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EXCERPT:
Kane turned, thrusting his hands in the air. “I don’t even know who this Reseda is. How am I supposed to find her?”
“I’m sure I have a picture of her around here somewhere. But it’s quite old. She must be in her twenties by now.” Maquinna pressed the last of the herbs into the open wounds along Glenda’s arm and a phone slipped out of her apron pocket, crashing to the floor. The screen flashed with Reseda’s name.
“So, I’m just supposed to shout her name into the woods or something? I’ve got nothing to go on.” Kane stilled. Hair along his arms danced on an electric wave humming in the air around him. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a slow breath.
Adrenaline? No.
Sweat? No.
A scent he’d never encountered before, crisp and pure. Not fear, not heat, nor blood. Yet something distinctly feminine, clouded by wolf.
Kane shot out of the house in a blur. Following the scent, he kicked up speed as he dodged the enormous redwood trunks. The smell of rage and blood lust covered the faint scent of the female. The wolves had closed in on whoever it was. Triumphant howls rang out from the forest floor, and Kane zeroed in on the sounds.
Hair, long and dark as midnight, shone beneath the shimmer of moonlight as he caught sight of her. The same four wolves that he rescued Glenda from now chased this female, Castos out in front. She glanced over her shoulder, and for a moment Kane swore he caught a smile on her face before terror flickered in her eyes and she turned back around, increasing her sprint.
The thought disturbed and distracted him. He didn’t have time to transform into the Thunderbird as he caught up to one of the wolves. Continuing his chase, he stiffened his forearms and the edges of his tattoos lit up. A streak of lightning flashed from the ink, splitting the wolves’ path down the middle, singing the paws of two as they flipped over, rolling down the rim floor.
Castos glanced behind him. His yellow eyes pulsed blood-red as he released an ear-splitting howl catching sight of Kane. The wolf launched himself into the air, toppling the female to the ground. Kane leaped headfirst for the other wolf, barreling him to the Earth in a plume of dirt and pine needles. He gripped the creature by the head and twisted it in his hands, snapping its neck.
Castos walked around the female face down in the dirt, glaring at Kane from a distance. “You’ve now made yourself a true enemy, Kane. This was not your business.”
“What happens on my land is my business, Castos. Let the girl go.”
Castos howled with laughter. “You sound an awful lot like your father. Those same words got him killed.”
Rage boiled beneath Kane’s skin. Curling his fingers into his palm, the edges of his tattoos once again lit, brighter than before as he channeled everything into his powers. Something blurred to his right, and Kane snapped his focus to find the source of it. Castos released a whimpering growl as he flew through the air, soaring over Kane’s head, landing in a puff of dirt behind him on his back.
Kane whipped his head back to the girl. She stood facing him, bathed in moonlight, arms thrust forward ready to attack. The most intense and haunting blue eyes he’d ever seen flickered between the rays of light and darkness shadowing her face. Kane scrambled up from the ground to a stance, glancing back to where Castos landed, only to find him gone.
He turned back to the girl. “Are you hurt?”
“Are you?” She cocked her head, slanting a hip to the side.
He couldn’t tell if she was confused or teasing. “What kind of question is that?” Why would she ask if he was okay? He was the one saving her. Did she completely miss where he took out three of the four wolves?
“A valid one. I don’t know what happened to the other two, but I saw you tussling with Gage. He’s no easy match. That was Castos’ number one. So, again, are you hurt?” she asked.
“You’re on a first name basis with the wolves?” He sniffed the air around her, stepping closer. “You don’t smell like a wolf.”
“Chanel. It hides everything.” She circled in turn with his steps around her. “But no, of course I’m not a wolf. Thanks for the insult.”
He stifled a laugh. “Many pardons, ma’am.”
“Ma’am? Do I look that old?” Her lips fell into a pout. “It’s the moonlight, isn’t it? And the fact that I forgot to moisturize this morning.”
Kane cocked a brow. Who the hell was this girl making jokes moments after being savagely attacked by not only wolves, but the Alpha? She looked far from old. Dark hair that could rival the finest silk draped her shoulders, almost as long as his own. Olive skin that shone flawless under the light of the full moon was only put to shame by those stunning eyes.
Kane stepped back. “No. That’s not what I meant.”
“You hesitated. I do. I look old.” Her shoulders slumped as she folded her arms. “I’m too young to use night cream.”
Kane shook his head. “What the hell are you talking about? You just got jumped by a pack of wolves and you’re worried about wrinkles?”
Author Bio:
Wren hails from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin where beer and cheese are their own food groups. But a cowboy swept her off her feet and carried her to Texas, where she promptly lost all tolerance for cold and snow. Fueled by coffee, dreams, and men in kilts, Wren promises to bring you laughter, heart-fluttering romance, and action that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
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