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CHAPTER ONE
The unbearable heat had sweat gathering on his skin, he could feel it rolling down between his shoulder blades and it was making him itch. The urge to abandon his motorcycle and shift into his lycan form was difficult to control but away from his normal pack territory, Clay Sanderson was using extra caution.
The Yellow Claw pack and the Coldridge pack were more isolated, making it less of a risk to give in to the need to be in animal form, but the further he traveled the more humans lived near to the lycan packs, and he couldn’t take a chance of being seen by outsiders. Keeping a leash on his baser instincts made his wolf restless. Clay could feel his normally laid back easy-going animal side growing more aggressive as the days wore on.
It made his skin feel too tight. It wasn’t a feeling he was used to and it made him nervous that the wolf side of him would insist on being let out. If he hadn’t given his cousin his word Clay would have given up on his investigation, but the birth rates for their species had reached a tipping point and if a cause and solution weren’t found soon the lycan race would become extinct.
The problem was very few of the packs were willing to work together and it made his investigation almost impossible. He doubted the Blood Moon pack would be any different but they were the last pack that he had to visit before he could return home.
While all packs had their own unique myths and folklore the Blood Moon pack was shrouded in more mystery than he’d expected, even their name invoked a sense of foreboding that he was unable to shake. Pushing the uneasy feeling aside he made his way to see Martin Alpha of the Blood Moon pack.
He knew the moment he entered the town of Vensford and Blood Moon territory that the alpha’s enforcers were aware of his presence and would have alerted their leader to his arrival. He drove through the streets of the sleepy little town carefully finding the packhouse relatively easily. He parked out front knowing that within minutes the presence of his bike would announce his arrival and cause a stir throughout the pack.
The house itself wasn’t as large as the one used by the Coldridge pack but it was similar in size to the one used by the Yellow Claw pack. He made his way up the front steps being sure to wipe the mud from his boots. He slapped the dust from his jeans in an attempt to look more presentable and then lifted his hand to knock on the thick dark wooden door.
He didn’t have to wait long before it swung open and he was admitted into the house. It was less intimidating on the inside, the colors that Martin’s mate had used in decorating were warm and cheerful designed to make the pack members and any visitors feel welcome and at ease.
Clay put his hand out to greet the man who opened the door knowing that it was Martin’s beta, Jonathan. The man had an easy smile and pulled him into a one-armed hug slapping Clay on the back good-naturedly.
“It’s been forever since I’ve seen you. I’m glad you could visit.”
Clay returned the smile seeing Jonathan was a small silver lining in what had been an otherwise long and boring trip. “It’s good to see you too Jon.”
“Will you have free time while you’re here?” Jon’s tone was hopeful and Clay wanted to agree but he didn’t know if Martin would consent to him being in the territory for long enough for him to research much less for social reasons.
He shrugged reluctant to commit to anything concrete until after he’d spoken to the alpha.
“Well, I hope you can spare the time for a drink grab a coffee at least. The café in town serves great pie. Come on he’s expecting you. Let’s get the pack business over with so we can go grab a beer maybe shoot some hoops like the old days.” Jonathan’s tone was hopeful and had Clay nodding before Jonathan lead him down a hall to the back of the house to a small den-like room where Martin was working.
The alpha looked up from his computer at the knock on the door frame but didn’t rise to greet Clay. He recognized it for the power move that it was and Clay repressed a sigh.
The amount of posturing that went on in shifter society though ingrained upon him from an early age was exhausting, and he’d been through it with every alpha on his journey. He was tired of it and just wanted to go home.
He dropped his gaze respectfully and reigned in any of his power that might have flared or seeped out he didn’t want to risk it being seen as a challenge to the authority of the alpha.
“Thank you for seeing me. Alpha Forrester.” He paused with his head inclined a slight bow further showing his respect.
“ Call me Martin please. Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair on the opposite side of the desk.
The leather of the seat squeaked as Clay sat down as if only few people had ever occupied the spot. He watched as Martin shifted the mouse perhaps saving whatever he’d been working on before turning his gaze on Clay.
Martin’s hair was light. Nearly white at his temples though due to stress or aging Clay couldn’t say, but he suspected stress since the lycan gene caused them to age at a much slower rate. The other man wore it closely cropped to his head as though he was trying to tame an otherwise unruly curl. It gave him a severe almost military look. Clay was certain that was the goal, but he’d had a lot of experience with more intimidating Alpha’s so the effort was wasted on him.
“Thank you for seeing me.” Clay leaned forward in the chair, “It’s been a long journey.”
“I know you’re here to probe into our records.” His tone was suspicious, making Clay doubt that his time with the pack would be useful.
“Not probe. We’re just trying to find a reason that lycan birth rates have dropped so dramatically in recent years. To understand what’s going on we need data from every pack. To get the full picture we need to know if the packs are being affected at similar rates. We need to find a solution or as a species, we’re doomed.
Martin folded his hands on the desk sitting forward in his chair almost as if mirroring Clay’s body language. “You don’t have to sell it. I’ve agreed to help Ryan on his crusade. I just don’t have to like it.
CHAPTER TWO
Jade could feel a disturbance in the atmosphere. It made the hair on the back of her neck stand up and set off warning bells in the pit of her stomach. She knew that she couldn’t stop what was coming and if she released the shield on her gift to investigate what she felt the others would sense it, and she couldn’t risk them discovering how strong her gifts were.
She refused to be sold off to the highest bidder simply because she was a powerful witch. So she clamped down on the urge to investigate what she felt.
It had been the fate of most of the women in her lineage as well as the coven her family belonged to be given to men sold off like property.
