Lured

PRAISE FOR J.A. BELFIELD “Blue Moon has definitely earned my werewolf stamp of approval!” ~ Rabid Reads “There’s twists and turns aplenty in this book. It keeps you hooked and on the very edge of your seat.” ~ Jeanz Book Read and Review “I really didn’t want this to end.” ~ L.S. Murphy, Author, Reaper “Once again, J.A. Belfield has blown me away!” ~ Ambur, BurningxImpossiblyxBright “J.A. Belfield is an evil temptress. She will bewitch you, lure you into her story, and then twist your mind up with jaw dropping twists and heartbreak.” ~ Jen, At Random LURED Published by J.A. Belfield www.jabelfield.com Copyright © 2019 Julie Anne Belfield Previously published as Blue Moon [2012 & 2017] –––––––– All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, events, locations, or any other element is entirely coincidental. Cover art by J.A. Belfield. First Published: December 2012 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 For Mr B and the Mini-Me’s and your understanding ways. THE MUSIC OF WOLVES pierced the night air. Ears twitching, I listened to the echoing calls of the rest of the pack—their announcement of readiness beneath the powerful glow of the full moon. In eagerness, I thrust forward. A warning growl from Sean held me in place. My neck stretched forward; my head bobbed with my inhalations. I took another step. Sean’s growl halted me again. I sent him a glance, whined. His eyes twinkled before he gave an upward jerk of his chin, and we took off. Every one of my senses heightened as our paws pounded the earth. Flavours, scents, culinary delights blew to me on the breeze. I didn’t rely on my enhanced vision to see. With the absence of foliage, the lunar glow left us without obstruction, lending light to the dark. Side by side, Sean and I ran so close, our bodies’ maintained constant contact, my facial hairs bristling beneath his breath every time he glanced my way. Our ability to each understand the other’s emotions, intents, needs and wants was magical—always had been. As my paws contacted solid ground, the alluring aroma of fox invaded my path. My claws dug in, scraping up crumbling earth as I tried to stop. I spun, a patch of mud spraying my underbelly, and dove toward the scent I craved. Sean headed to the right. I followed. His head lowered, feet moving faster. I raced to keep up, reflecting his movements as he angled left and into a wide right arc. The wind picked up, altering course, and blew the rich, meaty bouquet to my senses. I ran faster. My increased pace brought me to Sean’s side. The delicious freshness of the meal tugged at me like a lure. I wanted it. So did he. He allowed me a second’s glance before driving into the lead. Fear oozed from our prey. A shudder wracked my body as my vision swam with bloodlust. I bounded onto Sean’s back hard enough to knock him away and propelled myself from his stumbling body. I surged forward, jaws wide, lips back, ears flattened, saliva already present. A low scoop snatched the animal into my jaws. My teeth clamped down. My head whipped left, right, left again. Each jerk lessened the animal’s struggles until I heard the victorious c***k that resonated like thunder and vibrated through my jaw. With each shake of my head, my teeth punctured deeper, releasing warm blood that trickled across my tongue, tantalising my taste buds, and as it pooled at the back of my throat, I let out my canine purr. Eyes shining with his usual amusement, Sean crossed to me. A low warning growl left my throat, but I didn’t move as he rubbed along my side—his sniff of my kill didn’t concern me. After lowering to the ground, I pinned my meal between my paws and whined up at him to join me. He heaved a sigh before settling his body down alongside mine. His paw snuck around to draw the creature in for a taste, and my muzzle followed in search of more. Nothing could ruin a good hunt.