CHAPTER ONE

Lowell lay there naked on the bed, watching him enter the room. He was tall, dark, and gorgeous, with a body that glistened in the moonlight shining in from the window. It was glorious, and Lowell waited, his heart pounding and his body aching. He moved slow and sexy like a wicked dream, with his hair hanging slightly over his handsome, chiseled face and his dark eyes bearing down on Lowell.

There was something about him that pushed beyond the normal and into the mystical it was a sense and a power that radiated off that amazing body. Lowell did not know him, but his heart and mind recognized him and opened to him as he approached the bed and ran his hand down the length of Lowell's leg.

The touch was electrifying and sent a thrill up his spine and a tremble covered his body. "You're so beautiful." He said and Lowell warmed sweetly under his praise. His smile brought goosebumps rippling across Lowell's flesh and the moment he joined Lowell on the bed was a moment of utter bliss. "I want you Lowell, I need you." The words tumbling from his stunning lips were doing crazy things to Lowell's body and sparking a need so deep he felt it in his toes.

"I need you too." Lowell gasped the words. This man had Lowell"s hard leaking cock in hand and began to caress and stroke the heated flesh. Lowell rolled his head back and forth against his plush pillow, and the man trailed mind-numbing kisses down his chest.

The sensations were rocketing through him, and he didn"t know how long he would last. As soon as his dream man took his heated cock into his mouth and down his throat, the finish was upon him. The act, so juicy and raw, pushed Lowell over the edge, and he came in a rush, shattering his thoughts and his mind as the world turned multi-colored and his vision blurred.

He looked down and saw the eyes of that amazing man staring up at him and then he saw the beast within. The wild heart of his dream lover was on display taking him and owning him. "You're mine now, all mine." He said and vanished pushing Lowell back to the surface from the depths of his sleep.

He shook himself awake and sat up looking around his one room apartment and trembled with the lasting effects of his nighttime lover. The dream had been ultra-realistic. He touched his body and felt the heat and the sweat, but he was alone it was only a dream.

"No one is going to just give it to us, if we want it we must be prepared to take it." He yelled to his handful of followers. "The wise ones are of no use. Their power is outdated we need real leadership someone who is not afraid to fight for what is ours against the human encroachment."

"What are you saying, Jaron?" One in the crowd spoke up but was shouted down.

"This mountain, this forest is ours, and it"s time we forced out the growing cancer of humans, taking what doesn"t belong to them," Jaron responded, shouting his plans and his anger. "This pack needs to be set free to grow and conquer. We are wolves, for fuck sake. We aren"t puppy dogs to be led around and controlled. We are fierce warriors, and it"s time for everyone to become aware of that fact. It"s time we stopped hiding and reclaimed our land; the mountain is ours."

Some left feeling the hatred and violence too much and outside their tolerance, but others fed into the hatred and stoked the promise of violence. The Salida Pack was on track for a vicious and brutal transition of power.

Sean Brendon came to town at the invitation of his close friend, expecting a laid-back week of hiking and fishing, but instead found a pack in chaos. He and Eamon Cole often worked together and had just completed an assignment in Boseman, Montana, putting a pack and a coven back on civil, if not friendly, terms. It was what they did as members of the Paranormal Security Council. It was a body that was controlled by the Chamber of Elders.

The Chamber was made up of elected individuals from packs, covens and kindreds from across the land. The elders served for life and were chosen based on their age, activities, achievements and standing in their communities. The Security Council and the Chamber of Elders had been in existence for three generations, so it was a fairly new approach to governing but so far, they were honored and trusted institutions.

Sean and Eamon often worked together due to their friendship, similar backgrounds and outlooks, and the fact that they were both wolves. The Council saw them as a team in many respects, although Sean was from a pack in northern Maine, and Eamon called Colorado home.

"I"m sorry your vacation turned sour," Eamon said as they sat together having a beer at a downtown pub. Salida, Colorado, was a town of about seven thousand souls, both human and paranormal. Usually, it was a town of peace and relaxation, but today, the air was charged with an uncomfortable angst and uncertainty, and everyone could feel it, even the humans.

"Not your fault man the situation was not of your making." Sean drank his beer and took in the clientele seated around him. Most were wolves from Eamon's pack sitting drinking and waiting wondering about the outcome and wondering as to their place as some roles and responsibilities would change.

Eamon was an enforcer in his pack and his work was to maintain control and peace but that was a tall order these days. Fights were breaking out everywhere and keeping the humans unaware of the cause was also becoming an issue in itself. The pack and the human population had resided together for decades and yet the humans knew nothing of the supernatural forces and paranormal beings that lived literally next door.

"When and how did Alpha Smith die?" Sean knew that was the source of the upheaval, but he was curious as to the details. Leaving a pack without natural succession has always been seen as a recipe for chaos. Alpha Smith was a good man but failed to secure the peaceful transfer of power which went flat against the notion that he was indeed a good alpha.

"Axel was an old wolf. No one knew just how old. He showed some gray and had slowed some in the last few years, but I did not see this coming." Eamon looked distressed as he relived the death of his Alpha and friend. "The pack woke up three days ago to the fact that their alpha had died in the night."

"You weren't prepared? Alpha Smith had not made any provisions in the event of his death?" Sean asked, still shocked by the lack of preparation.

"No." He shook his head. "Axel has been Alpha for the past three hundred years. He was a good man and a good alpha. No one ever thought he"d die, including me. It was stupid, I know, and now we"re all paying for that stupidity." Eamon ordered another round of drinks, and he invited Noah, a fellow enforcer, to join them at their table.

"They've started the selection process but it's not going smoothly." Noah announced. "The wise ones are voting on three candidates that they believe would rule effectively." Eamon had explained before that the wise ones were the elders, the leaders, cultural chiefs anyone over a certain age.

"What happens after the three are determined?" Sean inquired, having an idea of what would take place. Alpha challenges were messy things and most often meant to the death.

"We haven't had an alpha challenge in many centuries. Axel took control after his father died very easy transition from what I'm told. I wasn't there." Eamon smiled.

"Is it to the death?" Sean visibly winced at the thought of pack members fighting each other to the death.

"I don't know, and I certainly hope not. It would take a generation or more for the pack to heal from a wound like that." Eamon's unease was palatable, and Sean sincerely felt for his friend. This was his pack, and these were his friends and relatives. The upheaval was affecting them all.

"Any ideas who"s being considered?" Sean asked. Eamon shrugged and looked at Noah, who seemed to be in the know.

"Not for certain, but I heard Murphy is a contender, as well as Jaron. I don"t know who the third is."

"Perhaps O"Malley," Eamon interjected. "The man desperately wants the position." He said this with just the slightest of derision, so Sean figured O"Malley was probably not a good fit.

"What about the pack Beta?" Sean understood that most Betas would take over if there were no sons when an Alpha passed.

"Axel didn"t have a Beta; he preferred enforcers. He was a man who did not like to share power." Sean nodded, making no judgment. Every Alpha had the right to form their own inner circle.

"That's too bad."

"Yes, it is." Both Eamon and Noah agreed.

Lowell French and his friends John Sims and Patrick Handly had nicely settled into their campsite when Patrick remembered that they'd left their poles and tackle in the Jeep back in the lot. It had been a forty-five-minute walk from the lot to the campsite, and the thought of making that walk all over again at this hour was not appealing.

Lowell couldn't stop laughing while John and Patrick both stood staring at each other with scathing expressions. "It wasn't my fault Lowell." Patrick stated and crossed his arms.

"We were so caught up in our snacks, beverages, and comforts that we forgot the reason for being here at the lake for the weekend," John stated sharply. "We came here to fish." He enunciated clearly and with heavy sarcasm.

"Hey, if we were going to forget something, the fishing gear would have been my choice. Snacks, drinks, and a comfortable bed are three of my favorite things. Not to mention this lovely location on the shore of this stunning lake in the company of two of my closest friends." That had John and Patrick stepping back and each taking a deep breath. "It"s not the end of the world." Both nodded but were still shooting scathing looks back and forth.

"Let"s get set up and worry about the gear in the morning. It"s too late for fishing anyway. We"ll start early in the morning." Lowell suggested that John and Patrick agree.

"You have to admit, though, that this is a pretty lame fishing trip," Patrick admitted and waited for the others to agree.

"In terms of fishing perhaps, but in terms of good times with good friends, it looks like it"s going to be a big win." Both John and Patrick looked at him and shook their heads.

"Always seeing the glass half full, aren"t you, Lowell." John groused.

"We'll get the equipment in the morning for now let's put up the tents and get dinner started." Lowell grabbed a beer and poppled it open. "I'll start the steaks while you two deal with the tents." He handed them each a beer and patted them on the back.

"Medium rare for me," John stated.

"I"ll take mine rare," Patrick added.

"Coming right up." Lowell just wanted to have a relaxing weekend and didn"t want to deal with John and Patrick bickering the entire time. They"d known each other since high school, and this fishing trip was something they did fairly often. It was usually relaxing and fun. Unfortunately, something was going on between the two that was making itself known through personal attacks and general bad attitudes.

They all worked for John"s dad, who owned a lawn care company in Salida. It wasn"t what Lowell wanted to do long term, but it gave him a decent paycheck while he thought about what it was he wanted to do. John lived at home with his father, Patrick lived at home with his parents, and Lowell lived alone. Lowell never knew his parents and was raised in care. He was on his own at eighteen, and yet he was the one who could always find the good in any situation.

Once everything was set and dinner was ready they sat back and enjoyed the peace and the quiet of the woods and the lake. "I wish I had a little of your positivity." Patrick commented. The sun was going down and the fire was dying with just the embers glowing in the growing darkness.

"I wish that just once you wouldn"t forget something. Our fishing trips would be so much more enjoyable if we didn"t have to worry about what you"re going to forget. Your absentmindedness is so irritating." John brought the subject back to the problem, but Lowell did not have time for it.

"Not a problem, John. We have had a nice dinner and a nice evening." Lowell handed them both another beer. "Tell me about that gal from the grocery store you"re interested in, Patrick." He attempted to change the subject. "Have you asked her out yet?"

"You mean Cheryl who decided she would rather date John." Patrick snapped and Lowell quickly looked from Patrick to John and back to Patrick. "She's great but it's too bad she prefers the bosses son rather than a simple laborer like me."

"Sorry about that. I didn"t know things had taken an odd turn. Let"s have some smores." Lowell awkwardly started feeding the fire to bring it back and scrambled in his duffle for the graham crackers.

"I asked her out, and she accepted. If you wanted to date her, you should have asked her out." John defended himself.

"You knew I liked her," Patrick shouted at him.

"I knew nothing of the kind. You never told me you liked her." John shouted back.

"Lowell knew I liked her, and that"s why he asked about her."

"You must have told Lowell, but you never told me." John was lying through his teeth, but Lowell wasn't going to bring it up. He finished the smores and slapped one in each man's hand.

"Have a smore and stop talking." Both men ate and remained quiet, but the side-eye action was fierce. Lowell was looking forward to going to bed. His quiet and peaceful weekend away was going to be anything but. Maybe he would suggest cutting the weekend short, and they could head home tomorrow.

The bar scene was heating up as questions over who would be chosen as challengers and opinions as to who the crowd felt deserved the honor filled the room. Unfortunately, those who preferred Jaron were going up against those who preferred Murphy, and those who preferred others rounded out the mayhem. No one in the bar had a say in anything, but they still decided it was worth their while to fight it out.

"This is not the vacation you envisioned, I"m sure." Eamon sympathized. "But with that said, I"m glad you"re here. The mood is getting out of hand, and I fear when the wise ones make their selection, it will only get worse."

"I"ll help any way that I can," Sean assured him. "Do your fellow enforcers have a horse in this race, or will they strive to maintain order?"

"I"m sorry to say that apart from Noah, they have all taken sides, so they will be of no assistance in maintaining order." Eamon shook his head in disgust. "Let"s head back to my place and have a few beers in the peace and quiet of my deck away from these rabble-rousers."

"That"s a good idea." Sean finished his drink and followed Eamon out the back door to where they"d parked. As soon as they were outside, the noise lessened, and once they were in Eamon"s truck, quiet took over.

"What a relief," Sean stated.

"It"s only going to get worse and more widespread the longer it takes for the wise ones to make a decision," Eamon grumbled, irritated by the lack of foresight of his Alpha and the elder pack members. "None of this should have been allowed to happen."

"Your Alpha's death was a surprise." Sean reminded.

"He was a leader without an heir." Eamon explained. "Packs, covens, kindreds they always have a replacement or two waiting in the wings. We were caught with our pants down and now we may tear ourselves apart as we try to pull ourselves back together." That was very true, unfortunate, but true.

"All you can hope for is a candidate that is strong enough to lead and who the majority will follow." Sean gave his opinion, although it sounded bleak even to his own ears.

"I fear that will be a very tall order." Eamon pulled into the narrow drive that led to his home several miles deep into the woods. It was ideally situated with no neighbors for miles and on the edge of a beautiful lake. If it weren't for the political upheaval, the area would be idyllic.

"I have to ask." Sean led with a taunting grin. "Who are you pulling for Murphy or Jaron?"

"I'll support whoever wins the challenge but neither man strikes me as the type to be able to unite this pack. I will never say that to anyone but you." He glanced over at Sean with a look that was weary. "I just want it over and the rebuilding to begin."

"I"ll stay as long as you need me," Sean promised.

"Thanks, Sean."