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 forest was deathly silent.
The small creatures that skittered about through the fallen leaves hid deep in their burrows, and the heavy clouds, still sodden with rain, paused in their assault on the ground below. Even the birds seemed to have ceased their endless songs, afraid to disturb the atmosphere that floated through the trees like an invisible but deadly poison.
The woman stood on the far side of the stream, watching the approaching wolves with wary eyes. She'd been waiting for nearly two hours; the line of damp leaves trodden into the mud a testament to her constant pacing.
She made no move towards them, yet no effort to retreat. She knew flight would only quicken her demise now that the pack had spotted her.
They had tracked her through their territory, the criss-cross of false scents the intruders had left behind them hampering their efforts to successfully locate their prey.
As the rogues had intended, their search had led them to the woman they'd left behind. Also as intended, the confusion had allowed her companions to make their escape without pursuit.
Blake observed her with an almost detached interest, his nose seeking out and failing to locate Hannah's scent on the air. In contrast, his wolf snarled in frustration, and the woman's eyes locked on to him as the wolves padded towards the water's edge.
Her clothes were worn but serviceable - no where near as ragged as many of the rogues he had tackled in recent weeks - and there were signs that she took a certain pride in her appearance. Her scent was barely tangible on the damp air, the heavy, primeval forest aromas hiding those traces the masking spray could not conceal.
"Finally." Her voice was crisp and business-like. "It took you long enough."
Blake glanced down at the water, its overflowing banks straining to contain a much stronger current that it was used to. Two of his companions stepped forward, their ears twitching as they contemplated the depth of the stream. Not too deep. Certainly no real challenge for wolves as large as these three.
The woman gave the grey wolves by his side a sharp glare as the larger of the two placed one paw purposefully into the water. "Control your warriors, Alpha Blake!" she called, her eyes narrowing. "If I don't return safely... neither will your little red head."
The black wolf snapped his jaw at her. "Stop," he ordered, suppressing Rothan's urge to attack.
His lieutenants advance halted and they looked nervously to their Alpha for guidance.
Blake's quiet calm had proven far more terrifying to his pack than any blind fury. His wolf trembled with suppressed rage, and every living creature in the forest could feel the enormity of the power emanating within - barely contained but, at the same time, perfectly controlled.
Blake stepped as close to the edge of the unstable bank as he dared and sat down, indicating his willingness to listen.
A twitch of his ear sent a silent signal to his lieutenants, and the larger wolf, Marcus, trotted back into the trees, his nose sniffing out the caches of clothes. Alex remained poised by his side, eager eyes locked onto their elusive prey.
