by Shannon West
Page 2
Like in all the horror movies he’d seen since he was a kid, shifting was a painful process for him and turned him into something not quite human. He’d once glanced into a calm lake and seen himself during a full moon. He’d been horrified. He still had a human body, though it was covered in hair, but his face was bestial with a wolf-like snout and horrible fangs descending from his mouth. Sickened by the hideous image, he had dashed the water with his fist and run away. Since then, he’d tried never to look at himself again while the beast was on him.
Mentally, he still retained most of his intellect when he changed, his sense of who he was, but when he shifted he became unreasonably angry and brutal. Small obstacles became large, insurmountable ones, and he wanted to fight somebody. Hurt somebody. Anybody really. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to hide from anyone who came too close. Instead he might jump out of hiding and attack. He was terrified the bite had made him a killer like the monster who’d killed his poor mother. He didn’t know much about this thing, and there sure wasn’t anybody to ask. He’d figured out most of it on his own after the first traumatic shift alone in his home.
He finished his lunch, started the truck, and pulled back out into traffic. Making his way back to the highway, he figured he could make it to the park in another hour or so and have plenty of time to hike up and find a campsite by nightfall. His werewolf vitality had helped him make it this far after a night of smoking pot and drinking way too much, but he could feel himself wearing down, and the tequila alligator was chasing him hard. As soon as he made camp, he promised himself he would sleep for hours. Tomorrow night was the full moon.
Gabe woke up to utter darkness. He shrugged off his sleeping bag and stuck his head outside the small tent. With no hint of moon or stars peeking through the cloud-blanketed sky, it took his eyes a few seconds to adjust. The cool night air kissed his skin, and the air was fresh and sweet, so what the hell smelled so rank? It took him a few confused seconds to figure out the sour, sweaty smell came from his own body.
He’d picked this campsite specifically for remoteness and its proximity to a mountain stream. He could hear the water tumbling over the rocks and murmuring to itself. The clouds parted, and the moon came out, lighting up the scene enough for Gabe to see the trail leading down to the little stream, probably left by deer. Peeling off his jeans first, he made his way to the small creek. It was way too shallow to immerse himself, so he squatted over it and splashed the icy water over his body till he shivered, but he did wash away some of the stink from the night before.
As he stood looking up at the stars, he got the feeling someone was watching him and looked nervously around in all directions, his senses heightened. Seeing and hearing nothing, he climbed out of the stream and stood on the bank for a moment, enjoying the soothing sound of the water splashing on the rocks. The crack of a branch somewhere close by brought him back to alertness and he moved quickly back to his tent, wanting the assurance of a weapon in case someone was stalking him. He knew he was strong enough since the change to handle most anyone or anything, but he was still human enough to want the feel of a gun in his hand if he had to face an adversary.
He emerged from his tent with his daddy’s old twelve gauge shotgun, and his eyes swept the dense forest around him. He was in a tiny clearing, off the trail by a good fifty feet and wellhidden from the casual observer by the small pines growing around the campsite. He listened again, and he could hear—nothing at all. No sound of cicadas or frogs or the usual nighttime sounds of a southern forest in June. His senses heightened even more.
A deep voice behind him and to his left made him swerve quickly in that direction and lift the shotgun to his shoulder.
“What are you doing in my territory, rogue?”
A figure out of a dream walked toward him. Tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome, he stepped out from the tree line and crossed his arms over his chest. Incredibly he was totally naked, and his large erection bounced up to hit him on the stomach as he walked. Gabe’s mouth fell open at the sight. He was a big guy, strong and powerful,and Gabe’s nose twitched immediately. Wolf. How could he have missed the smell? He must have been downwind of him, the only explanation for missing his strong, musky wolf scent, and not only the animal scent teased his nose. An underlying smell of something sweet, too, almost like burnt sugar filled his nostrils. Unreasoning fear gripped him for a moment, and he pushed it back down. He wasn’t the same weak young boy he’d been the last time he came up against a wolf. His hatred for the bastards remained the same though. He opened his mouth and let some of the hatred spill out.
“This is a public park, and I have every right to be here. Who the fuck are you, asshole?”
“You’re some kind of wolf, so you must recognize who I am. Lower that gun before I take it away from you and wrap it around a tree. Let’s try this again, and watch your mouth. What are you doing in my territory without permission?Rogue. ”
Gabe could feel a flush travel over him as he lowered the gun. “I don’t need the gun anyway to handle you, whoever the fuck you are. And who said this is your territory? Must be news to the park service. ”
The man stepped closer, sauntering nearer to Gabe to show he feared nothing. Gabe had time to notice his ripped body, cut and perfect. He looked to be in his late twenties, maybe, with dark hair and eyes, and a face like a male model. The smell radiating off him got even stronger as he came closer. Instinctively, Gabe took a couple of steps back before he caught himself and was angry for giving ground.
“I say it’s my territory, that’s who. This is Dark Hollow Wolf Pack territory, from here all the way to Asheville, North Carolina and stretching over into Tennessee. Every wolf on the East Coast has heard of us. I’m Alpha of this branch of my pack, and any wolf or Werekin crossing my land needs my permission. I don’t recall you asking me. Which makes you a rogue and subject to discipline. ”
Gabe laughed in nervousness and a chill went down his spine. The man’s eyes were steely, and his face was set, not in anger, but in determination. “Look, I don’t know about all this shit— alphas and territory and rogues. For Christ’s sake, all I want is to be left alone. I came out here to get away from people because of the full moon. That’s all. You say this is your territory. Okay, fine. I’ll pack up and get out. I’ll find another spot. But like I said, the full moon is coming, and I have to get away from people. I don’t want to hurt anybody or get killed myself. If it’s all the same to you,I’ll just pack my stuff and get out of your way. ”
“You’re not going anywhere. ” Moving so fast Gabe never even saw him coming, the man was beside him and grasped his wrist in a steely grip. Before Gabe could react, he took the shotgun from his hand and threw it to the side, twisted Gabe’s arm around behind him and brought his naked body slamming against his. He caughtGabe’s flailing other wrist and pushed it behind him to join the other, holding both with one of his huge, incredibly strong hands. Gabe was shorter by a good four inches, and his cock hit the man at thigh level. He opened his thighs, and clampedGabe’s cock between his thighs, trapping him neatly. After a few moments of brief struggle, Gabe experienced only pain and frustration, and damn it! Why was his cock getting hard?It must be the friction from the man’s thighs. Had to be. That and the rock-hard dick pressing into his stomach. Controlled and helpless, he couldn’t free his hands or his dick. He threw his head back and looked up at the man who had him imprisoned.
“Let go of me, damn it! What the fuck do you want?”
“I’m not sure what you are yet, rogue, and until I am, you’re coming with me. Do you want to walk or do you want me to carry you?”
“I’m not going anywhere with you! Leave me the hell alone!” Defiantly, Gabe struggled, succeeding in creating more friction and pressure against his cock, making it even harder. Breathing hard in frustrated fury, he tried to stomp the man’s foot. A dumb move, he discovered ruefully. He was barefoot, and the guy had a body like s
teel. Bruising his own instep was all he managed to do. He hissed his breath, and the wolf shook him hard.
“Stop it. You’re hurting yourself!” The wolf dropped his wrists and pulled him into a bear hug, squeezing Gabe tight and the air out of his lungs. He squeezed tighter and tighter, cutting off Gabe’s breath until his vision went black, and all Gabe could see was little sparkling stars, swirling in the darkness. His knees gave way, and he was sweptup and thrown over the wolf’s shoulder, landing on his stomach with a little whoof as the last bit of oxygen left his lungs, and he passed out.
Zack was headed home from a run along the perimeter of his territory when he smelled it — some kind of wolf for sure, but something more. The scent stopped him dead in his tracks and beckoned him like a siren’s call. His senses screamed mate. Pure testosterone flooded his wolf’s body. The smell was sweet. It smelled like mine! His brain screamed the word at him, making him almost stumble and fall.
He always shifted to make the runs once every few months, and it took days to cover the entire perimeter. He loved the feeling of freedom and solitude during them, but never before had he caught a scent like this.
Zack was one of the alphas of the Dark Hollow Wolf Pack. Each division had its own alpha, and Zack took his responsibilities seriously. From Hunters to rogues and rogue packs springing up occasionally in their territories, the Dark Hollow Pack faced near continual challenges to their authority. It was a good idea for an alpha to know his perimeters well and be able to detect any encroachment as soon as it happened. He had his regular patrols out, but he liked to do some of the work himself.
Whoever he’d found didn’t smell exactly like a wolf, but something more, something unknown and unexpected. Another smell layered over that too, the smell of his mate. Whoever or whatever he was, he had to get to him and fast. Overwhelmed with the need to have sex, his erection sprang up urgent and painful. He shifted back into his human form and cautiously approached the campsite. Sensing movement up ahead, he slowed his steps even further. He smelled water just ahead and heard splashing in a stream. Standing behind a tree, Zack got his first look at the man. The smell definitely radiated off him. Along with the man’s own sweet, almost sugary odor, Zack shifted through layers of cigarette smoke, beer, and spunk. He hated the smell of smoke and beer, but the last smell made him furious,the smell of someone else’s jizz coming off his mate. His mate had been with a human male and recently.
