Lure of Oblivion Read online

  Table of Contents

  Unnamed

  ALSO BY SUZANNE WRIGHT From Rags THE DARK IN YOU SERIES Burn Blaze Ashes THE DEEP IN YOUR VEINS SERIES Here Be Sexist Vampires The Bite That Binds Taste of Torment Consumed Fractured THE PHOENIX PACK SERIES Feral Sins Wicked Cravings Carnal Secrets Dark Instincts Savage Urges Fierce Obsessions THE MERCURY PACK SERIES Spiral of Need Force of Temptation

  Unnamed

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Text copyright © 2017 by Suzanne Wright All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake Romance, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake Romance are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542049726 ISBN-10: 1542049725 Cover design by Katie Anderson

  For you. Yes, you. I almost said “Ed Sheeran”—I’m in a weird mood.

  CONTENTS 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 CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  CHAPTER ONE Gwen Miller slammed her foot on the deck, bringing the swing to a halt. They were here again. She could hear their footsteps rustling the high grass as they muttered complaints about the scents of marsh gas, salty water, and humid air. She sighed and rubbed her temple. God, she was too tired for this shit. Making as little noise as possible, she rose from the wooden swing and padded down the boardwalk that ran over the marsh, protecting her feet from the muddy soil and water pools. She stuck to the thickening shadows as she crept closer to her home. And there they were. All three males were nineteen, but she couldn’t help thinking of them as boys, even though they were built like linebackers and had proved they were capable of seriously sick shit. Apparently, they weren’t getting the message that they needed to keep their asses away from her damn house. That was unfortunate. She slipped her hand into her pocket and threaded her fingers through the knuckle stun gun in her po

  CHAPTER TWO If you’re so innocent, why didn’t you call me or come to the station last night to report the incident?” challenged Colt. Leaning back in her rocker with her legs propped up on the wooden rail of the porch, ankles crossed, Gwen lifted a brow. “And the point of that would have been . . . what, exactly? You wouldn’t have done any, you know, police work.” The sheriff perched his hands on his narrow hips. He was a good-looking guy. Broad and rugged. He was also a high-and-mighty bully who needed a good bitch slap . . . and to have someone stick an oyster fork in his eye because, you know, it would just be fun to watch. His nostrils flared. “Unless you want to find yourself in lockup, don’t question my ability to do my job. Brandt claims that you attacked him with a bat, so that may well happen anyway.” “Attacked him? The bat barely clipped his jaw.” Okay, that was an understatement, but whatever. “Then how do you explain all his injuries?” “He was already hurt when he got here.

  CHAPTER THREE Later that day, acting on Yvonne’s recommendation, Zander and Bracken headed to Half ’n’ Half for dinner—a place owned by Yvonne’s future son-in-law. The moment he strolled inside, Zander understood the name. The dimly lit place was half bar, half pool hall. Unlike the last pool hall he’d been to, it wasn’t dingy or fogged by cigarette smoke. There was a slight smell of tobacco, but it was drowned out by the scents of beer, leather, oiled wood, and food grilling. Rows of pool tables lined the left side of the wide space, where there were also plenty of stools and small round tables. On the right side was a long bar, a wall-mounted TV, cushioned booths, and wooden tables. Sports paraphernalia and framed photos lined the wood-paneled walls of the entire space. The place was fairly crowded, but not enough for Zander to feel smothered. Most patrons were either sitting at tables watching the game airing on the TV or gathered around the pool tables. There was a lot of cursing a

  CHAPTER FOUR Having finished their pancakes, Gwen and Marlon cleaned up their mess so they could prepare breakfast for the guests. The kitchen was pretty spacious, with oak cabinets, a large pantry, stainless-steel appliances, and the wooden island in the center. As she swept the crumbs from the counter into her hand, careful not to drop any on the tiled floor, Yvonne walked in. “Morning, darlings.” Yvonne beamed. “Where’s Donnie?” “He came by a half hour ago,” said Marlon. “I offered him breakfast, but he said he was still stuffed from the squirrel he snacked on last night. He went to his cabin.” “Well, of course he ate a squirrel as a late-night snack,” said Yvonne drily. “Who doesn’t?” She sighed. “I need to speak with him. I shouldn’t be long.” “We’ll be fine here,” Gwen assured her. Casting them a sunny smile, Yvonne disappeared out the back door. Marlon shook his head. “Like we don’t know when she’s fake-smiling. She always gets like this around Asshole’s birthday. I don’t know w

  CHAPTER FIVE When the doorbell chimed, Gwen’s stomach rolled. And she hated that. She shouldn’t be anxious in her own home. She shouldn’t react so strongly to the simple matter of someone being at the freaking door. Although she very much doubted it was Brandt, since he surely wasn’t stupid enough to announce his presence, she nonetheless slipped her hand into her pocket and fished out her knuckle stun gun before opening the front door. Her shoulders relaxed when she saw a familiar female who was biting her lip. Stepping inside, Julie wrapped her arms around Gwen. “I know you didn’t want me coming here in case I got caught in any cross fire, but I had to see you. Chase won’t like it, but you’re my sister.” She glanced around, almost as if she expected him to jump out any second. She didn’t fear Chase, but she disliked disappointing him. “Let me just shut the door.” Gwen closed it, tucked her stun gun in the pocket of her jeans, and then led her sister into the spacious living room. “Yo

  CHAPTER SIX At the end of Gwen’s shift, Zander drove her home with Bracken riding shotgun again. Back at the B&B, they all parted ways, and Zander went straight to his room. He made himself a coffee and sat on the balcony, but he couldn’t relax. He felt irritable and restless. The same tension rode his wolf, who paced within him, feeding Zander’s edginess. He closed his eyes, seeking calm and peace. He concentrated on the feel of the light breeze on his skin and the sounds of the crickets and— “Zander.” The floaty whisper was accompanied by the brush of fingers across his forehead. Eyes snapping open, he jumped to his feet. No one. Like last time, there was no one there. And, just like last time, he didn’t feel alone. Deciding to go for a run—no, he wasn’t freaked out and fleeing from nothing—Zander headed downstairs. But he didn’t go to the front door. No, he stalked into the kitchen as a familiar scent caught his attention. And there she was, cleaning the coffee maker. Tense now for

  CHAPTER SEVEN Why did she always end up with the cart that had squeaky wheels? Chewing the tiny cube of cake she’d gotten from a sample station, Gwen pushed the half-full cart down the aisle. Zander walked beside her, a silent sentinel. And she . . . well, she was pretty much acting as if she were alone. It was rude, sure, but she suspected that the reason he wanted Bracken to stay behind was so that he could talk about last night. He probably wanted to ensure she understood that the little fumble they’d had in the kitchen didn’t mean anything, that she shouldn’t read anything into it. And how embarrassing would that conversation be? In the car, she’d spoken only to give him directions to the grocery store. She’d stayed quiet, hoping he’d see that she didn’t need a talk, and that she wasn’t mistaking the
fumble for anything other than a drunken mishap. God knew she’d had plenty of those herself over the years. He’d get no judgment from her. Humming along with the music coming through t

  CHAPTER EIGHT Lounging in the rocker on the B&B’s porch later that day with a cold beer in hand, Zander gave Makenna a call and relayed the cougar’s situation. He was glad when she confirmed there would be room at the shelter for Andie if she needed it. He was just ending the call when a small van came toward the B&B. Instantly alert, he slowly rose to his feet. As the van pulled up outside the house, Zander noticed it was a delivery van. Soon, a young male wearing a baseball cap came jogging up the steps and onto the porch with a bag in hand that carried the scents of spicy food. He froze at the sight of Zander, but then the front door opened and a smiling Yvonne stepped out, holding a wad of cash. “Keep the change,” she told the human, who hurried away. Zander followed Yvonne inside, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. Gwen, Marlon, and Bracken looked at the bag with covetous eyes as Yvonne placed it on the table at the center of the kitchen and pulled out several takeout boxes.

  CHAPTER NINE A few days later, Gwen stood at the reception desk, writing down all the cancellations she’d made—it seemed smart not to have innocent people around if the Moores were going to cause more shit. Concentrating on what she was doing would have been a lot easier if she hadn’t had a hard body curled around her from behind while Zander nuzzled her neck. A hand snaked under her shirt and settled on her stomach, warm and possessive, and she sighed. “What are you doing?” Zander traced a circle on her skin with his thumb. “Touching you.” She jerked a little as he nipped her nape. “Well, you can’t.” “Already did,” he rumbled. “Touched you. Tasted you. Fucked you. Multiple times. And I’m gonna do it again.” “I meant, you can’t do it right here. Don’t growl at me, Devlin.” But she was chuckling. “The new guests should be arriving any minute now.” They would be their last guests until after the hearing. “I don’t look very professional with you caging me against the desk.” “But it’s fun.

  CHAPTER TEN She was in a good mood. Mostly because she’d woken to a tongue stabbing inside her. Better than any alarm, in Gwen’s opinion. Of course, she’d known it was an attempt to soften her up so that she didn’t insist on Zander and his pack mates leaving. It hadn’t worked. Really, it was the apology he’d delivered straight after making her come that earned him her forgiveness. It hadn’t been a long, heartfelt apology. It had been quick, straight, and offered no excuses—she respected that, and she preferred it to soppy words. Not that she thought for a single moment that he wouldn’t ever again push her buttons. He’d even do it purposely if he thought it was necessary. He’d continue to shove his way into her business because, as she’d quickly come to learn, Zander Devlin was a nosy and often interfering bastard who had absolutely no quit in him. He might not be a born Alpha, predestined to lead a pack, but he was the typical alpha male that could be found in most species. That meant

  CHAPTER ELEVEN As she slid out of the SUV, Gwen glanced around Mercury Pack territory. There were several vehicles, including a Winnebago, of all things, in the parking lot. Tall, majestic trees were everywhere, creaking with the breeze—all territorially marked by claws. But it was the impressive building in front of her that held her attention. As Zander rounded the hood of the SUV, his wolf stretched within him, happy to be back on his territory, and inhaled the comforting wild scents of nature and home. “This is Nick and Shaya’s lodge. They’re my Alphas.” Gwen gave him an incredulous look. “This isn’t a lodge.” It was huge. Okay, it had that rustic feel going on, but only the second and third levels had timber frames. The first level was made with large stone, and those glass dove windows were not typical of a lodge at all. “Well, we call it the main lodge.” “I wouldn’t have expected the fairy lights.” They hung on the trees around what was more of a mansion. They would look awesome

  CHAPTER TWELVE Zander stretched across the table and took his shot. There was a loud, satisfying smack as the white ball connected with another. Straightening, he watched the second ball smoothly roll across the table and then tumble into a corner pocket. Zander’s mouth curved. Derren tossed him an aggravated look, gripping his cue stick. “I hate playing pool with people better than me.” Sitting on a high stool, watching the game, Ally snorted. “You’re such a sore loser.” “I haven’t lost yet.” They’d claimed the pool table in the far corner, which gave them the best view of the large space. It also allowed Zander to track Gwen’s movements as she worked. Watching her walk around in shorts and a tank top was distracting, to say the least. Still, he was kicking Derren’s ass at pool. But then she bent over to pick up a coaster from the floor, and Zander understandably missed his next shot—it was the black ball, to make matters worse. Derren was immature enough to smirk about it. Zander pro

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN Kenny dabbed his mouth with a napkin and then wiped his fingers. Smiling, he leaned back in his chair and gestured from him to her. “This is nice, isn’t it?” No, it wasn’t. Gwen just looked at him. It was the first time that he’d spoken since they’d chosen a table. They’d eaten in silence as customers chattered, oven timers beeped, cutlery clattered, and frothing machines whirred. The bell repeatedly chimed as more and more people filed in. It was a busy place. Despite the long line to the register, the stainless-steel counter and bistro tables were always clean and clear of crumbs. Kenny had wanted them to meet at a local, upscale restaurant, but Gwen had declined. Instead, she’d chosen this bakery-slash-coffeehouse. She loved the scents here—bitter coffee, donuts, fresh bread, and the various baked goods kept within the glass case. Any other time, she would have dived on her Danish and enjoyed it with relish, but she’d only managed to eat half—and it sat like lead in

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN Joining his pack mates on the flattened grassy area not far from the rear of the house, Zander asked, “Any sign of him?” “Someone’s been creeping around the southern border of the land,” said Derren, “but I can’t be sure it was Rory.” Zander lifted a questioning brow at Bracken. “What did you see?” “There were some wolf paw prints on the eastern side,” began Bracken, “and they were too big to be those of a full-blooded wolf. My guess is that it was Rory.” Zander clenched his jaw. His blood boiled at the thought of his brother anywhere near Gwen. It had been more than a week since Rory had tried to take her, and they’d checked the land daily for signs that he’d been nearby. Today was the first time that they’d found any, which likely meant that Rory was done waiting for Zander to hunt him. Shaya had been furious to hear that Rory had harmed Gwen. She’d taken an immediate liking to Zander’s human, apparently. And when Zander had shared that he and Ally were certain that

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN Jaw clenched, Zander drew in a breath through his nose, seeking calm. “I asked her to stay inside.” An amused Marlon bit his lip as he wiped down the kitchen counter. “But did she say that she would?” No, she hadn’t. Gwen had done that thing where she nodded her head, and made an mm-hmm sound. It was a sound that usually meant she was going to do whatever the hell she wanted, which was exactly why he’d pushed her to agree to remain inside until he got back from his morning patrol. Her response had been, “If you need me to stay inside, I’ll stay inside.” Yet, she was gone. “To be fair, she hasn’t exactly gone shopping or anything,” added Marlon. “And there was no way she was ever going to sit around relaxing when she knows she has the hearing tomorrow. She’s actually been pretty calm this past week, all things considered. Plus, she has Ally with her. They only left, like, a minute ago. You could probably catch up with them.” “Where are they headed?” asked Derren. “To see

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN Gwen did her best not to fidget nervously when Derren turned the SUV down a dirt road that led to the building where the hearing would take place. The large piece of territory was bordered by three mountains and had a lot of forested area. “Do the council members all live on this land together?” Beside her, lightly digging his fingers into her skin as he massaged her nape, Zander
replied, “No. It belongs to one of them, Parker Brant.” “He’s the eldest of the four members, right? The one you said is pretty fair and neutral.” “That’s him.” Zander had told her about the council. Harrison Whittle and Landyn Green were also known for being relatively impartial, albeit not quite as diplomatic as Parker. But Emilio Mendes was something of an asshole who didn’t like loner shifters much. It was possible that Emilio wouldn’t give much of a shit about Andie’s attack. Finally, Derren parked the SUV in a little parking lot. Moments later, Marlon’s car whipped up into the space next

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Arriving back at the house, Gwen was surprised to see yet another SUV parked outside. Four people exited the vehicle—two of whom she’d seen before. She did a quick study of the unfamiliar tall, sable-haired female and the huge male at her side with perceptive brindle-brown eyes. As she took in the fluid way they both moved, Gwen was quite sure they were shifters. “What are you guys doing here?” asked Bracken. Jesse snorted. “What do you think we’re doing here? There’s a chance you’ll need backup. We came. And, yeah, I’d like to get my fucking hands on Rory after he sent the cops to Harley’s club.” Gwen waited with her family and Andie while the Mercury wolves and the newcomers exchanged greetings. It was obvious to her that they were all close. Zander turned to her. “Gwen, you remember Jesse and Harley. This is Jaime and Dante. They’re the Betas of the Phoenix Pack.” Gwen gave the new arrivals a quick hello and then introduced her family and Andie. “We appreciate you

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Zander.” The whisper snatched him out of sleep a few nights later. Zander blinked. There was no one there, except for the female sleeping peacefully at his side. Still, tension began to creep into his muscles. Something felt . . . wrong. Like the air was charged with something. The sound of fast footsteps was quickly followed by knuckles rapping on the door. “Zander, we got company coming our way,” warned Derren, urgency in every syllable. Motherfucker. Zander shot out of bed and reached for his jeans. “Ally had a vision? What did she see? Moore?” “Shifters. Lots of shifters.” Zander stilled, frowning. “Shifters?” Fuck. Gwen’s eyes flickered open. “You okay?” Whatever she saw in his expression made her bolt upright, fisting the bed sheets. “He’s here, isn’t he?” “No,” said Zander, watching as she practically leaped out of bed and yanked on a tee. “The bastard must have hired shifters to do his dirty work for him again.” “Z, we have to go,” Derren called out. Gwen swall