Raging Kane: Book Three in the Wolfe Creek Series
Read Raging Kane: Book Three in the Wolfe Creek Series Online
Authors: C.M. Steele
Raging Kane
Book Three in the Wolfe Creek Series
Copyrighted © 2016
C.M. Steele
The day had been never ending. I just wanted to shower and get some sleep after work, but that was out of the question. I promised I’d have dinner with Arabella; however, dinner with my sister had come at a price. Two of our mated couples showed up and it wasn’t the most comfortable feeling for me. I hadn’t mated yet and was almost past mating age. It was likely I was never going to meet her— whoever she was. That sentiment was what stressed me out. I needed a steaming hot shower to ease the knots of tension in my shoulders.
Being the Alpha of a pack of wolf shifters was a piece of cake for me. It was made easier by the fact that I was the mayor of the town as well. I didn’t have to tiptoe around anyone or deal with the bureaucratic red tape. Our town was a decent size so I always had my hands full with issues, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.
My discontent with life, in general, was the only thing getting to me. I was finding it harder and harder to watch my people mating and making families. It had me becoming bitter as hell. That wasn’t something an Alpha should feel about his pack.
Dropping my clothes on the floor, I walked to the shower. As I moved, my limp, useless cock plopped about, bouncing with every step. Looking at it so damn flaccid made me sick. It was a curse for us wolf shifters. The only way the dick got hard was when it was with our mate; otherwise, it was little more than a pissing hose for the past twenty-seven plus years and it mocked me. This was some bullshit. As the proud Alpha, I should have a woman in my bed every night.
The instant I got out of the shower, I took in my look. I was what human females would call ruggedly handsome. Every single woman that passed through town bragged about the stud of a mayor. All I saw was a sad man before me. I wish I still had my father here to talk to. He’d tell me to give it time— like he did with everything else. Hating the man before me, I punched my fist through my mirror shattering the glass all over my bathroom. Damn it, now I had shit to clean up. Grabbing a towel, I wrapped my bleeding hand and walked to the bed. I’d clean that shit up in the morning.
I’d just fallen asleep when these blue eyes came into view. At first, it was just them staring at me intently. They were glistening with unshed tears and I ached to reach out and wipe them from her face, but for some reason, I didn’t. I stepped back and took a better look at her long, brown hair that parted in lush waves down the center to frame her enchanting face. It was beautiful and mesmerizing. That sad look in her eyes was making my heart crack. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I knew I didn’t want it to end. Suddenly her expression turned intense and cold; her mouth was tight and I could hear her harsh breathing.
“I hate you!” she shouted from her soft, pink lips. The vitriol was so strong that I felt it deep inside, startling me out of my sleep.
My heart was pounding out of control, and before it dawned on me, I’d shifted and was padding around on my bed completely in my wolf form. My black fur was standing on edge as I looked around the room. That dream whatever the meaning, was so real that it forced me to shift. I hopped down onto the floor and headed out my back door for a night run to clear my head.
I ran so far I was out of Redding, already miles away and in Wolfe Creek where another pack lived and flourished. It had taken a long time before I was calm enough to transfer back to my human form. My mind ran as fast as I did. I wondered why this creature in my dream hated me. I knew her anger was directed at me because I felt it through to my bones.
By morning, I was a tired wreck. I had a job as pack Alpha to keep the town on its toes and humans out of our territory. Most came in for the hiking, but occasionally, you had those who needed to stay in the hotel in town. We couldn’t dissuade them because the money was good. On average, we had about three hikers a week. Since I was the mayor of the town, a solid revenue stream was my priority. We had investments as a community and they seemed to blossom with the help of Hunter and Chloe Grey from Wolfe Creek, but we also made crafts that sold well online. The internet was a stellar invention. It had a way of keeping us closed off from the world while still being very involved and well-funded.
Having been unable to sleep last night, I ended up picking up the broken glass this morning. I got dressed in my suit, downed my mug of coffee, and headed into the Mayor’s office. There were matters that affected all mayors and then there were those that only affected communities like ours. The rabbit population for one. We’ve had some hungry, young pups overindulging in our furry meals. It was necessary to import more rabbits into the area while quelling the hunting of some of our young ones.
“Alpha, the new rabbits have arrived,” my environmental manager said. It was his job to keep the environment in balance.
“Were there any questions from the breeder?” I didn’t know if the breeder or the animals’ rights groups would be questioning our need for so many rabbits. Nosy motherfuckers.
“Not from the breeder but from the dumb protester outside his ranch. I told her what we told everyone. We had a wolf population that was dying out without an influx of rabbits and to mind her fucking business.”
“Good job, Dennis.”
“Thanks. They wanted to observe the wolves in their natural habitat. They wanted to meet with you, but I told them that you were too busy for it.”
“I’m too angry to meet with them. What’s wrong with these people? Priorities. You should have told her we like to fucking eat them.” Dennis was surprised by my tone but just nodded.
By the end of the day, I didn’t want to go home. I was scared of the dream and the elusive woman’s hatred ate at me. “Don’t be a little bitch, Kane,” I snarled to myself. Would I be able to stay asleep long enough to change her mind or would I shift in sadness?
I got my answer at one in the morning when I tore my sheets to shreds. She stood before me a little longer before shouting at me, sending me into a spiral of confusion and rage.
Needing answers after two desperate nights of waking up in full wolf form and pain in my heart, I went to see the only person that could give me those answers. It was already late, but I couldn’t sleep. I was glad my sister was away visiting some friends. I wondered if I made any sounds when I was out cold dreaming of this beautiful woman. I wouldn’t want her to worry about me. She still lived with me, but was always in town. She was still young and had been in my care since our parents died. Arabella was like a mother hen to me even though I was older.
“Uncle, I know you were probably about to go to bed, but I need to ask you something.” I bombarded him so late, but I couldn’t take it anymore. Patience wasn’t a virtue I possessed.
“What is it, Kane?” The look in his eyes was full of concern. I hated to be anyone’s object of pity.
I thought about how I would say this but didn’t think there was a way to make me feel less like an Alpha, so I just let it all out.
“I’m having the same dream of the same female every night. She haunts me with her sad eyes that turn to anger.” After explaining it to him, he nodded his head like it was no big deal.
“Nephew, I’ll tell you about it in a little bit. Hunter Grey will be coming, and I have a feeling he has a similar question.”
“That’s all you’re going to say?” I asked belligerently. I didn’t want to wait for the Alpha from Wolfe Creek. All I knew was the mysterious woman in my dreams was mine. If Hunter dreamed of her too, it’d be a fight to the death.
I was pacing like a madman, my great uncle’s floor creaking with every step. I couldn’t handle the wait. Finally, the sound of Hunter’s truck came up the road, but it wasn’t fast enough for me.
“Uncle, why do I have to wait for Hunter? Why can’t you just answer me now?” I snarled.
“Boy, patience. You’re going to need it. Trust me. I didn’t know that it could happen more than once in a century, but I guess I was wrong.”
What could happen?
My great-uncle, Creed Holt, stood up from his chair and looked out onto the porch as the truck pulled up. I continued pacing the floor as he walked down the steps to meet Hunter.
They both came back into the house and Hunter looked at me strangely. “Hey, Kane. What’s up?”
“Nothing much, Hunter. I was visiting when Creed said you were stopping by. I thought it was something that might need my attention since it was so unexpected,” I lied.
I sat down on the single chair near the fireplace, needing to calm down before I shifted again.
“It’s not really, but seeing as I need answers and you’re almost as old as me and also without a mate, you might want to be here.”
“So what brings you to see me?” my uncle asked as he poured Hunter a cup of coffee.
Hunter turned to look at all the books Creed had on his shelves. There were books of all sorts everywhere. He didn’t look back at us before he took a deep breath and said, “I have questions about mates.”
Creed gave me a wink. “My boy, you’re not the first to have to wait longer than others for a mate. Kane’s right behind you on that. Not to mention your great, great-grandfather waited until he was your age to meet his mate, and I’ll tell you boys a huge secret...,” he paused for effect. “She was a human.”
I gasped deeply, in complete shock. I never knew it was possible. Did that mean this woman in my dreams was a human too?
Hunter was just as confused and curious as me. “So how come I’m just learning about this? Shouldn’t we all know about it?” he asked my uncle in frustration.
“A big reason for the silence is that he wanted it kept a secret, and they pretended she came from a different pack from the North. After that, we had the great fire that killed many of the elders and most of the historical records perished. Tales of her existence seemed to disappear from our history and it only became a legend. Those who knew the truth kept her history from the rest of the packs because there was too much tension between them. Besides, after their first litter, she became a shifter as well.”
“So she wasn’t human after all,” Hunter whispered. He looked upset. I didn’t like where this was going. My great-uncle was beating around the bush about it.
“No, she was human. Her parents and the descendants all down her line had been human. It’s one of the interesting things about human mates. They shift after they birth their first pups.” He paused and took a drink of his coffee. “Only an Alpha can possess a human mate. He is the strongest, and it takes the most powerful Alpha to consummate the bond.”
“Why?” It was peculiar because humans were weaker than us. Why would they be our mates? Alphas are the strongest, most capable leaders of the packs.
“Because until she had borne him his first pups, she possessed no special abilities. She was extremely vulnerable, and it took a strong mate that could handle an attack on her and their unborn. Before she changed, they had no idea that she would ever grow to have the ability,” he informed us.
Fear started to course through me. My dream woman could be in danger just for being with me. Hunter was looking at me suspiciously, and I knew he could sense the tension that was rolling off me. My heart was racing and my need to shift was building. Thoughts of her hating me for not protecting her crossed my mind.
Creed tapped Hunter’s shoulder as he examined me intently. “You look lost in thought. I knew one day you’d come for these answers.”
“What do you mean?” he asked earnestly. I raised my brow at my great-uncle, too.
He knowingly smiled, then asked, “You’ve found her, haven’t you?”
“I have, but please don’t tell anyone,” Hunter pleaded. I understood his concern to protect his mate. I felt the same way. She was mine and I needed to sort this shit out.
“Hunter, I look to you as one of my own. There is no way I would tell a soul about her, but I’m afraid there will be no way to hide it. You must mark her as yours as soon as possible. The only problem is she has to agree to the pairing.”
“Is it because she’s human that I have been dreaming of her for the past six months. Dreams about mating and marking her?” The instant he said that I turned to him with my eyes bulging out. Six fucking months? I couldn’t continue living like I was. I shredded my sheets last night, so I knew I was in trouble and needed to stock up on bedding soon.
“Yes. Since she is not one of us, she doesn’t feel the pull like you do. She doesn’t crave you like you crave her, but dreaming of her for the past six months may make her more receptive to you,” Creed added, which alarmed Hunter but soothed me. She hated me. If I had a chance to make her love me, I would do anything to make it happen.
“Damn it, I have to make her want me. How am I supposed to do that? I’ve never had the urge to mate before, so I’ve never tried to charm a woman into anything.” Ha, he had no idea how lucky he had it. My mate hated me.
“Hunter, it will come naturally. You mustn’t worry. No male knows what to do with a woman before they begin the mating dance. It comes to them naturally, and the mate is meant for them so they could never not please them. You’re fated to each other.”
“But she’s different.” Doubt entered my mind as well.
“Are you afraid that you won’t feel as strongly towards her?” he asked Hunter.
He guffawed with a shake of his head. “No, if anyone feels like I do at the moment, I would grieve with them. I feel like I’m in a perpetual state of longing to be at her side. I want to please her, and I don’t even know who she is. My heart is pounding just at the thought of seeing her.”
“Your bond will be the strongest of all. It will bring resentment from others, and that’s why the Alpha is the only one to possess a human mate.” I will need to be strong for my mate when I meet her. There will never come a time where I’d let a hair on her head be harmed.
“How many have there been?” I asked.
“Only a handful throughout our five thousand years. It’s so rare because it takes a supreme Alpha to handle a human mate.”
“Because some may want to hurt her?” I interjected.
“Not just that, but also the human tendencies. They possess free will. She doesn’t have to choose you. You may fuck her, but she may not accept you as her mate for life,” Creed explained.
Hunter and I snarled as he stood up and asked in outrage, “What do you mean?”
“Just as I said. Unlike us, most humans take more than one lover. Many human females get divorced and have children with more than one man.” Rage was building in me again and I could feel my wolf at the surface, ready to make an appearance.
“That’s not happening. She’s mine,” Hunter roared.
“Then you must make her love you as you love her. How is she in your dreams? Does she fear you or does she welcome you?”
“She welcomes me,” Hunter said with relief. I growled and rushed to the front door. Fuck. If it took him six months and she let him in, what would it be like for me? She hated me. Running outside, I high-tailed it back home. Shifting again, I went for another run.
