Grave Legacy: Grant Wolves, #4

By Lori Drake

Predator or prey. It all depends on which end of the scope you're on.

 

Hunters are the boogeymen werewolf parents use to keep their children in line—that's what Joey and Chris used to believe. Now, wolves are being massacred by an elusive predator, a flesh-and-blood killer with silver-plated weapons and a grudge.

 

With the funeral of the century days away and several dozen agitated out-of-town shifters breathing down their necks, there's no margin for error. Can Seattle's young Alphas track down the bloodthirsty butcher before he slaughters them all?

 

Grave Legacy is the staggering fourth book in the Grant Wolves series. If you like defiant heroes, high stakes, and jaw-dropping twists, you'll love Lori Drake's page-turning urban fantasy.

 

Buy Grave Legacy and join the hunt today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clockwork Cactus Press
• Release date: Oct 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781955545082

Book preview

1

Joey stood at one of the windows in her mother’s study—her study now; that was going to take some getting used to—and watched Chris’s car pull up the drive. They’d been home barely forty-eight hours, and so much had already changed. She didn’t know how she would’ve remained sane without Sam. Then again, her sanity might yet be in question. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as Chris got out of the car and walked toward the house with something in his hand. She squinted, trying to make it out, but it was too dark outside, and he soon stepped under the covered porch.

The doorbell rang, and Joey grimaced because Chris was the only one who seemed to think Chris needed an invitation to enter the Grant house. Sighing, she turned from the window and left the office, heading for the stairs. He was on his way up by the time she got there, so she stood at the top and watched him take the steps two at a time.

How many times do I have to tell you not to ring the bell? You’ve got a key, for crying out loud. Her consternation dissolved when she finally saw what he carried with him: a bouquet of red roses wrapped in simple brown paper.

He smiled at her and stopped a couple of steps down so they were just about on eye level. At least one more time.

Joey leaned over and kissed him, then reached for the bouquet. Are these for me?

I know, you said if one more flower delivery truck showed up you were going to block the driveway, so I figured I’d deliver them in person.

He wasn’t wrong. News of Adelaide Grant’s death had barely had any time to circulate, but they’d already received so many floral arrangements and sympathy cards that Joey could’ve opened her own flower shop. This bouquet was different, and not just because it was hand-delivered. It was red, whereas most of the arrangements downstairs were white. A gift of love, not of mourning. Not that they weren’t still mourning. But it brightened her day, and that’d surely been his intent.

Joey took the flowers from Chris and sniffed them. Thanks. Come on, I need to talk to you about something. She caught his hand and drew him the rest of the way up the stairs and into the study, closing the door behind them.

He eyed her uncertainly. Okay…

Relax, you’re not in trouble.

I hope not. I mean, I brought flowers and I’m willing to put out.

Joey laughed, and he smiled like that was exactly what he wanted. But his expression soon sobered. Smiles and laughter didn’t last long these days.

Chris stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. What do you want to talk about?

There went those butterflies again. She’d rehearsed this in her head a hundred times, but now that he was here, it was all she could do to keep her nerves in check. I’ve been thinking about our situation.

Which situation would that be?

The ‘both of us being Alphas of our packs’ situation.

Chris’s brows drew together. We don’t have to deal with that right now.

But I know how to fix it, she said quickly, glancing around for somewhere to set the flowers down. She tossed them gently toward a nearby chair and took his other hand in hers. Marry me.

He blinked at her, and she continued before he could get a word in edgewise. It’s the perfect solution. I love you, you love me, we can unite the packs, and everyone can be one big happy fam—

Chris cut her off with a kiss. A toe-curling, end-of-the-world sort of kiss that burned those stomach butterflies into cinders. She leaned into the kiss, fingers curling in his shirt when his hands slid up her arms to cup her face. Despite all the turmoil swirling around them, at least this hadn’t changed.

She growled a soft protest when he pulled back, but opened her eyes to gaze into his, basking in the warmth of his love. His thumbs stroked her cheeks, and she knew with absolute conviction that this was the right path… right up until the floor fell out from under her.

No, he said.

She stared at him in confusion, and Chris knew he had to explain himself. He just wasn’t sure how.

His stomach was in knots. Joey was the love of his life. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted it all. The white picket fence, the 2.5 kids, everything. He’d fantasized about asking her the same question. A candlelight dinner. Champagne. Dancing. Getting down on one knee, the way it was supposed to be. He’d even bought a ring, weeks ago. He was all in.

It wasn’t the unconventional manner of the proposal that’d forced a refusal from his lips, either. Joey was an unconventional woman. He should’ve considered she’d beat him to the punch. When she made up her mind about what she wanted, she was all in. That uncompromising passion was one of the things he loved about her.

No? she repeated, her disbelief plain, as if she’d never even stopped to consider that he might not accept her proposal.

Chris struggled to form words. His mouth was suddenly dry and his tongue felt thick as he cradled her face with both hands. Let me explain.

She jerked her head away and took an uncharacteristically stiff step back. No, no, it’s fine. I get it. Too much, too soon. It was a stupid idea.

Joey… The pain in her eyes was a knife to his heart and threatened to crumble his resolve. But he couldn’t give in. They had to get this right. There was too much at stake. Come on, baby. That’s not it at all.

She shook her head and brushed past him, striding for the door. Okay. I’ve got some stuff to do before dinner. I’ll see you downstairs in a bit.

He turned and followed her with his eyes as she opened the office door and stepped to one side, holding it open in clear and obvious dismissal. Shaking his head, he walked over and tugged the door from her grasp, shutting it firmly and locking it for good measure. No. We’re going to talk about this.

She folded her arms and lifted her chin, but didn’t quite meet his eyes. There’s nothing to talk about.

Biting back a sigh, he put his hands on her shoulders. She could be so damn stubborn, and this time it was at least partly his fault. I’m not going to let you run away and shut me out again. That’s not happening, so get it out of your thick skull.

Her eyes snapped to his, annoyance tightening her jaw, but she held her tongue.

I love you, Joey. I’m yours, heart and soul. Forever. But we need to think this through. Getting married isn’t the answer to our problems. It just creates new ones.

She searched his eyes for a long moment, her expression unreadable, even for him. I’m listening.

He rubbed her shoulders lightly, smoothing his hands down her upper arms and back up again. For one, we can’t just smash two packs together and expect them to integrate. The only Grants my wolves are even remotely familiar with are you and Ben.

I know that. I wasn’t suggesting we run off to Vegas or something. There’d be time to get them all used to the idea.

Maybe, but with the inevitability of it hanging over their heads… I dunno, Joey, I just feel like we need to give them a chance to get to know one another before we spring something like that on them.

What else do you think I haven’t considered? There was more than a hint of challenge in her voice.

He did his best to ignore the thorny nature of the question. Which one of us will be Alpha?

She blinked. I… Okay, you’re right. I hadn’t considered that. Do you want to be Alpha?

I don’t know. Do you?

She took her time about answering, a thoughtful cast to her features. I guess I assumed I would be. I mean, that’s how Mom and Dad were.

Chris risked lifting a hand from her shoulder to cup her cheek. Dad hasn’t been Mom’s second for a long time. Not in our lifetime, anyway. I don’t know how things worked between them before Sam came of age. Maybe we can ask him when he’s… more himself. But we’re not Mom and Dad, anyway. I don’t know what the right answer is for us yet. I know we’ll figure it out, but we need to do that before we try to merge the packs.

Joey tilted her head and closed her eyes, nuzzling her cheek to his palm. I hate this, she said, the confession a mere whisper. Living apart, being in different packs.

I know. I don’t like it either, but we’ll figure something out. For now, let’s just focus on getting through the next two weeks.

She groaned and fell toward him, burying her face in his chest. Did you have to remind me?

Chuckling, he curled an arm around her and stroked her hair. Sorry. Reality is a harsh mistress. But I think Sam’s right. There are going to be a lot of people that want to come and pay their respects in person. We might need to rent a second house for all the flowers.

Joey’s soft laugh was music to his ears, and he tightened his hold on her. Her arms snaked around him in return, and the tension coiled in his stomach began to relax.

Are we okay? he asked.

Yeah. We’re okay.

Do you really have stuff to do before dinner? He tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes.

She lifted a brow. Why do you ask?

Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers. Seems like we have some making up to do.

She had him backed against the door in seconds, a low growl vibrating in her throat as her fingers curled in his shirt. Oh, we definitely have some making up to do.

2

A re you sure you don’t mind staying with Dad? You’re still part of this family, you know. Joey bit the inside of her lip and searched Chris’s eyes as she lingered in the foyer. Everyone else had already gone out to the car. They should have left already. They were going to be late for their own party—such as it was.

I know. That’s why I’m going to stay with Dad.

We could bring him with us.

He shook his head. You know that’s not a good idea. He’s not ready.

What if he’s never ready?

You worry too much. Chris lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. Go. Let your hair down for a while.

Joey sighed. I wish I could. As informal as she expected the gathering to be, she was attending not only as a partygoer, but also as the Grant pack’s Alpha. She couldn’t help but feel the weight of her mother’s expectations on her shoulders from beyond the grave.

It’s a bonfire, thrown by a nomadic pack of biker wolves. If they can’t show you a good time, then there’s just no hope for you. He winked, spun her gracefully toward the door, and gave her a gentle push. I’ll be here when you get home.

Joey drifted toward the door, but watched him over her shoulder. Promise?

Cross my heart. He followed her outside and closed the door behind him, but lingered on the porch as she headed down to the waiting car.

All set? Ben asked as Joey settled into the driver’s seat. Jon and Sara were in the back seat. Justin and Sam would follow in Sam’s truck.

Joey cast one last glance to Chris, smiling faintly as he lifted a hand to wave. Try as she might, she couldn’t quite shake the sense of wrongness that came along with leaving him behind. But there was no helping it, not this time. So she swallowed the lump in her throat and waved back. Yeah.

Joey turned the car around and headed down the front drive, pausing at the foot of the hill to wait for the gate to open. In the week since they’d returned from Nevada, she had felt a need to implement some security measures. The gate between the two stone pillars at the end of the drive was just one of them. The house’s security system had been completely overhauled, sparing no expense. The strange thing was, she wasn’t sure why it’d been bothering her to start with. Sure, Adelaide had been kidnapped, but it had been from the sidewalk outside the museum where she’d worked, not the house. Plus, the man who’d done it was dead. They shouldn’t have anything to fear, and yet Joey couldn’t shake the worries that had plagued her since their return. All she knew was she had an overwhelming need to make sure the rest of her family was safe, and the security upgrades had given her some much-needed peace of mind.

Remind me who these people are, again? Ben asked.

There’d been a lot of new faces in town in the last couple of days, as the guests for Adelaide’s funeral had begun to trickle in. Ben wasn’t the only one struggling to keep them straight. Joey had made flashcards.

The Gray River pack, Joey said. They’re a nomadic group, but they’re technically based out of Charlottesville, Virginia.

Nomadic, eh? Like modern-day gypsies? Ben didn’t sound impressed.

"Less fortunetelling, more Sons of Anarchy, Sara replied quietly. Or daughters, I guess."

Joey raised her brows and glanced at Sara in the rearview mirror. You’ve encountered them before?

Her sister-in-law nodded. Many years ago. I was a teenager at the time. They seemed… larger than life. Their Alpha offered me a place with them. It was tempting.

Well, they’d better not have any ideas this time, Jon said.

Sara smiled at him like he was the only person in the car and shook her head. There was a time when Joey would’ve rolled her eyes, but these days, envy was a more common response. Sara had it all. The freedom to fall asleep beside the man she loved every night and wake up beside him the next day. A bright future stretching out before them, a baby on the way… Joey stopped short of longing for that last thing, at least. But it wasn’t just Sara’s happy marriage that Joey envied; it was her freedom in general. Joey remembered all too well what that was like. Maybe she’d have an easier time accepting her current circumstances if she didn’t. The mantle of leadership was heavy on her shoulders, and there just hadn’t been enough time to prepare.

It’s hard to imagine you roaming the country with a biker gang, Ben said, pulling Joey’s thoughts back to the conversation.

I think it’s sexy, Jon said.

Joey snorted. The fantasy is probably better than the reality. I’ll bet a truck-stop shower is a weekly event. But I agree with Ben. In her experience, Sara didn’t have a rebellious bone in her body.

They’re wolves, Sara said quietly. They wouldn’t be able to stand themselves—or each other—without regular bathing.

It was the closest she had ever heard Sara come to contradicting her Alpha, and Joey wasn’t sure if it should be heartening or not. She’d always wanted her submissive packmate to show a little backbone, but maybe not where she was concerned. Point taken.

The drive from their mountain home to Wallace Falls State Park only took about twenty minutes, but it took them another ten minutes of driving along narrow roads winding through the lush landscape to find the visiting pack’s campsite. They parked alongside the six motorcycles in the parking lot. Polished chrome gleamed in the moonlight. From there, it was a short walk across a grassy knoll to the rather impressive bonfire the nomadic wolves had going. Their camp sprawled across both of the park’s tent sites, a semicircle of small domed tents set well back from the towering flames.

As they joined up with Sam and Justin and made their approach, Joey counted only a handful of people scattered across the camp. That surprised her, considering she had nearly twice that number of flashcards for Abby Walker’s pack. Then again, her mother’s notes about the pack had mentioned it as more of a bridge for young wolves looking for a path out of their circumstances than a more traditional long-term pack. Joey imagined the realities of a life constantly on the move didn’t live up to romantic notions of life on the open road, and that led to attrition and turnover.

A blonde woman Joey didn’t recognize was clearly supervising the bonfire, while Abby Walker was engaged with another unfamiliar woman in conversation outside the big tent. A woman Joey recognized but couldn’t quite name appeared to be fiddling with a tablet, while yet another unfamiliar woman sat on a log with a longneck bottle dangling from her fingers.

There’s something missing from this picture, Justin remarked quietly.

Yeah, Ben said. Where are the men?

Joey smiled to herself, casting them a brief glance. Sometimes it was nice to be the one not in the dark for a change, though she hadn’t done it intentionally. The Gray River pack is all female.

Damn, I was hoping for some leather-clad eye candy, Ben muttered, but further conversation was curtailed by their imminent arrival.

The young woman supervising the bonfire smiled and waved. Evening, folks! You must be the Grants.

Joey smiled back, drawing to a halt. I’m Joey. These are my brothers, Sam, Jon, and Ben, Jon’s wife Sara, and our packmate Justin.

I’m Wendy. Nice to meet ya. The blonde stepped forward to offer enthusiastic handshakes, eyes dancing with good cheer in the firelight.

The commotion drew the attention of the others, but only Abby and her companion wandered toward them. Abby Walker was an older woman, her steely-gray hair cropped close to her skull in a pixie cut that should have seemed strange on a woman her age, but it worked somehow. In contrast, the woman walking beside Abby had iron-straight dark hair that fell in an inky curtain down her back. Her similarly dark eyes flicked between Joey’s people as she pressed her lips together into a thin line. Joey got the impression the younger wolf wasn’t necessarily glad to see them. But why?

A smile split Abby’s stern countenance as she drew near. Well, if it isn’t the Grant brood… Her smile faltered and her forehead wrinkled. Where’s your dad?

Joey exchanged a glance with Sam, then cleared her throat softly. He sends his apologies, Ms. Walker. He’s been feeling a bit under the weather this last week. It was the most diplomatic way she could think of to put it. Reginald had taken his mate’s passing hard. He was a mere shadow of himself, sleepwalking through his days with a listlessness that troubled his children. Joey’d always thought dying of a broken heart was purely a poetic notion, but at times she worried that was just where her father was headed.

How bad is it? Abby asked.

Joey’s throat constricted, but she managed to keep her voice even. We haven’t lost hope yet. He’s strong.

Abby put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. He sure is. It’s nice to finally meet you, Josephine. I’m sorry it had to be under these circumstances.

Joey winced. Her mother was the only one that called her Josephine. Joey is fine, thanks.

Then I’m Abby to you, and none of that Ms. Walker crap. Abby turned to Sam without waiting for a response, a smile again lighting up her features. Christ on a cracker, is that little Sammie?

Not so little anymore, ma’am, Sam said in a low rumble.

Abby closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around Sam for a hug. He patted her back awkwardly, and Joey grinned at him. Maybe it was the pesky little sister in her, but she liked the older Alpha more by the moment.

I can see that. I’m old, not blind, Abby said, pounding Sam’s back a few times before releasing him.

While Abby turned to Jon and Sara, her dark-haired companion offered Joey a hand. I’m Gina, Abby’s second.

Joey managed not to wince in response to Gina’s crushing grip as she shook her hand. Nice to meet you, Gina. Thanks for having us out tonight.

Gina blew her bangs out of her eyes and hooked her thumbs in the belt loops of her torn blue jeans. It was Abby’s idea.

Right, Joey said, her eyes lingering on Gina as she tried to figure out what the woman’s problem was.

In the meantime, Abby had made her way down the line to Justin. She cocked her head and studied him for a moment. You’re not one of Adelaide’s brood.

No, ma’am, Justin replied. I, uh, never had the opportunity to properly meet her.

Joey stepped in before things got even more awkward. Justin is a new addition to the pack.

Abby glanced between Joey and Justin, a knowing look on her face. Oh. I see.

Er, no. You don’t. We’re not… Joey gestured between herself and Justin, shaking her head emphatically. Then, realizing her vehement denial might be offensive to the man she’d known for all of a week and change, she quickly added, I mean, not that you’re not nice and all— She snapped her mouth shut, then turned to Abby and stated for the record, He’s just a new packmate.

Abby squinted and looked between them, then shrugged. My mistake. Forgive an old lady?

Gina snorted. Want me to get your cane, Grandma?

Abby shot her a withering look, then turned her attention back to her guests. You’re all welcome at our fire. Who wants a beer?

Joey met the rest of the pack in short order. She learned that Wendy was the youngest and had only been riding with them for a few months. Ash and Raven spent more time with their heads together in quiet conversation than they did engaging with the guests, but they’d seemed nice enough. There was also Laura, a dark-skinned wolf whose peculiar golden eyes looked more wolf than human. Or, at least, that had been Joey’s impression in the instant they’d made eye contact. Laura had lowered her eyes quick enough to give Sara a run for her money in the least-dominant-wolf-in-attendance race.

Everyone loosened up as the booze started to flow. Even Gina seemed to relax a little. An hour or so into their visit, Joey found herself sitting outside the big tent with Abby, watching as their packs mingled by the fire. Wendy had brought out a portable speaker and was arguing good-naturedly with Ben about who was most qualified to play DJ.

Seems like a good group you’ve got here, Joey commented to Abby, twirling a blade of grass between her fingers.

They’re good eggs. What made you decide to bring Justin on board? Your pack has been blood-only for a long time, hasn’t it?

He seemed like a good egg, Joey said, glancing at Abby with a small smile. He saved my life. It seemed like the least I could do.

Right place, right time?

Something like that. Joey tossed the blade of grass back down. She didn’t want to talk about the way Justin’s previous Alpha had betrayed her, resulting in her taking a silver blade to the gut. Hell, she didn’t want to think about it. The wound in her stomach still wasn’t fully healed, and a few nights ago she’d had to sit out of the pack’s full-moon run. Not being able to shift sucked donkey sac. The only good thing that’d come out of that whole mess was that they’d never have to face Marcus Madrigal and his coterie of sycophants again.

"Your mom, she was a good judge of character.