What a Wolf Wants

By Heather Long

He runs alone...

Ryker Grey is used to being on the outside looking in. For more than fifty years, he has worked as Pack Enforcer for the Black Hills Wolves, rising to his rank swiftly. Compelled by duty and devotion to his people, he fought to keep them protected from within and without—earning a few enemies and fewer friends. Drew’s return has sparked healing in the fraying pack, but Ryker remains vigilant.

She needs a place to call her own...

Saja Lyons has spent her life studying cultures, but never really being a part of them. Completing a double specialty in psychology and sociology, she decides to take the three months after her graduation to find herself on a cross-country drive. She embraces the nomadic road trip until her car breaks down on a deserted stretch of road in the middle of nowhere South Dakota.

Two lonely lives collide in the cold...

Ryker catches Saja’s scent from a mile away, loneliness edged in fear, frustration, and utter femininity. He approaches her in order to lend her a hand and get her out of the pack’s way...the sooner she’s gone from Los Lobos, the safer the pack will be. When their gazes meet, her playful hostility arouses the hunter in him, and for the first time in fifty years, the enforcer tastes what it’s like to not be alone...

But what if the best thing that ever happened to him is a danger to the Black Hills Wolves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Jan 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781613337363

Heather Long

Heather Long is a USA TODAY bestselling author who likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, and Marines. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romances as hot as her native Texas summertime.

Book preview

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

What a Wolf Wants

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2015 by Heather Long

ISBN: 978-1-61333-736-3

Cover art by Fiona Jayde

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

Black Hills Wolves Stories

Wolf’s Return

Coming Soon

Black Hills Desperado

Wolf’s Song

Claiming His Mate

When Hell Freezes

Portrait of a Lone Wolf

Taming His Mate

Seducing the Schoolmarm

Alpha in Disguise

A Wolf’s Promise

Reluctant Mate

Diamond Moon

Tempting the Wolf

Also by Heather Long

Always a Marine

Series so Far (in order by release)

Once Her Man, Always Her Man

Luke & Rebecca

Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here

Logan, Jazz & Zach

Tell It to the Marine

James & Lauren

Introduction of Matt McCall and Damon Sinclair

Features an appearance of Logan Cavanaugh

Proud to Serve Her

Damon & Helena

Matt, James, Lauren, Luke and Rebecca mentioned

Her Marine

Brody & Shannon

No Regrets, No Surrender

Logan, Jazz & Zach

James featured

The Marine Cowboy

A.J. & Sheri

Phone call from Luke

The Two and the Proud

Rowdy & Kim

A Marine and a Gentleman

Brenden & Liam

Appearances of James, Logan, Jazz, Shannon, Rebecca, Lauren

Combat Barbie

Kyle & Mary

Jazz makes an appearance via phone

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Joe & Melody

James makes an appearance

What Part of Marine Don’t You Understand?

Matt & Naomi

Appearances by James and Logan, Damon is mentioned

A Marine Affair

Eli & Rick

Marine Ever After

Paul & Lillianna

Multiple appearances at Luke & Rebecca’s wedding

Marine in the Wind

Greg & Georgia

Appearances by A.J. & Sheri

Marine with Benefits

Derek & Kara

Appearance by Logan

A Marine of Plenty

Charlie & Jana

Appearance by Naomi

A Candle for a Marine

Isaac & Zehava

Appearances by Zach & Shannon

Marine Under the Mistletoe

Kaiden & Rowan

Have Yourself a Marine Christmas

Rebel & Noel

Appearances by Derek, Kara, Luke and James

Lest Old Marines Be Forgot

Tom & Brenda

Appearances by Luke, James, Logan, and Damon

Her Marine Bodyguard

Shannon & Brody

Multiple appearances including Luke, Logan, Zach, Jazz, Mary, Damon & Rowdy

ROAR Series

Mischief, Mongrels & Mayhem

What a Wolf Wants

Black Hills Wolves

By

Heather Long

~Dedication~

For Becca. Working with you remains a joyous privilege.

Chapter One

The bite of snow curled through the winter wind. Any other time, Ryker would be in Wolf form, racing through the hills. Unlike so many in the broken pack, the moon had never bound him. Though her sway didn’t call to him as it did to the others, the lack had never prevented him from joining the hunt each month, when the moon-called shifted, and shadowing their progress.

Few were those who ventured out unless they had to, and less was their joy—until Drew finally came home. The boy had—did—provide a fresh resource for the pack. Though desperately frayed and facing challenges on all sides, the pack bonds had begun to heal. But it would take time.

Of course, anything worth having should take time. Magnum hadn’t decimated them overnight. Just the thought of the previous Alpha was enough to have Ryker’s upper lip curling. His death should have been celebrated for months, but they’d only been able to sigh in deep relief.

A relief he, the deadly, highly-feared enforcer, shared. He had given thanks for every bloodless evening since. Even chastising three over-exuberant youths, who’d been caught on camera, hadn’t diminished his contentment.

The death of Magnum had freed Ryker from a blood oath that bound him in a chokehold, preventing him from killing the demented beast himself. He could walk amongst the pack, see them in the light of day, without worry Magnum would forget himself, giving an order so specific Ryker couldn’t find a work-around.

Killing had never troubled the enforcer. Death was a natural product of life—to protect the Black Hills, the wolves in the pack, their mates, and their children? Ryker would hunt, maim, and even kill as needed.

Magnum had only known how to butcher. More than once, he’d thought Ryker’s place was to be the vicious attack dog. Isolating himself had been the only option—distancing himself from the pack until all he could do was protect from afar, averting threats before Magnum knew about them…and wait.

Fortunately, the madness in the old Alpha had prevented him from realizing that, without utter specificity, Ryker could turn most kill orders into something else. He’d gotten really fucking good at it.

He smiled briefly at the scent of cinnamon touching the air. Tasha had been in the area recently. Most likely on another stealthy visit to his cabin. The little Beta appeared at random times. After her visits, he would find a torn shirt had been mended, his dry goods had been restocked, and a plate of cookies awaited him.

Always cookies. Depending on her mood, the type of cookie varied. Though not a fan of those types of sweets, Ryker always ate them. She was the only Beta to give a damn about him since he’d sent his sister and her family—along with so many others—away to safety. If Tasha wanted to make them for him so he wasn’t so alone, then he would eat them.

Sometimes, she came just to get away from the sadness of the town. His cabin was miles from Los Lobos, deeper into the woods—as far from Magnum as he could get yet still be close enough to help the pack if they needed him. In a way, allowing Tasha to care for him was her way of allowing him to care for her. Damaged and scarred after a vicious attack, her soul needed more than he to

Reviews for What a Wolf Wants

[lauralusreviews · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was given What a Wolf Wants for an honest review by Manic ReadersSaja's car broke down in the middle of nowhere in the Black Hills just a storm is about to hit. She could freeze to death before she gets help, but she gets lucky when someone walks up but then she has to go a point a gun at him.Ryker lives apart from his pack, he felt it was needed to save his pack from the punishment of his old dead Alpha. The new Alpha had untied his hands and thankfully wasn't a sadistic ass hat like his father. His new Alpha was fighting to rebuild the pack. When Ryker here's hears a car break down he goes to investigate only to have his mate pull a gun on him and mating with humans is against the law.So far almost every book I have read in this series has started out slow and boring and then picks up near the middle and this book was no different. I liked that more characters were introduced and that the Alpha had his part but I wish there was more to the story. I wish I could find something that stood out but to be honest the book was just ok with nothing standing out to recommend it except that it had very few edits and the cover which rocks.Also posted on Manic Readers and Laura Lu's Book Reviews