Who knew that tasting the human...

ONCE UPON A WOLF

COMING APRIL 11

Blurb: 

Hawk is alone, hiding from the world, living in a tiny, rickety cabin his grandfather built. He has few supplies and fewer yet of the skills needed to survive on his own, but because of what he did, because of what his father caused him to do… well, there’s just no other choice.

But then one day “Ghost” shows up. A large lone wolf who begins to “take care of” Hawk. He brings him game, he protects him from predators, and he even pulls him from a raging river. He is Hawk’s only friend and Hawk begins to talk to ghost as if he is human and can understand.

Except Ghost isn’t human.

Yes, Ghost has filled a void in Hawk’s life, and he is very grateful, but he is a wolf and Hawk needs the company of a human. In fact, Hawk is desperately lonely, to the point he even tells Ghost he longs for the touch of a man, the first time he has ever said such a wicked thing out loud.

Then one full-moon night a large, beautiful naked man breaks into the cabin and grabs Hawk, looming over him like he wants to eat him alive. At first Hawk is terrified, but then he realizes the stranger has Ghost’s amazing golden eyes... 

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Coming April 11 - Once Upon a Wolf

Once Upon a Wolf - Excerpt

Hawk

The door to his cabin slammed open.

Hawk shot up on the bed and spotted a man standing in the doorway. Back-lit by the full moon, Hawk could tell the man was huge.

The man was also naked, carrying something in one hand.

And he was growling.

Hawk was on his feet but there was nowhere to run. The only escape was through the very door the large man was standing in. Thinking briefly about it now, March had made a big mistake not putting in a second way out of the cabin.

“What do you want?” Hawk cried out. He was frightened now, silently praying for the wolf to return and save him one more time.

“Ghost…want Hawk…” came the reply as the man’s nose went up, sniffing the air.

Had he heard the stranger correctly? The words were slurred, as if the man who said them had been deep in the cider. “W… what?”

The man took a step into the cabin, then shut the door. “Want – Hawk.”

His words were clearer, as if saying them for the second time was easier. A thought started to form. “Who…who are you?”

With the door closed and the bright moonlight blocked out, Hawk could begin to see slight details on the stranger. The low light of the fireplace helped with that along with the same bright moonlight pouring in from some of the small windows. Dark hair, and lots of it. Not only on the top of his head, but on his chest. Wide chest and thick thighs and just a hint of something large sticking out from in front of him.

The man pointed to himself. “Ghost,” he said. Then he pointed to Hawk and took another step toward him. “Hawk.”

Could it be? No! He had to be hallucinating. This man could, in no way, be Ghost, the wolf. Had he truly changed into a man? Exactly what Hawk had been wishing for all this time? Wishes of that magnitude just did not come true. They couldn’t. It was not sane to even think about.

But, of course, Hawk had never been accused of being sane anyway. Quite the opposite, in fact. Not only that, but the man smelled like Ghost. That wonderful heady amazing fragrance was Ghost. But…how? Except Ghost had magic so…maybe.

Or he could be dreaming.

He noticed Ghost was carrying something, a container of some kind. It actually looked familiar. Then he remembered. It was one that Hawk had seen that very afternoon.

The jelly? Oh! It was the jelly!

“How…” But Rufus and Jeremiah had been in a hurry to leave as well. Perhaps they were unable to grab the container when they did. It also proved that this was indeed Ghost.

Ghost dropped the container and came forward, taking a hold of Hawk’s shoulders. “Fingers,” he said, his stubbly face coming near as he bent over Hawk. “Fingers,” he repeated in a whisper as he moved his hands down Hawk’s arms, then up his back, pulling Hawk close. Hawk hadn’t really thought about the fact Ghost had skin of his own until that moment. It was glorious. Hawk wrapped his arms around Ghost and leaned against the bigger man. The skin on skin had an immediate effect on Hawk, one that wasn’t missed by Ghost. Hawk heard him inhale as he grabbed the hair at the back of Hawk’s head, while the other hand engulfed Hawk’s right nether cheek. “Hawk is mate.” He growled again. “Hawk is mine!”

Once Upon a Wolf

Hawk is alone, hiding from the world, living in a tiny, rickety cabin his grandfather built. He has few supplies and fewer yet of the skills needed to survive on his own, but because of what he did, because of what his father caused him to do… well, there’s just no other choice.

But then one day “Ghost” shows up. A large lone wolf who begins to “take care of” Hawk. He brings him game, he protects him from predators, and he even pulls him from a raging river. He is Hawk’s only friend and Hawk begins to talk to ghost as if he is human and can understand.

Except Ghost isn’t human.

Even so, Ghost has filled a void in Hawk’s life, and he is very grateful, but he is a wolf and Hawk needs the company of a human. In fact, Hawk is desperately lonely, to the point he even tells Ghost he longs for the touch of a man, the first time he has ever said such a wicked thing out loud.

Then one full-moon night a large, beautiful naked man breaks into the cabin and grabs Hawk, looming over him like he wants to eat him alive. At first Hawk is terrified, but then he realizes the stranger has Ghost’s amazing golden eyes... 

Coming soon
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Once Upon A Wolf - Excerpt 2

(temporary cover)

Once Upon a Wolf - A First Shifters Story

(Former working title "Hawk's Spirit")

(Spirit's name has been changed to Ghost)

Unedited excerpt

This was the first winter Hawk spent by himself. Thankfully it had been a mild one. He had brought as many supplies with him as he could when he came to the cabin three months earlier. Even so, sooner or later he was going to have to consider venturing back into that small town at the bottom of the mountain, the town he came from, to buy more. Even though doing something like that might be a death sentence. 

But meat, he had been under the belief, he could provide for himself.

Not that he was a great hunter. Quite the opposite. At least that was what his old man had said countless times and to anyone who would listen.

“That kid got no aim. No aim at all. Totally worthless piece of shit, that boy.”

No, March Grayson was not proud of his son in any form, shape or matter. And that was even before the man learned Hawk had no attraction to women. Prior to that, Hawk could count on getting a beating for every tiny infraction, of which were countless. A good number of those infringements were unavoidable. As in how much work Hawk could possibly get done all by himself in the morning before March got up. In most cases, if all the chores were not complete, if there was anything left for March at all, Hawk could count on receiving some bruises. And Hawk learned early on, he only got a worse beating if he outran the old man, which was easy to do, since the only real physical activity March got was kicking Hawk’s ass.

Then there was March’s craziness.

“Milk the oldest cow first, idiot. How stupid can you be?”

When Hawk attempted to avoid March's wrath by complying, March changed his mind.

“Why the fuck you milking that old cow first for? You don’t fucking listen to me, boy!”

But, of course, it never mattered that he would follow the old man’s insane directions or not. There were always problems. From too much rain, or too little, to it being too cold in the house, to the missing chicken leg out of the icebox that March himself ate in a drunken haze, somehow it was always Hawk’s fault. 

“You’re too fucking stupid, boy. You got shit for brains.”

“Came from you, didn’t I? I am your fucking son, after all!”

However, talking back earned him not only a beating. The old fucker cut his meals off for two solid days. According to his father he was an ungrateful son of a bitch and he was damn lucky he didn’t sell Hawk’s sorry ass into slavery.

But after his father caught him canoodling with a neighbor boy, his father’s word, not Hawk’s, the old fart couldn’t even look at Hawk much less touch him.

Which was just fine with him.

Hawk moved out after that, finding sanctuary with Tom Meyer, the man who owned the feed mill. He worked his ass off for old man Meyer for room and board, living above the mill in a tiny, dusty room. Thankfully the fact he was “not right in the head” didn’t follow him since his father had a reputation to uphold. How do you explain your one and only son turning evil and immoral? He might just lose his status down at the local bar if anyone important found out the truth. Hell, they might think March, himself, was something unnatural. The asshole wasn’t too happy with the fact Hawk was no longer free labor or a handy punching bag. But evidently that was easier to explain to his drinking partners than taking the risk of having something sinful and sick lurking under his roof.

Again, just fine with Hawk. As fucked up as his life had been, he had no love for the man who had once claimed him as son.

A man who was dead and gone now. Murdered, some might say.

Hawk shivered.

Water under the bridge.

Hawk stoked the fire in the outdoor fire pit. He had skinned, gutted and skewered the rabbits and was slowly roasting them, allowing the aroma to spread far and wide. He knew that was probably unwise as well, attracting far more sinister creatures than Hawk was prepared for. But other than that morning, he hadn’t caught sight of Ghost all day. He found he was missing the big animal’s company. Plus, Hawk was hoping to share the gift.

Suddenly he heard a rustling noise in the woods to his left near the cabin. He rose to his feet expecting Ghost to come padding into the clearing, but it wasn’t the wolf. Instead it was a very large grizzly.

 “Oh no,” Hawk whispered regretting he had not been more cautious. The second he thought about the fact he might have been doing something less than intelligent, like personally inviting a monster bear to dinner, he should have brought his gun closer. Right now, his rifle was laying up against the wall near the front door, about twenty feet away. Hawk knew that if he dashed for it, the bear would attack. But it appeared like he wasn’t going to have much of a choice since the bear knew exactly where he needed to come in order to consume the meal it had smelled, and now it had spotted Hawk. This early in the season the bear had to be a male; probably just out of hibernation and hungry. The problem was, the rabbits would only whet its appetite. In fact, the bear most likely wasn’t even thinking about rabbits for dinner anymore. 

Because Hawk was now on the menu.

As the bear lumbered quickly toward him, Hawk began to step back. He knew he would never make it to his gun since he had to run toward the bear to get it, but it was his only hope.

Unexpectedly, Ghost burst from the forest with a terrifying howl, leaped to the back of the bear, and ferociously bit into the bear’s neck. As shocked as Hawk was, he realized he now had time to get to his gun. He turned from the fight just as he saw the bear pitch itself around, flipping Ghost with him. Hawk grabbed his weapon and whipped around, Ghost now underneath the bear, a large paw holding him to the ground. The bear’s enormous jaws had opened and were descending on the wolf.

Even knowing his poor accuracy record, Hawk still aimed and shot toward the bear, hoping to frighten it away at best and gain its attention at least.

But the bear scarcely glanced at Hawk, too caught up in dealing out death to Hawk’s precious Ghost. However, the blast made it hesitate, and in that instant, Ghost was somehow able to fight off the huge paw that held him down. On his feet, Ghost put himself in-between the bear and Hawk, once again lunging for the neck of the animal. It was almost as if Ghost’s intent was to protect him. But even a wolf the size of Ghost could not possibly hold off that gigantic and hungry of a bear. And in answer to Hawk’s frantic thought, the grizzly twisted its body and threw a thick arm around Ghost’s middle. Pulling tight, it knocked the air right out of Ghost, making him vulnerable again to the bear’s powerful jaws.   

Hawk had only one more second to save his friend.

Running closer as he leveled his gun, this time aiming for the grizzly’s head, Hawk squeezed off another round. But instead of the fatal shot he had hoped for, Hawk missed and only ripped an ear.

Thankfully, it was enough.

The bear let out a pained roar and gave up the fight. It lumbered off into the black forest, bellowing its agony.

Hawk ran for Ghost who dropped to the ground.

“Ghost! Ghost, are you all right?”

He was bleeding in several places but none of them appeared life threatening. Still, Hawk needed to get him to safety. The bear sounded like it had scurried up the mountain but there was no guarantee it would stay gone.

Hawk gazed into those beautiful eyes that seemed to understand Hawk was trying to help him. “I’m going to get you inside the cabin,” he announced. Ghost huffed and closed his golden eyes. Hawk smiled as he removed his coat and spread it on the ground. Next, he moved Ghost as gently as he could to rest on top of it. “You’re too big for me to carry. But I think I can pull you. Try not to move too much.”

It took only a few minutes to get Ghost safely inside the cabin and near the crackling fireplace. Hawk added more wood to brighten the darkness, so he could better assess the wounds. Surprisingly, the bleeding had all but stopped, as if the wolf had called upon some magic healing power. Hawk still cleaned the cuts and scratches gently and thoroughly, though, marveling that Ghost allowed it even after Hawk knew there were at least a few times his ministrations had to be painful. After wrapping the worst of the wounds, Hawk sat back. “There. Good as new,” Hawk declared into the quiet of the cabin. Once again Ghost huffed but stayed still.

“Want something to eat? We still got those rabbits you caught cooking over the fire. I suppose it’s what brought the bear.” Ghost whined at that. Hawk chuckled. “Yeah, not the smartest thing I’ve done. Rabbits may be more than well done, too, at this point, but still edible.” Hawk waited as if the wolf would answer. Then, not even receiving a “huff” Hawk rose and headed back outside to grab the skewer of meat. When he returned to the fireplace the wolf had sat up as if he indeed had understood. Hawk smiled as he grabbed a large plate from the kitchen and sat on the floor in front of Ghost, setting the steaming rabbits on the plate to cool. After a couple of minutes, he tore off a portion of one and handed it to Ghost.

Ghost gazed at him with what could only be thankfulness in those eyes. He cocked his head, then nosed the meat back at Hawk as if saying Hawk needed to take the first bite. In wonder, Hawk did just that. He bit off a morsel into his mouth then once again held the piece toward the wolf. This time Ghost took it, gently, from Hawk’s hand, gulping it down, as Hank pulled another portion of the meat from the skewer. With every piece Hawk took, he offered another to the wolf. Finally, full and content, Hawk gave the rest over to the wolf.

“I’m full. Thank you for providing the meal. Thank you, also, for sharing it with me.”

The wolf glanced up at Hawk and damn, if there wasn’t that smile again.

Excerpt from HAWK'S SPIRIT - The First Shifters Series

Ever wonder how the first Wolf Shifter came to be? 

Working Blurb: 

Hawk is alone, hiding from the world, living in a tiny, rickety cabin his grandfather built. He has few supplies and fewer yet needed skills to survive on his own but because of what he did, because of what his father caused him to do… well, there’s just no other choice.

But then one day “Spirit” shows up. A large lone wolf who begins to “take care of” Hawk. He brings him game, he protects him from predators, and he even pulls him from a raging river. And Hawk has begun to talk to Spirit as if he is human and can understand.

Except Spirit isn’t human.

Yes, Spirit has filled a void in Hawk’s life, and he is very grateful, but he is a wolf and Hawk needs the company of a human. In fact, Hawk is desperately lonely, to the point he even tells Spirit he longs for the touch of a man, the first time he has ever said such a wicked thing out loud.

Then one full-moon night there is a large, beautiful naked man at the cabin door claiming he is Spirit. At first Hawk is terrified but then he realizes the stranger has Spirit’s amazing golden eyes... 

Chapter One

He was a lone wolf. After those first few times seeing him, Hawk figured he had to be. The animal certainly was big enough to survive alone. Obviously strong, stealth. Even though those eyes were beautiful, eerily golden, they seemed defiant, alpha-like. His thick coat was very dark, even black, but still Hawk called him Spirit. The name came from how fast the wolf could move because he would suddenly be there, standing and silently watching. And then, just as suddenly, be gone.

Spirit had been hanging around the cabin for a number of weeks now. He wouldn’t come close but Hawk did not mistake that for being timid. He didn’t even think it was caution. Hawk knew the wolf was fully aware he could rip out Hawk’s throat long before he even aimed his gun, much less squeezed the trigger. So, no, it wasn’t any form of fear on the wolf’s part.

Hawk actually had the belief the wolf was trying hard not to scare him.

And, honestly, it truly had been tense that first time Hawk saw Spirit. Hawk had finally been able to bring down a small deer and had dragged it to the cabin where he gutted and cleaned it. There was still snow on the ground and it had been Hawk’s first real kill out there all by himself and he had not been careful. Young and fucking stupid, his father would say. Not that he really cared anymore for what that ass hole had ever thought. Still, the blood trail he left could have been followed by a blind man.

Spirit really had been fierce that day, baring his particularly sharp canines, growling and howling, doing a little dance all around the perimeter as if he would attack at any moment. Except he stuck to the edge of the woods, never coming all the way into the small clearing where the cabin and Hawk were. As nervous as Hawk had been that he had unwelcome company, he eventually went about his business of butchering the deer. If Hawk was going to die then he would die. But if the wolf let him live he was going to need the meat. He offered the entrails to the wolf, not that he looked hungry in the least. He just figured if he shared the bounty he might end the day alive.

And he did.

Hawk wasn’t sure if the wolf ate the offering or not, he never saw him do it, but the mess was gone the next morning.

When Spirit showed up a few days later, Hawk once again offered him raw meat. This time Hawk watched as the wolf sniffed at it, picked it up, seemed to nod in Hawk’s direction, then it loped off into the deep woods.

Huh, Hawk remembered thinking. I just might have made a friend.

For the next several days the wolf continued to visit but stayed to the edge of the woods. He seemed to be watching Hawk’s every move as he chopped wood for the fireplace, did minor repairs on the cabin and attempted to hunt small game.

Spirit even followed when Hawk checked his traps. Unfortunately, Hawk really had no idea how to be a trapper. His old man had the traps hanging in the barn so Hawk had taken them. The small amount of money he was able to find wouldn’t last long so trapping and being able to offer animal hides for trade, would be his only means of support.

Day after day, the wolf would come and sit at the edge of the forest to the point Hawk looked for him each morning. He would nod in acknowledgement, and the wolf seemed to do the same. Most of the time Hawk would go about his chores of surviving another day in the wilderness but sometimes he would just stand and stare at the wolf. He was simply gorgeous and something amazing to look at. Hawk was even finding himself wanting to get closer. What did his fur feel like? Would those shoulders really come to Hawk’s waist? But each time Hawk would try, Spirit would disappear.

After they were well into the third week of the wolf being an off and on again companion, and after yet another disappointing string of empty traps, Hawk stopped and regarded the wolf. He, too, had stopped and was standing about ten feet away, the closest he had ever come.

It was probably just a symptom of his isolation, or maybe he really was as crazy as his old man had kept telling him, but Hawk began to talk to the wolf as if he could understand.

“Well, Spirit, another tripped and empty trap but not any blood as if it were set off on purpose. It’s almost as if the animals know what this is and how it works. Do you think something like that is possible?”

The wolf only turned to him, cocked his head to the side and sat.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Hawk chuckled. “I have to tell you, though. This is mighty suspicious. I haven’t gotten anything in my traps. They’ve been like this since I came up here which is a little problematic because that deer I took won’t last forever.”

Spirit chuffed as if in agreeance.

“I’ve certainly seen plenty of fox. Maybe you have, too? That tells me there’s game. Hell, these tracks tell me that.” Hawk sighed. “However, I won’t fill my belly by continuing to stare at bare traps.” Hawk shook his head. “But I might just as well pretend they’ll yield something in the future and reset them.”

Which Hawk did. He walked from trap to trap and reset them, being careful to wipe away his scent on each one, even though he wore thick gloves, explaining every detail to the wolf. When he arrived back to his cabin he turned to see that Spirit had once again stopped at the entrance to the forest.

“Come on. There’s still meat. I’ll share.” Hawk wondered if he stood his ground this time, if he could somehow get next to the wolf. Something in him strongly yearned to simply touch him, gaze closer into those golden eyes, feel his breath on his face.

Spirit took a step, glanced around quickly before taking a few more. He gazed up at Hawk as he very slowly padded toward him. Hawk’s heart was beating hard. He wasn’t sure what the wolf had in mind. Probably not the same thing Hawk did although he didn’t think the animal meant him harm. He also didn’t appear hungry. But, a free meal was a free meal.

Except the wolf stopped and sat about halfway. After a few moments, Hawk smiled. It was clear Spirit wrote his own rules and Hawk’s desire to be nearer to the large animal was not going to be granted this time. If ever. When it was apparent Spirit was not going to give him another inch, Hawk turned, walked over to the large tin lock box near the front door, undid the lock, reached inside and pulled out another venison slab covered in cloth. He unwrapped it and walked slowly toward the wolf, holding the meat out in front of him.

“Like I said, Spirit. This deer was small to begin with and I had to go pretty far into the woods to get it. I’m just lost as to why, even though there seems to be game, I can’t find it in this part of the forest.”

He stopped ten feet from Spirit, keeping his eye on the beautiful animal, then laid the chunk of meat down on the melting snow.

“But no matter. I’ll still share.”

Amazingly, the wolf seemed to chuckle, shaking his head. Hawk couldn’t help but believe Spirit just might have been amazed Hawk had once again given him meat.

Or fucking stupid.

But Spirit still walked up to the offering after Hawk stepped back and sniffed the piece of venison. He had glanced up at Hawk with what Hawk thought looked an awful lot like gratitude. Then he picked up the chunk and trotted back into the woods.

Hawk had been disappointed he hadn’t gotten closer but wondered if indeed the wolf actually understood that Hawk was sharing not from bounty but from poverty. 

That thought truly hit home when the next morning there had been two fat rabbits lying dead on his doorstep. Hawk had quickly scanned the forest’s edge to find the wolf. Sure enough, Spirit had been there watching him. With what he knew had to be shock on his face, Hawk pointed at the rabbits, trying to ask the wolf if he had provided them. The wolf seemed to nod. Then he turned and once again disappeared leaving Hawk to contemplate the fact that the damn wolf looked like he had actually smiled at him.

Hawk nodded then, too, picking up the unexpected welcome gift. “Thank you,” he called out, hoping the wolf was still within ear shot. Not that he thought Spirit would totally understand him but he was getting the impression the wolf comprehended a whole lot more than really should have been possible.

And it made him happy. It meant he was no longer alone.