Claimed By The Lycan

  Megan Fontaine has been on the run for the last eighteen years, hiding from a crazed Lycan Alpha obsessed with possessing her. Now that her unsuspecting daughter, Caitlyn, is nearing her first Blue Moon as a Lycan, however, she decides to return to Pine River, Minnesota, reunite with her mother, and face the demons that have been haunting her for the past eighteen years.

  Torin Rylan’s mission was to locate Megan Fontaine for a bounty that would help pay his hefty gambling debt. But after an unsuspecting encounter in the woods with the female Lycan, he finds himself wanting to undermine his employer and claim the red-haired beauty for himself.

  Claimed

  By the

  Lycan

  Kristen Middleton

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Copyright ©2015 by Kristen Middleton

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the author.

  As always,

  Thank you to my family

  and friends

  for their support

  and patience

  And thank you, God, for the many blessings in my life.

  Contents

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  Prologue

  It was early October, and the moon glimmered like a luminescent pearl; a seductive view many couples would appreciate during a romantic interlude. Unfortunately, Rachel Parker wasn’t feeling anything near romantic. In fact, she was furious with herself for agreeing to go with Colton Briggs on his so-called “scenic drive.” Although it was only their third date, she vowed it would be the last time she got into a car with him. Not that he wasn’t cute, for a jock, with his crinkly brown eyes and muscles that were certainly swoon-worthy. In fact, most of the girls at Pine River High would kill for a date with him. She would have once killed to have a date with him. But that was before she’d found out what he was really like. The real Colton Briggs was arrogant, self-centered, and his breath almost always smelled of pot, which she thought was almost as repulsive as his personality. Unlike most of the teenaged girls in town, Rachel wasn’t interested in getting high or naked with the star-quarterback, but… she did need him. She wanted to be elected Homecoming Queen and it was pretty obvious that Colton Briggs would be King; without his support, her chances of becoming Queen would be slim to none.

  Some things are worth a few gropes, she reminded herself as his hand slipped inside of her shirt and began fumbling around. He followed it up by thrusting his tongue into her mouth. As she tried to keep from gagging, a howl from the woods nearby startled her.

  “Did you hear that?” she asked, pushing him away.

  Colton pulled her back into his arms. “Nope,” he said, trying to kiss her again. “Relax.”

  Irritated, she slapped his hands away and rolled up her window. “Seriously, I think I heard something. Something that sounded like a wolf.” Her pale blue eyes widened. “Do you think there could be some in the area?”

  He leered mischievously, “I’m the only wolf you’ve got to worry about tonight, sweetheart.”

  Another howl cut through the darkness and she grappled onto his arm. “That was definitely a howl. Don’t tell me you didn’t hear that.”

  Colton threw his head back and laughed.

  Her eyes narrowed. “What in the hell is so funny?”

  “You,” he answered, still smiling. “You should see your face. You look like you’re ready to pee your pants.”

  “Well, I’m glad that you’re amused by all of this.” She let go of his arm and slipped her seatbelt on. “I think it’s time to leave.”

  His smile fell. “Seriously?”

  “Yes,” she said curtly. “Seriously.”

  Colton raised his hand in frustration and groaned. “Come on, Rachel. It’s probably just some stray mutt. Don’t you think you’re over-reacting?”

  She glanced toward the trees. “No. This place is freaking me out. I feel like we’re being watched and I just really want to go home.”

  He looked at her in disbelief.

  She bit her lower lip. “Please.”

  “Fine,” he replied tightly, slipping the keys into the ignition.

  Rachel sighed in relief. “Thanks, Colton.”

  Mumbling something under his breath, he turned on the radio.

  Relaxing, Rachel pulled down the visor to check her appearance in the mirror, adjusting a few strands of blonde hair that had escaped from her ponytail. She knew Colton was angry but didn’t care. She was thankful to be leaving the dark over-look as well as his pesky hands. Finding comfort in the fact she’d soon be home in her warm bed, Rachel laid her head back and closed her eyes as the car began to move.

  “What the hell? Move out of the road!” Colton shouted, a few seconds later.

  Rachel’s eyes snapped open right as he slammed his foot onto the brake. She stared in shock as the silhouette of a large creature leaped out of their path. For a brief moment, her eyes locked with a pair of gleaming yellow ones and the hair stood up on the back of her neck. She thought about the documentary shows that her father watched on television about Bigfoot and wondered if they’d just encountered a real live Sasquatch.

  Colton swore angrily and shifted the car into ‘Park’. “Did you see that damn deer? My dad would have killed me if I’d have dented this car!” A Mercedes C-Class that he’d recently received from his parents for his eighteenth birthday.

  “Deer? That was no deer. We need to get the hell out of here,” she replied hoarsely, staring toward the side of the road where the creature had disappeared.

  “No doubt. This night is getting lamer by the second,” he muttered with a sideways glance.

  “Let’s just get out of here.”

  “Yeah, I know. Just, let me pull it together here first,” he said, running a hand over his face. “That joint I smoked earlier must have been some pretty strong shit because for a second, I thought that deer was… I don’t even want to say what I thought it was.” He giggled. “Damn. I need to get me some more of that weed.”

  Trembling, Rachel shrank back against the seat. Deep down, she knew something even more frightening than a Bigfoot had crossed their path and it hadn’t been an accident, nor had the hatred in its eyes been imaginary. “Please. You need to get us out of here. Now.”

  He looked at her and giggled again. “You spooked? Afraid it’s the Boogey Man or something?”

  Without warning, the glass in Colton’s side window exploded and he was violently yanked into the darkness. Shrieking in terror, he began beating his fists against his attacker – a creature that looked like a cross between a bear and a wolf.

  Rachel screamed.

  The beast growled irritably, annoyed at the fact his prey was fighting back. It sunk its teeth into his torso and began shaking Colton like a weightless doll before slamming him against the pavement. Blood oozed out from under the teenager’s head and the monster’s eyes gleamed in triumph as it pounced on top of him, pinning him down.

  “Help
me!” Colton cried out as he twisted his body, trying to break free from the monster’s death-grip. He reached out toward her, begging for assistance, but Rachel sat watching the grisly scene in paralyzed horror.

  The creature roared and then locked its jaws around Colton’s neck, tearing into his jugular. Blood sprayed everywhere and within seconds, the teen’s eyes stared lifelessly into the darkness. Satisfied, the monster backed away and then stood up as tall as a grizzly bear, its long, black claws dripping with Colton’s blood. It turned its attention toward Rachel, and she could almost make out a smile on its unholy face. Realizing its intent, she let out a blood-curdling scream, flung open the door, and began running.

  A howl filled the darkness behind her as she stumbled blindly into the woods. Without thinking she glanced over her shoulder to see if the beast was close and lost her balance, tumbling into a pile of brush. Hysterical, she tried to stand, but instead, was yanked roughly by her ponytail, and dragged to her feet. As she struggled to break free, a firm hand gripped her throat, twisting her body around. She closed her eyes and shrieked in its face.

  “Shut up and look at me,” its raspy voice commanded.

  Stunned, Rachel opened her eyes and gazed into a face of horror. Golden eyes bore into hers from a face that was half-human, half-wolf. Seeing her revulsion, its bloody lips curled into a malicious grin and she could feel its hot breath on her cheeks. The stench was putrid, smelling of copper and something vile that she couldn’t identify.

  “Do you wish to live?”

  She nodded quickly as tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “You do?” Her eyes held a glimmer of hope, which amused the creature. “Good. It makes it that much more satisfying,” he said, before sinking his jaws into her neck.

  Rachel’s cries echoed through the woods as he devoured the life from her body. The creature chuckled in delight as she fought against him, kicking and screaming. When the girl stopped struggling, he tossed her aside, raised his head toward the moon, and howled in triumph.

  ***

  Megan remained hidden while Blake murdered the young couple, hoping he was too busy savoring his kill to catch her scent. She was horrified at the brutality of the killings, but not surprised by the violence. Just like his older brother, Victor, he was insane.

  She glared at him, not knowing who she hated more right now, herself, for not having the courage to help the two teens, or Blake Van Buren.

  But, it would have been suicide, she reminded herself.

  Blake was an alpha male and a very powerful Lycan. Alone, she was no match for him and knew that if she’d had interfered with his fun, he would have killed her, too, just as he’d murdered her father. It had been less than a month since his death and she longed for the day that Blake would be defeated by someone strong enough to take on the task.

  “Megan…” the darkness around her whispered softly.

  She stiffened up, her heart pounding loudly as a gust of wind blew across her skin, making her shiver.

  Blake raised his head and slow smile spread across his bloodied muzzle.

  “Ah… Megan, my love. I know you’re there. Come out! Don’t be shy, my lovely,” he taunted.

  Alarmed, she shifted quickly into her Lycan form, threw herself to the ground, and took off running.

  His laughter echoed behind her in the woods and she realized that he was coming for her. Fortunately she had one edge over him – she was faster and much more agile. No other Lycan she knew could keep up with her, male or female. With confident determination, she pressed ahead, flying through the darkness toward the sanctity of her home.

  Suddenly, two of Blake’s friends rushed Megan, hitting her from both sides. Ignoring the burning pain in her ribs, she jumped back up and gave them a threatening growl as they began to circle her.

  “You bastards,” she growled.

  The two hounds smirked.

  “You’re a long way from home,” said the gray Lycan, goading her. “Don’t you know how dangerous the woods are at night?”

  “Oh, I’m glad she came out to play,” said the other one, staring at her hungrily. “I haven’t had me a female in a long time. How about I make you howl like never before, bitch?”

  Blake took that moment to come crashing through the woods He grunted in amusement when he found her cornered by his hounds.

  “Ah. So swift, but as usual, so alone,” he said.

  “I’m not alone,” she lied, clenching her teeth.

  Blake smirked. “Right. Both you and I know that being a loner has always been your one true weakness, Megan.”

  She didn’t answer.

  He chuckled. “Come now, it doesn’t have to be like this! You know my feelings for you. If you were my mate I would give you everything you desire.”

  She snorted. “What did you just say? That you have feelings? That’s a joke and everyone knows it. You have no compassion for anyone. You’re a murdering devil.”

  He sighed. “It was unfortunate about your father, I’m sorry. He got in the way and had to face the consequences.”

  “He died trying to protect me!” Megan snarled.

  “Your father wasn’t even a Lycan and should have minded his own business. I wanted you for my mate and he interfered. Daven should have been honored that his daughter was chosen by an Alpha male. His arrogance and lack of respect made him our enemy and that’s what caused his death. He deserved to die for his actions.”

  “No, you‘re the one who deserves to die,” she snapped. “You poor excuse for a Lycan.”

  Blake roared in rage and sprang, landing on top of her. She cried out as he held her in place with his claws, digging deeply into her fur. “Succumb to me and I will spare your life,” he demanded as his yellow eyes burned into hers.

  “I‘d rather die.”

  His eyes widened. “You would really choose death?”

  “I would welcome it just to get away from you.”

  “Then… as you wish,” he growled, sinking his fangs into her neck.

  ***

  Megan shot up in bed, gasping for breath. She glanced around her bedroom and sighed in relief.

  Nightmare.

  Her dreams could be terrifying, and when they included Blake, she knew it was caused by some kind of psychic ability, which had once freaked the hell out of her. That was before she realized that the visions were actually a gift. Now, she realized that when Blake appeared in her nightmare, it was a warning that she had to move quickly. This particular dream seemed different, however. There wasn’t the same urgency to leave.

  Don’t take any chances, the little voice in her head warned. Leave Arizona.

  Megan rubbed the bridge of her nose, not looking forward to the morning. She knew Caitlyn was going to be furious about leaving, but it just couldn’t be helped. She wasn’t about to risk their safety for anything. They’d been running for the last eighteen years and her intuition had almost always been right. The one time she’d ignored it, death had arrived on their doorstep and it had shown no mercy. Thankfully, she and Caitlyn hadn’t been home at the time, but two decent and loving people had died that day. She would never ignore her gut instinct again.

  Unable to sleep, Megan slid out of the sheets and stepped to the window, feeling an instant surge of pleasure. It felt so wonderful that her fears became less worrisome. The moon was shining brightly and would be full in the next few days. She shivered with anticipation, knowing how rejuvenating a full moon was to her kind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, yearning to feel the caress of the moonlight on her body as she ran unencumbered through the night. It had been months since she’d allowed herself that type of pleasure, for fear of Caitlyn finding out. She was almost eighteen, and although she usually paid her mother little attention, as most teenagers do, there was always that chance that Caitlyn might catch her slipping out in the middle of the night and she wasn’t prepared to confess anything. Not yet. Soon, the time would come when she’d have to tell her everything, and that wa
s terrifying in itself. To explain to her only child that her mother not only could change into a wolf-like creature, but also had an insatiable appetite that could only be appeased by the flesh of something with a heartbeat. Worse yet, Caitlyn’s future held the same fate. Not only was she destined to become a predator herself, but she would also be hunted by evils that were too inconceivable to imagine. She definitely wasn’t looking forward to that conversation.

  Rubbing her forehead, she glanced down at the street in front of her apartment building and frowned. A lone man sat, parked in a silver Bentley, smoking a cigarette, and staring up at her bedroom window. Her lights were out and she doubted he could see her, but she could see him perfectly.

  Go away, she thought. You’re freaking me out.

  As if reading her mind, he flicked his cigarette out the window, started the car, and drove away.

  “That was a coincidence,” she whispered, backing away from the window. The hair stood up on the back of her neck as she continued to make excuses. “He’s probably just visiting someone in this building or stopping to use his cell phone. Hell, he might just be lost.”

  Megan let out a ragged breath and then walked over to the bed. She crawled underneath the covers and stared up at the ceiling.

  Paranoid or not, it was definitely time to leave.

  ***

  The Tracker scanned the side streets as he drove away from Megan’s apartment building.

  Megan Fontaine.

  She was an intriguing woman and he knew that Blake would be thrilled to learn that he’d located her through her love of photography. It had actually been sheer luck when he’d found an article showcasing some of the photographs she’d taken for a popular nature magazine. She’d used the last name St. James, which had been her mother’s maiden name, and after only a few weeks of searching, he’d tracked her down. Using charm and a few cocktails, he’d even managed to convince a woman who worked for the magazine to give him Megan’s mailing address – a post office box in Arizona. He’d quickly headed out on the first plane and had set up his surveillance. Fortunately, it had taken only a few days before she showed up to pick up her mail. She’d been easy to spot – tall, with chestnut colored hair, full lips, high cheekbones, and eyes the color of sapphires. Plus, she was a Lycan and her scent had almost driven him crazy with desire. There was definitely something about Lycan bitches that were distracting. They were also very rare. In fact, had he not needed the bounty to settle a gambling debt, he’d have claimed her for himself.