Insatiable: Hunter's Moon Book 5

By Rachel E Rice

When Hunter returns to his ranch at the insistence of his father, Wilder Samsa, he doesn’t expect to fall in love. After all it was only yesterday he and his twin brother Devin were chasing deer. He doesn’t even know what love is until he meets Katie, Robert’s younger sister. She introduces him to a world that’s unfamiliar—a world of love and its pleasures. That world is one he wants to stay in, but he will be thrust into a realm of danger he has never known.
Hunter’s only thought is to survive, and return to the love of his life and his family. But will Katie wait for him?
Hunter will learn that time and circumstances has changed him, and he’s no longer the same werewolf. The moon is full and his desire is insatiable.
This is book five of the Insatiable series: Hunter’s Moon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel E Rice
• Release date: Mar 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310152788

Rachel E Rice

Rachel E. Rice enjoys writing in different genres. As an Indie author she explores genres to find her voice. She has written contemporary romance, erotic romance, new adult, historical and science fiction. When she's not writing she is reading poetry. She has a BA and is a member of Romance Writers of America. 

Book preview

Book 6, Moon Tide will lead into The Hunters’ series, where Hunter and his brothers will strike out in search of a life outside of their mother and fathers’ world. 

You will find a list of my books below and more information on Rachel E Rice’s website. Enjoy! 

Fantasy/ Paranormal

Insatiable Series: The Lone Werewolf finds his Mate #1

Insatiable #2 A Werewolf’s Hunger, Insatiable #3 A Werewolf’s Wedding. There are 12 books in this Werewolf Saga Enjoy! For more of my books go to  http://www.rachel-e-rice.com

Copyright

Copyright © 2016 by Rachel E Rice

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. No reproduction of this book part or whole is permitted. This book should not be scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the author’s permission.

Chapter 1

Adisturbing sensation crept over Adrienne. Snuggling close to Wilder, her head lying on his amazing wide warm chest, holding on to his large muscular arms, pulling them close, she lay in the shelter of his love. Feeling secure, Adrienne let out a satisfied breath.

Her restless body moved around, tugging his arms for reassurance. Wilder responded to her by holding her tight. His passionate body merged into hers, carrying warmth and security to her body. The nightmare is over, she thought, but what could be wrong? She was wrapped securely in Wilder’s arms, but her mind was a hostage of Bane, even as she slept under Wilder’s protection.

Her subconscious signaled to her that something was dreadfully wrong. She thought she heard her children calling out her name in her sleep. It sounds like Hunter, her mind said. A mother would know her children’s voices and cries. It was Hunter, not Devin. She moved closer to Wilder, trying to get the reassurance of his body that she and her children were safe, and it was only a dream occupying her unconscious mind.

Adrienne’s agitated movements on Wilder’s body didn’t wake him, and Adrienne couldn’t wake herself from her nightmarish dream. 

The moonlight flowed through the curtains as Wilder held Adrienne tight in his arms, falling into a deep sleep. It had been a week since he had last slept. Over a week since he had slept soundly. He had been tortured by the thought of what Bane had done to Adrienne. It had taken Wilder too long to reach her.

Feeling the warmth of her body caused Wilder to relax. She was near and he was aware that she was safe in his arms. There was no reason for him to fear anything. He had finally rescued Adrienne from Bane, and she and Wilder were far away hidden into the interior of the dense forest of Nevada.

With Wilder’s head lowered to her hair, he sniffed nothing but Adrienne’s scent drowning out the odor of wild animals, and the tall pine trees twisting in the wind.

He smelled the fragrance of her skin. The aroma of fresh flowers found in the meadow of his ranch, but now found in the soap she used to clean her body, before and after they made love.

Her scent reminded him of when he was a child and his mother would bring fresh roses cut from her gardens into their home. He remembered when he first learned that the beautiful roses had thorns, a lesson taught to him by the beautiful roses, and his beautiful mate.   

Wilder didn’t see, hear, or smell anything unfamiliar when the moonlight cast a shadow on Bane skulking into the house, and standing over him at the foot of his bed.

Bane watched Adrienne as she embraced Wilder. Bane watched her lying naked on Wilder’s chest, their bodies as one. Adrienne thrashed about, pulling and tugging at Wilder, not knowing why she felt so uncomfortable, but Wilder just held her close, and never opened his eyes. Exhaustion from the hunt for her and Bane, and worrying about Lycell and Drayton had consumed all his energy, and when he needed it the most, he couldn’t gather it to save his life. Bane stood silent and motionless, trying to decide what to do next.

Before he met Adrienne he would have killed Wilder as he slept, made Adrienne pregnant with his pups, used her up, and given her to the betas to do as they pleased, but he had changed. It was Adrienne who had changed him. He knew if he slayed Wilder in front of her, he could never have her the way he wanted.

So, Bane stood at the foot of their bed, holding his breath, watching them with the pain of a jealous lover.

He wanted to rip Adrienne from Wilder’s arms, but he would have to kill him first. That would have been the easiest thing to do. Yet, he stood over them, thinking about the consequences of his actions. He could have killed them both if it wasn’t for his desire to have Adrienne. He decided that he would wait.

Furthermore, killing Wilder as he slept wasn’t good sport. It was like hunting a sick animal. There was no pleasure in combat with a tired, exhausted Wilder. Bane had his own timeline and plans for him, where Adrienne would witness Wilder’s slaughter, and see that Bane was the strongest and the more acceptable werewolf for a mate.

He thought like a werewolf, and not a man.

Bane had to admit to himself that he had fallen in love with Adrienne. He had never been in love, especially with a human. He looked on them as a necessary distraction when he became tired of werefemales. Then, he would travel to a nearby town, and pick out a willing human female who enjoyed being fucked when he was in werewolf form. She would know the score, and she was willing to take his large cock as he took her the way he wanted—down on all fours. However, now, he wanted something more from this human female lying on the bed. He wanted a family like the Samsas, and he wanted it with Adrienne.

To slaughter Wilder with her looking on, he could never have Adrienne the way he desired—having his pups and loving him. This was a dream for a man was his first thought. Now he wanted to embrace that part of himself, but Bane was a werewolf, a shifter, and no matter how much he wanted to be a man, his wild nature would call to him.

He didn’t realize this when he thought like a man.  

Bane blinked his eyes and snorted, then turned slowly, patiently, and crept out of the door he came in. When he had gone, cold air whooshed over Adrienne, and she heard the cry of her young pups. The pups she had given birth to by Lycell. They had a distinct sound to their voices. It wasn’t the voice of Hunter or Devin this time, these were young voices crying for their mother.

Adrienne sat straight up gazing around, regarding everything in the sparse room, her eyes blinking wildly, waiting for them to focus. She felt a presence, and then she felt the absence of something or someone. Glancing over at Wilder who was still asleep, she became concerned. She had never known him to sleep so hard. It wasn’t in his nature to sleep like that. At first, she thought that he might be dead. Panic showed in her eyes. She looked at her hands, and saw they were shaking. She managed to touch him lightly, checking him for signs of life. There wasn’t any blood. He wasn’t wounded. He’s warm, she thought, but he still didn’t move.

She watched him, waiting for movement. A few seconds passed, and still nothing. Usually, if she was having a bad dream and had been agitated, he would wake, but this time he didn’t. She poked at his arm with her finger and nothing happened.

Hysterically, Adrienne pushed him and jerked his arm, and still he didn’t move. She panicked, pushing him with both hands, she let out the loudest yell she could gather deep in her chest. Wilder! Wilder! Wake up, Wilder, she said, pushing and prodding him, until he turned to face her. His blue eyes opened wide, fixed on her, as if he was seeing her for the first time. Wilder had to get control of his body. It was unusual for him to wake in such a panic and not be ready to fight and defend, especially with a known enemy prowling somewhere.

Wilder recognized his limitation, especially now. He had allowed himself to become fatigued and dog tired, where he was unable to defend Adrienne and himself if he had to.   

What is it, Adrienne? he said, sitting up calmly, not displaying his anxiety and disappointment with himself for falling into a hibernating sleep. He reached for her and brought her down to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. What’s the matter now? Are you sick or hungry? His voice showed concern and patience.

I’m neither. Don’t you smell something? It’s a musk odor, not like yours. It’s as if someone has been in this room. She moved away from him, meeting his eyes. Wilder’s eyes quickly scanned the room. He lifted his nose, taking in the odor of the room, as if he was following an animal’s scent. He sprang to his feet away from the cloak of Adrienne’s scent. How could that smell have escaped him? He tilted his head and jumped to the floor, away from the bed, his eyes darting around the room searching for threats.

We have to go now, Adrienne. You’re in danger, Wilder said, his voice composed, but filled with urgency.

Why, what’s wrong?

That scent you smelled is Bane. Wilder reached for his clothes and pulled up his jeans.

I have to take a bath first. That couldn’t be Bane. He must be hundreds of miles away. She glanced at Wilder for affirmation.

If Bane is traveling as a werewolf, and I suspect he is, then he was here.

This doesn’t make sense. If he was here, why?

Why didn’t he kill me? Wilder questioned. The answer came back. Because it wasn’t good sport. With werewolves it was the hunt that mattered. He hunted us and found us. Very few werewolves would have been able to do that.

But, he could have killed both of us if he had wanted, Adrienne said, looking around.

He didn’t want to kill both of us. Only me. He wouldn’t do it, because you would see him for what he is. And if you saw him kill me in my sleep, he knew that he would never have you completely. He would have to defeat me first in front of you to prove himself to be the better werewolf.

It’s not just you he would have to defeat, and I would never go with him willingly, Adrienne said, holding on to Wilder.

Maybe he doesn’t know that, Wilder said, his eyes locking with hers.

He spared me, because I said I was pregnant.

Wilder tilted his head. Could it be that the werewolf he knew had changed? Adrienne had changed him and Lycell, and it wasn’t inconceivable to think that she wouldn’t be able to do the same with Bane.

This werewolf is not the one I know. I think it had to do with not knowing about Lycell and Drayton. If he thought that they might be dead, he would have killed me on the spot, and taken you with him. But he didn’t know how far away they were. He must have thought that they would have come after you if he attempted anything this soon. Get ready, Adrienne, we have to leave here, now.

I have to leave my home away from home on account of Bane? I was just getting used to the solitude. Can we come back?

No, and a shower is out of the question. I want to keep my scent on you. Adrienne reached for her bra on the chair. Wilder buttoned his flannel shirt. Hurry! You don’t know him, and I wish you would listen to me.

Adrienne climbed out of the bed and walked over to Wilder. She looked up at him into his deep dark blue eyes and held his face in her small hands. I’m listening to you. Her hands caressed his shoulders and slid down to his wrists, then to his wide muscular chest. I’m in the mood for more of the same from last night.

"We can’t. We have to go. If he gets to the ranch before we do, then he