by Jenny Frame
As the new Alpha of the Scottish Wulver pack, Kenrick Wulver has a bright future ahead. All she needs is her destined mate to share it with. Zaria Lupa isn’t looking for love. She’s been on the run from Leroux, Alpha of the American Lupa pack, ever since Leroux killed her sister.
When the Lupa wolves find Zaria, she runs to Wolfgang County for protection, where Kenrick is visiting her friend Dante. Kenrick takes Zaria under her wing, showing her the care and attention she’s never experienced. Zaria refuses to believe she is Kenrick’s destined mate. To her, mating is just an excuse for abuse and control, no matter how kind Kenrick may seem.
When Kenrick convinces Zaria to come to Scotland to visit the Wulver pack, she hopes for a fresh start. But the Lupa wolves aren’t finished with Zaria, and their revenge may destroy any chance at love.
Praise for Jenny Frame
Soul of the Pack
“I enjoy the way Jenny Frame writes. Her characters are perfectly suited to one another, never the same, and the stories are always fun and unique…there is something special about her urban fantasy worlds. She maximises the butch/femme dynamic and creates pack dynamics which work so well with those.”—The Lesbian Review
Heart of the Pack
“A really well written love story that incidentally involves changers as well as humans.”—Inked Rainbow Reads
Wooing the Farmer
“This book, like all of Jenny Frame’s, is just one major swoon.”—Les Rêveur
“This is the book we Axedale fanatics have been waiting for…Jenny Frame writes the most amazing characters and this whole series is a masterpiece. But where she excels is in writing butch lesbians. Every time I read a Jenny Frame book I think it’s the best ever, but time and again she surprises me. She has surpassed herself with Wooing the Farmer.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog
Royal Court
“The author creates two very relatable characters…Quincy’s quietude and mental torture are offset by Holly’s openness and lust for life. Holly’s determination and tenacity in trying to reach Quincy are total wish-fulfilment of a person like that. The chemistry and attraction is excellently built.”—Best Lesbian Erotica
“[A] butch/femme romance that packs a punch.”—Les Rêveur
Royal Court “was a fun, light-hearted book with a very endearing romance.”—Leanne Chew, Librarian, Parnell Library (Auckland, NZ)
“There were unbelievably hot sex scenes as I have come to expect and look forward to in Jenny Frame’s books. Passions slowly rise until you feel the characters may burst!…Royal Court is wonderful and I highly recommend it.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog
Hunger for You
Byron and Amelia “are guaranteed to get the reader all hot and bothered. Jenny Frame writes brilliant love scenes in all of her books and makes me believe the characters crave each other.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog
“I loved this book. Paranormal stuff like vampires and werewolves are my go-to sins. This book had literally everything I needed: chemistry between the leads, hot love scenes (phew), drama, angst, romance (oh my, the romance) and strong supporting characters.”—The Reading Doc
Charming the Vicar
“Chances are, you’ve never read or become captivated by a romance like Charming the Vicar. While books featuring people of the cloth aren’t unusual, Bridget is no ordinary vicar—a lesbian with a history of kink…Surrounded by mostly supportive villagers, Bridget and Finn balance love and faith in a story that affirms both can exist for anyone, regardless of sexual identity.”—RT Book Reviews
“The sex scenes were some of the sexiest, most intimate and quite frankly, sensual I have read in a while. Jenny Frame had me hooked and I reread a few scenes because I felt like I needed to experience the intense intimacy between Finn and Bridget again. The devotion they showed to one another during these sex scenes but also in the intimate moments was gripping and for lack of a better word, carnal.”—Les Rêveur
“The sexual chemistry between [Finn and Bridge] is unbelievably hot. It is sexy, lustful and with more than a hint of kink. The scenes between them are highly erotic—and not just the sex scenes. The tension is ramped up so well that I felt the characters would explode if they did not get relief!…An excellent book set in the most wonderful village—a place I hope to return to very soon!”—Kitty Kat’s Book Reviews
“This is Frame’s best character work to date. They are layered and flawed and yet relatable. Frame really pushed herself with Charming The Vicar and it totally paid off…I also appreciate that even though she regularly writes butch/femme characters, no two pairings are the same.”—The Lesbian Review
Unexpected
Jenny Frame “has this beautiful way of writing a phenomenally hot scene while incorporating the love and tenderness between the couple.”—Les Rêveur
“If you enjoy contemporary romances, Unexpected is a great choice. The character work is excellent, the plotting and pacing are well done, and it’s a just a sweet, warm read…Definitely pick this book up when you’re looking for your next comfort read, because it’s sure to put a smile on your face by the time you get to that happy ending.”—Curve
“Unexpected by Jenny Frame is a charming butch/femme romance that is perfect for anyone who wants to feel the magic of overcoming adversity and finding true love. I love the way Jenny Frame writes. I have yet to discover an author who writes like her. Her voice is strong and unique and gives a freshness to the lesbian fiction sector.”—The Lesbian Review
Royal Rebel
“Frame’s stories are easy to follow and really engaging. She stands head and shoulders above a number of the romance authors and it’s easy to see why she is quickly making a name for herself in lesfic romance.”—The Lesbian Review
Courting the Countess
“I love Frame’s romances. They are well paced, filled with beautiful character moments and a wonderful set of side characters who ultimately end up winning your heart…I love Jenny Frame’s butch/femme dynamic; she gets it so right for a romance.”—The Lesbian Review
“I loved, loved, loved this book. I didn’t expect to get so involved in the story but I couldn’t help but fall in love with Annie and Harry…The love scenes were beautifully written and very sexy. I found the whole book romantic and ultimately joyful and I had a lump in my throat on more than one occasion. A wonderful book that certainly stirred my emotions.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Reviews
“Courting The Countess has an historical feel in a present day world, a thought provoking tale filled with raw emotions throughout. [Frame] has a magical way of pulling you in, making you feel every emotion her characters experience.”—Lunar Rainbow Reviewz
“I didn’t want to put the book down and I didn’t. Harry and Annie are two amazingly written characters that bring life to the pages as they find love and adventures in Harry’s home. This is a great read, and you will enjoy it immensely if you give it a try!”—Fantastic Book Reviews
A Royal Romance
“A Royal Romance was a guilty pleasure read for me. It was just fun to see the relationship develop between George and Bea, to see George’s life as queen and Bea’s as a commoner. It was also refreshing to see that both of their families were encouraging, even when Bea doubted that things could work between them because of their class differences…A Royal Romance left me wanting a sequel, and romances don’t usually do that to me.”—Leeanna.ME Mostly a Book Blog
Blood of the Pack
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Blood of the Pack
© 2019 By Jenny Frame. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-432-8
This Electronic Original is published by
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, New York 12185
First Edition: August 2019
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Ruth Sternglantz
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design by Melody Pond
By the Author
A Royal Romance
Courting the Countess
Dapper
Royal Rebel
Unexpected
Hunger For You
Charming the Vicar
Royal Court
Wooing the Farmer
Wolfgang County Series
Heart of the Pack
Soul of the Pack
Blood of the Pack
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Rad, Sandy, and all the BSB staff for their tireless hard work. A huge thank you to Ruth for her guidance, patience, and advice. I’m deeply grateful to have you help me make my books the best that they can be.
Thanks to my family for their support and encouragement.
Finally, thanks, hugs, and howls to my very own little Frame pack, Lou and Barney. Your love, support, and unwavering loyalty means the world to me. I’m such a lucky girl.
For Lou and Barney Boy—The Alpha and second of our little Frame pack.xx
Chapter One
Humans were so predictable. They had an innate distrust of the different, anyone that didn’t conform to their norms. Even after eight hours in an airplane, Kenrick Wulver was still getting looks and what the other passengers surely thought were subtle glances.
By now, Kenrick was used to stares whenever she went outside her pack lands of Wulver Forest in Scotland. She did admit her appearance was perhaps striking to humans. As a dominant werewolf she was tall, well built, and strong. But more than anything, her hair was probably what people stared at the most. Kenrick had a thick mane—as her mother described it—of dreadlocked hair, held by a leather band in a ponytail that hung to the nape of her neck. The sides were undercut, as was the fashion of her generation of wolves, with the Celtic wolf symbol shaved into one side.
The humans’ attention was distracted from her by the sound of the drinks trolley coming down the aisle. Kenrick looked at her watch and let out a sigh. Two hours had passed since she boarded at Glasgow Airport, and she had at least another seven ahead of her, with a change at Jackson to connect to Utah and her destination of Wolfgang County.
She drummed her fingers on the armrest. Kenrick was not used to being idle for this length of time, and her wolf was getting restless. At least she was in first class and had some room to move. She fiddled with the twisted leather bracelets on her wrist, each one significant, each being awarded for a stage in her development and her rank in the Scottish Wulver pack.
The drinks trolley arrived at her side, and one of the female cabin crew bent over and said, “Can I get you something?”
The blond woman was beautiful and had been flirting with her the whole flight. That was the other side effect of how she looked. A portion of the human female population seemed to find her attractive. Kenrick didn’t understand it herself—she was just an ordinary wolf. Maybe it was the wild they could see in her, the wild primal energy of the forest.
“Aye, just some water, please,” Kenrick said.
“Still or sparkling?”
“Still.” Kenrick looked at her name tag and added in her lilting Highland tones, “Thanks, Lucinda.”
“You’re welcome. I love your accent by the way.” Lucinda handed her a cup and opened a small bottle of Wulver Spring mineral water.
Kenrick felt heat flare in her cheeks.
As Lucinda poured the water into the cup she said, “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I saw your name on the passenger list. Are you a Wulver of Wulver Springs and Wulver Single Malt whisky?”
Kenrick was immensely proud to see the lovingly made Wulver products whenever she went out in the world. It was her pack’s livelihood and essential to their way of being, but Kenrick herself did not like to take the limelight.
“Yes, it’s my father’s company.” For the next month anyway, Kendrick’s mind reminded her, and the thought made her stomach twist with tension.
This information seemed to inflame Lucinda’s interest. She leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You know, if there’s anything I can do to make your flight go a little more quickly, come and see me at the back of the aisle, by the restroom.”
Kenrick gulped. Despite giving the appearance of being a confident dominant wolf, Kenrick was old-fashioned. Perhaps it was the romantic in her, but she had long ago made a promise to herself to wait for the wolf the Great Mother had planned for her, but it had been a long, long wait.
The other wolves in her age group had found their mates long ago, and as the only child of the Wulver Alpha, having a mate was essential.
How could she get out of this proposition without offending? A white lie wouldn’t hurt. “Thanks, Lucinda. But I’m spoken for.”
Lucinda’s smile faltered. “Pity. She’s a lucky woman to have such a loyal partner.”
Kenrick just smiled and Lucinda moved away.
Lucky, and nothing more than a fantasy.
Kenrick slammed the back of her head against the headrest. The leadership of the pack was about to pass to her in a month’s time, and not only did she feel unworthy, she couldn’t provide her pack with a Mater—the heart of any pack.
She rubbed her temples as the pressure she felt inside grew with each passing day.
* * *
“Zaria? Have you got everything you wanted?”
In the kitchen of the small-town diner where she worked as a server, Zaria Lupa quickly filled her bag with the day’s leftovers—some bread, soup, and a half an apple pie.
“Just a second, Chrissy,” Zaria shouted.
When you earned part-time minimum wage, leftovers and out of date stock became your staples. She hurried out to where her manager was waiting to close up.
“Come on, honey. Let’s get out of here,” Chrissy said.
Of all the jobs Zaria’d had, and she’d had a lot, Chrissy was the nicest boss, always looking out for her, trying to give a little extra. It was a shame she would have to move on soon, as she always had to.
Chrissy locked the door and said, “You sure you don’t want a ride home?”
Zaria felt badly refusing her, but anyone who knew where she lived was a risk to her, and to themselves.
Zaria smiled. “It’s okay. I like the walk. See you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, honey.”
Zaria walked away quickly and pulled up the collar of her jacket, not because she was cold, but to hide her face. It was a twenty minute walk to her studio apartment, and everyone she passed on the sidewalk was a potential threat.
Zaria looked behind her quickly. She had the dreaded feeling that she was being watched, but she saw no one. Her heart started to pound and she hastened her speed. This was the first time since she’d come to Knoxton two months ago that she’d felt that familiar fear of being watched, being found out.
This was a lot longer than she usually stayed in one place. She’d moved from town to town in Rutherford County since she was sixteen, but never out of the county. She had to be near Wolfgang County.
Finally she arrived at her rental complex and ran up to her room. It was a squalid apartment building with people hanging around the hallway
s, drug dealers plying their trade, and all the subjugation of women that went along with it.
Zaria had managed to keep out of everyone’s way so far, of course she could look after herself if she had to, but that would mean giving up her secret.
She unlocked her door, got in, and locked it quickly. She let out a breath of relief. Was it just her own paranoid thinking she was being watched, or was she really being tracked again?
Zaria took her bag over to her small table where she had an old hotplate. After a day in good company at the diner, coming back to this dump was depressing. It was grimy, the wallpaper was peeling off the walls, and she was often kept company by bugs who made their home there. It wasn’t much of a life, and her wolf longed for the company and safety of a pack, but the alternative was too terrifying to contemplate.
She quickly heated her soup and took it over to her bed. Zaria swept her long dark hair into a ponytail and set her tablet up on the bedside table. This tablet and the internet connection were where all her money went, and why she slept in this dump and ate leftovers. She had to be connected to the Wolfgang Pack.
