Scent of Murder (Black Hills Wolves Book 37)

By Cara Carnes

A murderer strikes Los Lobos...

Heartbreak and hardship have returned to the Taos pack. Even though survival is a rote course for Dani, a woman can only handle so much. Her brother’s mate has been murdered and he’s missing. The pack Alpha was left for dead at the scene. Oh, and her ex-lover has been tasked with finding her brother.

Thane returned to make things right with the healing pack and the female he left behind. Leaving had been the only option that kept Dani safe. Now he’s back and not about to let her or the pack down again. Despite the tense situation, his wolf refuses to ignore the woman determined to “help” find her estranged brother. One way or another, she’d be his.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Jan 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781613339305

Cara Carnes

Born in small-town Texas, Cara Carnes was a princess, a pirate, fashion model, actress, rock star and Jon Bon Jovi's wife all before the age of 13. In reality, her fascination for enthralling worlds took seed somewhere amidst a somewhat dull day job and a wonderful life filled with family and friends. When she's not cemented to her chair, Cara loves traveling, photography and reading. For more information, check out her website at www.caracarnes.com. Please feel free to drop me a line at [e-mail]. For the latest information, sign up for my newsletter. Subscribers will receive bonus material from The Arsenal series. https://www.subscribepage.com/d6r0q6 Happy Reading!

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.

Smashwords Edition

Scent of Murder

Copyright  2015 by Cara Carnes

ISBN: 978-1-61333-930-5

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

Dear Readers,

For one year and thirty-five plus books with over twenty authors, we have journeyed with the Tao pack as they returned from the brink of destruction thanks to one mad Alpha thanks to the return of Drew Tao. Drew’s not the perfect Alpha, nor is he the perfect man, yet he remains committed to his pack and to making the Black Hills a fantastic place for them to live and thrive once more.

The four-book mini-series includes novels by Cara Carnes, Cam Cassidy, Rebecca Royce and Heather Long. Though each is designed to stand alone, they tell a cohesive tale that is enriched by reading them in order.

Book 1 – Scent of Murder

Book 2 – Scent of the Hunt

Book 3 – Scent of his Woman

Book 4 – Scent of Madness

We’ve seen changes in the pack, healing, and a rebirth hope and generosity of spirit. It is true that every journey faces a trial by fire, and this is the crucible, which will forever change the Black Hills Wolves. I invite you to join us as we rediscover what it means to be pack when murder comes to Los Lobos.

Heather Long

I’m so thrilled to be a part of the Black Hills Murder saga. This merges my love for paranormal romance and suspense into an already rich world I’ve had the privilege of playing around in.

Dani and Thane were such a treat to craft I almost hated stopping. I hope you enjoy their story as two reunited lovers find a way to bridge the gap their past created.

I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a note at [e-mail] and let me know what you thought about Scent of Murder and what you think about the Black Hills Wolves.

Happy reading 

Cara Carnes

Dedication

Thank you to Rebecca Royce and Heather Long for inviting me to participate in this adventure. I’m so thrilled to be a part of the Black Hills Wolves world.

Black Hills Wolves Stories

Wolf’s Return

What a Wolf Wants

Black Hills Desperado

Wolf’s Song

Claiming His Mate

When Hell Freezes

Portrait of a Lone Wolf

Alpha in Disguise

A Wolf’s Promise

Reluctant Mate

Diamond Moon

Wolf on a Leash

Tempting the Wolf

Naming His Mate

A Wolf Awakens

The Wolf and the Butterfly

Infiltrating Her Pack

Omega’s Heart

Rebel’s Claw

Claiming the She-Wolf

Worth Fighting For

Dangerous

Uncaged

Promiscuous Wolf

Disquieted Souls

A Cougar Among Wolves

Long Road Home

A Mate’s Healing Touch

Winter Solstice Run

Wolf’s Holiday

Winter Magic

Winter Secrets

Winter Solstice Ménage

Wolf in Winter Clothing

Murder in Los Lobos

Scent of Murder

Scent of the Hunt

Scent of his Woman

Scent of Madness

Also by Cara Carnes

A Wolf’s Promise

Phoenix Rising

Phoenix Crossing

Scent of Murder

A murderer strikes Los Lobos…

Heartbreak and hardship have returned to the Taos pack. Even though survival is a rote course for Dani, a woman can only handle so much. Her brother’s mate has been murdered and he’s missing. The pack Alpha was left for dead at the scene. Oh, and her ex-lover has been tasked with finding her brother.

Thane returned to make things right with the healing pack and the female he left behind. Leaving had been the only option that kept Dani safe. Now he’s back and not about to let her or the pack down again. Despite the tense situation, his wolf refuses to ignore the woman determined to help find her estranged brother. One way or another, she’d be his.

Dedication

To Rebecca and Heather for creating this fantastic world and letting me play in it.

Scent of Murder

A Black Hills Wolves Story

Murder in Los Lobos

By

Cara Carnes

Prologue

Breath. Hands locked on her throat silenced her. The blood in her veins slowed. The pain would be swift, but over. The frenetic beat of her heart and the frantic claw of her hands—if only she’d stayed asleep.

Silence.

Retribution.

Agony.

The warring emotions collided in him as he lowered her to the ground, careful to lay her on her side. Rising, he slid his hands into his pockets. Cold metal greeted him. She looked so peaceful against the snow, her eyes closed. He’d come to turn in the abandoned weapon hunters left in a shack on the edge of their territory…he couldn’t leave it there for children to happen upon. He’d missed the pack meeting, but found her…. She shouldn’t have been out alone. Humans didn’t belong in the Tao Pack.

A crunch behind him, and the familiar scent of his alpha invaded his senses. His wolf roared, and he pulled the gun, pivoted, and shot him in the chest—three times. The world narrowed as blood sprayed crimson on the white snow.

The wolf salivated as his life essence seeped into the compacted ground. Tonight was everything he’d dreamed of, so many times. She slept, forever at peace, but she wouldn’t sleep alone. A cry in the woods, a mournful shrieking howl split the night air.

He bolted.

Chapter One

Gloomy mist shrouded the old barn, as if forewarning entrants of the darkness there. Thane had vowed never to enter the area again, but he owed Ryker. Given the circumstances tonight, he wouldn’t be leaving Los Lobos anytime soon.

No self-respecting wolf would turn tail and run when the entire pack’s existence had just been upheaved. They’d been through enough—a hell of a lot more than Thane had expected. Somehow the new alpha, Drew, held them together, healed old wounds.

Dread roused long-forgotten protective instincts. He’d abandoned them all, torn out for parts unknown when they’d needed him most. Yeah, he’d been a rotten son of a bitch. He hadn’t hung around, handled shit like the man trudging silently beside him.

Unchecked rage drifted from Ryker. Thane knew better than to cross the enforcer now. Though they’d been friends for decades and suffered under the former alpha together, he had no business trying to contain the man’s reactions to the grim scene awaiting them.

The two warriors on the other side of Ryker remained silent as well. He didn’t know either wolf well. Then again, he didn’t know many of the pack. Shit had been bad back in the Magnum era, so he’d kept to himself. He’d intentionally erased those memories as best he could. Besides, he’d avoided interacting with most of the pack then.

Drew’s dad had been a rotten, evil bastard on good days—and there’d been few of them. The maniacal prick had almost single-handedly destroyed the pack. Somehow, the venomous deeds of the father hadn’t been passed to the son.

Thank fuck.

Ryker had spent the past couple of hours catching him and the other returning wolves up—recounting events which had led to the pack’s latest growth era. To think, while Thane had listened intently to how his people thrived, some son of a bitch had slain an innocent female.

And damn near killed Drew.

A generator hummed in the distance. Haphazardly strewn lighting illuminated an otherwise inky night. Dirt and rock crunched beneath his boots. A reminiscent stench radiated from the building as they approached.

Jesus, the smell. The foul stench of the past fused with the cloying remnants of the evening’s massacre. How much of the residual scents of blood and death had Thane been responsible for, under the guise of duty? How did Ryker handle the constant reminder of the shit they’d done?