A Mate Beyond Their Reach
Spirit Wolves 1
A Mate Beyond Their Reach
When Doctor Andrew Blunt finds an injured wolf, the last thing he expects is to fall for the man behind the beast. Trent is everything he has denied himself—handsome, dangerous, and Drew's mate.
But he is also a spirit wolf, and a carrier of a deadly virus that can turn any human insane.
Trent is a hunter, having lived all his life for his duty to defeat ferals—the plague of their kind. He does not expect a human mate. Claiming Drew would be impossible. Desperate to protect Drew, Trent finds himself in front of a new challenge—their other mate, Valerius, who is a Judiciary sent to keep the secret of their people safe.
Now, Drew has to face the dangers of a world he does not understand. Can Valerius and Trent save their mate before it is too late, or will Drew be forever beyond their reach?
Genre:
Alternative (M/M or F/F), Ménage a Trois/Quatre , Vampires/Werewolves
Length:
29,994 words
A MATE BEYOND THEIR
REACH
Spirit Wolves 1
Scarlet Hyacinth
MENAGE AMOUR
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour ManLove
A MATE BEYOND THEIR REACH
Copyright © 2011 by Scarlet Hyacinth
E-book ISBN: 1-61034-649-1
First E-book Publication: July 2011
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A Mate Beyond Their Reach
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A MATE BEYOND THEIR
REACH
Spirit Wolves 1
SCARLET HYACINTH
Copyright © 2011
Trent ran after his enemy, the adrenaline of the hunt pumping through his veins. The fucking feral was fast, that much he could tell.
Trent had been tracking him for days now, and today he’d finally managed to catch up. He wouldn’t let this advantage go to waste. Too much was at stake, as Trent and every one of his kin knew. Each and every feral left alive and roaming on the streets meant the certainty of death for whatever unfortunate human drew its attention.
Trent stopped to scent the air and continued his mad chase. In the city, hunting turned out easier than in the wild. Ferals could blend in more with animals than they could with humans, a fact which many of them used to throw Trent off track. Still, ferals were always drawn to human settlements, and for this reason, small towns such as this one always became a target.
This particular feral had been on Trent’s hit list for quite a while now. The man’s name remained a mystery, but everyone called him Jaws because of the way he savaged his victims. But no longer. Now, Trent would catch him. He’d pay for each and every human he’d hurt throughout his pitiful existence.
On and on Trent ran, his human form as quick as his wolf one. At one point, he left the town premises, and he knew he needed to make haste lest he lose the scent. Thankfully, he managed to corner the feral next to a ravine.
Jaws stopped and faced Trent when he noticed the edge of the cliff ahead. The fall would be high, deadly maybe even for one of their kind. “Seems I’ve got you now,” Trent said.
The feral laughed, his wild gaze shining with animalistic insanity.
Once, he might have been attractive, but the madness made him look repugnant. “Have you? Newsflash, spirit wolf. This time, you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.”
Headlights appeared from the right, engulfing them both in a cone of light. The angle made the artificial rays fall straight on Trent, hurting his eyes. Cursing his own recklessness, Trent immediately turned to his backup plan. His bones shifted and melded together, and in a few seconds, Trent’s human form became that of a wolf.
Those moments, however, gave whoever drove the vehicle ahead the chance to start the car. The headlights headed straight for Trent, blinding him. Trent danced away out of their reach, his paws carrying him away from the imminent danger. A bullet whizzed past Trent, reminding him ferals never played nice.
A heavy weight fell on top of him, fangs and claws shredding into his flesh. His coat managed to block some of the damage, but no fur could keep a feral at bay. The wolf on top of him continued its savage assault, and Trent bucked him off, using his larger bulk to his advantage. Jaws fell back with a pained yelp, and Trent pounced on him. The feral tried to struggle, its claws scratching into Trent’s chest, but it was too late. In mere seconds, Trent tore into Jaws’s jugular, the taste of blood filling his mouth.
But the time he spent taking care of the business that brought him here in the first place proved to be his undoing. A bullet hit his shoulder, making him recoil and jump back. The second one nicked his right hind leg, cutting his mobility. The car veered toward him, and this time, Trent didn’t manage to escape its speed. It hit him head-on, and the impact sent him flying. He landed just a few feet from the ravine. The sound of water reached his ears, and as he took in the approaching headlights, he knew he’d rather chance the jump than stay here and be killed by the ferals.
Gathering his final strength, Trent launched himself into the abyss and fell through the darkness.
* * * *
Twenty miles to Tennington. Drew sighed as he took in the marker ahead. Still quite a ways to go until they got home, then. His eyes hurt from the effort of driving so many hours in a row. The road in front of him seemed to stretch on endlessly, the lines hypnotizing him with their continuous dance. He’d have turned on the radio, but he didn’t want to bother Paulie. His son needed rest. Usually, by this hour, Paulie would have already been in bed, but an accident on the Interstate slowed them down, delaying their trip back home.
He stole a look at the time on the dashboard and groaned. Really, no child, not even a teenager, should be traveling at one a.m. He needed some parenting lessons. But the only other option had been cheap, unsanitary motels. Drew couldn’t fathom making Paulie sleep in one of those rooms.
He wished they could’ve afforded a plane ride, but all his savings had gone into the move to Tennington a few years back, and his finances were just now recovering. But with luck, they’d get home soon, and Drew could make his son safe and comfortable.
Just as he thought this, Drew spotted something at the side of the road, on the bank of the river. He blinked, thinking it to be a trick of light, but slowed down regardless. It wouldn’t hurt to stretch his legs, and if there was someone out there, perhaps he or she needed help.
The change in the car’s rhythm awoke Paulie from his slumber.
“Are we home, Dad?” he asked.
“Not yet, kiddo. Just stopping for a bit. Go back to sleep.”
Paulie grunted. “I can’t wait to get back. I don’t understand why they keep badgering us.” His voice held the same frustration Drew felt because of Paula’s parents. This time, he forced himself to keep it in check.
“They’re your grandparents. They love you.”
Paulie nodded, but didn’t look convinced. Instead, he stole a look out the window. From his angle, he couldn’t have seen much, but to Drew’s surprise, he asked, “What’s that, Dad?” So Paulie had spotted the mysterious shape as well.
Drew stopped the car and offered Paulie a comforting smile. He’d have preferred his son to remain focused on his annoyance with their closest relatives. “I’m going out to see. You stay inside, Paulie.”
Surreptitiously, he retrieved the baseball bat he always kept with him when he went out driving. One never knew when he might run into maniacs, and Drew would do anything to protect his son.
Gripping the bat, Drew left his car and headed toward the shape he’d seen. The blackness of the night surrounded him, the only light coming from his headlights and barely reaching his position. Nothing moved, and Drew held his breath, anxiety coursing through him.
As he approached, he identified the figure as an animal of sorts. It seemed too big to be a dog, but Drew could not in good conscience just leave it there to be torn apart by other beasts. He knelt into the grass and reached out, blindly feeling toward the animal. His hand fell onto soft, wet fur, and Drew gasped as a shock of something like electricity passed through his hand.
He almost retracted his hand, the odd sensation confusing him.
Judging by the feel of the fur and its tentative size, Drew thought the animal might be a wolf, a male one. He should just abandon it here.
Taking it close to Paulie was out of the question.
Instead, he found himself pulling the animal from the bank and into the light. It was difficult, since its bulk weighed heavily on Drew, but somehow, he managed. The wolf growled lowly, but other than that, it didn’t stir.
When the light fell on the animal, Drew realized why it didn’t move. Bullet holes pierced its flesh in at least two visible spots. Drew felt for injuries around its rib cage and legs.
The wolf let out a low whine, and Drew winced. Whoever attacked this wolf—clearly a human hand—had done quite a number on it. Drew couldn’t tell the true extent of the damage just by such a superficial exam, but clearly, the animal boasted several broken ribs, at least.