1. Lunawulf
Carolina
โTable twelve,โ Catherine whispered, intrigue lacing her tone.
I didnโt need to look. I already felt their eyes crawling over me, already heard their whispersโvile little fantasies painted in cheap cologne and desperation.
Their pulses thudded faster, a rhythm of hunger and filth. I didnโt have to guess what they were imagining. I heard it.
Meโon my knees.
Their cocks down my throat.
Sucking. Gagging. Used.
They thought they were predators.
They had no idea.
Because while they dreamed of getting off on my humiliation, I was busy picturing the real endingโmy mouth on them, yes, but not the way they wanted. My fangs sinking in. Their blood flooding hot and frantic. Their pleasure turning into terror just before I drained them dry.
A smirk tugged at my lips at the thought, the phantom look of horror on their faces playing in my mind like a private show.
If only they knew.
My fangs elongated almost of their own accord at the thought of tasting their filthy, warm blood. A triumphant smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I imagined the shock, the raw, unguarded horror plastered across their faces. Their fear made the blood all the sweeter, and I could almost feel it pulsing through their veins like a rhythm I wanted to devour.
โI can feel your excitement,โ Catherine murmured, her grin wicked and knowing. โWhat are you thinking?โ
Her words sent a shiver down my spine, stoking the hunger that had been simmering beneath my calm exterior. My senses sharpened, each heartbeat in the room now a drum that screamed to me. I could feel the warmth of blood flowing beneath the skin of every human in my sight, smell it thick and metallic, taste it teasing the edges of my mind.
I snorted, shaking my head as if to clear it, trying to wrangle control over the primal urge. But the temptation clawed at me, scratching at the edges of restraint.
Catherine arched a perfectly shaped brow, her gaze sharp, almost playful in its scrutiny. โHmm?โ she prompted. โLost in thought?โ
I gave a faint shrug, forcing my eyes to leave her knowing gaze, though my attention drifted elsewhere โ to the main entrance, searching. The one person I hadnโt seen since yesterday.
โLooking for someone?โ she teased, her tone light, teasingโฆ dangerous.
โNotโฆ not really,โ I replied too quickly, my pulse betraying me even as I tried to sound casual. My eyes refused to leave the entrance, scanning for him, tracking every movement in the crowd, every subtle shift of shadow. The anticipation thrummed through me, raw and relentless, a fire I couldnโt douse.
And as I waited, the hunger twisted into something darker โ sharper, more delicious. I knew I could lose myself completely if I let go. But for nowโฆ I watched, and I waited.
โYou know heโll find his mate someday,โ she continued, a sly grin tugging at her lips as she wiggled her brows. โOr who knowsโฆ maybe youโll be the first to find yours?โ
I couldnโt help the faint smile that curved my lips. Her happiness was genuine, infectiousโI could feel it radiating off her like warmth.
โI wish, Cat,โ I sighed, the sound heavy, longing dripping from every word. โButโฆ for that, Iโd have to leave this place.โ
Though a part of me ached to search for him, I knew the truth. I had never felt aloneโฆ not really. But now, seeing every day, every moment, the way others perked at the thought of having a mateโฆ it stirred something deep inside me. A hunger beyond blood. A longing for a connection that was mine and mine alone.
My Mate.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep control as the desire twisted in my chest. The thought of having someone who belonged to meโand me to himโmade the world feel simultaneously unbearable and achingly sweet. One day, I promised myself, I would find him. My Mate. My soul.
Unaware of the dark turn my thoughts had taken, Catherine nudged me with her shoulder, her grin wicked.โOr maybe heโs already on his wayโฆ looking for you.โ
I rolled my eyes, but before I could answer, Alpha Ralphโs voice cut through my head, low and commanding.
โCome to my cabin.โ
The bond of authority left no room for hesitation. โYes, Alpha,โ I answered silently, grabbing a cloth to wipe down the counter.
Sliding the last napkin into its holder, I gave Catherine a small nod to cover my tables. She raised a brow but didnโt ask.
โThanks,โ I muttered, already moving toward the door.
Ralph Savage.
The name suited him too well. Owner of Lunar Den and Alpha of the Moon Grove Pack.
Savage wasnโt just a titleโit was the truth. He was ruthless when he needed to be. Unbeatable when challenged. A force so absolute even the air seemed to bend around him.
And then there was the way he looked. Six feet of sheer power, muscle stacked heavy on his frame. A jawline sharp enough to cut, dusted with just the right amount of stubble. Eyes the color of dark earthโpiercing, steady, dangerous. Broad shoulders, a chest built like a wall, hands that looked like theyโd been crafted to break and protect in equal measure.
Unmated she-wolves tripped over themselves just to get his attention.
But me?
I didnโt want him.
I just respected him.
After centuries of wanderingโmoving from one forgotten place to the next, never staying long enough to belongโI had finally found a home.
Lunawulf.
A town tucked so deep into the northern California forests that no human would stumble across it by accident. A place hidden, breathing, alive with secrets.
When I arrived, Ralph Savage hadnโt turned me away. Heโd allowed me to stayโthough not without conditions. I was to harm no human. I could drink, yes, but never to the point of death. And when I did feed, their memories had to be erased. Our existence was not meant for mortal eyes.
Fair enough. It was more than Iโd been given anywhere else.
I knocked twice on the thick wooden door of his cabin before stepping inside. The Alphaโs space smelled like cedar smoke and leather, grounding and heavy.
โYou wanted to see me?โ I asked, careful but steady.
โYes.โ His voice was a rumble, calm but edged with something unspoken.
He studied me a moment before continuing. โI want you to head to the border and inspect.โ
โFor what?โ
His eyes shifted back to me fully then, sharp and piercing, though a frown carved lines into his face.
โThereโs beenโฆ suspicious activity. Roger picked up a scent.โ His jaw tightened before the words fell, clipped and deliberate.
โA vampire,โ he said.
My breath stilled.
He leaned back in his chair, gaze darkening. โAnd not just any vampire. A powerful one.โ
The words seemed to thrum in the air between us, heavier than they should have been. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the strange pull inside my chest, the way my body responded to a name he hadnโt spoken.
For reasons I couldnโt explain, my pulse quickened. The unease clawed deeper, twining with something elseโsomething dangerously close to anticipation.