Inflaming Inno
Moon Pack #9

Excerpt

Inno Weston crouched behind the dumpster, his legs trembling as he squatted in a puddle reeking of urine and vomit. Not a scent he longed to bottle and spray on in the morning. But tonight, tonight he'd use it as camouflage until he was certain the mutants were gone. Hell, he'd roll in it if he didn't think it would infect his wound. Surely even psychotic wolf men couldn't smell him through the stench. He didn't know who they were when they first grabbed him, but after watching one man transform from a normal werekin to a frightening creature frozen in a grotesque half-wolf, half-human form he knew what he didn't want to happen to him.

With slow, careful motions he patted his pocket not wanting to cause any noise or call attention to his location. Relief shook him when his fingers brushed across the unbroken vial of serum, the one reason he remained free and unharmed. His escape would've been for nothing if he'd shattered the container during his headlong dash across town. But so far he hadn't let Blake down by breaking his word or the vial.

The mutant, Blake, assisted the scientist at the lab, but for reasons of his own took pity on Inno and paved the way for Inno to escape--if he promised to help get the formula across town. Inno didn't know what he'd have done if he had broken the vial. Returning to his cage in the lab wasn't an option.

For his next trick, he had to find Alpha Silver and pass the sample along. When Blake had handed him the printed formula with the vial, Inno had sworn to take it to the Moon pack. Seconds from becoming a mutant, Inno gratefully snatched at the opportunity to help.

He hoped Silver had the resources to examine the liquid and discover its secrets. From what Inno had heard, Silver had a large pack and Blake sounded confident the Alpha would help.

Standing in the freezing alley, Inno's teeth chattered from cold and shock. If he didn't move soon he'd bleed out from his wounds. Clenching his jaw, he pulled himself farther into the shadows. He didn't have much fighting skill, a fact reinforced when a mutant almost disemboweled him when he ran to escape.

His inner wolf urged him to shift so he could heal. Unfortunately, he didn't have the option of changing forms. He'd promised to get the vial to Alpha Silver, the only shifter who had enough power to possibly stop the mutations. He couldn't keep it protected if he went wolf and lost his clothing.

"Come out, come out little wolf."

The whispery voice sent fingers of fear down Inno's spine. He knew that voice. It belonged to the mutant who almost killed him.

"You need to go back to the lab so you can become one of us. Stronger. Faster. Better."

The man sounded like a commercial promoting the mutant formula. Inno could almost hear the disclaimer at the end, warning people about how the fabulous product sometimes led to insanity or even death.

The lack of sensation in Inno's fingertips meant a bleeding finale might be a real option. He wouldn't need the mutation to achieve his life's end.

A scream pierced the air and echoed across the deep alley.

The noise terrified Inno even more than the previous whispers. Inno didn't want to meet anything tough enough to take out one mutant, much less several. Maybe if he stayed quiet the danger would pass. A shadow, at least twelve feet tall, filled the opposite wall of the alley as the sound of footsteps came closer. Inno pulled himself into a tight ball and closed his eyes to hide their shine.

Please don't see me.

Please don't see me.

He flashed back to his childhood when he hid in the dark from the monster in his closet. Inno's heart hammered against his chest, his stomach churned, and for a moment he worried he might be adding to the volume of the puddle he huddled in. Unfortunately, just as he knew they would, the footsteps paused before him.

"What do we have here?" A voice, richer than a river of chocolate, caressed his ears.

Damn, he would die in this stupid alley and not keep his promise. When the speaker said nothing further but didn't move away, curiosity made Inno lift his head and open his eyes to face his doom. Anyone who said curiosity killed the cat hadn't met a wolf shifter.

Gorgeous.

The word whispered in his head as he examined his bringer of death. The man's skin glowed white and perfect with high cheekbones, a pointed chin, and a lush, kissable mouth. Even the red flames glowing in the depths of the stranger's dark eyes didn't take away from his attraction one bit. Inno shuddered and tried to get closer to the wall, to meld with it if possible.

He needed to get away. To hide from this creature he instinctively knew would be much more dangerous than the mutants hunting him. The panicky urge to run shot through his body. He fought the urge to transform into his beast. He didn't have enough practice controlling the wolf anyway.

Don't shift!

Don't shift!

He thought hard at his wolf half, fighting his inner animal. Struggling against the desire to pick a stronger form.

"Hey, now. I'm not going to hurt you."