was his problem.

  Lucas made it two steps out of the conference room and Ian appeared in front of his face.

  “Don’t,” Lucas warned.

  “Stepping on me in there. That was my trip to make. My chance.”

  “Why don’t you take your chance right now? You had plenty to say in there.”

  Cooper put a hand between Lucas and Ian, but Lucas knocked it away. Next came a fist from Ian that connected with Lucas’s face. Lucas stumbled back and the bar and club erupted in screams. Everyone prepared to come to Lucas’s aid, but Lucas put a hand out, signaling that this was going to happen. There were unsaid rules about this kind of action. Fight until someone quits or goes down for good. No shifting unless agreed upon. And no help from the rest of the club.

  When Lucas saw blood on his hand after touching his face, he threw a fist at Ian. Punch for punch, it was only fair. He connected with Ian’s nose
and sent him flying back in a spray of blood. Ian fell into a table and chairs, taking everything on the table with him. Glass shattered, but Lucas wasn’t done. He walked to Ian and grabbed him by the shirt.

  “Look at me,” Lucas ordered.

  Ian blinked as blood poured from his nose. Ian nodded and Lucas let him go. He then offered his hand and lifted Ian to his feet.

  “Are we done here?” Vince called out.

  Ian touched his nose. “I’m done here.”

  “I’m done,” Lucas said.

  Lucas stormed by Ian, hitting him with his shoulder.

  3

  The rumble of the motorcycle and the horizon helped to settle Lucas’s uneasy nerves. The meeting with Vince had been a joke and Ian was a complete ass. But Lucas couldn’t take it out on Ian. It wasn’t his fault that Lucas messed up with Debbie. The hunger in the club was growing and now the focus was on Debbie, on some stripper that Lucas had sex with at the worst possible time.

  Lucas cruised through Mercy into the darkness that fell.

  Tonight, he was meeting Leah for a date. It felt strange to meet a woman in a public place and try to feel normal. Maybe even human. It was Leah’s suggestion though. She wanted to spend time somewhere else besides the club.

  Luca couldn’t agree more.

  Especially with what was running through his mind at that moment. It was hard to admit everyone around him was right. Vince was right. Ian was right. Debbie needed to be taken care of. The baby inside her body could quite possibly kill her. That would mean the life inside her would die. That life was Lucas’s life. The life he created with her.

  Riding to the edge of Mercy, Lucas parked his motorcycle and spotted Leah’s car. He took his helmet off and looked up at the neon sign. It sort of pissed Lucas off that everything in town was named Mercy. This was Mercy Pizza & Italian Restaurant. The only thing that mattered in Mercy was the club. Full Moon Mercy kept the town alive and kept the town safe. Plus, Lucas’s appetite really didn’t give a shit about pizza or pasta.