Page 1 of Fur Ever Wicked
Prologue
Twenty-Seven Years Ago
The full moon hung high in the winter sky, calling to Bjorn. His wolf was on edge, needing to expel the excess energy that had him wound tighter than normal. His body hummed with pent-up majik. His skin felt like it had been stretched too tight over his frame.
Flakes of snow landed gently on his face as he stared up into the night, hoping to find his inner peace. In his youth, he’d loved the majik of Yule, but as an adult, dread filled him as the winter celebration approached and the mating prophecy that he’d grown to fear hung in his mind, leaving him wondering if his mate was nearby.
Apprehension stirred deep inside of him, saturating his spirit with doubt about not only himself but his mate as well. Throughout his existence, he’d been told his life wouldn’t truly begin until he met her.
He found that hard to believe.
His life was filled with family and friends. As the son of the Alpha, expectations rode heavy on his heart and mind. Adding the expectation of finding a mate meant more stress—more worries.
The Fates had decreed, long ago, that every Alpha male at Black Paw Pack would find his mate during the sacred time of year when the dark relinquished its hold on the world, allowing the Sun King, the giver of life, to warm the frozen Earth.
The countdown had begun, and the anxiety kicked in as he wondered if the Fates would indeed send his mate to him.
“A mate,”Bjorn spoke to his wolf, trying to imagine how the whole mating thing worked. His father had told him that his wolf would know their mate instantly.“
Just one scent, son. That’s all it will take for you to know your destiny.”His father’s words lingered in his memories.
Those thoughts, more than any, drove his trepidation about the prospect of mating to a new high. None of it made any sense to the young wolf or the young man. How could one scent impact him or his life so much?
Closing his eyes and filling his lungs with the crisp cool air, he allowed his wolf to charge forward and assume power, needing to let go of the worries he had no control over. Ancient majik swirled around his body, forcing his bones to shift from human form to his animal form. It was a feeling he never tired of.
He felt his face elongate and his canines lengthen. Fur, the color of dark cinnamon, sprouted over his body. A single howl sprang from his snout, calling out to any pack members who were out for a run.
Bjorn tilted his head to listen for a response. Only to be greeted with an eerie silence that hung over the land.
His ears twitched as a twig snapped behind him on the forest floor.
“My, my, what a fine creature you are.”
The mysterious voice belonged to that of a woman who had stepped into the clearing. She lowered the hood of her crimson cloak to reveal flawless porcelain skin, and the most alluring sapphire eyes that he could easily lose himself in.
Her remarkable beauty heated the blood running through his veins. Bjorn sniffed the air around him, confused by her scent. She reeked of a power and majik that was unfamiliar to him.
“Careful.”His wolf warned him away from the woman.
“Such a majestic being. Seeing you change from a man to a beast was most exciting.” The woman smiled, inching closer to where he stood.
A low rumbling growl rose up from his chest, cautioning the woman to stay where she was. She smiled in response, taking a step closer to the wolf.
“I’ve heard the legends about humans who shift into animals. I needed to see for myself, if it was true.”
Bjorn took a step backward when he saw black flames dancing from the woman’s fingertips.
“She’s a witch!”his wolf warned, turning to run.
“Not so fast!” Flames thrust from her fingers, capturing Bjorn in their ethereal glow.
The wolf struggled to move. A crushing weight pressed against him, forcing him to the ground. The powerful witch had them in her clutches.
“Relax, big boy. It would be silly of me to allow such a powerful beastie to escape. Especially when you’re exactly what I need to fulfill the prophecy.”
“We need to warn the pack,”his wolf shouted in his head.
“No! She’ll kill us if we try. Let her think we’re alone for now.”
