Touch Me Not

By Donna Stark Graham

This saga takes place in the beautiful and majestic mountains of northern New Mexico. Jace is Beta of the Snake River pack. He is on the hunt for his true mate, who has no idea that he exists. He must go to great lengths to get to her, which involves lies, deceit, betrayals, and unsuspected allies. Trying to protect her, her uncle, the Alp

• Language: English
• Publisher: Donna Stark Graham
• Release date: Nov 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798869021168

Book preview

Touch Me Not

Copyright © 2023 by Donna Graham

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at

[e-mail]

.

[Chapter 1]— Run —

[Chapter 2] — Wind—

[Chapter 3] — Home—

[Chapter 4] —Walk—

[Chapter 5] —Morning—

[Chapter 6] —News—

[Chapter 7]— Prepare—

[Chapter 8] —Lessons Learned—

[Chapter 9]—Lamb—

[Chapter 10] —Snake—

[Chapter 11]—Unexpected—

[Chapter 12]—Breakfast—

[Chapter 13]—Vindictive—

[Chapter 14]— Night-Out—

[Chapter 15]— Cabin—

[Chapter 16]—Daybreak—

[Chapter 17]—High Noon—

[Chapter 18]—Late Afternoon—

[Chapter 19]—Sunset—

[Chapter 20] —Two In The Morning—

[Chapter 21]—The Witching Hour—

[Chapter 22]—Four—

[Chapter 23]—Hideaway—

[Chapter 24]—Know Me—

[Chapter 25]—PayBack—

[Chapter 26]—The Darkness In Me—

[Chapter 27]—Judge Jury Executioner—

[Chapter 28]— Beginnings and Endings—

[Chapter 1]— Run —

It was twilight before darkness. The early evening breeze was cooling off the air from the day’s sweltering sun. Having worked late, Jace was just now getting home at the compound. He parked his bike in the usual spot, on the side of the large home, at the back corner. Jace tucked his helmet under his arm and walked into the backyard where he saw Carlos and Mouse. They were two of the pack’s six gardeners. They just put the hose and shovels away, as Jace turned the corner.

Hey, Beta. Mouse and Carlos said at the same exact time.

Mouse teased Carlos, rapidly saying. You owe me a coke!

What’s up guys. Jace was happy to be home, and his tone of voice was evidence of it.

While speaking to Jace, Carlos wiped the back of his soil-stained hand across his forehead.

We had a hot, but good day. You should’ve seen how many cucumbers we picked this morning. Shayna and her brother canned them this afternoon. They made a shit ton of pickles.

Mouse wiped her dirty hands down her pink shirt. How was your day?

Jace grunted and shrugged his shoulder.

My day sucked buffalo balls. Thanks for asking though. Hmmm. Jace lifted his face, sniffing.

Please tell me that’s spaghetti sauce I smell.

Don’t worry. Birdie saved you some as always. I’m telling ya, you’ve gotta be her favorite of the pack.

Jace lifted a brow and cocked his head back as he replied.

Why’s that?

She threatened us with the wooden spoon if we touched your plate in the microwave or ate your garlic bread in the oven. Bertie’s got a license to kill with that stupid utensil. Mouse spoke while rubbing her still sore knuckles.

Birdie had used her weapon of choice on Mouse’s hand, quite a few times in the past and once today, while she was caught in the act of sneaking a piece of Jace’s garlic bread.

Jace laughed and gave them a wave as he ran up the back stairs.

See ya both later. Jace said, as he pulled open the back door.

Jace Tessay, is the Beta of the Snake River werewolf pack. He’s been the Beta of the pack for six years now. The Snake River pack is a fairly large one, located in Taos, New Mexico. Their compound is nestled at the base of the majestic Taos mountains.

He’s twenty-nine-years-old and stands at five-foot eight. He’s an absolutely gorgeous, muscular, bronzed skin, Native American Apache. He has long black hair, and eyes that are the color of bourbon, with flecks of amber. Not only is he good-looking, but he’s remarkably intelligent and an extremely skilled fighter.

Besides being Beta of the pack, he also owns a very lucrative motorcycle shop, called Red River Motorcycle Repairs, in Red River. It’s a small town right outside of Taos, and the drive is only minutes away from the pack’s compound. He has a few other pack members as employees in his shop, such as mechanics and a store front manager, making his time needed as Beta, easier to manage.

Jace opened the screen door that led to the kitchen, and the coiled spring screeched loudly.

Hey Birdie. I hear you were an angel once again and saved me a plate. Jace said while the screen door slammed behind him.

"Hey there, Beta. Don’t ya know, I’m always an angel. It’s just that my halo falls off when my horns pop up." She chuckled and handed him a cold one from the fridge.

He sat down at the dinner table and leaned back, letting out a frustrated sounding sigh, due to the shitty day he had.

"Well, I was going to ask how your day was, but you look agitated. So, I’ll just bet you a dollar that your day sucked." She said, as she set down two slices of garlic bread in front of him.

Birdie had his spot at the table already set with silverware, a placemat, a plate filled with his favorite Italian dish and a cloth napkin. She warmed it up in the microwave when she heard him pull in.

There you go darlin,’ eat up, it’s not too hot. Birdie spoke in her usual cheery voice. The woman was always positive and happy. She watched him take a forkful of the eggplant parmigiana over linguini, waiting for his opinion. As he took the first bite, moans of approval left his throat.

This is the best eggplant parm ever. Jace thought to himself.

Mmm. he moaned loudly, inflating Birdie’s ego. Her culinary skills were unmatched.

After looking to the doorway, to ensure they were alone, she leaned down close to the table where Jace was sitting and spoke in a whisper.

You know I tweaked the recipe a little bit. I had run out of Parmesan cheese, so I substituted it with Pecorino Romano and a few shreds of Asiago. She spoke as if she disclosed a top-secret ingredient.

I see. Smart move. Jace nodded and spoke, pretending to know the difference, even though he didn’t know one from the other. To him, it was just cheese.

Birdie specialized in all foods Italian, due to her family roots and secret recipes handed down from her mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and so on. Everyone claimed that all of her happiness came from having a wonderful mate, Mick. It’s true that Mick makes her happy, though, I think her love of cooking has a lot to do with it. It’s the Italian blood in her. She’d feed the world if she could afford it.

Jace took the last piece of garlic bread and sopped up the remaining pasta sauce from his plate. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach, burping like a walrus. He grinned at Birdie and apologized for the much-needed belch.

Excuse me, but that’s how amazing dinner was. I swear this is the best eggplant dish you’ve made yet. I think we’d go hungry without you.

He wiped his mouth with the burgundy cloth napkin and carried his plate to the sink. He rinsed it off well and winked at her.

Thanks for supper, it was delicious as always. I’ll catch ya later. I’m gonna go for a run before bed.

He went back out to the patio. The incessant screech of the coiled spring screen door welcomed him once again. It was very dark outside, and the crisp night air felt refreshing, after turning wrenches in a stuffy, hot garage all day. He crossed the large wooden planked deck and ran down the stairs holding his stomach. Reaching the bottom, he burped loudly again, thinking to himself.

I’m gonna have heartburn all night long, I can feel it already starting.

He continued down the freshly cut lawn and approached the inground pool. The pool’s border was a beautifully laid, white paver patio. The water was illuminated with colors of the rainbow, as the lights gradually changed colors in a timed sequence.

Several members were taking advantage of the pleasant night, after an extremely long and hot day. A handful of the pack’s single young ladies were sitting at the patio table, drinking wine coolers and gossiping. Several other members were swimming and floating on rafts.

Jace bent down swishing his hand in the water.

The water feels nice guys, what’s the temp? He asked whoever would be able to answer.

Cali, and his mate Dawn, were nearest to the floating thermometer. Dawn reached over and read the digital numbers aloud.

Ninety-four degrees.

Jace dried his hand on the bottom of his t-shirt while speaking. Maybe I’ll take a dip with you guys later, when I get back from my run, if you’re still here.

Sounds good. Cali replied, as he picked Dawn up over his shoulder, and playfully tossed her backwards.

Laters taters! Jace yelled out as he walked away from the pool area. He roamed further down the yard to the campfire circle, where the pack told stories, sang, and roasted marshmallows and hotdogs on the weekends.

There was a fire lit recently, but now only remnants of one remained. The dying embers glowed in the white ash, and tiny wisps of smoke floated above them. There were long thick logs that laid in a circle around the fire pit. The pack would bring heavy blankets to sit on, while enjoying themselves.

The three-quartered waxing moon was high in the sky, and because it was at the end of summer, it was a chilled night. He left the smoke-scented air and strolled down to the picnic area which was right at the end of the yard. Jace sat down in one of the wooden lounge chairs and removed his boots of multi-colored shades of grime, grease, and oil. Jace was mulling over the day in his head.

What a day. The damn parts that I need are still on a backorder, and instead of fixing motorcycles today, I got to fix the fucking plumbing that broke. I need this run so bad; I can taste it.

He removed his moonstone amulet necklace from around his neck, and the red bandana from his head. When a werewolf shifts into wolf form, whatever clothing, footwear, or jewelry they have on, will be torn to shreds or broken. This year alone Jace had already ruined three shirts, five pairs of jeans, two leather belts and a few good pairs of sneakers.

He murmured to himself.

Well, at least I remembered to strip down this time.

He really didn’t care that much if he ruined some clothes. He figured; it was a small price to pay for the gift he had been born with. Some shifters consider it a curse to be a werewolf. Some think it’s a blessing. To Jace, there wasn’t much that could beat letting his wolf out for a wild run with the feel of nature’s freedom all around him. Especially those runs to blow off some steam from a day filled with nothing but... bullshit.

He stood up from the chair, crossed his muscular arms, and gripped the hem of his Harley Davidson t-shirt. Exposing his mouthwatering chiseled pecs, he lifted it over his head and threw it on the chaise lounge. He flexed his sexy muscles, intentionally or not, and heard the whispering of the girls.

He turned to face the forest, putting his back to the gathering young ladies on the pool patio behind him. He unbuckled his black leather belt and unzipped the well-fitted faded blue jeans, before pushing them down. Stepping out of each pantleg, he then tossed them near his shirt. His firm bare ass, faced to the gawking she-wolves, and they loved every minute of it.

It was a normal thing to see werewolves naked before shifting and going out together on runs, but these girls had a habit of teasing Jace, because none of them ever had the pleasure of being with him. But they certainly wished they could.

Ahhhroooooo! Look at that sweet ass! Turn around and give us a show! The girls on the patio began to make kissing sounds and howling calls. They were just as bad as perverted city construction workers in town, harassing women as they walked by.

Jace cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted back to them.

I should have sold tickets!

One of the girls, Judith, wearing a sexy red bikini with cleavage that went on for days, was half hanging over the back of a chair with a wine cooler in her hand. She cupped a hand to her mouth and yelled back to him.

You should’ve, I’d have gladly paid double!

Having had one too many already, another one of the girls, Heidi, jerked unsteadily, almost tipping her chair backwards. She lifted her wine cooler up in the air, making a toasting action to him.

Cheers to the Beta we’ll always lust for, and the hunk we’ll never have! All those horny girls pretended to cry and whimper, continuing to tease him.

Jace smirked and his wheels started turning.

Innocent fun? I can play along at that game. If they want a show, I can give them a little one.

He was overly theatrical as his fingers teasingly raked through his shiny, long ebony hair that hung past his shoulder blades. His ripped upper body accentuated his irresistible six pack torso. He turned his head slowly and looked back to the young women. Winking slyly, he ran his tongue over his lips, while flexing his biceps.

He strategically moved like a bodybuilder on stage and showed off his various muscle flexing poses. He grabbed his bandana and covered the front of himself, then he fully turned to face them. He was totally having fun with this. He knew how sexy he was, how could he not.

The girls chanted. Take it off. Take it off. Take it off.

On cue, he ripped the bandana away from his groin, and slung it haphazardly to the small table between the lounge chairs. He strutted like a male stripper for several feet before turning his back to them. He looked over his shoulder, and then playfully slapped his tush. The girls went crazy.

He took a bow and then yelled at them. Okay ladies, you’ve seen enough; I hope you enjoyed the show! I’ll be sure to collect my tip money when I get back home.

All of the girls and even the guys, laughed and hooted while they clapped at his performance.

Jace picked up his bandana from the ground, brushing the grass off that stuck to it. He shook his head and sighed with a smile, having gotten a kick out of himself. His mind wandered off.

Those horny she-wolves, I could get laid around the clock, if I wanted to.

He knew he looked like a real bad boy, with long hair, tattoos, muscles, and one helluva package, but he wasn’t even close to a naughty pup. He is one hundred percent dominant male, but he’s kind, considerate, and respectful, especially to the ladies. He’s got an enthusiastic sense of humor and enjoys joking around with the best of them. All the girls in his pack are sweet and pretty, and he knew deep down inside that he could have the pick of the litter, literally.

The single girls in the pack, were forever inviting him to their rooms for a meaningless fuck, but he doesn’t want any of that. He just wasn’t interested in one-night stands or dead-end relationships.

He was a male though, and male wolves had sexual needs. The times when he did go looking for sex, it would be with a woman he didn’t know, and it was far from home. He refuses to shit where he eats.

He's seen first-hand, too many times, how some women would date, enter a relationship, or fool around with a guy in the same pack. Then when the guy found his mate, he’d break up with her. Most of the time it left a scorned, jealous woman that would wreak havoc on his true love. Often, it didn’t end well for the jealous ex, but there were a few occasions the new female mate would be injured badly or even killed. He was smart and avoided that type of drama filled disaster at all costs.

His love, for the time being, is riding in the wind with the highway beneath him on his restored nineteen forty-eight Harley Davidson Panhead. Foreplay? Well, that’s the breeze on his face and the rumble of a V-twin engine between his thighs.

He didn’t know if he’d ever find his mate, yet he hadn’t dated despite it. He could have a relationship with someone and imprint on them, but he was holding out in hopes he’d meet his mate in the near future. He wanted his mate to know he was never the run of the mill male whore. He’s simply an honest, hardworking man with self-respect, and he had respect for his mate not to put her through all of that high school drama horseshit.

Jace was indeed an honorable young man, and he always tried to emulate his father, Ba’cho. Ba’cho had been the Beta in this pack for thirty-five years before Jace took over in his place. Jace had worked alongside him after school, and then full-time when he graduated. This went on for several years, preparing Jace to take his father’s place as Beta.

His father is an Elder on the council called ‘The Circle.’ Ba’cho is a sagacious man who always kept his honor. He treats people with respect, and he keeps his word, and in return, he’s well respected and people look to him for guidance and advice. Even the packs that aren’t allied with the Snake River pack have a solid respect for him. People trust him, and Jace wants that for himself, just as much as he wants to find his mate and start a family.

Since Jace had his coming-of-age ceremony, he always daydreamed of finding that special girl that was made just for him, and him only. And, even now, as he looked up at the moon and the stars in the sky, he knew she was out there, somewhere, perhaps looking up at the moon right now.

A gust of wind echoed from the forest and snapped Jace out of his thoughts. Stretching his arms and legs, he took deep breaths, warming up for the transformation. He had found it very painful to shift when he was younger, but after a while he got used to it. It’s just mind over matter to ignore the pain and let it happen naturally. By doing that it seems to happen less painfully, faster, and more organically.

He took a few steps into the forest and closed his eyes. Bracing himself as his wolf came forward, he began feeling the stretching of his flesh. His bones cracked loudly, and his heart raced wildly. Claws protruded from his hands as they grew long and sharp. Canines extended from his gums as his face and body contorted and morphed into his wolf.

His facial fur was a light beige color, that softly became darker towards his mane. His robust body was brindled with light and darker tans, resembling the faded pattern of a tiger. He was the coolest looking wolf in the pack and was one of the largest. He had the most intimidating features, by far, with a very distinguished chiseled muzzle. His eyes were the color of light amber, hued with fiery orange. The only wolf that was larger than Jace was the Alpha, and he was only taller by an inch or two.

Once Jace was in wolf form, he felt the negative energy of the day just disappear. He was happy to be out in the crisp night air, so much so that as soon as his paws hit the ground, he took off running. His gait was long and superbly powerful. His massive claws dug violently into the ground sending sprays of loamy dirt behind him. He could feel the thunderous pressure on his heavy paw pads as they galloped.

The moonlit rays pierced the canopy like miniature spotlights. They twinkled along the woodsy floor, enough to allow him to see perfectly in the dark. He weaved in and out of the various trees, even though most of the forest was dense. It had many trails, and he knew every single one of them like the back of his hand. Once a week, the pack runs together through these woods and over time it had created a myriad of pathways.

The pine branches whipped against his fur as he raced between the trees and jumped over fallen logs. His senses were filled with rich, earthy smells that included pine, mushrooms, moss, and decaying wood. Jace stopped briefly to scratch an itch behind his left ear, then vigorously shook his gorgeous thick fur. Through instinct, he focused on the scents of his surroundings.

He sniffed at the air.

Nope, No trace of foreign shifters in the immediate area, and that’s a damn good thing. I’m really not in the mood to kill anyone tonight.

Truthfully, it wasn’t often that they had intruders, but rogues and spies have been found sneaking through their perimeters in the past. He knew the night Sentinels were skilled at guarding the territory, and they were also particularly good at taking care of trespassers. The Sentinels would give them red carpet treatment, with a lovely burlap hood over their head, a beautiful pair of shiny silver bracelets, and a one-way formal escort to the Enforcers’ cabin, which was known as ‘The Cabin of Inquisitions.’

From the outside, the cabin looked like any normal hunting cabin. There were a few flower beds in the front of it, consisting of various herbs and flowers. It was simple and unsuspecting. Inside the cabin, there was a rudimentary kitchen with a small refrigerator, a round wooden table with chairs, a brown couch, and a thick red rug in the center of the floor. Under the rug there was a locked hatch that led downstairs into a clandestine, underground chamber.

The things that happened down there were things you’d think could only happen in nightmares. It was nothing more than a torture chamber straight out of a book or horror movie. It had a ceramic tiled floor with a drain and a metal slab. The slab was reminiscent of an autopsy table, but this one adjusts to a lying down or upright position. It came with the essential silver chains and leather straps.

On the walls, there were hanging whips, floggers, swords, axes, and a vast number of distinctive styles of knives, including wasp knives. The wasp knife injects a freezing cold ball of compressed gas, approximately the size of a basketball, and freezes all tissues and organs surrounding the point of injection, almost instantly.

On the long table against the wall, there were numerous medieval torture devices, such as the pear of atonement, thumb screws and thin bamboo splinters. There was also a tall, rolling medical tray, filled with tools to cause pain, from scalpels to speculums. They used those to persuade the enemy to answer all questions if they proved to be uncooperative.

Out of all the Enforcers there were only three men that specialized in interrogation techniques. Tar, Cali, and Akando. When they entered the chambers, they became different men. Men filled with darkness and without souls. Let’s just say that they brought the captive as close to hell as one could get without dying. And in the end, after the questioning, most of them died anyway.

Let’s face it, depending on the situation of course, if they let certain dangerous rogues live, they’d be constantly looking over their shoulders. Especially if they were hired assassins. They also didn’t appreciate those that came back with friends to exact revenge on them, for being what they truly were, relentless, ruthless, vicious wolves, when protecting their own.

Tar, Cali, and Akando were known for their expertise interrogation methods. Their main purpose was to extract information, and that usually meant a lot of screaming. Thankfully though, the cabin was soundproof, keeping the ugly shrieks of torment out of earshot of the other pack members, and especially the children.

The Enforcer’s cabin was positioned far away from their homes, tucked deeper into the forest, not too far from where Jace had just stopped to piss on a tree stump. He looked around and gauged that the funeral home and cemetery, Willow Breeze, was only a few miles away. It was Snake River pack owned and maintained.

That would be a good turning point to head back home.

So far, he had enjoyed his night run. It was a nice long outing, and it was peaceful and without incident. He even managed to chase down a rabbit for an after-dinner snack. But you know what happens when you speak too soon about something. Yep. That’s right. Shit usually happens. And it did.

As he got closer to the edge of the graveyard, Jace heard something. He stopped abruptly and hunkered down.

What the fuck was that?

Jace listened carefully before he silently prowled through the brush. His haunches tensed, prepared to lunge if necessary. The leafy bushes brushed softly over his fur, as he walked in between them. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins like icy fire as he heard the sounds again.

He was aware that he had been hearing vehicles driving but had paid no mind to them. It was normal to hear them so close by. He assumed they were all on the main road that ran in front of the cemetery. His pointed ears perked up, and he knew there was a stranger nearby.

That’s definitely a female. She must have just gotten here or else I would have heard her sooner.

Jace’s pack had regulations in place that all of the packs in New Mexico knew about. It concerned all of the cemeteries that were Snake River pack owned. Werewolves visiting graves were welcomed under two circumstances. One, only during daylight hours, and two, to send a text or make a call, making the pack aware of their presence.

Of course, they allowed humans to come whenever they wished, but the cemetery hours were from dawn till dusk. They didn’t normally have anything to worry about with most humans, as they posed no real threat, usually. It was the anti-shifter extremists that they had to watch out for.

He was trying to eavesdrop, and normally he wouldn’t have issues, but he couldn’t understand what she was saying. It almost sounded like a hand was covering her mouth, and it sounded so mournful. At this point he had gleaned that she wasn’t there maliciously.

Jace crept closer and peered through the last line of thick bushes that opened to the green grassy fields of the cemetery. There was a soft breeze and it carried scents of honeyed chamomile mixed with sweet apple, and it reached the tree line where Jace was crouched down. Like a cozy hug or warm blanket, it wrapped around him. She was a shifter alright, but not any ordinary she-wolf.

That scent. What is that scent? Where is it coming from? It’s driving me mad. I need to see this female.

He eagerly inhaled the charming fragrance once more, and it clicked. His heart was beating like a jungle drum. He inhaled again so deeply he could have sucked a white-footed deer mouse right out of its hole. The wolf was fascinated and enchanted by the aroma, but he hadn’t seen her yet, all he knew was that her scent was extraordinary, and he wanted more of it.

His mind was racing. The scent became a little stronger as the wind picked up and his eyes began to flicker like flames. The feeling of need was seated at the deepest part of his existence. A yearning pang of primitive basic need burned inside of the wolf, in his gut and in his groin, and he needed to get to her.

His eyes searched for her urgently among the marbled headstones, then there she was. He found her sitting on the grass between a huge willow tree and a fresh burial plot. Her suede boots were dug into the dirt mound of the grave.

The moment Jace’s wolf laid eyes on her, he undoubtedly, completely, and unequivocally, knew that she was meant for him. The wolf growled lowly and whined; he wanted her wolf; he wanted her wolf to come out to meet him. He wanted to mount her and bite her neck, claiming her. His mind filled with one word that kept desperately repeating. Mate. Jace was awestruck by her.

The grim gray ocean of slate, granite and marble headstones blurred, and she was illuminated by the moon, like a beacon of light in a gloomy sea. Her straight black hair draped down her sides to pool around her hips. She leaned forward and her elbows rested on her bent knees, and it was obvious that she was crying. Covering her face, she cried to her brother. Her words were muffled and beseeching, and Jace could just make them out.

Why did you leave me? Why didn’t you just listen to me? She spoke, barely audible.

Uncontrollable tears poured from her hidden eyes, they flooded her cheeks and soaked her palms. She wept unconsolably and his wolf’s first instinct was to rush and console her, but he didn’t. Jace persuaded his wolf to hang back and observe her.

The lengthy willow branches swayed hauntingly and beautifully behind her. He knew her heartache, that deep hollow empty pain. Her sorrow floated in her scent on the night breeze and like an arrow it pierced him. His heart broke for her, and he felt her loss in his own body.

[Chapter 2] — Wind—

She sat in the wet dewy grass between her brother’s grave and the willow tree. She had dug the tips of her deerskin boots into the dirt that covered his resting place, as if it would bring her closer to him. Silly, but she was desperate. She buried her face in her hands and just sobbed. She tried talking to him, as if her words could reach him beyond the grave.

Why did you leave me? Why didn’t you just listen to me? Those questions have been taunting her for weeks now. Her heart was broken into a hundred pieces, and it felt like she was dying inside.

Her name is Aiyana Cosay. She’s from the Thunder Paw pack, located in Ojo Caliente, in northern New Mexico. She stands five feet even, with long ebony hair, and light brown eyes that has a ring of deep brown around the iris. She’s not skinny but not overweight, either. She has more of a lithe, well-toned body.

Aiyana is the niece of the Alpha of the Thunder Paw pack; his name is Tarak Cosay. She’s also the daughter of the former Alpha, named Elan. Her place within the pack has not been decided yet. She comes from a long line of alphas, so it was assumed she’d be matched with one. She’s a swift runner and has outstanding fighting skills for a younger woman, thanks to her brothers Naiche and Kur. She’s an ace with a bow and arrow and she climbs trees like a monkey.

She’d just turned twenty-one years old three weeks ago. As a present her older brother, Tarak, gave her a car. It was her first vehicle, and she was proud of it. It was a candied blue and white Dodge Charger. She was excited to have the luxury of being able to go where she wanted, when she wanted, without asking people for rides.

She had shared her birthday with her twin brother, Naiche. Sadly, it was the last thing she would ever share with him. After he was killed, she often spoke to him, as if he could hear her from the other side.

Why did you have to go out with your asshole friends from that other pack on our special night? You left right after the celebration feast, and you couldn’t even wait to eat some of the cake, Daisy had made us. There was a lot of fun going on, Naiche. The entire pack was going to shift, and take a run together, in honor of us. What made you even want to leave? I pleaded with you not to go out with them. I told you, dammit! I told you that I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, that something fucked up was going to happen. But no! You didn’t want to listen to me. You went anyway. And, you made the worst fucking decision of your life, and mine. You left me… You just… left me!

Aiyana was hurt and mad at the same time. A torment of questions battered her thoughts about that night.

Who dared you to do it, Naiche? Who was driving and why would they drive drunk!? Stupid ass-wipe. Did they make a bet you wouldn’t do it? Did they push you into doing it?

Naiche’s infamous crew, which consisted of Toby, Kyle, Luca, Clark, and Mike, were boys he had gone to school with. They were known to be troublemakers and rowdy. Sadly, Naiche was too. They often partied hard together and left chaos in their wake wherever they went.

That night, they went bar hopping and drank heavily because Naiche was finally of age to get served alcohol in a bar. They were all drunk, way too intoxicated to drive, but they did. They went joy riding and were known to sit on the door where the window should be, hanging out of the car and doing stunts. Sometimes they even went as far as to lie on the hood and see how long they could stay on, while the driver swerved the vehicle from left to right without the headlights on.

They had a horrible car accident when an elk ran out of the woods and hit their vehicle. They said they never saw the elk. Well, no shit. They actually couldn’t see anything due to the fact their headlights were off. Her brother was flung from the hood of the car and landed against a guard rail, where he broke his neck and back. He was killed on impact.

No one knew who was driving because none of them would fess up. Aiyana knew she’d never know the truth, and it didn’t even matter, at this point. It wouldn’t bring her twin brother back, even if she did find out the answers. He’s now in the afterlife with their ancestors, and she was having a tough time accepting that.

She looked up to the moon and stars through red swollen eyes, wondering if Naiche could see her at his grave, from the spirit world. A dark cloud proceeded to cover the moon and it consumed all of the light. The cemetery darkened eerily as if the spirit world just closed the curtains from her prying eyes.

Jace noticed the big black cloud had just blocked the light of the moon. Undercover from the veil of the cloud, he took several carefully placed steps into the clearing, attempting to get closer to her. He focused on his wolf and guided him.

Carefully. Slowly. Stealthily.

His wolf complied, and he began to move.

-Crack! -

A dried branch hiding in the weeds snapped loudly under his heavy paw.

Shit! Well, that was clearly not the definition of stealthy, jackass.

He cursed his wolf for being clumsy, but his wolf ignored him.

Aiyana’s hands quickly dropped from her face, and she sat up straight as a board when she heard the sudden snap. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest, and she stared at the tree line to the snapping sound. The wind was blowing away from her.

She sniffed deeply in the night air, and her mind was boggled. Her wolf whined at her.

Why can’t I smell a goddamn thing?

Jace did not flinch a single muscle in that beefy, furry, monstrous body. He was frozen in place, mid stride like the ‘Lupa Capitolina’ statue. He kept his eyes closed so the reflective light in his eyes would be hidden.

Okay wolf. You just scared the crap out of our mate. Just stand still and pretend like we’re a statue. Jace thought to his wolf, while he was still hidden by the dark cloud that hovered in the sky and covered the moon.

He was hoping that she hadn’t seen him yet. He didn’t move an inch, hoping that he was still blending in with the tree line. The wind decided to pick up speed and that dark, charcoal colored cloud began to move fast. He felt the wind become heavier, so he glanced up to the sky with an ‘oh shit’ feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The cloud left faster than he could figure out what to do, and the moonlight gradually brightened the clearing. Jace watched the cloud’s departure and his mind raged with panic.

Oh, for fuck’s sake! All that’s missing now is a giant, blinking, neon finger, pointing straight down on me, with a sign to the side flashing the words, ‘Here the fuck I am.’ Perfect… just… fucking… wonderful. What’s next universe?! Well, I had a shitty day, why would my night be any different? He thought, knowing his cover was definitely blown.

Sheer terror raced through Aiyana’s body and mind.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my fucking god. What do I do?!!!

She was briefly paralyzed as she eyed the black silhouette of Jace’s exceptionally large wolf; he was only around twenty yards away. Her light brown eyes glinted brightly with pulsating tones of yellow as she stared directly at him. His eyes flickered fiery orange back at her. She didn’t move a muscle. She sat frozen in the dewy wet grass. Jace didn’t move either. He was still playing the statue game. They both sat completely still for what seemed like eternity. In reality it was ten seconds. They were both locked in a stare at each other, but for completely different reasons.

She couldn’t make out his features because of the dark backdrop of the pines, but his eyes, they terrified her. To her, he was the hunter, and she was his prey. How wrong she was. She had no idea that he was her mate, and he didn’t know what to do about that. He certainly didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was, he could smell her fear and it was strong.

Of course, my luck, I just had to be downwind, didn’t I?

Jace mulled over the situation as he stood still.

Why would she break the bylaws and be here at night? Was this grave her boyfriend’s? Her husband’s? It’s obviously someone she loves so deeply that she would risk her life for, coming at nighttime and without consent. Ok, yeah, she’s trespassing, but I won’t hold that against her. I can definitely think of other things to hold against her right now.

Jace shook those sensual thoughts out of his head and came back to the moment.

Aiyana had sniffed at the air eagerly and realized that she was upwind and that’s why she couldn’t detect his scent. Her heart was beating so hard that she thought she’d lose consciousness. By the flickering fiery eyes, she knew that he was a shifter, besides, his size would have given it away if his eyes didn’t.

She came to a horrifying realization.

I’m trespassing on the territory of the Snake River pack, which is obvious. Realizing that now, as that wolf and I are having a staring competition, is not going to do me any good. I don’t even want to imagine what it would be like being captured by him. Werewolf Enforcers are known to fight first and ask questions later. My pack isn’t allied with them yet, and in fact we had a major dispute with them a few years ago. What in the hell was I thinking? I’m a complete idiot. Okay Aiyana think. Think. Alright, I need to get to my car faster than he can get to me.

Aiyana lowered her eyes without moving her head and looked down to the wet grass. She slowly slid her hand onto the key fob and slipped a finger into its ring.

Now, I just have to wait for the perfect opportunity.

Jace knew not to run to her, he had to think of something clever so she wouldn’t freak out.

I need to go around the backside of the willow tree, and sneak past her, while keeping out of sight. I need to get upwind of her so that she can detect my scent. Simple enough, right? C’mon wolf you can do this.

Jace turned to the right and scampered lowly along the tree line in the shadows, disappearing into the darkness. He flanked around the large Coyote Willow tree. He was behind the tree trunk out of sight, in the strategic position for her to catch his scent.

All I need to do is wait for the perfect moment.

Blip, blip! Her key fob made that very well-known beep-beep sound.

Involuntarily, Jace’s left ear went down, and the other up, as his head tilted like a pet poodle, hearing its human owner asking the pooch in baby talk, Good boy wanna NomNom?

Fuck! Okay, now what? We underestimated her! Of course, she’s smart, I wouldn’t be given a mate that was daft.

Her car unlocked and Jace heard the door slam.

The split second he disappeared behind the tree, she dashed to her nearby parked car faster than any human could run. She clicked the key fob button, and with supernatural speed she opened the door and hopped in.

Jace heard the doors lock with a click, and she started the car.

No, no, no, no, no… Dammit!!

Panic raged once again inside of him, knowing he was going to lose her before he even got her. He heard the transmission jump as she threw it into gear and took off down the cemetery road. He charged like wildfire from behind the tree, and was right on her tail, running as swiftly as he could. He was fast as lightning and at her bumper. He could almost touch the bumper with his paws.

He saw her look into her rearview mirror, and she looked scared to death. Jace knew that she had seen his giant wolf keeping up with her. He saw the panic surge in her eyes, then she looked straight ahead and concentrated on the road. She pressed harder on the pedal and picked up speed. Eventually, his wolf fell behind, and he was not happy about that at all.

She said to herself, pissed off.

How the hell did I not hear him!

Her hold was tight on the wheel. Her knuckles whitened as she wrung her hands in worry on the sun-bleached, steering wheel cover. She rolled down the front windows to get some air. Her hair flew in her face and up around her head like she was medusa gone wild. She rolled the windows back up and only left the driver’s side window open by five inches.

Fucking wind! she said to herself as she pulled the hair out of her face and tucked it sloppily behind her ears. She was so upset that she slammed her small fist hard on the dashboard in frustration.

I’m so stupid. I should’ve waited till daylight! Dammit.

In her grieving from losing Naiche, her mind was a complete mess, and she couldn’t think straight. But her breathing started to go back to normal as the distance grew between her, the Willow Breeze Cemetery, and Jace’s hellacious looking wolf. Every few minutes though, she would catch herself looking into the rear-view mirror, paranoid and half expecting that she’d find his enormous wolf on her tail again.

Jace had shifted back to his human form as he finally surrendered to the fact that he’d royally fucked up, underestimating how clever she was and how fast she was too.

Why did I even think for a second, I could outrun a Dodge Charger? …and how the hell would I have stopped the car? My teeth? What is wrong with me?

Jace had stopped and collapsed to his knees. He leaned forward and slammed his hefty fist down harshly in frustration, on the slim graveyard road. He tried to catch his breath. Exhaustingly, Jace peered through the dangling hair that hung in his face.

Surrounded by the dead, and under the light of the moon, he watched his mate’s taillights disappear out of the cemetery gates. As he knelt on the pavement, he angrily lifted his face to the sky, and his hair stuck against his bare back. His fists were clenched so tightly that he felt his fingernails dig painfully into his palms. His muscles were rock hard and tense. He took the deepest breath he had ever taken and held it in.

Just as he thought his lungs would burst, he let out a long, loud, anguished wail. It escaped his throat to the three-quartered full moon so loudly, that even his ancestors long dead could have heard it. He heard it echo through the trees. Jace knew that every Sentinel and every Enforcer in the woods had heard it. Every male and female member of the pack in human form and wolf, who was outside of their homes, had heard it. He knew his raw heartache had carried to them on the wind, because in unison they all returned a howl as one. His family was sharing his agony.

As Aiyana drove down the road, just past the cemetery gates, she heard the most tormented wail that she had ever heard in her entire life. Her howl, when Naiche died, paled in comparison to this deep, woeful wail. It rattled her to her core and goosebumps traveled from her feet to her shoulders.

It sent a wave of panic through her chest, but her wolf scratched at her mind, she felt the urgent need to rush back there and comfort him. It sounded like his soul was in pain and for a brief moment she related to what sounded like heartbreak. She was throwing thoughts around her mind as she let off the gas pedal and was slowly coasting, almost to a stop.

That has to be more than just frustration about me slipping out of his grasp. That sounded like agony. I should go back and see if he’s hurt. No, no I shouldn’t. I could just drive slowly past the gates just to check if he’s all right. No, no you can’t. He may need help… No, no, no, no! Okay, all kidding aside, I seriously need a shrink. Why the fuck on earth would I feel a pulling to go back there? Death wish? I must have a death wish. Not tonight. Nope, I am getting the hell out of here before I do something even more stupid than I already have.

She jiggled her head to rid herself of the thought. But her wolf nagged at her, pacing, and whining to go back.

She was not a weak or submissive wolf, by any means. Any other time she would have been the instigator to go head-to-head with any wolf, male or female that threatened her. She was completely confident of her abilities since her training. She would have stayed and held her ground if it were on her pack’s territory or at least neutral ground. She didn’t know how many Enforcers were with him, and she didn’t want to be at the mercy of several of them; let alone be the catalyst of a war between their packs.

She knew just how horrific it could have been if he captured her. Werewolves never take too kindly to strangers on their land without invitation or permission. In fact, they protect their territory viciously. It was their home, and their sanctuary from the world. It’s where they kept their loved ones safe. And Aiyana had just walked in there disregarding that.

Aiyana took a deep breath then exhaled through pursed lips, as she continued to think about the situation.

I disobeyed a simple rule. Well, two simple rules. I neither gave their Alpha a heads-up text nor showed up during daylight hours. It was like I just waltzed right on in, then gave them