Bad Moon Rising: Lunar Mates, #2

Copyright

Bad Moon Rising

Copyright © 2016 Loribelle Hunt

First E-book Published: September 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, organizations, events, or locations is coincidental.

Published by Loribelle Hunt

www.loribellehunt.com

Author's Note

Welcome to Lunar Mates! Bad Moon Rising was first published in 2006 and to celebrate its ten year anniversary has been revised and expanded from 22,000 to 25,000 words. Over the next few months I will be releasing editions of the other books in the series. Next up are Chasing The Moon and Call Of The Moon in October 2016. If you'd like to be notified of new releases join my mailing list or my Facebook Reader Group for updates.

Copyright

Author's Note

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

More From Loribelle Hunt

Chasing The Moon: Lunar Mates 3 (Excerpt)

Prologue

A low murmur rolled through the long, crowded hall as the group of eight men made their way to the curved table at the head of the room. Seven were alphas of other packs. The eighth was Anthony, leader of the hunters and Trey's soon to be former boss. Anthony moved off to their side while the alphas took places before the table. No one sat and once the crowd quieted, Gage Rylon stepped forward.

He wondered if any of the alphas knew who Gage was, what he was. Trey had found out by accident and promptly been sworn to secrecy, but he knew one day he'd have to make a choice to either support Gage or stand against him. He glanced over the alphas and decided they didn’t know. If they had one of them probably would have moved against Gage by now.

That wasn’t his problem at the moment. Instead he coolly took in the presence of the two werewolves who followed. Jackson and Darius. From the look of things, they were no longer friends. Who could expect they would be? It was unfortunate that the alpha position left vacant by Brant’s sudden death could only be filled by one of them.

In the not too distant past, the matter would have been decided by battle or all out war. But old ways changed, and the council of North American alphas had decided who would take the leadership of this pack. Now the hall was packed with the adult members of the pack waiting to discover which wolf that would be.

Two Alphas.

One pack.

And one hunter.

He noted the space that had cleared around him on his entry and was careful to conceal his amusement. Always an outsider. But perhaps that would change after tonight. He was pretty sure he knew the council's decision. Gage and Anthony had both spoken to him privately about his options. He knew what his own choices would be.

He’d been a hunter, chasing down members of the Society, a band of rogue wolves and other shifters that threatened their secrecy, for nineteen years. At thirty-three, he’d lasted longer than most, but now he felt another pull, one he couldn’t name. The rage that had fueled his blood for so long was a dim memory. The one who had killed his family was certainly dead by someone else’s hand or by another cause by now. And his own coldness, his own growing remoteness, had finally convinced him that if he ever wanted to, now was the time to retire from his position.

Of course, the final decision depended on the outcome tonight.

He couldn’t stay with the Appalachian pack. It hadn’t felt like home in years, had stopped being welcoming too long ago. There were too many werewolves here, and he felt closed in, constantly pressured by their suspicion of him and what he was. Oh, they accepted him readily enough. What choice did they have? But he’d never truly belong here. Hunters were turned away from no pack, too important to the survival of their species. But trusted? Welcomed? That was another story. He could only count three men as friends, and now two of them were going to drive a wedge in their childhood pack.

He was surprised at the turmoil that roiled through him, he who had felt nothing for so long. Everything hinged on the council and the two men before it. He studied them, saw through the casual poses to the fine tension beneath the surface. They had been best friends since childhood, and now faced each other in distrust and anger.

Damn Brant for refusing to name a successor.

Gage called the room to order, and Trey, projecting a calm he didn’t feel, turned to hear the verdict.

We have decided, he said.

It had to be banishment and forming a new pack for one of them.

Darius Stewart, Gage continued, stepping forward. You are to be banished.

The room erupted in calls, indecipherable in the combined babble. Relief washed through Trey. Things appeared to be going his way. Someone banged on the table for order once again, and Gage stared coolly at the gathering.

You will be allowed to start your own pack in the old Alabama lands. Any males of this pack who wish to join you will have one week to decide.

Darius nodded stiffly. I understand.

In accordance with the old laws, you will come back before us in one year’s time to be officially recognized. If you can’t hold the pack, you will be subject to challenge.

Not if Trey could help it.

Understood, Darius said, ignoring the speculating murmur behind him.

Clear the room, Gage ordered.

The rest of the meeting would continue in private. It was only a matter of minutes before silence descended on the group, but to Trey it seemed like hours. He was unexpectedly nervous at putting his plan into action.

Most of the people in the room left when ordered, and it only took one hard look from Trey to get the rest moving. Finally he shut the door behind the last straggler and turned to find Gage, head cocked to the side, studying him. Then Anthony stepped forward, and Trey knew this was long past time. Presenting his famed outer composure, he strode to the front of the room.

Are you sure? the leader of the hunters asked.

Trey exhaled in relief. There would be no arguments, no asking him to stay.

I'm sure, he answered, smiling slightly.

He felt Darius and Jackson watching him, obviously wondering what was going on. He’d arrived home two days ago to find everything in turmoil, and had avoided them until this moment.

Anthony nodded his acceptance.

When you swore your oath as hunter, you also swore never to seek to be alpha. Is that your intention now?

No, he answered firmly, cringing inwardly at the ritual question. No way in hell was probably an inappropriate response, but it still found its way to the tip of his tongue. He bit it back, maintaining his still stance before them.

I hate to lose you, Trey, but I free you from your oath. He shook his head at Jackson and Darius. But now you will have to choose between your friends, and a hunter doesn’t have many to choose from. I hope you know what you’re doing.

I do.

So do you stay with the pack, or go with Darius?

I’ll go to Alabama, he answered.

One

The house was in the forest a few miles from the closest town, Haven, Alabama. It was a cozy little A-frame with a wide porch on back. Lying hidden in a dark, back corner of that deck, the sleek, black wolf lifted his head, letting the conversation drift out around him. Two women chatted peacefully inside, one small and curvy with rich brown hair. Meg O’Reilly was the pack alpha’s mate, and in his absence the pack watched over her, especially here in her own home, isolated as it was. The wolf had come to like her. She was fiery and strong and giving Darius a run