Faith (Children of the Hunt Book 2)

By Emme Wesson

Bodhi Cooper finally has everything a wolf could want. Cory Flynn, the girlfriend who challenges him and keeps him coming back for more. A new home where he can spend his nights chasing small game by the river. The family he never knew he had and a Pack to belong to when he’s finally ready. But a decision to play cat and mouse with the police officer Cory used to date could jeopardize everything he’s worked so hard to gain.

Author's Note: This book contains adult content

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emme Wesson
• Release date: Dec 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310686030

Emme Wesson

Emme Wesson is a native Rhode Islander who decided to move north in 2000 and never looked back. She works full time doing computer tech support, a job she's done in some variation since 1987. Emme currently lives in south western New Hampshire with her husband and two small dogs.

Book preview

Prologue – Cory

June

The bonfire Liam MacKenzie had going was huge and Cory Flynn caught herself smiling slightly at his determination, even as she was sad as well. Tonight was June 6th, the annual celebration of Artemisia. Usually, she would be excited about being part of honoring the Goddess of the Hunt, but it was different this year. She had a wolf of her own, one who should have been here standing by her side. Instead, she was standing alone.

She wasn’t truly alone. Most of the Lake Sunapee Wolf Pack was there and all of her family. But the one person she had wanted with her wasn’t there. When she had first mentioned the bonfire to Bodhi Cooper, he had been interested. It was only after she explained that it was a celebration for Artemis that he had politely declined her invitation. The whole concept that there was a Goddess of the Hunt and Cory’s family had been dedicated to her worship for more generations than they could count made him uncomfortable. Bodhi had grown up in a Pack that had left the old traditions behind long ago, so while he knew Cory was special, he didn’t credit the Goddess for her Gift.

Cory looked at the other people gathered around the fire. Since it was the middle of the week, this wouldn’t be a long ceremony. Almost all of them had jobs to go to tomorrow, including her. She and her great-grandmother, Raelle Beck, would lead the ceremony as the only two Daughters of the Hunt present and then all those gathered would make a symbolic sacrifice to the Goddess and ask for her blessing for the next year. Usually she went into this night knowing exactly what blessing to ask for, but not this time. This time she was at a loss.

It’s time to begin. Liam’s voice broke into her thoughts and brought her back to the task at hand. Cory picked up the basket of birch twigs sitting at her feet and stepped forward with her great-grandmother. Raelle took Cory’s free hand and started the ritual blessing.

Great Lady, we ask that you bless this gathering of Pack, friends and family. Grant us prosperous hunts, joyful voices, contented homes and loving families.

Cory took up the next line, her heart not quite in what she said. Great Lady, guide us in the coming year. Lend us the strength to face all obstacles, overcome any hardships and thrive in any situation.

Raelle continued, Accept our offerings on this holiest of nights and honor us with your blessings. Raelle turned to address those gathered with them around the fire. In Artemis’ name, come forward and place your offering in the fire.

As Pack Elder, Michael Cooper came first, his wheelchair pushed by Cory’s sister Libby. He took a birch twig from her basket and threw it into the fire. Liam was second, as Pack Alpha. After that, the order didn’t really matter. They sorted themselves out, her family interspersed with the Sunapee Pack.

Liam came to stand beside her and leaned in close, whispering to Cory, His wolf has been here the whole time.

Cory looked up at him, startled. What?

That sad look on your face is about Bodhi, isn’t it? When she nodded, he said, His wolf’s been sitting just inside the tree line since the ceremony started. Cory started to turn, but Liam placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. No, don’t look. If he wanted to be acknowledged, he’d have come closer.

Cory let out a breath in relief. She was happy Wolf was there at least, even if Bodhi wasn’t. She would consider it progress. As the ceremony neared its end, Raelle took her offering to throw into the fire. Then it was Cory’s turn. She took her twig and considered her plea for a moment. She knew that asking for Bodhi to believe was too obvious. Instead, she asked the Goddess for understanding and patience, for both herself and for Bodhi.

He’ll come around eventually, Liam told her softly. Rene did.

The mention of Bodhi’s dead brother didn’t help how she felt. Rene Tolland had been dead for over a year now and it still affected her. He had been part of her life for six years before he’d been murdered. He had even participated in this ceremony in the past. His curiosity had outweighed any misgivings he’d had, but by the time she’d invited him to one, they’d known each other for almost a year. Rene had more time to accept her beliefs before attending with her and he had proudly stood with her. She only wished Bodhi could feel the same.

Liam stepped away and raised his voice. Thank you all for coming tonight. Those who need to go may do so. Those who’d like to stay are more than welcome. We’ll be going for a hunt shortly.

While the hunt to honor Artemis was customary, it wasn’t mandatory. Cory’s parents and youngest sisters left with Michael and her great-grandmother. A few of the wolves left as well. Her sisters Libby and Ali were still there, breaking out a bag of marshmallows to roast. Ali’s fiancé Jeff wasn’t aware of her family’s heritage. Since Ali wasn’t a Daughter of the Hunt, there was no need for him to be. She didn’t have to attend Pack functions and Jeff was blissfully unaware he had met most of the Lake Sunapee Wolf Pack at one time or another.

Cory, on the other hand, was considered a full Daughter of the Hunt because she carried the gift of healing. She thought it was ironic since there were other gifts she didn’t possess. Her great-grandmother had the second sight and was only considered a partial Daughter. Cory didn’t use her gift often, but she could heal an injured wolf by bringing on their change. But only if the wolf trusted her. Her gift could never be used to harm someone.

As the wolves changed and headed out on their hunt, Cory glanced around but didn’t see Wolf any longer. Perhaps he’d headed home already. She sighed and sat down with her sisters to roast a marshmallow before she headed out herself.

No Bodhi tonight? Ali asked her curiously.

Nope, Cory answered as she charred the crap out of her marshmallow. She didn’t offer any more on the subject, instead asking, What’s Jeff doing tonight?

His baseball team had a game tonight. He likes hanging out with the guys after, so he won’t miss me.

Cory ate her marshmallow and skewered another one. She hadn’t intended to have a second, but they were really good. Being what she was, Cory had never had the option of having a perfectly normal and oblivious man in her life. Any man she became involved with would end up knowing about the Pack, just like their father had. So in some ways, she had been destined to end up with a wolf. It made things easier and yet in some ways it didn’t. Wolves could be stubborn creatures and Bodhi was no exception. She caught herself about to skewer a third marshmallow and decided it was time to go. She might eat the whole bag otherwise.

Okay, I’m going, she told her sisters. Are you two sticking around?

I figured I’d stay until they came back, Libby told her.

I got nothing else to do, Ali said with a smile. Besides, I want to see what they come back with.

Artemisia was one of the few nights the Sunapee Pack actually hunted game to kill. They usually spent full moon hunts playing chase with each other or small game animals. Occasionally they would take down a deer if the opportunity presented itself. Cory gathered her things and stood up.

I’ll see you two this weekend, Cory told them as she headed for her car. There was still lots of wedding prep to do before Ali and Jeff got married at the end of the month and all of the sisters would be helping. As she drove away, she wondered if Bodhi would say anything about tonight when she saw him tomorrow.

Chapter 1 - Bodhi

Bodhi liked running on the bike path in Springfield, Vermont, with the Black River to keep him company. At three miles it wasn’t long enough and he would need to cross back over the river into Charlestown, New Hampshire to continue his run. On a good day, he could easily do twenty-five miles. On a bad day, fifty. He’d been averaging closer to thirty, which at least told him he wasn’t in the bad zone yet, but it would be easy to get there. If it did get that bad, he would run some of it four-footed, because Wolf needed the exercise too.

It had been three months since Bodhi had renounced the Lake Tahoe Wolf Pack and become dìobarach, an outcast. Just over two months since he’d returned to New Hampshire. And Cory. She was the reason he was running thirty miles a day. He had thought…well, he hadn’t really thought about what would happen when he returned. He knew Cory wanted to be with him, but she had made it clear she wouldn’t be immediately falling into bed with him. There would be dating involved and Wolf didn’t really understand dating. Wolf understood sex and hunting. While dating could be considered a form of hunting, the goals were too long term for Wolf. Wolf was about instant gratification. Not that Bodhi and Wolf were all that different. Two sides of the same coin and both tended to think with their cock before their brain.

He was also still trying to process what Wolf had seen last night. The last thing he had expected was that Wolf would go to Liam’s to observe the ceremony Cory had invited him to. The whole idea that there was a Goddess of the Hunt might be good in theory, but the fact that it might be a reality, that Cory and her family believed in her, wasn’t something he was ready to entertain. It was too far outside of his comfort zone. He had enough to deal with now that he was dìobarach.

Being an outcast meant feeling unworthy of Cory now that he was free to be with her. Wolf thought sex would solve the problem, because fucking her would mean he had dominance over her. Wolf would learn better eventually. But there wasn’t going to be any sex without dating first. Hence, Bodhi was running. Wolves used sex to help with control. No sex meant exercise and lots of it. He couldn’t afford to lose control right now.

One possible solution to the problem would have been to join the Sunapee Pack. Liam MacKenzie had made the offer, but Bodhi was reluctant to join another Pack so soon. Wolf still bristled at the idea of submitting his will to another Alpha, no matter how much he liked him. Liam could have forced the issue by refusing to let Wolf run with his Pack, but he hadn’t and Wolf was content enough with that for now.

Bodhi barely paused to cross Route 12, staying on Lovers Lane. His plan was to make a long circuit through Charlestown’s back roads before he went home to shower. Then he would drive into downtown Wickford and have breakfast at the Main Street Diner so he could see Cory. She owned the diner on her own now, but at one time his brother Rene had been her silent partner. He had left her everything when he died. His half of the business, his house, his two vehicles and a safety deposit box full of his trust fund money. She had sold his pickup truck before Bodhi arrived the first time. Then she had sold the house and Mustang convertible during the five months before he returned. Not having seen the money, Bodhi’s best guess was that Rene had left her approximately one million dollars, which included his half of the diner. The thing was, she felt uncomfortable using the money and had left it all in the box at the bank. Bodhi actually felt a little bit bad about that. Rene had wanted her to have the money, but she wouldn’t even buy herself a new car with it. Humans could be so strange some times. Not that wolves were much better.

Bodhi turned right at the end of Lovers Lane, onto Old Claremont Road. From there he took North Hemlock Road and looped around the Charlestown Town Forest and the Spaulding Wildlife Area on Borough Road, then crossed over to Unity Stage Road, where he went back across Route 12 again and continued on to River Road going north into Wickford. The small house he rented was on a private road off Route 12A not far from the border of Charlestown. He liked it because it was close to the Connecticut River and it was quiet. His landlord was an eighty year old retired school teacher who thought he was cute and lived in the closest house to his. She also went to bed at 8PM, which meant Wolf could slip out and go running without anyone seeing him and starting a panic. Even if they did, Wolf was brown and passed for a dog if you didn’t get a good look at him.

Overall, Bodhi was happy to be where he was. Only one thing would make it better and he’d be working on that soon.

Chapter 2 - Bodhi

Bodhi arrived at the diner wearing shorts,