A Side Effect of Celebrity

The Hunted Sneak Peek

Read on for a look at Brenna's supernatural-themed werewolf romance (no obsessive/aggressive alpha wolves to be found in this tale!)...

Twenty-nine humans were dead, their bodies assembled and ready to be disposed of. That was how many bodies Red's warriors collected as they'd picked their way back to the packhouse after the fighting ceased.

The humans were not the only ones to have suffered losses. Twelve wolves. Twelve brilliant bright souls now and forever gone from the world. Their bodies had been arranged with care and tenderness. At midnight, as was customary, they would be burned beneath the moon and returned to the earth which had given them life.

I ordered Victor to keep at least one human alive, Red informed Henry as they ran. So we can figure out what the shit just happened.

I gave the same order to Carsen. We should have at least two to interrogate. The words promised dark, painful vengeance.

Red felt the darkness and pain seep from Henry's mind as they arrived at the house. On the deck, Lucy let out a shuddering sob as she saw her Mate, and dashed down the steps to reach Henry.

Henry Shifted immediately to hold her tight for a long moment. Red turned away, counting his warriors who filtered back into the clearing before the house. Lucas Shifted to his human skin as he strode towards Red. He tossed a pair of shorts in Red's direction, but Red waited until all of his warriors arrived before Shifting back. Most of the others did the same but a few stayed in their wolf skin as a telepathic link to the wolves now guarding the hole.

"Carsen is on his way," Red reported to his Alpha. "He'll arrive first. Vic is about a minute behind."

Henry nodded, now dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt that Lucy had given him. His face was hard. Lucy settled in between him and Red, keeping her chin high and unwavering as her Mate released an aura of strength and power that radiated out through the pack – a palpable force of domination.

Red wondered if the hunters would feel it – or if their human senses would be too dull.

Carsen, in his human skin, entered through the western side of the clearing, pulling forward a human who looked to be in his forties or fifties. The man's face was slack, eyes wide. As if he'd gone into shock. He wasn't even resisting as Carsen shoved him down before Henry. The warriors in the clearing created a semi-circle behind the man. There was no chance for escape now.

The human realized it too, Red noted. Because the moment he looked up into Henry's murderous face, he soiled himself. The front of his pants suddenly had a dark, wet stain forming. A few of the wolves cracked grim, dark smiles.

Red waited for Henry to speak but they were distracted by the appearance of Victor and Phillip who were all-out dragging a human woman with them. She was putting up a hell of a fight. They all watched as she yanked free from Victor's iron hold but she didn't try to escape. No, instead, she threw a punch that connected deftly with the left side of Victor's face.

From the bruise already on Victor's jaw, coupled with his murderous scowl, Red didn't think it was the first time she'd done it. He studied her and realized she'd been the blade-wielding hunter who'd attacked Victor earlier. He was surprised to see her alive. Red had been almost certain that Vic would have ripped her head clean off.

Red didn't know what he'd been expecting from these hunters. Perhaps war-toughened men with scars and a buzz-cut? People with bulging muscles and cold dead eyes? Surely not a man so terrified that he wet himself and a woman fighting like an alley cat.

There wasn't anything interesting about the man except fear so Red kept his attention to the woman. She was young, but not childlike. In her early twenties, most likely. Slim and muscular, but not skinny – the type of physique that came from years of hard training.

Her midnight black hair was pulled into a braid but a few strands had pulled loose and flew about her head. Her skin was a warm brown, even darker with a golden suntan, and covered with cuts and bruises and blood. Her left arm looked as if it had been mauled, like Victor's claw or teeth had torn into it. The pale pink lips were split and dried blood had collected on her face.

She scowled darkly, dark brows settled low over slate grey eyes that flitted around the circle of human and wolf-skinned warriors. It was evident she was looking for a weak point, somewhere she could go to fight her way out. She made eye contact with each and every person, eliciting growls from the majority of the warriors.

The man trembled and whimpered but she just glared, no hint of fear daring to line her face as she continued her assessment of the group.

Red's lips were just pulling back, a growl forming in the back of his throat, as she turned her eyes on him. They were perfectly shaped, the colour like storm clouds on a cool winter morning. Hatred and anger in her gaze but he hardly noticed. He was too caught up in the way his heart hammered in his chest, the way he felt rooted to the spot.

Rooted to her.

All at once, it was as if there was a cord, a glistening golden rope connecting them. He knew that he was would be whatever she needed him to be. A protector. A friend. A lover.

He was her Mate.

And she was his as surely as he was hers.

The growl died in his throat as shock took over. This was his Mate? This little ball of anger? This hunter? Repulsion took over, replacing the wonder. How could he be Mated with a hunter? A human! It was unheard of! It was insanity.

Yet there was no denying it. Especially when her eyes moved on, breaking the connection, as she directed her gaze towards the highest-ranking wolves. Her lip curled up in distaste as she regarded Lucy. The Luna growled at the disrespect but the human had already moved on to a bigger fish.

Red was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that this fiery little hunter was his Mate when she narrowed her eyes at the Alpha and spit on the ground.

The next second happened very quickly.

Henry roared, a bone-chilling sound that made the lower-ranking wolves bear their necks in submission. He partially shifted, long claws replacing fingers and sharp canines elongating in his mouth. His intentions were clear—he was going to rip her throat out.

They didn't need her – not with the other human terrified enough that a minute alone with him would tell them everything they wanted to know.

Henry was going to kill her.

Kill her before Red even knew her. He didn't even know her name.

Red acted without giving his body command. One moment he was standing beside his Luna and the next he was in front of the woman in a defensive half-crouch as he faced his Alpha.

Henry roared again, eyes completely black, but Red wasn't backing down. He risked a glance at the woman. She was staring at him in shock as if she'd forgotten to be angry. Red turned to face the Alpha and a growl slipped from his throat without permission. The kind of sound that said, 'back away or else.'

For a moment, the Alpha wolf looked as if he was considering his options, about to lunge for his Lead Warrior's throat. And then understanding cleared his eyes and he stood up straight, astonishment, frustration, and anger evident on his face.

But his intentions were clear. He wouldn't harm her. Not unless Red gave the order. It was the way of Pack Law.