Living Extinct (26 page)

Dante grabbed her arms, pulling her back against his rock-hard body. It was distraction enough to break her concentration. Instantly the wind stopped.

Steve looked at Dante and shook his head. “Stay here and claim your territory. WA knows where you are and where she is. If they want you, they can come get you.”

His partner, Jeff, looked ready to argue when Steve turned and walked away from the group while the werewolves parted and made a path for him. The lot of them stood silently, watching while the two WA agents headed down the mountain.

Ollie walked toward them, giving Dante his attention.

“You helped protect our territory from the
lunewulf
. I know all of you have your differences to settle, but that is business for your pack, and not mine.” Ollie looked around him and then raised his arms, spreading them and gesturing as he spoke. “This mountain and the valley below are unclaimed territory. The
lunewulf
are on one side and we’re on the other. The
lunewulf
have fought to gain it for some time now. We’ll back you in claiming this territory. Take it for your pack. It’s good land.”

“And it offers you security from the
lunewulf
trying to attack you again,” Dante said.

He ran his hands up and down Moira’s arms. The chill she’d experienced a moment ago disappeared. Warmth traveled in her veins. Dante liked Ollie’s proposal. He liked it a lot.

Ollie nodded, managing not to smile, and turned to head down the mountain.

“Good luck to all of you.”

Several hours later, after a hard run from one end of the mountain to the other, Moira curled up against Dante in her fur. Sleeping under the stars, claiming the land where they would build their den, seemed the perfect ending to the day. Hard times lay in wait for them. But they would be happy, fulfilled days and nights. Working alongside her pack members would build camaraderie. There would be fights, challenges, but that was their way. What mattered was that she had her mate. He would 136

Living Extinct

lay his kill at her paws and she would bear him pups. And together, they would make it work. Once again, the Malta werewolves would be strong.

I knew you could do it.
The soft voice that had lulled her to sleep for years spoke just over Moira.
Your sire and I are so proud of you.

Mom! Oh my God, Mom!
Moira jumped up, almost stepping on Dante while she began wagging her tail so hard the leaves on the ground stirred around them.

Renee Tangaree stood before Moira in her fur. Moira had prayed every night growing up that she’d be as beautiful as her mother. Renee was even more stunning now than she had been five years ago. Moira leapt with unleashed excitement at the bitch and then jumped off just as quickly when she felt fur and muscle and bone.

You’re really here? Or am I dreaming?”
She shook her head, sniffed the ground, and then turned and stared at Dante who stood slowly.

If you are, we’re sharing the same dream
, he said, growling as he lowered his head in respect to the queen bitch of Malta werewolves. After all, no new pack leader had been appointed yet.

Don’t think your work is done.
Her sire’s baritone, husky and always sounding like a growl, had Dante straightening in an instant.
The challenges will seem impossible. You’ll
fight more than once with your new pack leader.

Challenges? Can you see the future now? Are we doing the right thing?
Dante’s questions tumbled out of him.
Who will be pack leader?

Answering your questions won’t make your future any easier
, Bruno told him.

Take good care of my daughter, wolf man
, Renee growled at Dante, but then walked up to them and gently licked him on the nose. She then turned and brushed her warm tongue down Moira’s cheek.

She was there, with them. Both of her parents were. Real flesh and blood, not a dream.

Her parents turned, walking into the darkness until they faded into it and were gone.

It wasn’t a dream
, Dante growled, circling her several times until he pushed her down and then cuddled around her with his giant, warm body.
They’ve returned, which
only assures me that we’ve done the right thing and that the Malta werewolves will definitely be
stronger than before.

Moira closed her eyes, still feeling her mother’s warm tongue on her cheek.

I hope they come back.
There were so many things to catch up on, to share with them.

They will
, Dante growled confidently.

She rested her chin on Dante’s side and closed her eyes. For the first time in her life she fought for what she believed in, not what some government agency told her to. And she was free, truly free. The love for her mate swelled as she drifted off to sleep.

137

Lorie O’Clare

Building a pack from nothing was hard. Rebuilding a pack with the odds stacked against them and animosity still running through some of them would be the challenge of a lifetime. And it was one Moira couldn’t wait to take on.

I love you, Mom and Dad
, she said silently in her head, and then drifted back to sleep next to Dante.

138

About the Author

All my life, I’ve wondered at how people fall into the routines of life. The paths we travel seemed to be well-trodden by society. We go to school, fall in love, find a line of work (and hope and pray it is one we like), have children and do our best to mold them into good people who will travel the same path. This is the path so commonly referred to as the “real world”.

The characters in my books are destined to stray down a different path other than the one society suggests. Each story leads the reader into a world altered slightly from the one they know. For me, this is what good fiction is about, an opportunity to escape from the daily grind and wander down someone else’s path.

Lorie O’Clare lives in Kansas with her three sons.

Lorie welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Also by Lorie O’Clare

Cariboo Lunewulf 1: Taming Heather

Cariboo Lunewulf 2: Pursuit

Cariboo Lunewulf 3: Challenged

Dead World

Elements Unbound

Fallen Gods: Jaded Prey

Fallen Gods: Lotus Blooming

Fallen Gods: Tainted Purity

Fallen Gods: Embracing Temptation

Full Moon Rising

Issue of Trust

Lunewulf 1: Pack Law

Lunewulf 2: In Her Blood

Lunewulf 3: In Her Dreams

Lunewulf 4: In Her Nature

Lunewulf 5: In Her Soul

Sex Slaves 1: Sex Traders

Sex Slaves 2: Waiting For Yesterday

Sex Slaves 3: Waiting For Dawn

Shara’s Challenge

Taking It All

Things That Go Bump in the Night 2004
anthology

Torrid Love: After Dusk

Torrid Love: Caught!

Torrid Love: The First Time

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC

on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com