by G. K. DeRosa
Wolfish: Moonborne
G.K. DeRosa
Copyright © 2021 Mystic Rose Press
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, Mystic Rose Press.
Print ISBN: 9798746798817
Cover Designer: Sanja Gombar www.fantasybookcoverdesign.com
Published in 2021 by Mystic Rose Press
Palm Beach, Florida
www.gkderosa.com
Created with Vellum
To Mary Ellen, for all the great ideas, honest feedback, late night messaging, and beautiful book photos!
~ GK
Contents
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
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Sneak Peek of Wolfish: Curseborne
Also by G.K. DeRosa
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter One
Smoldering flames set ablaze beneath a warm golden sea.
An elongated snout and fierce fangs etched in the same gold.
A narrow slit showcasing supple lips and the hint of dark stubble.
The vivid images raced through my mind, tightening my ribcage and squeezing my lungs, my heart. Searing pain lanced across my chest, and a sob wrenched free. I sucked in a sharp breath as their weight crushed my insides.
“Sierra! Sierra, wake up!”
My eyes snapped open, jerked into consciousness by a rough shake. “What?” I mumbled and rubbed away the sleepy haze blurring my vision. My roommate’s worried face greeted me.
“Were you dreaming about him again?” Cass asked. “You were crying and shaking in your sleep.”
I raked my hands over my face, and warm tears moistened my palms. Dragging my fingers through my dark hair, I loosed a breath. “I don’t remember.” Lie.
“Whatever it was, it sounded intense.” A male voice drew my attention to the opposite side of our room, to Cass’s unmade bed and the male sprawled across it. Rafe, my roommate’s flavor of the month.
Cass shushed him and sat beside me as I swept away the last of the tears. She brushed an errant lock of hair behind my ear, toying with the deep purple ends. “This is like the third night this week, girl. Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?”
I eyed the warlock across the room and shrugged. “Nah, must be pre-graduation jitters.”
After four long years at the Academy of the Arcane, the torture would finally come to an end. Why torture? My magical colleagues didn’t take kindly to a human half-blood with no powers. Thanks to the Half-Blood Doctrine which declared all humans with supernatural blood must attend academies in Azar to hone their talents, I’d been torn away from my human life at sixteen and sent to live in Maginaria despite not having a trickle of magical abilities. Being a quarter witch, one would think after four years, I would’ve developed at least something. One would be wrong.
The supernaturals had come out of the closet decades ago, but most still lived in Azar while us humans resided in the human realm. Azar was divided into territories based on species, which was how I’d ended up in Maginaria, the land of all things magic. There were also territories for the vampires, shifters, angels and oh my!
Cass must have read the anxiety on my face because she threw her warlock booty call a pointed look and motioned to the door. “I’ll catch up with you later, Rafe.” The tall male unfolded his long legs and shimmied into his jeans before tugging his shirt over his head.
I watched in silence, ogling the finely sculpted warlock because it was easier than focusing on my best friend’s face. After four years, she knew me too well. She knew the images that kept me up night, that plagued my nightmares and starred in my daydreams.
Dragon Boy.
The door slammed shut behind Rafe, drawing me from my musings to Cass’s eyes. The lively hazel was dim, and her pink lips curved into a pout. “I’m worried about you, Sierra. It’s been four years, and we’re graduating tomorrow. You have to get over this guy. You might not ever see him again.”
As if once a year had been enough. I’d met Dragon Boy my first day at the academy almost four years ago. I didn’t even know his real name for an entire year. She was right though. My obsession with him was borderline psychotic. And now that my time at the academy was coming to an end, the dreams had intensified. As if my subconscious knew our time was up.
“I know, I know,” I muttered. It had been nine months since I’d seen him last. The first day of the school year, also coincidentally, my birthday. I’d spent my nineteenth birthday at the annual academy masquerade ball pining over a ghost. The night had come and gone, we’d fought, and like always, he’d disappeared at the end.
“Let’s get some breakfast.” She rose and forced me up with her. “I’m famished.”
I tipped my head up to meet my best friend’s eyes. Cass wasn’t exceptionally tall, but at five foot nothing, I was cursed to look up at most people. “Of course you are. You and Rafe must’ve worked up quite an appetite after last night.” I waggled my brows, and she laughed.
“I’m sorry! Did you hear us? Sometimes I lose focus, and it’s hard to keep the shield up.”
“Yeah, I know,” I muttered and made a gagging sound. “It’s the one spell I wish I could’ve mastered.” Hell, who was I kidding? I wish I would’ve mastered any spell. But no, I was destined to be magic-less. Which to be honest, I was okay with. Now that I’d proven myself to be no risk to the humans, I could finally return home per Azarian rules.
Cass steered me toward the bathroom, and we each took our place at the double vanity. She pulled her long, curly blonde locks into a bun as I secured my dark hair back with a tie. The deep purple tips bounced between my shoulder blades. Reaching for her toothbrush, she gave me a smile, but it didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, Sierra.”
A pang of sadness streaked across my chest. “Me too. I’ll even miss your dramatic sex sounds.” Humor, it was a shield. I’d met Cass my first day at the academy when she’d declared we’d be best friends. She had been right. Not everyone at the school had been entirely awful, but she was my only real friend. The Coven was a rigid hierarchical society, and the academy was no different. Cass came from a lowly caster coven, only a few steps above a half-blood like me. She’d taken me under her wing, and we’d survived. Barely.
Cass spat out toothpaste and rolled her eyes. “Someone had to have fun for the both of us.”
“Touché.” I frowned at my reflection as I brushed my teeth, my odd lavender irises staring back at me, and considered my pathetic dating history. Despite Cass’s lowly witch status, she’d still man
aged to get her pick of the male population at the school and I, by association, had many chances as well. I’d tried dating in the beginning, but I never felt that spark.
Nothing like with Dragon Boy.
“So is your mom coming tomorrow?” she asked.
“Nope.” I hoped my voice came off less dejected than it had in my head. In four years, my mom hadn’t come to visit me once. Before I’d left home in North Carolina, she and I had been inseparable. I never knew my dad and had no siblings, so it had always been just her and me. For the longest time, I thought she was mad for leaving even though it hadn’t been my choice. When she was given the opportunity to move to Maginaria and refused, the hurt rang deep. I still hadn’t forgiven her. I dropped my toothbrush back in the holder and plastered a smile on my face. “How about your family?”
“They’re portalling in tomorrow. Mom, Dad, and all seven of my younger brothers and sisters. Hope it’s okay that they’re all staying here.” She shot me a wicked grin. “Just kidding!”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I’d be okay with that, seriously. From the stories I’ve heard, your brothers sound like a lot of fun.” I’d never had a big family growing up, and it was all I’d wanted.
“You say that now, but you’ve never had to share a bathroom with four girls.”
“True,” I responded. My friend turned on the shower and started to strip so I headed for the door. “Hurry up, now I’m getting hungry.”
“Be out in a sec.”
As Cass showered, I threw on some clothes, shoving past the plaid uniforms I never had to wear again. And wanted to burn. “Just one more day, Sierra,” I whispered to myself. “And all of this will be over.” As soon as I left, my years at the academy would melt away, like some crazy supernatural dream.
Except for him.
Would he haunt me even when I was far, far away from here?
I shook off the depressing thought and marched toward the full-length mirror. Dragging the brush through my hair, one of the purple tendrils, which perfectly matched the unique hue of my irises, grazed the birthmark beneath my collarbone. The dark patch of skin tingled at the touch. I stared at the odd marking I’d had since birth, and thoughts of my mom flared. I’d caught her staring at the dark patch on so many occasions in my youth, until finally one day she began painting it. Only when she put it to paper, it would come alive—a fearsome wolf head. My mom: the artist, the free spirt.
I traced the shape of the caramel marking, the ear, the muzzle in profile. It did kind of look like a wolf.
Cass burst out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her lithe frame and she dipped into our closet. “You know, I was thinking, we have to do something epic tonight. It’s our last night as roommates and who cares if we’re a little hungover at the ceremony tomorrow, right?”
“Well, I don’t have anyone to impress. What about your family?”
She popped her head out of the closet and waved a nonchalant hand. “Trust me, they’ve seen much worse. My younger brother, Zac, smoked a few too many lila clove sticks when he turned eighteen and lost control of his powers. He stumbled home in the middle of the night and set half of our house on fire. Luckily, my sister, Zoey, heard him and was able to counter his spell.” She chuckled. “Mom and Dad were so pissed. I can’t believe I never told you that story before.”
I couldn’t believe it either. That was a pretty good one. “Okay, so what do you have in mind for tonight? I thought you were hanging out with Rafe?”
She emerged from the closet, fully dressed and waved off my question. “I can always catch up with him later. If I feel like it. You’re my best friend, and you’re who I want to spend our last night at Arcane with.” She chewed on her lip, and I could almost see the gears grinding in her head. “The Black Ravens are having a big grad party tonight.”
I puckered my lips at the familiar coven name. It was one of the largest on campus and home to the biggest b—witch, Davina Spellwright. She was one of the reasons I’d been tortured during my tenure at the academy. The night all the first years were initiated into the academy, I attended my very first masquerade ball. Davina had tripped me on the middle of the dancefloor, and I’d bellyflopped onto the parquet, twisted my ankle and ripped my dress, giving the entire student body a bird’s eye view of my lacey thong and bare cheeks.
After that incident, I’d inherited the name Moon Girl and it stuck. My cheeks still heated at the memories. “I don’t think so,” I finally answered.
As if reading my mind, Cass placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I promise I won’t let Davina mess with you.”
My best friend was sweet, but completely naive. Not only was Davina the queen witch, she was also hella powerful. Cass was awesome, but her witchy powers couldn’t hold a candle to hers.
“It’s not really the epic night I’d envisioned,” I countered.
She nodded quickly. “You’re right. Let’s go off campus then. We can check out one of the new clubs they opened in Midtowne. I can get Rafe to portal us there.”
I eyed my friend. If Rafe showed up, I had a feeling he’d be staying and being the third wheel all night did not sound the least bit epic. But anything was better than risking a chance encounter with Davina. “Sounds good.”
Cass clapped her hands, bouncing up and down on her tiptoes. “We’re never going to forget this night, Sierra Wildstone. Mark my words.”
No truer words had ever been spoken.
Chapter Two
Four Years Ago, AKA The First Time I Met Dragon Boy
“You don’t have to stay.” I tugged at my mini dress and crossed my legs, shifting on the narrow bed. I couldn’t believe I’d ended up at the infirmary my first night at the academy. And with him…
“It’s fine. I want to make sure nothing’s broken.” Warm golden eyes fixed on me through the slits of the gilded dragon mask. Jagged teeth entrenched in a reptilian maw and two pointed horns jutting from the forehead of the disguise sharply contrasted the warmth in his tone. Dragon Boy.
I nodded, forcing a smile, but I was sure it came off wrong. How could I smile when I’d just had the most embarrassing night of my life? The first day at the Academy of the Arcane and my sixteenth birthday, and I’d been tripped in the middle of the masquerade ball, only the biggest event of the year, ripped my dress, exposed my thong and bare cheeks to the entire school and possibly broken my ankle from the fall.
Then there was my masked savior, who’d found me drowning in self-pity, saved me from a flock of mean girls and carried me to the academy healer, where we now sat awaiting her arrival.
I pulled at the mask magically plastered to my face, hoping I could will it off.
“It won’t work,” said Dragon Boy. “I’ve been trying to get this thing off for the past hour. It really isn’t coming off until midnight.”
Just like the sign said when we’d chosen the stupid masks before the ball. I cursed my new friend Cass for dragging me to the ridiculous dance, for forcing me to get excited about the horrible evening. Who spells masks to remain on all night? I’d like to punch whoever had that brilliant idea.
Glancing at the mysterious guy sprawled on the chair beside my bed, I hazarded a quick peek as he stared down at his clasped hands. His entire face and head were covered by the dragon mask so I couldn’t make out the shape of his face, the color of his hair, barely anything. Only those deep golden eyes shone through his disguise along with full lips rimmed by a hint of dark scruff. Hmm…He must have dark hair.
My gaze drew lower, following the column of his neck down to his button-down shirt. Even through the loose-fitting fabric, I could see the powerful form hidden beneath. The wide shoulders, the broad chest that tapered down to a narrow waist and those powerful thighs beneath dark blue jeans.
A swirl of heat unfurled in my core, and I sucked in a breath. That overwhelming presence I’d felt when he found me hiding out in the courtyard was back. His maleness pressing into me. His eyes met mine, molten flames set ablaze
as if he sensed the effect he was having on me. I held his mesmerizing gaze for only a second before its intensity became too much. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and I focused on the slight movement, anything to free myself from his piercing stare. Squirming, I diverted my attention to my bare feet at the edge of the bed.
“I thought you said you had to go soon.” The words erupted from my lips as the tense silence grew denser. He’d mentioned being in a hurry back at the courtyard when he was trying to convince me to have my ankle looked at by the healer.
The ghost of a smile curled his lip as he lifted his curious eyes to mine. “I’m starting to get the distinct feeling you don’t want me here.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not that. I just don’t want you to feel obligated to stay with me or something.” And it’s weird that you cradled my bare ass across campus to get me here.
Dragon Boy leaned forward and his hands rested on the edge of the bed, inches from my thigh. My skin prickled at the near touch. A faint woodsy scent tinged the air between us. “Believe me, if I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be.” Again, that smile.
A horde of butterflies took flight, filling my insides with their mad flapping. “Thanks. I don’t know if I ever said that earlier. When those students were teasing me…”
