Cat's Howl: A Macconwood Pack Novel (The Macconwood Pack Series Book 2) (15 page)

C.D. Gorri earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English
Literature from Montclair State University. She lives in her home state of New
Jersey with her family.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names,
places, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either part of
the author’s imagination and/or used fictitiously and are not to be construed
as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locales or
organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights are reserved. No part of
this book is to be reproduced, scanned, downloaded, printed, or distributed in
any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Please do not
participate in or encourage piracy of any materials in violation of the
author’s rights.

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Charley’s Christmas Wolf:

 Excerpt:

St. Lucia’s Day – December 12
^th

He circled the woods once more. His black coat gleamed in
the silver moonlight as powerful legs carried him quickly through the frozen
terrain. The battle was finished. Another few months of peace and prosperity
won together with his allies. All it cost was the blood and sweat of his Pack.

He thought of the young Wolf who had asked for his help. She
was tenacious and brave. This was the first time in a hundred years such
alliances had been made. He knew he had made the right decision for his Pack.
The only way to go into the future was to move forward.

Wasn’t that what his father had always said? He tasted blood
on the air and tensed. Some of it he recognized. It belonged to his Wolves. But
they were whole. That was all that mattered.

The black Wolf reached out with his mind and felt his Packmates’
injuries.
No casualties
. The bloodstained ice that covered the forest
floor and the sulfuric stink of dark magic invaded his nostrils.

He snarled and quickened his pace. For a moment or two the
Dark Witches had almost had them. But they had triumphed. The others were gone.
Only his Pack remained. They waited for him. Their
Alpha
.

He slowed down as he entered the wooded enclosure. Pride
vibrated in his very being. These Wolves were brave, fierce, and loyal.

As his Guard moved to flank him, Rafe Maccon threw back his
head and loosed an ear piercing howl. It spoke of loss, of triumph, of the end
of an era and the start of a new one. This had been his last battle as a
warrior.

The time had come for him to fully assume his rightful
position as Pack Alpha. His father’s death years ago should have triggered that
leap in his status, but he had denied his birthright for as long as he could.
He had chosen to fight with his Wolves instead. But the time had come for him
to lead them.

According to the local White Witches of the Coven Realta,
the prophecy had already begun. He and his Wolves needed to ready themselves
for whatever came next. He signaled to his Beta and like always, he immediately
understood what was needed of him.

Rafe watched him leave with a few select Wolves then he
surveyed his Packmates. They stood in front of him, each one muscular and
strong with varying shades of fur ranging from palest white, tawnies, reds, and
browns to his own midnight black coat. One by one, they lowered themselves on
their haunches, lupine heads bowed. He had earned their respect before, but
tonight he had gained their undying trust. Now, he had to keep it.

Thunder clapped overhead. A mix of hail and rain began to pour
from the quickly darkening skies. The street lights flickered and the tiny
overhead shelter at the bus stop gave no protection whatsoever from Mother
Nature’s latest onslaught.

“Not now! Come on!,” Charley cried.

She huddled into the thick pink cardigan she wore over her
one good dress. It was a wool blend which was bound to get ruined in this
weather. She had instantly fallen in love with the way it alternately hugged
and flowed around her curvaceous body. She especially loved the scalloped hemline.

It reminded her of classic movie stars like Hepburn and
Taylor. She used to watch them all the time with her grandfather. She smiled as
she looked down at the outfit. The pale ivory suited her dark eyes and hair.
The weather was bound to ruin it. And on her meager salary it would be months
before she could replace it.

She looked down at her matching heels and stomped her foot
as puddles began to form on the uneven concrete sidewalk.
Great! That’s just
perfect!
It just wasn’t her day, or her year for that matter.

It was almost Christmas and the nutty weather still hadn’t
made up its mind what season it was. One day it was in the 90s and the next the
thermometer had dropped to the low 30s. The past few months had been very
unusual for the typically predictable New Jersey climate. Charley didn’t know
what to make of it.

She was sure it was because of the holes in the Ozone or
global warming, melting snowcaps, and the cattle crisis. Every newsfeed had someone
to blame, but not much was being done about finding a solution. She shook her
head, thoughts like that were better off left to scientists and people who
could actually make a difference.

Charley was just trying to make it through a date. Well, a
blind
date
that she didn’t even want to go on. And she was already late for it
because her boss at Junior’s Famous Italian Deli, the third “Junior” as it
were, just had to make her clean all the slicing machines and the display cases
twice that day!

Not to mention he had her mop the entire floor, flip the
chairs, hose down all the rubber mats, secure the freezers and refrigerators,
and lastly, Windex the tall storefront windows inside and out!
Ugh.
Only
then did he let her leave. And the rat hadn’t even paid her.

The deli would be closed for the next six weeks. Junior and his
family would be in Italy to oversee maintenance work on his family’s villa.
Wasn’t
that nice for him?
Charley had to bite her tongue all day from telling her
boss what she really thought of her forced, not to mention unpaid, vacation.

She barely had enough time to get to her apartment, shower,
and change before the bus was scheduled to arrive. Dinner had better be worth
it!  

A black van pulled over across the street and idled.
Lucky
bastard!
Charley sighed as she gave it a brief look. The van had tinted
windows and chrome finishes. From where she stood, the engine purred.

Not the usual racket from the delivery vans she dealt with
at the deli.
Too nice for this neighborhood,
she thought.  
Heat
probably works too.

She tried not to stare at the driver. From what she could
see, he was huge and rough looking. And boy, was he looking at her.
Pervert!
Yeah, have a good look, buddy!
She thought as she tugged her sweater closer
to her body.

She tried in vain to cover her ample assets. No doubt they were
clearly revealed through her soaked dress. The bus stop provided very little
protection indeed. She turned her head towards the street, as if just looking
could somehow make her bus appear. No such luck.

The van remained across the street unmoving, creepy driver
and all. Charley shuddered. There was no traffic, foot or car, on the usually
crowded Jersey City intersection. It was cold, wet, and dark and she was all
alone.

She dug in her purse for her cell phone just as lightening
lit up the sky. It was followed by the booming sound of thunder and Charley
practically jumped out of her shoes.

The distraction was enough that she didn’t see the van pop a
u-ey and pull to a stop right alongside her. She didn’t hear the door open or
see the man with the blonde spiked hair exit the vehicle.

He moved faster than any man should be able to and grabbed
her from behind. Charley’s heart pounded as a huge hand clamped down tightly
over her mouth. She struggled and tried to scream. Cold fear ran down her spine
as he dragged her to the now open side door.

“Sorry about this,” a deep voice said and he scooped her up
and sat down with her on his lap. She tried squirming, but arms like iron held
her still.

“Why this one? I thought the blonde was better?,” said a rough
voice to her right. She struggled to turn her head, but got nowhere.

“No way, dude, he doesn’t even like blondes. Not since
Stephie. You remember her, that blonde viper was a backstabbing little bit-,”
said another male voice coming from the front seat.

“Shut up guys! Okay hon, I’m going to take my hand off your
mouth and we’re going to ask some questions, alright? Nod if you understand.”

Charley nodded. She was scared out of her mind, but she
wouldn’t go down quietly. She waited for him to release her. As soon as he
lifted his hand she opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. She
threw her head back directly into the nose of her captor.

“Shit! I’m bleeding! Hold her, dammit! No, don’t hurt her,
get the rag! The rag! Shit!”

Charley dove for the door handle, but the stupid thing was
locked. She fumbled for a second, but it was too late. Large hands grabbed her
and before she knew it she was in a grip even stronger than before. Angry tears
streamed down her face.

“Let go of me, you perverts! Let me go!!”

Some time later.

“Dude, look!”

“Get ready.”

“Hey, she’s coming around.”