Bite of the Moon: Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Boxed Set Read Online Free Page B
Author: Erika Masten, Catherine Vale, Bryce Evans, Michelle Fox, Elle Boon, Katalina Leon
consumed entirely by the wolf that now lived inside her. Desperate to get away before anyone saw her, she raced off.
Thankfully, no one spotted her. Even if they had, she was moving so fast she was nothing more than a blur, a streak of darkness no one could identify in the split second it took her to run past them. Humans were stupid slow compared to wolves. Usually she hated it because she had to remind herself to slow down and look human all the time. Just then, though, she was grateful for the preternatural speed.
The business district of Glen Vine quickly gave way to tree-lined roads edged with sparkling blue lakes. Charlotte burrowed into the shadows of a tall pine and worked to catch her breath. She took stock of her situation as she recovered.
She’d have to go back for her purse, but not before she got her wolf under control. Maybe she’d call Tao to go back into town with her. His presence always steadied her wolf, much like Kane had earlier. Besides, she didn’t want to run into Dylan and Stan without back-up.
Decision made, she allowed herself to relax a fraction of an inch. The late fall air smelled heavenly and she inhaled the sweet dustiness of dried leaves along with the scent of water the wind always carried. There were so many lakes in the area that, even though she'd grown up in Glen Vine, Charlotte still hadn’t visited them all. She trotted along, sticking close to the trees running parallel to the road. The occasional car zoomed by, but no one saw her. For one, she blended in fairly well, especially given the dappled shadows the trees cast. Two, no one expected to see a wolf.
But then a car slowed behind her. She didn’t think anything of it at first. Even though tourist season was over, people still sometimes drove through to catch the autumn foliage. They often stopped to take photos, so it wasn’t unusual for a car to pull off to the side of the road.
A horn honked and she startled, but kept walking. It honked again. Car doors opened and closed which caused her to finally glance over her shoulder. What she saw made her heart sink: a battered pick-up truck carrying two men—one blond, the other brunette.
Dylan and Stan.
Just her luck, the road that led to her house would also be the same road Dylan and Stan traveled to work. She should’ve anticipated this. There were only two major roads in the area, and they both led to Traverse City. They hadn’t seen her shift, she was sure of it, or seen what direction she’d run off, so their presence had to be bad timing.
Huffing the werewolf version of swear words under her breath, she darted into the trees, but not before the men squeezed off a few shots. Bullets whined in the air, thudding as they hit trees or burrowed into the ground. Charlotte stretched her body to its limit, pushing hard with her hind legs to increase her speed, but it was too late.
Humans might be slow compared to wolves, but bullets could keep up once the trigger was pulled.
Chapter Five
Kane picked his way through the trees, nostrils flaring as he searched for Charlotte’s scent. "Charlotte, you out here?" he called, only to be answered by silence.
The metallic tang of blood hit his nose and he followed it to an overgrown bush. Recognizing Charlotte’s scent, he kneeled down, peering under the bush. "Charlotte, are you there?"
A soft whine answered him.
"Are you okay?"
She yowled.
"I’ll take that as a no." He wished he could see her. Wolves, he’d learned, relied more on body language than vocals. "I caught the men. They’re in the back of the cruiser. It’s safe to come out."
The underbrush rustled as she stepped out of her hiding spot. Kane sucked in his breath at the blood staining her coat.
"Let me look at it." He leaned down and inspected the wound. "I don’t think the bullet is in there. Looks like a bad graze to me." Straightening, he looked through the woods. "We’re not that far from your house. I can carry you if you want."
Charlotte
Thankfully, no one spotted her. Even if they had, she was moving so fast she was nothing more than a blur, a streak of darkness no one could identify in the split second it took her to run past them. Humans were stupid slow compared to wolves. Usually she hated it because she had to remind herself to slow down and look human all the time. Just then, though, she was grateful for the preternatural speed.
The business district of Glen Vine quickly gave way to tree-lined roads edged with sparkling blue lakes. Charlotte burrowed into the shadows of a tall pine and worked to catch her breath. She took stock of her situation as she recovered.
She’d have to go back for her purse, but not before she got her wolf under control. Maybe she’d call Tao to go back into town with her. His presence always steadied her wolf, much like Kane had earlier. Besides, she didn’t want to run into Dylan and Stan without back-up.
Decision made, she allowed herself to relax a fraction of an inch. The late fall air smelled heavenly and she inhaled the sweet dustiness of dried leaves along with the scent of water the wind always carried. There were so many lakes in the area that, even though she'd grown up in Glen Vine, Charlotte still hadn’t visited them all. She trotted along, sticking close to the trees running parallel to the road. The occasional car zoomed by, but no one saw her. For one, she blended in fairly well, especially given the dappled shadows the trees cast. Two, no one expected to see a wolf.
But then a car slowed behind her. She didn’t think anything of it at first. Even though tourist season was over, people still sometimes drove through to catch the autumn foliage. They often stopped to take photos, so it wasn’t unusual for a car to pull off to the side of the road.
A horn honked and she startled, but kept walking. It honked again. Car doors opened and closed which caused her to finally glance over her shoulder. What she saw made her heart sink: a battered pick-up truck carrying two men—one blond, the other brunette.
Dylan and Stan.
Just her luck, the road that led to her house would also be the same road Dylan and Stan traveled to work. She should’ve anticipated this. There were only two major roads in the area, and they both led to Traverse City. They hadn’t seen her shift, she was sure of it, or seen what direction she’d run off, so their presence had to be bad timing.
Huffing the werewolf version of swear words under her breath, she darted into the trees, but not before the men squeezed off a few shots. Bullets whined in the air, thudding as they hit trees or burrowed into the ground. Charlotte stretched her body to its limit, pushing hard with her hind legs to increase her speed, but it was too late.
Humans might be slow compared to wolves, but bullets could keep up once the trigger was pulled.
Chapter Five
Kane picked his way through the trees, nostrils flaring as he searched for Charlotte’s scent. "Charlotte, you out here?" he called, only to be answered by silence.
The metallic tang of blood hit his nose and he followed it to an overgrown bush. Recognizing Charlotte’s scent, he kneeled down, peering under the bush. "Charlotte, are you there?"
A soft whine answered him.
"Are you okay?"
She yowled.
"I’ll take that as a no." He wished he could see her. Wolves, he’d learned, relied more on body language than vocals. "I caught the men. They’re in the back of the cruiser. It’s safe to come out."
The underbrush rustled as she stepped out of her hiding spot. Kane sucked in his breath at the blood staining her coat.
"Let me look at it." He leaned down and inspected the wound. "I don’t think the bullet is in there. Looks like a bad graze to me." Straightening, he looked through the woods. "We’re not that far from your house. I can carry you if you want."
Charlotte
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