New Updated Cover for Wolf's Mission

Updated Cover for Wolf's Mission 

In my efforts to improve my books, I continue to make changes to book covers.

The cover for Wolf's Mission, book three in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series, has been uploaded.

In addition, minor grammatical errors have also been corrected.

If you have the previous version of the book, you have the same story.

Nothing important has changed.

This book is one of my favorites. It has some intense moments, but my favorite line is, “Good to know, Sir. I’d hate to shoot superior officers.”

New Puzzle

Following along with my previous practice, I have created a new online jigsaw puzzle for the book.

The covers for all the books in the series have been created into jigsaw puzzles. There are a total of fifteen puzzles in varying levels of difficulty.

As I add new puzzles to the album, I leave previous book covers, so that there are more puzzles than there are books in the series.

Other News

I'm off to make updates to Wolf's Huntsman. With only three covers left to update, this project should be complete within the next week, and I'll be back to writing the last book in this set of twelve books, Wolf's Duty.

After that, I am undecided as to whether I will begin working on the series for the Colorado pack or the Arkansas pack. Do you have a preference? Which stories would you prefer? Terrell's pack or Eli's pack? Let me know!

Later,

Panther's Heart becomes Wolf's Queen: Title and Cover Change

Panther's Heart Becomes Wolf's Queen

Preview Chapters

A while back, I posted about the next book in my Texas Ranch Wolf Pack series. At that time, the book was titled Panther's Heart. That story has become part of Wolf's Queen.

This book is set in the two weeks after the battle and the end of Wolf's Reign when the first Were World Conference meeting is held.

After the battle at the end of Wolf's Reign, the pack is trying to settle back into something close to normal. Will, the panther shot in Wolf's Reign, is fighting for his life, while Nate goes forward with construction of the Were World Conference. 

After Will is injured, Nate decides they need a hospital for their people. 

What's a werepanther to do when her fated mate keeps backing away? Dottie corners Ben. 

Janelle decides it's time for a holiday for the ladies. But when they get to Houston, things start going wrong. When two of their number disappears, Janelle must take the Queen's role and rescue her threatened pack 

The book will publish as soon as edits are complete. Here is the rough draft of the first chapter:

Chapter 1

Her panther hated the hospital. Everything smelled bad. Worse, her were hearing meant she heard every word, every murmur, and every breath the surgeons and nurses made while operating on her mate. I should have kept him here! Refused to let him go. A soft whimper escaped, and she bit her lips to prevent screams of pain and fear he might die. The Huntsmen did this! Arms clasped tight against her waist, Flora Garrett paced the hospital waiting room, stopping only when an arm slipped around her waist.

“Sit, Flora. Rest. You won’t be any good to help Will if you exhaust yourself.”

She leaned against her dad, allowing him to comfort her. It still felt weird for him to hug her. Sighing away regrets for the years they missed, she briefly hugged him, then pulled away, and sank into a hard, molded-plastic chair. “Sorry, I just . . ..”

Ben Garrett sat in the chair beside her. “He’s your beta. Don’t be sorry for worrying about him. You wouldn’t be much of a clowder queen if you weren’t concerned.”

A soft smile curved her lips. Even her dad didn’t know yet that Will was her mate. And she wouldn’t tell him until she could talk with Will. “Thanks, Dad.”

Raising her eyes, she stared at the ceiling. It stinks in here. Flora agreed with Leesha, her panther. “I hate hospitals.”

With a nod, Ben settled back in his chair, allowing his head to rest against the white-painted wall behind him. “Me, too, but we’re fortunate General Brighton knew of a surgeon that knows how to handle were physiology. Without surgery, Will didn’t have a chance.”

Flora rolled her neck. “Hmm. Remind me to thank them both for having Will brought here.”

In the distance, she heard the doctor curse, then the loud, long beep indicating a flat-line. No heartbeat! Sounds of frenetic activity and the loud thump of the defibrillator were more than Flora could bear. Sobbing, she surged to her feet and ran down the hall to the elevators. She jabbed the call button for the elevator multiple times, then jerked open the door to the stairs and thundered down the narrow stairwell. When she exited on the first floor, startled nurses and patient’s visitors jumped aside as she ran to the front door. She shoved it open, dashed outside and stopped beneath the covered walkway.

I’m a panther! I shouldn’t be so winded! But it wasn’t the stairs or the running that had her chest aching and her lungs fighting for breath. Her mate was dying, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing she could do to help him! Leesha screeched in her mind, then howled. Flora squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm her panther. When her breath evened out, she sniffed and looked around. Concrete benches lined the walkway. Moving woodenly to the closest one, she sat and bent forward, her face in her hands. It never occurred to her she would have to live without him. If it had, she wouldn’t have put off their mating ceremony so long.

She sank into her misery, felt wrapped in cotton. Sounds that were too sharp now seemed so distant. How she wished she hadn’t heard that machine whistling. Tears filled her palms, but she couldn’t stop crying. She didn’t know how long she cried and didn’t hear her dad’s soft footsteps when he came out the door. Didn’t know he was there until he sat beside her and pulled her into his lap, just as he did when she was a small child.

“Hush, baby girl.” His strong, broad hand patted her back. “He’s okay.”

Flora gasped and pulled back to look at her father’s face. “What?”

“Dr. Travis came out a minute ago. He said it was touch and go for a bit, but Will pulled through. The doctor will meet us in the recovery room when we go back up.”

She wiped the tears with the back of her hand, then laughed when her father waved a hanky in her face.

“It’s clean. Go ahead. Blow your nose. The doctor wants you to come to his office for a chat.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

Ben Garrett shook his head. “You need to be strong, Sweetheart. Will is healthy, so his recovery won’t be as traumatic as it could be, but the bullet they removed wasn’t a normal bullet. It’s caused some lesions in his brain tissue.”

“Brain damage?” The words came out as a whisper. “How bad is it?”

“We won’t know for sure until he wakes, but, Flora, he’s alive.” Ben took her face in his hands. “He’s going to need you.”

He bowed his head. “I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t shoved him . . ..”

“The bullet would have gone through his heart.” She tried to smile at him, but her lips trembled too much. “He’d be dead if not for you, Dad.”

“I should have gone first. I was a cop, better trained and more prepared to deal with shooters.”

“And you think I would feel better about losing you than him?” Flora hugged him. “After Aunt Lenora kept us apart for most of my life, it would be as hard to lose you again as it would be to lose Will. I just got you back.” She blew her nose again, then looked at the soiled hanky, not sure what to do with it.

Ben took it from her and shoved it in his pocket. “It’ll wash, Flora. Let’s go see Will.”

He stood and set her on her feet, then caught her hand. Flora couldn’t remember the last time she walked hand-in-hand with her father, but his strong grip steadied her. This time, she was patient enough to wait for the elevator. Eachann’s alive. He’s breathing! Leesha frolicked in her mind, anxious to return to their mate. As much as she wanted Will to wake, Flora hoped Eachann, Will’s panther, woke soon, too. Otherwise, Leesha’s frantic energy would have her twitching.

In the elevator, Ben put his hand on Flora’s back. In her mind, Marcel, her dad’s panther, curled around Leesha, calming her. She gave Ben a weak smile. “Thanks, Dad. I thought I was going to climb the walls.”

Ben gave her an absent nod. “Our panthers are pretty sensitive to our emotions.”

Flora felt her shoulders and neck relaxing as Leesha settled. The door opened. She took a deep breath and stepped into the hall. When she stopped at the nurse’s station, a nurse glanced up. Standing, she motioned for Flora and Ben to follow her. “Your fiancé is in recovery, Miss Garrett. Dr. Travis is waiting for you.”

Flora hurried after her, Ben’s steps right behind her. When she stepped through the door into recovery, Flora’s breath caught in her chest, increasing the ache she felt behind her ribs. He was alive, yes, but his head was swathed in sterile bandages. IV tubes fed lactated Ringer's solution and medicine into his arm, while a plastic cannula provided oxygen. Unbidden, tears filled her eyes. Of all she had endured, she never thought to see a werepanther from her clowder as a hospital patient. Their natural healing saved them from all but the most lethal of blows.

“Miss Garrett?”

Flora blinked and turned her gaze to the man in green scrubs standing before her, a stethoscope draped around his neck. “Yes?”

“Miss Garrett, I’m Dr. Travis, your fiancé’s surgeon. To ensure our conversation is private, I’d like you to come to my office. My nurse will stay with Mr. Feyen until we return.” A woman in white scrubs smiled and sat on a stool beside Will’s bed.

Dr. Travis led them into a room with a desk and chair, as well as two visitor’s chairs. The soft squeak of her father’s leather-soled shoes followed her. After she and Ben entered the office, Dr. Travis shut the door behind them. “Please sit down.”

Surprised when her words came out in a whisper, she nodded. “Will he be okay?”

She and Ben sat in the offered chairs and watched him. Dr. Travis hesitated. “Will was hit with a frangible round packed with silver powder. The jacket was hard enough to penetrate Will’s skull, then fractured, driving the silver into his brain. The silver caused scarring in the frontal lobe.” He walked to the desk chair and sat facing them. “Because he’s were, eventually, his body may overcome the damage entirely. Will’s healing abilities are impressive, even for were. We were forced to reopen the wound twice to finish cleaning it.”

Flora squirmed in her chair, wishing he would get on with it. Ben’s hand captured hers and gave it a squeeze. She sent her dad a soft smile, then looked back at the doctor.

“Even with our best efforts, there are still traces of silver we couldn’t remove. It’s possible his body will ultimately reject the silver, but even if it does, it will take time. Right now, he’s in roughly the same condition as a human suffering a hemorrhagic stroke.”

Swallowing hard, Flora leaned forward. “I don’t know what that means, Doctor.”

Travis sighed. “Basically, it means Will may have to relearn to walk. Maybe even to talk. Then again, maybe not.” A shrug emphasized his uncertainty. “Because he is a werepanther, his prognosis is good. Really good. But a full recovery will take time.”

Flora pulled her hand from Ben’s and took a tissue from the box on the corner of Travis’ desk, her fingers twitching as she shredded the paper into small pieces. “How much time?”

“That depends entirely upon him. Weeks, months, maybe even years.” When Flora opened her mouth, Dr. Travis held up his hand. “Truth is, Miss Garrett, I just don’t know. Were medicine is in its infancy. Were seldom need doctors or hospitals. Their wounds either heal or they die. This is the first case like this I’ve dealt with.”

He dropped his hand to the desktop. “Because the bullet wound is shallow, if it was a normal bullet, he might have already healed without help. However, the traces of silver in the wound irritate healing tissues and cause scarring.” He shrugged. “If he was a wolf, he’d have died, but since silver isn’t poisonous to panthers, he’ll live.”

Ben leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “So, what you’re saying is he may or may not be permanently disabled.”

Dr. Travis hesitated. “My best guess is that he will recover 80% to 90% of his previous abilities, but I’m not sure he will ever get back to 100%. Still, it will take time. If he was human, I’d release him to a rehab facility for a few weeks. Since he’s were, I can’t recommend that. He may not be in control of his shifting for a while. Or his temper. Patients with brain damage often experience emotional swings or anger issues. His physical strength and uncontrolled shifts would be a hazard to human nurses and therapists.”

Flora bit her lip. “If he can’t go to rehab, what can we do?”

The doctor bowed his head. Flora could sense the struggle in him. The needs of his patient versus the needs and safety of his staff. Finally, the doctor blew out a harsh breath and looked up. His tight expression and the sadness in his eyes told Flora he wasn’t happy with his decision.

“He’ll have to be released to his home. You could hire someone with physical therapy training to visit periodically or to set up a training regimen for him, but I can’t in good conscience send him to a facility when it might cost the staff their lives, or expose were to the general population. If you wish, I’ll visit him weekly to help in any way I can. More often, if needed.”

Flora opened her mouth to argue, but her father’s left hand caught and squeezed hers, again. Glancing at the troubled expression Ben sent to her, she subsided, letting him speak for her.

“I would like to know how much you know about were, Doctor.” Ben’s head tilted to the left while he studied the doctor’s expression. “You’re not were. How do you know about us?”

“My father is human, Mr. Garrett. My mother is were.” He nodded at Ben’s questioning look. “Wolf. I didn’t inherit her shifting abilities. I decided to study were physiology when my mother was injured in a car accident. Her healing seemed miraculous, at the time. Since then, I’ve learned almost all were heal much the same. General Brighton learned I was interested and offered me a position as physician to his were soldiers.”

A rueful smile creased his lips. “Mr. Feyen is the first were patient I’ve had beyond physicals and exams for the unit. Even so, my team was the only one qualified to operate on him, since we are the only team that knows about were.”

“Thank you, Dr. Travis. We’re fortunate you were available.”

“Dad . . ..”

“He’s right, Flora. It’s too dangerous for any but were to care for him.” Standing, Ben shook the doctor’s hand. “We’ll have transportation here as soon as he is released.” He scooped the shredded tissue from Flora’s lap, dropped it in the small waste can at the corner of the desk, then pulled Flora to her feet. “We can take care of him, Flora. I’m sure Nate will hire a therapist for him.”

When she looked up at him, his smile steadied her. “You’re right. If necessary, I’ll learn how to do it myself.” She turned back to Dr. Travis. “When will he be released?”

“Right now, I’m keeping him sedated to prevent him shifting.” He met her angry frown without flinching. “Except for my team, the hospital staff is unaware of were. With his metabolism, he’s burning through the anesthetics. Someone is bound to notice the abnormally high doses soon.”

Dr. Travis ran his hand through his hair. For the first time, Flora noticed the exhaustion in the doctor’s eyes. “I’ll release him as soon as we can arrange ambulance transportation. I’ll arrive soon after he’s home and help you set up the proper care for him." He handed a list of medical equipment and supplies Will would need to Flora. "Once he’s home, without the anesthetics, it won’t be long before he wakens. He should shift as soon as he can since shifting sometimes completes healing. Until he shifts to panther and back to human, we won’t know the extent of his recovery potential.”

Thank you for reading. Please leave any comments below!

Later,

Catch up on the series

Wolf's Destiny is the box set containing all six of the previous books in the series. The box set is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. Or save $$ by purchasing the box set over the ebooks.

Wolf's Reign Cover Reveal: Preliminary

Cover Reveal for Wolf's Reign, Book 5 in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack series

Wolf's Reign, book 5 in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series, is well underway. I have almost 8,000 words written.

So far, I've enjoyed learning about Snarl, the old werewolf introduced in book 4. The prologue of book 5 gives Snarl's backstory. Snarl will play a prominent role in this book.

This cover features Nate and Eli, foster-brothers and both Alpha to their own packs, working toward consolidating the various species of were to confront and fight the enemy plotting to destroy all were and enslave all humans.

More were species will be introduced in book 5. Through book 4, werewolf, werepanther, and werebear characters have been on stage. Now the reader will meet others, including werelions, weretigers, werefoxes, and more.

Books 1-4 were novellas, between 35,000 and 37,000 words each. This looks to be a bit longer, maybe well into the novel wordage range. We'll see when it's finished.

Click here to read the first two chapters!

Have comments about the series? Post them in the comment section below.

Later,

Get Caught Up on the Series!

Book 1: Wolf's Man
Book 2: Wolf's Claim
Book 3: Wolf's Mission
Book 4: Wolf's Huntsman
Book 5: Wolf's Trust (Coming Soon!)

Book 5 in Texas Ranch Wolf Series: New Book Started

Wolf's Reign Coming Soon!

UPDATE: Wolf's Reign will be book 6 in the series. Learn about the new Book 5, Wolf's Trust!

I am so excited that books 1-4 are doing well on Amazon. They keep climbing the ranks, and I hope to make writing my full-time career soon!

After publishing Wolf's Huntsman (Book 4), I took some time to think through the next book. I have a good idea of what will happen, so it's time to get started on the writing.

The first draft of Chapters 1-2 is complete. They both have been through a quick edit, but still need a little editing and revision, but I am including them in this post so you can have an idea of the next book in the story.

The oldest living werewolf has a choice to make: Support the new Were King or walk away . . . like he has so many times before. The question is not whether this new contender for the crown is wolf enough to take it.  The question is whether he can keep it if he does.

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

 Thorkell strode silently through the heavily wooded acreage of the Texas Ranch Pack territory. His soft step quiet, nose in the air, he followed a scent few would be able to trace. The prey he hunted wore at least one of the Ancient’s medallions, making him impossible for most to sense or follow. Thorkell’s soundless hunting steps grew closer and closer to his quarry. Slipping around and through briars and brush, he leaned his shoulder against a live oak tree’s rough bark and watched his prey enjoying the sun.

Water warbled softly in the creek running past the flat limestone ledge the black wolf lay on. Soft summer winds breathed through the tree branches, gently rustling leaves and casting shifting shadows, marking the resting wolf, causing his fur to look almost blue when splotches of sun light slipped through.

A dragonfly buzzed the wolf’s ear, and it twitched. Birds twittered in the trees, blue jays and red birds chasing each other beneath the deep shadows beneath the trees lining the creek. Yawning, the wolf set his great head on crossed front paws and closed his eyes. Thorkell grinned, counted to fifty, then shimmered silently into a wolf. Paws silent, he crept closer. The only warning the other wolf had was the slight scrape of Thorkell’s wolf’s claws on the rock when he leaped at him.

Scrambling to a stand, the black wolf had time for a deep-chested growl before Thorkell’s wolf slammed into him, entangling him in a rolling ball of paws and fur, snarling. Thorkell snapped at the black wolf’s neck. The two wolves rolled across the flat rock, clawing and growling, and splashed into the creek, then rolled apart. Facing each other growls low in their throats, they stood in the shallow water. When Thorkell’s wolf stopped growling and shook in laughter, the black wolf stopped growling and tilted his head, staring at him. He shimmered into human form standing in the ankle-deep water.

“Shift!”

Thorkell’s wolf yipped, laughing when the Alpha command washed over him. He yipped again and sat on his haunches in the water. Tongue hanging out, he studied the Alpha’s surprised expression.

“Shift!” the Alpha commanded again.

Thorkell’s wolf twitched his left ear to discourage the dragonfly that previously buzzed the Alpha’s ear. When the Alpha blinked, a confused expression on his face, Thorkell grinned a wolfy grin, then shifted, cackling when the younger man blinked at him. “Your Alpha tricks don’t work on me.”

*****

Nate Rollins, Alpha of the Texas Ranch Pack stared at Snarl, the oldest member of his brother’s Arkansas Ozark Pack. Raising his right hand to massage the tension from his neck, Nate frowned. “Snarl?”

“That’d be me, Son.” Snarl frowned. “You need to practice your skills. A real enemy would’ve gutted you by now.”

Nate met Snarl’s frown with one of his own. “What are you doing out here?”

 “It’s time to talk. There’s things you need to know. Things that might keep you alive when you take your rightful place.” The old man shrugged. “Or not. Most don’t have the power to be ….”

“Be what?”

“Were King, High King of the Were Council.”

Nate sighed. “Who said I wanted to be Were King?”

Thorkell frowned at him. “It’s not a choice, Alpha. It’s a birthright.”

Nate crossed his arms and sucked air through his teeth. “You going to push me, too?”

“Push you?” Snarl sighed. “Sit down, Son. It’s time you heard a few things.”

Nate glanced down at the water they were standing in, then turned and waded to the limestone ledge. His clothes dripped water and his shoes made squishy slapping sounds when he walked to a boulder and sat down, motioning for the old man to sit across from him on a facing rock. “You could have just come to the office where it would be more comfortable.”

“Could’ve. Wanted to see something.”

“What?”

“Wanted to see how alert you are.” Snarl frowned at Nate. “If I was a vamp, you’d be dead.”

“I’m well-within my own pack territory. There’s nothing here that can hurt me.”

Thorkell shook his head and sighed. “That what you’re going to tell yourself when the vamps kill your mate and pup?”

Nate sat straight with a snap. His eyebrows lowered, threatening any who would harm his family. “What?”

The old man held up his hand. “They’re safe from me, Son.” Nate watched the elder study his face. “You’re about to become the most prominent were in the world. You, your family, and your pack must be ready, or none of you will survive it.”

“You seem pretty sure of yourself.”

“Seen it more than once. Five times . . .,” his eyes lost focus as if he was seeing something far off. “No, six times, since the last true Were King, I’ve seen Alphas strive for the crown.” He brought his eyes into sharp focus and frowned again at Nate. “Six times I saw Alphas and their packs die. Don’t want to see that again.”

Snarl lifted his shoulders and spread his hands, palm up. “Course, none of them was the true Were King. Didn’t have the Royal lineage you have. Still they . . . died.”

“And you know this first hand?”

The old man’s face grew tight, a touch of red showing in his eyes. “I do.”

Nate crossed his arms again. “Why should I trust you?”

“You got that newfangled Internet thing?”

“I do.”

Snarl nodded and his jaw ticked. “Look up Thorkell Leifsson.” He spelled his name out, letter by letter. “Thorkell Leifsson. Look it up.”

“Why? Who’s that?”

“That’s me, boy. You won’t find much, but I’m there. When you’re ready to talk, no, when you’re ready to listen, come see me.” Annoyance in every move, the old man stood and walked briskly toward the ranch compound.

Nate raised an eyebrow, studying the man’s posture as he walked away. “Doesn’t move like an old man,” he mused aloud.

He is Snarl, the oldest living were. You should listen to him. Koreth’s thought surprised Nate. Just how old is he? He asked his wolf. Older than some of the redwoods in California. His left eyebrow climbing almost to his hairline, Nate tilted his head and watched the old man everyone called Snarl stride out of sight.

Chapter 2

 When Snarl walked back into the house, Eli glanced at him. Sitting on the couch next to Renate, his wife, Eli studied the man standing over him. The old man was fuming, anger rolling off him in waves. Eli’s Alpha senses sharpened to alert. Exchanging glances with Renate, Eli stood up. “Snarl, what’s wrong?”

For a moment, Snarl glared at Eli, then shook his head. “You’re just as bad.” He turned on his heel and stalked through the house, slamming the kitchen door as he left.

The front door opened and Nate walked in. “Snarl in here?”

Eli waved toward the kitchen. “He just slammed the kitchen door on his way back out.” He frowned at the annoyance in Nate’s face. “What’s up?”

“Don’t know, yet. He jumped me out at the creek.” Nate motioned toward his soaked clothes and shoes. “Did you know an Alpha can’t make him shift?”

Eli blinked and shook his head slowly. “What happened?”

“I ordered him to shift to human twice, and he ignored it. Like I hadn’t said anything.” Nate’s fingers combed through his wet hair. “How . . .?”

“I don’t know, Nate.”

Nate huffed and started for the stairs. “Let’s go see what it is he wants us to know.”

Eli followed Nate up the stairs, his lips twitching to grin at Nate’s mutters. Since learning he was were and taking Jackson’s medallions after their battle, Nate had been ‘top dog,’ so to speak. Eli snickered at the thought, then sobered when Jabril, his wolf, informed him that the thought was insulting. Still, it amused him that having someone, anyone, especially someone as old as Snarl, could defy Nate. It was a new experience for the Alpha.

Nate slid into the chair behind his desk and pulled Janelle’s laptop from the corner, opening it and powering it on. He drummed his left thumb on the desktop while waiting for the system to boot, then opened the browser. In the address bar, he typed ‘Thorkell Leifsson’ and pressed Enter.

Leaning over Nate’s shoulder, Eli frowned at the search results. “Why did you search for a Viking?”

Nate clicked on the Wikipedia entry, read it, then looked at Eli. “Snarl said his name is Thorkell Leifsson.”

Eli’s eyes felt huge. “Leif Erikson’s son. Wow, Jabril told me he was old. Snarl told me he was born in 1004, but I thought he was pulling my leg.”

Nate stared at the screen for a moment, then looked over his shoulder at Eli. “He said my family and my pack will die if I’m not ready.”

Eli jerked his gaze from the screen to Nate’s eyes. “Die?” Eli swallowed at Nate’s fierce gaze.

Nate nodded. He glanced at the screen again, then shut the computer and stood up. “I think we better go see what he’s talking about.” Sucking air between his teeth, Nate frowned. “He said to come see him when I was ready to listen.”

“And you are? Ready to listen?”

Nate nodded again. “He said six Alphas have tried to claim the crown everyone keeps trying to force me to accept. They all died. Them and their families. I think I need to know more.”

Eli took a deep breath. “I’m going with you.”

Nate looked into his eyes. “I hoped you would. Of all the were, Janelle, Renate, you, Mom, and Dad are the five I trust the most.” He frowned. “But I don’t want Janelle, Renate, or our folks to worry unless it’s necessary. Let’s keep this between us for now.”

Eli gave Nate a solemn nod. “Agreed. Let’s go find Snarl.”

When Nate walked out of the office Eli was right behind him. Nothing and no one was going to threaten his brother’s family. Or his own, either.

*****

Nate stepped off the back porch and took a deep sniff. Identifying Snarl’s scent, the smell of musk and old paper, he followed the trail out of the compound and into the woods. Snarl, the wolf, was sunning in the same spot Nate had been enjoying when Snarl attacked him. Old as he was, Snarl’s coat was shiny, solid black, and full. The old wolf watched the two men walk up to him and sit on boulders.

Knowing it was useless to try, Nate didn’t tell Snarl to shift. Instead, he sat patiently on his boulder, waiting for the old man to decide to change. Snarl’s eyes focused on Nate. For a moment, Nate felt Snarl try to place compulsion on him. Narrowing his eyes, Nate continued to stare at Snarl’s eyes as they glowed red, then faded back to brown. The wolf bowed to Nate, then shifted into Thorkell.

“Good to know you can’t be intimidated, Alpha.”

“Mind telling me why you thought you should try?”

Nate’s stomach muscles tensed when the old man laughed. “Afraid I want your pack, boy?”

When Nate didn’t answer, the old wolf laughed again and shrugged. “Might have, when I was a young pup, too stupid to know better.” The old man chuckled and sat on a boulder facing Nate. His eyes lost focus for a moment. “No, I had my turn as Alpha. It cost me everything. Don’t want it, again.” He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to Nate.

The pain in his eyes hit Nate as a physical blow. Taking a sharp breath, Nate forced himself to sit firm and steady until the old man frowned, nodded, and looked down. “I’ll tell you a story, Alpha.” Snarl lifted his hands palm up toward his face and stared at them. “These hands killed the last Were King.”

Nate blinked at the words, then blinked again at the shame and sadness that suffused Snarl’s face. “I killed Eric the Red.”

Nate learned toward the old man, his voice gentle. “Why would you do that?”

“Because . . ..” A sob tore the old man’s voice. He took a deep breath and, tearless, gave Nate a sad smile. “Because she wanted me to.”

---

I am enjoying writing this fifth book in the series. I'll have the cover reveal soon!

Have comments about the series? Post them in the comment section below.

Later,

Get Caught Up on the Series!

Book 1: Wolf's Man
Book 2: Wolf's Claim
Book 3: Wolf's Mission
Book 4: Wolf's Huntsman
Book 5: Wolf's Trust (Coming Soon!)

Wolf's Huntsman: First Draft Complete

Wolf's Huntsman Update: 1st Draft & 3 Edits Complete

Wolf's Huntsman, Book 4 in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack series should publish no later than August 1!

It has been through 3 edits, with a few more to go. 

You can read the first three chapters in this blog post: 

Wolf's Huntsman Preview: The First 3 Chapters of Book 4 in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series

The Black Forest Huntsmen intended to take over the U.S. government. When Alpha werewolves, Nate and Eli, with the help a young Huntsman, thwart those plans, the Huntsmen send agents to kill their traitor. One of those agents is the man's sister. 

But, there's more to the story. A plot so insidious, so disastrous that if it isn't foiled will have more far reaching consequences than a possible World War III.  Will Nate learn about the threat to all humanity in time?

In this story, Nate begins to unravel the history of the werewolves and his own family, culminating the discovery of a threat to the lives of all humans.  

Want to catch up on the series? 

Book 1: Wolf's Man
Book 2: Wolf's Claim
Book 3: Wolf's Mission
Book 4: Wolf's Huntsman (Coming Soon!)

Later,

Wolf's Huntsman Preview: The First 3 Chapters of Book 4 in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series

Wolf's Huntsman Preview & Update

Book 4 in the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series

Wolf's Mission, Book 3 of the Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series is now available in both Kindle ebook and paperback. The official publish date was July 15, 2017.

My current work-in-progress is the next book in the series titled Wolf's Huntsman. 

In this story, a huntsman who helped them with their mission in book 3 becomes a reluctant ally. 

Thinking the wolves kidnapped him, his sister and her friend decide to go to the ranch and rescue him. At least that's what his sister thinks is happening.

But betrayal begets betrayal.

Can even the Royal Lycos set things right?

So far, I have 17 chapters complete, and the story is about half done. A preview containing the first three chapters are below:

Chapter 1

 Paige Marston stood at parade rest before the Huntsmen Triumvirate. Blinking against the spotlight fixed on her, she swallowed and tried to see past the bright lights to study the three commanders’ hard expressions. Unsure why she was ordered to face the Triumvirate, she searched her mind, trying to discover what she might have done.

Supreme Commander Reinhardt, sitting at the center of the table, frowned at her. “You are Lieutenant Paige Marston, Phillip Marston’s sister?”

“Sir, I am.” Whatever Phillip did, they were not happy about it. Behind her back, her right hand clenched her left wrist, her fingers spasming with sudden nerves.

“Have you heard from Philip?”

“Sir, no, sir. The last time he called, he was headed to Canada for guard duty. That’s all he would say, sir.” Under the spot light, her uniform coat was stifling. Sweat trickled down her back. She tightened her shoulders against her body’s need to twitch.

“You are aware he has not passed his trials?”

“Sir, yes, sir. His final trials are in August.”

“Do you believe he has the fortitude and dedication to be incorporated into the Huntsmen Collective?”

Paige blinked. She thought about her younger brother, his blatant disregard of their father’s attempt at Huntsmen indoctrination. Truth be told, she didn’t think he fit the Collective’s needs. But, saying so would get him killed. And he was her baby brother. “Sir, I don’t have reason to believe otherwise.”

The three men bent their heads together, their discussion too soft for her to hear. Paige swallowed, struggling against the need to clear her throat, and tried to keep her concern for her brother out of her expression. The men sat up and faced her. The Supreme Commander leaned slightly toward her. “Your orders, Paige Marston, are to find your brother and bring him to us.”

“Sir?”

“We have reason to believe he is with the werewolves in Texas. Retrieve him.”

“Texas, sir?

“That’s the location of his uniform beacon.”

Paige’s heart lurched in her chest. “Sir, why would he be with the werewolves?”

“Before his partner was destroyed, his report indicated that the wolves took your brother.”

Stunned, Paige gasped. “Destroyed, sir?”

“He was bitten by the wolf he was guarding. We don’t allow our people to become werewolves.”

Paige tried twice before she could force out her question. “The wolves took Phillip?”

“They did. Find him. If he has turned, kill him. If not, bring him back to face charges.”

“I don’t understand, sir. Charges?”

“Your brother is a traitor to the Collective, Lieutenant. He released our captive.”

Bowing her head, Paige gave the answer they expected. “Sir, yes, sir!” When they dismissed her, she saluted and then marched smartly out of the Triumvirate Court office. Holding a tight rein on her emotions, she avoided everyone in her haste to get to her quarters. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she slumped against the door. “Oh, Phillip, what have you done?”

When a knock sounded on the door behind her, she straightened, pulled her uniform jacket off and hung it on hanger suspended from a hook on the door. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her face to be expressionless and opened the door.

Xandrie Schneider shoved past Paige, dropped on the bunk, and leaned back on her elbows. “What happened?”

Paige shut the door behind Xandrie and turned to study her. Xandrie’s long blonde hair, a darker blonde than her own, was neatly pulled back into a regulation bun, her uniform jacket splayed open to show her t-shirt. Paige sighed. “Werewolves have captured Phillip. They’re sending me to retrieve him.”

Xandrie grinned. “So, we’re going hunting.”

“What?”

“Captain Weber ordered me to accompany you on your mission.” She sat up. “We going incognito or wearing our uniforms?”

“Incognito, I suppose. According to the Supreme Commander, they’re holding Phillip on a ranch in Texas.”

“Great! Never been to Texas. Maybe we’ll have time for some sightseeing.”

Thinking Xandrie was trying to cheer her up, Paige gave her a weak smile. “You ever seen a real werewolf?”

“Nope, but I think I’ll know one when I do.”

“How?”

Xandrie laughed. “Mom says they all smell funny. Like wet dogs that need a bath.”

Paige felt her grin slip a little and reinforced it. “Maybe. I never smelled one. Or saw one, either. Phillip doesn’t think they really exist.” Too late, she realized what she said. Her gaze snapped to Xandrie’s face.

Xandrie pursed her lips and nodded. “I heard that about him.” She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as the look she gave Paige intensified. “What about you? You believe in werewolves?”

“My dad’s never lied to me. He says he hunted one last year in France and killed the whole family, so, I guess so.” She turned her back to Xandrie’s too perceptive gaze and opened her closet. “Incognito. Think jeans and t-shirts are good enough? I hear June weather in Texas feels like August here.”

“My aunt moved to Corpus Christie two years ago. I was supposed to go visit her last summer, but Dad sent me to the Huntsman Training Camp, instead. Maybe we can go visit her, while we are there.”

“Maybe. You said you only have the one aunt, right.” Paige glanced over her shoulder to see Xandrie nod. “What’s she doing in Texas?”

Xandrie waited until Paige turned around, several pairs of jeans and t-shirts draped over her arms. “She keeps tabs on the financial doings of the Texas pack.”

“Hmm. If we have time, I don’t see why we can’t swing down and visit for a bit. Not sure we have time, though. We’re supposed to bring Phillip back here.” Paige started folding her clothes to go into her suitcase.

“If he hasn’t turned.”

Paige looked up. “What?”

“If he’s turned, we have to kill him. In that case, we’ll have plenty of time for a visit.” 

Chapter 2

 “What are you going in the dirt, Mom?”

Cynthia Thomas pulled the brim of her sun hat lower to shade her eyes from the early morning Texas sunlight and looked up at her foster-son. He would be her adopted son, but he didn’t agree to the adoption when he was a teen. He refused until he knew what happened to his step-dad. Now that he knew, well, adoption was probably about twenty years too late.

“Good morning, Nate.” She pointed at the flower bed with the hand hoe in her right hand. “These flowers are strangling for nutrients with all the weeds in this garden. Just thought I’d clean it up a bit.”

Nate sucked air between his teeth. “We have someone who can do that.”

“I know that.” Cynthia frowned at him. “Stop making that noise.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She tried to keep her face straight, but the chagrin on the face of her hulking, 6-foot 4-inch son was just too funny. “And that’s no better.”

He grinned, unrepentant as always, and Cynthia shook her head. “I thought you had to work today.”

“Supervising what goes on here on the ranch is my work.”

“You don’t still work in San Antonio?” When Nate looked askance at her, she knew she was losing it again. Pretending nothing was wrong, she shrugged. “Oh, that’s right. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s already over 90 degrees out here. Why don’t you come inside and have some tea to cool off?”

Cynthia sighed. “You’re not going to start acting like your dad, are you? He’s always telling me what I can’t do.”

“He’s just worried you’ll overdo it.” Nate offered his hand, and she let him pull her up.

“I know. It’s just . . ..” Cynthia shrugged. “Guess I’m not as young as I used to be.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her right hand, careful not to let the hand hoe scrape her face, then brushed the dirt, grass, and leaves off the knees of her jeans. “Where’s your dad?”

Nate shrugged. “I think he went to his office.”

“It’s strange to have such a nice, comfortable building just sitting there empty, Nate.”

“I suppose so.” He was keeping something from her. Cynthia stopped and looked at him. “Something bad happened here, didn’t it?”

He opened the kitchen door and held it for her. “Bad things happen everywhere, Mom.”

She sat on the stool he led her to, then watched him pour her a glass of tea from the pitcher Janelle kept in the fridge. The air conditioning was a welcome respite to the heat outside. “Is it a bigger secret than almost everyone here being a werewolf or some such?”

Nate poured a second glass of tea for himself, then walked back to the bar and sat beside her. “Here you go, Mom.” He shook his head. “A lot happened here before I even got here. Most of the werewolves that lived here were killed in an attack.” He sipped his tea. “The office dad is using was the school house. Except for the teens on a training run, all the kids that lived here died in the school during the attack. The wolves don’t like to go in there. Too many memories, so I thought we could use the space for Dad and Don to use as an office and barracks for the two soldiers stationed here with them.”

Cynthia bit her lip. “Is it safe here, Nate?”

“As safe as we can make it. The people who attacked before are dead, and there’s no reason to believe anyone else will try.” He drained his tea glass in one long swallow, ignoring the frown she fixed on him. “Anyway, that’s why I keep patrols running. If someone comes to the ranch, we’ll know about it before they can cause too much mischief.”

“Mischief.” The word seemed inadequate for the atrocity he described. She sighed. “How is Janelle, this morning?”

“Moving slow. Baby’s due anytime, now, and she’s a bit grumpy.”

Cynthia laughed. “You’d be grumpy, too, if you had to carry twenty pounds all day, every day, on top of your bladder.”

“I suppose so.”

She studied his pensive look. “What’s on your mind, son?”

Nate’s gaze rose to meet hers. “Being a dad is . . ..”

When his voice tapered off, she grinned. “Awe inspiring? Ecstatic? Incredible? Terrifying?”

He nodded. “Yeah. All that and more.”

“It’s a big responsibility, Nate, but you’re up to it. You’ll be a wonderful father.” She put her hand on his arm. “I believe in you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” He gave her a quick hug. “Guess I better get back to work. Don’t stay out in the sun, too long, okay?”

She shushed him. “I’m fine, Nate.”

He stood and looked at her, a frown on his face. “You know, as good as you are with flower gardens, maybe you would like to help Phillip with the landscaping. He could do the work and you could supervise.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “Trying to keep me out of the dirt?”

“No. Yes.” A sheepish grin snuck onto his lips. “But, I would like to have someone keep an eye on Phillip, and he’s still scared of most of the were.”

“I can understand that. How old is he, anyway? Not much more than a boy, I’d bet.”

Nate blinked. “I didn’t ask, but now you mention it, he does look pretty young.” He tilted his head and grinned at her. “Why don’t you take him under your wing and find out?”

“And let you know?”

“Only if you think it’s something I need to know.”

“Okay. I think I can handle another wayward youth.”

Nate raised an eyebrow. “I hope you aren’t referring to me.”

Cynthia laughed. “Of course, I am. Both you and Eli. Boys will be boys, after all.” She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. “Go on. I’ll find him and see what I can find out.”

Grinning, Nate set his empty tea glass in the sink, then left, both hands in his pockets.

Taking another sip of her tea, Cynthia considered Nate’s suggestion. It would be nice to talk to someone normal. Human. Not that she minded being around werewolves, werepanthers, and werebears. After all, both her sons were werewolves. But . . . sometimes, she wished she still didn’t know. Wished life was still simple. And safe.

Sighing, she set her glass in the sink beside Nate’s. Wondering if Phillip was having as much trouble acclimating to the ranch as she was, Cynthia put away her garden tools. She washed her hands to get the garden dirt off, then dried them on a paper towel. She headed out the kitchen door to find Phillip.

Chapter 3

Eli Thomas pulled his new SUV, a wedding gift from Nate, his foster brother, to the side of the road. Shifting into park, he left the engine running and turned in his seat to study his nervous bride. Her right hand was wrapped around the seat belt crossing her chest, her thumb brushing the edge of the belt while she stared out her window. She hadn’t said two words in six hours. “Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Renate Thomas, formerly  Renate Bianchi, sighed and looked at him. “I just don’t know how well this is going to go over.”

“You think I can’t handle it?”

Renate nibbled her bottom lip. “Being the Alpha of a pack isn’t like being a soldier or a cop, Eli. As a werewolf, even a made-wolf, those jobs were fairly safe for you.”

“I didn’t know that at the time.” Less than a month ago, Eli learned his childhood blood-brother pact with his foster brother changed him to were. The charmed medallion Nate always wore prevented either of them from shifting. Absently, Eli touched the medallion he wore. It was identical to the one Nate wore while they were growing up.

“True.” She put her small hand on his arm. “Eli, I’m not disparaging your courage. You survived a fight with Sinclair. Not many were could.”

Eli frowned. “You don’t think I can do this. Why didn’t you say something before we left the ranch?”

“It’s not that I think you can’t do it.” She gave him a half smile. “I just don’t think you know what you are walking into. Nate practically fell into the Alpha position. After the panthers attacked, there were no strong wolves left alive to challenge him. It won’t be that way here.”

“So tell me.” Being a werewolf was new to Eli, but he was learning.

Renate sighed and nodded. “Pack order is determined by strength and power.”

“Is it the strength or power you think I don’t have.” The words sounded angry. Eli sighed, then shook his head and picked up her hand. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. If I don’t understand, please explain it so that I can.”

She squeezed his hand. “It can also be determined by guile and tricks. I have no doubt you can win a fight, Eli, but some of these guys are sneaky and have a mean streak.”

“I’ve dealt with hard cases before.” He grinned. “I am a Marine, you know.” Eli loved hearing her laugh.

“Yes, I know. And a member of the General’s Elite.” She tilted her head and smiled. “Okay. Here’s what will happen. When we get there, you must immediately claim the Alpha position. Someone will be . . . I suppose a good word is ‘annoyed’ by it and challenge you.”

“So I have to fight.”

“Maybe. Probably.” She frowned again. “Eli, if you kill your challengers, you will cement your role in the pack, but it will cause a lot of anger and descent with their families. You must fight only until your opponent surrenders and acknowledges you as the superior wolf. Make sure he admits your dominance before the whole pack.”

“You guys kill each other for the Alpha role?”

“You killed Sinclair.”

Eli shook his head. “I fought Sinclair. You killed him.”

To be continued . . ..

---

I hope you enjoyed this preview.

Later,

Want to catch up on the series? 

Book 1: Wolf's Man
Book 2: Wolf's Claim
Book 3: Wolf's Mission
Book 4: Wolf's Huntsman (Coming Soon!)