Prologue

Prologue

“ H ave you ever heard of the wild hunt?” Kalkin Raferty leaned in toward the fire pit, coloring half his face in shadow while the other half flickered with shades of orange, yellow, and red from the flames. “Or the Gods who ride upon the backs of demon steeds forever chasing an unseen prey?”

The chill of the night air was a welcomed relief from the warm days, leftover by the tentacles of summer latched to the autumn solstice. The cobalt summer skies transitioned to robin-egg blue, denoting the changes in the seasons and the coming winter.

That was still weeks away, though.

Until then, spooky season was upon the pack, Keeley and Danielle’s favorite time of year. Which meant fewer tourists, more time with family, and some of the best damn comfort food Kalkin ever tasted. He swore some days his mate and her sister were witches. Between the two of them, Keeley and Danielle kept them in warm breads, crock pot meals, soups, and homemade candies.

Kalkin tipped his mug of warm spiced apple coffee with heavy cream and toffee drizzle to his lips and swallowed some of the brew. He wasn’t a frou-frou coffee drinker. He liked his plain and black. Strong enough to grow hair on his chest and make his butthole pucker. But once a year, he indulged his mate when she tried new concoctions.

This year’s flavor was his favorite.

He’d have to thank her later.

For now...

His gaze returned to the group of children. Their ages ranged from five to then, as they shook their heads, enthralled by his tenor and tone. Two weeks to go before Halloween and the coming Hunters Moon. The time for stocking up and securing the pack through the winter was upon them. In a few short weeks, the temperatures would drop dramatically, and the sky would become a dreary shade of gray.

Kalkin smelled the chill in the air. Noticed the changes in the sky days ago. The coming winter would be their worst yet. He could feel it. He grabbed a skewer beside him, then pushed a marshmallow onto the stick, before handing it to the child to his right. When all the children from the orphanage had one in hand, he dipped his toward the fire and waited for the kids to do the same.

“Would you like to hear about the wild hunt?” he asked, keeping his voice low and conspiratory.

The children nodded and a soft rumble of encouragement filled their circle as Keeley and Danielle came out of the house to join them. They each had a set of twins on their hips, the youngest members of their pack and their family. His chest expanded with pride. His love for Keeley increased every day. Sitting there as he did, ready to tell a group of children a scary Halloween story, put his life into perspective.

Had it not been for those two women, this...

No, he didn’t want to think of how his life or the lives of his brothers and nephew might have turned out. It got him nowhere and only served to sour a moment he’d been looking forward to. The tradition started after the Orphanage settled down and the town went back to “normal,” whatever that meant to most. For him, it was when PBH, Raymond, or others finally stopped attacking his loved ones. The first year they he told scary campfire stories, there’d been three children. By the second year, half of the children participated. Now, all these year later, all the small children joined.

Occasionally the teens, too.

Kalkin’s mate sat beside him while Danielle went to Caden. He offered Keeley a piece of his toasted marshmallow before he began the story with a loud howl, causing the kids to scream then laugh. Yes, he had the wildling group on tenterhooks.

“It all started long ago,” he said pointing to the sky, “in the stars. A pack of wild dogs, howling and barking. Their high-pitched cries of finding their prey, catching the scent, and giving chase echoed so loudly, people in the small surrounding villages grew scared and hid in their homes afraid of what was to come.”

He handed out another marshmallow to each child and repeated the steps, lowering the skewer to the flame. “Night and day those thunderous noises continued. Shadows followed wayward travelers deep into the forest. They were never seen again. But the sky...” Kalkin lowered his voice, as if afraid to speak aloud about the hunting party. “The booming rattle caused the shutters of homes and shops to slam against the windows and the ground to shake, like an earthquake. Then the eyewitnesses stepped forward with their stories. So many villagers swore they’d seen a ferocious beasts lurking within the darkened spaces of the forest surrounding them on all sides. When the townspeople couldn’t take the frightful sounds, they went to their town’s leaders, begging for help. Wanting to know what they could do to calm the wicked dogs.

“We’ll throw them our meat,” Caden said, sounding like an old man.

“Catch them, and fight,” Royce added from farther away.

“Kill them,” Mackenzie shouted, raising his voice to a shrill pitch.

Wide eyed, the children glanced at each other while nibbling on their freshly charred treats. From the door, Hayden appeared, carrying a tray of drinks. Kalkin inhaled deep and grinned. Apple Cider, fresh too. His niece was learning some of Keeley and Danielle’s recipes, something that helped calm her after the trauma she’d experienced. But that story was for another night. Once she passed each child a mug, Hayden handed him a stein. The smell of cinnamon and maple, orange peel, nutmeg, and of course, apples assailed him.

Kalkin placed his empty coffee cup on the tray and nodded to her.

He then took a sip and sighed. Perfect, like always. Although Hayden had learned from the best. “The towns folk poked and prodded the mayor. They shook their fists at the sheriff. Make the noise stop, they all said. Make it all go away.”

“But they couldn’t see them, huh Uncle Kalkin?” Mikey asked, swinging his feet while he took a drink of his apple cider. “On account they were stealthy wild dogs.” When he brought the cup down, he licked his top lip. He glanced at Emmeline who wore an expression of pure concentration. Mikey whispered something to her, and she nodded, giving Kalkin her strongest look yet. Again, pride welled inside of him. His perfect fucking family. All of them.

“No, they couldn’t see them, Mikey,” Kalkin replied. “So, they sent party after party into the woods, trying to find those damned dogs.”

“Language,” Keeley teased, giving him a stern look of disapproval while the others, including the children laughed. Oh well, he’d spank her later. They’d both enjoy that.

“But they never found a scrap of these hellhounds,” he cut his gaze toward Keeley, daring her to say something else, “anywhere in the forest. Until one night...”

“This is the good part!” Cooper said, sitting on the other side of Emmeline. “You’re going to love it.” He took one of Emmeline’s delicate hands while Mikey took the other, sharing their courage with her.

Since the incident at school with the little boy bullying Emmeline, and Kalkin along with Hayden and Nico, putting their foot down, the timid little kitten had come out of her shell. Cooper also settled his little butt down. Damn pup reminded him of Colin at his age. Karter, it seemed, was the calm twin like his Ella.

Kalkin inched forward, placing his face closer to the flame so the shadows and color played across his features, giving him a menacing quality. “A man appeared in their town that no one had seen before. He’d traveled a great distance and needed lodging. Unfortunately, the town out in the middle of a forest wasn’t accustomed to outsiders visiting their village. They didn’t have an inn or a tavern for the man to seek refuge for the night.”

“I don’t need much,” Nico said. “Just a bed and a bite.”

“We don’t like strangers,” Hayden added. “You’re not welcome here.”

“I’ve heard of the wild dog problem you have. I believe I can help you get rid of them all. I need time though. Two weeks at most. If I could stay with you, I’d fix your problem. We’d be helping each other out.”

“Fix our problem you say?” Hayden hedged.

“Yes.”

“The woman went to the sheriff and the mayor of the hidden town and told them of the man who appeared and said he could get rid of the hounds, bringing peace back to the land. However, it would take two weeks, and they’d already spent previous nights, frightened and awake, listening to the howls and the thunderous rattles shaking the night sky.”

“Two weeks is too long,” Kalkin grumbled, acting as the sheriff. “We aren’t sleeping, and our children are scared. If we wait two weeks, our children might die of fright. Tell him he has a week. If he can’t help us, we’ll send him on his way, making sure he can never return.”

“Yes, Sheriff. I’ll relay your answer at once,” Hayden replied.

“So, the woman did as the sheriff requested. She told the man he had a week to find and kill those hounds of hell. As the man explained previously, finding the demon dogs wasn’t an easy task and binding an arm behind his back, by only giving him a week, would make their situation more perilous.”

“What does peri...perill...perilous mean, Mr. Alpha, sir?” a little boy, no more than five, with black curry hair and umber eyes flaked with gold, asked after raising his hand. He sniffed hard and scratched his philtrum before drinking more of his apple cider.

“It means hazardous, Kenny. Not safe and not somewhere little boys should be,” Keeley said, grinning at the child.

“Oh. Thank you, Miss Keeley.” Kenny sniffed again.

Kalkin winked at the boy who sat up a little straighter before taking another drink. “The woman was firm in her stance. She followed the sheriff’s orders, never bargaining with the man. One week. That was all the man would be given.”

Lightning flashed off to the north and the petrichor of rain added to the smell of burning wood, peaches and honey, his mate’s bodywash, along with the scent of the members of his pack combined. They had about an hour to tell the story before the storm would drift toward them.

“A week? You say you want your problem taken care of, yet you give me a week?” Nico said, adding a chuckle of disbelief.

“Take the time or leave before sunrise,” Hayden stated, firming her voice. “That’s the only offer you’ll receive.”

“The man glanced up at the sky,” like Kalkin had, pulling all the children deeper into the story. “Perhaps a week is all I’ll need.”

“The man walked away, leaving the woman to stare at the hazy clouds in the sky. That night, the air turned decidedly colder. Frost coated the ground, causing the green blades of grass to turn white and crunch under the woman’s feet. No matter how much wood she placed in her fireplace, her hovel wouldn’t keep warm. The chill of the coming morning also caused her to see her breath.”

“Where has fall gone? Can’t be winter already...” Hayden said, adding a chatter of her teeth.

“The man reappeared then, covered in blood, stinking of death.”

“You should’ve bathed in the stream,” Hayden said, appalled. “Now you track mud and blood into my home.”

“Was the night quieter?” Nico’s breath quickened as if he’d fought some unseen beast.

“Had it been? The woman pondered what the traveler said. He was right. The night had been quieter. Any other time, she’d have woken several times by the horrible screeching noise of the dogs no one could see.

“Well, yes,” she said, “Of course. I hadn’t realized I’d made it through the night until the cold woke me.”

“The man nodded.”

“Then it’s working,” Nico replied. “We only have a few more days.”

“A few more days? Of what?—”

“Before she could finish her sentence, the evil, torturous sound crackled across the early morning sky, sending a shiver down her spine. The neigh of horses and shouts of men accompanied the bay of wild dogs, and a horn trumpeted a tune no one had ever heard before.” At that moment, above the firepit, the sky erupted in a beautiful shade of blue-green from the lightning of the coming storm, illuminating the tall thunderheads above them. “Seconds later, the sky split wide and the light show, bathing the town in shades of green and yellow. The stream of colors undulated like a ribbon floating in the air. Dancing to a beat none of them could hear. The beautiful display was breathtaking.”

“What is that?” Hayden asked in a hushed voice.

“Them,” Nico replied.

“Again, thunder shook the heavens. The woman tried to figure out how far away the sound had been, but it was unfathomable. She huffed out a breath and stormed into her home, unable to understand what was happening to their small village.”

Around the house, those Kalkin had asked for help began baying at the moon while Victor clopped his hooves on the heavy ground. The shouts of those outside the fence got louder while the pounding of footsteps grew heavier and more intense. Lightning flashed across the dark, early morning sky. Emma and her cubs roared, adding to the cacophony surrounding the children who’d gathered around the firepit. Kalkin grinned as they huddled together, grabbing on to one another while he settled in for the end.

“From the moment the woman slammed the door on her home, the clatter grew louder, closing in on the village. The man who said he could stop it all, appeared to be a fraud. He hadn’t stopped the noise; it’d only gotten worse. It was bad enough some of the villagers closed their shutters to block the wickedness from their sight. Nary a person came out of their home from then on.” Kalkin lowered his voice. “No one spoke. No one sold their trinkets in the market that day or bought their dried meats and fresh bread to trade. It was as if the town hibernated, afraid of what the great clamor had wrought upon them.”

“I hear you, Odin! Leader of the Wild Hunt,” Nico said, dropping his voice to a dangerous level. “How you frighten the villagers. Scare their children. Take me instead. I will join your hunters’ party.”

“The wild dogs cried and screamed while the heavy pounding continued, rising by the second. The thunderous hooves and war-like shouts of the party drew near. The man knew it was time. He looked to the sky. The clear night of twinkling stars became cloudy, heavy and grey, blotting out the full moon, throwing the man into pitch dark. The hunt had finally arrived. He raised his hand to the heavens and didn’t have to wait long. The sky opened and there riding on the wispy tails of those puffy clouds was the God, Odin, and his hunting party.

A great shout of excitement shook the heavens and the earth as the rider grabbed the god’s hand, pulling him into the party and leaving his Earthly body behind. Red eyes and streaks of blue hair greeted him as his steed formed beneath his floating soul. The unbridled wildness consumed him until he was yelling like the others, listening to the howls of the dogs chasing their unseen prey. They blazed a trail through the night sky. Behind them the first flakes of the coming winter snow fell on the tiny village.”

“Is it gone?” one asked.

“Did the man destroy the beast causing us strife?” another question.

“The woman who’d been so frustrated and angry at the man, found his lifeless form near the entrance of the forest. His body left in a peaceful state, like he slept and would wake if only she’d give him a shake. When she told the mayor what she found, they buried the man and enjoyed a feast for the hero in his honor.” Kalkin took a sip of his cider, allowing the story to sink in. “So, when it’s late at night, and you hear the cries of a wild animal and the pounding of unseen hooves, stay inside. Don’t make a noise or else...” Kalkin’s gaze flicked to where Caden soundlessly drew nearer to the children who clung to Kalkin’s words on bated breath...

“The Wild Hunt will claim you!” Caden shouted, grabbing Mikey off the bench and twirling him in the air.

The screams then laughter of the children made the story worth it. Kalkin sat back as Keeley sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around his mate while a shit-eating grin tugged at his mouth. Caden continued to play with the pups, alternating between throwing them in the air and spinning them in a circle. This was his pack and his family, and he loved every one of them.

“Pretty proud of yourself, huh?” Keeley snuggled into his side.

“Yes, I am,” he replied, kissing the crown of her head. “But a storm’s coming so we might want to take this inside.”

She nodded then stood. “All right children, time to go inside. Like the Alpha said, there’s a storm coming. What do we say to the Alpha?”

A chorus of, “Thank you, Alpha,” rang out in the back yard as each of the children deposited their skewers into the trash and placed their empty mugs back onto the tray Hayden held.

“You’re welcome,” Kalkin answered. “Let’s do this again on Halloween night.”