Chapter 1 - Zander

Watching from the shadows at the edge of the lawn, Zander smiled at the welcoming sight before him. Over the last few months, the new and improved Nightstar pack had grown close, so much so that the lines between the two old packs had blurred into almost complete insignificance.

And just seeing the entire pack camped around the large full moon bonfire warmed his heart. This was a pack he could be a part of. Unlike the pack he and his alpha, Jack Blackwell, had grown up in, this pack was a proper family. Thanks to Jack and the rest of the original members of his pack, it was a family built upon honor, integrity and loyalty—all of those things Zander had promised to uphold, even on his latest black ops mission.

He'd hated being away from the pack, but there had been no way that he was about to let Jack go. When the major had called for Jack to go away, Zander had insisted on taking his place. After all, the pack was still so new, and it needed its alpha now more than ever—not to mention the fact that Bonnie, his mate and wife, had been fit to burst with their second child when the call had come through.

He had been away for a month, and though he had received word that Bonnie had finally popped, it was still a shock to see her running about with a baby strapped to her chest rather than in her stomach.

Zander smiled at the way she dodged about the place, avoiding the reaching arms of Freddie, their eldest son, whose kidnapping had been the very event setting everything in motion for them to finally settle properly in Nightstar.

Damn, he loved that kid. They all did, and he was sure they'd love Jack and Bonnie's little girl just as much. They were a sign of the things to come, a sign that there was hope for the new Nightstar pack, after all.

But as he watched Jack and Bonnie in what looked like a game of tag with their son, he couldn't help but feel an odd clawing sensation in his stomach. He'd never have that. He was glad of it, too. After seeing how out of their minds Jack and Bonnie had been when Freddie was kidnapped and even the way Jack's life had been put on hold whilst awaiting the new arrival, he was glad that he had never found a mate.

He'd heard enough about the unbreakable bonds over the years to know that they weren't always a good thing. His own parents, mated from an early age, had been the worst couple he had ever known. Always at each other"s throats, neglecting and abusing all of the pups that came of their union. Especially his drunkard of a father, who had only grown worse after his mate's death.

No, he was better off alone. He could focus on protecting his pack that way. Jack needed him to help do that now more than ever, with a young family to support. Besides, being single was far more fun. Going back out on mission had shown him that.

He'd busted a few skulls and conquered a few new women between tasks. It had been exhilarating and intoxicating, and if not for missing his pack and his new home, he might have called the major for another assignment right away.

Yet something had called him back here. And as he watched the bonfire blazing and the celebrations around him, he realized what it was. Family time with the pack, celebrating the full moon, was what had brought him home. A true werewolf always spent it in the company of his packmates.

Kane, Will and Eddie were all sitting close to the bonfire, beers in hand, and after running his fingers through his dark blonde hair, Zander started to make his way across the lawn toward them.

It was only as he drew closer that he realized another member had joined his little crew. Zander recognized Hanson—the wolf who had given them Freddie's location after they'd killed his previous alpha and had helped convince the rest of Nightstar's pack that they only wanted what was best for the town—talking and laughing as if he were another of their number.

It appeared that in his absence, the wolf had grown close to his friends. A small pang of jealousy bit into his stomach, but he quickly forced it away. Hanson and the others were as much his pack as the guys were now.

It was just taking some major getting used to. He had been the beta of Jack's pack for a long time now, but never had he been in charge of so many wolves before. It felt odd to have so much responsibility on his shoulders. Perhaps that was another reason he had enjoyed going off on a mission. He hadn't had to think about what was going on back home for an entire month. Kane had been all too happy to take his place for a while on that front.

Speaking of the burly, tatted werewolf, he was the first to look up and raise his beer in Zander's direction, "Well, well, if it isn't the wandering wolf finally returned!"

"And stinking of the good old days!" Eddie put in, cocking his golden head. "Sweat, sand and pussy!"

The men cheered and clinked their beers together.

"Damn, I miss all that sometimes," Hanson commented, and Zander raised a brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Oh, didn't you know?" Kane asked, clapping Hanson on the shoulder. The two men smirked, looking more than a little cozy in the brothers-in-arms kind of way. "Hanson is one of us in more than the pack."

"Afghanistan and Iraq under his belt," Eddie put in, inclining his head in a gesture of respect to Hanson.

"Wow, that's quite the accomplishment," Zander said.

"Nothing compared to you guys, by the sounds of it," Hanson said, looking genuinely humbled. "We've all done what we had to."

He shrugged his shoulders and took a swig of his beer before he asked, "So, how was your latest mission?"

Taking the beer that Eddie offered him, he twisted off the cap, took a long drink, and dropped down into an empty lawn chair before answering. "Messy, complicated, fun."

The others laughed as if they knew it well. He even thought he saw a little jealousy in the faces of his friends.

"So?" Will asked, wiggling a brow. "Did you get much action while you were away?"

Zander laughed. They all knew he wasn't talking about fighting—at least, not the fighting of war.

"What do you think, lad?" Zander chuckled. Why would he ever miss an opportunity to have his needs met when women all over the world practically threw themselves at shifters for the simple fact they were almost always good looking? "Maybe if you weren't so fuck-ugly, you"d know what it"s like."

He winked at Will, who growled in return. They both knew it was a joke. Will was perhaps the best-looking of them all, in an almost rugged, pretty boy kind of way. And with his charm, he was the one always getting the most women. How, Zander didn't know. It had been a long-standing competition between the lot of them; only Jack had given up his rights on that front when he married Bonnie.

"So, how many do we need to put you down for on the score board?" Eddie asked, pretending as though he had pen and paper in hand.

"Two."

"Only two?" Kane exclaimed, his charcoal eyes widening. "By the great wolf gods, you've lost your touch!"

"What can I say? Two was enough," Zander chuckled. "They just kept on coming back for more."

"Speaking of coming back for more," Will grumbled under his breath. "Watch your six."

Zander smelled her even as Sandy sidled up to his chair. "Hey, Zander, good to see you home in one piece."

"Thanks Sandy, it's good to be home," he said, raising his beer to her.

As she-wolves went, Sandy was on the plainer side of attractive. She wasn't strikingly hot like a lot of them, but still just enough to catch the eye, especially with her overripe breasts practically spilling out of her tank most of the time.

The dress she wore tonight was no different. Tight, short and black, she was all but asking for all of the werewolves to look at her with their jaws on the floor. It was enough to make a man dumb just looking at her.

Will and Eddie were watching her without even attempting to hide it, and from the way she smiled at them, it was clear she liked it.

Yet her attention was quickly returned to Zander. And when she turned that smile on him, he knew exactly what it was she wanted—him.

He was all too happy to give it to her. Why not? Sure, he was tired from all the traveling, but a good, old fashioned, no-strings-attached romp might be just what he needed to have him sleeping like a baby.

"You've been missed," she said, leaning over slightly with her arms pressed to her sides. And Zander struggled to stop from gawking at the way it made her breasts look. They were definitely more than a good handful.

"Careful, Zander, she's giving you the eye," Eddie warned him playfully, and Sandy blushed.

Zander shot his friend a warning glance only to receive a discreet wink in return. Eddie knew exactly what he was doing. He'd given him the in he needed.

"How about we get away from these jerks and go somewhere a little more private?" he suggested to Sandy, taking hold of her hand as he pushed himself to his feet.

At that, Sandy's eyes lit up, and Zander knew he definitely hadn't read the situation wrong.

"There's a lovely moonlit trail through the woods at the back of the house," Sandy said, starting to lead the way.

As Zander allowed her to guide him from the bonfire, his friends wolf whistled, Will calling, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"For the record, there's nothing he wouldn't do!" Eddie called simultaneously.

This time it was Zander's turn to blush. They were really trying to cramp his style. He couldn't exactly blame him. They'd always pulled each other's legs, especially when it came to women. He'd have more than enough chance to get them all back for it in the future.

For now, all that mattered was the fact that Sandy was unapologetically up for a good time, and he wasn't about to question it. She'd been flirting with him long enough. For weeks before he had gone away, she had been batting those long, dark lashes at him, swaying her hips and looking over her shoulder every time she passed. He was sure she'd even winked at him a couple of times.

Some she-wolves liked to play it cool and never show off the fact that they were interested, but others were like bitches in heat, always up for a good time. And Zander was more than willing to give it to them. Besides, he wasn't just a wolf—he was a man, too, and men had their needs as much as wolves did.

It was abundantly clear just how up for it Sandy was when they reached a secluded clearing in the woods that was well out of view of the lawn. No sooner had they reached it than Sandy shoved her palms into his chest and urged him back against the nearest tree trunk.

"Well, Sandy, I had no idea what a little fire cracker you were," he growled low in his throat, and he heard the way her breath hitched as if just his voice was enough to turn her on.

That was the way he liked them, hot and bothered and just plain gagging for it.

Running his hand through the hair at the back of her neck, he gripped her roots hard and pulled her head back, gripping her chin with his free hand to hold her there. "Tell me what you want."

His wolf rose to the surface then, growling low. Both the human and wolf parts of him were ready, fueled by desire, up for a little fun.

"You," Sandy whimpered and just like that she pushed herself up onto her tiptoes in order to press her mouth to his.

He let her, allowing his hands to drop to her buttocks. Pulling her close, he kissed her hard. Whatever she wanted, she'd get. He was in no mood for thinking. He'd done enough of that out on the last mission. At least if he buried himself deep inside Sandy, he would be able to forget everything for a night or two.

The exhaustion of being away from home so long hadn't yet been fixed by a long sleep, and he knew that as soon as it was, he would be thrown right back into the responsibilities of being beta. But for tonight, he could pretend he was just a single wolf with a more than willing partner, which it was abundantly clear that Sandy was. She was practically trembling with desperation as she gripped hold of the buckle of his belt and started to tug.

When she struggled, Zander helped her with it before reaching for the hem of her dress. This was sure to be fun. It had been a while since he'd done anything out in the open. The thrill of fucking in the woods wasn't lost on him, even after having done it a hundred times before.

He was a werewolf, after all; fucking beneath the full moon was practically a rite of passage.

When Sandy dropped down to kneel before him, Zander was practically giddy with excitement. What man didn't love being treated like a god, having his cock worshipped by a woman on her knees?

He growled low in his throat to show his pleasure, meeting Sandy's gaze unflinchingly as she unbuttoned his jeans and started to glide them down around his ankles.

Fuck, this is one great homecoming! He thought. It most definitely hadn't been like this when he had returned to Blackwell Falls to collect what remained of his things after he had been dismissed from active duty. If it had been, he might have thought twice about leaving for Jack's new pack.

He was loyal to his best friend, but he might have thought about it. It was hard to think about anything with a woman's mouth around your manhood.

But he never quite made it into Sandy's mouth.

His cock was rock-hard. That wasn't the problem.

Sandy's hands gripped his thighs, her nails clawing his flesh. That only made him harder—that wasn't the problem, either.

And yet, just as Sandy was about to grip hold of him, just as she neared to taste the tip of him, he stiffened.

A gentle breeze had kicked up, carrying with it a scent, one that he couldn't ignore no matter the situation. It had happened before. He had walked through town a couple of times and caught that very same scent. It was a she-wolf, sweet and powerful, seductive and infuriating, wild and intriguing.

He knew all too well who it belonged to. He was alert to it the second he scented it. As was his wolf, clawing at his insides with desperation.

"What's the matter?" Sandy asked, leaning back, her hands easing the pressure on his thighs as if she had sensed that something was wrong. "Don't you want me to?"

Fuck! She looked up at him with big round brown puppy dog eyes. He wanted so desperately to nod, to just let her get on with it and hopefully lose the sensation of tightness in his chest that the scent had brought with it.

And yet, he couldn't stop himself from gripping hold of Sandy's upper arms to drag her to her feet. "Not tonight."

Sandy scowled. The hurt in her gaze was evident. And though Zander felt guilty, it wasn't enough for him to go through with it. The chance of a thoughtless night buried inside another warm she-wolf was gone. He was too distracted now.

His face was hot as he ran his fingers through his hair and said, "You should go back to the bonfire. Maybe one of the other guys can show you a good time."

Sandy blushed at that and shook her head. "I don't want any of the other guys. I want you. Did I do something wrong?"

The whine in her tone was infuriating. He wished he could just give her what she wanted so he wouldn't have to explain. Hell, he couldn't even explain what had come over him to himself. It didn't make any sense. He'd never stopped in the middle of the act before, especially when it came to getting his cock sucked.

This was more than a little embarrassing.

"It's not you," he assured her, feeling like that asshole, using such a dumb line. He decided it best not to finish it. "I'm just exhausted from traveling. Maybe another time, okay?"

Sandy stumbled backwards, pulling the hem of her dress down until the material was stretched tight. She was clearly self-conscious now, and Zander hated himself for it. Sure, he would sleep with any woman who was willing, but he always showed them the respect they deserved.

"Hey," he said, hoping that his voice sounded as cheery as he had meant for it to. "Cheer up."

He gripped hold of her chin and forced her to look up at him.

Her eyes twinkled with hope as he looked into them, and again, he felt sick with the fact that he had just turned down a good time for perhaps the very first time in his life.

That scent! It wafted into his nostrils again, driving him wild. And he knew that if he didn't get away from Sandy soon, he might well do irreparable damage to her feelings.

It was best he got whatever the hell this was figured out before doing anything else.

"Maybe I'll come find you tomorrow after I've had a good eighteen-hour sleep," Zander chuckled, hoping it would be enough to ease whatever was going on in her mind.

Though she didn't look entirely convinced, Sandy did smile. "I'd ask you to promise, but you werewolves are so bad at shit like that."

"Ouch!" Zander scoffed, placing his hand over his heart. "That hurt."

Sandy shrugged her shoulders and took a step back. "Your loss, I guess."

With that, she turned and started to head back in the direction of the bonfire. The bounce in her step told Zander he wasn't going to be the last man she tried tonight. He wished her the best of luck. After all, women had their needs, too.

As for his needs, right now what he needed was to find the damn she-wolf that scent belonged to, because every time the breeze kicked up again, his wolf tried to rip itself free of his flesh. She had some serious explaining to do about why the mere scent of her drove him so mad.

Maybe it was because he had been away from Nightstar so long, but its effect on him felt far worse than ever it had before he had left.

He'd managed to push it to the back of his mind for the entire mission overseas, but now he was back, and he had to get to the bottom of why this one she-wolf always seemed to linger on his mind after he'd smelled her.

What was so special about a pack messenger, anyway?