Twenty Six year old Blake Hunter is the Alpha of the largest pack in the region. Finding his mate is the last thing on his mind.
But, in the midst of dealing with uninvited relations, aspiring future Lunas and increasing rogue attacks on his easter...
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Mere yards from the treeline, the heavy foliage rose up to hide the rough stone walls of the village creating the illusion of a forest that stretched for miles with no end in sight. Dwarfed by the immense pines, the lone wolf followed the trails between them with single-minded determination.
As they reached the edge of a shallow stream, the arid smell of smoke assaulted his senses, and the wolf was confronted a forest ravaged by recent fire. The clear waters had formed an effective barrier preventing the flames from encroaching any further upon their side of the forest – lush green foliage lapping the edge of the bank on one side and stark, blackened earth on the other.
I didn't think the fire reached this far.
A deadly combination of dry pine needles, fallen timber and low lying vegetation had led to a fast moving and aggressive wildfire that ripped across the forest floor, scorching the ground as it passed. Though blackened, the trees bore no more than surface damage, their high branches protected from the rapid destruction. But at ground level, nothing but the fastest creatures could have survived.
For a moment, Blake's stomach clenched. Goddess, She hadn't been in there, had she?
But his wolf's sharp eyes spotted the shallow imprint of a bare, human foot in the mud, a tantalising scent just detectable under the layers of smoke, and he turned away from the fire-stricken trees and deeper into the undergrowth, following the trail of a human who had stumbled and struggled back into relative safety on the untouched side of the forest.
As he approached a small clearing, his senses went into overdrive, and Rothan began trembling with excitement. Another wolf stood in the clearing; a female, not pack, not Elmwood. A rogue? On cautious paws he moved forward to investigate.
Her coat was a rich, rusty red; like an escaped flame from the still smouldering fire, the soft glow of the early morning sun set the fur alight. She hadn't spotted them yet, her nose busy scenting out her surroundings. She recoiled when brushing too close to a tickling fern, then leaned in again, curiosity overcoming caution.
He stopped and stared; gaping like a gangly youth that had never laid eyes on a female before. She'd blend perfectly into a pile of autumnal leaves, he reflected, in awe of her magnificence. Shifting tones of auburn ran through her fur; dark and rich across her back and tail, lightening like sun bleached hair down to her undercarriage and legs. When she moved, the colours caught the rays from the sun and came to life as though tiny embers burned under her coat.
Mate, Rothan announced with huge satisfaction.
Mate? For a moment, Blake felt a deep confusion. His startled whine caught her attention, and she looked his way. Only then did he realise the truth.
Her eyes were two pools of darkness, jet black and fixed on his, but as she moved a breath of wind caught her fur, wafting her scent towards him. And there, in the mix, he detected a subtle undertone of the muddy, yet enticing scent he'd come to associate with the woman he loved.
