Chief (Skin Walkers Book 19)

by Susan Bliler

  Skin Walkers: Chief

  By

  Susan Bliler

  Copyright © 2019 by Susan Bliler

  Alpha She, Ltd

  www.susanbliler.com

  Contents

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Dedication:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  Books in the Skin Walkers series:

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Cover fonts, spine, and back cover done by:

  Susan Bliler

  Cover image courtesy of:

  Shutterstock

  Editing done by:

  Grammarly

  As always thanks to my Beta reader:

  Cindy Hubbard

  I couldn’t do this without you.

  Thanks for believing in me.

  ;o) ting

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidences are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Susan Bliler.

  Dedication:

  All of my Stalkerz and Wolvez who’ve been with me since book one.

  You are my pack!

  Ahwoooooooooooo!

  Chapter 1

  Chief paced the length of his cabin in agitation. Fisting and unfisting his hands, he waited. Someone…some Sentry was supposed to come and get him to take him to some wedding that was being held here on the Estate. Why Skin Walker Dominant, Monroe StoneCrow, insisted on including him in this type of shit, he had no idea. Chief was only at StoneCrow Estates because he’d lost a battle to Skin Walker Sentry, Baymac Southon. Even now, weeks later, he was still in shock over the loss. He shouldn’t have been though. At the time of the shifters battles held at the BlackBird Compound in Glacier, Montana, Chief had been so hopped up on testosterone at the prospect of winning a female that he hadn’t been thinking straight. If he had been, he wouldn’t have agreed to Monroe’s wager. Hell, he’d been so confident that he’d beat Baymac that he hadn’t even argued the fact that he didn’t need to bet on the outcome. The winner was supposed to take the woman, period. But, Monroe—that sneaky fuck—had slipped in a year’s worth of employ here at StoneCrow for the loser. So, here he was.

  Sighing, Chief rolled his head on his shoulders. He was tense tonight. Granted, he was always tense, but tonight he felt more volatile than usual. Inside, his wolf was agitated, and he couldn’t figure out why. Yeah, they were stuck at StoneCrow for a year, but it wasn’t all that bad. StoneCrow Estates was located in the Highwood Mountains of Montana, and if he couldn’t be in his beloved British Columbia, then Montana was a more than do-able second home. Still, he fisted his hands and loosed a menacing growl when he heard an approaching vehicle.

  Stepping out onto the porch, he didn’t bother locking the door to the cabin he’d been assigned. He’d only brought clothes and toiletries with him from his home territory. Everything else he’d needed had been assigned so he wouldn’t mind losing it, though he noted his Skin Walker neighbors didn’t lock their cabins either. It’s how it was supposed to be, it’s how it was among wolf shifters and their packs. They were a community and were supposed to be able to trust and rely on each other. Apparently, Skin Walkers were the same.

  The crisp autumn night’s air felt good on his flushed skin. Frowning hard at the blacked out Hummer the pulled to a stop in front of his cabin, Chief snorted. Crossing thick arms across over an equally impressive chest, he shook his head at how pampered Skin Walkers were. Monroe was too generous with his people, and Chief was certain it was going to make them soft.

  A pale haired man that he didn’t know exited the vehicle and walked stoically around it. “I’m Gauge. You Chief?”

  Chief dipped his chin in a nod.

  “I’m here to take you to the ceremony. You ready?”

  Chief was already descending the porch steps, and his only answer was to jerk open the passenger side door before sliding in. The vehicle rocked under his weight and when Gauge climbed in, he shot Chief a startled look.

  “You’re a big motherfucker.”

  Chief grunted and gave his attention to the window. He wasn’t really sociable, never had been. Yeah, he harbored a wolf inside of him, which was a pack animal by nature, but they were both more of the lone wolf type.

  Gauge set the vehicle in motion, and watching StoneCrow Estates whiz by outside his window, Chief ignored all of Gauge’s attempts at small talk. Well most of them. Before they could get to the lit up area Chief could see in the distance, Gauge pulled the Hummer to a stop and turned in his seat to face him.

  “Look, I don’t know you,” Gauge began. “And judging by your attitude, I don’t wanna know you.”

  Slowly turning his head, Chief gave the Sentry a bored look.

  “But, today is a big day for Recker and Alex. They’ve gone through some shit, and you’re not gonna fuck that up.”

  Chief’s brows slowly rose. “Me?”

  “Yeah,” Gauge glared at him. “You. I can smell how riled up you are, and that shit’s contagious around here. Whatever your fucking problem is, you need to rein it in, or you can just go back to your cabin.”

  Another snort and Chief crossed his arms, declaring instantly, “Take me back to my cabin.”

  Facing forward, Gauge gripped the steering wheel in a chokehold before growling, “Well, I fucking can’t! Monroe wants you at the wedding for whatever reason.” Shooting Chief a sidelong glance, Gauge gritted out, “Probably to keep an eye on you. But I’m telling you, if you start shit at this reception, I will end it!”

  That was amusing. Hell, it even had Chief’s lips curling up at the corners as he turned to grin challengingly at Gauge. “You and what army?”

  Gauge turned and met his look challenge for challenge before loosening his hold on the steering wheel to lift a finger. Pointing straight ahead, he answered in a voice that was low and calm, “That one.”

  Chief followed Gauge’s finger and watched as a line of Sentries dressed in standard-issue head-to-toe black battle fatigues made their way around the outdoor area. A covered pergola was lit up with string lights, and there were flickering candles in the center of each of the two-dozen or so tables.

  Rolling his eyes, Chief uncrossed his arms and jerked his chin toward the windshield. “Just fucking drive and quit being so dramatic. If I wanted to start shit, I wouldn’t wait until some Walker’s dick-loss party to do it.”

  “Dick-loss party?”

  “Yeah,” he smirked. “If he’s been mated, then he’s just been castrated. She owns the cock n’ balls now. He works for her!”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Chief saw Gauge’s hands tighten so firmly on the steering wheel that his bones pressed all the blood from his knuckles. He knew why too. The jab had been intentional because Chief noted instantly that Gauge’s halo was absent, a raised scar in its place. I
t meant that the Skin Walker Sentry sitting beside him was mated.

  “Don’t start shit! I fucking mean it!”

  Gauge started driving, and Chief ignored the Skin Walker’s threat. Taking advantage of the silence, Chief assessed himself. Something was definitely off. His wolf was agitated and pacing just beneath the surface. If Chief were with a pack, he’d send out a warning for everyone to be on guard. He trusted his wolf implicitly, and the beast had never steered him wrong before, but here at StoneCrow, there was no need to sound an alarm. Monroe had his Skin Walkers on alert twenty-four seven, and Chief suspected the Dominant most likely doubled-down his security measures during a Skin Walker wedding, or mating ceremony, or whatever in the hell they called what was going down today.

  The vehicle slowed and then came to a halt. Chief climbed out even as Gauge turned and was giving him one final warning. He slammed the door, effectively silencing the Walker.

  Goddamn Skin Walkers! Thought they were the Creator’s gift to earth, and yeah, they were rare and badass, but Chief’s wolf wasn’t anything to sneeze at. Hell, Beast was so goddamn strong and unpredictable that even though Chief was dominant, he’d never made Alpha. Shifters refused to follow him because he was volatile. Which was fine with him. He didn’t need or want the responsibility of a pack under him. He’d even refused Beta battles because he knew he couldn’t be relied on for that either. His beast liked to battle but not for title or for hierarchy. No, Beast fought for fun and that confused and scared other shifters.

  Now, trying to calm his beast some, Chief locked his eyes on a small bar that was set up on one corner of the all-stone patio. It was a chilly night, almost too cold to be outside, and the sun was just setting. He supposed it looked romantic to the newlyweds and guests, but to him, it just looked like a good night to get drunk.

  Chapter 2

  Breathlessly, Alise snagged a glass of champagne off a passing tray and flashed a smile at the suit-clad waiter. Turning, she took a sip as she eyed the reception area. She was proud of how beautifully everything had turned out. The soft glow of string lights and candles illuminated the space, and the sunset backdrop was perfect. Music played softly in the background, and the wedding guests had mostly all arrived. A round of applause went up, and she turned just in time to see her best friend, Alex, and her new Skin Walker husband, Recker, enter the reception area.

  Mate, she corrected inwardly. Skin Walkers considered themselves mated instead of married. Granted they both meant the same thing, but Alise wanted to get the terminology right so as not to offend.

  Lowering her glass, Alise beamed at Alex and Recker. Cindy and Stoney, the other two bridesmaids, had stayed behind at the ballroom with Alex to get her prepped for the reception while Alise had raced down to make sure everything was perfect. Now, watching Cindy and Stoney flank Alex, Alise tilted her head and wondered if one of them would be replacing her as Alex’s best friend. It made sense. The two women both lived here at StoneCrow Estates, just like Alex would after today. Alise though would be heading back to the city first thing in the morning. The thought sent a pang of loneliness ripping through her. She forced it back and plastered on a fake smile when Alex’s eyes landed on her. Lifting her glass in a silent salute, she was relieved when one of the kitchen staff blocked her from Alex’s view to ask her about the h’orderves. Following to the food table, she was glad for the distraction. She didn’t want her own self-pity ruining Alex’s day. They were so close that she knew Alex would be able to tell something was off if Alise didn’t pull it together. So she did.

  She busied herself with helping the staff with plating and then checked on the bartender to see if he needed anything. She checked on tables and re-lit several candles that had blown out. She flitted around the reception area like a busy little bee, and it worked. She was helping Alex on her special day instead of ruining it, and it felt good.

  Still, busy as she was, she couldn’t ignore the chills that kept blasting up her spine or the goosebumps that periodically kept rising all along her arms. It wasn’t from the cold. She felt odd like she was being watched, but every time she looked around, the only one staring at her was James.

  James was a Skin Walker Sentry like Recker. Alex had been spending a lot of time with him lately. He was Recker’s best friend and the thought of dating the handsome young Walker had butterflies flitting around Alise’s belly like drunk little hellions.

  Another wave of unease hit her just as she tore her eyes from James and it didn’t make sense. If he was the only one watching her then why was she feeling so…so…watched?

  ***

  Three shots of whiskey and two beers deep, Chief set up camp at one of the stone picnic tables just outside of the patio area. Distanced from the lit-up pergola and candle strew tables, he sat in darkness—now that the sun had fully set. The dark suited him just fine. It made it easier to watch her!

  The woman was a beautiful little thing. She was wearing a pretty green dress and had her long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail that showed off the graceful arc of her neck. Her lips were bright red and kept drawing Chief’s attention, almost as much as the one shoulder that was exposed by her dress. There was a tattoo on it of a large blackbird whose wing swept down just beneath her collarbone and across what he could see of her chest.

  Elbows on his knees, he leaned a little closer to study her more intently and almost fell off where he was perched with his ass on the table and his booted feet on the bench seat.

  “Goddamn it,” he snarled quietly and righted himself before his eyes found the woman again. He couldn’t stop staring at her, and he knew she could feel his eyes on her because she kept looking around trying to find the source of her discomfort. That was revealing too because her eyes kept tracking back to James. He knew the Skin Walker Sentry from previous meetings. The guy was okay, a jokester, which Chief never understood, but still okay. Still, his familiarity with the Sentry didn’t stop Chief from shooting James a dark look. It didn’t last long though because his wolf dragged his attention back to her. Watching her wasn’t enough though. Both beast and man wanted a closer look, so Chief shoved up off the table and made his way to one of the empty tables near the bar.

  Taking a seat, he kicked one leg out in front of him in a relaxed pose that belied the tumultuous emotions roiling inside him.

  “Chieftain.” James greeted as he slowly turned from the bar. Facing Chief with a cold beer in his hand he asked, “What’s up, man?”

  The greeting was irksome. They weren’t friends. Chief didn’t have any, and he sure as shit didn’t let people call him Chieftain.

  Chief didn’t even bother tearing his eyes from the woman as he asked, “The woman in green, who is she?”

  “Green?” James asked. “Would we call that green? Seems more like turquoise or no, wait! Amanda calls it teal. It’s her favorite color.”

  “I don’t give a fuck about the color,” Chief snapped. “The woman! Who the fuck is she?” He wanted to ask more specifically what she was to James, but he didn’t. Skin Walkers were just as territorial with their mates as shifters were, but a little hope flared when Chief’s eyes dipped back to the satiny column of the woman’s throat and noted it was absent of halo. She belonged to no Skin Walker, at least not yet anyway.

  “Alise,” James answered gruffly. “She’s Alex’s friend. She’s friends with Stoney and Cindy too, so I’d stop mad-dogging her if I were you.”

  Chief’s expression didn’t falter, his eyes didn’t waver. “Cut the shit. I mean who is she?”

  “What does that even mean? I told you, her name’s Alise. She’s Alex’s friend. She’s the best maid, or honorary bride, or bride fuck friend, or whatever the shit they call it!”

  A pang of disappointment shot through Chief. “She’s human?”

  Beside him, James stilled with his beer raised halfway to his lips. “What does that matter?”

  “It matters.” Chief shoved up from where he’d been sitting. He felt James’ angry eyes
on him, but he didn’t give a fuck. James wasn’t important. She was.

  “Look, Alise is here with me.”

  Chief could scent James’ lie instantly. He didn’t comment on it even as James continued, “And I’d appreciate it if…”

  James’ voice faded into background noise as the woman, Alise, turned from the people she’d been speaking with. Radiant smile beaming from those sexy red lips, her thick, sooty lashes rested on her pale cheeks for just the briefest of moments as she glanced down at the glass of wine in her hands before her eyes slowly lifted. Alise’s gaze landed on James and Chief’s lip ticked up in a snarl when he heard James inhale audibly like her gaze was a caress. Beside him, James started breathing hard before lifting a hand and waving like a dorky fuck face.

  Chief was going to say something, chastise the guy for being uncool, but Alise slid her bright golden gaze from James to him. Before their eyes even locked every hair on Chief’s body was standing on end. Electrified! Then it happened.

  Their eyes collided and Chief went down like he’d been donkey kicked in the nuts.

  Fffffuck! It hurt! Everything hurt! As soon as the searing pain seized him, his incisors punched through his gums of their own volition and flooded his mouth with blood. Still, he kept his head up even as one hand clamped over his abdomen and his breathing turned ragged. The pain was dizzying in its intensity, but he couldn’t focus on himself right now because, across the reception area, Alise went down too. The glass of wine slipped from her hand, and they both dropped together. She must have had the same agony shooting through her too because a pained scream left her parted lips before she even hit the ground.

  Chief’s eyes were locked on where Alise’s supple body arched violently on the ground. Feral possessiveness and a visceral demand for him to protect her tore through him so violently that even through his pain, he shoved up off the ground. Another wave of agony wracked his body, but he pushed through it. He had to because two Sentries dared to touch Alise and she loosed another anguished scream.