The Secret: Pride Law, #1

COPYRIGHT

The Secret

Copyright © 2018 Loribelle Hunt

First E-book Published: May 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, organizations, events, or locations is coincidental.

Summary:

Published by Loribelle Hunt

www.loribellehunt.com

COPYRIGHT

AUTHOR'S NOTE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

MORE FROM LORIBELLE HUNT

THE RETURN EXCERPT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Welcome to Pride Law! Pride Law is a spin-off of the Lunar Mates series, but can be read alone.  If you'd like to be notified of the next new release, The Return, please join my mailing list or my Facebook Reader Group for updates.

ONE

Carlos Rivera studied the woman in silence, certain she was unaware of his scrutiny. She’d been introduced to him two months ago as Sunny. No last name, and it’d taken weeks before she’d confessed it was Nolan. He could have just asked Julian, her boss and leader of the group of human hunters currently working with the werewolves to take out rogue shifters. Julian’s group had only recently made themselves known, and many of them still seemed to be deciding if they trusted the wolves and lions they were now working with, especially Sunny. He couldn’t blame any of them, but he wanted her to open up to him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d known her for years.

Her name was the only information she’d willingly given up, but even with that, his background check on her had come up completely empty. It was like she didn’t exist. She was a mystery, and his lion side had never been able to resist a puzzle.

When they’d met he’d privately called her the Ice Queen, and he wasn’t entirely comfortable with his rising obsession. After just a few weeks in her silent company though, he realized his first assessment was wrong and abandoned the nickname. It wasn’t that she was cold. She was just very reserved, especially with shifters.

That shouldn’t have surprised him. She was a tracker in a human group that hunted feral werefelines and rogue werewolves, and probably any other were species that got out of line. Those shifters felt humans were inferior and preyed on them, killing indiscriminately. Worse, if left to their own devices they’d expose the rest of the shifter species to humanity. That couldn’t be allowed to happen. It was obvious most of the human hunters were a part of the organization because they’d experienced tragedy at the hands of one species or the other. His lion wanted to demand she tell him her story, but he was pretty damned sure it was too soon to get it out of her.

A sign indicating restaurants at the next exit flashed by, and he slowed to enter the off-ramp.

Why are we stopping?

The first words she’d spoken since they’d left North Carolina were soft, almost drowsy, and they hit him hard, intensifying the arousal he already felt into painful need. He shifted a little in his seat and hoped she didn’t notice his cock had grown hard in his jeans.

We need to refuel.

She turned to look at him, right as he looked up, and he swore he saw a flash of amusement in her eyes.

You did that an hour ago.

I meant food, he said, turning into a fast-food place.

Oh.

She exited the vehicle, a sleek hybrid SUV that still had that new car smell, without another word and waited on the sidewalk until Asa and Declan, who were following in their own vehicle, joined them. The two werewolves were hunters. Carlos had been working with them to track down Arthur Roberts, a werewolf they expected to lead them straight to Tim Burns, the ruler of the rogue Society.

The three entered as a group with Carlos bringing up the rear. She relaxed as she ordered, took the wolves’ gentle teasing in stride and didn’t argue—too much—when they insisted on paying for her meal. The genial atmosphere continued at the table. Between the three of them, at least. Carlos was finding it increasingly hard to control his cat, the wild side of him clawing to break free. Each time she smiled at one of the wolves, each time she laughed at a joke, it grew worse. And it wasn’t just her smiles or her laughter winding him up. Carlos enjoyed men just as much as women.

There was something about the wolf, Declan, that called to him too. A call he was finding harder and harder to resist. He wanted a taste of the man, and then some. His lion considered the other male, Asa, an interloper, and it wasn’t pleased Sunny and Declan gave him so much attention. Carlos struggled to contain a low snarl and knew he hadn’t succeeded when Sunny turned to watch him with somber eyes.

What the fuck was wrong with him? Jealousy? Possessiveness? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone territorial over a woman, much less a man. He just wasn’t built that way. What was it about Sunny that made him want to roll her in bubble wrap and hide her away? What was it about Declan that made him want to roar his dominance?

If you’re done, we should get a move on, he snapped.

Of course, she didn’t reply. It was almost like she figured if she didn’t respond to him, he was no threat. She was wrong about that. She’d tempted the cat and was now its prey whether she liked it or not. Once she’d thrown out her trash, she stalked to the SUV, the three of them following. Declan stopped him before he could get into the driver’s seat.

Careful, cat, he said with an expectant grin. That one scratches back.

As far as warnings went, it was a lousy one. He craved this mysterious warrior woman, not a domesticated kitten. He could get plenty of that at home.

And so do I, Declan murmured, and there was no mistaking the heat in the werewolf’s eyes.

Carlos’s nostrils flared to take in the growing scent of his arousal. Fucking ambrosia. Hell yeah. His interest was reciprocated. It was only a matter of time before he had the wolf exactly where he wanted him. Declan turned his gaze to Sunny, who watched with what he took to be reluctant interest from inside the vehicle, and gave her a tight smile before getting in the other SUV.

Carlos continued south, turning seduction scenes over in his mind as he drove. His lion insisted he take her first. Declan wanted her too, but the lion would never accept less than supreme dominance. It wasn’t until they crossed the Georgia state line into Florida that Sunny spoke, startling him from his thoughts.

Do you think we’ll find him this time?

He glanced over and let his gaze sweep over her regal profile, moving down her lean torso and the sweater covering her generous breasts, before forcing his gaze back to the road.

I don’t know.

This was their third trip to south Florida looking for Arthur Roberts. The werewolf was excellent at hiding when he wanted to. Carlos was pretty sure if they found Arthur, and the man had succeeded in his mission, he’d take his own life before he let himself get captured by the hunters. That was why Declan was along. Arthur was his older brother and he was determined to see him safe, but Carlos knew that wasn’t likely to happen. Arthur’s mate had been murdered by a rogue werewolf years ago, and the only thing he lived for now was vengeance. To make matters even more difficult, on each trip south, Carlos had the nagging feeling that Sunny was there for another mission entirely.

The car fell into silence again, and for once in his life, he