Chapter One
Killian Stone’s truck bounced across the dirt road as he followed the dark green ranger’s vehicle in front of him. With his window rolled down, he embraced the comforting smell of the Canadian Yukon. The crisp fall air stung his sensitive nose, but it was a reprieve from the stuffiness of the truck’s cabin. Many people didn’t associate Canada with scenic places to visit, but as he watched the golden ambers of fall blending with the dark evergreens, Killian couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place. They had left the Alaskan Highway about forty-five minutes before and the off-road terrain was tearing into the suspension of his rented Ford.
Ranger Lucas had contacted Killian about a month ago regarding a wolf that needed some help. They had a female who wasn’t grouping well with the others at the sanctuary and wasn’t doing well on her own. Some lone wolves could survive in solitude, but she avoided the other packs so much, she had begun to starve herself.
Killian was well-known in the circle of wolf preservation since he’d started his own sanctuary in California five years before. After he received funding and opened Wolf Creek, word was sent to all wildlife reserves and areas where wolves were common that he was interested in looking at troubled wolves. He hoped he wasn’t too late for this one.
The green truck stopped, and Killian pressed on the brakes as he waited for Ranger Lucas to pull through the red-and-white barrier gate. Wolf Sanctuary took in sick or injured Yukon wolves and allowed them to create their own packs within protected areas. It was approximately one hundred acres and manned 24–7 by rangers with tranquilizer guns, who would have no problem shooting a trespasser. One such guard leaned toward Killian’s window, peering in with grim assessment at the new guest. With a quick nod and wave, the guard stood and let Killian pass.
The road beyond the gate was paved, much to Killian’s and the truck’s relief, and surrounded by buildings clustered together. The concrete structures with little windows reminded him of the military base he’d visited as a teenager. Above each front door were huge white block letters: OFFICE, LIVING QUARTERS, and INFIRMARY. When Lucas pulled in front of the last building, Killian parked next to him and got out of the truck, his keys jangling in his fingers anxiously.
Lucas, a short, fat man with salt-and-pepper hair and a warm smile, opened the front door and let Killian pass him.
“Like I told you over the phone, Mr. Stone, we don’t usually have problems with our wolves. If they are too injured to survive, then we humanely put them down, but usually they recover and settle right into the area.” His breath came out in gasps as he fumbled with his key card, as if the walk from the vehicles had been strenuous exercise for him.
They stood in a small area separating the front door from the holding area, a precaution in case a wolf got loose. After a loud beep, Lucas pulled the door open. Killian felt like running ahead to the wolf in the room but followed Lucas with his nervous hands folded behind his back.
What he saw in front of him made him bite back sharp criticism. To humans, the cages surrounding the hallway probably seemed fine. They were big enough for one wolf, maybe two, to walk comfortably, and had dirt layered on the concrete floors with fake pine trees and boulders placed in a strategic fashion to make the wolves feel more at home. But for a man who spent half of his time as a wolf, it made him simmer in anger. He imagined himself locked up in the tight confines, pacing back and forth behind a chain-link fence, waiting for an opportune moment to escape. Or even worse: being injured and resigning himself to a fate of captivity.
Lucas continued chattering away, but Killian ignored him, each step bringing him closer to this wild wolf as he passed cage after cage. Most of them were empty, but two wolves regarded him with sad and tired eyes. One of them lifted its head as Killian walked by and let out a high-pitched whine, begging Killian to set him free. All Killian could do was close his eyes and press his hand to the cool metal and walk on to the final cage. Lucas’s squat form stopped.
“Here she is. She’s a pretty one. I have never seen a wolf with such blue eyes. Usually they’re more of a light green. And she’s large for a female—would’ve made a great addition to any pack. It’s odd that she wouldn’t fight her way into a pack. She’s got a snappy jaw, she does.” Lucas nodded, his double chin melting together.
Killian focused on the wolf in front of him. Her fur was as white as freshly fallen snow, with bright silver at the tips of her ears and tail. Lucas was right. Killian had never seen eyes quite that color, even on a Shifter. Shifters tended to be the only wolves with blue, green, or gray eyes, making it rare to find in the wild, but he had never seen this shade of crystallized azure before. If he couldn’t smell her right in front of him, emitting the strong scents of wolf, sugar, cherry blossoms, and human, he would think she wasn’t real.
As Lucas talked, she lifted her head from the ground. Apparently trying to stay as far away from humans as possible, she had backed herself into the farthest corner of the fence. She immediately dismissed Lucas, but when her eyes met Killian’s, she paused and slowly blinked. She inhaled a steady breath, and her eyes opened wider. She stood, her limbs seeming to struggle with the simple movement, but she made it to a strong and confident posture. Her tail lifted in defiance of his Alpha presence.
Hmm…great. Another challenging she-wolf, he thought as he raised an eyebrow at her. She ignored it and continued to stare, causing Killian to mask his laugh with a cough. She was a fighter, and the tenseness of her muscles said she would spring if he opened the gate. He had to take her home with him before she did damage to herself—and the humans taking care of her.
“Wow. I think that’s the most reaction she’s had to anyone the last couple days. Last time we had to tranquilize her in order to give her an IV with nutrients. But she hasn’t stood in days.”
Killian patted the older man on the back, ignoring the disgusting moisture he found there despite the cool temperature, and pushed him toward the door they had entered.
“Lucas, why don’t we make some arrangements? I want to take this pretty wolf off your hands.”
“Oh…really? Just like that, huh?” Lucas laughed.
Killian laughed with him, relieved he hadn’t made another useless trip to the middle of nowhere.
* * * *
Fifteen hours later, Killian pulled up the long, curved driveway in front of his home. Wolf Creek was a private sanctuary set a couple of miles away from Big Bear, California. Government and private foundations funded it as an experiment to return wolves to the Golden State.
His home wasn’t as scenic as the expanse of Alaska, but for Southern California, it was a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle. Although it was a front, he believed bringing wolves to Big Bear could help out the ecosystem as it had done in Yellowstone, which was exactly what he stated in his proposal at fund-raisers.
When he stopped in front of his house, a blond-haired man came striding out the front door with a frown on his face. Jamie was always cautious when Killian returned from his journeys to find new wolves. He hated the bad news when Killian was once again unsuccessful at finding a Shifter. Killian gave Jamie a smile to let him know all was well.
Jamie let out a loud whoop, jumping down the three stairs of the wooden front porch, and jogged to Killian.
“You found a Shifter? How was the flight?” he asked, patting Killian on the back of his shoulder.
Killian laughed. “Yeah, I found one. And of course the flight was fine. Having to worry about an unmated, scared, packless female Shifter in the cargo bay of the jet was just amazing.”
Jamie’s mouth gaped, but he retained his smile. “A female, huh?” He rubbed his hands together.
Killian rolled his eyes. Jamie was always on the prowl for new dates.
They circled to the back of the horse trailer. He had hated to tranquilize her, but unfortunately she wouldn’t go with him willingly.
“Watch out. She’s kinda mean. Tried to bite my fingers off when I tried taking her out of the cage.”
Jamie cringed. “In a cage?”
Killian nodded, his mouth pulled into a hard line. He turned the handle and opened the door, wary of what they would find inside. No big ball of white fur came sprinting out of the trailer, teeth and all. Yet what waited inside worried him more.
The beauty was backed against the wall of the trailer in a defensive position, limbs tensed to spring and tail high in the air, even though she was terrified. White, pearly canines dripped with frothy drool as she gave a low growl, daring them to walk any closer. The narrow slits of her eyes glowed with jewellike luminescence.
Killian cursed under his breath.
Jamie wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his green eyes narrowing. “Feisty one, huh?”
“You have no idea,” Killian mumbled, remembering when he tried to grab her from the cage and those teeth came a little bit too close to his fingertips. Her hot breath had fanned across his skin before he snatched his hand back.
“Why don’t you just force her to change? Use your little Alpha magic powers.”
Killian tilted his head to the side and then shrugged.
“I don’t know. There’s something about her. She seems wounded, and if I force it on her, it could cause her more trauma.”
It was hard for him not to use his wolf’s command. Killian could feel the creature, alert and dangerous, lurking underneath the surface. It paced, anxious to force the she-wolf down but intrigued by the little creature that resisted his call. He wasn’t going to tell Jamie he had already tried. The Alpha force could be overbearing for the pack, pushing and weaving its way into their will, until they were forced to accept it. Sometimes a wolf didn’t notice they were being commanded, but other times, if they were very willful, it could be painful. But she had just blinked at him and growled louder. He had never seen anything like it.
“Hmm, well, how are you planning on getting her out of there, then?” Jamie asked, backing away as her snarl grew louder.
Killian smiled. “Very patiently.”
* * * *
Cat paced the end of the small box, still disoriented from the drug the man named Killian had shot her with. The metal box felt even more closed in than her previous cage, making her itch to be free. She smelled the comforting scent of a forest nearby, and she wanted to sprint toward it, but the two men blocking the box’s exit spelled major trouble.
The one called Jamie said something about forcing her into a room in the house, as if the current location wasn’t torture enough. He seemed relaxed, given that Cat was ready to pounce and attack at any moment. Fear and rage coursed through her body, but caution held her back. Jamie’s sweet scent of lemon fit his pretty-boy features, but Cat sensed the dominance of his wolf. The man next to him was what caused Cat’s caution.
She had been waiting patiently for someone to enter the small area so she could attack, and when he opened the gate, that was exactly what she did. Never before had she met a man who exuded as much dominance. She had always thought her parents were powerful, but compared to this man they were like mice against a lion. Cat sensed the tendrils of his Alpha waves coming toward her, trying to calm and subdue her. She wasn’t going to fall for that one.
Her wolf respected dominance, but she wasn’t going to submit to it.
Killian was a different type of beautiful from Jamie. He was all sharp angles, where Jamie was soft. He watched her inquisitively, holding her stare with amber-gold eyes and refusing to look down. She growled instinctively and paced faster, but his presence was so sedative. His midnight hair curled at the ends to brush the tips of his tanned shoulders and swept back away from his face.
Despite his natural ability to alleviate her stress, his large body should have scared her. Strength rippled underneath the black T-shirt that stretched over his thick biceps. But even his scent attempted to subdue her, with its comforting pine-and-earth undertones and a hint of unidentifiable spice. Six years in the wilderness, wild and lonely, made her wolf want to rub against his leg in search of affection, but fear held her back.
I don’t want you to change back until you find safety. Do you understand?
Her mother’s words had kept her alive in the wilderness. They had forced her to remain steadfast and refuse to shift back to find shelter in a town. And she wouldn’t change that now just because this big dark man wanted her as his next loyal subject.
As she continued to pace and keep watch on Killian, Jamie stepped away out of her sight. Instantly nervous, she tilted her head, listening for his quieting footsteps.
He met her stare confidently. “Don’t worry. Jamie’s just going to get you some food. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
The thought of food had Cat’s stomach rumbling in agreement. While in the cage, she’d starved herself in hopes that one of the employees would enter. Then she could attack and escape. She hadn’t accounted for the small weapon they’d shot through the gate, knocking her out so they could give her nutrients. She’d woken up to some women talking about the medicine helping her malnutrition. Since then, she’d continued to not eat. If she couldn’t escape, there was no way she was spending the rest of her life in a cage.
Her attention sharpened when Killian stepped onto the ramp of the trailer, shaking it with his weight. Letting out a warning growl, Cat crouched lower, ready to spring.
“Don’t worry—you’re safe here. We’re not hunters, although I’m sure you can tell by our scent, can’t you?” He crept into the trailer, speaking to Cat as if she were a small child.
After being wild for so long, the tiny space, plus Killian’s persistence in getting closer, made it hard for her to breathe. Each breath became heavier, faster, as she fought to get oxygen into her body. She huffed and puffed, and it built on her anxiety, sending cold chills all over. Drool dripped from her mouth, and her vision blurred before he finally stopped five feet away from her and crouched down, his large frame almost blocking her view of the outside. Yet he didn’t lower his head below hers or lose her eye contact.
“I’m the Alpha of the pack here. I brought you here to get you away from the cage. Although you can tell that too, right?” He smiled, his white teeth contrasting against his tanned skin. “I’ve never seen a wolf resist my command the way you do. Are you just stubborn?”
His voice never wavered, even when Cat’s angry jaws snapped toward him. He stood firm and strong, like a mountain she had to overcome in order to escape.
“I think it’s more than that, though. You’re a scared one, huh? Is that why you won’t change to human?”
Cat continued to stare, standing still and pulsing with apprehension.
“All righty, then! I bring food. Courtesy of Chef Jamie.” The blond with green eyes came around the end of the trailer with a big grin and childish energy. In his hand, he carried a large pan containing a huge piece of raw beef, dripping with fresh red blood.
Cat’s fear almost fled from her body, replaced with the pain of her aching stomach as her gaze latched on to the meat Jamie set on the floor of the trailer. Killian reached back and pulled the metal dish toward him. It ended up in front of his bent legs, his hands folded as he settled back into his crouching position.
“See, we don’t want to hurt you. We just want to make you more comfortable.”
She was torn between fear of the man in front of her and intense hunger for the tender meat. She could practically taste the beef. Her growl turned into a high-pitched whine as she considered her options. She could attack this guy, maybe win, but her chances were low. He might be in human form, but it didn’t take long to shift, and he could be a very large wolf under all that human skin. Plus, he had his friend with him, and there could be more in the house. Even if she won, Cat had no idea where in the world she was. She looked from Killian to the meat and back again.
Slowly, she inched one foot toward the platter, then another. When Killian made no move to grab her, she moved closer until her paws hit the cold metal. Her face was inches from his; all it would take was one snap of her teeth, and the fight would begin. His almond-shaped eyes bored into hers, daring her to start it, but his Alpha command begged her to take the food.
Cat jerked her head down to the pan and sank her teeth into the glorious meal. The blood gushed into her mouth, and her stomach cried in relief for the nutrients it needed. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Killian reach out a hesitant hand as if to pet the top of her head. She jerked her head up, and the growl came ripping from her lungs.
Killian raised his hand and shrugged in apology. “I just wanted to see if you are as soft as you look.”
Cat gave his hand a pointed look and bared her teeth. Just try that again, Mister, she dared. Then she went back to her meal.
A few blissful moments later, Cat licked her paws and mouth, trying to clean up any leftover blood, gazing happily at the empty pan. It had been refreshing, though not nearly enough for her stomach. Killian still crouched in front of her with Jamie behind him at the entrance of the trailer, but neither made a move toward her.
“How about coming in now?” Killian asked. “We have a woman in there—Kelly—and she cooks a mean meatloaf.”
Stay in the horrible metal trailer, enclosed and terrified, or go into a home with a strange man? She had already decided this wasn’t the time to escape, as these two wolves could take her down with little effort.
Going into a home after this many years made her feel awkward, but it was her only realistic option. She stood to her full height on four legs, stretched her aching limbs, and sighed heavily.
“I guess that’s as much of a yes as I’ll get, then,” Killian said, slapping his hands to his thighs. He stood and headed from the trailer, slinging an arm around Jamie’s shoulder to whisper in his ear. They both waited at the bottom of the ramp as Cat walked toward them and watched their every move with caution. Once Cat reached the bottom, Killian led the way up the curved cobblestone pathway to the front porch of the home, with Jamie behind them both.