The Taste of Devotion

Excerpt

February 2042

Darren lifted his paw and shifted it forward, mere inches from where it had started. The depth of the snow made the step more like a shuffle, but progress was progress. He was so cold that he swore the next movement would cause his muscle fibers to snap. Every forced step was agony, but he had to keep going. To stop meant to welcome death, and while the peaceful existence promised a respite from the cold and hunger that gnawed at his guts, Darren wasn't ready to give up. Not yet. He tucked his head down lower against the wind and took another step.

He'd spent the last two weeks making his way south from Calgary, sneaking across the border into the United States where Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada and Glacier National Park in Montana met. Escaping to the south seemed most logical for the simple reason that north of Calgary lay Edmonton… and beyond that, a whole lot of nothing. He figured if he went south, he had a better chance of disappearing and still maintaining a somewhat normal existence. Darren spent a few moments of freaking out when he crossed the border into the United States. Never having been outside of Alberta, Darren had no clear destination in mind, and since he was in wolf form had no accurate method of tracking his progress towards civilization. Once he got somewhere, he'd have no means of identification, no clothes, no way of providing for himself.

But there’d been no choice.

Staying in his wolf form had allowed him to cross the terrain easier than it would have been as a human, but the trek was still something that he felt belonged only in the pages of an adventure story. Then again, if he’d been in human form, he’d be dead already from the extreme cold and exposure to the elements as he trekked over the mountains.

This time alone had given him a lot of opportunity to think about what had happened. How his life had changed so drastically without warning. He thought of Andre, the only person who had ever treated him with respect, with dignity. But now Darren would never see Andre again, and it was nobody's fault but his own. Well, not really, but it felt like it. If he’d just been stronger or smarter, he could have seen what was coming. Now he found himself without a home or a pack. He was a fugitive. It didn't matter if he was innocent. Pack law reigned, and pack law called for Darren's death.

His current working theory was that since he was in a national park, there had to be ranger stations or visitor centers. That meant people, people meant towns, and towns meant temporary safety. He'd have to be more careful about his presence around humans. The common man would mistake him for a natural wolf—it wouldn't be safe to approach as if he were a man out for a walk. Darren would also to have to be on the lookout for natural wolf packs in the area. He certainly didn't want to get into some kind of territorial fight with the animals.

He lifted his head and scented the air, searching for signs of inhabitants other than those belonging to the forest. All that surrounded him, though, was the air redolent of pine and snow. No reassuring smells of smoke, or even lights dancing in the distance to signal he was close to civilization. Tears borne of pain, frustration, and ultimately resignation brewed in his eyes, only to be whipped away by the wind before they could form tiny teardrop icicles. He knew he needed food and rest soon. Otherwise, he wouldn't need to worry about being caught by his former pack mates. Maybe he could find an uninhabited den to bed down for the night? Being alone, he didn't think he'd be able to take down one of the big game animals that inhabited the park, but he could probably scare up a hare or marten.

He came upon an outcropping of rock tucked in amidst the forest. As he got closer, he whimpered as he saw that there was a narrow crevice between the stones. It was too small to be the home of a hibernating bear, but hopefully there was room at the inn. Darren stuck his muzzle into the opening and sniffed. Nobody was home. Right now, this place looked as good to him as the freaking Fairmont.

He crawled inside and collapsed. Dinner would have to wait—he needed sleep.

***

Cooper tunneled through the snow for several feet, then popped his head up. He sneezed as some of the powder went up his nose. He spotted Shaun a few feet away and took off. The depth of the snow forced him to take pouncing leaps versus his normal quick stride. It was exhilarating, joy-inspiring… perfect. The crunch of the snow beneath his paws and the fresh air made Cooper feel alive. Cooper leaped at Shaun—the black wolf was an easy target in the snow. Shaun was prepared for the assault and the two of them collided. Yips and barks cut through the air. Shaun jumped onto Cooper’s back, causing them to roll. Shaun tried to pin him down, but they were nearly a match in size and strength. Cooper lifted himself on his hind legs and batted Shaun, who returned the half-hearted punches. There was a sharp bark, and they turned to see Jaryn sitting on his haunches beside Meeghan and Nicole.

Shaun and Cooper broke away from each other and raced towards the threesome. Snow scattered everywhere as they headed for the rest of their group. Shaun and Cooper ran in circles around the trio. Meeghan tried to nip Shaun's tail and Nicole stuck her forepaw out to trip Cooper. The four of them tussled and rolled. To an unfamiliar observer, their actions probably appeared as if there was a great battle being fought, but wolves would be wolves and they loved to play. For Cooper, letting his wolf out meant releasing all the stress and responsibility of his daily life. As a wolf, he didn't have to worry about the sheriff’s department budget or the latest batch of reports he had to turn into the state. All he had to think about was how fast he could run, how stealthily he could hunt up a snack, and, yes, how quickly he could get Shaun to submit during one of their battles. With one sharp bark, Jaryn put a halt to the play.

Cooper flopped onto his back and gazed up at the sky as the colors of twilight lengthened the surrounding shadows. His thick fur protected him from the cold, but he knew Jaryn would usher them back towards the pack lodge soon. Being a wolf in the middle of winter was fine and all, but Cooper could admit it was nice knowing that there was a warm lodge with good food and drink waiting for them only a couple of miles away.

He got back over onto his feet and saw Shaun and Meeghan sitting side by side, a short distance away. Meeghan was curled up next to her mate and the two of them rubbed noses and exchanged licks. Cooper turned his head in the other direction and saw Jaryn in a similar position beside his mate. Nicole had initially been human, but because of forced genetic experiments was now as much a shifter as the rest of them. In Cooper's opinion, she'd made the change well.

Jaryn's white face lifted to the sky, and he let out a howl. The song stirred the sense of belonging that lived in Cooper's heart as he listened to his alpha. Cooper couldn't think of a single moment in recent history that he'd felt this good. His exuberance built in his soul and he closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and joined in the chorus that echoed through the valley of the mountain range.

***

A few hours later, Cooper started the motor of his vehicle and jerked as a blast of cold air hit his face. He slapped at the controls until the gale shut off.

"God damn it! I know better than to leave the heat vents running when I shut down. Bad enough, it's colder than a witch's tit outside. I swear this is the absolute last time." He set the vehicle in reverse and pulled out of the parking space in front of the pack lodge. "And now not only am I making empty promises, but I'm talking to myself out loud. Not a good sign, Tessen."

Cooper slowly drove away from the pack meeting place. Tonight had been the annual Valentine’s pack run. After their trek earlier, he'd gone back to the lodge with the rest of the pack and eaten dinner. He and Shaun had claimed a couch, drunk a couple of beers, and talked about nothing important. However, sooner rather than later, two by two, the mated couples had drifted off to have Valentine's celebrations in the privacy of their homes. And while in years past Cooper would have become depressed at the thought of another night alone, tonight his soul was quiet with content. Maybe a good run had been all he'd needed. As with several other members of the pack and townspeople of Stonepass, Cooper had been experiencing a bit of cabin fever. So far they had been right, and the snow had kept coming week after week. He looked up at the night sky through the windshield. It was heavy with clouds, and the weather center predicted that they’d get another eight to ten inches before morning.

It was the perfect night to be inside beside a fire watching a movie or maybe even spending the dark hours in the arms of a lover. He snickered at the thought. Come next fall, he had a feeling there would be a population explosion in the small town nestled up against the Rocky Mountains. He couldn’t fault his fellow man, though. A night of sweaty, body-grinding, exploding orgasms sounded good. It had been a while. Maybe he'd take a long weekend and go to Seattle. He could use a mini-vacation. A few nights out on the town, chance to blow off some steam, get laid.

Cooper made his way through the pack lands. His home was situated beside one of the two lakes on the two hundred and forty acres owned by the Phantom River pack. Like Shaun, Cooper had had Jaryn design him a home once their Alpha had completed his architectural degree after their stint with the military. Much like Shaun and Jaryn's home, Cooper's displayed an impressive use of natural stone and timber. What made his home unique, in Cooper's estimation, was that his house had an entire outdoor room that connected to the living area with a removable wall—complete with fireplace and outdoor kitchen. The other aspect that made his home different from his friends' was that theirs featured great glass walls to let in natural light, while Cooper preferred using raised dormers above the roofline to bring in daylight from above. Not that he didn't have a lot of windows—he did—just not entire walls.

He was nearing the turnoff to his house when he spotted movement in the field off to his left. He stopped the vehicle and rolled down the window for a better look. It wasn't unusual for wild animals to make their way onto pack lands. Cooper enjoyed watching his natural cousins make their way through life. The pack mostly left wild animals undisturbed, but Cooper's intuition compelled him to delve deeper into investigating this animal. He deactivated the motor and climbed out of his vehicle. Cooper stepped off the plowed dirt road and into the field. He knew the edge of the lake was only about fifty feet away. Though frozen, the terrain still held potential hazards for those who were not familiar with the territory.

Cooper heard a low growl and stopped in his tracks. Just ahead of him, a light-colored wolf lay curled up in a little ball, deep in the snow. It only took a second for Cooper to realize that this was no natural wolf. It was another shifter, and as far as he could tell, wasn't a member of Phantom River.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. You're not from around here. Do you need help?"There was another soft growl, followed by a whimper.

Cooper took a couple of steps towards the hunkered-down wolf. He didn't smell any blood, but that didn't mean the other shifter wasn't injured. An injured animal was always dangerous, whether it was wild, domesticated, or preternatural.

"Are you hurt?"

The wolf's eyes closed, and Cooper saw the lean body almost collapse in on itself. Whoever this was, they hadn't been eating well lately. He was too thin, especially for it being winter. Maybe the shifter had been living in his wolf form for some time? Cooper had heard of occurrences where shifters abandoned their humanity to live in the wild. Whatever the reason, he knew he couldn't leave the animal out here. Cooper took the last couple of steps and slowly lowered himself into a squat. The wolf's eyes opened slowly and fixated on Cooper. He saw the exhaustion that swam in the dark depths. Cooper held out his hand. At the first touch of the wolf's tongue on his skin, he sucked in a harsh breath.

"Oh my God," he whispered.

Cooper's gut spasmed, and his heart tumbled over in his chest. Cold air entered his lungs with a great gasp, but all he felt was the heat that exploded from every cell of his body. His head spun, his vision wolfed out, and his fangs dropped with such speed that Cooper nearly ended up on his ass in four feet of snow. This unknown wolf was his mate! He wasn't sure why he hadn't sensed that the second he'd got out of the vehicle, but now he was as certain as he knew the sun would rise come tomorrow morning. The instinct to identify one's mate was deeply ingrained in the soul of every shifter.

He looked down at the creature lying unconscious at his feet. Cooper scooped him up and ran towards his vehicle.