Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | Her Loner (Shifted Love #8) |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | Fiona Davenport |
| Language: | English |
| ISBN/ ASIN: | B09VGZD3VB |
| Book Information: | |
Thora Ferguson didn’t know shifters existed until she moved to Timber Ridge. But seeing how mates treated each other, she couldn’t help but want one of her own. After a decade as a lone wolf, Rome Coinin didn't expect the pack he joined five years ago would eventually lead him to his mate. But there was no doubting the pretty little chef was fated to be his. And now that he’d found her, nobody was ever going to come between them. | |
| Books in Series: | Shifted Love Series by Fiona Davenport |
| Books by Author: | Fiona Davenport |
Prologue
Rome
Being a loner for a decade had been hard on my wolf. It yearned for the comfort provided by a pack. My animal did not understand why I was cast out after my father was defeated by the alpha when he challenged him for the position after my mother was shot by hunters during a run. He feared I would eventually want to avenge his death…and I couldn’t really blame him. He was probably right. If I’d stayed with my pack as I aged and grew in strength, I would’ve been tempted to follow in my dad’s footsteps at some point. And I would have made damn sure I succeeded where he had failed.
Instead, I roamed the country, moving from state to state until I stumbled across Keane and his small pack in the wilderness. He’d shocked the shit out of me when he’d let me stay in one of the cabins. Even more so when he asked if I wanted to join their pack after being there for a month.
But I never forgot what it felt like to be a lone wolf. When an injured falcon shifter came to us after she’d been tortured for a year, I was plagued by dreams about my time spent on my own. Ramsey had been a loner when she was taken, and her vulnerability reminded me of the time when I had nobody at my back. Which was why I found myself promising her new mate that I would infiltrate the prison where the human was being kept to kill the bastard. He should’ve already been dead, except the alpha of the local pack hadn’t wanted to get involved in the clusterfuck because Ramsey was just a loner he’d allowed onto his territory. The fucker.
Aero couldn’t go after the evil human himself because he needed to stick close to Ramsey during the early stages of their mating. But I had no qualms about throwing myself into the line of fire to make sure she was safe. With no family or mate, if my plan went sideways, there wouldn’t be anyone to mourn me beyond the other five members of my pack. Not that I expected anything to go wrong.
Flashing a wolfish smile at the guard I’d pinpointed as the one most likely to accept a bribe, I yanked an envelope thick with cash out of my back pocket. Removing the bills, I fanned them out so he could see how much I’d brought. “It’ll be the easiest five thousand dollars you’ll ever make.”
His gaze remained locked on the money as he asked, “And all I have to do is get this guy outside in the yard by himself?”
“Yup.”
He looked up at me, but only for a second. The lure of the cash was too much for him. “What’s gonna happen to him?”
My inner animal pushed against my skin, beyond ready to scare the guard into doing what we asked if the bribe wasn’t enough incentive. “Do you actually care?”
The scent of his greed was thick in the air. “Not really.”
“Then all you need to know is that this won’t come back on you in a way your bosses will think you were involved.”
My reassurance was enough for him to reach out and grab the money. The deal had been made, and the bastard who’d hurt Ramsey would be dead soon.
I spent the next fifty-two hours in the forest surrounding the prison, waiting for my opportunity to strike. The inmates had been outside for two hours when the guards started moving them toward the door. The guard I bribed glanced over his shoulder before he stalked toward the human who had captured Ramsey. My moment had finally come.
I called my wolf forward, and cracking and popping sounds filled the air. I dropped to my paws when my human form retreated. My muscles bunched as I crouched low and moved slowly through the tall grass toward the fence topped with electric wires. It was tall enough to keep the prisoners inside, but my wolf would be able to leap over the barrier.
I waited until the other prisoners were led inside while the guard tugged on the bastard’s arm to separate him from the group. My keen hearing picked up their argument as I stealthily approached the fence.
“I didn’t do nothing, man.”
“There are reports of you selling contraband. Turn out your pockets,” the guard I’d bribed commanded.
“What the hell? Talk to Simmons. I’m supposed to have protection from him,” my prey complained.
“Simmons is off today,” the guard snapped, yanking the prisoner close. “I don’t care about your deal with him.”
“I paid him two days ago,” the bastard whined.
“Yeah, well…that’s not my problem. You haven’t paid me shit.”
Even if he had, it wouldn’t have mattered. The five grand I’d given the guard would’ve been more than what my prey could’ve paid him.