Shift - Part Three: Willow Cove Shifters - The Pack, #3

By Margeaux Nix

Being the fated mate to the pack alpha isn't what i'd imagined...then again, who could have imagined all this!

 

Violet: Despite fighting the change into my wolf, she emerged fiercely beautiful and fully lethal. A natural huntress and tracker.  I must claim my fated mate, earn the trust of the rest of the Willow Cove Pack, and help my mate twart an attempted hostile takeover of our pack, all before spring break is over!

 

Ryker: My mate is a sexy, alpha she-wolf and I am so lucky that she has agreed to be mine. But when not one, but two of my pack challenge us for our positions as alphas within hours of our mating, I know there is something more to the challenges than just disappointed suitors.

 

Can Violet gain the trust of the pack, or will another alpha make a move to destroy the Willow Cove Pack before she gets the chance? Can Ryker find out who is trying to steal his pack? Or will he lose both his mate and his pack in the same day?

Find out in the conclusion of Ryker and Violet's story now!

 

Willow Cove Shifters is a serial following the four Burke siblings in the quest to find and claim their fated mates, with a new part releasing each month of 2022.

 

Intended for mature audiences 18+ for language and sex.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Margeaux Nix
• Release date: Mar 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201341756

Margeaux Nix

Margeaux Nix is a pen name for my paranormal books. I also write contemporary/erotic romance under the pen name J. Silence.  I never thought I'd like 'shifter' books and then I read one and quickly devoured the entire 10 book series. I was hooked! It didn't take long for me to fall in love with fated mates, alpha heroes and the women that love them.  When I started writing shifters, my intention was 'just one' while another series marinated. A dozen books later, and I can't seem to stop myself! I am a Navy son mom, a teenage girl mom, and a doggo mom to my two rescued writing companions - a lab mix and a border collie mix. I'm also a soon-to-be GG (gorgeous grandma)!

Book preview

Chapter 1

Ryker

Ihated to do it. I hated to use my alpha powers to compel Violet during her shift. But she was clinging so fiercely to her human form, to the life she’s always known, that it was causing her more pain than necessary. The moment she let go and allowed her wolf to take over was the moment everything snapped into place. Literally. The crunch of bones was sickening and her cries heart-wrenching. During her shift, Axel had to wrestle me to the ground to keep me from touching her while transitioning. That could have been dangerous for us both. He'd held me down until I had control of myself again, which also happened to be about the time she had completed her transformation. The moment her wolf emerged, there was a great sigh of relief from everyone present. Her parents immediately shifted and went to comfort her, to welcome their pup into the world. Violet barely moved from where she’d crumpled to the soft earth. My parents also shifted and went to her in their wolf forms to welcome her as well. Then both sets of parents turned and ran, howling and announcing their happiness at the arrival of a new wolf.

Now, my mate is curled on the ground in her beautiful wolf form, panting and whining softly from the effort of shifting. She's as weak as a newborn pup and as beautiful as anything I've ever seen. I bend over her and softly brush my hand over her fur. She’s midnight black from nose to tail with my white mark on her shoulder and her brilliant eyes as the only color in her body. I've never seen a wolf so purely a single color. Even my silver is shades of silver, brown, black, and white all mixed together. My sister's red wolf is red and brown and even some blonde. But my little mate is stunning in her monochrome. 

My beautiful little mate, I coo. She sniffs my hand and then licks it, recognizing my scent. I’m going to shift now, sweetheart. Don’t be scared.

I felt like I had to warn her since she’s never seen me shift. I probably should have done that before now. Probably should have shown her how easy it can be, how natural it is to let your wolf take over. So many things I could have done differently, better, to ease her into her first shift. But I'd been too focused on claiming her so that any single male wolves would know to stay away. All my protectiveness ended up doing, in the end, was to cause her additional harm. I vow to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.

I take a step back and make sure that Violet is watching when I call on my wolf, quickly and seamlessly shifting into my large silver wolf. Her big gold and sapphire eyes grow impossibly larger as she takes in my new form. I come to her, then, nuzzling her muzzle with mine, allowing her to take in my scent and make the connection from human me to wolf me. Then her pink tongue runs up the side of my muzzle.

Axel comes over and nudges her side. Violet startles at the appearance of a new wolf as if she'd forgotten he was here. Axe creeps toward her on his belly, keeping his gaze down so that she isn’t threatened. She inhales deeply, a big wolfy smile crossing her face when she recognizes him. He nudges her to her feet. She’s like a newborn lamb, all long wobbly legs and a big body that doesn’t want to cooperate. She manages to get to her feet and take a few awkward steps before she faceplants into the soft earth. She sits up, shakes her head, and scowls down at her legs like she’s yelling at them because they aren’t doing what she wants. I turn my head to hide the smile. She’s adorable and fiercely determined.

It takes her all of five minutes before she is more than just walking, but running around my yard, yipping happily, chasing moonbeams, and snapping at lightning bugs. This time, there is no hiding my enjoyment. Axel and I stand side-by-side, watching our newest pack member frolic in the early evening air. This is my favorite thing about running with new wolves. While they are usually young children, even Violet is child-like in her playfulness. It’s how it should have always been for her and I vow that I will do everything in my power to help her maintain her carefree wolf.

Watching your mate reminds me how much I love being a wolf, Axe says through our pack link.

She’s everything. I am so in love with her there are no words, Axe.

I am happy for you, Alpha. She will be an excellent addition to our pack.

After several minutes of watching her play, Axel approaches her, carefully herding her back towards me. This is a system we’ve worked out over the years I’ve been alpha. Let the new wolves play and then Axel – my beta - will bring them to me to submit to their alpha before we run. Violet prances over to me happily. Yes, she prances. I've never seen a wolf prance before, but my little mate pulls it off unlike anyone else. Adorable.

Axel nudges her side and then bows in submission to me as his alpha, showing her what she needs to do. He’s already submitted to me numerous times, as does the rest of the pack every time we run. I feel a surge of power infuse me with his submission. Violet watches him carefully, then lowers her body close to the ground, gaze lowered, her ears pressed back, and her tail tucked between her legs.

A second surge of power courses through me as I accept her submission to me as alpha. I feel our pack link click into place.

Rise, my love.

Violet tilts her head in that adorable way pups do when they hear a new sound. She stands and looks around, trying to figure out where the sound of my voice is coming from. She knows she heard me, but since we are both in our wolf forms, there is no way I can speak to her normally. I see Axel trying, and failing, to contain his laughter. She shoots him a scornful look.

It’s our pack link sweetheart, I tell her. "Why don’t you try to say something to me?"

She tilts her head, and I can almost see the wheels turning in her head. Is she trying to figure out what to say, or how to say it?

Can you hear me now? she asks, and that makes Axel roll on the ground in laughter. Leave it to my girl to use a cell phone commercial as her first words as a pack member. I laugh and nuzzle her.

"Yes, I can. Are you ready to