Soul of the Wolves

“We didn’t know what we saw and we didn’t want to know. We don’t want any trouble.”

Suit made a sound of disbelief. “But you two saw what’s in it.”

“But, sir—”

“Ms. Alkin, the two of you have put me in a difficult position. Therefore, I am compelled to offer you a proposition.”

“Excuse me?”

“Now, now, you can’t expect me to let you and your brother go after everything you’ve seen, can you? You will work for me if you want your brother to be spared.”

Sookie opened and closed her mouth. This asshole was using Jesse as leverage. She thought for a second. “Is it something illegal?”

“Does it matter? You and brother had a possession of controlled substance. You vandalized a grave and on top of that, you saw something you shouldn’t have. You’re hardly in any position to put yourself on a high pedestal.”

Damn it. Sookie swallowed hard. “I-I understand.”

Suit snapped his fingers. His men brought a suitcase to the table. Suit opened it and plucked out an ampoule containing red liquid. He tore open a package of syringes and assembled a sterile needle. With one smooth motion, Suit filled the syringe from the ampoule. Shaved Head took the syringe from Suit and walked toward Jesse.

Her inner alarm blared loudly. “No, no, no. You can’t do that. What are you doing to my brother?” Ponytail and an Asian-looking man restrained her in her chair. “Stop it!”

Her plea met deaf ears. Shave Head locked Jesse’s head with one arm and emptied the content into her brother’s jugular.

“What did you do to Jesse?” Sookie screeched. “I said I’d cooperate! Why did you drug him?”

Suit waved dismissively. “It’s leverage, Miss Alkin. Now, your brother had been infected with an Alpha strain. It will render him strong, fast and allow him to possess the attributes of a superhuman. Sadly, the virus also shortens his lifespan. He has few weeks to live without an antidote.”

“A-antidote?”

He nodded. “After the final incubation period, the antidote needs to be administered every ten days to prolong his life. Without it your brother will fall into a state of suspended animation and die.”

No, no, no…

Jesse started shuddering in his chair, then thrashed wildly. He was writhing, screaming against his bonds, eyes rolling and his mouth foaming under the duct tape. His body underwent a transformation so drastic it was like a scene from science fiction movie. There were sic

kening crunching sounds as his bones rearranged beneath his skin. And there was white coarse fur covering his skin. He started snapping his jaws. The chain was the only thing that kept him from attacking the person nearest to him.

Sookie was frozen in her chair, her brain still refusing to process that this was really happening to her Jesse. Her dear Jesse who Mom had entrusted to her care.

They turned him into a monster.

A fucking crazy, snarling, untamed werewolf.

Chapter One

Ethan Hunter sat straight in his winged-back chair with legs crossed and fingers steepled in front of him, almost motionless. The pack beta, Ash Graystone, stood by his side in equally statue-like stillness, silently watching the celebration party at Lunar Manor swing in full motion. His pack and guests from other houses had gathered in the manor to celebrate Ethan’s miraculous return.

One month ago, the small engine plane he piloted went down in Lake Michigan during a heavy storm.

The accident almost killed him.

It should have killed him.

The nosedive descent broke the plane in half when it slammed against the surface of the water. Ethan had little memory after he was hurled out by the impact of the crash. After relentless searching, Graystone was able to locate him in the water, wounded and clinging to life. The incident wasn’t a mere accident. Someone had tampered with the engine—a disguised attempt to assassinate him. Only his enemies had not calculated that it would take more than a plane crash to kill him.

Knowing that his enemies were still out there, plotting for his demise, Ethan concocted a plan. Graystone announced that Ethan had suffered a transient amnesia. The alpha had no recollection of the accident or events leading to that fateful night. Ethan hoped this tactic would force his enemy to make his next move. And to his delight, his cousin, Cain, did just that. He informed him that Ethan had met a woman and secretly married her on a whim the night before his accident. And without his beta’s knowledge.

Ethan would never do such an important thing like marry someone without letting Graystone know. A clever ploy, Ethan had to give his cousin some credit.