Wolf in Pursuit (Salvation Pack: The Next Generation Book 2) Read online

  EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2022 N.J. Walters

  ISBN: 978-0-3695-0517-0

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Jessica Ruth

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  Thank you to all my readers who have embraced the Salvation Pack and continue to ask for more. I have to admit, I didn’t see this story coming until I began to write it. I had something different in mind for these two characters, but they had other ideas. I hope you’ll be as thrilled with their story as I am.

  The release of any book takes a lot of work. Thank you to my editor, Jessica Ruth, and the incredible team at Evernight Publishing for giving me the opportunity to bring this spin-off series to life.

  WOLF IN PURSUIT

  Salvation Pack: The Next Generation, 2

  N.J. Walters

  Copyright © 2022

  Chapter One

  Her daddy was going to kill her.

  Not literally. There wasn’t a more protective parent alive than Cole Blanchard, which was why he was going to kill her for running off on her own.

  Amy Blanchard wiped down the table, picked up her tray of empty glasses and bottles, and headed back to the kitchen, quite certain her daddy’s idea of safe didn’t include her working at a roadhouse bar in Tennessee.

  The cook—who she still only knew as Tom after two weeks of working here—was busy manning the grill. They did a brisk business, even on a Tuesday night.

  “I need two deluxe burgers and an order of nachos.” She deposited the dirty dishes into large plastic bins, separating glasses, plates, and cutlery. They were a small operation, so everyone pitched in on the cleaning. The waitresses sorted to the right bins, and Tom would load them in the dishwasher when he was between orders. On the weekend, when things were really hopping, they had a part-time cook who handled it as part of his duties.

  Tom grunted and kept flipping burgers.

  Taking a breath, she tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. Her ponytail was sadly drooping after over six hours of nonstop work. Good thing she was in such great shape. Waitressing wasn’t for sissies.

  For the millionth time since she’d left a note for her folks and taken off, she wondered if she’d done the right thing. Pressing her hand against the ache in her stomach, she pulled out her phone, fingers hovering over the keypad.

  Swearing, she jammed it into the pocket of her jeans and headed back to work. The music system was pumping out yet another country song. Customers laughed and danced, swore and drank.

  It was fascinating to watch, if overly loud for her sensitive ears. And completely different from how she’d been raised. She’d lived a sheltered life, had never gone to a public school or had friends outside their home in Salvation, North Carolina.

  Werewolves didn’t mingle well with humans. Not that it didn’t happen. But, as she was quickly learning, it came with complications and compromises.

  Inside, her wolf whined, not happy at being unable to run free. She’d only shifted once since she’d left, afraid someone would see her. Even then, she was careful to make sure the door was locked—something she’d never thought about before leaving home—and the drapes pulled.

  There were times she feared she’d suffocate from lack of oxygen, boxed up tight.

  “Suck it up,” she muttered. “This was what you wanted.” Only it wasn’t anything like she’d thought it would be.

  God, she’d been so naive. It made her cringe to think about.

  “Amy.” A regular customer waved his hand to get her attention. If she weren’t careful, she’d lose her job, which would force her to dip into her already dwindling savings.

  Plastering a smile on her face, she hurried over. “What can I get you?”

  The night was a blur of orders and faces. Amy liked people, had always been outgoing, but by the end of the night, she was more than happy to see the last one stagger out the door.

  “That it?” Gracie, the bartender on duty tonight, started the process of closing the cash register for the night.

  “That’s it.” Amy went around the now empty room, clearing the final few tables and collecting the tips left behind. Tom had shut down the kitchen over an hour ago, and everything was clean and in readiness for tomorrow. After dumping her final load of dishes for the night, she pulled off her “Milton’s Roadhouse Bar” apron and tossed it into the laundry bin in the employee’s bathroom before grabbing her sweater.

  Not that she needed it. It was early May, but the temperatures dipped at night. The cold didn’t bother her, since she could regulate her body heat, but it would draw attention to her. Something to be avoided at all costs.

  “Night, Tom.” She waved at the older man, who grunted and nodded in her direction. He lived in a trailer out behind the bar and was always the last to leave.

  “Want me to wait for you?” she asked Gracie. Somewhere in her forties, Gracie dyed her hair jet black and favored vintage T-shirts from rock bands. She was steady and had a no-nonsense demeanor that kept even the rowdiest customer in line with little more than a stern look.

  “I’m the one who should be asking you that.” She folded the register printout and stuffed it into the deposit bag. “I don’t like the idea of you walking home by yourself at night. It’s not safe.”

  Smiling, Amy slid onto a stool and rested her elbows on the bar top. “Now you sound like my daddy.”

  “Sounds like a smart man to me.” Gracie leaned across the counter and patted her arm. “Maybe you should listen to him. This is no place for a girl like you.”

  Curious, she tilted her head to one side. “What do you mean? A girl like me?”

  “Don’t get your panties in a wad. Milton’s is a great place to work.” She pointed her thumb at herself. “For someone like me. You’re not tough or hard enough. And, honey, you don’t want to be. You hold onto that innocence as long as you can.” She dragged her fingers through her short hair. “Maybe it’s none of my business, but if you need help, if you’re running from something…”

  Amy shook her head, both touched by the concern and disgruntled by the assessment. “I’m not running away. Not really.” She huffed out a sigh and gave a sad laugh. “I’m running toward something. Only I have no idea what it is.”

  Brisk once again, Gracie grabbed the paperwork and headed to the office. “Nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you don’t get hurt in the meantime. If you want a ride, I’ll be another five minutes.”

  It would be smart to wait. Gracie was only concerned, but it had ignited a pang of guilt that threatened to choke her. The air in the room disappeared. Her skin rippled, fur appearing and retreating. God, this couldn’t be happening. Not here. Not now. Stumbling for the door, Amy yanked it open and bolted for the woods.

  Her wolf clawed inside her, begging for release. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she ran in human form. Branches slapped her face, but she didn’t care, welcomed the pain.

  What am I doing?

  Blinded by tears, she didn’t see the rock in her path until it caught the toe of her sneaker and she went flying. Tucking her head toward h
er chest, she landed hard and rolled before coming to an abrupt stop at the base of a tree.

  Flat on her back, she stared up through the thick canopy of branches and leaves. Clouds slipped over the moon, dimming it briefly before letting it shine once again. An owl hooted in the distance, and a raccoon scampered by. Inhaling deeply, she let the familiar sights, sounds, and scents comfort her.

  I miss my family.

  She had no one to blame for that but herself. In her defense, it had seemed like a good idea at the time, the only option.

  Sitting up, she buried her face in her hands and tried not to think about it. That was a losing endeavor. Her momma had to be worried sick, even though she’d been texting every few days to let her parents know she was okay. She was twenty-four years old. Not like she was some teenage runaway.

  “Damn it.” She pulled her phone out of her back pocket, grateful it hadn’t been damaged in her fall. Leaning against the thick trunk of an oak, she stared at the dark screen. She’d been keeping her phone turned off, using it sparingly. They might be wolves, but many members of the pack embraced technology. She feared they’d use it to trace her whereabouts, which was why she’d spent her first month traveling around, depleting her savings.

  Not that they could make her go home. It was more that she’d cave and run home if they came for her. She’d spent her entire life surrounded by a loving, extended family. She had no idea who she was outside her identity as a female wolf in the Salvation Pack.

  She rubbed her chest, but the ache didn’t leave. “I need to find out who I am. I need to discover myself.” And she couldn’t do that unless she stood on her own two feet. How was she to know what she was made of if she didn’t test her limits?

  Her parents were both amazing people, each of them strong and sure in themselves because of the hardships they’d endured. They’d come through events that would have destroyed weaker wolves.

  The worst thing she’d ever gone through before leaving home was being smothered by protective concern. Yeah, she’d had it so rough.

  Tilting back her head, she gave a watery laugh. She’d had the best childhood ever, had never questioned her life until recently.

  It wasn’t that she wanted anything bad to happen to her, but she wanted to live, wanted her life to matter. How could that happen if she never left home?

  Deciding to take a risk, she turned on her phone and went into her contacts. A few seconds later, it was ringing.

  “Amy!”

  “I’m sorry, Momma.”

  “Are you okay? Where are you? We’ll come get you.”

  She closed her eyes and swallowed heavily, knowing she was about to hurt one of the people she loved most in the world. “I don’t want you to.”

  Silence. “What happened? What did we do wrong?”

  “Nothing.” Silent tears trailed down her face. “You did nothing wrong, Momma. I love you and Daddy. I need space. I need to figure out what I want to do with my life.”

  “And you can’t do that here?” The gentle understanding almost broke Amy.

  “I wish I could.” Her voice trailed off into a hoarse whisper. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I need to do this, for me. I have to know if I’m strong enough to stand on my own.”

  “Baby, wolves aren’t meant to be alone.”

  Talking was becoming impossible. “I’ll call again soon. Love you.” She turned off the phone before she caved and asked someone to come for her.

  Curling up on the cold, hard ground, she wrapped her arms around her legs, buried her face against her knees, and cried until there were no tears left. Arms aching, legs cramping, she released the desperate grip she had on herself, pushed to her feet, and walked back to the rent-by-the-week motel room that she currently called home.

  ****

  “You heard from her?”

  Etienne Rollins leaned against the wall, looking relaxed, but every muscle in his body was tensed and ready for action.

  Cherise Blanchard nodded at Jacque LaForge in answer to the alpha’s question. “Yes.” She swiped at her eyes. “It was brief. She said she was safe but didn’t want to come home.”

  The pack had been summoned for an early breakfast meeting and was gathered in the alpha’s home. Jacque, Cole, and the women were all seated. The rest of the men leaned against the walls or hovered behind their mate’s chairs.

  “Why did she leave?” Jacque asked the question they all wanted the answer to.

  Cherise buried her face against her mate’s neck. “She said she needs space to find herself.” The words were muffled, but everyone heard them loud and clear. Cole Blanchard looked angry enough to destroy the world single-handedly.

  Etienne’s wolf howled inside him, no happier about the situation than he was. She’d run away to find herself, but he was the reason behind that sudden decision. Every muscle in his body tensed. He forced himself to relax and pay attention.

  There were rumblings from the males in the pack and sorrow in the eyes of the women. No one was happy, but Amy was an adult. There wasn’t much any of them could do if she didn’t want to be here.

  This is my fault.

  Everything had changed in the space of a heartbeat about six weeks ago, and there was no going back. Not that he would. He had no regrets, but Amy obviously did.

  A great weight pressed down on his shoulders. Maybe he could have handled things differently, but he was who he was. They’d been friends their entire lives. She should have understood she didn’t need to run.

  The ache in his chest grew until he could barely breathe. His wolf wanted out. He clamped down hard, maintaining iron control over himself and his wolf.

  “Do we know where she is?” Jacque asked Armand. Cousin to the alpha, Armand LaForge had a way with computers and ferreting out information.

  “She’s been smart, moving around a lot. And she kept the call short.”

  “Does that mean you’ve found her or not?” Jacque was as impatient as he was. Etienne leaned forward.

  “I traced the call to a cell tower in Tennessee. It narrows down the search, but it’s still a big area. That’s assuming she wasn’t just passing through.” Armand looked to Cole and Cherise. “I wish I could give you more.”

  Cherise nodded, but Cole shook his head. “I’m going after her. She belongs at home.”

  “If you do that, she’ll run again. Next time, she might not call,” Etienne said. Every eye turned to him. He met their gazes unflinchingly.

  Cole pushed back his chair, set his mate down in it, and walked around the table. At six three, Etienne still had to look up at the man. “What do you know?”

  Etienne’s wolf growled inside him, not willing to back down from the older and larger male. His father stirred, a wave of menace rolling off him. The last thing he wanted was to cause a rift between the two men who’d been best friends for decades. No, this was between him and Amy’s daddy.

  “If I’d had any inkling she was thinking about leaving, I would have stopped her or told someone.” That wasn’t a lie. He hated the idea of Amy being out there on her own.

  Cole’s massive shoulders slumped. The lines on his brow deepened. His expression was haggard. He likely hadn’t slept in weeks. He rubbed his hand over his face and then turned to Gator. “I would not have hurt your son.”

  Etienne’s father gave a curt nod.

  “Not too much,” he added. The other men chuckled, defusing some of the tension, but the facts hadn’t changed.

  “Amy left to spread her wings. While I don’t agree with how she did it, I understand why she did.” But there was no way Etienne would share. That was between him and Amy.

  Gator raised an eyebrow. “Anything you want to tell me, mon fils.” His father had left Louisiana decades ago, but the Cajun came out whenever he was stressed. There was no man tougher than his father, no man he admired more.

  “Non, I’m happy here. Can’t imagine living anywhere else.” But this wasn’t about him. “It is harder on her. Whether we
meant to or not, we’ve all hovered over Amy her entire life, protecting her.” Slender and blonde, she was the epitome of a woodland fairy. Her sparkling green eyes held the secrets of the world. Her smile lit up every room she entered. Her laugh lifted the darkness. But those smiles had become less frequent this past year.

  He held up his hand before the men could protest. “I didn’t say it was wrong, but it is the truth. We’re male wolves. We’re protective and domineering by nature. While we recognize and respect the strength of the women—”

  “If you know what’s good for you, you do.”

  Etienne grinned at his mother. “You taught me well.” Sylvie Rollins had lived through events that would have broken most people—male or female. The jagged white scar on her right cheek was a testament to the brutality of her past but did nothing to mar her beauty. She’d been forged by the fires of adversity. There was no other woman he admired more.

  Or there hadn’t been.

  There had to be a way to make them understand. “Rightly or wrongly, I have more freedom than she does. So does Nicholas and Aaron.” Those were the alpha’s sons and his best friends. If they wanted to blow off steam at the local bar, they did. No questions asked. They wanted to take a few days and go hunting and camping. No problem. If Amy wanted to get away, someone had to go with her. For such an independent soul, it had to be frustrating as hell.

  “If you try to force her to come home, she’ll dig in her heels. She’s stubborn when she sets her mind on something.”

  “She’s like her daddy in that way.” Cherise swiped the tears from her face. “You’re her friend. What do you suggest?”

  Heart pounding, Etienne laid out his plan. “I’ll go. I’ll find her.” Failure was not an option. “I’ll talk to her. Find out what it will take for her to come home.” To him. “But I won’t force her.” That would only succeed in driving a wedge between them.