Shadows of the Wolf Moon (The Shadow Pack Chronicles Book 2), page 1
Copyright © 2022 Tasha Creed
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
ISBN:9798809399548
Cover design by: Wolf Girl Designs
Contents
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Afterword
Books In This Series
Books By This Author
Chapter 1
Leia
“What do you mean you’re pregnant?” Garret’s face is one of surprise, confusion, and total shock all rolled into one. For a moment, it is almost as if he completely forgets to breathe and then gasps for air as he takes in my scent. I find it odd how he hasn’t noticed until now. “Leia, why haven’t you said anything?”
Apparently, he’s not Captain Obvious? My wolf rises and inserts her thoughts. I have to bite back the laugh I feel rising.
“Well, we’ve been so busy with the pack, restoring order, and trying to undo all the damage done by your father, that I just haven’t said anything. You are under so much pressure. I’m really surprised you haven’t scented the change in me. I honestly didn’t think I could hide it this long without anyone noticing.” His face softened as I stood there awkwardly. I watch as he tilts his head to the side to hear the heartbeat of our baby.
His eyes widen, once again in shock. “Please tell me that what I hear is wrong. You can’t be four months along.” His eyes find mine, partially upset because I have hidden this for the last three and a half months. For the first two weeks, it’s not noticeable to either party, but after that, the she wolf’s scent changes and it becomes very apparent. I haven’t purposely hidden it, but I haven’t drawn attention to it either.
“You’re not hearing wrong.” I cast my gaze low, mostly looking at his feet. I can feel his emotions rolling off of him in waves and though he’s not angry with me, I can tell I’ve rather irritated him.
“So that we are on the same page, you are telling me that you got pregnant on our wolf moon and have said nothing all of this time. I understood that correctly, right?” His voice comes out harsh, and I can feel through the bond that he instantly regrets the tone he took with me.
“That is the truth, Garrett.” I blink back the tears that are starting to form, my emotions getting the better of me. Stupid pregnant wolf hormones. I’m an alpha for Pete’s sake.
Suddenly, he closes the small space between us as he picks me up in the biggest bear hug, spinning me around in a full circle. “Leia, I wish you had told me sooner. I’m so excited. I’m going to be a dad.” He pauses as he stops spinning me and places me down, my feet partially on top of his. He pulls back quickly. “You are not going to Tennessee. This mission is just too dangerous, and I will not have you out there like this.”
“But Garrett! I’m alpha of this pack just as much, if not more so than you, considering I was the one who won the fight with your father. I must help when the High Alpha calls. It is my duty as much as it is yours.” I can feel my face partially shift, feeling defiant in every bone of my body.
“You are carrying our pup! This is one time you cannot get away with doing wild and crazy things.” He pulls away from our embrace, swinging his arms wildly in the air as he speaks, accenting ‘wild and crazy things. I stumble slightly off his feet from the lack of his arms holding me up. He catches me, but his expression stays the same.
My wolf butts in the conversation. I’m not sure what kind of wild and crazy things he thinks I do, but he is sorely mistaken. I protect the pack and do what must be done.
His eyes narrow at me. “I heard that. Do you need examples? You are the craziest female I’ve ever met. You challenged an alpha male wolf for a pack. How many females do you know that would do that? I’ll tell you how many.”
“None,” I say softly, interrupting him before he can say it. He is right in this one aspect, though I hate to admit it. Admitting he’s right about anything is something I instantly regret.
“That’s right and to think, you started out rather bratty.” He smirks as he crosses his broad arms across his chest. At first, I feel a little upset that he called me bratty but then my brain loses all function as I take in his muscular arms crossed over his chest. “Glad to see those still distract you, mate.” He begins to laugh before I even realize he was poking fun at me, drooling over his arms and stopping me from being angry.
“Will you stop that? You know they distract me. I am trying my best to be mad.” I can’t help but smile. He just does it to aggravate me anyway and always when he knows that I might be ready to whack him with something over the head. He flexes his muscles, and he bites his lip. I just roll my eyes and try not to stare too hard at his display.
He walks closer to me once more and leans to whisper in my ear, “I know, but you can’t disagree with me that you are bratty. Plus, you love with I display my muscles for you.”
“Oh, shut up. We need to go pack. We don’t have time for this. I need to focus, and you are a worthy distraction. Now, quit, let’s get to business.” I start to walk for the door, but he blocks me from leaving.
“You are staying put, but I’m all about business.” He turns and opens the door slowly, but he turns back to look at me again with a wink.
Sorrow crosses his features as I pass by to enter our home, and he replies without prodding. “I’m doing this to protect you. I know we didn’t have to wait a long time to find each other, but that doesn’t mean I want to lose you. You know what could happen if the High Alpha finds out you are the alpha or well, the primary alpha. I may not have a problem with it, but he will.”
I understand, but it still makes me angry. He has a point, but I want to go. If the High Alpha found out that it was me leading the pack, we could be in trouble. I’d rather not draw any more attention to us than we already do since we are the pack where the alpha was crazed and had to be put down. Garrett just usually left out it was me who challenged his father. With us already being bonded prior, I was already part of the pack, and the pack link would have come to us anyway, so no one knew otherwise. They just knew that Garrett asked them to call me alpha as well out of respect. Of course, they will comply and only Zane and Izzy knew the truth.
“Will you stay here, or do I need to put you under security?” I’m snapped from my thoughts as Garrett asks me again. He’d already asked me twice and I’ve been completely zoned out.
“Okay, I’ll stay here.” My head hangs low, feeling completely defeated.
“Look, it’s not only for the baby. Daniel is still out there, and the pack needs protection. You can control the pack if need be. They need you.” He walks the few spaces back to where I stand. He tilts my face to meet his. “You are an alpha, and we don’t hang our heads in defeat.” He tilts his head to the side, his long black hair shaggily hanging in a swoop. He gently leans in and kisses me while rubbing his hand across my stomach. When he leans back, his eyes are the glowing green of his wolf.
“When I return, we will finish that thought.” He smiles mischievously. As he turns to walk out the door, I’m still confused as to what thought he was talking about. All I thought about was he might need a haircut, though I like the long shaggy look.
Suddenly, an image flashed in my mind, and I realize he was meaning his thoughts, not mine. As it plays out in my mind, I swallow hard. I see myself slowly sitting up, feathers all around in our bed and in my hair. I blush as I realize that was just the other day’s date night and laugh to myself.
This is happening again very soon. He sends through our mate link, and I feel his ghostly touch caress my face.
That man is going to be the death of me, but oh what a death it would be.
Chapter 2
Garrett
As I leave Leia to her thoughts on the couch, I make my way back to our bedroom to pack. She is not following me or nagging about me leaving her behind. I even stop to check the hallway behind me a couple of times, but she must be still calming down from the image I sent her through our mating link. I watch the hall’s opening into the living room intently, but sure enough, she never bursts out arguing that she’s going and there is nothing I can do to stop her. I smile to myself as I turn back around to continue the brief journey to our bedroom.
As I swing the door open, reality finally sets in. I’m going to be a father. I make
If Zane hadn’t come to tell us about the High Alpha calling for our pack, would she have even told me today? The questions will have to wait for another time.
I swoop my hair off my face to the side, not that it will help at this point with its length, then rise from the bed. I step into our closet and find my suitcase. As I pack a few things to do me for the trip, I look to her side of our closet, and slowly look to the floor, finding her suitcase wide open with some things packed already inside.
I squat down and look at a couple of pieces of clothes inside. I won’t say that my mate is lazy, but she is sometimes slack when she unpacks. But I notice these are freshly packed. What was she doing packing these for? Did she know something was about to happen?
Another question for when I return. As I take one last look around, I stand and zip my bag. I throw it over my shoulder as I exit our closet, but once I step foot into our room, Leia is standing there with tears in her eyes. “I don’t want you to go.”
I drop the bag and close the gap between us, embracing her tightly. “I know, but I’ll be fine. I’ll be back before you know it, especially with the portals.” I lean down and kiss her nose, then her lips. “I love you. I promise I’ll be back. Don’t fret too much, you’ll stress the baby.”
“You better come home in one piece and unharmed. Not even a scratch will mar your skin. Do you understand me, Garrett Jase Malcolm?” Her big blue eyes look at me, full of emotions. It’s almost like watching a turbulent ocean in her eyes.
“I promise you, Leia Danielle Malcolm, that I will come home in one piece and unharmed.” I lean over and kiss her once more.
Zane pops his head in and surprises us both. “We got to go, now. I have everyone assembled. Izzy is staying here with Leia.” He smiles at both of us, clearly knowing he interrupted.
Leia nods her head and lets go of my shirt that she was tightly clutching. “I love you too, Garrett. Be safe.”
I nod my head and peck her lips once more before following Zane out of the house. We walk out into the yard, and I see he’s picked a fairly good team. “I see about thirty.” I double-check and realize some of our enforcers aren’t present.
“Already took care of it. Some enforcers are on guard duty for the pack in case our brother dearest is anywhere near spying. They’ll be running the border in two teams of two each shift. That should cover everything.” I breathe a sigh of relief as I hear those words out of Zane’s mouth.
“Thanks. Now, do you know how these portal things work? It’s not like we use them.” I laugh at my question. It’s not like anyone taught us about the portals. Human realm packs rarely needed to visit Tirana. They always came to us if it was a matter of importance.
“I think it goes like this. Sevierville, Tennessee, Human World.” Suddenly, a shimmer of gold appeared in thin air. All of my pack was in awe. “He assured me it’s completely safe. We won’t be shredded or anything as we cross.”
I watch as one by one my men start to cross over. Zane goes with them as I take one look back and see Leia being hugged by Izzy. I smile as I give her a small wave. The tears flow freely down her face.
Please be safe. She whispers through our bond. I give her a curt nod of my head as I turn back to look at the portal. I step a leg through and then my other follows. The scenery swirls as the woods come into focus. Pollen assaults my nose and I sneeze. Of course, Tennessee pollen. I have heard how they have a yellow plume that covers everything between March and May every year depending on when spring temperatures hit. Before we crossed, I didn't think about it at all.
I sneeze at least twice more, and I already can’t wait to get out of here. Several of my pack are having the same problem with the pollen. I hear the shouts of orders being given in the distance and we hurriedly make our way over.
The High Alpha, Alarick, ordered different men into different positions. Finally, he notices that we have arrived. “Ah, exactly the group I was waiting for. How many did you bring?”
“Thirty-two, including myself and my Beta.” I bow slightly in respect.
“Who is watching your pack?” I pause briefly, unsure how to answer that. I can’t tell him my mate is watching the pack, which could out her as a female alpha and if he isn’t aware already, I was not going to be the one who told him.
Zane bumps my arm and then finally butts in, seeing that I completely froze up. “We have another Beta, and we left half the enforcers. Our pack will be safe. Don’t you worry about it, High Alpha.”
Thankfully, I hear footsteps approaching, which distracts him from interrogating us further. I let out a harsh breath as I take in Zane’s panicked face. I can smell the lie rolling off him, so I know if I can smell it, so did the High Alpha. My eyes snap sideways as I feel like we are being watched. My eyes land on the High Alpha female staring right back at me.
We may not make it out of this. I send through the pack link to Zane. His eyes widen at my words, and he cuts his eyes at me, trying to be discreet, but never responds.
Finally, whoever was making the footsteps made their arrival. I look at the over-six-foot male before me, along with a shorter male that doesn’t look all that menacing. His blue-eyed gaze examines all of us before him, then he looks back to the High Alpha. I can feel his alpha power rolling off of him in waves to the point of suffocation.
“Alpha, what’s your plan?” He speaks evenly, but I can tell his voice is strained with the tension. His wolf is just under the surface, and I’m surprised he hasn’t already overridden all of his senses. The man is clearly losing the battle as his skin ripples.
The power gets thicker, and I realize that this must be Dante.
I watch as the High Alpha grips his shoulder hard. “We’re going to scare Nick into giving back my daughter. It’s either he dies or spends his life imprisoned. Dante, your job is to get Kassie and get her out of here. I know you can fight, but she is your mate. Darcy will assist you once you can get her out of the territory because we don’t know what shape she is in or will be in. The rest of us will help keep the other wolves out of it or at bay. There is another pack who is on their way and will probably arrive as a second wave, so to speak, to capture any that escape us. I’ll take out Nick. We have enough alphas present to do it.”
Dante snarls his lips, a dangerous move toward a High Alpha. My eyes widen at his bold display. I notice the guard to the High Alpha tensed, as if ready to charge Dante at any moment. The High Alpha just calmly held out his hand to stop him. “I know how you feel, so how about this. I’ll make him wish he were dead, and you can make him so? Sound fair?”
I had never heard the High Alpha sound so reasonable, and he didn’t even punish him for his outburst. It made me wonder if he’d be that upset over a female alpha. Maybe everything would work out and go over smoother than we could imagine.
I watch to see Dante’s response and suddenly, I’m frozen in horror. His eyes change from a bright blue color to the color of blood.
I’m taken aback as my mind reels with this new information. There’s only one creature ever known to our kind. I thought it was just a myth.
The prophecy, it’s true?
Chapter 3
Garrett
As we walk through the South end of Nick’s territory, I can’t help but wonder why no one had informed us that the prophesied beast had risen. I mean, of course, there were rumors when Kassie was born and then died at two days old, but nothing was ever truly confirmed. Now, we knew that was a lie. She was hidden in the human world as a bound wolf, which apparently has worn off, and now she is mated to Dante without a mating bite. Supposedly, they also shared the power, which just baffled me. I understand mates share their power, but this was a whole new animal or beast, so to speak.
Honestly, this was making my head hurt just thinking about it.
