Bethany Shaw's Blog, page 28

Where do you get most of your ebooks from?AmazoniTunesB&NKoboSomewhere else

Where do you get most of your ebooks from?

Amazon

iTunes

B&N

Kobo

Somewhere else

Have you started The Werewolf Wars Series yet? Out of the...

Have you started The Werewolf Wars Series yet? Out of the Shadows is only $0.99.

Purchase links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Werewolf-Wars-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B00ES2GX3O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405380764&sr=8-3&keywords=out+of+t…he+shadows

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-the-shadows-bethany-shaw/1117494699?ean=2940148878179&itm=1&usri=2940148878179

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id764899884

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/Search/Query?fcmedia=Book&query=9781493658374

Scribd http://www.scribd.com/book/230373818/Out-of-the-Shadows-Werewolf-Wars-1

Today is the last day to pickup Out of the Shadows and Into the...

Today is the last day to pickup Out of the Shadows and Into the Unknown for only $0.99 each.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ES2GX3O

http://www.amazon.com/Into-Unknown-Werewolf-Wars-Novel-ebook/dp/B00I5S0GLW/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=19HK3MCT0D6MYXTWKFSB

Werewolf Wednesday! Last Friday was Friday the 13th and a full...

Werewolf Wednesday!

Last Friday was Friday the 13th and a full moon. The next full moon and Friday the 13th isn’t until 2019.

Some urban legends suggest werewolves transition on the full moon.

In The Werewolf Wars Series, the wolves can shift at any time.

Werewolf Wednesday!

Werewolf Wednesday!

Finding Our Way is now available on Amazon and Kobo. Coming soon...

Finding Our Way is now available on Amazon and Kobo. Coming soon to Barnes and Noble and iTunes.
Amazon http://tinyurl.com/p8xsfx6
Kobo http://tinyurl.com/lsykzwq

Video Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxTyHRMjJLA
…
Excerpt

Nora brushed the dirt and grass off her red top as Lark walked away and joined Devon at the tree line. The blonde was a lot tougher than she appeared to be. Nora had lost track of how long they had been practicing, but Daniel must have shown them at least ten different grappling moves and ways to escape.
Nora could still feel the heat of his fingers on her legs where he had helped to position her. She shuddered remembering the way his fingers had trailed up her calf. How could a few kisses ignite such an inferno inside her, she wondered. Maybe I haven’t been dating the right guys, she mused. In retrospect, she could understand why Lark thought they would make good partners for this particular exercise. Between a man and a woman who were attracted to each other, the positions would be extremely intimate. If she were to try some of those moves with Daniel, she wasn’t entirely sure how much they would accomplish. Well, at least not productively that is. Physically they could relieve a lot of tension. It’s too soon for that!
“I’ll walk you back to the house,” Daniel offered.
“Sure,” Nora grinned, slipping her hand into his. “Do you have watch again tonight?”
“Saturday is my last night. We start a new rotation on Sunday.”
“Will you be on days then?”
Daniel shrugged. “Yeah. I’ll either be on watch or finishing up building the new house.”
“Are you going to move there when it’s done?” She hoped not. It was nice knowing he was just a few doors down from her.
“I know some of the guys will stay in the main house, but I’m not sure if Gene’s thought that far ahead. If he has he hasn’t said anything,” Daniel said. He gripped her hand a little tighter as she hopped up onto a fallen limb. “You’ll stay at the main house. It’s safer there—heavily guarded.”
Nora jumped down, her feet thudding on the ground. Dirt flitted up sending a small cloud of debris over her sneakers. The particles stuck to her sweaty skin and she cursed under her breath. Daniel dropped down next to her, unfazed by the grime.
“Do you think there will be an attack,” she asked quietly.
“Yeah. It’s just a matter of when. If something happens stay with Lark and Talia. They’ll know what to do.”
“Lark’s been teaching me how to shoot,” she said even though he already knew that. “I imagine I’ll be on the front lines.”
Daniel stopped and turned to face her. His hands came to rest on her shoulders and his eyes bore into hers. “That gun is your life line, Nora. We are animals and are instinctively afraid of weapons. We don’t use them. I guarantee that if you point a gun at a wolf coming after you, they will pause. Use it to your advantage. It’s you or them. Do you understand?”
Nora swallowed and nodded.
“Good.”
Daniels’s hands cupped her face, his breath whispering against her lips. Nora’s hands reached for his shirt, tugging him to her.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you, Nora,” Daniel murmured.
“I’m more worried about you.”
“Don’t be.”
Nora’s breath hitched catching in her throat as his lips grazed against hers. Her mouth parted and his tongue traced along her bottom lip. Heat scorched through her and her fingers brushed against a bare patch of skin on his stomach. Realizing she still clutched his shirt in her hand, she skimmed her digits across his firm abs. Daniel growled, his hands winding in her hair, pulling her impossibly closer.
Nora let her fingers wander over the smooth plains of his chest. Daniel’s hands lowered to her bottom, lifting her up. Instinctively her legs wound around his waist, his hard length pressing against her core. Her back hit something hard and it took her a moment to realize it was a tree.
Warmth crept up her side, she gasped realizing it was Daniel’s palm. The side of her shirt rolled up and their bare flesh touched. The wolf’s mouth left hers, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. Her shirt rode up higher as Daniel’s hand found her nipple. Chills shot up her spine as heat pooled between her legs.

Start the Werewolf Wars Series today for just .99 pennies.Out...

Start the Werewolf Wars Series today for just .99 pennies.

Out of the Shadows - Book 1- http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Werewolf-Wars-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B00ES2GX3O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402377470&sr=1-1&keywords=bethany+shaw

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id764899884

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-the-shadows-bethany-shaw/1117494699?ean=2940148878179&itm=1&usri=2940148878179

Into the Unknown - Book 2 - http://www.amazon.com/Into-Unknown-Werewolf-Wars-Novel-ebook/dp/B00I5S0GLW/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=15W6REKFRFZ1QC4EABQH

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/into-the-unknown/id797070633?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/into-the-unknown-bethany-shaw/1118057702?ean=2940148203001

In honor of Finding Our Way, Werewolf Wars #3’s release,...

In honor of Finding Our Way, Werewolf Wars #3’s release, Out of the Shadows and Into the Unknown are both $0.99 until June 11th at midnight.
Out of the Shadows, Werewolf Wars #1
Barnes and Noble http://tinyurl.com/mjy857k
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iTunes http://tin…yurl.com/mvg5nzv
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Kobo http://tinyurl.com/p83q3hw
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Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ka9u9lf
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Into the Unknown, Werewolf Wars #2
iTunes http://tinyurl.com/kkvwmab
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Barnes and Noble http://tinyurl.com/mjy857k
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Amazon http://tinyurl.com/l86racu
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Finding Our Way is publishing and will be available soon. Here is a special sneak peek at Chapters 1...

Finding Our Way is publishing and will be available soon. Here is a special sneak peek at Chapters 1 and 2.

Chapter One

Nora covered her mouth as she yawned. Her eyes focused on the road as she reached down, lifting her coke to her lips. Nora took a long swig before returning it to the cup holder.

The blue-green illumination of the dashboard clock read 12:03 AM. It was late, and she’d been driving for hours, but she would not stop until she reached her destination.

With a trembling hand, she picked up her cell phone and listened to her best friend’s voicemails again. She’d been stuck at work when April had called earlier, and had only just gotten the frantic message when she’d gotten off.

3:56pm

Hey, Nora, it’s April. I just wanted to let you know that I made it home okay. I know this is going to sound weird, but I need you to stay away from the apartment for a few days. I will wire you some money for a hotel. It’d be even better if you found one far away from home. I promise I will try to explain everything soon, but I can’t right now. Just please trust me when I tell you not to go home. I hope you get this soon. Call me when you do. I’ll, uh; I’ll talk to you later, okay? Be safe.

4:15 pm

Hey, it’s me again. Um, listen, my families in trouble, Nora. I think you could be too. I’m going to text you my address. I need you to head down here as soon as you can. Please call me as soon as possible.

The phone clicked, and Nora smashed her finger over the buttons, setting the phone back on top of her purse. Her hands shook as she gripped the steering wheel. Her eyes stared out the window into the pitch-black night. She’d received that ominous message around five hours ago, shortly after she’d left work. She still hadn’t been able to reach her best friend. Every call went straight to voicemail. Terrified, she’d hopped in her car and started the long drive to Louisiana.

Stifling another yawn, Nora glanced over at her GPS. If it were correct, she should reach April’s home within the next fifteen minutes. Once there, she could check on her friend, and find out what the hell was going on.

 Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blur of yellow making a beeline for the street. She slammed on the breaks, causing the tires to squeal. A man dashed into the road, and she screamed as a loud crunch echoed through the car.

The man’s body rolled up onto her hood, colliding with the windshield. The glass cracked, and tiny spider webs erupted across the window. His body tumbled backwards.

Nora held the steering wheel as a vice, watching in horror as he hit the pavement with an unforgiving thump. He rolled and attempted to stand, but quickly fell back to the blacktop. She held her breath, waiting for him to get up, but he didn’t. Her heart dropped and she took a shaky breath in.

Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!

Pulse thrumming in her ears, she pushed her door open, unbuckled her seatbelt, and climbed out. Her eyes stayed transfixed on the deathly still person. Nausea churned in her stomach, and she gagged seeing the awkward angle of his arm. Her knees wobbled as she forced her feet forward.

“Please be okay. Please don’t be dead,” she mumbled as she approached him.

Blood oozed into his brown hair, streaking the cocoa strands with red. His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. The man coughed, groaning as he rolled. He placed a quivering hand on the road as he attempted to sit up again.

“Thank god you’re not dead! Are you okay? I’m not sure you should be moving,” Nora babbled as she held her hands out, unsure if she should touch him or not.

He twisted, his emerald green eyes connecting with hers. Red dribbled out of his nose, pooling on his lips. His intense gaze gave her pause and she felt her breath catch as she got lost in his beautiful irises.

“Who are you?” he coughed, struggling to his feet.

Nora blinked, snapping out of her trance. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I need to call the police. You need to get to the hospital,” she rambled. Heat crept over her cheeks at her own stupidity. She’d hit a man! He needed medical help. How was he even standing? Why hadn’t she brought her phone out of the car with her?

“No!” he yelled, clamping his good hand around her wrist.

Nora jumped at his outburst. Her eyes widened, and pulse kicked up a notch.

“No,” he said quieter. “I…I don’t have insurance. Please, just help me get out of here. Give me a ride to a motel or something.” He stared at her for a long moment. “What’s your name?”

Nora looked down at his fingers that still encircled her wrist. Tiny nicks marred his skin. As she continued to assess him, she saw a large gash along his cheekbone, and blood covered his yellow shirt and dark wash jeans. His left shoulder and arm were mangled, but she couldn’t tell if it was broken or dislocated.

Realizing he was still waiting for an answer to his question, she said, “Nora, Nora Jamison.”

“I’m Daniel McKinley. I think we should get out of here, Nora.” His eyes scanned the tree line to her right and she followed his gaze.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked. “I can call an ambulance—”

“No. Come on,” he interrupted, hobbling forward and pulling her along with him. His fingers were warm on her wrist and a tiny tremor of heat crept through her.

Nora allowed him to lead her as he stumbled to the passenger door and jerked it open. Yelling erupted from the trees, sending cold chills down her spine. Swallowing, she surveyed the brush. Her breath caught in her throat as three men emerged from the tree line, followed by a large grey wolf. How is that even possible, she wondered, eyes transfixed on the large creature.

Nora flinched as the wolf howled and the three men bounded toward them. She took a few steps back, her feet faltering as her butt met her car. Pushing off the steel, she whirled around and sprinted to the driver’s side door. A loud crackle rippled through the air, followed by a groan. Daniel slumped to the ground as his body contorted.

Horrified, Nora watched through the open passenger door as his yellow shirt tore free from his body. Reddish-brown hair erupted onto his back. He positioned himself on his hands and knees, seconds before his back jolted upwards. Another snap sounded, followed by a howl as he sprung forward.

Nora clamped a hand over her mouth as she watched the man become a wolf. She closed her eyes, and opened them again, still not believing. Yet, the wolf remained where the man had been. He lunged at the other wolf catching him mid air, and driving him to the ground.

A sob tore through her throat and she ripped her car door open. Sliding in, she was about to pull the door shut when an arm grabbed the handle, tearing it from her grasp. Warm, calloused hands wrapped around her left forearm and hauled her out of the vehicle. Her attacker yanked her into his firm body, holding her tight.

Frantic, Nora kicked her feet, struggling against the man in every which way, hoping to break free. Another man approached and easily dodged her swinging limbs.

“Get off me,” she screamed, throwing her head back as hard as she could. It hit something hard, and the man behind her grumbled obscenities. Lurching forward, she reeled back again, ignoring the pain slicing through her skull as it connected with the man. The assailant stumbled, his grip loosening ever so slightly. Unwilling to give up, Nora lifted her foot, and slammed her heel down. The man’s arms let go, and she raced forward, using her momentum, she ran straight for the other man. Raising her hands to her face, she swung her right leg, catching him off guard as she connected her foot with his manhood. The man cupped himself, and groaned, falling to his knees.

Her triumph was short-lived as a strong grip wrapped around her torso. No! She bucked against her attacker to no avail.

“You’re going to pay for that you stupid, little bitch,” the man rasped in her ear.

You’re a fighter, Nora, Fight!

Nora thrashed in his arms, but his hold was unforgiving. The man behind her stiffened, his fingers dug into her arms. Snapping her head up, she gasped as she watched the reddish-brown wolf tear into the man she’d kicked only moments before. The man gurgled, sputtering as he coughed. Crimson poured from his mouth as his body trembled. The wolf growled and turned toward them.

“You don’t want to hurt her, do you?” the man sneered as the reddish-brown wolf approached. “You’ll have to come through her to get to me.”

Nora whimpered; cringing away from the man as his hot breath blasted against her neck.

The wolf snarled, baring his massive, white canines. Nora halted her movements, eyes transfixed on the wolf’s golden eyes. His head cocked to the side, watching her before he lunged.

Nora shrieked as she was tossed toward the car. Her hands rose up to protect her face, but it was too late. Nora’s forehead smacked against the edge of the door. Her vision clouded, then went black.

Daniel snapped his jaws as he dove at the man. Like a coward, the human threw the girl out of the way, and spun around to flee to the woods. Daniel grunted as he jumped with his nails outstretched, tackling his enemy to the ground. His jaws clamped around the man’s neck, and with one quick twist, the bones crunched.

With a grunt, he pulled back. His body throbbed and breaths came in unsteady, labored pants. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath in and hobbled over ensuring that the three men and wolf were in fact dead. Satisfied, he sniffed at the young woman. The metallic stench of blood invaded his senses, and he whined as he inspected her. There was a long laceration just above her eyebrow. He nuzzled her, relieved to see that her chest rose and fell evenly.

Daniel took a step back and lowered himself to the ground. Gritting his teeth, he whimpered as his broken body snapped, the bones realigning as he transformed. He stood up with a grimace and stretched his stiff limbs.

Limping, he walked over to the closest man, quickly removed the man’s shoes, and tugged his jeans down. He was sure the young woman was going to have a lot of questions when she awoke, and he assumed it would go a lot better if he were wearing pants. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her anymore than she already was. He stripped the man with a broken neck down to his boxers. Then put the jeans and black tee on. Setting the socks and shoes in the car, he carefully lifted the woman into his arms and laid her across the back seat of her car.

Daniel took a moment to look over the unconscious woman. Her copper hair fell in soft waves. Light freckles sprinkled across her cheeks and nose. The scared amber eyes that had been alert only moments before were shut. Her breathing was even, and aside from a few red marks on her creamy skin, the only visible injury to her was the cut above her brow. She should be okay, he thought, at least he hoped she would be. Once they got someplace a little safer, he would stop and clean her up, and tend to both of their injuries.

One way or another, she was involved in all of this now. It was his duty to keep her safe.

He climbed into her Cavalier and shut the door, taking off down the road.

Chapter Two

Nora blinked her eyes open. Darkness surrounded her. Her fingers tingled and the plush ground vibrated beneath her. Flexing her digits, Nora slowly lifted them to her throbbing head. A large lump and scab were there, but she didn’t feel any lingering blood. Closing her eyes tight, she opened them again, fighting against the haze threatening to pull her back under.

Where am I?

She squinted, her irises slowly adjusting to the pitch-black. Her gaze caught sight of the vivid blue-green of the dashboard clock. 4:33. Focusing on the rearview mirror, she watched as the familiar troll charm swayed. This was her car. Someone was driving her car. Her heart skipped a beat at the realization. Balling her fists, she forced her tense muscles to relax. She wasn’t quite ready to let the driver know she was awake, at least not until she remembered what had happened.

Her tongue darted out, wetting her dry lips. She inhaled deeply, searching her aching head for the events that must have taken place earlier. Slowly, she sorted through the fog in her brain. The scene played out as a dream—it had to be a dream. She assured herself that a man had not turned into a wolf. Doubt crept in, and she peeked up into the front seat.

The man driving was the man she had struck with her car. Daniel, his name was Daniel, she recalled. As if to prove she wasn’t crazy, her car made an uncharacteristic clink, then grinded as it slowed.

Nora gripped the cushion beneath her as the car lurched to the right and bumped along the uneven terrain. The brakes squawked loudly as the car stopped. The driver’s door creaked open, the car dipping down, and then raising up as the stranger climbed out. Shifting ever so slightly, she peered out the window. They were at a gas station.

It was early in the morning, and she had no idea where they were. She could chance running away, but how far would she get? Would there be anyone to help her? What would the man do if he caught her? She trembled and blinked back tears as she tried to come up with a plan.

The car wiggled as the man slid the gas nozzle into the tank and began pumping.

Before she could contemplate further action, the back door swung open, and a head ducked down into the entryway.

Tensing, she shut her eyes, feigning unconsciousness.

“I know you are awake,” his voice floated in. “Are you okay?”

Nora opened one eye then the other, slowly maneuvering herself so she could get a good look at him. One-half of his face was shrouded by the pitch-black of the night, the other illuminated by the dull overhead lights from the service station.

Specks of dirt covered his cheek and stubbled jaw. His bicep pulsed as he gripped the door. He ran his free hand through his already mussed hair. The man’s eyes roamed over her before meeting her gaze. She gasped at the vividness of his emerald eyes, and a shiver shot through her spine at the intensity swirling in them.

He was handsome—he’s probably a serial killer, she reminded herself. He hasn’t hurt you yet. In fact, he’d kind of saved her—rescued her from the men that had grabbed her. Although, she couldn’t help but wonder if it were him they were really after. Does it really matter? He turned into a giant wolf, she reminded herself. Had she hallucinated that?

“Are you okay,” he repeated, pulling her from her thoughts.

“I…” she started, not entirely sure how to answer. Her mind was still muddled on what had happened. A part of her didn’t believe it. Men could not turn into wolves—it wasn’t possible. Maybe if she pretended nothing had happened, then he would think she didn’t remember anything—he could let her go. “Yes,” she answered, hoping to appease him.

“You hit your head pretty good. You’ve been out for a few hours,” he stated, turning back to the pump when it clicked. He pulled the nozzle out and hung it up. He spun around to twist the cap back on before poking his head into the car again. “You could have a concussion. Do you remember what happened?” he questioned, his eyes narrowing.

Nora swallowed the lump in her throat. What was she supposed to say? Yes, I saw you turn into a gigantic wolf and kill a man, it sounded absurd. What would he do if she did remember? Would he hurt her? Kill her? No, she didn’t think so. If he’d wanted to harm her, he would have already. At least that’s what she tried to convince herself.

 Daniel cleared his throat. “The exit sign said there was a twenty-four hour McDonald’s drive thru half-a-mile that way,” he said, pointing to his right.

Nora nodded, slowly appraising him. Is he offering to buy me food?

Daniel sighed gritting his teeth. The awful stench of curdled milk indicated her fear, yet, she was acting entirely too calm. He wished his brother, Vincent, were here. The younger McKinley was a people person. He would know exactly what to say to smooth the situation over. Daniel envied his siblings in that respect. People skills were something he severely lacked.

“We should keep moving. I was going to get a bite to eat before hopping back on the freeway,” he said watching her. He couldn’t afford for her to run. She’d seen too much. Even if the majority of people thought she was insane, there was always that small group of fanatics that would believe. The werewolf community had enough problems without human interference.  

There was also the problem of Juarez’s men. The men that were chasing him earlier were powerful—they were everywhere. She could be in danger because of him. It was his duty to protect her and his pack.

“I’m kind of hungry,” she said, slowly scooting out of the car.

Her wide, amber eyes watched him intently as she stepped out of the vehicle. She edged away from him, taking deliberate care to walk around him to the driver’s side door.

“It’s okay,” he said his hand meeting hers on the handle. Heat shot through his fingers. She reeled back, wiggling her fingers, and he wondered if the same inferno had seared through her as it had him at their touch. “I’ll drive.”

“It’s my car,” she mumbled, taking a step back.

“You hit your head,” he reminded. He pointed to her forehead, hoping that would stop further protesting.

“It’s my car,” she repeated slowly enunciating every word.

“Nora,” he sighed, not entirely sure what to say.

“Where am I?” she questioned, her eyes darting around.

Her phone chimed, a soft melody rang out. The front of the car illuminated as her phone vibrated in the cup holder.

“It’s been going off all night,” Daniel said, following her gaze.

Nora ducked into the car, retrieving the device. She clutched it against her chest, eyes wide, watching him. After a moment, she slid her finger over the phone and held it to her ear.

“April?”

“Nora, thank god. I’ve been calling you for hours. Are you okay?” the feminine voice screeched into the phone.

“Um,” Nora frowned. Her hand gripped the open door, and her knuckles turned white. “I ran into a bit of trouble.”

“What happened?” April breathed.

Daniel folded his arms over his chest, his jaw clenched tightly. Please don’t say anything about wolves. Nora faltered under his gaze, and he grimaced, hating that he frightened her. Still, he needed to make sure she didn’t say anything incriminating.

“I had an accident. I hit a guy and…” she trailed off, dragging her foot through the dirt.

“You hit someone?” April gasped.

“He’s okay. I’m with him. I…I don’t really know what happened.”

“Nora? How close to my house were you? This guy…did he…”

Daniel’s ears perked up, realization settling in. The other woman’s name was April. There had been an April at the Bayou Pack. Nora was driving down one of the abandoned roads leading to the pack. The dots connected together in his head.

“Let me speak to her,” he said, holding his hand out.

“Who’s with you?” April asked her voice rose with each word.

Nora cringed and cleared her throat. “His name is Daniel. He’s the guy I hit with my car.”

April was quiet for a long moment, but Daniel could hear tiny puffs of air hitting the mouthpiece. “Let me talk to him.”
     Nora blinked, her mouth popping open. Slowly, she moved the phone from her ear and handed it to Daniel. Her soft creamy fingers brushed against his as he accepted her phone. A rosy shade colored her cheeks, and she reached up tucking a matted strand of hair behind her ear.

“Hello,” he said, gruffly.

“Who are you? Are you one of Juarez’s men?” April bit out.

“Daniel McKinley,” he said after a long pause. “I was there right before…I opened the gate,” he replied, not wanting to go into too much detail.

Nora’s brow furrowed as her eyes followed him intently.

April sighed, causing the phone to crackle loudly. “Thank god. Is she okay? She said there was an accident.”

Daniel watched as Nora twisted a strand of copper hair around her finger and released it.

“Yeah, she hit me with her car. We had a little altercation with Juarez’s men, but she’ll be all right.”

“Oh God. This is all my fault,” April murmured, her voice breaking. “I told her to come. She’s my roommate at college—my best friend. I got a call from the police a little while ago, our apartment was broken into. I put her in the middle of this war, all because I wanted a normal life.”

Daniel ran a hand through his hair, wincing slightly as the action pulled at his tender ribs.

“I think she needs to come to Abilene,” April started. “We have to keep her safe. She fits their profile, Daniel. Her grandmother just passed away, and I hate to say it, but her parents wouldn’t notice if anything happened to her. Nothing can happen to Nora. I’ve already lost my parents and grandparents. I won’t lose my best friend too,” she said her voice getting quieter as she spoke. She sniffled as a raw sob tore through her throat.

“All right, I’m not sure how well that is going to go over though. I don’t think she trusts me,” he said, casting a glance at the weary woman. If he didn’t have the keys and her phone at the moment, she would probably bolt.

“How much did she see?”

“Too much,” he sighed.

“Let me talk to her,” April insisted.

“Sure. Can you tell Vincent I’m okay?” Daniel asked after a long moment.

“Of course. Thank you, by the way, for what you did back there,” April said, graciously.

“Yeah, sure,” he mumbled, turning back to Nora. He offered the phone to her. “She wants to speak to you again.”

Nora snatched the phone away from him. Her heart hammered in her chest as she fought back nausea. Daniel and April somehow knew each other. She couldn’t help but wonder if April knew what he was. Hell, for all she knew, April could be one of them too. A wolf. It was crazy—insane, but she knew what she’d seen.
     “April. What is going on?” Nora demanded.

“I’m on my way to Texas.”

“Texas?” Nora shrieked. Her eyes darted around her surroundings, and she took a step back. Where am I?

“Abilene, Texas. Someplace where it is safe.”

“Safe? Safe from what, April?” her voice rose with each word she spoke, and she swallowed trying to fight back the hysteria. “From giant wolves? From men who are chasing you?” She gripped the phone tighter with her trembling hands and forced calm, deep breaths into her mouth.

“Nora, calm down,” April pleaded.

The small ounce of sanity she’d been clinging to snapped. “Men attacked me, April! The man I hit—who should be dead—got up and turned into a wolf. Don’t tell me to calm down!”

Nora closed her eyes and counted backwards from ten. She had to keep it together—needed to figure out what was happening. “Did you know that these things—animals existed?”

April was quiet for a long moment. “Yes. I’m one of them—a werewolf.”

“Werewolves,” she cackled. Her phone wobbled against her ear, and it took her a moment to realize that her hand was shaking uncontrollably.

“It’s true. I know you’re freaked out right now, but-“

“Freaked out?” she shrilled loudly. “My best friend just told me she’s a werewolf, I hit a guy with my car, he turned into a wolf, men tried to abduct me, and the wolf-man killed a guy in front of me.” She wasn’t sure what the right word was, but she was beyond freaked out.

“My family and Daniel’s family are at war with another pack. We are allies. He’s going to keep you safe, and when we get to Abilene, I promise I’ll explain everything.”

Nora squeezed her eyes shut; fighting back the angry tears that were threatening to spill over.

“Nora, listen. I know what I am saying sounds crazy. But Daniel is a friend, and I think you might be in trouble. We’ve been roommates and best friends since freshman year of college. I love you and I want to keep you safe. Please, please, just go to Abilene with him. I promise I’ll explain everything to you, and answer all your questions when we get there,” April begged.

 “You’re asking me to drive to Texas, with a man I don’t know? A man who killed someone?” Nora asked, incredulously. Chills shot down her spine at the mere memory of what had transpired a few hours earlier.

“Yes! I know it sounds crazy, but please just trust me,” April paused. “I know things have happened tonight, and I haven’t been entirely honest with you, but I would never let anything happen to you, Nora. How long have we known each other?”

“Four years,” Nora replied. The panic began to slip away, and she tightened her grip on her phone.

“And you trust me, right?”

“Yeah,” Nora hesitated. April was her best friend, and she did trust her. Nora kept her eyes locked on Daniel. He stood, arms crossed over his chest, back against the car. He didn’t look dangerous—at least not to her.

“Then please listen to me on this, Nora,” April pleaded. “Please, please just do this for me. You’ll be safe with him. I promise you.”

“Fine,” Nora sighed leaning back into the door. “But when I see you, you owe me one hell of an explanation.”

“I know, Nora. I know.” April was quiet for a long moment before continuing, “I’ll see you in Texas. Be safe, Nora.”

“You too.”

***

“Can I get a number four with a vanilla milk shake, two quarter pounders with cheese, and a large fry,” Daniel spoke into the intercom, before turning to her. “What did you want?”

Nora blanched, she’d thought for a second he’d been ordering for the both of them, apparently not. Her eyes inadvertently drifted to what she was sure were washboard abs beneath his form-fitting tee. Where in the world does he intend to put all that?

“Will that be all?” a broken voice spoke through the speaker.

Stop staring and order, she chastised herself. “Um, I’ll have a number five with a Coke, please.”

Daniel lifted his bottom off the seat and pulled a wallet from his back jeans pocket. He opened it and thumbed through the contents for a moment. Then shifted the car and drove toward the window. After paying the woman, the werewolf took out a carton of fries, and then handed her the bags.

Daniel picked up a handful of fries and shoveled them into his mouth as he maneuvered them back onto the road. Nora gaped a moment longer before handing him one of his sandwiches and taking out her sole hamburger and fries.

She took a few bites and a sip of her drink, watching as the wolf finished off the first batch of fries and opened a burger. The silence was deafening between them. She shifted in her seat, watching as they passed a mile marker.

“Where are we?” Nora asked breaking the silence.

“We passed the Texas border just before we stopped for gas.”

“How long to Abilene?”

“A few hours still. You should try to get some rest after you’ve eaten,” Daniel said.

“I’m not tired. I don’t think I could sleep even if I wanted to,” she commented. “No offense, but I’m in a car with a man I don’t know on my way to Abilene. And I just found out my friend has been lying to me and turns into a wolf,” she rambled in one breath. “I thought that was only on full moons?” she questioned as an afterthought.

“We can transition to our wolf form as we please,” Daniel said around another mouthful of food.

“And you could do it right now?” Nora asked turning to him.

“Yeah, I don’t think I ought to while I’m driving, though.”

If his face hadn’t remained stoic, she might have thought he’d been attempting a joke. “And what about me, if I got bitten, would I become a werewolf?” she asked, curiously.

“No, you’d just bleed. Wolves are born, not made.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Nora sighed, picking at her fries. If by some chance Daniel turned into a rabid dog, she wouldn’t have to worry about being converted into one too. No, you’ll just bleed to death, she surmised. That’s even worse!

“You weren’t bitten,” Daniel said.

Nora nibbled at her burger. She needed to know more, now! He wasn’t evasive to her questioning, but he wasn’t friendly either. Though, she didn’t think he was rude. Perhaps he just has one of those standoffish personalities, she mused. There was only one way to find out. “So your whole family, they are wolves too? April’s family?”
     “Yes.”

Nora let out a long breath. “I lived with April for years. How did I not know? I mean, she changes into a giant wolf. How could I miss that?” Really, how had she missed that? If April had kept that from her, was she keeping other things too? Nora shook her head not wanting to think about that. She loved April like a sister.

Daniel shrugged.

“Your family is in Abilene too?” Nora asked.

“My mom and sister. My brother Vincent is with your friend. And my half-brother Devon, he’s uh, one of the alpha’s there,” Daniel said, picking up his shake.

“Alpha? Does that mean he’s the leader then?” Nora inquired, relaxing into the cloth seat.

“Yeah. There are two alphas there. Devon has his pack and his cousin, Gene, runs the other. I belong to Gene’s pack.”

Nora chewed on a fry, processing what he’d just said. She wanted to ask why he didn’t belong to his brother’s pack, but didn’t want to be rude. Besides, she had a whole arsenal of questions. “Are there any other humans there? Or am I going to be the only one?” Nora bit her lip as she waited for his answer.

“Devon’s mate, Lark, is human, her sister, Sarah, lives there as well.”

Nora let out a long sigh. At least she wouldn’t be the only non-wolf there. “Mate?”

“Wife, lover, girlfriend, whatever you want to call it. Lark’s nice, you two should get along.”

“So you don’t mind having humans around?”

Daniel sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” Nora apologized, taking a sip of her coke. “I talk a lot, and I’m kind of a control freak. Not knowing what is going on is killing me.”

Daniel took another bite of his hamburger, his eyes focused on the road. Nora frowned thinking he intended to ignore her, but after a long moment, he continued. “Humans aren’t supposed to know about us. Lark, Sarah, and yourself are rare exceptions. We go to great lengths to keep our kind out of the human world. You can imagine what they would do if they found out we existed. Our population is already on the brink of extinction.”

“So, no one minds that Lark and Sarah are there?”

“I can’t speak for all the guys there. Everyone views things differently. I don’t really know much about Sarah, but I have met Lark. Lark is a good person. She possesses alpha traits, and anyone would be a fool not to show her the respect she deserves,” Daniel said, nodding his head.

Nora focused her attention out the window. “You know I’d never left Mississippi until last night. Not exactly how I pictured my first venture into the world,” she smiled, looking off into the horizon. The sun was just coming up; it’s pink and yellow hues barely peeking over the trees. “Am I going to get to go back?”

Nora heard the seat creak as Daniel twisted in it. “I don’t know, Nora. You’re not a prisoner; you can leave if you want. However, there is a very real possibility that you are in danger.”

“I’m not going to tell anybody about your pack. No one would believe me anyway,” Nora laughed, blinking back tears.

“It’s not that. The pack we are at war with could come after you. They could hurt you,” Daniel explained.

“I don’t know anything.”

“It wouldn’t matter. They wouldn’t want you for that,” Daniel murmured, clearing his throat.

“Then what would they want me for?” Nora asked turning to face him. He flinched and Nora braced herself, not entirely sure she wanted an answer.

Daniel flexed his hands on the steering wheel, eyes staring intently at the road. “Our species is on the verge of extinction,” he repeated. “The amount of female wolves born each generation has declined substantially. The Gulf Pack is abducting young women to use for breeding.”

“What?” Nora whispered.

“Conception is rare between humans and wolves, but it does, and can happen. The werewolf gene is dominant,” Daniel explained.  

“That’s…” Nora paused, shaking her head in disbelief. Her stomach twisted, knotting at the thought. “That’s disgusting.”

“My pack feels the same way. That’s why we’re at war with them.”

“That’s why April left Ole Miss, because of this war. They were coming after her,” Nora realized.

“Her pack fell last night. Most of the men are probably dead or wish they were. My brother and I along with a few of their men helped make sure the women and children escaped safely.”

“By pack you mean her family?” Nora asked hoarsely.

“I’m not sure if she was a native to the pack or a refugee from one of the packs that were taken in, but being a member of the pack is a family to us. So, yeah, she lost a lot of brother’s last night. The Gulf Packs will regroup and then they’ll be on their way to Texas.”

Nora swallowed watching as the tree line zipped past them. She used her thumb to dab at the corner of her eyes. April had lost members of her family last night. Her family was at war, and now Nora was a part of it. She shivered and drew in a shaky breath. What had she gotten herself into?

Two more days until Finding Our Way releases.

Two more days until Finding Our Way releases.