Scorned: Hell-Baited Wolves, #2

By Cali Mann and Freya Black

I'm done being used by wolves, even if I have taken one as my own. The others will learn to kneel – or we'll steal their power.

 

One leader locked me up, and the other used me in his devilish plans. Both have their hearts locked up tight, but I need muscle to teach them the error of their ways.

It's time to pick a side in this pack war, and it will be my own. These wolves wanted a weapon. They got one – a red-hot demon pointed right at them.

 

If you love why choose romances, sexy werewolves, demons, and magic, grab this steamy, reverse harem paranormal romance now. Dive into USA Today bestselling author Cali Mann and Freya Black's intriguing world of shifters, werewolves, demons, and reverse harem paranormal romance.

This is book two in this complete, binge-able series:

 

READ THE WHOLE SERIES: 

Hell-Baited Wolves - a steamy, wolves and demon reverse harem

Free prequel short story: Guarded by Hellhounds

Book 1: Called

Book 2: Scorned

Book 3: Unleashed

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thornfire Publishing Co
• Release date: Oct 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201653958

Book preview

Cali Mann & Freya Black

Scorned

Hell Baited Wolves

First published by Thornfire Publishing Co. 2021

Copyright © 2021 by Cali Mann & Freya Black

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

First edition

Editing by The Word Faery

Cover art by Ravenborn Book Cover Design

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

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Contents

1. Del

2. Jaxon

3. Cooper

4. Del

5. Jaxon

6. Del

7. Zeke

8. Cooper

9. Del

10. Cooper

11. Jaxon

12. Del

13. Zeke

14. Jaxon

15. Cooper

16. Zeke

17. Del

18. Zeke

19. Del

20. Jaxon

21. Cooper

22. Jaxon

23. Del

24. Jaxon

25. Del

26. Jaxon

27. Del

28. Jaxon

29. Del

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

ALSO BY CALI MANN

1

Del

Light seeped through the thin motel curtains as Cooper snuggled into my back. His morning stubble tickled my neck, and the heady mix of his vanilla scent and sex filled my nose. I pulled his arm around my waist, lacing our hands together, and considered battling much-needed sleep for another round. But then his phone blared—again. I sighed, but he didn’t turn over to get it.

I twisted and raised an eyebrow in his direction. My gaze trailed along his cheekbones to his sleepy deep brown eyes, which dissolved my frustration. I could get lost in their depths.

I’m ignoring it, he mumbled.

I can tell. I butt-nudged him. Answer. They’re not going away.

Cooper grumbled about alpha idiots who couldn’t live without him, then turned and slapped his hand on his phone.

I smiled. We’d been holed up here, just enjoying each other, but the outside world wasn’t going to go away just because we wanted it to.

He squinted at it. Shit. No. Hell no! I’m not answering him.

Jaxon?

Last we’d heard, he was still locked up by Zeke’s pack and the sorcerer. Jaxon’s pack had been chomping at the bit to get him out, but we’d heard no updates through the grapevine—good or bad. Once I was clear of the mountain and no longer controlling some of Jaxon’s wolves with my succubus charms, they should’ve had a shot at rescuing him. At least, I’d hoped they did.

Close. Cooper’s thumb hovered over the hang up option, but the contact’s name meant little to my fuzzy early morning brain.

What’s the problem? I asked, running my fingers along his arm.

I had no desire to get in the middle of a pack war again, but I did feel a little sorry for Jaxon and his wolves. Zeke and the sorcerer had done all this—brought me here, destroyed the packs—all of it. But if they hadn’t, would I ever have met Cooper?

He clicked his tongue against his teeth but bashed his thumb on the accept button the next time the phone rang. What the hell do you want, Mark?

I perked my ears for the reply but didn’t need to. Our hotel room was quiet, and their volume was high.

I need the demon’s help, Mark growled.

How could he need my help when I had no idea who he was? He must be someone from one of the packs, but I wasn’t going to be roped back in by that sorcerer.

I replayed his words. The tone didn’t remind me of anyone, though if he called me demon, he was likely from Jaxon’s pack. Most of Zeke’s had at least used my name over my species.

Who is it? I asked.

Jaxon’s enforcer.

My blood chilled. The one who wanted to murder me?

In telling his side of my rescue, Cooper had said that Jaxon’s enforcer threatened to send a sniper after me if Cooper didn’t get me out of there within the hour. I might feel sorry for the pack after my part in what happened to their men, but I wasn’t putting myself in the line of fire for people who thought shooting me was the first course of action.

Cooper growled. Yes, he’s the asshole who wanted you dead. Why should she help you, Mark?

I bit my tongue. Cooper’s anger rolled off him, his vanilla and sandalwood scent so thick it choked the air like a musky promise of violence. That fire filled me with spitting hot energy of my own. The mate bond had sewn us and our emotions together so tightly. I’d never felt like this about anyone. Hell, before Cooper, I’d never even believed a succubus could love.

Mark paused, then said, quiet enough I had to strain to hear, Because she broke my men.

I winced. The commands Zeke and his sorcerer forced me to give those men were far more specific and closed than any I’d ordinarily give.

They’re still controlled? Cooper asked.

I’d not ask for the demon’s help otherwise.

Shit. I’d never tested my powers to that extent—I’d never wanted to. I’d hoped that the commands would wear off, like any of the vaguer commands I’d given in Hell or in that bar in town. They’d always faded within six hours. But I left the mountain more than four days ago . . . fuck.

As much as I didn’t want to get involved, I couldn’t leave them like that—trapped under my influence. Jaxon’s pack wouldn’t shoot me if I was helping them, right? Probably. I still didn’t trust them. But I’d had nightmares of being spelled. If I could do something to help those poor men . . .

Sitting up, I rubbed my face and swept the sleep from my eyes. I have to fix this, Cooper. They should be free by now. If they’re not, I have to undo it.

Cooper stroked my cheek. You don’t have to do anything. This is Jaxon’s problem and Zeke’s and that fucking sorcerer. They can sort this out between them and leave you out of it.

It is, but they were my commands. Unwilling or not.

I threw back the covers and grabbed some clothes, yanking them on. I was glad we’d dragged ourselves out of bed to shop the other day. The clothing was clean and new, even if the cotton fabric felt strange against my skin. I’d been wearing my leathers since I’d got here. More than long enough to try something new.

Cooper groaned, the phone still to his ear. He pulled it away and stared at it. You owe me.

Mark huffed. What time can I expect you?

Give us an hour. Cooper hung up and watched me pull on my coat. You really don’t have to do this. Especially so soon after everything. You should rest.

And the wolves I charmed? What happens if they get hurt when Mark tries to save his alpha? That’d be on me. My insides writhed. I couldn’t be responsible for that. Enough people had gotten hurt in my name.

Cooper looked at the ceiling and back. Okay, say we do this. That gives us an excuse to be on the mountain. He gestured to the room safe where I’d locked away my icon. We could drop two birds here.

I smiled. My second icon was still lying a few hundred yards away from the burnt circle where I was brought to Earth from Hell. We’d been trying to come up with a good excuse to be on the mountain looking for it. This was perfect.

I tipped his chin and ran my eyes over his warm coppery skin and the tight black curls already growing out from his buzz cut. He was so perfect. I kissed him hard. I like the way you think.

* * *

My knee jiggled against the car seat, and my breath came far too fast, my chest heavy like it was stuck in a vice. My nerves were a frayed mess. I bit my lip, remembering the muddy feeling of being totally under control. Being used. And I was heading right back up the mountain, into the territory of the people who did that to me.

Even with one icon safe and the other probably still hidden from their notice, the sorcerer had spelled Zeke’s wolves so I was powerless against them. If they caught us, I couldn’t magic myself into a better hand. I had to rely on my newly discovered hellhound side and Cooper to get me out of what may well prove to be a stupid decision.

Breathe, Del. Cooper’s eyes were on the road, but he reached over and squeezed my hand.

Don’t tell me you’re not nervous right now, I said, eying him. He couldn’t be as calm as he looked.

He didn’t answer, but a rush of warmth shot through our bond. I didn’t need it to know he’d be with me every moment of this risky venture. That’s who he was—a fierce protector.

Finding my second icon was more my problem than his, but he was willing to face the pack who’d exiled him less than a week ago. More than that, going back for my icon was his first suggestion after my decision was made, and he’d refused to let me go alone.

Cooper stroked my thigh with his little finger. Shots of far more pleasurable jitters ran through my lower half. A reminder of a night well spent. I smiled, the bundled wires of worry unwinding.

We should be fine, he said.

His voice was confident, but his eyes were more focused on the road than they strictly needed to be. Was he avoiding looking at me, admitting that this move could be trouble?

I probed our bond, feeling out his thoughts. He was focused, determined, and worried. He felt this as much as I did, but his worries were farther off.

You’re worried about what happens after this conflict is over, aren’t you?

Cooper nodded. Jaxon saw you control his wolves like puppets, and Zeke loved being in control—all the power you brought him. His jaw tightened. Neither is good at letting things go.

Oh yes, I vividly remembered the sparkle in Zeke’s eyes when he played me and the grim determination in Jaxon’s identical gold-flecked depths when I first appeared on his pack land. Both ignited fire that twisted in my gut. Who were they to think they could control me? I was a succubus and a hellhound, and it was time they faced up to imprisoning me and using me as a weapon in their personal war. Whatever their problems, I was done playing nice.

Batting down the fire roaring in me at the thought of the twin brothers, I tried to focus on the next few hours, but my succubus side whispered that those flames weren’t all anger. She knew the lie, the desire under the betrayal. In a way, it wasn’t surprising. Sex was what we did. But Cooper was right here and we’d had hours of energy generation last night. My succubus side should have been sated. She shouldn’t be looking at Jaxon or Zeke who, despite their tanned and muscled frames, were men who’d used me shamelessly. But damn it, that fact didn’t stop me from licking my lips in anticipation of the fight to come. I shook my head. I was done playing nice.

2

Jaxon

My eyes closed. My thoughts had drifted to the demon—her strawberry blonde hair and her sharp blue eyes and that body made for sex. I didn’t know why. Long hours of boredom trapped in this box, I supposed. She was attractive, I had to admit that. Hot even. My wolf huffed as I traced her human-shaped curves in my mind. A far better sight than these four concrete walls, and a fantastic distraction from the pain in my joints. Imagining pressing my lips to her neck, I could almost smell her scent on the breeze, the tartness of mountain berries fresh from the vine.

The door banged open, and I jumped, my chains rattling.

Zeke dragged Austin in by his collar and shoved him forward.

Austin stumbled, almost falling into me. I smelt blood, and fury swept through me, followed closely by guilt. I’d been daydreaming about a goddamn demon, and my brother had been hurting my wolf.

The alpha in me strained against my chains, desperate to protect my own. But I couldn’t escape. The silver in the shackles kept my wolf from shifting, just as it helped all the young wolves space out their first shifts.

Austin snarled as if I was the threat. Del had so thoroughly brainwashed my wolves, they didn’t know who their own alpha was or who was hurting them. I gritted my teeth as blood pooled through Austin’s shirt.

What did you do to him? I asked.

Me? Nothing. Zeke shook his head and leaned against the door, arms crossed. This is what happens when your second decides a rescue is in order.

My gut swirled. Austin was barely older than a pup, and I was his alpha. I should have protected him. This was twice now he’d been held captive. I’d been too lax about the threats around us. I should’ve been harsher. Hell, I should’ve killed Zeke