Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Rose Swift was hurt. She had witnessed what it was like for real mates, but her mate didn’t even want to know her. So, when she’s asked to deal with the mess an insane doctor had created, she intends to steer well away from Rocco. He is not her mate, nor will he ever be. If only it was easier to deny him.
Rocco wants to keep his distance, but the way Rose smells, the way she looks—it’s like she’s a magnet, and he can't resist.
When one of Dr. Milton’s experiments comes crashing into the pack, there is something different about this one. He’s in control, he’s stable, and above all else, he somehow manages to become good friends with Rose. Rocco convinces himself he's only sticking around to protect her, but being around her is exactly what the wolf ordered.
Is there any way that Rose can forgive him? He will not turn his back on her again.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Prologue
Rocco was pissed off.
There had been several humans infected with the wolf gene and whatever concoction the mad scientist doctor had thought to give to unsuspecting men and women.
He couldn’t believe anyone would be stupid enough to meddle with this kind of shit. Wolves and humans were not meant to be played with. No one should be playing God.
He’d left the pack to take a nice long walk through the forest. The whole pack of Poison had already been for their run, enjoying the full moon to its fullest. He ran fingers through his hair, and stared up at the moon. Instead of enjoying it in his wolf fur, he’d been watching another human succumb to the infection, and the mess. They seemed to get even bloodier than the last ones.
Rocco truly felt they should start killing them to show mercy, not because he wanted to kill humans, but to save them.
With his hands on his hips, he didn’t look away from the full moon. Every single time he struggled with the decisions he needed to make, he looked toward the full moon for answers, but it was rare for any to be granted to him.
There was no answer for the humans that were infected. No answer as to the true extent of Milton’s cruelty. As a pack, they were dealing with the consequences.
He took a deep breath and then he smelled it—the sweetest vanilla, cinnamon scent he’d ever experienced. His wolf’s interest was instantly piqued, and he glanced around the forest, wondering who could own such a beautiful scent.
It was late, or early, depending on the person’s view of day and night. It was close to three in the morning and wouldn’t be long before the sun rose.
He looked around the forest, and it was like he couldn’t hold back. All he could do was put one foot in front of the other, and then the next, and the next, until he stumbled upon … her.
At first, Rocco couldn’t believe it, and then he didn’t want to believe it. Standing in her garden, wearing a long white summer dress, was none other than the recluse, Rose Swift. One of the only cleaners the pack had.
Rocco didn’t know if all packs had people who were able to clean up. In rare, very rare circumstances, there were young wolves going through their first transitions who didn’t make it. There were those wolves that were able to clean up what was left behind.
He knew there might come a time when the club would need to call upon Rose. There was a time when her parents were called as well, but they had long since passed. Rather than join the pack and become part of it, she always stayed on the outskirts, never making friends, never quite joining in. A recluse, and to some, a little too weird for their tastes.
Staring at her now, he couldn’t believe what he was thinking or feeling.
He’d not been around Rose all that much, and now, the scent that was coming from her had to be wrong.
Suddenly, as if her wolf picked up his scent, she looked at him and they stared at one another. She was shocked, as was he.
Rose took a step toward him, but he shook his head.
“No, fucking hell no. You and I, we aren’t ever going to happen.”
Rocco didn’t know if he said anything else as it was all a blur, but he sensed her sadness and her pain.
He’d hurt his mate, but in that moment he knew he didn’t have the time or mindset to care.
Chapter One
“Holy fucking shit,” Rocco said, unable to keep the yell out of his voice as the last spurt of blood spilled out of the latest human-wolf mutation.
Alpha was the closest and got the main spray.
Rocco had lost count now of how many humans were killed in the last few weeks. He was getting tired of cleaning up dead bodies.
“So that didn’t fucking work,” Rocco said.
They had tried everything, from breaking the bones of the humans, to attempting to put them to sleep, to Alpha trying to force the change. There had even been one where they attempted to gather round like a pack to demonstrate what they were changing for. None of it worked. Not a single thing seemed to work, and it was driving him crazy.
He knew the guys didn’t like what was happening. Some of the humans were not even waiting for the full moon to change. They were changing midway through the moon cycle, and it was all totally fucked up. There was no balance.
“Well, was that the last idea you guys had?”
Rocco tensed up as he turned toward the only person who was clean within their vicinity—Rose Swift.
She stood, arms folded, looking around at the debris. Even though she tried not to show that the sight of the blood and a few body parts didn’t bother her, he knew it did. He also knew this woman hated his guts more than anything. Everyone knew she did, but the only two people who knew why were him and Rose.