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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The air caressed their exposed skin, cool and crisp - an invigorating contrast to the warmth of the sunshine high above them. The only sound, the rustle of the ancient leaves. A percussion for the morning songbirds that flitted through the branches, regaling them with their songs of autumn.
To the wild animals going about their daily business, the two humans walking hand-in-hand into the forest looked like a young couple. In love and wandering casually in the morning sunshine. The squirrel, high in the sturdy branches gathering acorns for his winter stash, paid no attention to the girls tense, unhappy face. Hannah's inner turmoil could not be penetrated by the wild and beautiful surroundings and she held herself together with little more than her astonishing willpower. He chittered at them as they passed, warning them off his treasured stash of nuts.
The rabbit, hidden amongst the tangled foliage froze as the wolfs strong scent passed her by. Her soft fur camouflaged her well against the predators of the forest and her tiny body released barely a tremor as she buried herself deep within the fallen leaves. Dark brown eyes watched Blake carefully as he guided the girl down the familiar, narrow trail. The most dangerous predator in the forest unaware of her presence right under his nose.
She didn't notice the way he kept glancing back at his companion, a troubled, haunted look in his eyes. Her focus was on the deep burrow, just a few feet away. Once they passed her hiding spot, she bolted for the safety of the warm, dark tunnels.
The pine trees on either side of the trail leaned over the two unhappy visitors, keen to weave their magic around them. Life in the forest was peaceful and uncomplicated and the branches beckoned them to join in.
The trail they walked along was used only by those with special permission from the Alpha family. The path began in the grounds of Blake's house, which disappeared from sight as the pine trees criss-crossed together behind them and the trail weaved erratically amongst the trees. Gradually, the pine gave way to huge, ancient oaks. They could be found all over the Blackridge territory, but here in this one special corner, they had taken over completely, claiming the forest for their own.
They walked together hand in hand, shafts of soft autumn sunlight breaking through the trees creating pools of sunshine on the forest floor. Hannah paid little attention to where they were going - her thoughts entirely with her mother - so it was a surprise when the trees ended abruptly at the edge of a small lake, the perfectly still waters reflecting the light off the surface in a dazzling display of diamond sparkle.
"It'sbeautiful," she exhaled, taking in the perfect ring of oak trees planted at the waters edge. Stretching their branches out in a luxurious halo, sheltering and hiding the small lake until the moment you stumbled upon its sparkling waters.
"The trees closest to the water were planted here two hundred and thirty years ago when the pack first settled on this land," Blake told her softly, his breath tickling her ear as he hovered close behind her. "One for each of the original pack members, so the records say."
