The Demon Wolf’s Rejected Mate

Prologue

LEVIATHAN

An owl gave a startled cry and bolted from its perch in the tree as I barreled through the forest. My paws hissed over the ground, pine needles and dead leaves crunching underneath me.

Bobbing between trees, brambles, and saplings, I traversed the forest I knew so well, my wolf delighting in the smells and sounds of the night, as we ran.

Wind, cool and refreshing, coursed through the fur along my body.

The crescent moon sat high in the night sky, casting faint light over the forest floor, which helped guide my way.

Lungs burning, legs aching pleasantly, for these few minutes, I didn’t have a care in the world, and I loved it.

One of the best things about being in my wolf form was the ability to forget.

After all these years, my body was still as strong and powerful as it had been decades ago.

Sometimes it was hard to believe it had really been a hundred years since I’d started living the majority of my life in my wolf form.

Leaping from rock to rock, my muscles flexed and sprang with energy that belied my hundred-twenty-five years of life.

Some sound, distant and almost imperceptible, pulled my attention away from my run.

Skidding to a halt, I paused, head tilted, trying to get a better read on it.

If not for my enhanced senses, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.

Yet, the sound had been distinct, so utterly not-of-the-forest that it had stood out, drawing my notice. It was a voice.

Narrowing my eyes, my lips peeled back, and a low growl rumbled through my chest as I moved toward the sound.

Anger roared through me when the surprise wore off.

These were my woods. No one was to set foot in them.

The local packs knew that. In their minds, I was basically a boogeyman, a shadow in the darkness they steered clear of.

Who the hell would venture into my territory without asking?

The closer I came to the voice, the clearer it became.

With a start, I realized it wasn’t a person talking, but a person crying.

A feminine voice, sobbing uncontrollably.

My lips drew down, the growl in my throat ceasing.

As much as I preferred solitude, I wasn’t a heartless monster.

I’d always had a certain fondness for broken people, being one myself.

Whoever this woman was, she was hurt or sad, and deep inside, I wanted to help.

It went against the reputation that had been built around me the last hundred years, but I didn’t give a damn what others believed, or didn’t believe.

As I drew near the sound, I realized with a start that I was close to the border of the Idlewild pack territory.

I’d spent years steering clear of that area because it held too many memories, too much heartache, and sadness.

My forest sat along the edge of their land, but I never ventured this near.

Pausing, one paw in the air, I weighed the pros and cons of interfering.

Perhaps this was a member of the pack? I’d sworn never to have anything to do with them, and I’d kept that promise for the most part.

Yet, the sobbing etched itself into my soul.

With a wolfish sigh, I moved onward toward it.

At the edge of a clearing, I caught the scent of the intruder and could see a vague outline of a person sitting on a fallen tree, outlined by the milky rays of moonlight streaming through the canopy overhead.

Female, as I’d thought, and a shifter. Not surprising.

The nearest human town or city was a couple hours away by car.

On foot, it would take half a day or more to reach.

I sniffed the air again to get a better read on her scent. She smelled amazing. Deliciously sweet and powerful, yet also subtle in a way I had a hard time understanding. I had to get closer and see exactly who that scent belonged to.

Did I continue on in my wolf form? What would be more startling, a man walking out of the dark forest, or a wolf? After a moment of hesitation, I decided to approach as a wolf, moving stealthily as I padded along the moss of the forest floor.

When I was fifteen feet away, the woman jolted upright and sniffed the air. She’d caught my scent. Her face was a shadow, obscured by night. All I could make out were her eyes, shimmering as they reflected the glow of the moon above.

“Who’s there?” she called. Even though her voice was thick from crying, it was light and musical, nonetheless. “What do you want?”

Moving a bit quicker, but not fast enough to seem aggressive, I jogged out into the moonlight, letting her see me. Once her eyes locked on me, I shifted to my human form. With my broad shoulders and powerful arms and legs, I probably looked intimidating.

Running a hand through my dusty blond hair, I said, “Are you all right? I, uh, I heard you crying.”

As I moved closer, I could make out more of her.

She had soft features, a heart-shaped face, striking bright blue eyes the color of a bright summer sky, and dark hair that looked black in the night, but would most likely look dark brown in sunlight.

She was beautiful. So enchanting I actually had to clench my jaw to keep it from falling open in surprise and awe.

My inner wolf whined sharply at the sight of her.

It had been a long time since I’d reacted to a woman like this.

She eyed me warily. “Are…are you from the Black Creek pack?”

That pack was located in a town about five miles from Idlewild, the nearest pack to theirs. If she was asking that, then she—most likely—was a member of Idlewild. She’d know me by reputation if nothing else. Better to leave that out.

Nodding, I took another step closer, holding my hands out to show I meant no harm. “Yeah. I was out for a run and heard crying. I hope you don’t mind. I came to make sure someone wasn’t hurt.”

Her shoulders slumped as the tension left her body. She lifted her hands and let them flop down on her thighs in a gesture of helplessness.

“Great. I can’t even run off into the woods to be miserable,” she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

I pointed back into the forest with my thumb. “I can go, if you want. Didn’t mean to ruin your night,” I said, though not unkindly. I didn’t actually want to leave. My inner wolf desperately wanted to get closer to her. Such a strange feeling after all these years.

She huffed and uncrossed her arms. “I’m sorry. I’m being an asshole. I didn’t mean that. It’s… Ugh. I’ve had a rough night. That’s all.”

“Wanna talk about it? Nothing like unloading your baggage on a stranger.” I smiled at her, hoping I didn’t sound like a creep.

“Sure,” she said, patting the spot beside her on the fallen tree. “Have a seat. Free therapy, right? Who can turn that down?”

“This is true,” I said, moving closer.

Up close, she looked younger than I’d thought.

Nineteen, maybe twenty, because her face had the youthful beauty that came with entering adulthood.

I made sure not to be too close, allowing her space, not wanting to act like I was invading her personal bubble, though my fingers tingled with desire to reach out and touch her skin.

“So,” I said. “How did you end up in the woods alone in the middle of the night?”

“Douchebags,” she said through gritted teeth, tears still wet on her cheeks. “People from my pack.”

The anger in her voice was a little surprising. Rarely did pack mates show this much vitriol toward each other.

“They told me we were gonna go explore and hang out at the lake,” she explained, pointing north where Skyland Lake sat.

It was more of a massive, creek-fed pond than a lake, but it was still pretty deep, and the surrounding packs used it as a swimming hole in the summer.

It was one of the few areas of the forest they ventured into without fear of me, and I allowed it.

“Go on,” I said.

“They led me off the path, then shifted and ran off. I got lost. They knew I couldn’t find my way back.” She put a hand to her forehead. “I was fucking stupid. I should have known they’d do this. They’ve bullied me my whole life.”

“Wait,” I said, holding up a hand. “Why didn’t you shift and chase them down? Follow them back to your pack lands?”

The sound that came out of her was a combination of a sigh, a sob, and a humorless laugh. “Yeah. That would be nice. It would alleviate a lot of my problems. I…” she trailed off, glancing into the woods, before turning to look into my eyes again. “I can’t shift.”

I didn’t gasp or even allow the expression on my face to change.

Although it was rare, I’d heard of a few shifters who had trouble accessing their inner wolves.

I didn’t personally believe it should be considered a disability.

Very few went their whole lives separated from their inner animal.

She looked to be about seven years late, but she still had time to become a full shifter.

“Okay,” I said, and she glanced at me, a mix of confusion and relief on her face. I wasn’t making a big deal out of it, and she couldn’t understand why. “I’m guessing some of your pack make you feel like shit for that?”

Her face twisted, but she managed to keep from crying again. “Yeah. I kinda thought tonight was different. Like they didn’t care anymore, and they wanted to be my friends instead of bullying me.”

“They left you here on purpose?” I leaned in closer, an understanding and consoling look on my face—at least that’s what I hoped I looked like.

“Yeah. it’s all a big joke to them. I’m an idiot,” she moaned. “I never should have thought things would change. I’m always going to be an outcast. I’ll never find a mate—God, I’m twenty and I’ve never even been kissed. How pathetic is that?” she said, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks.