Wolf Cursed (Lone Wolf Series Book 1)

by Heather Hildenbrand

  I froze.

  Behind him, a few others trickled out. Drake. Presley. The rest of the faces were familiar by now too, and that wasn’t a good thing. Every one of them wore a matching expression. Just like Silas, their smiles made every muscle in my body coil in readiness.

  “Well, well, if it isn’t Ashes. Huh. It looks like we’re adding another fight to the roster tonight.” Silas grinned.

  “Hell yeah,” one of the others echoed.

  I looked right at Drake. “You’re an asshole for this,” I said.

  “And you’re naïve for expecting anything less.”

  I huffed.

  He was right.

  I only had myself to blame.

  Slowly, I got to my feet. A few yards away, the hexerei had Gordon pinned. He was oblivious to us—or maybe knew better than to let up while he had the advantage—and pummeled Gordon with blow after blow.

  Blood covered Gordon’s face, and I winced at the damage being done to him. At least, he was probably too far gone to feel the pain.

  “Hey,” Presley said, finally tearing his hungry gaze off me long enough to notice Gordon’s predicament. He went over and yanked the hexerei off Gordon by the back of the man’s collar.

  The man swung wildly, landing a sucker punch against Presley’s chin. It was nothing more than a graze, but Presley’s eyes narrowed, and he released the hexerei, his breaths coming in short bursts. His hands fisted, and he glared at the male witch, eyes practically glowing orange now.

  “You shouldn’t have done that, spook,” Presley said in a low voice.

  The air between them rippled.

  Silas backed up, and the others followed.

  I didn’t need a crash course in Shifter 101 to know what was about to happen. And if Presley shifted on the hexerei, that guy had zero chance of surviving this night.

  “Am I fighting or what?” I said loudly, stepping forward and drawing everyone’s attention back to me.

  Presley looked over and blinked, some of the rage in his eyes cooling as he refocused.

  “Shit, when you put it like that,” Silas said. “What are we waiting for?”

  The guys around him whooped, eyes locked on me like I’d just become their midnight snack.

  “You’ll need to be paired, of course,” Silas went on.

  His eyes never left mine though.

  “Of course,” I said, refusing to back down.

  My mind raced with possibilities. That Tiffany girl looked like someone I could take. She probably fought dirty though. Hair pulling. Clawing. I could make that work.

  Except for the whole wolf part.

  Shifting was still out of reach—a fact my opponent was about to find out.

  I knew they could smell my fear. Probably even sense my slick palms. But I couldn’t back down now. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the hexerei watching me with interest.

  “Silas!”

  Idrissa shoved her way through the hole in the wall. The others moved aside. The ones who didn’t move fast enough got shoved. Behind her was Isaac. He took one look at the scene unfolding and then reached over and grabbed one of the fallen scraps of wood. The others backed away from him, and he slid toward me.

  “What the hell?” Idrissa demanded, looking first at me and then at Silas. “We had a deal. You promised me she’d have more time.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “She showed up on her own,” Silas protested. “And then volunteered to fight.”

  Idrissa looked at me in disbelief. “Tell me this isn’t true.”

  “You made a deal?” I asked her.

  She didn’t answer.

  Oscar stepped through the opening, and his eyes landed on me. “Ash, what the hell are you doing here?”

  “What do you think?” Silas answered for me.

  Oscar rushed forward, stepping between me and Silas.

  “She’s not fighting tonight,” Oscar said. “In fact, I thought she was with the twins until they showed up,” he muttered, shooting Idrissa a dark look.

  “She volunteered,” Drake said.

  I glared at him.

  “This is bullshit,” Idrissa said.

  “Let her go,” Oscar said, his voice a low growl. “She doesn’t belong here, and you know it.”

  My hands fisted at that. I knew Oscar was just trying to protect me, but if one more person told me I didn’t belong, I was going to scream.

  “Well, someone ought to explain that to her then,” Silas bit out. “She’s the one who crashed our party.”

  Drake shot me a smug look, and I gritted my teeth. New goal. Get strong enough to kick Drake’s ass.

  “Besides, she’s seen too much to remain an outsider,” Silas went on. He gestured to the hexerei. “She can’t be allowed to keep walking around with our secrets. Not until she proves herself.”

  “She will,” Oscar said. “But not tonight. You already went too far, putting Gordon through this. Look at him. He’s—”

  Oscar stopped, and I followed his gaze to where Gordon had been lying in his own blood.

  Now he was gone.

  The hexerei held up his hands. “It wasn’t me,” he said.

  “Like hell.” Presley started for him, and the hexerei backed away.

  A blur of movement startled me, and I watched as a huge gray wolf leaped from the trees, its claws aimed straight for the hexerei.

  Someone screamed.

  It might have been me.

  Everyone moved at once.

  Oscar shoved me back toward the corner of the barn that remained intact. Most of the others backed off to give the wolf space. Presley and Silas rushed forward, straight at the oncoming wolf. Presley grabbed the wolf, using his arms to take it down in a sort of hug-tackle that pinned the wolf’s claws to its body. Halfway to the ground, Presley shifted and knocked the wolf back again, this time with four paws. Silas went for the hexerei.

  My breath caught as I watched, terrified Silas was going to end the guy’s life right here and now. But instead, he pulled the hexerei back into the barn and away from Gordon-the-drunk-and-murdery-werewolf.

  “Relax, spook, tonight’s not your night,” Silas said as they ducked back inside. “We aren’t done with you quite yet.”

  The way he said the words sent a shiver down my spine.

  Then Oscar was in my face, forcing my attention on him. “Listen to me You’re going to take these keys.” He pressed his truck keys into my palm so hard that it hurt. “You’re going to drive home and lock yourself inside and not open the door for anyone. Do you hear me?”

  He sounded pissed.

  And honestly, so was I.

  But I also wanted to live.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Good. Now—”

  “Ahh!” Someone yelled, and we looked over to see Cade, one of Silas’ goons, cupping his face. “That asshole Gordon just tried clawing my damned face off.”

  “Get his ass,” said Luke.

  A second later, the two had shifted and launched themselves at where Presley had nearly calmed Gordon into retreating. After that, everything turned to chaos.

  People poured from the barn, screaming and shifting as they ran.

  Brawls broke out with everyone in various stages of shifting.

  “Don’t move,” Oscar warned, shoving me flat against the barn wall.

  He didn’t have to tell me twice. More and more wolves filled the field, trapping me against the barn. I knew if I moved, they’d notice me, and there was no way I could talk my way out of a fight now.

  It would be one against thirty.

  “Ash.”

  I turned at the sound of the familiar voice behind me.

  Kai stood against the barn just behind me, eyes blazing, chest heaving like he’d run here. His clothes were a little baggy, though, and I remembered the extras in the bed of that truck.

  Oscar looked past me at Kai.

  “She’s a sitting duck,” Oscar said.

  “I’ll get her out of
here,” Kai said. “Can you create a distraction?”

  Oscar nodded. “Don’t let anything happen to her.”

  “I’ll keep her safe,” Kai said.

  He didn’t look at me, but the way he said it…

  Nope. Wasn’t going to acknowledge the butterflies.

  Oscar nodded, apparently satisfied. He looked at me, eyes blazing with whatever he was about to do.

  “When they turn on me, you go,” Oscar said.

  “What?” My eyes widened in sudden worry. “No, don’t—”

  But he was already gone.

  I watched as he threw himself at the closest wolf. “I challenge Silas!” he roared.

  I gasped. “He can’t,” I said, but Kai was already grabbing my hand and yanking me toward the front of the barn.

  I had no choice but to run or let Oscar’s sacrifice be a waste.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kai’s hand was tight and warm in mine. I concentrated on that. And on the motorcycle I recognized as his, parked behind Oscar’s truck. So, he hadn’t come here as a wolf after all. My feet barely made a sound against the grass, but my breath? That came in loud, short gasps as we zig-zagged through the parked cars toward Kai’s motorcycle. Behind us, I could hear growls and the occasional curse being yelled.

  I tried not to think about what was happening. And to whom.

  Werewolf hierarchy still confused me, but I was pretty sure Oscar challenging Silas would not end well.

  My heart panged at the mental images.

  Kai yanked me to a stop beside his motorcycle and grabbed the helmet. He didn’t bother handing it over and instead shoved it onto my head and threw a leg over the bike without bothering to snap the helmet in place.

  “Ash,” he said urgently. “Ash, we have to go.”

  “Oscar,” I said, the word sounding more like a desperate sob.

  “He’ll be fine,” he said, meeting my eyes. “I swear it. But if we don’t get you out of here, it’s going to get ugly. Come on.”

  He was right. I had no choice but to trust him.

  He started the bike, and I swung my leg over, wrapping my arms around his chest and clinging tightly. From somewhere out in the field, a wolf howled.

  Kai kicked the bike into gear and pinned the throttle. We shot forward, and I gasped as the back tire slid left then right, looking for traction. Then we hit pavement, and the tires realigned as we sped off.

  We drove for miles and miles.

  Up winding mountain roads. Around curves that hugged guard rails.

  I stopped waiting for any one of the wolves we’d left behind to appear from the woods beside us and started to relax. The adrenaline waned, and the fear turned to shock. My hands trembled and eyes burned with tears at what had happened. Or, more specifically, what could have happened.

  If Idrissa hadn’t come outside.

  If Kai hadn’t shown up.

  If Oscar hadn’t created that diversion.

  By the time Kai pulled off at an overlook, I was a mess. Which, in Ash-talk, meant I was pissed at the world.

  Kai cut the engine, and I climbed off the motorcycle, moving far enough away so that he couldn’t bump into me when he climbed off too. I looked out at the open view that, in daylight, probably would have been gorgeous. Now, it was just a shadowy space where the mountaintop ended and the empty air beyond reached out to meet us. A guard rail separated me from the edge, and I stared at it, my thoughts jumbled.

  In the silence, the night creatures melded into a symphony of noise I’d come to find soothing. Kai’s expression when I looked up, however, was anything but.

  “I swear to God, Kai, if you say I wasn’t supposed to be there, I will push your bike right over the edge of this mountain.”

  He smirked, and for some reason, that was worse.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” I snapped.

  “Like what?” he asked.

  “Like we’re friends. We’re not friends. We’re not even friendly. We’re nothing.”

  “Nothing is a strong word for a guy who just saved your ass.”

  “Don’t talk about my ass.”

  His lips twitched. “Got it. What can I talk about?”

  “Oscar.” My lip wobbled, so I bit down on it until I could trust my voice again. “Will he be okay?”

  “Oscar will be fine.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I’ve seen Oscar fight. He’s going to kick Silas’ ass.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  I exhaled.

  “Can we talk about you now?”

  “I don’t know.” My temper returned. “Can you say something nice?”

  He smirked again, and I glared.

  “Well?” I demanded when he didn’t respond.

  “You’re really great at invoices.”

  “Ugh. I’m going home.” I started for the road, furious. Asshole Kai was horrible. Silent treatment Kai sucked too. But teasing Kai could go right to hell.

  Kai appeared beside me. “Umm, home is the other way.”

  “Not that home,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “Whoa. What?” Kai jogged in front of me and put a hand on either shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. His voice gentled. “Ash, you can’t leave.”

  “Last I checked, it wasn’t up to you.” I yanked free and stepped around him, resuming my trek down the empty road.

  Kai grabbed my hand, pulling until I was forced to turn and face him.

  His expression was soft now. I hated it.

  “It’s not safe if you leave.”

  “Thanks for the concern, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Ashes.”

  He was still talking in that soothing voice, and after getting the cold shoulder, it did something to me. Or maybe it was my near-death experience. I’d had a few lately. Either way, my insides stirred in a way that pissed me off even more. Why did Kai Stone have to be so damn yummy? And yet, so damn rude?

  “Stop saying my name like that,” I said. “And what is with the dumbass nickname, anyway?”

  He hesitated, his brow lifting. “You don’t know?”

  “It’s funny that you actually think anyone tells me anything in this town.”

  “Right.” He looked a little sheepish. “I might have started it after you came in that first night with those bruises.”

  “You thought it was makeup,” I remembered.

  “Yeah. I might have told Silas and the others that it looked like you rubbed soot on your face.”

  I stared at him, not sure whether to punch him or leave him standing here. “Ashes. Soot. You’re an asshole. Got it.”

  “Wait.” He stared at me, his eyes full of moonlight. “I’m sorry,” he said, and out of all the things I imagined him telling me tonight, those words definitely hadn’t been on the list.

  “For what?” I asked warily. Maybe it was another trick.

  “For treating you so badly before. You didn’t deserve that.”

  I watched him carefully. “Just like that? You’re sorry?”

  “I know, my apology probably means shit. But I did save your ass. More than once. So, I hope you’ll forgive me after tonight.”

  “Is this a trick?” I looked around, eyeing the woods with newfound worry. “Is Drake out there? Or Silas?”

  “No one’s out there,” he assured me.

  Then he stepped closer.

  “It’s just me. Asking your forgiveness.”

  “Okay, who are you, and what have you done with the real Kai Stone?”

  He smirked again, and I found myself fighting the urge to lick where his mouth creased around that smile.

  “I deserve that. I deserve all of it. I’ve been—”

  “An asshole?”

  “That’s not the word I would have used but okay. I’ve been an asshole.”

  “And now you’re not,” I said tentatively.

  “Now, I’m not.”

  “What changed exactly?”


  He hesitated. “It’s complicated,” he said quietly then rushed to cut me off before I could unleash exactly what I thought of that answer. “But I am on your side, Ash. I hope you can believe that.”

  “I don’t know what to believe,” I said. “Everyone has their own agenda. Everyone wants something from me. None of it good. Most of it ends with my ass being kicked, killed, or worse.”

  I stepped back, dropping his hand. Mostly because I wanted to keep holding it, and that terrified me even more than Silas and Drake ever would.

  “You told me I was yours,” I said, “And then you acted like it never happened.”

  “Yeah, that was a dick move.”

  I snorted.

  “Ash, that mark on your skin…”

  “You don’t have to explain,” I said harshly. “I know I’m a threat to you. Idrissa told me everything.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What exactly did Idrissa say?”

  “That if the curse is broken, you’d be alpha. That maybe you don’t want the curse broken at all. Either way, I’m a threat to you. No wonder you kept me close. Pretended to like me. So you could keep tabs on me and make sure I didn’t mess up what you have going here.”

  “Is that what you think?”

  “What else is there?”

  “More than you’d understand. Hell, more than I understand myself.”

  “Try me. You’d be amazed at what I can comprehend when I rub two brain cells together.”

  He didn’t answer.

  I growled in frustration. “That’s right. I forgot; this town loves its secrets almost as much as it loves keeping me from discovering any of them.”

  I started to walk off again, but this time he didn’t have to touch me to make me go completely still.

  “My wolf wants to claim you.”

  Every muscle in my body froze as his words washed over me.

  I didn’t turn. I didn’t even breathe.

  “Is that enough of a secret for you?”

  His voice rose, and I knew I’d pissed him off. I also couldn’t understand what he was telling me. Slowly, I turned around and studied his expression. Something dark and wild flashed in his eyes. But the softness he’d used with me tonight still remained.

  “Claim me how?” I asked, even though I damn well knew that could only mean one thing to a wolf shifter like Kai.

  “As its mate.”

  The words were soft, so low I almost missed them. My pulse stuttered, and I sucked in a sharp breath, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. Part of me wanted to go to him, to wrap my arms around him and let it happen. But after the roller coaster that was Kai Stone, I hesitated.