Hunger Moon

by Merryn Dexter

  “Did you really think I would suffer another pack so close to my territory?” Clark sneered, ignoring Troy to glare past him at Derek. “There is only one alpha in the Southern states, and you are looking at him.” Clark clicked his fingers at Dutton, who lifted the cell phone he held unobtrusively at his side.

  “Now.” Dutton didn’t look at Clark, didn’t look at anyone other than Troy as he issued the command. He might have spoken into the handset, but the single word was aimed at Troy. Quinn told us, Dutton’s voice whispered in his head.

  Releasing Bel’s hand, Troy shoved her hard behind him into the safety of Derek’s arms. Wolves poured from every direction, filling the air with snarls and howls, forming a ring of death around the gathered members of the Moonlight pack. Clark raised his arm, eyes glowing hot, ready to give the signal to attack.

  “Challenge,” Troy said, his calm voice at odds with the racing of his heart. It would have been nice to savor the look of utter shock on his father’s face for a few moments, but there was no time. Throwing his head back, he summoned the power of his wolf and roared again. “Challenge!”

  The shouts and snarls of men and wolves fell silent, and everyone turned to him.

  “What is this nonsense?” Clark snapped. “Don’t be ridiculous, boy. You are not fit to lick my boots, never mind challenge me.”

  “It is my right to seek challenge; you must answer or forfeit. What do you say?” He didn’t dare look away, could hear Bel whispering behind him, explaining the change of plan to Derek, but he couldn’t risk turning to seek her out. He caught a movement from the corner of his eye, the solid form of Nikolas easing away from Quinn’s side.

  A vicious grin twisted Clark’s face into a mask of ugly hate. “Fine. I’ll kill you, claim your mate as my own, and force this excuse of an alpha to stand by while I slaughter any wolf of his who refuses to bow their head to me.”

  Troy took a step back, not in retreat, but to shift the two of them to the center of the dais. He heard a growl to his left, knew Derek would be furious at him for blocking Charlie’s line of sight again. This was his fight, and he would not allow the human sheriff to interfere. He paused, giving his father a chance to slip off his shoes, shrug off his jacket, and toss it casually toward Dutton. The alpha’s attention was too closely fixed on Troy to notice that Dutton let the coat drop to the floor at his feet, but Troy spotted it. The act of disrespect gave him hope. Maybe his brothers wouldn’t stand against him in this. Maybe they understood they, too, had the faintest chance of escaping Clark’s evil clutches. But only if Troy could defeat him.

  He tested his weight on the balls of his feet, shook the tension from his hands, and lowered to a crouch. The gentle influence of Bel’s wolf slipped away in his mind, letting his own animal rise to the fore, filling his blood and body with long-suppressed aggression. Too often had they submitted to this monster. Too often had they bled and hurt to protect the weaker members of the pack. They would bleed again today, but nothing would stay their hand.

  Clark paced back and forth before him, feinting left then right, trying to draw Troy to attack, but he held his ground. Sweat popped on the alpha’s brow, and a low rumbling growl rolled in his throat. He shook his head in irritation, and Troy schooled himself not to react. He’d disagreed when she first suggested it, but Bel had been adamant she would play her part. She would turn her ability on Clark, drive his aggression higher, try to send him off balance and force him to lose his temper.

  The alpha snarled, bared his teeth at Troy, and pounced, swinging his huge fist in a clubbing blow, which caught his shoulder, knocking him to one knee. Shit. His arm hung numb at his side, the force of the punch stunning his nerves. He rose quickly, ducked a second attack, and rammed his elbow into Clark’s gut, driving a gust of air from his lungs. Panting and snarling, the alpha charged him, taking Troy to the floor in a rain of claws and teeth. There was no time for finesse, for planning his next move, there was only the need to strike and strike again, try to draw as much blood as possible before the gouges in his own flesh weakened him.

  Troy battled on, knowing the calmness in his mind was thanks to his mate. She took his pain, damping it down and stoking his courage, holding him in the web of her love. Taking the strength she gave him, he heaved Clark away from him, pushed to his feet, stumbled and fell when his leg collapsed beneath him. A gaping hole at his ankle gushed blood, his foot hung at an awkward angle. Fuck. Clark had hobbled him.

  Staring through the sweaty strands of hair on his forehead, Troy watched the alpha circle him. He forced himself to follow, scrambling on his knees to avoid letting Clark get behind him. Adrenaline faded, and his mind catalogued his injuries. He tried to ignore the pain, using his arms and his one good leg to keep in motion, to not be an easy target. A flash of lilac caught his eye, and he spotted Bel over Clark’s shoulder. Derek held her straining body back as she struggled to escape. Their eyes met.

  I’m sorry, ma belle.

  Don’t give up, Troy. Don’t you ever give up.

  A flood of strength washed over him, driving the pain to the far reaches of his mind. His relief was short-lived. He watched in horror as Bel swayed in Derek’s arms. Her eyes rolled back, and she slumped to the floor. The web between them vanished, leaving him alone in his mind.

  His scream split the air in a roar of loss, of rage and defeat. He had nothing left to live for. Calling to his wolf, Troy gathered every ounce of strength his mate had given him and threw himself at Clark. Hard hands grabbed him, stopping his exhausted body in mid-leap. Bands of steel crushed the air from his lungs, and he snarled as the familiar scent of Nikolas filled his nose. The alpha’s hammer held him tight, Troy’s spitting accusations of betrayal and rage sliding off him. Dutton moved into his line of sight, and Troy broke. He’d given them the chance and they hadn’t taken it. Had stayed loyal to a man who didn’t deserve it, who had given them nothing but pain in return for their loyalty.

  Clark swiped the sweat from his face, turned his head, and spat a gob of blood and mucus at Bel’s body where she lay on the dais at Derek’s feet. The filthy mess spattered over the beautiful fabric of her gown, and Troy had to close his eyes, unable to bear the sight of his fallen mate.

  “Kill them, kill them all!” Clark snarled, and his pack howled in response, driven by his bloodlust.

  “Hold!” Dutton raised his clenched fist, and the baying Brighton wolves fell silent. Troy forced his head up, watching in disbelief as his brother placed himself between Troy and Clark. What was this now? “Clark Lansing,” Dutton’s voice rang cold and clear. “I repudiate you. No father to me, no alpha to me. You are nothing.”

  Clark staggered as though from a blow, and Dutton bent at the waist, gasping for air.

  “Clark Lansing,” Nikolas’s deep voice rumbled deep against Troy’s back. “I repudiate you.” His growling tone was matched with another softer one as Quinn stepped up beside them. She placed her hand on Nik’s arm where it banded across Troy’s chest, holding him up. Their voices rose in unison. “No father to me, no alpha to me. You are nothing.” Nik grunted in pain, but he somehow managed to keep hold of Troy and grab Quinn when she collapsed.

  “No!” Clark’s voice twisted in a painful scream.

  Pushing free of his brother’s hold, Troy hopped forward, rested his hand on Dutton’s back as his brother emptied his stomach on the floor. “Clark Lansing,” he rasped. “I repudiate you. No father to me, no alpha to me. You are nothing.”

  The alpha bond severed, sending him crashing to the floor. Bright pain sparked through his nerve endings, and the edges of his vision blurred. His pulse throbbed in his ears, and he focused on each dull beat, counting the growing spaces between each one. He closed his eyes, listening to his father’s screams of pain and fear, and smiled.

  Over the fading sounds of his heart, the sobbing pleas of his father, the voices of his pack rose as one damning chorus. “Clark Lansing. We repudiate you….”

  He’d done enough. He couldn’
t save himself, couldn’t save his Bel, but they’d both agreed death would be a price worth paying to save their packs. His wolf keened in his mind, and he tried to soothe it. They would claim their mate soon enough. Would spend eternity running free together in the lands beyond.

  Epilogue

  Soft lips brushed his cheek, and Troy turned onto his side. A cool breeze blew through the open windows, stirring the drapes, making them flutter in the pale rays of the full moon. He stroked his hand down the length of Bel’s spine, delighting in the shudder of pleasure rippling in the wake of his touch.

  The top her plump ass peeked from beneath the white cotton sheet draping her lower half. He nudged it free and leaned forward to place a teasing kiss to one cheek, making her giggle. Using his teeth, he pressed into the ripe flesh, turning her giggle to a gasp then a moan as he dipped his fingers between her legs and tested her readiness. Wet for him. It never ceased to amaze him how her body primed itself so readily for his touch. He trailed lower, delved into the heat of her core, felt her arch beneath the press of his mouth against her ass.

  A howl echoed through the open window, followed by another and another until the voices of the Brighton pack thrummed in his veins, calling to him. His pack was ready to run. Their first run together under the control of their new alpha.

  Dutton had brought sweeping changes to Brighton in the weeks Troy had lain recuperating, first in Bel’s house at Moonlight and then here at home. Derek had agreed to release Bel temporarily once she’d recovered from the flame out that nearly killed her. Only her alpha’s stubborn refusal to relinquish her had kept her alive. He’d called the pack to him, drawn on their collective strength to hold her to them.

  Dutton had formally requested their assistance. He had been working behind the scenes for months, using his network of spies to make allies among the subservient packs, seeking out potential alphas who could assume control if he found a way to break them free of Clark’s hold. Once Quinn had gone to him and Nikolas, told them of Troy’s planned challenge and begged them for help, Dutton had seized the opportunity and put his plan into action. Every wolf who had once bowed their head to Clark had broken from him, suffered agony to do so, but none had waivered. The sudden loss of power had destroyed what was left of Clark’s mind, and Dutton had finished him with a sharp twist of his neck, showing more mercy than his father ever had.

  The broken packs were holding—just. Troy and Bel were needed to bolster the most fragile of them. They’d use his beta diplomacy and her omega skills to settle the ruffled fur and help the new alphas find their way. Nikolas and Quinn were already out there, showing solidarity, forming friendships where once only ties of fear had held the packs of Brighton together. No one would be forced to remain within the group, but it was hoped most would. Dutton howled again, and the pack beneath their window raced away, their cries and yips echoing in the night.

  Bel wriggled her ass, pressed herself hard onto his hand then twisted away. He growled, rising onto his knees to stalk her across the wide expanse of their bed. His damaged ankle had healed but would never be right. Troy limped in both human and wolf forms, but his mate didn’t seem to care.

  She raised her hands over her head, stretching her lithe body in the moonlight. His mouth watered at the sight of her. “It’s time,” she murmured.”

  He nodded. Their wolves had waited long enough. It was time to complete the last step in their mating. Taking her hand, he led his mate through the house, down the wide sweeping stairs, and out the front door. He wanted to show her the land, show her his favorite places. The shallow creek with the thick mossy banks. The best places to hunt rabbits. Dropping to his knees, he summoned his wolf, letting the power of the full moon ease his shift from man to beast.

  They ran for hours, teasing and pouncing on each other until the need between them built to unbearable levels. He chased her south, driving her toward the creek. Sides heaving, they flopped onto the cushion of moss, lapping at the cool water of the creek. Turning toward her, Troy pressed his muzzle deep into the thick fur at her throat, drawing the luscious scent of his mate deep into his lungs. Her arousal bloomed strong and steady in the heavy night air, and he watched as Bel rose to her paws and turned, offering her rear to him. He licked her, tasting the darker musk of her wolf body, driving them both crazy with need. Rising on his hind legs, he mounted her carefully, easing his aching cock into the hot depths of her sex. She adjusted her body under his weight, bracing herself better to take the urgent thrusts of his hips. A low growl rose in his throat, and he clamped his jaws into the thick ruff of her neck, holding her in place. The web connection pulsed brighter, and her pussy spasmed around him, drawing his seed from his body, the final piece of their mating connection slotting in place.

  Throwing back his head, Troy howled his pleasure to the skies. His mate raised her voice with him, and they sang of their love, their union, their hunger for each other to the watching moon.

  Wolf Moon by Desiree Holt

  Hot Moon Rising Book 1

  Chapter One

  The rain always depressed Alexa Martin, underscoring the isolation she lived with. Scant moments ago, she’d returned from running through the trees behind her house. Concealed by the darkness, she’d given in to the urge she’d been suppressing for two days. Now, in a fleece robe, with a towel wrapped around her head, she sat curled up on the window seat in her living room. Thick drops of liquid ran down the glass like tiny waterfalls. If only there was a way she could wash away the problems in her life and make it clean and free again.

  Why did I think everything would be fine when I moved to Florida? Running from our clan’s alpha really didn’t change anything except to put distance between me and everything I’ve ever known.

  “You know I cannot allow your relationship with a human,” the alpha had told her in his forbidding voice. “He will turn on you when he knows the truth. Worse yet, he could expose you and the rest of us. Is that what you want?”

  He was right, damn him.

  She had deliberately shape-shifted in front of Ray, hoping for acceptance, but she’d seen nothing but horror in his eyes.

  “What are you?” Disgust had filled his voice. “Some kind of freak? No, get away from me,” he’d shouted when she moved toward him. “Do not touch me.”

  “You should have listened to your elders,” the alpha told her afterward. “I have no objection to marriage, but only with our own kind. We must perpetuate our clan. Lance is ready and waiting to make you his wife.”

  “I will never marry Lance, old man,” she told him with vehemence. “He may be handsome and powerful, but he is well-known for his cruelty.”

  So, she ran as far as she could, tucking away in a hidden corner of the universe where she was sure the clan would never find her.

  The slam of a car door drew her attention to the driveway separating her house from the one next to it.

  Jesse’s home.

  From where she sat, she could see Jesse Farrell’s lean, muscular body running through the rain to his porch.

  One a.m.

  She could set her clock by him.

  His shift with the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department ended at midnight. Unless paperwork kept him longer than usual, he’d stop for coffee and a hamburger on the way home. At one o’clock, he’d be pulling into the driveway. Alexa never failed to notice the fatigue that slowed his steps or the tension in his posture.

  What bothered her the most were the feelings she was developing for him, feelings that went far beyond worries for his safety. She’d thought hiding away in this small Southern town was the answer to her problem. A top researcher, her website brought her many clients and allowed her to work from home.

  Then I saw Jesse, and I was right in the fire again.

  She found herself wandering out into her backyard when he was working in his, carrying a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade. From there, it was nothing more than a short step to inviting him to dinner. Or over to watch television on hi
s nights off.

  Fool! Stupid! Idiot!

  Little by little, she found herself pulled more and more to him. At night, she dreamed about him in her bed. Naked. Hot. His big hands touching every part of her body. His hard shaft plunging into her. His sensual mouth devouring her. She would awaken in a state of high arousal, her nipples painful points, the pulse in her cunt throbbing, and liquid seeping onto her thighs.

  The last thing I need is to fall in love with another human.

  Love! The forbidden word.

  Yet, she felt it barreling down on her like a steamroller, and she didn’t know how to get out of the way. She was lost, either way.

  Alexa shivered.

  Can it, girlfriend. You were in trouble the moment you first talked to him. Go make yourself a cup of tea. Chamomile. Nice and soothing. Something to stifle these feelings that are definitely going to get you in trouble.

  Sighing, she unfolded herself from the seat and headed for the kitchen.

  The sound of the doorbell startled Alexa. On tiptoe, she peered through the peephole. She was stunned to see Jesse on her porch, dripping wet and shifting from one foot to the other.

  She yanked the door open. “What’s wrong? It’s pouring rain. Why aren’t you inside?”

  “Can I come in, please?”

  “Oh, sure. Come on.” Yes, bring your fantastic body into my house.

  “Sorry to bother you. I left my key on the counter this morning.” He raked his wet hair back from his forehead. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

  Jesse always carried his car keys separately.

  “In case I’m ever attacked,” he’d explained, “I don’t want anyone having a key to my house. I can keep an extra one of yours, too, if you want.”

  Another link to him she should avoid.

  “I’ll get it,” she told him, “but come into the kitchen. You look like a drowned rat, and you must be freezing. At least get that wet shirt off and let me make you some coffee.”