Scent of Madness (Black Hills Wolves #40)

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by fines and federal imprisonment.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Scent of Madness

Copyright  2016 by Heather Long

ISBN: 978-1-61333-955-8

Cover art by Fiona Jayde

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

Dear Readers,

For one year and thirty-five plus books with over twenty authors, we have journeyed with the Tao pack as they returned from the brink of destruction thanks to one mad Alpha thanks to the return of Drew Tao. Drew’s not the perfect Alpha, nor is he the perfect man, yet he remains committed to his pack and to making the Black Hills a fantastic place for them to live and thrive once more.

The four-book mini-series includes novels by Cara Carnes, Cam Cassidy, Rebecca Royce and Heather Long. Though each is designed to stand alone, they tell a cohesive tale that is enriched by reading them in order.

Book 1 – Scent of Murder

Book 2 – Scent of the Hunt

Book 3 – Scent of his Woman

Book 4 – Scent of Madness

We’ve seen changes in the pack, healing, and a rebirth hope and generosity of spirit. It is true that every journey faces a trial by fire, and this is the crucible, which will forever change the Black Hills Wolves. I invite you to join us as we rediscover what it means to be pack when murder comes to Los Lobos.

Heather Long

Dedication

For Becca—cheers to a year, darlin’.

Black Hills Wolves Stories

Wolf’s Return

What a Wolf Wants

Black Hills Desperado

Wolf’s Song

Claiming His Mate

When Hell Freezes

Portrait of a Lone Wolf

Alpha in Disguise

A Wolf’s Promise

Reluctant Mate

Diamond Moon

Wolf on a Leash

Tempting the Wolf

Naming His Mate

A Wolf Awakens

The Wolf and the Butterfly

Infiltrating Her Pack

Omega’s Heart

Rebel’s Claw

Claiming the She-Wolf

Worth Fighting For

Dangerous

Uncaged

Promiscuous Wolf

Disquieted Souls

A Cougar Among Wolves

Long Road Home

A Mate’s Healing Touch

Winter Solstice Run

Wolf’s Holiday

Winter Magic

Winter Secrets

Winter Solstice Ménage

Wolf in Winter Clothing

Murder in Los Lobos

Scent of Murder

Scent of the Hunt

Scent of His Woman

Scent of Madness

Also by Heather Long

Always a Marine

Series so Far (in order by release)

Once Her Man, Always Her Man

Luke & Rebecca

Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here

Logan, Jazz & Zach

Tell It to the Marine

James & Lauren

Introduction of Matt McCall and Damon Sinclair

Features an appearance of Logan Cavanaugh

Proud to Serve Her

Damon & Helena

Matt, James, Lauren, Luke and Rebecca mentioned

Her Marine

Brody & Shannon

No Regrets, No Surrender

Logan, Jazz & Zach

James featured

The Marine Cowboy

A.J. & Sheri

Phone call from Luke

The Two and the Proud

Rowdy & Kim

A Marine and a Gentleman

Brenden & Liam

Appearances of James, Logan, Jazz, Shannon, Rebecca, Lauren

Combat Barbie

Kyle & Mary

Jazz makes an appearance via phone

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Joe & Melody

James makes an appearance

What Part of Marine Don’t You Understand?

Matt & Naomi

Appearances by James and Logan, Damon is mentioned

A Marine Affair

Eli & Rick

Marine Ever After

Paul & Lillianna

Multiple appearances at Luke & Rebecca’s wedding

Marine in the Wind

Greg & Georgia

Appearances by A.J. & Sheri

Marine with Benefits

Derek & Kara

Appearance by Logan

A Marine of Plenty

Charlie & Jana

Appearance by Naomi

A Candle for a Marine

Isaac & Zehava

Appearances by Zach & Shannon

Marine Under the Mistletoe

Kaiden & Rowan

Have Yourself a Marine Christmas

Rebel & Noel

Appearances by Derek, Kara, Luke and James

Lest Old Marines Be Forgot

Tom & Brenda

Appearances by Luke, James, Logan, and Damon

Her Marine Bodyguard

Shannon & Brody

Multiple appearances including Luke, Logan, Zach, Jazz, Mary, Damon & Rowdy

ROAR Series

Mischief, Mongrels & Mayhem

The Black Hills Wolves

What a Wolf Wants

Wolf in Winter Clothing

Scent of Madness

While their Alpha fights to survive, an elusive killer hunts among their pack, slaying humans and the wolves who mated them. The Enforcer’s rigid rule and terse attitude have everyone uneasy. On the hunt for madness, he may lose everything…

Ryker continues to hunt for the elusive murderer. The others have eliminated several suspects, but tensions in the Black Hills have never been higher. For all of his experience in hunting and dealing with the wolves, Ryker has never found himself torn between two loves before—to be the killer he is, means he has to turn off the softer side Saja awoke in him.

Saja’s life with the wolves is nothing she would ever have imagined. Being the center of Ryker’s attention is both a blessing and a curse, but her mate’s gentle, indulgent nature seems to be a thing of the past. While she understands his remoteness comes from a place where caring and fear collide, she doesn’t want to lose Ryker to the madness creeping through the pack.

Clashes with Colt and several other dominants heighten the danger, and Ryker refuses to allow her out of his sight unless she is with Gee. When the killer sets his sights on her, will the Enforcer drive his mate away rather than lose her?

Scent of Madness

Black Hills Wolves

Murder in Los Lobos

By

Heather Long

Chapter One

Seven dead, one mad. Five bodies found. Two missing. A head count hadn’t revealed who the latest victims were. All on my hands. The blood of every murdered wolf and their mates—human mates—covered him. It wasn’t the first time he’d failed his pack, or even Drew—Ryker had failed the boy he’d seen born when he’d been unable to prevent Magnum from banishing him.

Remove my son. Magnum’s twisted order whispered from his memory. Remove him permanently. So Ryker had obeyed, he’d had to obey. He and Gee sent Drew from Los Lobos, removing him.

He’d failed Drew once, but the murders were the first time he’d failed his mate. Anger crawled like a sickness through his blood. Images flashed through his mind. Sonya. Sarah. Sharon. All human mates.

All dead.

Saja drummed her nails on the wooden arm of the chair while he stacked fresh wood into the fireplace. All of their names began with an S. As his mate’s name did. He’d all but caged her in their home, far from Los Lobos, away from the deaths haunting them. She hadn’t fought him on the order. Not yet. The cold air beyond his cabin held the promise of snow—snow which hadn’t barricaded them inside as it had the year before. Most of their Winter Solstice snow had cleared away with unseasonable warmth.

Ryker would have preferred a blizzard. Foul weather to foul the murderer who kept skating away before he could get a fix on the scent. One of the logs snapped in half, and the crack of wood jerked him to the present.

What did the mean ol’ wood ever do to you? The light tease in her voice smoothed over him as though she stroked his ruffled fur.

Nothing. He had no excuse for the lack of control. If not for making sure Saja was safe and warm, he would be out there hunting a murderer. Closing his eyes, he gripped the uncharitable thoughts to rip them out by the root. His wolf paced inside of him, a restless predator denied the kill too often. Denied even true pursuit. They wanted the scent of their quarry. They wanted to be out hunting him, so they could take him down….

Saja ran her hand over his shoulder then along his back. Both wolf and man shuddered. Turning away from the fire, he pulled his mate close and pressed his head to her chest. Not one to retreat from him even in his darkest moments, she enfolded him in her arms, cradling him. It wasn’t only killing their quarry they wanted. The bastard had hurt his wolves, killed them, and damn near killed Drew.

He’s going to be okay, she whispered, resting her cheek to the top of his head. You heard Bastian. He said Drew would be okay. He got the bullet out. Now he can heal the way a wolf should.

Yes. He’d heard the physician. He’d heard Betty, too. Her sister. Colt. They all held him accountable. As they should.

You can be tall, dark, and silent around them all you want, Saja continued, massaging his tense muscles. You don’t get to shut me out. I’m in here, too. Remember? The last she delivered with a light tap to his back directly above his heart.

Yes. A weakness. A true chink in his armor. His wolf snarled. I can’t lose you. The admission cost him nothing. His mate’s wild, warrior spirit more than matched his. Sunshine in the darkness.

Not going to happen. I’m armed, remember?

The reminder had him gliding his hands over her hips to her waistline. The handle of her gun peeked out above the denim. Tugging the weapon free, he leaned away to meet her gaze. Her head was above his, yet the dichotomy didn’t bother him. Not as it once had. Keep it at hand when I am not here. Even the time it would take you to remove—a wolf could kill you. His beast bucked at the charge but didn’t disagree.

Drawing a finger down the center of his face, she teased the tip of his nose. You are here. My money is on you, so it’s not like I need to draw it at the moment.

The killer had begun to take the wolves mated to humans as well. Ryker almost wished the bastard would come for him. It would end the hunt swiftly.

She needed a holster on her hip, like the Westerns of old. I have something for you. Releasing her, he rose. The weight of her gaze trailed him as he crossed the room. In the year since he’d found Saja in the midst of the snow, he’d made changes to his cabin to accommodate her presence,