Chapter 10

The morning of the hunt arrived. The alphas were all lined up, waiting for the horn. They had a five-minute head start on the rest of the pack. The horn blew, and they were off. Growls and yips sounded around them as they raced further into the woods. The morning air was crisp and refreshing. It was perfect weather for a mating hunt, and Dante’s nose led him ever forward. He heard the faint sound of the second horn in the distance, signaling the release of the rest of the wolves. Spiking his adrenaline, it spurred him on. The earthy scents of the forest filled his nostrils as he breathed deeply. He sploshed down into a shallow creek bed.

Talia raced forward into the forest. During her run yesterday, she found a spot downwind for the male’s approach. There was a hill with boulders on top where Tia could stay out of sight. As she climbed the hillside, she crouched between the rocks and waited. The sounds of wolves crashing through underbrush carried up from below. Talia stretched her broad white paws before her and laid her head down.

The she-wolves were around. Dante could sense them. His pace slowed as he sniffed the air, and the cornucopia of odors mixed, but one faint smell caught his attention. He felt a twinge in his loins.

Mate. It was her. Dante took off toward the scent. As it became more potent, so did his physical reaction to it. His body seemed to wake up for the first time, awash in a tingling, burning sensation. He felt her intoxicating fragrance pulling him towards her. It overwhelmed his senses, and his only thought was to get his mate. Suddenly, she was in front of him, a beautiful light gray wolf approaching him attentively.

Mate?

Mate, Mine!

They circled each other, studying their mate carefully.

I am Dante, wolf of Alpha Duncan from the Kalaloch Pack. What is your name?

Safa, wolf of Sadie, daughter of the Alpha of the Wood River Valley Pack.

Dante leaned towards her and, quickly overwhelmed by her closeness, nuzzled her. A low, guttural whine vibrated from her. She licked at his face and nuzzled up against him. The warmth of her body against his was too much. He pushed away and growled in a deep, throaty voice, “Shift!”

Both wolves shifted back to their human forms. Sadie, a stunning petite brunette with large brown eyes, smiled at her mate. Duncan gently brushed her hair aside before leaning down to kiss her.

Over an hour had passed, and the activity on the forest floor had quieted.

Talia knew the hunt had concluded, and most pairs were getting to know their mates and slowly returning to the houses. She stood up and stretched before starting down the hill. As she reached the forest floor, the hair stood on her back, and she detected a familiar stench. It was Vex’s wolf, Vlad. She spun around to find him and another wolf approaching her. She bared her teeth and growled, but stood her ground.

“What rogue you can’t find a mate?” he snarled.

“No, I didn’t. Are you going to introduce me to yours?”

Vlad looked slightly confused before the strange wolf replied

“I am Kai, Beta of the Hoh River Pack, not Vlad’s mate.”

She sneered, “Sorry you looked so dainty.”

Vlad lunged for her, but she outmaneuvered him and connected with Kai as he slammed into her. She rolled away and jumped to her feet. Kai lashed out, his claws digging into her shoulder. Talia lept forward, knocking him onto his back, then spun around, raking her claws down Vlad’s flank. He let out a sharp whine before recovering and charging in her direction. His eyes fixed on her, full of burning rage. She again lept from his path and pounced on Kai, knocking him back down. Growling and gnashing her teeth, she slammed into Vlad’s wounded side. He let out an involuntary yelp before his legs buckled under him. Kai lept onto her back, digging his claws in deep. Talia winced and slammed him against a large boulder. He slid off her, and she took off running. Crashing through the brush, she did not look back. She would not stop until she reached safety.

Duncan and Sadie sat outside the female wolves’ lodge. Being the hosting pack, Sadie introduced him to her friends and fellow pack members. Duncan hit it off particularly well with her brother, Cory. The boys were deep in conversation while Duncan lazily draped his arm over her shoulder, and his body’s heat and feel made it hard for her to concentrate on their conversation.

Suddenly, Duncan’s body tensed, and her head snapped to follow his gaze. An immense female white wolf covered in blood and debris stumbled from the tree line. Duncan jumped up, nearly knocking Sadie over. He steadied her, then darted off in the white wolf’s direction. She ran after him.

As they reached the wolf, it collapsed in the grass, panting. Sadie offered her a sweatshirt, and the wolf returned to human form.

“Shit, Tia, what happened?”

“Vlad and Kai,” was all she said before she looked up. She fixed her eyes curiously on Sadie.

“Are you hurt?” Duncan continued.

“Nothing too bad,” she said, reaching out her hand to Sadie, wincing slightly before continuing, “Hi, I am Tatiana. Thank you for the sweatshirt.”

Sadie shook her hand.

“Sorry, Sadie! This is my sister, Tatiana. Tia, this is my mate, Sadie.”

Sadness flashed in her eyes before she brightened, and she hugged Sadie.

“Hi, Sadie. You can call me Tia. I guess that makes us sisters.”

Sadie squealed in excitement, hugging her back, “I have never had a sister.”

Before she could respond, Duncan continued, “Is Vex or Kyle your mate?”

Tia shook her head, “No! Thank the Moon Goddess for sparing me that fate! They ambushed me on my way back from the hunt. I did not find a mate.”

“Who are Vex and Kyle?” Sadie interjected.

“They are soon to be Alpha and Beta of our rival, the Hoh River Pack.”

Sadie put her arm around Tia. “We can talk about this tonight. For now, let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

Tia nodded thankfully as Duncan and Sadie led her to the house.

Duncan, Sadie, and Tia reached the lodge doors, and Tia hesitated, glancing over her shoulder into the shadowy forest. Her body tensed, and she felt a chill run down her spine, as though eyes were still watching her from the darkness, hidden beyond sight.

Sadie placed a comforting hand on Tia’s shoulder. “Hey, you’re safe now,” she murmured. “They wouldn’t dare try anything here.”

But Tia couldn’t shake the lingering feeling, the ominous sense of Vex and Kai’s ambush settling heavily in her mind. Their attack was targeted and underhanded. They didn’t want a fair fight. They wanted her defenseless, isolated. And she had a disturbing sense that this wouldn’t be the last time she’d face them.

As Duncan & Sadie helped her inside, Duncan caught her uneasy expression. He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Tia, we’ll deal with it together. I’m not letting them touch you again. Not while I’m here.”

Tia gave him a grateful smile, but her mind was spinning. As they headed up the stairs, her gaze drifted again to the dark forest beyond the windows.

Why did they keep targeting me? she wondered. And what are they planning next?

As if in answer, a distant howl cut through the night air, sharp and menacing, echoing through the forest and sending a chill down her spine.