Moon Madness by Mina Carter
Copyright 2008 Lyrical Press, Inc.

  • Moon Madness
  • Mina Carter


    • "You're going into heat."

    "Well thank you Captain Obvious!" Werewolves had an excellent sense of smell. That she was almost in heat would be obvious to any wolf with a nose on their face. "Is that what you hauled your hermit ass out of the wilds for? Because if it is, you can just damn well high-tail it back."

    He didn't deny it, just watched her, all amusement gone from his expression. Still working out the lay of the land, she realized. Braving the heat of the car she slid behind the wheel and started the engine. The temperature inside the small vehicle was barely tolerable, but she didn't care. She didn't want to discuss going into heat with anyone, never mind a walking fantasy like Cade.

    "You have a mate then?"

    He refused to relinquish his hold on the car door. Penny eyed him for a moment, trying to work out if it was jealousy tinting his voice. It couldn't be. Cade had never shown an interest in her before. He'd always been on the outskirts back in Roakestown, always on the edges of the pack but never a part of it.

    She'd often wondered why Johnathon, the old pack Alpha, had put up with a rogue in his territory. Big Jimmy, the new Alpha, and his thugs wouldn't. Then someone had clued her into the family history. Cade was Johnathon's son, exiled from the pack years before for something no one would talk about. He'd gone into the army. After his tour was finished, he occasionally drifted back into the territory. Even though the argument was long in the past, Cade had always refused any attempt by Johnathon at reconciliation, preferring his solitary existence. Now, it was too late.

    She pulled harder on the door, the two werewolves playing a bizarre game of tug of war until the inhuman strength involved threatened to buckle it. Penny let go as she felt the panel start to give. She should know better by now. Hadn't she ruined enough doors and other things when she'd first been turned to know to watch her strength? And Cade had no excuse, he'd been born a wolf, had had his whole life to get used to it.

    "It's taken care of, thank you," The evasion slid off her tongue easily. He didn't need to know about her plans. A female wolf's heat was a very personal thing, and if she chose to spend it in solitude rather than let it force her into sleeping with a guy just to satisfy an animal urge, then that was her decision.

    But she wasn't prepared for the flash of rage that crossed his features, so quickly masked she wondered whether she'd seen it at all.

    "Who is it?" he demanded, his voice tight with control. "That human? Ha! He's far too delicate, you need a wolf in moon fever honey, nothing else'll do."

    "What I need is none of your damn business!" She pushed the door wider in a sudden movement. It worked. Taken by surprise, Cade stumbled back a step and released it.

    Penny pulled it shut, leaning her arm out the open window as she looked up at him. "Just piss off and leave me alone Cade, I don't need you or any other wolf."