Turbulent Rain Read online

  Table of Contents

  Legal Page

  Title Page

  Book Description

  Dedication

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  New Excerpt

  About the Author

  Publisher Page

  A Totally Bound Publication

  Turbulent Rain

  ISBN # 978-1-78430-283-2

  ©Copyright Cheyenne Meadows 2014

  Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright October 2014

  Edited by Sue Meadows

  Totally Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2014 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

  Warning:

  This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Burning and a Sexometer of 2.

  TURBULENT RAIN

  Cheyenne Meadows

  When the heart longs for one more…

  Daughter of the Horizon Pack alpha, Rain is ordered to find a mate immediately or else. Desperate, she takes off and literally runs into alpha wolf shifter Jet and his beta mate Garrett from a rival wolf shifter pack. Hearing her predicament and having met her once before, Jet step ups to help, promising to mate her and save her from an unknown fate.

  Jet’s actions set into motion a series of brutal events and leave Garrett questioning himself and his relationship, as he looks to Rain with a skeptical eye, unable to understand Jet’s blindness to the woman’s underlying deviousness. Out to expose Rain for the fraud she is, Garrett strives to find proof she carries the blame for murders along the pack borders which puts the groups on the brink of outright war.

  Jet works to keep peace in his household and between their packs, convince Garrett that Rain’s innocent, as well as keep his hands off the beautiful woman who makes his inner wolf growl with need. Until Garrett and Rain open their eyes to the truth, he knows they’ll never become the matehood nature intended, as a bonded threesome.

  Can they come together as bonded mates in time to help save their packs? Will Garrett be able to finally see the truth about Rain before it’s too late?

  Dedication

  For my parents, who continue to be my biggest fans.

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Batman and Robin: DC Comics

  Chapter One

  Slinking on her belly, Rain crept closer and closer to her target. Twigs poked into her sensitive stomach as the damp earth crusted on her clothing. Mud lodged under her short nails as she dug in for purchase on the slippery slope. All the while she was careful to be silent as she moved in upwind of her destination. A shiver coursed through her as a stiff breeze blew across her wet clothing. Steeling her resolve, she slid another few inches, not taking her eyes from the goal just another scoot or two ahead.

  The new Spring Hill alpha pair would be officially taking the throne as mates any minute now. Rain dared not miss the historic event, though the participants belonged to a rival pack. Her curiosity and nosey nature demanded she watch the ceremony, even from a distance as an uninvited guest. Whispered rumors abounded about the individuals stepping up to the coveted position, and Rain couldn’t wait to lay eyes on such famous and popular shifters. The fact her controlling alpha father would flip if she actually attended only sweetened the deal in her opinion, enough to convince her to take the risk.

  A jagged rock tore into her inner thigh, sending a sharp sting straight to her brain. This would be so much easier if I could just shift, damn it.

  Most wolf shifters could fully embrace their wolf side by the time they reached the age of eighteen. Much to her chagrin and her parents’ dismay, she still hadn’t been able to perform the big change. Not from lack of trying, either.

  Stuck in human form, she stubbornly clung to her plan of seeing the alpha pair take their rightful place. Ignoring the discomfort, she nudged forward. Finally, she reached the pinnacle of the hill overlooking the ceremonial amphitheater of the Spring Hill Pack.

  Dozens of people had gathered around. Some sat on rock benches. Others stood. A baby cried out, only to be shushed by his mother as she swaddled him and began to sway back and forth on her feet. An elderly silver-haired man stepped out onto the flattened stage area, looked over the crowd, then gestured to his right. A man with short dark hair walked out, tall and graceful. Black slacks covered his long legs, matching what appeared to be a black silk shirt, the fabric shimmering under the amphitheater lights. A smaller-framed woman followed, her waist-long black hair pulled into a thick braid, contrasting with the long white flowing dress that fluttered around her knees. She smiled at the man and intertwined her fingers with his.

  That must’ve been the new pair. They made a handsome couple—young, attractive, and obviously happy. Yet, Rain didn’t believe for an instant they were less than lethal if a situation called for downright brutality. The mark of a powerful leader.

  Alphas achieved the top spot either through birthright or sheer aggressiveness. Just because one happened to be a child of an alpha pair didn’t automatically give them the authority to rule or the ability to keep their alpha position throughout life. The title had to be earned, fought for, and held with command—another reason she would never hold the same position as her ancestors. She preferred to avoid bloodshed whenever possible, and the thought of watching her back at all times for a potential challenge to her rule didn’t sit well. She wanted a life all her own, not one tied to the beck and call of a hundred others.

  A smile crossed her face as she stared at the happy alphas, followed by a frown of confusion as another man stepped forward to take the female’s free hand. He also dressed in solid black, his light blond hair stark against the darkness. Turning as a unit, they stood together before the old man.

  Not a pair. A threesome. The fact only slightly surprised her, since some packs had accepted and embraced threesomes as ideal. However, never before had she heard of three people holding the title of pack alphas, a traditional position for a single alpha male and his alpha female mate. Maybe, just maybe, traditions were slowly changing in the Spring Hill Pack. If so, her family might follow suit. A blessing in her opinion—to leave the stingy, snobbish times behind and st
ep into the present.

  “Who the hell are you?”

  Rain tensed and gasped as her heart sped. Swiveling around, she found a man staring at her, arms crossed over his chest as a severe frown marred his handsome face. A square chin promised stubbornness as black eyes sparked in the light. Jet black hair fell rakishly over his forehead, while longer locks tickled the collar of his matching shirt.

  The man has a flair for black. Big time.

  None of her senses alerted her to another’s presence. Granted, she’d been distracted by the people below, but her advanced hearing and sense of smell should have detected an approaching person yards away, which meant this man excelled at stalking.

  Slowly and carefully, she sat up then stood, making no quick movements that might set off the already snippy man. A wolf shifter if her nose proved correct. Just like herself. Only harder, sexier, and more than likely proficient with shifting.

  Taking a moment to dust off her jeans, she watched his gaze wander down her body and back once more.

  “I’m Rain.” The whisper came across almost breathlessly as she took in his large build, firm muscles, and physical power. Intelligence showed in his eyes as did a bit of crankiness, judging by the downturned lips. While harsh, his expression didn’t speak of cruelty or craziness. Instead, he appeared stern and unwavering.

  “Rain. From where?” His baritone voice carried no farther than her ears and sent a thrill through her.

  She might have been raised with wolf shifters who harbored a reputation for oozing sexiness just from a grin, chuckle, or from a confident strut, but this one took the cake. Sure, he frightened her to some degree with his obvious power and displeasure. He could snap her in half like a stick if he so desired. Yet, she’d never seen a man quite like him. Her heart pitter-pattered, breathing hitched, and her stomach knotted as she studied the most gorgeous man she’d had the pleasure to look upon in her young life.

  “From around here.” She waved her hand.

  His eyes narrowed for an instant. Leaning in, he sniffed once, stepped decidedly into her personal space then sniffed once more, this time at her neck.

  Rain held completely still, hardly daring to breathe. Everything about this man shouted dominant male and one not to be trifled with. If she resisted his inquisitive gesture, he’d only ensure she complied one way or another. Running would only prick his instincts to chase, ending with her most likely caught in a few quick bounds. Fisting her hands, she stoked her courage in order to avoid showing the fear washing through her in hard waves. He could tear out her throat from this distance, yet she banked on her first impression. He might be one grumpy bastard, but he wouldn’t kill an innocent without sufficient cause. Spying on a mating ceremony hopefully didn’t warrant such extreme punishment.

  “Wolf shifter.” He mumbled against her ear as he nuzzled the area for a greater scent. “Young.” Another sniff. “And virginal.”

  How embarrassing. Thankful for the shadowy night, which hopefully covered her heating face, she swallowed around the lump in her throat. He must’ve had a talented nose in order to discover so many of her secrets so quickly. Her senses only told of his wolf shifter DNA. Nothing more. However, judging by his sheer yumminess, he’d left the label of innocent behind a while back. Women probably flocked to him now, only adding to his confidence, if not arrogance as well.

  She opened her mouth then immediately shut it once more. No sense in trying to lie. If he could ascertain such information in less than thirty seconds, he could easily see through any falsehoods she might try to throw out.

  Leaning back, he studied her face for a long moment. “Horizon Pack.” He snarled as if the sound of the pack name brought forth disgust.

  “I-I…” She stammered, not sure what to say. The fact the two packs didn’t get along had been pretty much etched in stone for the past few centuries.

  “You snuck in to watch the ceremony.” He made the phrase a statement.

  She shrugged. “Since I didn’t receive an invitation, how else was I supposed to watch the big show?” Fear brought out her snarky side at times. Sarcasm became her frontline defense, which more often than not landed her in worse trouble because she pissed off the other person even more with her mouth.

  His eyebrows furrowed as he absorbed her comment, even as his lips lifted to show a good bit of fang.

  A tremor raced over her. She raised her chin and waited.

  With a harsh curse, he grabbed her by the arm, leading her away from the spot she’d worked so hard to reach.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  He slowed his steps but didn’t pause. “I’m escorting you to the edge of our pack lands. If you’re smart, you’ll run straight home and keep your damn mouth shut.”

  “Oh, believe me, the last thing I want to do is confess to my parents where I’ve been tonight. They’ll make the princess in the tower story sound like a carnival ride, once they get a hold of me.” She hurried along to keep pace. Her words replayed through her mind, causing her to stumble. Idiot. Mentioning parents only brings about the next logical question. If he found out she was a child of the alphas, who knows what he’d do. Keep her for ransom. Send her back in a box. Tie her to the train tracks and wait for a train to come along.

  He peered down at her. “Yeah, alpha parents aren’t the most understanding about juvenile stupidity.”

  Her mouth fell open. “How…?”

  He rolled his eyes. “How many female wolf shifters in this area are named Rain?”

  She blew out a deep breath. Busted by her honesty.

  They walked several more minutes before he spoke once more. “Why didn’t you shift? You’d have been more difficult to see and track in your wolf form.”

  He already knew her standing in the pack, what was one more little secret among sort of friends? “I can’t shift.”

  He stopped and stared down at her, still holding her upper arm in a gentle, yet firm grip. “What do you mean, you can’t shift?”

  Jet studied her. While petite, she had curves in all the right places. Athletic and youthful, she appeared more than capable of long distance runs across fields or meadows with energy to spare. A long, brunette ponytail swayed with each step, enticing him to run his fingers through the silky strands, to pull the lush richness close and inhale her unique scent. Again. The small sample he’d obtained earlier only whetted his interest and intrigued him. She reminded him of wildflowers, sweet with a little spice tossed in. The elixir proved intoxicating. His inner wolf sat up and took notice with a whimper of sudden need.

  His body immediately followed, his groin tightening to the point of discomfort, solely from inhaling her delicious scent.

  What the hell? Never before had he reacted so quickly. The realization rattled him, even as his instincts insisted they were right. No way.

  Jet watched her nostrils flare as anger sparked in her alluring and unusual lavender eyes. “Just what I said. I can’t shift.”

  The thought of her unable to perform the basic function of their species flabbergasted him. Her parents were alphas, a fact he’d easily pieced together once she confessed her name. The baby of the large family, she carried generations of powerful shifters in her blood. Surely she could change shapes if she just practiced a bit. While young, she was still more than old enough to achieve furry form.

  “Have you tried?”

  She blinked up at him. A myriad of emotions crossed her face ranging from indignation to anger to astonishment. “Of course I’ve tried. What do you take me for? A complete lackwit?”

  His lips twitched at her short outburst. She had spirit and courage. He’d give her that. “Ah, so you’re one of those late bloomers?”

  She kicked at a loose pebble and lowered her head. “It seems so.”

  Shifting carried supreme importance in a pack. Those able to achieve their animal forms were popular, looked up to, respected, and even granted adult status within the group. Others who were unable to perform this rite of passage we
re considered still a child—no matter their real age—and often proved the butt of many jokes and cruel bullying. Self-esteem suffered, as did the person’s spirit, receiving punishing blows that the individual might never quite recover from. Harsh words at such a sensitive time often were branded in their minds, a fact Jet could understand well.

  Sympathy hit him square in the chest, a rarity for him. Such soft feelings were frowned upon by his pack, especially for wolves scaling the ladder of leadership. Adult males could show compassion and caring, although the tenderness was normally limited to mates and their young. For interlopers from another pack, niceness would be considered a potential downfall and unacceptable. Thus, he kept his mouth shut. No sense playing cheerleader for someone he’d be with for the next ten minutes, then probably would only see from afar for the rest of his existence.

  His inner wolf growled and grew agitated at his thoughts. Surprised and a bit annoyed, he ignored the bellyaching grumbles in his head, focusing instead on scanning the area for danger or one of their own. If either of them were caught together, heads were bound to roll—whose depended upon which party stumbled across them first. Besides, she was too young. In time, he consoled his wolf. All in good time. He knew his wolf well enough not to question the sudden interest. All he had to do was sniff her again for a good reason to take hold.

  “I get almost there then just can’t do the final step,” she said, as she began ambling forward once more. “I try. I really do. It’s just not happening.” Rain glanced up at him.

  He sighed and called himself a thousand kinds of fool. Yet, he paused and met her gaze. “Shift. Do it now.”

  She blinked up at him. “Haven’t you been listening? I can’t.”