Title: Darkness Threatening
Author: Dirk Greyson
Series: Yellowstone Wolves
Genre: M/M, Paranormal Romance, Shifters
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Feb 3 2016
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Fredrik is back from college and trying to stay out of his
power-hungry brother’s way, until his brother takes a prisoner for his
pleasure. Unable to tolerate his family’s cruelty, Fredrik overcomes his fear
to help her escape back to her pack. There, he meets Christopher, and their
instant attraction tells him Christopher is the one. However, since the threat
of his brother remains, Fredrik is reluctant to pursue a relationship.
Christopher is still figuring out his place in the pack and
has been living on his own to avoid making waves with his brother, Mikael. Now
he’s met his soulmate, and he’ll do anything to take care of his love,
including rejoining the pack.
With
coaxing, Fredrik accepts his feelings, and Christopher’s pack gives him the
home he’s never had. But Fredrick soon realizes he should keep running. His
brother is on his tail and will stop at nothing to obtain the power he craves,
especially when he realizes the source of the power could be Fredrik himself.Excerpt
“Everyone, let’s get back to the compound,” Alpha Volokov called, and the pack members moved toward the other vehicles. It was a tight squeeze, but everyone got in. Fredrik wasn’t sure where he should ride, but Alpha Volokov motioned to the front of a Volvo wagon, so he got inside.
“Was Anton really your papa?” a boy of about eight asked from the backseat, sitting next to his brother, Fredrik guessed.
“He was, but he was never much of one,” Fredrik answered honestly.
“He was a bad wolf,” the pup said.
Fredrik turned. The pup had his arms crossed over his chest as though he were daring anyone to argue with him.
“Alexi. Fredrik is a guest,” the alpha corrected him gently.
“Okay, Alpha Mikael. But Anton was still bad.”
“I take it you’re an alpha in training,” Fredrik said to Alexi, who nodded and kept his expression serious.
“He is.” Alpha Volokov kept looking over at him as he drove, probably keeping an eye on him.
“My father was mean and cruel to everyone,” Fredrik said to little Alexi. “I guess I was lucky because I had a mother who wasn’t like that.”
“Anton defeated Alexi and Misha’s father in a challenge,” Alpha Volokov explained, and Fredrik nodded. He’d met plenty of wolves who felt as Alexi did.
“I’m sorry,” Fredrik said to both boys. He was at a loss for words otherwise. What did you say to the pups of someone your asshole father killed in his blind rampage for power? Hallmark sure as fuck didn’t make a card for that.
“We live with Alpha Mikael now,” Misha said. “He’s like our papa, but he isn’t our papa. Not really. So is Alpha Denton.”
Fredrik wasn’t sure what to say about anything. He sat silently and just rode, wondering what he’d gotten himself into.
When Alpha Volokov turned, the road got rougher for a few miles, and then they turned once again and parked in front of a large, rustically-sided house. The other cars and trucks pulled in behind them. Everyone piled out, and more wolves joined in the celebration.
“All right,” a female voice said, cutting through the din. “I have plenty of food. Let’s all go inside.” She had to be the alpha’s mother.
Wolves filed inside, and Fredrik got out of the way. Alpha Volokov remained behind, and a wolf almost as large joined him. They stood close together. They weren’t talking to each other, but they seemed to be communicating. How he knew that, he wasn’t sure; maybe it was the way they stared at each other.
Fredrik turned away when the men embraced and then kissed—hard. Arousal and the scent of passion filled the night. Fredrik stepped back at their intensity. He tried not to become aroused himself, knowing they would be able to scent it. The last thing he wanted was to come between two Alpha mates.
“Fredrik,” Alpha Volokov called after they broke apart. The two of them stood together, still touching each other as though they needed it. Fredrik wondered what having someone like that would be like. “This is Denton, my mate. Denton, Fredrik rescued Jane from his brother.”
Fredrik shook the much bigger wolf’s hand. “I’m sorry my bloodline has caused you and yours so much trouble.”
Both of them stared at him. “That’s an interesting phrase,” Alpha Denton said.
“I know. You would use the term family. Except what kind of family do you think my father had? It wasn’t a family. More like a pack of hyenas, each after what they could get for themselves and always scouting around for someone they could use.” He stepped back. “Look, if you’ll tell me where you want me to stay, I’ll go there and get out of everyone’s way. And if you could arrange to get me to the nearest airport, I’ll get a flight somewhere and be out of your hair as fast as I can.”
“Come on,” Alpha Denton said, motioning to the door.
When Fredrik went inside, he stopped as everyone burst into applause. He looked behind him, and then Jane, now dressed in her own clothes, took his hand and pulled him forward.
“You’re a hero. You saved me.” She actually leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, and a cheer went up once again.
Fredrik blushed fiercely and tried to figure out how he could get out of there. This was way more than what he deserved. Yes, he’d gotten Jane away from his brother, but he’d also been able to escape himself.
“This is my mother,” Jane said, directing his attention to the Amazonian woman he’d seen earlier. She had a hard stare even when she was smiling.
“We appreciate what you did.”
“Everyone, let’s eat before the food gets cold,” Mikael called.
That seemed to be the signal, but everyone waited, staring at the bowls and platters of meat. Fredrik stepped back and waited for the others.
“You’re supposed to go first,” Jane told him.
“Why? I’m not important enough.”
Jane stared at him. “But—”
“Don’t you eat by pack rank?” Fredrik asked.
“Excuse me?” Alpha Volokov said from behind him, and Fredrik jumped slightly.
“The higher-ranking pack members eat first, and then the others follow behind. I was always the lowest-ranking member of the pack because I’m….” He looked down. “Small and not able to fight like the others. So I always got what was left.”
“No,” Alpha Denton said. “We don’t act that way. Everyone is equal and they get what they need. Yes, Mikael and I are the alphas, but what kind of leaders would we be if we always put ourselves and what we wanted first? This is a pack, a family, not a kingdom, so go on and get something to eat.” He smiled.
Fredrik nodded and did as he was told. The food smelled amazing. His stomach growled as he slowly filled his plate. One of the pups stood next to him, grinning when Fredrik looked down at him as he held his plate with both hands. “You want some of this?” He nodded, and Fredrik put some of the potato salad on his plate. Then he took some himself. The rare-grilled beef had his mouth watering and his wolf salivating. He took a piece and gave the pup some as well. He kept smiling, and on second look, he recognized him as the pup from the car, the one who’d been quieter. “Are you Misha?”
“Yes, sir,” he said. “Can I have some corn too?”
“I’ll help him,” a pretty woman said as she hurried over.
“It’s okay. We got to know each other a little in the car.” Fredrik pointed to the macaroni, and Misha nodded.
“Thank you,” Misha said and hurried away to find a place to sit.
Fredrik turned to find an out-of-the-way place for himself. There was a chair near one of the corners, so he sat there, eating quickly.
Conversations between people who knew and cared deeply for one another went on all around him. When he was half done with his food, a group of pups in wolf form raced through the room and ended up in a happy pile.
“Pups,” Alpha Volokov said gently as he opened the door, and they took off outside. “Stay close.” He got yips in response as he closed the door.
Fredrik tried to remember being that happy and carefree. The sad thing was, he really couldn’t. Even at that age, his father had held sway over everything and everyone.
He returned to his dinner and was just finishing when the most amazing scent curled around him, drawing him in like the heat from a flame in the middle of winter. Fredrik looked around, sniffing the air multiple times, trying to figure out where that smell was coming from, but he saw no one new, and it didn’t seem as though anyone had joined the group. He set his plate aside and followed the scent while trying not to look as though he was tracking game, because this was so much better than that. His heart beat a little faster and sweat beaded on his forehead. His eyes shifted to seeing black and white, and his canines descended.
Fredrik had no idea what was happening to him, but he hadn’t lost control of his wolf since he was ten years old and his brother Cass had nearly killed him. His father had been so proud of Cass that he’d taken him away and left Fredrik to try to shift to heal himself. It had taken him hours, and he’d needed the help of his mother to keep from getting stuck in his wolf form.
Dirk is very much an outside kind
of man. He loves travel and seeing new
things. Dirk worked in corporate America
for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of
the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades. He has a Master’s Degree and all the other
accessories that go with a corporate job.
But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he's built. Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old
home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.
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