About this ebook
Silence by Lena Austin: Noel Miller, a vampire with a few scars of his own, wants to be more than Cam's sign language interpreter. If only the werewolf will let him into his life -- and heart.
White Heat by Shelby Morgen: Heather Grant's got far too much experience working with stubborn males. She figures it would serve both Alphas right if their pride blows their cover. But someone's got to salvage the mission.
Read more from Shelby Morgen
The Marker: A 20th Century Murder Mystery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChangeling: A St. Patrick's Day Romantic Comedy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShooting Stars Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings2nd Edition: Desire Island (Box Set) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMutiny in Chapter Three: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Romantic Comedy of Errors Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Dire Wolves
Related ebooks
Violent (A Sick Little Werewolf Love Story) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Lunar Light: The Ayla St. John Chronicles, #6 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5No Place to Hyde Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrateful Wreckage Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChosen: The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAmish Werewolf Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lillian Rayne Trilogy: Book 2: The Lillian Rayne Trilogy, #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Werewolves Only: Crescent City Wolf Pack, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHeavy Metal: Heavy Metal Magic: Origins Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVampires, WereBears, and Zombies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeranged Little Mermaids Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Moon Blood: The First Blood Son, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy True Mate: Book 3 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Darker Past Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blood Ties: The First (A Bane Pack Novel) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wolf Agent: A Werewolf Shifter Romance (Shadow of the Moon Book 2): Shadow of the Moon, #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Third Shift: Third Shift, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPara Bellum Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Very Avynwood Halloween: Paranormals of Avynwood, #8.5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOlansia Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5New Orleans Magic: New Orleans Magic, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBite: Book 1: Bite, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpectral Justice: Shifter Squad Next Gen, #6 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Tame the Wolf (a Shadow Walkers Novel) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCornered Magic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDragon Pact: Blood Dragon #1 (Vampire Dragon Shifter Romance): Blood Dragon, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dhellia: The Dhellia Series, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPacks & Portals: The Dragon Tasker Series, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFull Moon Saloon: Kira Fairwood, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Heart of the Werewolf King (Alpha Male Shifter Romance) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Paranormal Romance For You
A Hunger Like No Other Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chased by Moonlight Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Flames of Chaos Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fighting Destiny Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Witches of New Orleans Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Turning Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Entreat Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wish Out of Water Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lothaire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Modified Volume 1: Modified, #1 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Claimed: Book 1 in the Brides of the Kindred: The Brides of the Kindred, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Blood That Binds US Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Monster Manor: Find Your Harem, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The All Souls Real-time Reading Companion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHungry for the Alpha: Paranormal Werewolf Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Nightingale Bones Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Warlord Wants Forever Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Twilight Before Christmas: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pleasure of a Dark Prince Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Written: The Librarian's Coven, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lover Unveiled Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Savior Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lassiter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Darius Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Raine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Vampire Fight Club Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Crescent Moon Tearoom: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Dire Wolves
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Dire Wolves - Shelby Morgen
Dire Wolves
Shelby Morgen & Lena Austin
All rights reserved.
Whiteout ©2021 Shelby Morgen
Silence ©2021 Lena Austin
White Heat ©2021 Shelby Morgen
BIN: 06987-02250
Second Edition
Formats Available:
Adobe PDF, Epub
Mobi/PRC
Publisher:
Changeling Press LLC
315 N. Centre St.
Martinsburg, WV 25404
www.ChangelingPress.com
Anthology Editor: Margaret Riley
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
Adult Sexual Content
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Legal File Usage -- Your Rights
Payment of the download fee for this book grants the purchaser the right to download and read this file, and to maintain private backup copies of the file for the purchaser’s personal use only.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this or any copyrighted work is illegal. Authors are paid on a per-purchase basis. Any use of this file beyond the rights stated above constitutes theft of the author’s earnings. File sharing is an international crime, prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice, Division of Cyber Crimes, in partnership with Interpol. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable by seizure of computers, up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 per reported instance.
Table of Contents
Dire Wolves
Whiteout
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Silence
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
White Heat
The Legend
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Shelby Morgen & Lena Austin
Dire Wolves
Shelby Morgen & Lena Austin
Whiteout by Shelby Morgen: Zan gives John a reason to want to live as a man again. But before he can make that kind of promise, he’s got unfinished business to take care of.
Silence by Lena Austin: Noel Miller, a vampire with a few scars of his own, wants to be more than Cam’s sign language interpreter. If only the werewolf will let him into his life -- and heart.
White Heat by Shelby Morgen: Heather Grant’s got far too much experience working with stubborn males. She figures it would serve both Alphas right if their pride blows their cover. But someone’s got to salvage the mission.
Whiteout
Shelby Morgen
As soon as she sees her newest patient, veterinarian Suzanne Grier knows he’s no normal wolf. Zan and her colleagues at Alaska’s Wolf Sanctuary have always believed Dire Wolves exist -- and they believe just as strongly in keeping their existence a secret. Zan’s never fought so hard to save a wolf -- or a man. The doctor can treat the wounded body, but only the woman can heal his wounded heart.
It’s been years since John’s felt the touch of a woman’s hand. Zan gives him a reason to want to live as a man again. But wolves mate for life. Before he can make that kind of promise, he’s got unfinished business to take care of. A wolf defends what’s his.
Wolf’s got a silver bullet to return to its owner.
Chapter One
Nome, Alaska
His breath came in deep, heavy pants that rattled his ribcage with every leaping stride, sending out moisture laden clouds which froze to his eyelashes in spiky crusts. And still he ran. He ran on instinct, blindly following paths he’d trodden for years, stumbling now and again on terrain he could see only in his mind.
Would have been a full moon tonight, were it not for the snow. He pictured the long expanse of tundra before him, frosted white, and desolate.
Instead he saw nothing. White out. Snow so dense it stung his nose with every breath.
Better this way. He wasn’t the only one running blind.
His own fault, really. He’d been too easy a target. But he’d wanted to get home before the storm hit.
And now he’d never see home again.
Pain tore through him with every step. He’d been wounded before. Shot, even. Shot at more times than he’d care to admit. Enough times he should have known better. His kind couldn’t afford to expose themselves. Not even at night. Not even at the start of a blizzard that promised the worst of winter’s wrath.
This time, though… this time was different. This time was worse. Far, far worse. This time the pain slashed through him like a knife in his ribs with every shuddering breath he drew.
This time he wasn’t going to heal.
Oh, it’d sealed over. He wasn’t going to bleed to death. He’d die slow. Eventually, when he couldn’t go on any more, he’d stumble, and this time he’d not get up. The cold would provide an escape from the unrelenting agony of the bullet buried deep in his side. When the pain finally brought him to his knees, when the cold won, he knew he’d feel warm again, for a bit. Then he’d feel nothing at all. Not such a bad way to go, really.
Except for the god-awful, burning pain.
The winds calmed as suddenly as they’d picked up, allowing the soft haze of the moonlight to penetrate the thickly falling snow. His nose told him what he should have known, would have known, had he been more alert. The pain was dulling his senses. He stopped, staring ahead into the night. The lights danced on the snow like faerie fire. The scene before him would have been beautiful, if not for the stench.
Garbage. Waste. Corruption. Pollutants. It all reeked of humanity.
Was that where he’d been going? Unconsciously seeking them out, the ones who might be able to help him?
Would they?
No. It was their kind who’d shot him.
Better to die as he’d lived. Out here. Alone. Die as a wild thing. The only ones who’d ever know would be his own kind. The snow would cover him, blanket his body until spring thaw. Then someone would come across him, here, too close to the city, like a marker, a warning. Stay away from the humans. This is what they do to us.
They’ve killed me.
Faerie light danced along the paths they used, calling to him, teasing him, making promises no human would ever honor for one of his kind. He turned to look over his shoulder, out through the vast nothing the fresh blanket of snow had woven. The faint mechanical noise of the human’s vehicle warned him he was not alone, not even out here.
Snowmobile.
The word came to his mind, unbidden, a reminder of times past, like the lights that called to him. A reminder he’d once been something more. He’d once had a pack.
But the man on the snowmobile was not pack. Not his pack. The man with the rifle was still after him. Probably wanted to make sure his cursed bullet had done its job. Or maybe he wanted a trophy. Proof of the kill.
And maybe, just maybe, that would be the shooter’s undoing. Bastard would have to come closer than rifle range if he wanted to view his handiwork.
As the snow cooled the heated agony along his ribs, Wolf burrowed in, turning his face to his pursuer. He knew how to wait. Waiting was the law of the land.
Time for the hunted to become the hunter.
* * *
Beep, beep, beep… The incessant, annoying mechanical blips brought him round, made him want to open his eyes, if only to find the machines and silence them.
…doing a patrol after the storm let up.
There were other noises. Voices.
…chased him down with a snowmobile. God damned idiots, the whole lot of them.
Stupidest thing this state’s ever done, issuing permits to bastards like that. I’d love to be able to take a few shots at them.
Human voices. Low and soft, as if they were far away, though his nose said they were close. Soap. One, the female, smelled delightful -- soap, something scented with flowers, and shampoo.
The other had the taint of the dead on him. His nose wrinkled in disgust.
Think you can save him?
I don’t know. Depends on how much blood he’s lost, and how bad he’s torn up inside. I’m damn sure going to try.
Wolf. He was Wolf. They were talking about him.
Wolf felt heavy bands cinching tight over his shoulders and hips, pressing him into the hard surface below. No! No one would tie him down. Never again!
He fought the bonds with all his fading strength.
Watch yourself! He may be wounded, but he’s still a wolf, and a damn big one. If he gets loose, he’ll rip you to shreds.
The woman’s voice was louder now, closer, though still gentle and kind. Easy, big guy. Easy. Don’t fight me. Please. I know you’ve got no reason to trust me, but I swear no one will hurt you here. I’m going to do everything I can to fix you up, but you’ve got to hang in there. You can do it, wolf. I know you can.
Wolf tried to open his eyes, but quickly squeezed them back shut. Bright! Too bright. Whining in protest, he tried to move, to shift his head away from the light that hurt his eyes, but he was fading fast. His body failed to obey his simplest commands. Pain tore through him, drawing an unmanly whimper from his tortured throat. He attempted to lick his dry lips, but even that was too much. His muzzle was bound -- how, he wasn’t sure, but his paw refused to move, even to explore, let alone tear at whatever it was.
A soft, damp cloth wiped his mouth, dripping a few drops of water onto parched skin. Shhh. I’m on your side. You’re safe here. I promise.
She laid her hand on his shoulder, next to the matted fur, all crusty with blood.
So long… It had been years since he’d felt a woman’s touch. So many years… Too many to count. If he’d been able to move, he’d have leaned into the gentle pressure of her hand, pressed his nose to her skin, there at the pulse in her wrist, touched his tongue to her, memorizing her scent. Instead he whimpered again, because even her light touch triggered the agony that radiated through him.
…going under… stay long enough to lend me a hand? Bullet’s going to have to come out, and I sent everyone home before this storm hit.
Sure, Doc. Just let me put in a call to dispatch. And my wife. She worries…
Wolf had had a wife, once. A wife, and a pack. Gone now. Everything was gone.
The voices drifted away, then back again. …strong. And bigger than any wolf I’ve ever seen before. Table registered him at two hundred twenty-seven pounds. I checked it twice to be sure. Had to up the anesthesia. He’s in bad shape. I’ve got to get that bullet out.
Bullet. Yes. He’d been shot. Though how he’d gotten here…
…hell of a job getting him loaded…
The snowmobile…
Relax, big fella. You’re safe here. Doc’ll take good care of you. Go back to sleep.
The woman buried her fingers in his fur for a moment, and he wished he could tell her how good her touch felt.
* * *
He was a beauty, the huge silver beast, lean, but fit, densely muscled over a long, powerful frame. A fighter, Zan could tell. A long, dark scar traversed his face, spanning his left eye, nose, and right cheek. It had grown in with pure white fur, but the old wound beneath still shone through in a long black arc. Other, less prominent scars dotted his pelt, adding character more than detracting from his appearance.
She ran her hand over his head, stroking his temples. Everyone says you’re just a legend, but I knew. I think I’ve always known. Old Alpha, aren’t you? You’re used to fighting, but even you can’t fight a bullet. You’ve got to hang on for me, big guy. I promise, I’ll do everything I can to save you.
You really think he’s a…
"I know what he’s not. Zan pulled back the wolf’s gums.
Two hundred twenty-seven pounds. And look at those teeth. Ever seen anything like him before?"
Jake shook his head. If we know what’s good for us -- and him -- we haven’t seen anything more than another wounded arctic timber wolf now, either.
Right. I’d rather not lose my medical license.
Time to get to work. Zan shaved the wound site carefully, stretching the skin tight across his ribcage. Seen under the stark light of the surgery, the damage looked even worse than she’d expected. The wound was seeping slightly, sluggishly washing out an ugly green ooze along with the dark blood. The edges of the hole had the same sickeningly green-gray look to them, dark and angry against his pale skin. She sliced the skin back to get a better look at the bullet’s trajectory.
Jake tried to get in closer, then backed off, his nose wrinkling in revulsion. Smells disgusting. What the hell?
I have no idea. I’ve never seen anything like this before. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the bullet was poisoned. But I don’t think that’s even possible.
She had to make the incision longer, deeper, carefully cutting away the affected tissue. Whatever it is, it’s worse than a brown recluse bite. It’s eating him alive from the inside out. Everything that’s not pink and healthy has to come out. From what I could see on the fluoroscope the bullet itself missed all the vital organs, but it’s lodged just behind his rib. If we can stop this reaction from spreading he should recover. I just don’t know how extensive the damage is. If it reaches his heart or his lungs…
As if on cue, the monitor’s beep changed to a shrill screech. His blood pressure’s dropping. His heart’s stopped. I’m going to have to open him up.
What do you want me to do?
Rinse the affected areas with saline, and suction. Every bit of this green stuff’s got to come out. I’m going to slide the paddles in alongside his heart. Got to find the bullet and get it out. It should have gone --
I see it!
There was a heavy clunk as Jake dropped the hemostat, bullet and all, into the basin, next to the mass of putrid flesh.
Zan set the charge on the internal paddles, and slid her fingers in next to the wolf’s heart, massaging gently. Don’t quit on me now. Don’t make me zap you, big guy.
As if on cue, the muscles beneath her fingertips shivered, and spasmed back to life. Yes!
Zan, you need to get out of there. Now.
What?
Jake’s tone of alarm had her jerking her hands back as if they were about to get burned.
Look.
She looked where he pointed, and looked again. The tissue she’d cut into had already stopped bleeding. The wound was beginning to heal. How the hell --
There are questions we don’t need to know the answers to. Not unless you want him to end up dissected in a research lab.
Right.
She’d made that vow when she’d agreed to take over the sanctuary. I’ll never let that happen to you, big guy. I’ll keep your secret. It’s enough we know the truth.
None of her wolves would ever be sacrificed to research, no matter what their genetic origins. Let’s get him closed up, so his body takes over.
* * *
Two hours later Dr. Suzanne Grier’s patient was locked securely in one of the birthing stalls -- he was too big for any of her cages -- and Zan was examining remnants of torn flesh under the microscope. This looks more burned than infected,
she muttered, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Almost like an acid burn.
Zan…
Come here, Jake, you’ve got to see this.
"You’ve got to see this."
In all the years she’d done volunteer work with the Department of Fish & Game, Zan had never heard anything like fear in Jake Parker’s voice. What she heard now sent shivers down her spine. She pushed away from the lab table, turning to face him. What’s wrong?
Using a pair of forceps, Jake held up the bullet he’d recovered. What does this look like to you?
Zan looked up, then took off her glasses and looked again. Fuck.
God knows how many they’ll slaughter. These creatures aren’t even supposed to exist. We don’t have any idea how many there are. These fanatics will stop at nothing. We could lose our entire population.
Zan pinched the bridge of her nose, staring down at the silver bullet. Maybe it’s time we started hunting them.
* * *
Wolf awoke, naked and shivering, but aching too bad not to be alive.
Man-things were not built to handle arctic cold.
He didn’t remember shifting. Didn’t remember much of anything at all, past the blinding snow. He raised his head, trying to figure out where he was. Inside. In a building. A barn, maybe. He could hear goats bleating faintly some distance away, and the place smelled of straw and dirt -- and humans.
One of the humans smelled familiar.