Black Moon Rising

Black Moon Rising

Eliza Gayle

Black Moon Rising Copyright © October 2010 by Eliza Gayle All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions. eISBN 978-1-60737-874-7 Editor: Antonia Pearce Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs Printed in the United States of America

Published by Loose Id LLC PO Box 425960 San Francisco CA 94142-5960 www.loose-id.com This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id LLC’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

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Dedication To Dahlia Rose and Dorian Wallace who insisted I had to go with my gut in this story no matter what. And to Jessica Lee for spending so much time and effort to help me clean up my mess. You ladies rock!

Chapter One The distant drumbeat vibrated through Sierra’s body until her sex pulsed with need. Anticipation had been building all day. Standing naked at the window and staring up at the moonless night sky, she couldn’t believe she was actually going through with the ceremony. “You look stunning.” Sierra jerked. “Marek, you aren’t supposed to be here.” She grabbed her robe from the bed and slid her arms into the sleeves. “I can’t help myself, and you know it.” He crossed the room and gathered her in his arms. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered into her ear. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since we last fucked. How can you miss me already?” She laughed, looking up at him. It had been over a year since she’d taken him as an official lover, and she didn’t think she’d ever tire of seeing him. Dark broody eyes tempted her with a constant look of barely restrained heat and aggressiveness. He called to her alpha wolf—challenged her. “Have I ever told you how much I love your dirty mouth?” His lips pressed against hers, and heat flared to life between her legs, tightening her nipples. “Yeah, I know what you like about my mouth, all right.” She bit at his lip, drawing a drop of blood. A low growl sounded in Marek’s throat, which made her grin against his mouth. If they kept this up, they’d definitely be on the floor fucking before the ceremony. She pushed him away, forcing herself to stop despite the moisture between her legs and the aching of her breasts. “We can’t do this now, and you know it. So pull yourself together, wolfie.”

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He growled and glared at her. She loved taunting him with the nickname he hated. That was the thing about male wolves. The more annoyed they got, the more aroused they became, and she’d end up being taken by force. Just how she liked it with Marek. Now Nolan, he was different. Her other lover had the patience of a saint, and no matter how hard she pushed, he always stayed in control. It drove her wild, and he knew it. Damn, how she loved him. A twinge of guilt settled in her stomach, and she turned back to the window. “What is it, Sierra?” Marek stepped close, but he didn’t touch. Even he knew they had to settle down. “I know Nolan understands things have to go this way, yet it hurts my heart to keep him a secret.” “So then speak up. You’re an alpha. You have the ability to rewrite the rules.” She turned on Marek. “Damn it, don’t feed me that line of bullshit. You know if my father found out the truth, he’d not make me the alpha tonight.” Marek softened his expression with a small smile. “Maybe you underestimate him. He may be set in his ways, but do you honestly think he doesn’t understand the heat you withstand?” She pushed past him and settled on the chair in the corner. She didn’t want to have this conversation again. It always ended the same. Tonight was special, and she would not walk away again. “I’ve made my decision,” Sierra began on a sigh. “We will be mated, and Nolan will finally be able to live with us full-time.” Marek didn’t respond, and she refused to look up in question. He would have to get used to his place at her side in public and the fact that her decisions were final. Eventually, she’d find a way to change the rules against wolves and their human protectors from mating, but not tonight.

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Tension grew in the room until her skin itched with it, and the wolf whined inside her. Now it was her turn to deal with the increasing aggression and her need to prove her dominance over Marek. Yeah right. That would be an interesting fight. He gave as good as he got and always kept her on her toes. A soft knock sounded at the door. “Yeah?” The pit in her stomach grew heavier. “It’s time to go, Sierra. Everyone is gathered outside and your father is waiting.” Her father. He’d reluctantly agreed to the change in leadership of their pack on the shaky agreement that Marek and she mate first. In fact, she suspected he knew the truth and was using tonight as a way to force her hand. This was the first black moon since she’d returned to the pack, and she’d known when she came home her father would expect this. Her thoughts drifted to the past and the heartache that lay behind her. She firmly closed that door and stood. The past was the past and needed to stay there. “I’ll be right out.” She offered her hand to Marek. “I guess it’s time for us to go.” Instead of taking her hand, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against his chest, his mouth descending upon hers. Forceful. Claiming. Those were her only clear thoughts as he devoured her, infusing her with emotions and passion that tasted sweet inside her. When he broke the kiss, she stumbled back a step but quickly regained her balance. His gaze captured hers, and she stared into blue eyes dark with need. She wanted to get lost in them. But she and Marek had a duty, and besides, these rituals aroused the wolf to extreme heights and stripped the barriers between lovers away. Exhilarating.

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“Don’t worry. When this is all over, we’ll find a way to make it up to Nolan.” He smiled that rakish, bad-boy grin of his, and her stomach flipped. He loved to stir up trouble. “Yes, we will. Now let’s go.” They descended the stairs, he first with her to arrive last to the gathering. Hundreds of faces stood anxiously waiting her arrival, and Marek took his place among them. Her father stepped forward and embraced her. “You look beautiful tonight, Sierra. Your mother would be so proud.” “Thank you, Father.” She kept her words simple, not wanting to let any emotions loose that would cause her to cry. Tonight was a celebration with no place for sadness. He turned to the crowd. “Let us go.” They filed out one by one in procession to make the trek toward the clearing, a tradition her father held dear, and the pack was more than eager to grant his wishes. Surrounded by darkness, Sierra had no issues with sight, but her other senses still instinctively sharpened. The scent of rich, dark earth tickled her nose, and grass and leaves brushed her feet. The slight breeze in the air swirled around her, the only sound she heard. An entire pack of shifters had a way of bringing the nearby wildlife to a halt. Ten minutes later, she entered the clearing. Sierra took her place a pace behind her alpha and in front of the pack. Her father raised his hands, and everyone dropped the cloaks they’d arrived in until every pack member stood gloriously nude. She too followed suit, and her wolf noticed the difference immediately. Her awareness changed, her eyes grew sharper, and her hearing amplified even more. A swift breeze kicked up, and the scent of familiar humans wafted across her. The

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protectors were in place not far from the circle. They’d have the immediate area surrounded as well as guards placed all around town. Her brain sifted through the various scents until she recognized the one she sought. Behind her, probably less than twenty paces, stood Nolan. The man who had protected her since she’d come of age and been affected by the black moon. Knowing she was vulnerable, even for twenty-four hours, scraped at her pride. However, she trusted Nolan and knew he’d give his life to save hers if it ever came to that. No. She shook the thought from her head. Nothing would happen to Nolan. Not in all her memories had anyone tried to attack her pack when they were vulnerable. The secret of their moon weakness was something they guarded above all else, and no one other than a wolf or their guardian knew the truth. As usual, Nolan’s presence settled her wolf and allowed her to take in her surroundings. The eager adults moving restlessly, the sound of her father’s commanding voice, and the rising lust among the pack. Yes, tonight would be a very good night for Marek and her. “Tonight we celebrate not only the new beginning of a moon cycle that brings us the fertility we seek, but a formal mating.” A gentle breeze moved his long black and gray hair away from his face, highlighting the regal stance he faced his pack with. “A black moon rises only once every few years, so tonight we will usher in a new era.” The crowd in front of them roared their approval as they yelped into the sky. Tonight Mother Nature would smile down on them, and the pack would rejoice in their joining. Sierra allowed her shoulders to relax and the tension ease from her body. For one night, she’d let down her guard in front of the entire pack and prove that to become the new alpha, she trusted in them all. Drums began to beat louder at the edges of the forest, and Sierra swayed in rhythm.

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“Tonight brings new change,” her father continued, “an alpha more than capable of leading us.” More applause and commotion followed. He needed to hurry. The arousal was close, and the wolf wouldn’t wait much longer. “I give you your new alpha, Sierra.” He stepped aside, and Sierra took his place in front of the pack. Her pack now. Her responsibility. “Tonight, I claim the alpha role with all of you as my witness, and I also take Marek as my mate. The one man to stand by my side.” A wisp of anger from behind her crawled under her skin, and Sierra pushed back on it. Nolan understood pack law. Her teeth began to lengthen, and she glanced down at her hands. She didn’t have long. “Join me, Marek.” She didn’t have to wait. He leaped the few feet in one graceful jump and stood beside her. With his comforting heat so near, she watched the man who’d raised her alone move forward again. “Do you agree to this joining, Marek?” her father questioned. “Yes,” he answered simply. His gaze raked over her face, and a molten flush rose from her pussy to her nipples. Sierra growled her approval. The drums thundered, and her father stepped away and disappeared into the forest, leaving Marek and her to finish the ritual. With his duty completed, he would be escorted home. With the transfer of power complete, energy flooded the area as sexual need among them all grew to a frenzy. “Take me,” she demanded. He stalked her, his nose and mouth elongating slightly. She tilted her head in submission, the only time she ever would, and he grabbed her throat with his teeth. Sharp points broke into the skin, and the bite of pain fueled her need. The sweet

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scent of her own warm, thick essence trickling down her neck drifted to her nose, driving her arousal to the bursting point. Apparently satisfied with her show of submission, Marek released her throat and scraped his teeth along her flesh to her shoulder, where he bit her again. Her sex burned for his touch, and Sierra clawed at his back, urging him on. Oh gods, it wasn’t enough. She needed so much more from him. Her hips jerked against his hips as she tried to make contact with her clit. A rumbling laugh sounded from Marek as he pulled his pelvis out of her reach and latched on to a nipple with his teeth. Again, his razor-sharp canines punctured her flesh, and she convulsed under the onslaught of intense pleasure brought on from the pinch of pain. Marek’s large hands spanned her waist and lifted her to him. Sierra, driven by instinct or lust alone, wrapped her legs around his hips. He dug his hard fingers into her thighs as he pulled her closer. He angled her body so the hard ridge of his cock teased her pulsing clit with some light friction. “Not enough,” she growled. He grunted, still latched on to her breast, his tongue bathing the strained and taut nipple. Her wolf clawed at her gut for freedom, and Sierra relaxed enough for her to feel Marek’s dominance. To know that she’d found her mate. Heat burned through her limbs as she gave in to the beast. Her claws extended, and her teeth sharpened while Marek lowered her to the ground. Pine needles cushioned her back, and flames licked at her insides when Marek buried his nose in her pussy. “Mine.” He burrowed deeper, his nose nudging at her clit. Her breath caught in her throat when he spread her puffy lips and thrust his tongue inside her. In and out like he was fucking her. She cried out, and the approving howls of her pack fed her pleasure, infusing her. Marek alternated short jabs with long, slow licks that threatened her sanity.

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His tongue again swiped along her soaked folds from bottom to top before devouring her clit with both teeth and tongue. Sierra’s legs shook with the force of her rising climax. So close. But Marek was too smart for that. He only allowed her to go as far as he was ready to. Rough hands skimmed her belly and cupped her breasts, abrading the tender skin. With a thumb and forefinger, Marek pinched and pulled on her aching nipples. The delicious pain shot through her like a direct electric current to her cunt. He laved noisily at her wetness, her hips jerking every time he got near her pulsing bud. Frustrated, she fisted handfuls of his hair in her fingers and pressed his face deeper. Her opening ached to be filled. Fingers, dick, whatever, it didn’t matter. But if he didn’t fuck her soon, she’d have to strangle him for denying her. Wolves howled around her now, urging him to complete the mating. The pack would wait for Marek to go first, and she didn’t have to look to know they were all very close to losing control. Intense arousal and excitement of the pack filled her nose, driving her closer to the edge of losing it herself. “You taste so damn good, Sierra. I can’t get enough.” His breath puffed over her swollen flesh, triggering a sharp shiver that raced up her spine. Marek’s teeth scraped across her quivering inner thighs, his gaze locked on hers. The golden glow of his eyes gave away the fight for control between man and wolf. The growling grew louder until he abruptly moved, rising over her, and the head of his swollen cock pushed at her opening. “Mine,” he repeated. “Yes,” she breathed. Whatever he wanted as long as he fucked her. With one hand on her shoulder and the other digging into her hip, he thrust fully inside her, stretching her wide to accommodate him. A scream tore from her throat and turned instantly into a howl that her pack returned. “Move, Marek, now,” she hissed. The need burrowed under her skin and ate at her sanity until she thought she’d go crazy.

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Finally, he complied and withdrew until only the tip remained. When she expected him to fill her again, he pulled free instead and flipped her onto her knees so fast her head spun. The strength it took to do that amazed her, and her wolf leaped for joy at the capable mate she’d chosen. With one fierce thrust, he shoved into her eager body, hard muscle creating hot friction against tender tissue. Screams, howls, and chants surrounded her as the pack joined in. Bodies flung together in a frenzy of half-shifted and full wolves fucking every which way they could. The energy they created, driven by pure animal instinct, buzzed around them. Marek rammed in and out, lifting her ass with each forward assault of his cock. A mortal might have been injured by his pace, but she was no human, and she wanted it rough. The rougher the better. Even her human lover understood this. Sierra pushed thoughts of Nolan aside and focused on her new mate. Grunts of pleasure rumbled from his chest, and her own howl of ecstasy followed. Even with the manic tempo Marek set, he still managed to wrap his arm around her waist and burrow his fingers in her drenched curls until he found her throbbing clit. He teased the aching flesh as he pummeled her harder. Gone were thoughts of sweet lovemaking, replaced by pure animalistic rutting at its finest. No wonder she loved the black moon so much. No holding back, no worries, no pleasure too great on this one night. She’d never miss another ceremony if her life depended on it. This freedom was what she craved. Marek could fuck her senseless, because Nolan was watching out for her. The scent of sex wafting on the cool breeze did little to assuage the heat building inside her. Just the opposite. She wanted to see and hear every member of her pack spread their seed tonight. The increase in sexual magic heightened a female’s fertility, and a night like this usually resulted in the conception of at least a pup or two.

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Their pack numbers had held steady for centuries, but in the last few seasons, her father had mentioned a decline. Marek dug his fingers into her hips. “Focus on me, Sierra. Gods dammit, me!” Shocks of pleasure rippled along the walls of her stuffed pussy, running straight to her womb. Her muscles tightened as sensation spiraled through every nerve ending, building to an impossible peak. “Yes, Marek—harder.” She pushed on every thrust, ensuring his cock glanced across her womb. The muscles of his thighs tensed against her buttocks, signaling his own imminent release neared. Sierra’s body spasmed and contracted with a bliss she could barely understand. Louder screams than before erupted from her throat, drowning out all the other noise. Bright lights flashed into her vision as Marek bellowed behind her, his orgasm bursting free on an ear-splitting howl. Heat splashed inside her as her muscles quaked in the heightened sensation from his continued thrusts. All around her, the pack followed suit until the sweet sounds blended into a chorus melody. Wet skin slapped against wet skin, their bodies melding together. “Get the fuck up, now. Dammit, Sierra, can’t you hear me?” Nolan’s rough voice broke through the haze of pleasure, and she swung her head to find him. Confusion erupted. Voices screamed to run. Someone tore her from Marek and swung her over their shoulders. “Nolan?” “Yes,” he answered in a sharp clipped tone as he ran into the woods. Weak as a new pup, she tried to clear her head. Where was Marek? What the hell had happened to the pack?

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“Nolan, stop.” She scratched her claws into the fabric of his shirt. His muscles bunched and flexed underneath her hands, but he didn’t break stride even a little. “Dammit, Nolan, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” “We’re under attack.” That got her attention. “What?” she shrieked. “Put me down. I’m perfectly capable of handling the situation.” “Shut up and let me do my job. We’re almost there.” Fear surged through her at the grim determination in his voice. She might not like it, but he was right. Her heart pounded wildly, but she’d been pulled from Marek for her own safety. She’d not even recovered from mating, so she’d have to let Nolan do what he’d been trained his whole life to do: protect her.

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Chapter Two Jesus. Nolan had known this day could come, but he’d never planned on dragging Sierra through the forest with her naked ass in his face and arousal running down her legs. Nope, this was one scenario no one had ever considered. Duty was one thing; watching his woman fuck like an animal during an ancient moon ritual that mated her to another of her kind had been pure torture. Screams sounded in the distance, driving him faster. Sierra was now the alpha of the pack, and her safety mattered above all else. They had about twenty-one hours and fifteen minutes before she’d regain her strength. Those patrols had better have a damned good reason for letting something, or someone, through the town barrier. The terrain dipped under his feet. “Fuck.” Nolan braced Sierra’s thighs to save his balance. “Let me down. I can keep up with you on my own two legs now.” Sierra scratched though the fabric of his shirt again. His back would be shredded soon if he didn’t put her down, but losing precious time meant the difference between death and life for them all. “Soon. I have no idea what the status of the rest of the pack is, and I’m not taking any chances.” His breathing was rough. He might not have the heightened senses of a wolf, but his instincts screamed in warning that they were still in danger. “Hurry.” She spoke quietly, the sound laced with anger and frustration. “I can’t see anyone behind us.” His blood chilled at the news.

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Marek had been right next to Sierra, and Dave should have been on his heels. Seconds turned into long minutes as he ran toward the safe house. They were close now, and from the lack of sounds ahead, likely the first to arrive. He slowed to a stop and set Sierra on a rock. She kept quiet; they both knew the drill. Sierra nodded in the direction they needed to go, and he tapped his ear in response. When she shook her head, indicating no sounds came from the path ahead, he sighed in relief. Her strength might have been tapped out, but her exceptional hearing and smell were as spot-on as ever. If she heard nothing, then no one was there. She’d once told him she could hear someone’s heart beating from half a football field away, and they were a mere forty feet from touching the back deck of the cabin they’d take refuge in. She pointed in the direction of the house, and he nodded, knowing she was ready to proceed. He hiked his pants leg, pulled a knife from the sheath strapped to his ankle, and pressed it into her hand. He thought for a second she might protest, when she grabbed the handle and held it like she aimed to use it if she had to. Still, as her protector, Nolan went first, his gun at the ready as they moved soundlessly toward the back door. An angry howl split the air, and Nolan swung his head in the direction of the sound. He spared a glance at Sierra, and a slight smile brightened her face. Good to know Marek had survived. Sierra couldn’t answer his call without giving away their position, so they kept moving toward the cabin. A moonless night gave them little light to work with, but it did give them good cover. Once inside, Sierra could find some clothes, and he’d set about contacting the pack to find out what had gone wrong. He didn’t want to think about possible casualties, but it wouldn’t be the first time the pack had been attacked. Although never on a black moon.

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Their only known enemies consisted of rival packs, which usually raided their ranks for females. Seemed every pack lately struggled with the same fertility issue and were always looking for fresh blood to add to the mix. Not tonight. Wolves tended to retreat and hide in the twenty-four hour period of a new moon when their strength was at its lowest. They hated being weak like humans, and a black moon only amplified the problem with intense sexual needs. Which meant only one thing. The attack had come in human form, and only someone familiar with shifter breeding would know about this Achilles’ heel. He swore silently at the timing. Sierra’s first hour as alpha, and she had a shit storm to deal with. He strained to see through the dark. What he wouldn’t give for a pair of nightvision goggles right about now. But he could rely on Sierra to spot any close danger because her vision was perfect day or night. With no other movement or sign of trouble, they moved onto the deck, and Sierra stepped aside for him to open the door. Nolan grabbed the key he’d worn around his neck since the day he’d turned twenty. This was the first time they’d ever needed it for something other than a drill. Maybe after tonight, he’d upgrade the security here to something a little more high tech. At least during the last training exercise, he’d restocked the cabin with double the weapons and ammo and personally checked each and every gun for full functionality. He’d lived by the motto that the devil was in the details his whole life, thanks to an obsessive father, so he never left anything to chance. He ran the protector program tighter than any military group. The cool metal fit smoothly into the lock and turned with well-oiled ease. Nolan yanked the door open and pulled Sierra in with him. In thirty seconds, he had the entrance secure and the few rooms checked to ensure they were alone. Every family had their own hidey-hole, and this one belonged to the alpha. So

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where the hell was Sierra’s father? The call went out over the radio, and every protector would have received the message. “What the hell happened out there, Nolan?” He turned to Sierra, who’d begun rifling through the drawers in the bedroom in search of her clothes. Now that she was safe, he took a minute to look at her. She had scratches and dirt from the forest, and even a few leaves in her hair, yet her pale skin shone brighter than any full moon; and despite their damned situation, his dick twitched in his pants. He’d been forced to watch Marek claim her in front of the whole pack. While he understood the need to do so and the importance of her taking over the reins, his gut had twisted, and he’d ground his teeth until his jaw had ached. He wanted to stake an equal claim. He and Marek had already come to an agreement when it came to their relationship, but for the first time, he felt unsure. Wolves had voracious sexual needs, and many of their emotions were displayed in that manner. Lust, anger, jealousy, you name it, and she got horny. Gave all new meaning to the words makeup sex. The fact wolves tended to be polyamorous in their sexual play bothered him little. He’d grown up in Silverstone, and it had become more than normal; in fact, it was expected. But usually when a wolf mated, a bond formed that no one else shared. They were possessive yet open at the same time. A quandary he’d not quite figured out. “Something or someone broke through the guard,” he said as he stalked in her direction, aggression boiling in his veins. He wanted to claim. To take. And to hell with the pack and Sierra’s status. She belonged equally to them both. Sierra not only shared her body but her affection as well. So why did he need this now? Nolan shook off his thoughts and focused on her.

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“That’s not a good enough answer,” she snapped. Sierra slammed the drawer shut and looked up, her eyes growing wide at the intent she must have recognized on his face. “No, Nolan. Not now.” He grabbed her shoulders and gathered her against him, covering her protest with his mouth. Heat and warmth exploded through him as he speared his tongue inside her. Sweet and earthy. That was the image he got when he tasted her. Her unique flavor lived inside him every day, a constant reminder of the soul-searing effect she had on him. He pressed into the taut muscles of her neck until slowly they eased and she gave in to her baser needs. Tongues tangled roughly as he wrestled her for control. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Sierra gave as good as she got. She threaded her hands through his hair and pulled him tighter. The key fell from his hand when he lifted her off the ground. She wrapped her long, strong legs around his waist as he moved toward the bed. The effects of the black moon would not go away until tomorrow, and even though he knew she couldn’t resist, or maybe because of it, Nolan pushed her onto the bed. He had to have her. Sierra released the grip she had on him and clawed at the buttons of his jeans until she finally freed him. Nolan moaned into her mouth when those slim hands of hers circled his cock and released him from his pants. Goddamn she felt good. She’d managed to keep her thighs locked around him and wasted no time in guiding him to her heated cunt. She rubbed the bulging crown of his cock along her already wet slit. He groaned and ripped free from her lips. “You little bitch.”

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“That’s alpha bitch to you now.” The haughty tone of her voice permeated his senses, driving the need to take impossibly higher. Unable to take another second not a part of her, he nudged at her opening. The pack could fucking wait a few minutes. And yeah, as revved as he was, this would not take long at all. They’d have time for more later. Nolan tunneled inside on a forceful thrust until he was buried balls deep. Fuck, this woman made him crazy. Sierra screamed, and her hands tore at the fabric covering his chest. “You may be alpha now, babe, but you still belong to me too.” He pulled from her sheath and pumped into her even faster. All too soon, the base of his spine already tingled, and his balls drew tight. Not yet. The need to spill his seed and claim what belonged to him rode him hard. “Faster, Nolan. Fuck me.” Nolan bucked violently as she thrashed underneath him, grasping for more of what she needed. He canted his hips and forced his cock even deeper. Her muscles squeezed his shaft, and she met him stroke for stroke. Marek or anyone could walk in on them at any moment, and he didn’t give a shit. The only thing that mattered was ensuring she understood his place in their relationship. “I won’t take a backseat to Marek,” he managed through gritted teeth as he fought to hold on. “Ever.” “Shut up and fuck me. Claim me. Do whatever you have to. It changes nothing. We belong together.” Nolan pushed harder until the bed rattled beneath them and the metal legs scraped across the wood floor. Sweat coated their bodies, and the scent of sex filled the room. He leaned down and growled in her ear. “Time to come, Sierra.” Her nails ripped through the sleeves of his shirt, and her hot pussy gripped him like a vise. “Now!”

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“Damn you!” A loud scream followed her words, and he pistoned faster in and out of her, his movements rougher on every stroke. Pressure built in his balls as her muscles pulled on him, urging him to come. Unable to hold back, Nolan’s mind exploded into nothingness, and his release poured into her. He buried his face at her neck, groans escaping unbidden. Emptied of seed, he still couldn’t control himself as he dry humped her through a second orgasm. The sensation of her coming apart underneath him pulled the strings nice and tight around his heart. Damn woman with her hot body and even hotter pussy. There would be no denying anything she ever wanted. He may have been forced to claim her after their narrow escape, but who the hell was he kidding? She’d laid her claim on him a long time ago. “You are insane, Sierra. We’re never going to be able to keep this a secret.” He unlocked her legs and rolled next to her on the bed. Sierra twisted in his direction. “We better get up. We’re about to have company,” she whispered. “What?” He jumped to his feet and stuffed his dick back into his pants. “Relax. I’m pretty sure it’s just Marek.” She teased him with a seductive smile that pulled at his groin. Nope, he’d never get enough of her. “Still…considering the two of you got interrupted, I don’t imagine he’d be happy to find us fucking right now. Besides, we’ve got to get a handle on the intruder situation.” She sat up, the playfulness erased from her features. “Tell me exactly what happened.” “I don’t know much yet. A call went out that there was a breach in the perimeter. Someone blasted their way through the guards stationed at the edge of town.” “Wolves?” He shook his head. “Not that I’ve heard. It would be highly unusual.”

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“Agreed.” Sierra stood and dressed quickly. Seconds later someone pounded on the door. “Well, at least your hearing is still sharp.” He turned and started from the room when a clock went whizzing by his head, the displaced air brushing his cheek. “Good thing your aim’s off, though.” “My aim’s just fine, you damn smart-ass.” A quiet chuckle rumbled in his chest. He loved his woman all riled up. Hammering on the door again disrupted his thoughts. “I hear you already.” “Then hurry and open up. What the hell are you doing in—” Nolan unlocked the door, then wrenched it open. Surprisingly, Marek was already fully dressed with a gun strapped to his side. Nolan grabbed him by the neck and dragged him inside before poking his head outside and surveying the surrounding area. “Where’s your protector?” “I sent him to help find the alpha—I mean Sierra’s father.” “What do you mean find him?” Sierra strode into the room, worry shining from her eyes despite the fresh-fucked look on her face. Marek’s eyebrows quirked, and he glanced Nolan’s way. Nolan shrugged, not wanting to go there. It was more than obvious what they’d been doing. “We found Dale unconscious about one hundred yards from the ritual site. All he remembered was walking behind your father when they’d left the clearing, and then the next, waking up with us yelling at him. He’s got a big-ass knot on his head, and it’s pretty obvious someone’s snatched your father. Probably thought he’d grabbed the alpha, since no one outside the pack knew about the transition taking place tonight.” Sierra stalked to the wall cabinet, yanked the doors open, and started flipping switches. “Moon weary or not, we’re going after him.”

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Every muscle in Nolan’s body went rigid at her declaration. “Now hold on a minute,” he demanded. “You can’t leave here, and you damn well know it.” He’d follow protocol if he had to drug her to do it. She turned on him with a snarl, baring her teeth. “New management…new rules. Get used to it.” Sierra pivoted back to the radio and tuned to the emergency channel they’d all prepped for. Nolan wasn’t sure he was prepared to follow her orders when it came to her own safety, but damn if she didn’t look hot in charge. She pressed the mic key. “Status report. Now.” “Who is this, and why are you on this channel?” Uh-oh. “This is your new fucking alpha, and I said report.” Warning growls erupted from her throat. “I—uh, we don’t know yet. We’ve found three unconscious protectors and now have three missing pack members. Last report on the intruder, or intruders, was the initial report.” “So you’ve got nothing.” It was not a question. “I’ve got every available man on the hunt. We’ll find them.” Sierra slammed down the microphone and reached for a pair of boots. “What do you think you’re doing?” Marek demanded. She didn’t look up until she’d finished dressing and moved toward the door. He stepped in front of her and blocked her path. Like it or not, she wasn’t leaving. “Get out of my way, Nolan,” she seethed. “We can go together, or you can stay behind. It doesn’t matter, but I’m leaving.” She shouldered past him until he twisted and grabbed her arm. “I don’t think so.” While he too cared about her father and the rest of the pack, he had one priority. Her. “I’m not letting you wander around out there when we don’t even know what we’re up against.”

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“Dammit, Nolan, now is not the time to get all he-man on me. I am responsible for what happens to the pack now, and I won’t sit idly by and do nothing.” Her eyes blazed bright and hot, and he didn’t doubt she’d meant every word. “That’s too bad, because you aren’t going out, and tonight of all nights, you don’t have the power to override me. Maybe you’ll kick my ass tomorrow, but not right now.” She glared at him, her lips curling back into another snarl. “He’s right, Sierra,” Marek interjected, “especially now that you’re alpha. Your responsibilities have changed, and now you have to delegate.” For a minute, Nolan thought she’d try to make a run for it. The tension radiating from her was almost palpable. A long few minutes passed before her shoulders eased and her stance relaxed. “I don’t like this,” she whispered. Nolan released her arm and wrapped himself around her. He wasn’t sure he liked it either. Not the her being safe part, but the new being alpha. Their relationship was bound to get complicated, and like it or not, they wouldn’t stay a secret for long, no matter what she thought. There were already more than a few pack members growing suspicious. “You need to take a few minutes and remember everything your father has instilled in you all these years. Especially the information he’s passed on over the last few weeks. It’s time to trust in the pack and the guardians you’ve helped train. Nolan runs a tight ship, and you know it.” She nodded, her breath warm against Nolan’s chest. Marek had a way of reasoning with her when she wanted to go off half-cocked. It was an important trait for an alpha wolf mate. “Nolan, are you there?” The loud squawk of his walkie-talkie sounded at his hip. He grabbed it and keyed the mic. “Yeah, I’m here. Please tell me you have something.”

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“Yep, we sure do. The intruder is in our custody.” “Only one? Has that been confirmed? What about the missing pack members?” He sent Sierra a hopeful look. “No, just the one guy so far, and no sign of our pack. So I’m guessing we’re looking at a team, but so far, this guy’s not talking.” “Is he human?” “Uhh—yeah, I think so.” He didn’t like that response. “Place him in a holding cell in town, and when we feel certain of Sierra’s safety, I’ll be down to interrogate him. In fact, I don’t want anyone trying to talk to him unless he volunteers information about his group or what he wants. Capisce?” “Yeah, Boss. But I think you’re going to want to get down here as soon as possible.” “Why’s that?” A pit formed in his stomach. He had a feeling he wouldn’t like the answer. “I don’t think we should discuss it over this channel, but he’s demanding to speak to the alpha.” “Yeah, I’ll just bet he is.” Nolan fingered the knife he also wore on his belt. Violence welled up in him at the intrusion on Sierra’s big day. Even though he’d been excluded, her happiness and safety meant more to him than anything else. “Tell him when he produces the missing members, we’ll consider his request.” “Will do, Boss.” Nolan hooked the walkie-talkie back to his waist and wandered to the front window. Last year, they’d installed bulletproof glass, so there was no worry of a stray gunshot. But outside these walls a lot of factors couldn’t be controlled. “Nolan, you need to talk to him,” Marek insisted.

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He shook his head. “I don’t leave Sierra’s side until all is secure. You of all people know this. When the black moon passes and your waning power restores, we’ll go. Until then, none of us leave here.” Silence filled the room, heavy and thick. He couldn’t imagine having the power they did, and having to deal with a day every month when you were as vulnerable as any human. They could still take up arms and fight the good old-fashioned way. Guns and knives worked well too. Unless of course they were dealing with other supernaturals; then things could get sticky. Hence the bunkers and warded cabins. “I doubt anything is going to happen to our pack members. The retribution would be swift and deadly.” Sierra spoke quietly, an edge of steel in her voice. His woman was a little scary when she got like this. They needed to distract her before she lost too much of her legendary control. He didn’t want her getting hurt. Nolan left the window, secure in the fact nothing was amiss around the property. “You need to relax.” “Didn’t you already try that?” The smart-ass tone in Marek’s statement didn’t really surprise him. “What did you think was going to happen? I’d pulled her away almost before you’d finished. The scent of sex covered her, and it doesn’t take a shifter’s enhanced senses to smell it and get aroused. Hell, on one level or another, we’re all pretty primal at times.” “Were you jealous?” Worry crossed her face. “It’s not that simple, Sierra. I understand duty, and we all got involved with our eyes wide open. But watching the ritual is magical, and even humans aren’t immune to that much sex magic. I didn’t want to stop you. I wanted to join in.” Sierra stepped forward until she was close enough to touch. “It’s like that for the pack, but stronger. So compelling nature won’t allow it to be denied. If I’d

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thought for a second you could participate, I would have been thrilled. I wanted more.” She held up her hand to stop Marek’s protest. “No, Marek, don’t get me wrong. I always enjoy when either or both of you love me. But in the ritual, when we were being mated, I wanted more. Nolan was missing, and I felt it. So did the wolf.” Sierra pressed her lips softly to his mouth, her tongue stroking the seam, freezing Nolan where he stood. Marek moved in behind her and bent his head to her neck. The brown waves of his hair ruffled across her smooth skin. Damn, this was so not the time for this, but someone needed to tell his dick that. It pulsed and swelled along with the raging need coursing through his blood. Sierra gave new meaning to the saying, “zero to sixty in seconds flat.” Nolan grabbed her waist and ground her pelvis into his, the hard ridge of his cock nestling against her soft belly. One day, hopefully soon, a baby would grow there. Technically fathered by Marek, since their DNA didn’t match up to a human’s, but they’d already discussed it, and somehow, someway, they would be a family unit. His head buzzed with sex and pent-up energy. He needed to question the intruder who’d ruined her special night, but he wanted to fuck her again. Doing the right thing was sometimes too damned hard. Maybe a few more minutes… He deepened the kiss, shoving his tongue into the silken warmth of her mouth. A groan slipped out, swallowed by their urgent kiss. She grabbed his arms and pulled him even closer. They weren’t going to be able to stop soon. Nolan wrenched his mouth free. “We shouldn’t do this.” “Why the hell not?” Marek argued as he latched on to the back of Sierra’s neck. A vivid red mark had bloomed in the curve as a result of Marek’s earlier bite. “Because we have a prisoner that needs to be interrogated, and I’m having second thoughts on waiting.”

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“But you said it wasn’t safe for Sierra.” “Dammit, don’t talk over me like I’m not even standing right here,” Sierra growled. “Nolan is right. If the guy is human, I am perfectly capable of defending myself. Why do you think Nolan has made me train every day since I was sixteen?” “Fine.” Marek pushed away from her, the look on his face like that of a sullen child who’d lost his toy—or a shifter still in the grip of an interrupted sexual frenzy. “Get ready to go. We leave in five. Marek, you’ll find any gear you need in the chest over there.” He nodded in the direction of the cabinet secured to the wall before he headed to his private safe behind the door. He needed to get out of this room. The pheromones rolling off the two of them were off the charts. They were either going to fuck nonstop for the next twenty hours, or he was going to take it out on a human who somehow knew things he shouldn’t. And truth be told, that worried him. Who in the pack or his squad would dare? He mentally ran through every member one by one, eliminating the ridiculous and categorizing any potentials who might have cause for leaking information. Nolan pulled rifles from the safe and checked they were loaded and ready. The same with the pistols. None of them would step outside unarmed. His mind logically processed member after member until he’d temporarily escaped the pull he felt from Marek and Sierra. He took comfort in the scent of gun oil, the cool metal, and the raw power in his hand. They couldn’t afford for him to be distracted. The pack alpha meant everything to him, and he would never allow someone to hurt her. Except that one time. The voice of old memories pulled at him. Made him think of a past better left forgotten. They’d both gotten over it—moved on. So why was it nagging at him now? His gut twisted. He’d done what he’d had to. His job was to do the right thing, no matter what the means or the cost. Duty was everything.

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Chapter Three Sierra examined Nolan carefully. So much controlled anger and violence inside him that he kept on a tight leash. She’d known him for as long as she could remember, yet the nagging sensation that he harbored secrets never fully went away. Without a doubt, she trusted her life in his hands. He loved her fiercely and with devotion, yet he pulled away if anyone pushed too close to the dark side of his nature. It had to be a human thing. He may not be of their kind, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a different type of primal beast inside of him. Some of those instincts he used now as he prepared to face an enemy. Whoever dared to breach her land would end up very sorry indeed when he got his hands on them. Thinking about the pack, she bent and strapped a knife to her calf. It bugged the hell out of her to have to rely on cold-blooded weapons, but at the same time, they gave her a sense of security when she least expected it. She brushed her pants down until the straps were covered. She’d never had to fight to the death as a human. How would it feel to bury a knife in a man’s throat or belly if he threatened her life? Sierra bit back a smile at the image. As if Nolan and Marek would let anyone that close to her. She stood up and nearly knocked into Marek. “Jeez, scare me, why don’t you?” “What’s wrong? Are you nervous?” “Nervous for the pack. I can take care of myself, but not everyone has had the same training.” She busied herself with the pistol at her hip.

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Marek’s hand cupped her chin and tilted her head to meet his gaze. “Everyone is accounted for except the three. The pack is safe. And we will get your father back.” “I know we will.” Her spine straightened, but she doubted that Marek missed the sheen of tears she desperately held back. “It’s okay to be afraid. No one expected this of you on your first day as alpha.” “Yet, here we are.” She couldn’t hide the bitterness threatening to choke her. “We’ll face it together, and when it’s all said and done, you, Nolan, and I are going on vacation, even if it is only in our own woods.” She smiled. Marek, the most fun loving of the three, or at least the wildest of them. Sierra studied him closely. Dark chestnut hair curled around his ears and nape. She rubbed her fingertips together, remembering how it felt wrapped around them: thick and soft, much like his pelt when he shifted. Her gaze lifted to his face, falling on hazel eyes that glowed amber when he got aroused or angry. It didn’t take much to bring the wolf to the surface, but Marek was as easily subdued as well. He was a complete contradiction in wild and calm. His loyalty and intelligence made him the perfect wolf mate. Together, they could encounter any issue with the pack head-on and come out on top. A slight shiver rippled across her skin, her nipples hardened, and pressure built between her thighs as the beginnings of fresh arousal flamed inside her. When his nostrils flared she realized he’d taken notice of her heightened state. “We have to rein it in. There’s a job to do.” He spoke calmly and quietly, the best way to settle her wolf. The slightest aggression right now, and she’d be on him so fast their heads would spin. Heat flooded her vagina at the images she couldn’t control. Need coursed through her. “It’s time to go.” Nolan’s clipped military voice sounded behind her. She bared her teeth at Marek in response, daring him to do the same. One sign from him was all she needed.

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“No. We have to go.” Sierra threw back her head and shook her hair. Fine. She’d find another outlet. Maybe they’d get lucky and would come across someone in the woods. She needed a snack. Nolan went first. He had the sharpest human instincts, despite Marek’s and her superior hearing and smell. Out on the porch, she sorted through the familiar scents of the forest. Leaves, dirt, and wildlife. Now that she’d recovered from the mad rush of adrenaline during their escape, she picked up a trace of something foreign, but it was faint. “Definitely human but not fresh. They’re gone,” she stated. “Yeah I figured that. The right tactical move would be to wait until whoever you were working with was in the clear before you surrendered. I don’t think we are dealing with someone stupid. Not in the purest sense. Whether he realizes the extent of what he’s tangling with remains to be seen.” “Agreed.” Sierra followed Nolan down the steps and into the woods. They moved quickly, only stopping to ensure no one else remained in the vicinity. Within thirty minutes, they’d made it to the edge of the forest nearest the sheriff’s office. The area crawled with people. Nolan’s squad of protectors had turned into an armed military unit that was ready for anything. On the nights of the black moon, Sierra had given little thought to what went into their jobs. The primal change in their bodies always took precedence Even now, standing at the edge of the tree line and looking at her small town scrambling to maintain control, only half of her focused. Her wolf was more attuned to the trickle of liquid soaking through her panties. Since when did men in uniform with guns get her so excited? “Sierra, you need to settle down before we go in there.” Marek was at her side. He understood the distress she fought, because he too was affected. “It’s not a great idea for her to be here for long.”

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“You’re doing it again,” she growled. “Doing what?” “Talking about me as if I’m not standing right here. I know perfectly well what’s going on and how much I can handle.” Marek shrugged and shut up. Thank gods. Nolan grabbed his walkie-talkie and raised it to his mouth. “We’re here.” “What do you mean you’re here? Where?” “We’re holding back at the edge of the forest until you give us the all clear.” Just then, a piercing howl filled the night air from the direction of the sheriff’s office. What the hell? Instinct overrode good sense, and Sierra took off at a dead run. Marek and Nolan shouted behind her, but she sprinted harder. Who or what was in her jail? Men looked wildly in her direction, and the dirt spewed around her as she ran. She might not have her shifter power, but even as a human, she moved faster than others of the pack. At the door of the jailhouse, two men blocked her way. Sierra growled low in her throat. “Let me by.” “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we can’t. We have our orders.” They shifted nervously, hands on their hips. “You’ll either move or I’ll force you out of my way.” She wasn’t sure if she could follow through on her threat, but if she unleashed her claws and teeth on them, she’d manage a lot of damage before anyone stopped her. Another howl ripped its way from inside the building and sent a shiver racing down her spine. “Move,” she commanded once more. One of them glanced over Sierra’s shoulder and then slowly moved out of her way. Obviously, Nolan and Marek had caught up with her. Inside the sparse waiting area, three men whom she recognized were on duty.

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“Sierra, you can’t go in there. We don’t know if it’s safe,” Nolan reasoned. “Why the hell not? Isn’t he being detained in a cell?” “Yes, but…” She looked over the guards. Sweat beaded on their forearms, and their gazes darted everywhere but her face. They were nervous, and it had something to do with her. “Sierrrrrrra.” The cry came on a long howl, and she stepped back at the pain in the throaty sound. “What the…?” Nolan moved in behind her. “Report now.” The apparent leader glanced nervously at her again. “Oh for fuck’s sake.” Sierra shook her head. “Whatever it is, just say it already.” She’d reached the end of her patience, and she wanted an answer now. “He’s a changeling.” Sierra’s heart stuttered, her breath clogging her lungs. This was so not happening on her first night. “That’s not possible,” she whispered. “Sir, you should probably talk to him. He’s been trying to tear the place down since we brought him in, and that howling… It’s been driving us all mad.” “What does he want?” They all looked in her direction and spoke in unison. “Her.” Something familiar nagged at Sierra’s memory as she tried to puzzle the situation out. No changeling she’d heard of had ever survived the change process. “Sierra, I think you should stay here and let us go in.” Marek moved to stand in front of her and she scooted out of his reach. “No. If he wants to talk to me, then I aim to find out why. Even if he’s a changeling, and I do mean if, I imagine all this firepower can handle the situation.”

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She walked away, not bothering to wait for a response. If a half man, half wolf had disrupted their ritual and taken her father, she’d see what he had to say right before she kicked his ass across town and put him down. Three steps later, Marek and Nolan caught up and moved in behind her. Bars rattled and growls grew louder as she walked the length of the hall. For one person, he sure made a lot of racket. Their footfalls echoed loudly in the enclosed space. He must have heard them, because the noise came to a sudden halt, and then he spoke. “Sierra?” Her step hitched at the simple question. He’d spoken as if he knew she was coming, as if he was familiar with her scent. Her own nose flared, sorting through the various aromas of the facility. He did smell familiar, although the wolf was not as strong as she expected. At the end of the long hallway, she spotted hands gripped around the cell bars. Human hands covered with hair and extended claws. Another shiver worked its way through her. “I’ve been waiting for you,” the deep voice stated with an unnatural rumble as she neared. Sierra glanced through the containment bars and the long waves of jet-black hair tumbling beyond his shoulders captured her attention. Tall and broad, he must have stood at least six feet four. Her gaze moved to his face. A thick beard disguised much of his features, but when her eyes met his, the striking intensity of the blue unnerved her. “Still beautiful as ever. The years seem to have been kinder to you, though.” The soft words did little to hide the sharp sarcasm in his voice. “Do I know you?” He seemed familiar, but how would she have encountered a changeling and not known it? The wolf was evident in every way. Sight, smell, and the raw power emanating from him. “Leave it to the princess bitch to forget a man as soon as she’s done with him.”

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“That’s alpha bitch now, and if you don’t mind, I’d rather not play games. Tell me who you are and what you want.” “I’ve come for you. Haven’t you realized that yet?” Both men behind her tensed, and she held up her hand to stop them. Sierra forced her lips into a half smile. “Then why take others? If it’s me you want, let the other pack members go, and you and I can hash this out.” “You mean your father?” Anger bubbled up, but she tamped it down. She wasn’t about to let this asshole get the best of her. “Okay, obviously you know a lot about me, so how ’bout you go ahead and tell us what you really want, and we’ll see if we can come to some sort of agreement.” Something about the way he pierced her with his cool gaze tugged low in her abdomen. He seemed so smug in his knowledge of her, so why couldn’t she remember him? When it came to people, she had a photographic memory. “You really don’t remember me?” A menacing growl accompanied his statement as he stared her down. His tongue darted out and licked his lips like a wolf licking his chops, waiting for a meal. For all she knew, that’s exactly what he had in mind. She took stock of his clothes. Dark denim pants, worn and frayed, a large loose polo shirt stretched over the broadest chest she’d seen since… Her head jerked up, and she searched deep in his eyes. The same ice blue. Her gaze lowered. The same sharp, straight nose leading to full red lips that she’d nibbled on night after night in his dorm room bed. Oh dear gods. She stumbled back, her hand holding her belly as if that would stop the churning. This couldn’t be happening, but the self-assured look in his eyes was all the proof she needed. “Cole?” she whispered.

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“There ya go, sugar. I knew you remembered.” The familiar term of endearment ripped through her heart, and the barrier of emotion she’d walled away when he’d left her naked and crying in the woods crumbled into ash. “But you’re a…a—” “A freak?” he supplied. She shook her head and turned away from him. This wasn’t possible. “That’s right, Sierra. I’m now a freak of nature, and it’s all your fault.” The silence in the room threatened to choke her as all eyes turned to her. “What kind of bullshit is this?” Marek marched forward, and Cole swiped at him, slicing the fabric of his shirt in two. “I want this room cleared now,” Nolan yelled. “Dale, you get everyone, and I mean everyone, out of here this second.” He grabbed the guard by the shirt and yanked him forward. “You and your men surround the perimeter, and no one gets in or out until I order otherwise. Do you understand?” Dale looked pale and nervous. “Yes, sir.” When he didn’t turn immediately to go, Nolan shoved him toward the exit. “I said now.” Whispered voices and shuffling feet sounded through the station until the last of the men vacated the building. Sierra couldn’t speak. What could she say? She understood nothing. “As for you.” Nolan moved toward Cole, looking every inch the predator he was despite being human. “I’d hoped we’d seen the last of you.” “You know him too?” Marek moved in Nolan’s face. “Of course I do. You think anyone comes in contact with Sierra without my knowledge? Don’t be stupid, Marek. It’s not becoming.” More growling erupted from Marek. If Nolan wanted to tease the wolf, then let him deal with the consequences. She glanced sharply at Nolan in question. Sierra

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had really believed she’d managed to keep Cole a secret. She’d only gone to him late at night, and not once had she sensed Nolan anywhere near them. “How?” She had to know. “Wolves aren’t the only ones with instincts, Sierra, and when the woman you’ve learned inside and out is having sex with someone, you know. You may be different, but you aren’t always superior, and someday that arrogance will cost the pack everything if you don’t learn the lesson.” “While I enjoy watching this little tête-à-tête, which is mildly amusing, it’s wasting time and has nothing to do with what I want,” Cole interrupted. “And gentleman and lady, right now, it is all about what I want.” Icy heat ran through Sierra’s veins at his words. On the one hand, he was an intruder who’d kidnapped her father, and the other, her college love, a man she’d vowed to forget. Yet faced with him, she wanted to melt into a puddle of lust. “Fine, Cole. What do you want? My patience and resources have limits, so choose your demands wisely.” Sierra stiffened her spine and refused to look at Nolan or Marek, who surely knew her body betrayed her. “My demand is simple, Sierra. I want you to finish what you started.” Her pulse raced at the image of biting him, of sinking down onto his thickened cock and taking her pleasure however she wanted it and biting him. Getting rough during sex was normal, but to do so with a human on a black moon would bring the pack down on her and everyone she loved. They’d demand he be destroyed. “Fine, whatever you want, then. Where’s my father and the other men?” “Sierra, wait.” Marek grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She turned on him with a snarl, teeth bared. “I am your alpha now, and you won’t be second-guessing me.” She reached for her knife as she prepared to fight for her way if she had to. Damn him. Hurt flashed through his eyes for a brief moment before his spine stiffened. Marek stepped back with his hands raised in surrender. She spared a glance at

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Nolan, and the hard edge in his gaze boiled with anger, but fortunately, he said nothing. She turned back to Cole, attempting to shield her emotions as best she could. The only three men she’d ever loved in this world stood in this room, and her instincts screamed it would not end well. “I’ll do it, but we’ll have to be quick. Your arrival happens to coincide with the black moon, and honestly, it’s the only chance there would be any effect. It requires dark moon magic and sex.” She met his gaze and held it, letting him search for the truth of her words. Although having sex with him would be far more dangerous for her than he could imagine. “I have your word as alpha?” Damn, he knew how to play dirty. “Yes, as alpha I will give you what you want in exchange for the freedom of our pack members and your promise to not attack any member of my pack again.” After a few long-drawn-out seconds, he nodded. “Someone hand me a cell phone.” Nolan handed Cole his phone and pulled Sierra to the side away from the cell. “Are you fucking crazy? I’m not letting you have sex with him and try to turn him full wolf. No way. Not. Ever. Gonna. Happen.” “This is not your decision. It’s mine, and if you don’t shut up and watch my back, then you can spend the rest of the night in one of these cells.” He grabbed her arm and hauled her closer. “You’re alpha to the pack, not me, and if you ever threaten to lock me in a cell again, I’ll show you exactly who’s in charge here. But hell, if you want to fuck him and then get yourself killed or banished, fine…go right ahead. Who the hell am I to stop you?” He released her, but her biceps still burned from his grip. His words sliced through her as sharp as if he’d stabbed her. She almost looked down to check for blood.

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“Tell me how much you knew, Nolan. Were you aware every time I met him? Did you follow? Did you watch?” On those dark nights when she’d thought Cole and she were all alone, she’d let down her guard and had gotten close to a man who didn’t belong to her pack. More than close—she’d fallen in love. “You are my duty, and you were away from Silverstone. That made you vulnerable.” He spoke with less heat this time, yet fresh pain bloomed inside her. Cole’s rejection had ripped a hole in her heart she’d barely recovered from, and to know that Nolan had borne witness to it made it all the worse. “And the bite.” She moved close, lowering her voice. “Did you know?” Finally, his head dipped as if he attempted to evade her question. She cupped his chin and jerked him back until his gaze settled on hers. “Tell me.” Sierra narrowed her gaze. “Yes.” She dropped her arm and let resignation wash over her. They’d both known and walked away without a thought to what had become of Cole on that moonless night. He’d crushed a young girl’s dreams, but she’d come to terms with the loss a long time ago. “Then don’t question again my motives for helping him. He rejected the wolf, but it gave me no right to do what I did. It’s time to pay for our sins.”

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Chapter Four Cole narrowed his eyes and focused on Sierra whispering partway down the hall with her big, pissed-off bodyguard. He remembered him well from their college days. Cole had seen him following her around campus like a puppy dog—or pit bull maybe, ready to strike out at anyone who got too close. She’d insisted on keeping their relationship secret, and he’d opted not to press her for more information. He was barely twenty at the time, and he’d met a young woman with an insatiable sex drive and a distinct taste that bordered on the rough side. As far as he was concerned, he’d died and gone to heaven. Thanks to the vicious bite the bitch had left him with that final night, he’d heard their words perfectly. Seems the sexy little alpha was as hot as ever and feeling guilty enough for another fuck. Good. Every second of every day since she’d run, his body had burned for her. His dick pressed hard against his zipper even now as anger wrestled the arousal. Soon, very soon, he would have his revenge, and hopefully this would all be over. “Release him,” she shouted down the hall to the wolf still standing near the cell. Teeth bared, eyes glowing yellow, the angry wolf stared him down. “Like hell I will.” “Marek,” she said, the name rumbling from her throat, a clear warning to do as she ordered.

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“How do we know he won’t hurt someone?” The one she called Marek turned toward Sierra and crossed his arms over his chest. “We can’t put the pack at risk like that.” She took a few steps in their direction. “The pack is locked down and safe. You and I are the only wolves anywhere nearby.” She turned toward Cole. “Is your plan to hurt or kill anyone here? Think about your answer, because I’ll recognize the smell of a lie, and then you can rot in here until I’m good and ready to deal with you.” “That kind of talk gets my dick hard, baby.” He sneered, then licked his lips. “Is this our foreplay?” Some unnamed emotion flickered through her eyes for a split second before her face went blank. “Insulting me isn’t going to change anything. You don’t want to answer? Fine.” She turned and walked away. Damn woman had nerves of steel and a spine even stronger, and dammit, if she didn’t still turn him on like he was twenty. “There is no plan to cause anyone physical harm,” Cole grumbled. “There. Is that what you wanted to hear?” He fisted his hands around the bars, peering between them. She kept walking, and his gaze zeroed in on a tight, compact body that swished when she moved. She was all arrogant sexuality. Damn, he was screwed. Marek strode quickly behind her, catching up in only a few strides, while he remained locked in the cell. When they were all out of sight, Cole allowed his head to fall forward and his forehead to press against the cool metal of the bars. Heat raged through his blood and threatened his sanity from her lingering scent alone. By day, his anger festered to a near madman level, and by night, when his guard lowered in sleep, he dreamed of Sierra. Despite everything he’d tried, his need for her had grown to epic proportions, and he’d used those emotions to fuel the trials and tribulations of the changes his body had undergone.

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Hair had grown where there’d been none before, every sense he’d possessed had tripled, and his sexual urges had grown even darker. He’d fucked other women when he couldn’t stand it anymore, but it only made him worse. He was convinced only Sierra could soothe the beast inside him, and he’d do whatever it took to gain her submission. Unfortunately his lucid moments were becoming fewer and fewer, and he suspected he didn’t have much time left. Heavy footsteps sounded in the hall, and keys clanged together as they dangled from one of the men who’d dragged him in here in the first place. “I guess she’s letting your sorry ass out, but for the life of me, I can’t imagine why.” The guard shook his head, then unlocked the door and opened it an inch. “Don’t think you’ll get away with hurting the alpha or anyone else in this town. No changeling has ever survived, and I don’t see you being the first to do so. So move slowly, and I’ll follow behind with my gun trained at your head. Is that understood?” Anger surged through Cole, but he schooled his features into a smooth mask. He wouldn’t let some lackey get the best of him when he was this close to the prize. “Sure, whatever.” He shrugged. The Billy Bob redneck yanked the door the rest of the way open, and Cole stepped outside. He’d allowed them to capture him, but he still breathed a sigh of relief. Being caged, even at his own desire, had made the wolf claw at his insides, daring him to do something. Luckily, seeing and scenting her again had worked like a switch in calming the beast. How long it would last he had no idea, but the last few months had gotten so bad to where he’d started to have periods of memory loss. He’d wake up somewhere strange with no idea of what had happened. It definitely wasn’t a good sign. He needed her now more than ever.

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They approached the outer waiting room, and Sierra and her two goons stood silently by the door—each one looking more pissed off than the other. He had to bite back the smile at the turmoil his appearance had created. “So what now, Boss?” She rolled her eyes at the term “boss,” turned on her heel, and stalked from the station. Oh yeah, gaining her submission was going to be a damned fun challenge. Sierra may think she knew him from the past, but the boy she bit in college was long gone. He followed her out into the clear, dark night and cast his eyes to the sky. He’d guess they had about four hours before sunrise. Once the sun rose over the horizon, the cycle of the new moon would be over, and if his information was correct, his opportunity lost until the next lunar cycle. He sure as hell didn’t want to wait anymore. “Where are we going?” “Into the woods. Where we can have some privacy. Don’t be so stupid as to think we will be completely alone, though. I managed to order Marek and Nolan not to accompany us, but they won’t be far.” “You don’t believe in a bed?” She ignored him. He took two steps and caught up with her. “So what’s with the double bodyguards? Being alpha of a pack this far out in the middle of nowhere that dangerous?” “They aren’t my bodyguards. Well, Nolan is kind of, but Marek is my new mate, and he’s not too happy that you interrupted the mating ritual.” Cole faltered a step as burning jealousy boiled in his gut. Mine. “You have a fucking mate? How is that possible? I thought wolves only mated once. You bit me, damn it.”

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She looked at him then. Hard eyes that still swam with emotion made him step closer. Gods, if he didn’t touch her soon, he was going to go out of his mind. “I was mad, Cole. Rejected. Remember?” She sighed, her shoulders lowering. “I bit you in anger, but I never meant…this.” She waved her hand in front of him. “Well, too bad, babe, ’cause this is what you got. Besides, I don’t know what you expected to happen when I found out my girlfriend was a werewolf.” Sierra winced, and a stab of guilt twisted in his gut. He didn’t have to be such a bastard, but years of bitterness had built to this, and old habits died hard. “We don’t really think of ourselves as werewolves, but if the term works for you, that’s fine. I’m more interested in what happened to you and how you feel. No one’s ever survived the change without going feral.” “Feral’s a good word for how I feel sometimes. I’m prone to bouts of unbearable rage and a hunger I can’t get satisfied.” Her head jerked up, and their gazes locked. Heat flared, and his erection grew. The scent surrounding them changed as he picked up the distinct aroma of a woman aroused. “It’s the black moon,” Sierra said, running the palms of her hands over her arms as if she was chilled. “Our sexual urges are damn near impossible to deny.” “The what moon?” Maybe she blamed their attraction on the phase of the moon, but he suspected more. “The black moon. It’s the second new moon in a month and only happens every few years. Sexual magic is stronger than at any other time, and it’s the only night a mating ritual is accepted in the pack.” “And the night you bit me?” Blood roared in his ears as he waited for her answer. Her head bowed, and she looked down at the ground. “It was a new moon but not a black moon. A bite from a shifter on any new moon does have an effect…but we aren’t mated.”

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Cole dragged air in and out of his lungs in an attempt to calm his erratic breathing. “Then why am I about to die if I don’t get my hands on you?” “Cole, there is so much you don’t understand about us. A mating with one doesn’t prevent a bonding with others. Oftentimes when two wolves mate, it’s very much an exclusive relationship. They might not be able to stand the touch of another, or the male is so possessive over the female that another male around her will only cause a fight. It’s not a one-size-fits-all type of relationship between wolves. Especially not with an alpha.” Sierra stepped back and leaned against a tree, giving them both some space so she could explain. “My father was a one-woman alpha, and because of that many of our old traditions fell away. With the exception being on the night of the black moon. On a night like this, pretty much anything is fair game. We could have sex ten times tonight and still not be satiated.” “What kind of alpha are you, Sierra? Are you like your father?” If she said yes, then everything he’d dreamed of would be for nothing. “No, I’m not,” she whispered. “I have two lovers.” “Nolan and Marek.” The sound of their names coming off his own tongue was about as pleasant as acid burning in his gut. She nodded. “All of this is beside the point. What matters now is what will happen to you. If we go through with this, you could end up far worse than you are now.” “I doubt that.” He scoffed. “Trust me. It gets worse.” He took three steps forward until his body pressed into hers. “I don’t trust you.” A soft sigh fell from her lips, the warm air caressing his face. “If this goes south, I won’t have a choice.”

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His dick pulsed against her hip. “You’ll kill me.” It wasn’t a question, and she didn’t answer. He bent forward and scraped his teeth across the soft skin of her neck until she shivered underneath him. “I’ll take my chances, because I can’t keep going like this. Almost every time I close my eyes, I wake from a fitful sleep with the scent of you filling my head. Only it’s not the way I remember you. It’s like you smell now”—he stroked his tongue over her bared flesh—“sweet and earthy with a primal undertone that calls to me.” “It’s the wolf.” Her voice trembled. “I suppose Nolan and Marek are going to want to kill me after this. Will seeing my hands on your body make them want to tear me limb from limb like I feel at the mere thought of them touching you?” He brushed down her neck, his fingers warm and sensual. “It’s not them you have to worry about.” She grabbed at his shirt, and the sound of ripping cotton tore through the air. Then nails—no, claws—scratched at his chest and stomach. Her scratches drew blood, adding a tangy sweet aroma to the mix. He noticed an unmistakable change when her eyes glowed yellow and she growled low in her throat. He wanted her naked and underneath him—now—but she clearly had a different plan. Sierra shredded his shirt, then ripped the fabric from his body, flinging it away. She dipped her head and nuzzled the skin around his nipple until her teeth scraped over the sensitive nub. Cole threw back his head and howled in pleasure, her sounds joining in. He couldn’t think past the roaring in his head and the pounding pulse of his cock. Even with her fingers fumbling with the button and then the zipper of his pants, he couldn’t react. This was exactly how he’d dreamed of her. The woods, the sounds, the scents, every detail the same. Where was his anger? The outrage he should feel?

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His hands fisted in her hair and forced her head back until their gazes met. A low growl rumbled up from her chest. His only warning to let the alpha have the lead or else. Just this once, he’d let her have her way. He needed her experience for the ritual since he had nothing but hearsay to go on in regard to how to complete his change. “Fix this, Sierra. If anyone can, I know it’s you.” She snarled in response and released his dick. She’d already undone his pants, and when she yanked them down, he helped her by stepping out of them. For a few minutes, they stood frozen while her gaze raked up and down his body. The pause at his cock made him smile. She may have started this out of some perverted sense of duty, but now she wanted him as bad as he did her. Sierra grabbed at her clothes and yanked the soft T-shirt she wore over her head and tossed it to the ground. Gorgeous tits that would fill his hands perfectly captivated his vision. Tight, puckered nipples stood out begging to be touched. God, what he could do with those. His mouth watered. When she bent over and removed her pants, blocking his superb view, he wanted to cry out in protest. He fisted his cock and pumped the hard length, waiting. Precum oozed from the head and slid through his fingers. “Stop,” she ordered in a gravelly voice that didn’t quite sound human. She brushed his hand away and squeezed around him herself to the point where pleasure edged into pain. “Either we do this my way or we stop.” Wind rustled through the trees, carrying a fresh scent, reminding him that somewhere close by Nolan and Marek watched over her. He wanted to know if they seethed with jealousy or if watching Sierra fuck another man turned them on. They obviously didn’t have a problem with sharing her between themselves. When the wind blew harder, he swore he heard a howl in the distance. Sierra shoved at his chest, catching him off guard, and he landed on his ass on a soft bed of pine needles. With barely a snarl as warning, she pounced, knocking him on his back.

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“Just remember you asked for it.” The slick folds of her warm cunt moved across his dick, torturing him. His hips bucked of their own free will as his crown nestled at her opening. He ground his teeth, and his jaw locked as he waited for her to move. Her juice trickled down his shaft, lubricating him further and burning him alive. Tension coiled in his stomach as he fought the instincts to take over, to pull her down and impale her. Fuck, he couldn’t take this much longer. When he thought he would break, she slammed down his length, taking all of him in one fast and furious stroke. Without giving him a second to breathe, Sierra pulled up until only the tip remained sheathed in her tight warmth. “You’re about to find yourself flipped on your knees with my dick buried in your backside if you don’t stop teasing me,” he whispered through gritted teeth. “Try and make a move like that against me, and you’ll find yourself on the ground with your throat ripped out.” Sierra clenched around him, a vise so tight she stole his breath. Not once in his entire life, even when he’d fucked Sierra in college, had he thought he might pass out from pleasure. But this was too much. She’d forced his submission, instead of the other way around, and teased him mercilessly with it. And he’d never felt so much pure fucking joy in his life. A familiar tingling sensation erupted at the base of his spine. She was going to make him come like this. With only the head of his cock inside her. His balls tightened, and he willed it to stop, but nothing worked. “Dammit, Sierra. Don’t do this to me. Fuck me already.” She ignored his pleas and squeezed her vaginal muscles tighter. Claws pierced his chest, the pain heightening his pleasure as cum rushed through him. Seconds later he spasmed inside her, spurts of semen filling her. Her hot mouth settled over the original spot where she’d bitten him, and then suddenly her canines pierced the flesh. A second wave of ecstasy ripped through

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him. Everything around them fell away as Cole dropped into an abyss of nothing…and everything. Pleasure and pain. Oh God, what had he been thinking?

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Chapter Five Sierra sucked on his shoulder as her body burned with desire. If she’d thought the black-moon rituals were intense before, there was no comparison to this. She had to maintain control of him and their coupling, or one or both of them would be in danger of getting hurt. But she burned… She couldn’t do it. She was too weak. If he didn’t fill her and stretch her now, she would go insane. Sierra sucked harder and slammed her body down, impaling herself on him. She moved at a furious pace, his groans loud in her ear. Up and down. More. She had to have more. His flesh scraped against her tender nerves, sending new frissons of ecstasy shuddering through her. Her muscles squeezed and spasmed around his length. The longer her mouth remained fastened, the hotter they both became, and the more she needed. No one talked about this. If they did, they’d be trying to turn humans every chance they got. She rode harder, faster, the uncontrolled movements rubbing roughly against her clit. Body-numbing pleasure built in her womb, and her mind spiraled out of control. More. Harder. Harder. Cole moved wildly underneath her, hands digging into the flesh of her ass, which gave him the traction to move her faster than even she could hope for. In a distant fog, she thought she heard voices and sounds crashing around her, but fragments of light had begun to explode in her head. Someone grabbed her hair, yanking her head back, but she fought against it to maintain her hold on Cole.

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“Get his legs and hold him down, goddammit, before he tears her into pieces.” The body beneath her bucked and thrashed, but she wouldn’t let go. Couldn’t… The pleasure. “Jesus, Sierra you have to stop. Enough already. Come on, baby, listen to me. Come back to me.” Was that Nolan? Why did he seem so far…yet right there? She loved Nolan. He liked sex rough and always gave her a good fight for control. Yes, control. That seemed so important. Her movements slowed, and her limbs grew heavy. She’d lost count of the orgasms. Even Cole had finally stopped fighting, and his moans were long and low instead of wild and frantic. “That’s it, Sierra. Focus on my voice. Let go of Cole and go to Marek. Let him care for you now. I’ll take care of the pup. You go on now.” The little slice of steel in Nolan’s voice got through. She loved that. The “I’m really not a nice guy sometimes, but you know you can trust me no matter what” voice. Her teeth slid from Cole’s flesh, and she licked away the warm blood. He tasted hot and sweet, an exceptional flavor she wasn’t likely to forget anytime soon. “There you go, baby.” Marek’s voice now, right at her ear. “Come on. I’ve got you.” Arms slid around her, lifting her up and free from Cole’s body. A cold shudder ran through her before Marek curled her into his chest. Warm fur tickled her nose and cheek. “You are a handful. You know that, woman? You’re going to make one hell of an alpha, but we’ll be lucky if I stay sane. He could have killed you if Nolan and I hadn’t been so close.” He nuzzled his nose into her cheek. “I’m going to have to spank you for that later.” Mmm. Warm, playful, and safe Marek. He even made punishment sound fun. “Are we going home now?”

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“Are you crazy? If your father saw you like this, he’d end up in a blood rage that would likely leave you mateless. No, baby, we’re going back to the safe house so I can patch you up and get you all cleaned up. And after you’ve slept this off, we’ll see what happens.” He brushed the hair from her eyes and stroked a finger along the curve of her cheek. “What about Cole? Is he going to die?” “Too soon to tell. Nolan is going to stay with him.” “Nolan?” Panic swept through her. “No, no, Nolan will kill him.” “He’s the best we’ve got right now. The rest of us need to get inside and rest.” Too exhausted to retain her train of thought, she clutched at Marek’s neck as blackness descended. “Please don’t let Cole die. I need him…”

*** Sierra fought for consciousness. Through a thick haze and a dragging weariness, she began to surface. Before she could open her eyes, the rough touch of fabric scraped over tender nipples, and she groaned into the blanket. With much care, she moved her arms and removed the offensive covering. Cool air rushed over her heated skin, and she did her best to ignore the soreness of her aching muscles. What the hell had happened? “Nice to see you’re finally awake.” Marek’s steady voice brushed over the last of her defenses, and she cracked one eye open against the bright light of the room. Her parched throat prevented her from answering him, but damn, someone needed to turn down the sunlight streaming through the window. “Here. I’m sure you need this.” He passed her a bottle of water, and she eagerly took it. Squinting her eyes against the harsh light, Sierra sat up, chugged the entire bottle, and handed it back to him. “How long have I been out?” She winced at the rough timbre of her voice.

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“Almost fifteen hours.” Marek stepped close and offered her a robe. “You might want to consider using this before you leave the room. We aren’t alone.” Instinct clicked in her brain, and her senses sharpened, focused on the usual as well as the unusual. The scent of Marek overpowered the bedroom, but once she filtered him out, Sierra immediately picked up on Nolan’s faint smell followed by the strong scent of her father. “Jesus, Marek. Why is he here? What happened? The events of last night are still a little fuzzy.” “Relax. You don’t have to face him yet, if you don’t want to. He’s been worried about you and refused to leave. Your father’s going to want to see you’re okay, and I imagine an explanation for what happened.” “What did happen?” Sierra wrapped the soft, fluffy white robe around her body, and Marek’s hand settled on her shoulder. “Why don’t you take a bath first, and we can talk alone in there,” Marek began. “He’s going to smell the changeling all over you, and I don’t think we want to start our day off by dealing with an enraged wolf.” Changeling… The word tumbled through her memories. The ritual had been interrupted, and she’d confronted—the night came back in a rush—and she’d… Her butt hit the mattress, and she glanced up at Marek. Fortunately, his eyes didn’t shine with sympathy like she’d expected. Knowledge and understanding maybe, but she didn’t imagine anyone was thrilled with her at the moment. Such was the life of an alpha. She had to make the difficult decisions and deal with the fallout later, and boy, was this one going to have some fallout. “How many people know?” “Me and Nolan, a couple of hunters, and I’d be damned surprised if your father hasn’t pieced it together. He’s been grilling me for hours.” “Is Cole…? Is he…?”

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“No, Sierra, he’s not dead. Nolan has him sedated and hidden, but it doesn’t look good.” “Then we’ve got to get to them.” She jumped up and searched for her clothes. “I need to know what’s going on.” Marek grabbed her shoulder and turned her around to face him. “Cole is sedated, but you reek of him, and unless you want your father tearing this town apart looking for the changeling, you’ll take my advice and get cleaned up.” For a moment she stood still, her body vibrating in a war with itself. Torn between asserting her dominance, no matter what, and listening to her mate. Marek was a smart man. A unique blend of human intelligence and wolf instincts that he somehow managed with a level head. As good as he was at sex, it was the combination of the two that had led her to choose him as her wolf mate. Now, she needed to relax and let him soothe her wolf and remember again why she cared for him. “You’re right, of course.” Although she doubted this was all about her father. He’d tried to hide the sneer when he talked about Cole, but she’d seen the subtle change. “I’m glad you agree. So come on. I’ve been expecting you to wake, and I’ve already got everything ready.” “And if I didn’t?” “Then I’d have dumped you in the tub after I turned off the heater jets.” Despite everything, she couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, that’s more like it.” He walked into the adjoining master bathroom, and she trailed behind him. Suddenly, the hot soothing jets of the gigantic sunken tub sounded really good. Her muscles would definitely thank her later. Plus, she’d have more time to get Marek to fill in the gaps. True to his word, the water tumbled roughly, and he’d even scented it with vanilla. Was he worried about her father catching Cole’s scent, or did he have an

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issue with someone other than Nolan touching her? She’d created quite a mess, and it might take a miracle to get her out of it. “I’m not sure what I did to deserve you, but right now I’m feeling very grateful.” “You should. I had to give up a lot of other she-wolves begging for my attention,” he quipped. Sierra halfheartedly punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t go ruining it with your tall tales.” “Who, me?” She stepped into the water and sighed with deep pleasure. Nothing like your own private hot tub to wipe away your aches and pains and even some of what worried you. “I’ve been strung pretty tight for weeks.” “And now, things are more complicated than ever.” Marek followed her into the tub and settled behind her. Heat seeped through her skin as she leaned into his chest, settling her head along the curve of his shoulder and arm. “I love you, Marek,” she whispered. “But?” “No but. Last night was our big night, and I regret I didn’t get to tell you then.” Silence, other than the water bubbling, surrounded them. Marek’s hands traced circles on the smooth and flat expanse of her belly. His lack of response concerned her, but his fingers continuing their path distracted her from the seriousness of the situation. When he dipped low and into the patch of curls that covered her sex, her heart rate accelerated, and a soft gasp fell from her lips. In the blink of an eye, he’d woken her wolf, and she wanted more. “My father is in the house,” she hissed through slightly parted lips. “Then I think you should be quiet.”

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“But—” “No, Sierra. As your mate, I need this, and my wolf demands it. We can hash out the details later.” His thumb brushed over her clit, and her hands grabbed at his thighs. Who was she kidding? When Marek touched her like this, she had no resistance. The entire pack could be in the next room, and she couldn’t stop him. The primal instinct he roused in her won out every time. Thick fingers parted her lips and delved into the eager flesh of her pussy. The sensation of rough skin thrusting across tender created an immediate friction that raced up and down her spine. She dug into the muscles of his thighs, and her hips ground against his hand. Admittedly, Marek knew her body inside and out and always pushed her to the brink in a quick flash. Water splashed violently in the tub as he pumped his arm, and she met each thrust with a push of her hips. Delicious pressure coiled low in her stomach, the ecstasy of release building to an inevitable conclusion. A sense of urgency swelled inside her that wasn’t going to stop. “Oh gods, Marek. I’m going to come.” Her body tingled, and sparks of sensation raced through her. “Dammit, Sierra.” He withdrew from her. “Get on your knees,” he growled. Too stunned to speak, she allowed him to grab her around the waist and flip her over the edge of the tub. Her nipples rubbed deliciously across the cool tile while he parted her thighs and plunged his cock deep inside her wet pussy. Wow, he’d lost control, and she loved it, even if it was fueled in part by anger. He pounded into her without mercy as she scrambled to grab something for leverage. Water sloshed across every inch of her, and she screamed for more. “Yes, mate! Yes!”

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Marek grabbed at her hair and exposed her neck. He obviously wanted to reclaim her submission. She snarled back at him and met his thrusts with a push of her own, her animalistic passion answering his. Pleasure strung her higher as bottles and jars crashed to the floor. With the energy in the room flying around them, she could have sworn the walls shook as well. None of that mattered with the wild sensations building inside her. “Faster, Marek. Faster.” “You’re so hot. So tight. I can’t control the wolf when I’m inside you.” His words broke the tether holding her back. Her body exploded, ripping a scream from her throat that turned into a howl. Her pussy squeezed violently around Marek’s shaft as he continued to fuck her senseless, drawing yet another orgasm from her. Sierra squeezed her eyes tight, unable to prevent her animal shrieks from filling the room. Marek grunted and plunged deep, his cock swelling inside her. He howled in ecstasy as the forceful bursts of his cum bathed her sensitive womb. She rested her forehead on the cool, wet tiles surrounding the bath and breathed heavily. “Wow. So much for being quiet.” “Are you okay?” Marek’s hands soothed her back, but he didn’t withdraw. He’d swelled inside her, and they would need to wait a few minutes before he pulled out. “I’m great. More than great.” His lips brushed against her lower back. “I don’t normally lose my mind. I prefer a little more finesse.” “I like my sex wild at times. You know that.” “That’s what Nolan’s for.” She laughed softly. “I’ve got both of you, because I’m insatiable.” “There’s no doubt about that.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and squeezed. “But you and Nolan have been holding out. Keeping secrets.”

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The pain in his voice seared through her. Marek had waited until he had her at her most vulnerable before he’d brought it up. Why had she not seen the punch to the gut coming? “I had no idea what had become of Cole. I fell in love with him in college, and when I told him the truth, he threatened me. He was scared of me, and I was angry. I bit him.” Sierra closed her eyes at the memory of Cole’s fear. She’d trusted him with everything, and he’d turned on her. Marek eased from her body and slid back into the water. She didn’t know what to say. For a while, she’d expected Cole to show up on her doorstep or worse, but when he didn’t, she did the best she knew how and put the past behind her. “Why do you need him?” “What?” She swung around to face him. “What are you talking about?” “Last night, before you passed out on me, you said you needed him.” Marek’s features were a stone-cold mask, but the heat in his eyes gave him away. So that was why he wanted her submission again. He’d not understood how she felt or how that affected his place in her life. Sierra sank into the heated water and gave herself a few minutes to get her emotions under control. Being questioned bristled against her alpha nature, but the woman in her understood his need to assert his role. “What he is now is of my making. I need to fix it. Whatever it takes.” And what of Cole? So many years had passed and he’d been half beast and half man for all that time. She could only imagine what kind of emotional damage that might have caused. “Your father and Nolan will be waiting.” Marek picked up the sponge and her favorite bodywash and began washing her arms. She wanted to sink into his lavish attention and forget the last twenty-four hours. In a rare weak moment, guilt pulsed through her. Marek did not deserve

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this. But she was alpha now, and the mess was her responsibility. She would be the one to clean it up. “Well, it’s not as if my father doesn’t know what’s keeping us. I think probably the whole town might have heard.” He chuckled. “I think they’re used to it by now.” “Oh, you.” She punched him in the shoulder and pushed him away from her. Time to step up to the plate and take care of business. She stood, allowing the water to run down her body. Goose pimples rose across her flesh from the sudden change in temperature. Sierra grabbed a towel and stepped out of the hot tub. “Let’s go, lover. I think we’ve kept them waiting long enough.” She turned away before Marek stood and distracted her with his nakedness again. The man had a way of making her forget everything else when he entered a room, but she couldn’t afford another distraction. She had a price to pay, and it wasn’t going away.

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Chapter Six Nolan paced the concrete floor, getting more impatient by the second. He needed to wake up Cole and check on his vitals, but he wanted to wait until Sierra arrived. There was no telling what his frame of mind would be, and she had the ability to calm him. Lying on the cot, Cole looked exactly like he did the last time he’d seen him at Sierra’s college, except without the pithy anger. The outrage that he’d somehow been duped. Just seeing him again brought the memories flooding forward.

*** “What kind of con are the two of you playing?” he’d demanded. “Look, asshole, I don’t agree with what she’s done. By telling you who she is, she’s put us all in danger.” “I don’t give a shit about you or her.” “Well, if you value your life, you’d better start thinking twice about everything you do from here on out. Her secret gets out, not only will you have me to contend with, but the rest of her family. And trust me, Cole, when I say you’ll be a lot better off if I’m the only one you ever meet.” “I really don’t care what kind of watchdog you are. You’re both a couple of freaks.” Cole rubbed mindlessly where Sierra had bitten him. There hadn’t been much blood, so even with his limited pack knowledge, he doubted there was any physical danger. Had he not acted like a complete asshole, they’d have stuck around for a while and made sure.

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He’d tried to warn him. Let him know his life depended on his ability to keep their secret, but Cole only saw the bloodred rage of betrayal.

*** Nolan scrubbed over his face and turned away from the disaster lying on the cot. God, why hadn’t Sierra followed the rules? And what did this recent change mean? Supposedly, a human couldn’t be changed. He’d heard the few stories about feral changelings being hunted and put down. The basement stairs creaked above him, and Nolan moved to a defensive position. He shifted his hand to the butt of his gun resting on his hip, and he waited. For now, Cole was his responsibility, and he’d make sure no one hurt him. For now… “Nolan, it’s me,” Sierra called out. His tense shoulders loosened a fraction. Finally. Sierra swept into the room with Marek right behind her. Her signature scent filled the space, and the man on the cot stirred restlessly. Whatever part of the wolf resided in Cole had awakened and wanted his mate. Great. Nolan ground his teeth and turned tired eyes to his woman. He’d eventually seen the wisdom in sharing her with Marek. Politics not only required it, but Marek helped soothe the wolf inside her. He was no psychologist or even a medical doctor, for that matter. But for a long time after she walked away from Cole, Sierra had been overly aggressive, and to say that spilled over into her sex life was putting it mildly. Sharing her with the likes of Cole, on the other hand, made him ill. “What’s happened? Any change? Is he awake?” She rushed over to the corner and placed her fingers on Cole’s neck. “No. Every time he’s awakened, he’s come up fighting. I’ve had to keep putting him under.”

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Her gaze shifted to Nolan. “Guess that explains your worse-for-wear expression.” She smiled. He didn’t want a smile from her. He needed a hot fucking shower and his equally hot woman underneath him. That’s what it would take to work through some of his issues and the mind-numbing aggression. “He’s on his third dose of tranqs, and he’s already stirring after only an hour. He’s either adapting or his wolf has grown stronger and scented you when you walked in the room.” “He’s feral?” Nolan didn’t love the hopeful tone in Marek’s question. He had enough guilt tearing him apart and wasn’t about to make the call that led to Cole’s certain death. “Now hold on. Let’s not jump to any conclusions. We’re going to wait until he wakes up, and I’m going to try and talk to him.” “Sierra, honey, I’m not liking this one bit. I don’t think the alpha should be down here in case something goes wrong. Why isn’t he in a more secure location?” Nolan’s sharp gaze turned to the newcomer, and Sierra growled low at her father, startling him. The former alpha, being a smart man, took a couple of steps back. His gaze darted between Nolan and Marek. Nolan shrugged and feigned innocence. He’d known her feelings for the college boy ran deep, and now seeing him like this probably tore her to pieces. Not that she’d ever admit it, though. “Sierra, he’s right—” Without thought, he stepped between Marek and Sierra, protecting her wishes. “Nolan, you’re overstepping your duties.” The admonishment from her father did little to change his mind even if he was right. But she was more than just his protectee, and in light of the night’s events, that information wouldn’t be held for long.

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“Father, leave him alone. You’ve trained him well over the years, and no one serves me better. He only wants to protect me.” “Protect you from your own mate? That’s overstepping, and I won’t have it.” Hot rage began a slow burn in Nolan’s gut. He clenched his jaw in an attempt to hold his tongue. “Nolan isn’t just my protector anymore.” “Sierra, no!” Marek and Nolan both yelled in unison. “What are you saying, young lady?” The expression on her father’s face gave a clear warning. The question may have been directed at her, but Nolan felt the surge of anger thrown in his direction from his head, down to the tips of his toes. Oh boy, this would not go well. “Exactly what you think. What you’ve suspected. I’ve loved Nolan since I was a little girl and have been his lover for years now. He, Marek, and I have a relationship, and it’s not going away just because Marek and I have officially mated.” Her father’s face turned a scary shade of red, and Nolan worried he’d fall dead of a heart attack if they weren’t careful. He twisted to Sierra and lowered his voice. “Maybe now isn’t the time to get into this. Don’t we have enough problems already?” Nolan nodded in the direction of the cot. She turned to find Cole sitting up and awake, calmly watching the scene unfold in front of him. “Oh don’t mind me. This little play-by-play is fascinating.” Cole smirked. Sierra ignored his sarcasm. “How are you feeling? Any different?” “If by different you mean no longer desperate to get into your pants despite everything, then nope, not different.”

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Sierra blushed a bright red, but Nolan knew better than to think it had anything to do with being shy. She had no qualms about what he liked to call “werewolf fever” in any company unless it was among humans not in the know. No, his hot little firecracker was getting pissed and nearing the edge of her tolerance level. “How about we all take a step back and start over? In fact, maybe we should consider this discussion after we’ve had a chance to talk to our changeling here.” “What the hell is a changeling?” Cole asked. “It’s someone who’s been bitten by a shifter and has started to change, but the process didn’t complete,” Marek offered. “So, this happens often enough to have a term for it, yet you left me to deal with the repercussions on my own?” Nolan gripped the butt of the tranq gun hanging from his waist. He’d allow this to play out as long as he could, but he’d be damned if anyone hurt Sierra. “Cole, try to stay calm,” Sierra began. “Part of your issue is anger and your system being unable to process the larger volumes.” Sierra touched Cole’s shoulder in an attempt to smooth out his emotions. “Honestly, Sierra, do you think I’m that naive—that stupid? I’ve had some time to deal with this, to experiment, and I know exactly what I can handle and what I can’t.” He stood and towered over her. “But if you really want to see what I can do, keep placating me, and well, we’ll see then, okay?” “Wait,” the former alpha interjected. “Am I understanding that you are accusing Sierra, my daughter and alpha of the Silverstone pack, of being the one who bit you?” Suddenly, the temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Everyone stood stock-still, not saying a word. Sierra backed away from Cole slowly, so as not to provoke his wolf, before taking up a spot against the wall. She tilted her head back to rest on the concrete

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blocks, and her gaze traveled to the ceiling. “Yes, Father. This is my doing. Cole was my lover in college, and when he rejected me, I let the wolf get the best of me. I bit him. I was so angry and not thinking straight. I wanted Cole to love me for who I really was, and when he didn’t…well…I lost it.” She avoided looking at any of them, and Nolan’s own facade nearly broke. Her pain was his pain, and they both needed to be held accountable. “She isn’t—” “Nolan, say another word, and I swear to the gods you’ll be reassigned.” The shock of her words sliced through him, taking his breath away and cutting him deep. Never in all their years had she threatened him and meant it as more than idle words. The anger in her gaze dared him to defy her. For the first time, he saw the new alpha. Really saw her. He’d known she was strong enough to take it on, but never had she spoken to him with so little feeling. Nolan had ruled their relationship in every way he could. But this was a different woman, and she would have to be reckoned with. Ruthlessly.

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Chapter Seven Gods, she wanted to go to Nolan and take back her words. She’d cut him down in front of everyone important and humiliated him. When he’d walked away it had taken every ounce of strength she possessed not to go after him. “Sierra, we are going to have to deal with this. Something like this will not be kept secret. There are consequences for everyone.” “Father, I’m the alpha now, and I am more than aware of my duties. If you’ll excuse me, I can start figuring out the next course of action.” She kept her voice cold and urgent so as not to give him any room to keep lecturing her. Sierra’s edges were frayed, but she refused to succumb. Fortunately, her father shook his head and turned toward the door. “You’ve got your hands full, Marek. I hope you’re ready for the job.” He patted her mate’s shoulder and followed in the path Nolan had taken only minutes before. “You sure know how to clear the room, babe.” “Shut up, Cole.” His sarcasm was about to get his ass kicked. Marek touched her arm, and she sighed into him, wanting nothing more at the moment than to curl up in his arms and sleep for a week. Her wolf might be recharged from the crazy night before, but the rest of her was dog tired. “Okay, so what did dear old dad mean exactly when he said there were consequences for everyone?” Somehow, she knew that would be Cole’s first question. Always practical and always listening. “Converting someone to a shifter is dangerous. Not only to the one being bitten but to all packs.”

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“Dangerous how?” “It never works. I’ve not heard of a successful change except in rumors passed pack to pack and from an occasional history buff. The human usually turns feral, uncontrollable, and endangers everyone around them.” “I’m not feral, Sierra. I have to work harder on my anger, and I became fixated on finding you. I know I look different to you. But I’ve kept my secret, and the men who helped me get here believe I suffer from a strange birth defect.” She shook her head, not wanting to hear all the reasons that would prevent her from doing her job. “You broke through security. You kidnapped pack members to get what you wanted. You’re sarcastic and calm one minute and an angry wolf the next. Do you honestly think that’s normal?” Cole’s hand snaked out and snatched her away from Marek, who growled and jumped to separate them. Sierra grabbed Marek by the scruff of his neck. “Relax. I’ve got this one. If you’d rather go join Nolan or my father, I’d understand. Cole and I have to work this out.” He touched her hand and stared her down with so much emotion in his eyes she nearly choked. “Cole and I are connected. Please give me the chance to fix this.” Marek nodded and tentatively stepped back. “Your guard dogs are pretty protective.” “Cole, if you can’t show some respect to my wolf mate, then you and I are done talking. I’m not going to spend all my time playing referee.” He leaned forward and licked her neck. The heat of the movement caught her off guard, and her pussy squeezed in reaction. A slow growl sounded behind her that she did her best to ignore. “How do you plan to fix this? As far as I can tell, our little romp last night, while fun, did little to change my situation.”

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“You could have killed her, and you don’t even appreciate the sacrifice she made,” Marek spat. “What the hell are you talking about? Kill her? Why would I want to do that when she fucked my brains out?” Marek glowered, a tic in his jaw flaring. “She went too far in her effort to save you, and if Nolan and I hadn’t held you down, she’d be in pieces right now. You need to

start

listening,

because

we

can’t

emphasize

enough

how

dangerous

transformation is, and the black moon intensified that.” Cole looked confused. “Both of our memories from last night are a bit skewed, but he’s right. The pleasure hit me hard, and I lost control. At the point of frenzy, neither of us cared about anything anymore.” “But it didn’t work…” “It’s science we don’t understand, and biting you in the first place was a huge mistake—and very much forbidden.” “So what now? I leave and you go on about your merry life while I deal with being a freak?” She couldn’t answer. Didn’t want to face her responsibility. He did look different now, but freak would not be the word she’d have chosen. She allowed the silence to stretch on and the tension to build in the room. “I’m not going to be allowed to leave, am I?” Sierra shook her head, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Resignation quickly gave way to anger, contorting his features until they were even more wolflike. She took a step closer and touched her fingers to his cheek. “I’m truly sorry.” “Get away from me.” He jerked from her touch. “You’ve done enough.”

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She dropped her hand to her side, pain lancing through her. Sierra had never gotten over Cole, no matter how hard she’d tried. She’d understood the emotional connection, but now they were connected by a blood bond. She loved him. And now she had to kill him.

*** “Sierra, the situation is spiraling out of your control. You must do something to fix this soon.” Her father’s words pushed at her pride and pricked at her anger. “I’m not sixteen anymore. Do you think I don’t know this is serious?” “I’m not sure what I think anymore. First Nolan, and now a changeling of your own creation. It’s like you’re out of control. How did I go so wrong?” She rolled her eyes. “Quit being so melodramatic. I’m a big girl and have been for quite some time. I’m perfectly capable of making my own choices as well as my own mistakes.” “Then what are you going to do? This information won’t stay quiet for long, and you’ll be challenged.” Her blood chilled. “Are you threatening to reveal this information, Father? Because I’d hate to think my own blood would betray me like that.” His face turned bright red, his eyes opening wide. He took a step closer, invading her personal space. “The changeling can’t be allowed to live no matter what feelings you may have. He’s an abomination.” Sierra rubbed at her temples and the ache growing there. Her father’s preaching stretched her last nerve. Her lack of options was already crystal without him lecturing her. Her duty as alpha came first above all else, yet the feelings she harbored for Cole fought against her at every turn. He’d had no idea who or what she was when

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he’d gotten involved with her, and now she was expected to take away his life. There had to be another way. “Sierra, are you listening to me?” “Yes, Father.” Not really. “You don’t have much time. Your changeling will only get worse, and someone will be hurt or killed because of it.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him. “I know how conflicted you are, and despite what you might think, I understand. I’m not without feeling, but the alpha has to make hard choices. You have to be able to take the road that benefits the whole of the pack, and sometimes that means sacrifices to others. If you can’t do that, you will be challenged.” She jerked her arm from her father’s grasp and stepped closer, invading his personal space now. “Do you honestly think I don’t already know that? You’ve stepped down as alpha. It’s time for you to accept it.” Her father sighed. “I may not be the alpha anymore, but I’m still your father. Don’t expect me to sit idly by while you destroy your life or the pack.” She bared her teeth and lunged for him when the door swung open and Marek and Nolan entered the cabin. “Looks like we’ve made it just in time.” “I was just leaving. Sierra has a lot to think about, and I certainly hope her mate will help her make the right choice.” With that, her father swept from the room, leaving her with two men and a roomful of anger. “I don’t need the two of you to start on me either.” She paced back and forth across the living room. “I’ve had enough lectures to last a lifetime. My relationship with Cole was a long time ago, and I never expected anything like this to happen.” “You didn’t? You know getting mixed up with humans puts a shifter on a direct path toward trouble.” Marek glanced at Nolan. “No offense to you. You may not be a shifter, but you are part of the pack.” “Yet, I’m as off-limits as Cole.”

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“I’m not young and stupid anymore. I would never bite you on the night of a new moon.” “Are you sure about that? You’re aren’t always in control of your actions.” Marek’s reasoning burned through her. No, she would never let this happen to Nolan. Ever. “Isn’t that what you’re for, then? To make sure I don’t go too far.” More guilt washed over her at the stricken look on Marek’s face. “Enough. We shouldn’t be attacking each other. We’re a team. A family. And together we’ll figure this out. But not while everyone is so pissed off. We all need to cool off. Sierra, when was the last time you ate something?” She shrugged. It hadn’t exactly been a priority since the attack. “Give me a minute to whip up something, and then we’ll start figuring this out.” She nodded her assent, but she didn’t really feel like sitting around. She’d pissed off her father, insulted Marek, annoyed Nolan, and was holding Cole against his will in the basement. So far, she’d really scored as the alpha. “You worry too much, babe.” She turned to Marek, guilt already churning in her veins. “I don’t deserve your understanding. I’ve been acting like a bitch ever since I saw Cole again.” “You still have feelings for him.” She wasn’t sure whether he’d meant that as a question or not, but just thinking about everyone’s emotions made exhaustion sweep over her. She shoved her fingers through her hair and paced to the window. “He was my first love. He may have ripped my heart out in the end, but there’s something about your first that sticks with you.” “I know exactly what you mean.” Something about the way he said that made her turn and look at him. “Do you have a first love, Marek? Someone who got under your skin and never quite left you?”

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“You, Sierra. It’s always been you.” She sighed. How had they gotten down this road? She’d known he was interested in her before she ever left for college, so if she’d given half a thought to his feelings, she’d have known. “I’m sorry, Marek. I had no idea something like this would happen.” He held up his hand to stop her. “Doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. What’s important now is what happens next.” “You want me to put him down?” She didn’t really want the answer. “Just kill him like someone who has no rights. Someone who’s not human.” “It’s not about want. It’s about what’s right and safe for everyone. I witnessed him almost tear you apart. Gods, Sierra, if Nolan and I hadn’t been there…” “But you were, and I’m fine.” Hell, she couldn’t stand thinking about this without her stomach doing every kind of twist and turn, leaving her nauseated and disgusted. “This is my fault, and now he’s lost the right to live? There has got to be another way.” “We both know there ain’t a hell of a lot in this world that’s fair. And yeah, you are the one who bit him, and like it or not, you have to live with the consequences.” The renewed anger vibrating in Marek’s voice took her back. For as long as she could remember, he’d always remained the calm and reasonable one. She didn’t know what to think of this new, possessive side of him. “Come and eat, you two. Fighting over the inevitable isn’t going to get us anywhere.” The grim line of Nolan’s lips hid his feelings to some degree, but she knew the man better than that. His restraint served him well when it came to dealing with the pack, but when it came to her, she’d always done her damnedest to break through the reserve to the man underneath. The one who loved passionately and protected fiercely. “I’m really not hungry.”

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“I don’t recall asking if you wanted to eat.” His sarcasm bit into her resolve. If she kept poking at him, she’d end up tied to the bed while he took what he wanted from her. A shiver of pleasure snaked up her spine at the image, arousal building between her thighs. Marek glanced at her sharply before shaking his head and striding to the dining table. “You know it’s not food she’s hungry for, right?” “Of course I do. And I aim to satisfy whatever it is she needs, but first she is going to eat some food.” “She is right here where she can hear you perfectly.” “Good. Then get your ass to the table.” Sierra started to snap back but bit her tongue instead. Fighting with Nolan wasn’t what she needed at all. While she’d been stressing over Cole and Marek, she’d failed to notice the scent of vanilla and chocolate. “You made chocolate-chip pancakes.” She stopped next to him for a quick kiss. But he had other ideas. The rough texture of his tongue stroked across the seam of her lips, and his hands wrapped around her waist. He pulled her close until her hips nestled between his legs. Damn. His enormous erection pressed into her belly, searing her with heat and threatening her sanity. She loved it when Nolan’s need rivaled her own. For a human, he possessed remarkable stamina and a very large dick, which right now was hot and stiff for her. “I thought you wanted me to eat?” she asked with a taunting smile. Instead of answering her, Nolan pushed his tongue into her mouth, sliding deep and searching. She bumped her pelvis against his pulsing erection, and Nolan released a soft moan.

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The taste of hot, manly desire flooded through her while his hands roamed up and down her back. He tugged at her shirt, hot skin finding hot skin until roughened fingers brushed the undersides of her breasts. She’d forgone a bra as usual, opting for comfort over function when it came to her oversensitized skin. “Take it off,” he demanded. Sierra stepped back, her fingers on the verge of lifting her shirt. “I’ve changed my mind. I want to eat.” Nolan stared at her for long seconds before finally releasing her. “Go ahead, my little tease. Eat your food so that I can have my own feast afterward.” His sensual statement lingered in her brain as she moved away from him. “I swear sometimes I feel the need to tell the two of you to get a room.” She laughed at Marek and took the seat, placing her in the middle of her two men. Her favorite spot. A short stack of the most delicious pancakes on the planet waited for her. “You sound jealous,” she mocked. “Hardly. It makes my dick hard when Nolan makes you submit. Especially when he ties you up and has his way with you until you scream for mercy.” He shoveled more pancakes into his mouth, but his eyes shone with such lust it took her breath away. Sierra stared down at the steaming food on her plate while the succulent scent tickled her nose. But in an instant, Marek had her forgetting her hunger for food and instead focusing on the lust heating between her legs. She breathed deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth. Her heart raced wildly as she drizzled maple syrup across the top of her pancakes. Between sex and chocolate-chip pancakes, Nolan knew her weaknesses. The smug look that crossed Marek’s features at her hesitation snapped her out of her lust-fogged stupor. Turnabout was fair play if that was how he wanted to be.

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She grabbed her fork, speared a few pieces of the sweet-smelling confection, and brought it slowly to her mouth. Nolan had joined them at the table, so she had both of their attention watching her every move. She opened wide and wrapped her lips fully around the utensil, engulfing the food in one smooth move. Much like she would one of their cocks. Sierra allowed a few drops of the sugary syrup to dribble from her lips. Quickly, she dropped the fork and swiped the liquid from her chin. With exaggerated slowness she sucked her finger into her mouth and savored the sugary liquid almost as much as she did when she gave head. She got so involved in the game of imitating a sexual act, her nipples tightened, and a low moan sounded in her throat. “Fuck, Sierra, you’re killing me.” Marek’s voice sounded like rough sandpaper over smooth wood. That was what she wanted to hear. The sound of his control slipping and the smirk falling from his face. There were times when she needed to bring him to his knees with wanting her. “What?” She did her best to fake innocence, but they all knew where this was headed. “Finish your pancakes, and we’ll show you what, darling.” Nolan spoke up from her other side, heat emanating from the gaze he swept over her. Excitement throbbed through her, and the taste for food waned. The slightest movement caused her shirt to abrade her bare nipples and excite her further. Somewhere in the back of her head, she thought for a second that this much stress in her life shouldn’t make her horny, but she’d learned long ago that locking up the wolf when she needed to get out not only hurt like hell, but they’d all pay dearly for it later. Still, she could go through the motions of a few more bites so that neither of them would worry about her strength when she pounced on them. Sierra sliced into

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the soft syrup-coated cakes and scooped them into her mouth. The combination of the taste and texture of the sweet maple syrup gave her so many ideas. She moaned again in not so feigned ecstasy over the delicious food and the wild thoughts running through her brain. Her breasts jiggled ever so slightly as she moved, and her nipples tightened even harder. So tight, they ached in pain and arousal. One of her favorite combinations. “You are a wicked woman, Sierra. You’ve gone and done it now.” Before she could respond to Marek’s words, Nolan stood and kicked his chair to the side. In a half step, he grabbed her from her seat and shoved the furniture out of the way. Marek grabbed the plates of food and hurriedly cleared the table. “Leave the syrup,” Nolan ordered. The crazy smile that formed on Marek’s face had more moisture flooding her sex. Oh, yes. Nolan took her mouth in a ferocious kiss laced with so much hunger he robbed her of her ability to breathe. How Sierra managed to have this effect on him she couldn’t understand, but every time they were together, it was a crystal-clear reminder of what she had to be grateful for. Despite the trouble she’d caused or the turmoil that lay in front of them, she had two men who’d die for her. More heat unfurled inside while he ravaged her with his tongue, teeth, and lips. Soft and hard. Silk and steel. The man knew how to kiss and did so with such intensity, he’d call out the wolf each and every time. Already she stirred inside, clawing her way to the surface. Sierra grabbed his hair and pressed the kiss tighter, causing them both to spiral out of control.

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Somehow, Nolan found the willpower to wrench free. “You always insist on trying my patience.” He nibbled at her lips. “Is it because you want to be punished? Or are you just that stubborn?” “Does it matter?” Her words were breathless and all she could utter. “No, I guess not. We both know where things go at this point. It’s just a matter of how. So tell me, Sierra, what do you want?” He gripped her hair and forced her head back to meet his brilliant heat-filled gaze. She wanted everything. “I want to be fucked, Nolan. To be more precise, I want to be fucked by both you and Marek.” Her nails raked at his shoulders, digging in. “Not soft, not easy, but instead like the needy bitch I am. Can you do that?” His eyes fired bright at the challenge, and she had a split second to wonder if she’d gone too far before he turned and flipped her over the table. Warm hands worked underneath her to unfasten her pants, and doubts were forgotten when pleasure burned through her from every touch. He yanked her pants down around her ankles, causing a shiver to race up her spine. “Not sure how many times I have to tell you that a woman like you should wear skirts. So much easier to fuck,” he growled. A matching rumble sounded across the table. She looked up and came face-toface with Marek’s naked cock already hard and swollen in anticipation. His hand fisted the shaft, and the head swelled a deep, ruddy red and purple. Sierra tried to focus on Marek as Nolan massaged and spread the globes of her ass. “You have the prettiest ass. All round and firm with a sweet little hole begging for attention.” A finger pressed at the tiny opening and fired new nerve endings to life. How long had it been since she’d been taken like that? Too long. She could never deny how much she loved her bottom to be played with, and she often thought Nolan and Marek made her wait for it so she would savor it even more. His finger moved away, and a sigh of regret slipped from her mouth.

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“Oh, don’t worry, baby. I’m not done with it. Oh, no. But you will be begging me before I relent.” She pressed back into his hands and licked her lips. As much as she loved the sensations that Nolan created inside her, the sight of Marek’s cock bobbing in front of her drove her to distraction. A bead of precum formed at the tip, and she longed to lap it up. But she couldn’t quite reach him. “What, Sierra? Do you long for Nolan in your ass or me in your mouth?” “You know I want both.” A deep laugh rumbled from his chest. “Yes. You are right. I do know what a greedy girl you are. Now open wide.” She did as he instructed and opened her mouth. Marek flexed his hips forward, and the bulging crown of his cock slipped between her lips, stretching them. She swiped the pearly essence from the slit with her tongue, and the salty taste exploded across her senses. She so loved that first taste of a man when it hit her tongue. Delicious. Nolan’s fingers raked through the folds of her wet sex until he pulled them apart for what she imagined as a pretty detailed view. The sensation of being vulnerable and open to him sharpened her fear and aroused her wildly. His calloused fingers rubbed and teased the tender flesh until she ached. If her mouth hadn’t already been full, Sierra would have begged him. Begged him to fuck her. To do anything, really, that would ease the gnawing hunger in her womb. She felt like a junkie strung out on lust that could only be cured by her mates. In the eyes of the pack, Marek was her mate, but it wasn’t enough. Not for her, not for them. The frustration of hiding had come to a boil, and with Cole’s reappearance she felt the need to take on a new challenge and make some fucking changes in the pack. She swallowed more of Marek on that thought, taking him deeper than ever before.

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“Fuck, woman.” He threaded his hands through her thick hair and tightened his grip on her head, ensuring he controlled her movements, not her. “You’ve got her in a frenzy now,” Marek bit out between strained lips. “Oh no, my friend, you’ve not seen anything yet. Hand me that bottle of syrup.” Sierra’s sex squeezed at the implication of his words. She wriggled back against his hands, prompting him to touch her more. She’d do anything for relief against the throbbing in her clit. “Don’t,” Nolan warned. “You don’t want to tempt me right now.” The sensual tone of his threat made her stomach clench and her clit pulse harder. She didn’t want to be denied, yet him doing so ratcheted up the fever inside. To distract her thoughts from Nolan’s insistence that she wait, and the emptiness inside her, she renewed her motions along Marek’s shaft. Thick ridges brushed her tongue, and she alternated between fast and pressured licks and scraping her teeth along the sensitive flesh. She watched Marek pass the bottle of syrup underneath half-lidded eyes and tried not to focus on what would come next. Nolan prided himself on surprising her, and he seemed to have a limitless imagination when it came to sex. The thick fingers holding her sex open dropped away, and she moaned her disapproval around Marek’s dick. “Aww, poor baby…” Marek teased mercilessly. Pressure on her left butt cheek brought her back to attention as Nolan spread her apart. “I always thought you had the sweetest ass, but I think I can make it even sweeter.” Before he’d even finished his words, thick liquid drizzled onto her lower back and in between her cheeks. The sensation was exactly like any lubricant, but in her mind the image of the sweet, sticky liquid making its way across her tiny hole and down to her heated sex seemed far more forbidden and naughty. Especially when

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Nolan rubbed his fingers through the liquid and slipped a finger past the tight ring of muscle that formed her asshole. An unsolicited moan slid from her throat and vibrated across Marek’s erection. She sucked harder. Desperate. Dying for Nolan to keep going. And he did. One slow, agonizing fraction at a time. The work-roughened skin of his finger rubbed against ultrasensitive tissues that ignited long-ignored pleasure points. She arched her back and pushed toward him, but the hand he’d placed on her lower back held her tightly in place. “Spread your legs more, Sierra. I don’t want to miss a single inch of this incredible view. You with your ass spread and pussy dripping with sticky sweetness.” The last came out on a low groan when her muscles clamped around his finger, her hunger for more becoming insistent. She moved her feet as best she could without letting go of Marek’s cock, trying to stand on her tiptoes while stretched across the tabletop. Her muscles coiled sharply with the tense ache for Nolan to quit playing with her. No words would convince him to do anything other than what he wanted. Sierra held her breath when he shifted behind her until his hot words whispered across the slick flesh of her sex, and she knew exactly what he had in mind. She hollowed her cheeks and sucked hard on Marek until he pulled in a sharp breath and gritted his teeth. “What’s wrong, old man? She got you close already?” “Fuck you, Nolan.” Nolan laughed, and Sierra smiled too. She loved making them both crazy with need. They sure did it enough to her. “The scent of her cunt mingling with the sugar and vanilla is making me crazy. Hungry.” Nolan pushed his finger deep, and Sierra howled despite the thick stalk stuffed to the back of her throat.

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“Get ready, baby. It’s time to make you scream.”

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Chapter Eight Nolan struggled to keep control of the situation, but Sierra’s slurping noises and the juicy pussy in front of his face taunted him. What had started out as playful had turned dark and demanding, and while he may not be the male shifter in their ménage, she had a way of bringing out his primal side. Desires and need mashed together into a storm brewing inside him that demanded he claim her again and again. And this time, he wanted more than ever before. Whether it had been Cole’s arrival or the mating ceremony with Marek that had started the ball rolling, Nolan wasn’t sure. But something had shifted, and he couldn’t stay hidden any longer. With his finger buried deep in her ass, he leaned forward and curled his tongue around her throbbing clit. The little pink swollen pearl practically begged for his attention. His cock raged nearly out of control with his need to be inside her. Soon, very soon. Nolan swiped through her soaked slit, lapping at the combination of sugar and female heat. A more delicious combination he couldn’t imagine. He couldn’t believe he’d actually considered denying himself this pleasure. He hadn’t exactly been angry or even really jealous. He had developed a solid bond of friendship with Marek based on the love they shared for the same woman and an understanding that she needed both men to feel complete. Cole, on the other hand, he’d never liked, and the soft glow in her eyes when she looked at him tore at his gut. Yet he had as much responsibility as she did as to what he’d become. With his duty of protector, he should have made sure there were no consequences from that long-ago night.

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It was the first night he’d finally admitted to himself that he’d fallen for her and had no intention of letting her go. His teeth scraped gently over her precious nub, and her body trembled underneath his hands. With one last lick he backed away before she got too close to the edge to stop. “I can’t stop thinking about being inside you,” Nolan rasped. “The memory of your tight fit and velvet heat caressing my dick never strays far from my mind.” “Then get on with it already,” Sierra demanded. “Pushy woman.” He loved that about her. “It’s so good,” she gasped. “I feel like I’m burning alive.” Marek grabbed a fistful of her hair, and his hips flexed, shoving his cock farther down her throat. “Guess that’s what we get for mating with an alpha,” the other man added. “Always thinks she’s in charge.” On that thought, Nolan gathered more of the syrup on his finger and added a second digit to the tight channel of her rear. She tried to buck under the onslaught of extra sensation, but he tightened his grip at the small of her back, keeping her pressed flat to the table. He quickened the pace of his movements in and out of her clenching opening as he fucked her with hard strokes. The more he gave, the more her slit glistened with moisture. She was so fucking wet. With the vision she presented impossible to resist, Nolan found himself dipping down to lap at her entrance every few seconds. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get enough. She was so damned addictive. He needed to get inside her before he came just from the pleasure of her trembling underneath his ministrations. Not to mention the sight of her sucking Marek. He wouldn’t deny that watching her with him turned him on even more. Marek’s cock was long and thick, and she worked hard to take as much of him as she could. Nolan couldn’t see her mouth, but he knew it would be stretched wide and eager for Marek’s cum.

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He wondered at this point if she realized how almost submissive she’d become. Her body twisted and thrashed on the table, fighting for freedom as much as the orgasm he’d so far denied her. Every shred of his patience ran out, and Nolan jerked his cock free of his pants. Hunger tore painfully from his gut to the bulging head of his erection. He pushed forward between her thighs and slid into the opening of her pussy. Sweet heaven above. Sierra’s muscles worked over his flesh, forcing him to push his way inside. Hard versus soft, electric versus flame, they were both in sensation overload. He had to admit that this woman owned him, body and soul. No matter what either of them did, Nolan would never stop wanting her. Never get enough. A glance at Marek showed the familiar strain lines across his features as he tried to hold back. He found it a comfort to know he didn’t suffer alone. Together, she would drive them insane on the way to the greatest pleasure either of them had ever known. But he’d make sure Marek came first. “You’ve got him close, Sierra. You know what to do. Go for the underside with your tongue as you swallow around him. He’s ready to blow, and I love watching you please him.” Marek growled in warning, but Nolan ignored the heed. Marek deserved her focus when he came, just like he expected when it was his turn. The other man’s hips jerked violently in short, forceful thrusts that had Sierra pushing back on Nolan’s cock. Nolan took a deep breath and ground his teeth. He had to hold back the incredible sensations racing up and down his spine with each flex of her muscles. Sweat dripped from Nolan’s face to his chest as Sierra’s moans turned to muffled wails. Marek’s hand tightened on her hair, and he cried out when he lost the fight for control and emptied his seed into her throat. The wait was over, and Nolan tunneled the rest of the way inside her, igniting the firestorm that ripped through her in a powerful orgasm. Clenching muscles, the

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heated moisture, and her thrashing underneath him were too much. Nolan wanted to savor every moment, but the desire welled up faster than he could handle. He moved his fingers in her ass, powering in and out of the gripping muscles of her pussy, and his brain went beyond overload. Every movement from her sent him one caress closer to the bliss he knew awaited. In her most primal way, she reminded him of the love and lust they shared, which would never die. Need burned in his gut and ripped at his control. Nothing could stop him now, not with the fist-tight grip she had on his dick and the sexy-ass growls coming from her mouth. Marek had collapsed in his chair, a heavy sheen of sweat covering his frame. “Damn woman is too good.” Nolan couldn’t respond, not with his balls drawing tight against his skin and the pressure inside him building impossibly high. Sierra’s growl morphed into a high-pitched scream, and her inner muscles squeezed his fingers and cock. He erupted. Liquid fire ripped through his groin, a sweet ecstasy he’d hungered wildly for, sweeping through him. On a shuddering breath and shaky limbs, Nolan withdrew from Sierra and sat heavily in his chair. Her ragged breathing sounded loud in the quiet of the cabin except for the low whine coming from the basement. In the throes of passion, he doubted anyone had noticed that Cole had picked up on their activities and the wolf inside the other man wanted loose. Reality crashed in on their moment of bliss, and by the shuttered look on Marek’s face, he’d picked up on it too. Probably sooner with his exceptional hearing. “It’s Cole,” she whispered. “He wants me.” “He can’t have you anymore, Sierra,” Nolan snapped. “It’s too late. I’m sorry, baby, but it’s too late for him.” He’d make her face the truth one way or another.

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Slowly, Sierra moved to her feet and turned to look at him. Despite the sadness in her eyes, she quirked her lips in a wicked little smile. “I need a shower before I talk to him. I think my butt cheeks are starting to stick together.” Marek snickered across the table, and Nolan smacked her lightly on the ass. “We wouldn’t want that to happen, now would we?” He pushed her in the direction of the bathroom. “You go ahead and get clean, and I’ll see if I can settle him with some food.” With a nod of her head and a flicker of relief in her eyes, she padded from the room. “This isn’t going to end well.” “I know.” Nolan sighed heavily with the weight of their future on his shoulders. And the knowledge that he could no longer stand in secrecy made it so much worse. Both men re-dressed in silence, aware that everything had changed and nothing would be the same. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up too?” Marek shook his head. “You and your crazy syrup ideas. My dick is still half-hard from watching that little scene. If we didn’t have pressing matters to deal with, I’d be in there fucking her blind.” He crossed to the oven and pulled the platter of remaining pancakes from within. “I’ll see if I can get Cole to calm down and eat something.” “He’s still sedated, but he keeps breaking through it pretty quickly. You should be careful.” “I can take care of myself with a half whelp like him.” Marek brushed past him and headed for the basement. Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep Cole sedated forever, and judging from the anger of the former alpha, it wouldn’t be long before news of the changeling swept through the pack, and then all hell would break loose against Sierra.

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Her skills made her more than capable of taking care of herself, but that did little to ease the fierce protectiveness that reared through him at the mere thought of her in danger. The need to take care of her had practically been bred inside him and his whole life was dedicated to the ability to do just that. Loving her only made it worse. And that prick of knowledge tingled at the base of his skull, warning him. Someone would die tonight, and there were a host of candidates for the role. His instinct, or intuition as Sierra preferred to call it, never failed him. Ever. Death was headed their way, and there would be no stopping it.

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Chapter Nine A sense of duty and something else Sierra had yet to put a name to led her down the stairs. Whatever the reason, she needed to see Cole. If only to stop the whimpering she couldn’t escape from. Cole’s instinctive need to be near her revealed volumes about his condition. If the human had control, his pride wouldn’t allow him to beg for her. With every step she took toward him, a fresh stab of guilt sliced through Sierra’s gut. Seeing him in need would do her in, and she had no clue where the will to say no would come from. Her own body had gone on high alert at the first inhaled scent of his heat. It tore through her senses and into her womb. Sure, they’d been lovers for months, and she’d developed real feelings for him up until the moment he’d ripped her heart out and called her freak trash. Yet her instinct hadn’t been to maim or kill as it should have. Instead she’d developed the uncontrollable urge to bite him. The desire to make him claim her overrode all of Sierra’s common sense. Now the smell of one of her mates’ desperate need whipped through her with such force it was no different than if Nolan or Marek were like this. The wolf wanted what the wolf wanted, and taking care of her mate, or in her case, mates, took precedence over everything. It was up to the human side of her to control the situation. To maintain the balance between right and wrong, good and bad. Dealing with Cole definitely fell into the realm of bad. With every whimper of her name that fell from his lips, more moisture gathered between her thighs, and doing anything about it was out of the question.

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Animal attraction didn’t excuse everything. There were pack rules to deal with, and there was commitment and honor between Nolan, Marek, and her, which she’d already strained beyond normal limits. On a final deep breath, Sierra walked into the dimly lit room to find Cole lying on the bed and Marek sitting at the table with a platter of untouched food. Their eyes met, and the anguish she saw there ripped at her heart. Still, she motioned for him to leave the room, and his gaze turned tense and narrow. She wasn’t going to get into a pissing match with him here in front of Cole. It would make him worse. She bared her teeth, the sharp canines lengthening a fraction. For a minute she expected him to put up a fight, but he must have seen something in her gaze that told him he wouldn’t win. He stood, walked to her, and whispered in her ear. “You ask for too much. Be careful and know that Nolan and I will only be at the top of the stairs.” With his words of warning, Marek brushed past her and out of the room. She refused to dwell on his anger; instead she focused on the man lying on the bed. He appeared asleep, but his jerky movements reminded her how restless he was. He’d removed all of his clothing except for a pair of shorts, which did little to hide the raging hard-on between his legs. She knew he scented her already, and it wouldn’t be long before he fought his way through the sedative. Lucky for them both, his strength would not be at full force and she wouldn’t have to fight him off—too much. The bronze color of his skin glistened with sweat, and despite the slight change in facial bone structure and the extra hair on his body, he didn’t look like he’d aged a day. She’d always remembered him as one of the most beautiful human specimens she’d ever seen, and he still was. Even with Cole in a restless sleep, power rippled from his frame in waves and made her wolf want to come out and play. Unfortunately, their little experiment the other night proved sex with a changeling was very dangerous. It would be too easy to lose control.

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Still, he was hers, and he was here on her land and in her pack. Her father’s words repeated in her head over and over, reminding her constantly that no way would the pack accept Cole as one of their own. Not even for her. It would be foolish and irresponsible of an alpha to endanger her pack that way for her own selfish needs. Did that mean he deserved to die? Cole brushed his hand over her fingers. “Why do you look so sad when you look at me? That isn’t what I want for you.” Sierra took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “And this isn’t what I wanted for you.” “I guess I shouldn’t have been so nasty when you told me the truth.” The pain of that night rushed through her mind before she could block it away. “My revelation was a shock. I shouldn’t have told you. It was forbidden.” “I’ve never remembered you as someone who stood idly by and took orders. You always wanted to be in charge.” He turned and stared at the ceiling. “Guess that’s why you’re the alpha now…” “Doesn’t make what I did to you all right. It’s unforgivable.” His head jerked around, those sapphire blue eyes dark and clouded. “Don’t do that, Sierra. Don’t be sorry. Don’t ask for forgiveness.” She wanted to cry at the demand laced in his words. At the anger he hid despite what she’d done. Pressure behind her eyes built and threatened to spill with tears until she managed to build a wall between them, stanching the flow. “I am going to find a way to make this right, Cole. There has to be a solution we can all live with.” “Dammit, Sierra. There is only one. You heard your father, and you know what you must do.” “No!” She roared away from the bed and paced around it. “Killing you is not a solution.”

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“Face facts, sweetheart. I’m not human nor wolf. I’m somewhere in between and have been for a long time. You don’t know what I’ve become, and you don’t know what could happen. I really thought I could control it, rein it in if I really had to, but now I’m not so sure. This is no way to live.” “The pack is strong enough to control one man.” “Yeah, by keeping me sedated. Every time the wolf starts to surface and gain a measure of control, I get another dart in the ass courtesy of your fucking hunter. Or lover—mate—whatever the hell you call him these days.” He pulled himself to a sitting position despite the drug weighing him down. Fresh perspiration beaded on his brow, and she admired the strength it must take to overpower it. Had the turning ceremony worked, she’d likely end up fighting him for leadership. “What would you have me do then? Set you free and hope that no one gets hurt? We have doctors here, scientists even, who could study the phenomenon. You’re the first changeling who’s ever lived this long.” “No way, no how, sweetheart. I ain’t about to become someone’s lab rat, and I’ve lived with the half man, half wolf pain long enough. You know darn well what you have to do.” Sierra growled in response. Frustration with him built deep inside. “You’d have me kill you? Are you insane?” “It’s the only way.” His hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist. The sudden movement threw her off balance, and she tumbled across his lap onto the bed. “I do have one request, though.” “What’s that?” she whispered, her tone sounding a bit like sandpaper across a wood floor. “A kiss.” She blinked, her eyes opening wide.

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“Not a kiss borne of the need between the animals inside us but the humans we are supposed to be. The man and the woman simply remembering what could have been…” Oh that was such a bad idea. Cole wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and lifted her until their lips were literally a hair’s breadth away. He paused for a moment, probably to give her a chance to say no, but she found it impossible to form words. Her breath clogged in her throat, and he sealed his lips to hers. Not the urgent and needy kisses she was so used to. Soft and gentle at first as he coaxed her mouth open. Ohhh… She’d forgotten how good his kisses were. The hours she’d lain in his arms while he kissed her senseless until she couldn’t take another second of them. The strength and warmth of his hand cupping her neck swept through her as she gave herself up to the wonderful pleasure of his mouth. He nipped at her bottom lip and slanted his mouth across hers. The slick warmth of his tongue swept inside and stroked across everything he could find. Without warning, he’d begun to consume her with a simple kiss that quickly turned ravenous. Her pulse beat heavy at her neck, and her stomach clenched at the delicious sensations his clever tongue created. For a moment, time stood still, and everything about their situation receded to the background. Thoughts of sex filtered through her brain, and her body heated in reaction. A low rumble started in the back of her throat, which she forcibly swallowed down. She couldn’t let the wolf be a part of this, or they’d both go too far. Amazingly, Cole didn’t rush or push her for more. He took his time savoring her mouth with every sweep of his tongue, and even his teeth gently bit at her lips. Her stomach flip-flopped at every new sensation that raced through her until she forgot why they couldn’t be together.

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When a rough growl erupted from his throat, her hands flew to his chest and pushed him away. He reluctantly wrenched his mouth free, but the passion glowing in his eyes worried her. The wolf had arrived. “I could take you right now, and there’d be nothing you could do to stop me.” His voice vibrated across her sensitive nerves, causing a slight tremble to curl in her belly. “Do you honestly think all these years the wolf has never taken over? That I haven’t killed because I didn’t know how to stop it?” He dropped her head, and she bounced on the soft comforter underneath her. He shoved his hands through his hair and pulled at the ends. She could see the internal struggle waging within him in the twitching of his muscles and the tic in his jaw. “You were alone. You have help now, and it will be different.” “No it won’t,” he roared, the feral look in his eyes returning. Before she could react to his anger, a loud boom crashed into the ceiling and dusted her with drywall powder from above. “What the hell?” She raced off the bed and headed to the stairs, skidding to a stop at the last second. She turned back to Cole, who was currently shoving his legs into a pair of jeans. “Stay here. Whatever it is, I can take of it.” She bared her teeth to emphasize her demand. His eyes glowed yellow from the wolf, and she debated administering another sedative before she left. Another crash of breaking glass sounded from above, and Sierra decided there wasn’t enough time. She raced up the stairs and hoped that whatever happened, Cole would follow her orders. Most of his movements were still pretty slow, so he’d need more time to come completely out of it. Sierra emerged into the living room in time to see Marek slam Gabriel into the coffee table. Fur flew as both men partially shifted, growling and throwing fists. “Stop it right this second.” Her voice boomed loud and demanding through the room. All heads turned her way. “The two of you had better separate and give me an explanation in the next ten seconds, or I’ll beat you both bloody.” Rage boiled in her

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veins and brought the wolf to the surface, spoiling for a fight. Sierra glanced around the room to see her father and eight others had gathered in her cabin, and she had no idea why. “Nolan, report now.” Lucky for them, Marek and Gabriel did not tempt her ire and moved across the room from each other, Marek in front of her, and Gabriel next to her father. The pit of foreboding grew in her stomach as it dawned on her how serious of a situation she’d walked into. “Gabriel has come here to challenge you as pack alpha.” Nolan’s voice was hard. Fierce. Silence, so deafening she could have heard a pin drop, dominated the room. “On what grounds?” She’d used the anger growing inside her to maintain the facade while she stared at Gabriel and her father, knowing that he had a hand in this. “The changeling, Sierra, what do you think? You know the rules as well as the rest of us, and he should have been taken care of by now. You’re putting the entire pack at risk by letting him live.” “Somebody has a big mouth.” She glared at her father. “He’s a dangerous abomination,” her father shrieked. Sierra couldn’t understand his hysteria, but she did understand their fear. He’d already arranged to kidnap three of their members, and they’d all been lucky he’d been lucid enough to remain sane during the ordeal. “As pack alpha it’s ultimately my decision to make. Not yours.” “Which is why Gabriel is here to challenge you.” “I can speak for myself.” Gabriel muscled his way forward to stand tall in front of her. “It’s the right of any alpha to make the challenge when rules are broken.” “So you intend to fight me?” She wasn’t afraid of him, despite the fact he stood a full head taller than her. She and Nolan had prepared for this for years, both

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knowing that it could easily come to this one day. She just didn’t think it would happen so soon. “Yes, Sierra. If you insist.” Gabriel’s sarcastic snarl grated over her nerves and angered the wolf more. He had no idea what he would be facing. “Then let’s go.” “What? No!” Both Nolan and Marek grabbed her by an arm. “You would fight to the death for him?” Marek’s question was like a knife to the gut. He would never accept Cole as one of hers. She didn’t bother to answer. He would know the answer without words. “I won’t allow it,” he roared. Sierra turned on him, moving close and lowering her voice. “You forget your place all too quickly. It’s not your choice.” She nodded to Nolan, who grabbed his arms and subdued him. Marek fought Nolan’s hold, a loud and anguished howl ripping from his throat. In a blur of fur and throaty growls, all hell broke loose as Cole burst through the basement door. Various pack members tried to run, while others shifted to wolves. Sierra ran for Cole but couldn’t intervene before he knocked both Marek and Nolan to the ground. All three rolled together, biting and yelling. Next to her, Gabriel shifted to wolf form, and Sierra moved quickly to tackle him to the ground. She couldn’t have him hurting Marek or Nolan by accident. She knew Cole was outnumbered, and throwing another wolf into the mix would turn deadly. Gabriel rose up, snapping teeth first, his razor-sharp canines only a breath away from the tender flesh of her neck. She twisted violently until she was able to roll out of his reach. Before she could spring to her feet, Gabriel tackled her again,

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rolling them several feet in the opposite direction of her mates, who still fought for dominance. In this position her body couldn’t go through a complete shift without a few seconds of vulnerability that would give Gabriel all the time he needed to defeat her. So instead she opened to the wolf while mentally blocking some of the magic that would affect her whole body. Her canines lengthened, and she could feel the bones of her face and hands contorting. She swiped the claws that ripped from underneath her nails across her challenger’s snout. On a whimpered cry, Gabriel’s head reared back, but he didn’t release her like she’d hoped. The awkward twist of the wolf’s body flipped her over, belly down. Sierra bucked and fought, but the sharp teeth of her challenger bit into her neck, and the warm trickle of blood pooled on her skin. Thoughts of Nolan and Marek avenging her death filtered through her brain as she anticipated the final bite that would end her life. Instead, the wolf on top of her went flying across the room and into the solid exterior wall. Her body was flipped, and Cole loomed over her, the blue eyes of the human clear and knowledgeable. For a few seconds, she thought maybe, just maybe, he could control it. That the man could defeat the feral wolf inside. Then a wicked and frightening smirk crossed his face a split second before he dropped her and dived for Nolan. In the tussle for control, she spied a knife in Cole’s hand, and a sick wave of horror erupted inside her. Sierra only had seconds to decide whether to shift or not. No, her wolf would go for the throat, and she couldn’t kill anyone. “Cole!” She ran across the room trying to gain his attention. But in the throes of the uncontrollable pull of the feral wolf inside him, there would be no human reasoning. For whatever reason, he saw Nolan as a threat, and nothing short of killing would stop him.

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In a fair fight Nolan could hold his own easy enough, but the occasional glint of the silver knife worried her. Sierra reached for the dagger she kept strapped to her leg and inched closer to the fray. If Nolan got the upper hand, there was a chance they could subdue the changeling and no one would die. “The alpha can’t let this happen. Unless you are prepared to abdicate your position, do something.” Gabriel’s heavy words beat at her brain. She palmed the weapon and tightened her fingers around the heavy hilt. Her arm rose, the butt of her knife angled to deliver a vicious blow to Cole’s temple, when he raised his own knife and plunged it toward Nolan’s heart. Adrenaline fueled by fear for her mate kicked in, and Sierra threw herself at Cole, knocking them both to the ground. Heads cracked against the wood floor. The breath whooshed from Sierra’s lungs. Pain seared in her chest, and she couldn’t focus. For a few dazed seconds, time stood still. Nolan and Marek pulled Cole off her and rolled him to the side. She watched their mouths moving at the same time but didn’t hear any sound beyond the blood rushing in her ears. Slowly, the pain subsided in her head, and air once again filled her lungs. She struggled to focus on her mates while taking short and shallow breaths. “Sierra, talk to me, baby. Are you all right?” “Yeah. I think so.” Her chest and head hurt, but she didn’t think anything was irreparably damaged. “What about Cole?” She turned her head and saw the wet, thick blood pouring from his chest. Panic gripped her insides as she struggled to reach for him. “Oh gods, Cole.” When she shifted to a semi upright position, she found the heavy handle of a knife buried in his chest. Her knife.

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She sprang for him, her hands going to his chest to stop the flow of blood spilling from the wound. “Someone call the doctor. And get me something to put pressure on his chest.” “Sierra. Don’t.” Nolan’s fingers wrapped around her shoulder, stopping her. She jerked free and desperately tried to help him. “This can’t be happening,” she cried out. “We’ve called the doctor, but it’s too late. The knife must have punctured a lung,” Nolan explained. She twisted to him in fury. “Don’t say that. It’s never too late.” “Sierra.” Cole whispered her name, and she moved closer to hear. “Cole, don’t try to talk. Help is on the way.” Blood oozed from his mouth, and her heart sank. Nolan wasn’t wrong. Cole didn’t have much time left.

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Chapter Ten Sierra cradled Cole’s head and lifted him to her lap. Gods, after the last few days, it made her ill to think this was how it would end. Her knife in his chest and him bleeding out on her cabin floor. “I’m really sorry for what I did to you back then,” Cole wheezed. “Shut up, Cole. Save it for when you get better.” “Gotta say it now, and you know it.” “Then I should be the one apologizing. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t bitten you that night. I was so stupid.” Cole tried to smile, but an odd grimace crossed his face instead. “I deserved it.” Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall. His attempt to apologize at this point was more than she could handle. “Please, Cole, hang on. It doesn’t have to end like this.” “Yes, it does. I would have killed your mate if you hadn’t stopped me, and that’s exactly what I wanted. For the nightmare to stop. I don’t want to be locked up or experimented on. At least now, I’ll be free, and more importantly you’ll be happy.” “How am I going to be happy if you die?” she wailed. “Because Nolan and Marek will be here to take care of you. Because you are the alpha of your pack, and I know you’ll be kicking ass and taking names.” He managed a small smile. “Yep, that makes me very happy.”

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“You’re incorrigible even when you’re bleeding all over my floor.” She had to keep him talking. Somehow if he stayed focused and kept talking, then maybe everything would be okay. “I’ve missed you, Sierra, and you can’t fathom how happy I am that I got to see you again. Finding my way back to you has been my goal for so long, I wouldn’t know what else to do.” “Stop it. It really doesn’t have to be the end.” Unbidden tears dripped down her cheeks. “Yes it does. You had a job to do, and you did it. Be happy, babe. That’s my wish…” His head slumped to the side. “Come on, Cole. You have to stay with me. We can fix this.” He didn’t respond. Wild grief raced through her. Uncontrollable and off balance. Marek pushed his fingers into the thick flesh of Cole’s neck, hunting for a pulse. He shook his head and backed away. “No!” Sierra wrapped herself around Cole, heedless of the blood soaking her clothes and hair. “C’mon, sweetheart. The doc is here. Let him take care of this.” She glanced up at Marek, his words not penetrating her brain. The loss of Cole had turned surreal in the face of everything they’d been through in the last few days. Her mating with Marek, Nolan’s increasing difficulty keeping his part of the triad a secret, followed by Cole’s appearance and devastating revelation. The overload of it all kicked in, along with a sudden overwhelming surge of adrenaline. She whipped her head around and faced the pack that had come to challenge her. The knowledge that her father had somehow been involved in this burned betrayal deep into her soul. They hadn’t even given her a chance as their alpha before they’d assumed she couldn’t handle the role. Challenge my ass.

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Then there was Gabriel. He’d recovered from the earlier tangle and now stood propped against the far wall, a look of bored disinterest on his face. “This is your fault.” Her accusation rang loudly through the room as several of the pack looked at each other, unsure. “All of you.” “Sierra, you need to calm down. Getting hysterical isn’t going to help the situation.” A growl ripped from her throat, aimed in her father’s direction, simmering anger spilling into the room. She’d had enough of them all, but especially him. “I’m done with you, old man,” she spat before turning away from him. “And as for you.” She pointed to Gabriel still lounging in the corner. “You made a challenge, so let’s get this over with. “Sierra, wait.” Marek grabbed her arm, but she jerked it from his grasp. “No! He thinks he’s ready to be alpha, then fine. I’m answering his challenge.” “Considering the circumstances, I think the challenge can wait.” Gabriel’s quiet words did nothing to assuage the burning rage inside her. “Nope, sorry, doesn’t work like that.” She stalked closer to him, the other pack members moving out of her way as she did. “You came here and issued it, so either put up or shut up.” The mask of nonchalance slipped from his features at her words. Sierra had deliberately baited him in front of his followers, because she intended for this to end here and now, whether they liked it or not. Cole’s blood might be on her hands, but she’d share it with them to teach them a lesson. Before Gabriel had a chance to react, her arm shot out, and she wrapped her hand around his throat, cutting off his air supply. If he wanted to breathe, he’d have to fight for it. They wanted a ruthless alpha, then fine. That was exactly what she’d give them. Her gaze didn’t waver from Gabriel’s as he struggled for composure. “Get off me,” he wheezed.

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“Fuck you.” He grabbed her arm and tried to break her hold, but as usual, he’d underestimated her strength. Sierra would never have taken on the role of alpha from her father if she didn’t possess the certainty that she could defend herself. His gaze darted from left to right, surveying those around him. No one moved. “Your challenge. Your choice, Gabriel. Fight or submit.” Sierra couldn’t see her own appearance, but she could well imagine the image she presented. Other members of the pack looked at her with naked, abject fear on their faces and had backed away from her in horror. Her muscles twitched with the need to fight. Adrenaline pushed through her, and she tightened her grip further on Gabriel’s neck. Bloodlust fueled her now, and instinct demanded a kill. Her canines lengthened, and her bones began to shift. A vicious howl tore from her throat and roared through the room, the wolf demanding control. “I withdraw the challenge,” Gabriel whispered, but the wolf couldn’t hear. She moved closer to him, the length of her snout practically touching his face. She bared her teeth and pushed a deep rumble from her throat. Words were meaningless now. Her bloody fingers loosened marginally, and Gabriel struggled to breathe. When she didn’t back off, however, the panic on Gabriel’s face renewed. One thing and one thing only could stop the wolf, and he knew it. She opened her mouth and flashed the row of razor-sharp teeth that had settled in her jaw. Just the thought of spilling his blood made the wolf whimper to be free. Sierra couldn’t hold her back much longer. Slowly, more slowly than was respectful, Gabriel tipped his head and bared his neck. He’d acquiesced and offered his submission, yet it somehow felt hollow and far too late. Tradition and rule demanded she accept it, but nothing said she couldn’t have a little fun first. Sierra leaned in until certain her warm breath heated his skin, and the pulse in his neck beat at her mouth. It would take but an instant to rip his throat out and

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be rid of him once and for all. To avenge Cole’s death and assure her place in the pack forever. Her mouth watered for his blood—for revenge. “Sierra, it isn’t polite to play with your food.” Nolan’s level voice sounded at her ear as the warmth of his body surrounded her back. The soothing tones pulled the violence back, smoothing the rough edges within her. Still, she scraped a single tooth against her challenger’s perspiration-covered flesh, just deep enough to draw a few droplets of blood. Her tongue lapped it up, and Sierra savored the blood of submission. That was more like it. Satisfied, the wolf drew back, and Sierra took a few steps away into Nolan and Marek’s arms. “The changeling is gone, but don’t think for a second things are going back to the way they’ve been.” She glanced around the room, making eye contact with each and every pack member who’d dared to bring this on. “Marek and I have chosen to form a triad bond with my hunter. I have accepted both of them as mates, and as your alpha I declare it law. No one, and I mean no one, can challenge it.” A few of the people who remained in the room wore looks of shock, but the majority nodded, including her father, who smiled tightly in her direction. “Now get out. I have a burial to prepare for.” One by one, everyone filed out. When the door closed, Sierra collapsed onto the floor. All the angry energy she’d expended left her weak and used up. “I don’t know whether to hug you or kick your ass.” Nolan pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her cheek. “You are one hell of an alpha.” “Will you help me take care of Cole?” The guilt of their secret still weighed heavily on her. “It would be my honor.”

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Epilogue Three and a half weeks later…

“Are you ready?” Nolan looked at her in question. “Yes.” She inhaled deeply, allowing the warm, clear air of the night to fill her lungs. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of pack activity all laced with a measure of grief and guilt. But they’d all decided tonight would be a new beginning. If they pulled down the magic from the dark moon, they’d cleanse some of their troubles away and start fresh. “The ritual won’t be as powerful as on the night of a black moon.” Sierra drew her robe apart and let it fall to the ground, the light from their small fire illuminating her nude form. “The magic isn’t what’s important. It’s the meaning behind it.” Nolan followed suit and shoved the loose pants from his legs before kicking them to the side. Marek laughed at them both. “You two seem a little excited, and I can’t say as I blame you.” He’d already removed his clothing and gotten into position around the fire bowl. “Did you each bring your chosen crystal?” Sierra opened her hand and revealed hers. A small, flat disc of rainbow obsidian. She’d specifically chosen this one for its natural ability to release the user from the pain of its bearer’s past. Her symbol for letting go of any former emotional bondage and keeping her open to her chosen mates. Sierra dropped the stone into the fire bowl and watched the smoke billow and rise. The herbs and workings of the spell she’d begun earlier made its way into her

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stone. Focusing on the remnants of her past, she inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled slowly out through her mouth, the cords of old love breaking free from around her heart and the grief associated. “Good-bye, Cole,” she whispered to herself, careful no one else heard. Marek went next, dropping his malachite into the pit. The deep green of his stone and its properties suited him to a T. If ever a man had been created to keep the peace, he was it. The crystal’s ability to amplify natural empathic tendencies would serve the three of them well. Her wolf mate balanced them all. Not just in their relationship, but within the pack itself. She turned and settled her gaze on Nolan. He’d struggled for days on which stone to choose. His painstaking attention to every last detail was the perfect complement to her often impulsive decisions and Marek’s tendency to go with the flow. She truly believed that the three of them together formed an incredible alliance. Sexually, spiritually, and intellectually. He opened his hand and revealed that he too had chosen obsidian, only he’d opted for red-black. She sank her teeth into her lips and did her best to squelch her laughter. He dropped the stone into the fire, and it popped and hissed for several minutes before finally the plume of smoke rose and swirled around them. Unable to hold it in any longer, Sierra let loose on a peal of laughter until she nearly cried. “What is so damn funny?” Marek demanded. But the confusion on his face only made it worse as she grabbed her sides and giggled hysterically. After a few minutes of laughing and gasping for breath, she stood and faced Marek. “The stone he chose is partially representative of virility and stamina.” “Well, someone needs to do something to ensure we keep up with you. You are insatiable.” Nolan smiled wickedly at her as he pulled her into his arms.

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“So much for a serious ceremony.” She grabbed at his biceps and balanced herself. “Honey, I am very serious about this, and keeping our woman sexually satisfied is very important. Wouldn’t you agree, Marek?” Marek’s warmth touched her naked backside, the solid length of his erection pressing between the cheeks of her ass. “Yes, very important.” Marek’s words brushed the back of her neck as he trailed kisses along her quickly heating skin. Her ability to think straight wouldn’t last long at this rate. There had been so much Sierra thought she’d needed to say, but maybe they were right. They’d talked enough, and now was the time for living.

Nolan plucked at her nipples, tightening them between two of his fingers until the bite of pain made her gasp in pleasure. He would never grow tired of that sound. The throaty catch in her voice that signaled to anyone within hearing distance how much she loved what he did. If he’d had to live with her in secret, he might have gone mad, but for her, he would have kept trying. Nothing mattered more to him than Sierra. Her protection was vital to his well-being, but her love fed his soul. “Thank you, Sierra.” “For what?” “For this. For you and Marek acknowledging me as a mate. It means everything to me.” She leaned back and met his gaze. “I hated the secrets as much as you did. I’d hoped to find a way to go public all the while not realizing it was within my power. I just needed to recognize it.”

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Letting out a shaky breath, Nolan leaned closer and kissed her frantically. Every doubt, every fear, and every wish went into their kiss. She’d probably never understand how grateful he was for her and Marek to share this gift with him. He planned to spend the rest of his life showing her just how much. He sank deeper, savoring the taste of her desire and the soft growls in her throat every time Marek nipped at her sweet flesh. Her fingers found his hardened cock and wrapped around the thick stalk. God, he didn’t need the stimulation. He was already hard enough to drive nails. And as much as he wanted to love and cherish his mate, he needed to fuck her. The need to possess overwhelmed him until he broke free of her lush lips and gulped for some fresh air that might calm the out-of-control desires raging through him. “Fuck her,” Marek suddenly demanded. “What? No. I need to go slow—to savor this.” A situation like this called for a different man. There had to be a side of him that could go easy. Make it special. “Screw that. Does she look like she wants slow? Tradition demands something far more intense. Take what your body aches for—how it demands it. Trust me.” Nolan didn’t understand the fire burning inside him. He’d gone beyond normal lust and love for his mate. Nolan wanted nothing more than to take the electrical charge jacking up his system and claim her. Rough. Desperate. Undeniable. “Please, Nolan,” she whimpered. Despite the lust overpowering him, her love filled him too. That well of emotion she normally tried to hide shone brightly in her gaze. As if to show him her need, Marek wound his hand down the flat plane of her stomach and into the tight curls that covered her sex. When his touch grazed her clit, she cried out. The lust-filled cry of his mate did him in as he clasped her to him, lifting at her waist until her legs wrapped around him.

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“Yes, Nolan, that’s it. Take her.” His cock nudged at her heated opening, and with little thought to anything but the primal urge to be inside her, he surged forward, burying himself balls-deep. Nolan tried not to think about how tight she grasped his dick or how wet she was, although he felt it on his balls. Hell, everything about her drove him wild. Her scent, the growls in her throat, even the sweat slicking between their bodies made him want to move. And move he did. He retreated and pushed in over and over again. Hot silk, tight around him, were the thoughts swimming through his head as he shafted her with everything he had. Rough and demanding. Slick and burning. Mine. Mine. Mine. “Do you know how hot it makes me to know Nolan is buried deep inside your pussy? And in a few seconds more I will be fucking you too.” The whispered words from Marek to Sierra made Nolan’s dick swell. This was what she craved. Perspiration glazed his skin. Holding himself back while Marek prepared to take her in the ass threatened to kill him or shoot him into the stratosphere, one or the other. “Hurry, Marek.” The pleading whimpers from Sierra continued. She squirmed restlessly. “Look at me, Sierra. Lean forward and brace yourself on my shoulders.” Sierra complied, and even though he’d ordered her to move, the tiniest flicker of muscle tightening on his shaft caused his brewing orgasm to grow. Nolan groaned. There was a good chance holding back would kill him. “Do it, Marek,” Nolan instructed. “Fill her now.” Jesus, he sounded so stern. When she stiffened, Nolan guessed Marek had begun to press inside her. He’d like to see his own cock pushing at that tight ring of muscle. To force his way past her tough barrier of resistance. Desire shot up his cock in the form of hot, electric

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need. He reared back and plunged in, driven by the hot perfection surrounding him. The urge to come clawed at his insides. Nolan gritted his teeth against it. Marek’s easy glide into her ass created a slow burning friction Nolan felt clear to his toes. Not to mention the snug fit of her pussy now squeezed him impossibly tight. He swore he’d never felt so rigid and engorged. Together he and Marek thrust in rhythm, but the savage need gripping him set a rough pace. “Oh fuck… Hell. I…” Nolan understood exactly how Marek felt. He sucked in a harsh breath and fought with clenched fists to hold on. Moments later, Sierra’s howl tore through the night. An earth-shattering, earsplitting scream that demolished his last remnant of discipline. “Nolan, Marek, please…” Every plea from her lips pushed at his control. She dug her fingers into his flesh, edging him on with a sharp bite of pain. “Harder… Harder… Please…” On every blessed exhale, her sheath tightened and released around him until the pressure in his balls became too much to bear. “She’s about to come,” Marek panted. “She’s closing in on me. Mind-blowing. Holy gods.” In some sort of weird psychic magical male understanding, they unleashed everything they had for her. His love for Sierra ripped through him, exposing everything he felt, and he saw the same kind of reaction when Marek glanced at him. Sierra fluttered around them, and like her, Marek tossed his head and howled when he lost his final grip. While watching Marek lose it, mating heat speared through him and robbed him of air. The world around him felt like it shattered and changed. Nolan emptied himself inside her in long spurts of groaning ecstasy that changed him, not the world. Although he suspected how he saw everything from this moment forward would be far different than before. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about.”

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Sierra giggled into Nolan’s neck over Marek’s teasing words. She shivered around him, and he thought his eyes would roll out of his head from the pleasure of it. “So this is what mating sex is like, huh?” There was no way to hide the awe infused in his voice. “Oh, yeah.” Marek nodded. “And the night has just begun.” “Well, hell.” Nolan grinned. “Then I’m counting down the days till the next black moon rising.”

Loose Id Titles by Eliza Gayle Black Moon Rising Dirty Deeds Obsession of Jayde

Eliza Gayle From the moment Eliza read her first erotic romance novel several years ago, she knew she had found her niche and realized that her dream was passing her by. So after years of thinking about it she finally grabbed her laptop and wrote. These days she likes her stories hot and spicy whether they be contemporary, fantasy or paranormal and will write in whatever genre her imagination has conjured that day. Eliza lives in beautiful North Carolina and spends her days dividing her time between writing erotic romance, her full- time job as a marketing manager and raising her two daughters.