The Rockford Pack Read online

  

  Wolves of Climax 8

  The Rockford Pack

  Corbin Rockford is used to winning, demands to have his way, and his mine has always been the most profitable. Now, the Gregor Pack has a mate, their mine is thriving, and good fortune is raining down on them. When Corbin spies a group of trespassing human hikers, he decides to kill the lot of them and blame his rivals. It seems fate has other plans…

  Nova is tired of working as a part-time weather girl in between classes. When she’s given the chance to join a university-funded expedition into the northern wilderness, she sees it as a chance to advance her career. She expects local wildlife, but not the drool-worthy men who keep them captive.

  The Rockford Pack features a dark alpha hero not looking for love, a virginal heroine too socially awkward to meet a good man, and a pack of horny wolf-shifters. When the dust settles, it might just be a love more powerful than fate.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Shape-shifters, Vampires/Werewolves

  Length: 37,352 words

  The Rockford Pack

  Wolves of Climax 8

  Stacey Espino

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  The Rockford Pack

  Copyright © 2018 by Stacey Espino

  ISBN: 978-1-64243-155-1

  First Publication: April 2018

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2018 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway.

  —Sade Andria Zabala

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Stacey Espino is an international bestselling author, residing in beautiful northern Canada. She loves writing erotic romance that will have you squirming in your seat. From hardcore cowboys to alpha shifters, and everything in between, she has you covered.

  If you prefer alternative romance, check out Stacey's gay stories as Winona Wilder.

  For all titles by Stacey Espino, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/stacey-espino

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  The Rockford Pack

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  The Rockford Pack

  Wolves of Climax 8

  STACEY ESPINO

  Copyright © 2018

  Chapter One

  Corbin Rockford turned his head and spat, not impressed with the progress they were making at the mine. “We’ve only sent out half the damn loads as last week. Explain how the fuck that’s possible.”

  His employee shrugged and pointed to the darkened sky. “The main roadway’s closed, and we have to drive at least ten miles out of our way each trip.”

  The shitty weather wasn’t the only reason their copper shipments were down. The Gregor mine was hauling ass, sending out two to three times what they usually did. It was demoralizing for Corbin’s crew. He blamed his rival’s luck on their new acquisition—Cassidy Lyons. She was the only human female found to carry the wolf gene. In time, his competition would give life to a nearly pure-blooded generation, leaving the Rockford name with little to covet.

  He didn’t even care that all five of the Gregor wolves had marked Cassidy as their woman because, if he had the chance, he’d steal her for the good of his pack. At least he would have. Corbin’s main problem was the rogue wolf that showed up last year claiming to be one of his. He was Cassidy’s half-brother, making a potential mating with her out of the question. In their world, there was one female per pack. Although he wasn’t one to follow the rules, he wouldn’t be known as the alpha to force siblings into a twisted mating bond.

  “Roads have nothing to do with getting the copper mined. We’re down on production before it even leaves the gates. I want every available man in a fucking machine, now!”

  Corbin tossed his yellow hard hat, briefly watching it skid away on the muddy gravel drive. Fuck the rain and fuck Garret Gregor.

  There was only an hour left until quitting time, but he needed to get free from the mine before he lost control. His wolf was agitated beyond recognition, thrashing within him, stripping him of his humanity layer by layer. He prided himself on staying ahead of his rivals. Rockford had always been more prosperous, more successful, and more powerful. But it seemed everything was falling apart lately.

  Corbin grabbed his keys off the wall of the office trailer before setting off in his black company pickup truck. The vehicle jostled and jolted over the uneven roadway leading away from Rockford Mining. If it rained much longer, even the common roads of Climax would be washed away.

  Once he’d driven far enough, he parked along the side of the road. He slammed his door shut and looked up toward the sky with his eyes closed. The rain was healing, washing over his face as he forced his worries aside. He unbuttoned his shirt before tossing the damp material into the bed of his truck. Corbin flexed his muscles and cracked his neck to each side. He couldn’t wait to shift into his fur, to feel the power of his alpha wolf coursing through his veins.

  He preferred to be feral—especially on days like today—to live by his instincts rather than the mold humankind wanted him to fit. Even their ancient traditions held little meaning in the twenty-first century. After everything he’d been through, Corbin only followed one rule—survival of the fittest.

  Garret Gregor claimed that fate had brought Cassidy to his pack. All five of the Gregor miners had bonded with her, marking her as their mate. Corbin didn’t believe it was some fucking fairy tale. But Garret continually threw old prophecy into his face, putting Corbin on edge. Now their business was suddenly thriving when the worst luck had struck Rockford mining. He needed the tables to return to normal—with him on top.

  He stripped out of his remaining clothes and seamlessly leapt into his fur. He shook the moisture off his thick coat. If only the rain could cleanse his soul, but salvation was as lost to him as the mother he could no longer remember.

  He ran. Corbin savored the speed and stealth of his wolf. Every sight and sound became magnified while his human emotions were mercifully dulled. Shifting was like a drug, an addiction, a vice to chase away his demons.

  He sensed his brother Ryder nearby, but he was in no mood to socialize. His spirits were down, his stress level at all-time highs. Why was he being cursed? He’d suffered more than any male should be subjecte
d to. Feelings of revenge and hatred began to surface despite his best attempt to forget everything for a few hours. His deep-seated anger could never be extinguished. He’d tried to keep up with tradition, to respect the gods, but where the fuck had they been all his life? All he had left to offer was darkness.

  In twenty minutes he was miles away from the heart of Climax, deep in the northern wilderness. Only the scent of black soil and pine filled his nostrils. He pawed the earth, suddenly picking up a new scent from the east. This was his territory, and his wolf did not like trespassers. He darted to the right, eager to discover if there was a threat. It could be anything from loggers to hunters, or even one of those Gregor scum crossing onto his land. In his current mood, he welcomed a good fight.

  “Humans,” said Ryder.

  Corbin cringed upon hearing the word. He found his brother on the periphery of a camping expedition, watching from a shrouded embankment. There were only four hikers, each with a large black backpack and walking stick. No visible weapons. Much of the bad press about wolf attacks was courtesy of the Rockford Pack. Corbin enjoyed stirring up trouble, creating unrest amongst the humans in Climax. If the news reports kept curious people away from his land, all the better.

  “I don’t understand their obsession with these forests. Why can’t they stay in the fucking cities with their own kind?”

  “Do you want me to scare them away?” asked Ryder. They were brothers, but Corbin was alpha of their pack and called the shots. Every decision had to be run by him.

  “Not yet.” He watched the trespassers struggle through the heavy underbrush. Tonight he needed to let off some steam, to run until his muscles ached. Maybe tomorrow he’d play with the humans. By morning their spirits would be down, their energy levels diminished. Maybe he’d kill one while the other three watched.

  Corbin turned to leave.

  “Where you going? I’ve hardly seen you all week.” He could hear the worry in Ryder’s tone. It wasn’t normal for Corbin to be so demoralized, and he knew it. He was alpha and needed to show strength, not weakness.

  “I’m fucked up, Ryder. When I figure things out, I’ll let you know.”

  Ryder shifted into his skin. He leaned against a tree and crossed his arms over his chest. “Tell me something. Is it the Gregor female? Are you still pissed you didn’t get the girl?”

  Corbin growled as he shed his fur. “I’m not a lovesick pup, if that’s what you’re implying. Do you believe she was our mate, little brother? Do you pine for her?”

  Ryder shrugged with nonchalance. “I felt nothing. You, on the other hand, I’m not so sure.”

  “There’s no such thing as the mating call. Garret believes in all the old-world bullshit, but I know better. The gods abandoned our kind long ago. They abandoned me.”

  An uncomfortable silence lingered between them.

  “If it’s bullshit, why do you care so much about her blood?”

  “Because I wanted it to mean something! I wanted to ensure the future of our pack.” He ran a hand through his hair as he took a cleansing breath. “Maybe it’s not bullshit. Maybe we just lose.”

  If his pack lost to their rival, he could only blame his leadership. He craved to go permanently feral and leave everything behind. In Climax he was responsible for his mine, his employees, his pack, and his land. Some days it was too much, especially when ghosts of the past wouldn’t leave him the fuck alone.

  “You’ve never given up before. Why now?”

  Corbin picked up a fallen branch, breaking it in two before tossing the pieces. “You have eyes. The Gregor mine is thriving while we struggle more and more each day. When has that ever happened?”

  “They’re just on a high. It won’t last.”

  “I’ll tell you one thing, brother. If I’m going down, I’ll take as many of them with me as I can, starting with their precious female.”

  How could Ryder even suggest he had a candle burning for Cassidy? She was a pawn, one that could guarantee victory to the pack that controlled her. The mere thought of committing to one woman made Corbin feel claustrophobic. He wouldn’t share his power, and he sure as hell wouldn’t settle for one female.

  Love was all an illusion for weaker men, like Garret, giving them a flaw to exploit.

  “Is that what Father would have wanted? You to take the pack down in blaze of glory?” asked Ryder.

  Corbin snarled, his claws pricking the tips of his fingers. “Don’t go there,” he warned.

  Their father had been a great and powerful alpha, shaping the Rockford Pack into what it was today—minus the recent spell of bad luck. Corbin tried to live up to the renowned reputation, never satisfied with his own accomplishments. He’d nearly brought down the Gregor Pack: false complaints to the Ministry, trying to steal their mate, and finally the forest fire that nearly wiped them out. Were they fucking invincible? Or was he an unworthy alpha?

  “Man the fuck up before the pack starts talking,” said Ryder. “If you can’t win fair, play dirty. That’s what we do, isn’t it?”

  He smirked. His brother would follow him into hell, and he knew it. “You’re on the right track, brother. Climax is about to have another wolf attack epidemic.”

  Chapter Two

  “I can’t go much farther,” said Nova. She had blisters on top of blisters, and her muscles were calling it quits.

  “Fine. We’ll camp up ahead for the night.” Roger’s agitation was obvious, making the trip more unpleasant than it needed to be. She didn’t ask to come along for this freak show, but she needed to increase her job prospects.

  “Good idea,” said Bethany, dropping her pack. “We can’t do much once the sun sets anyway. It’s not like there’ll be street lights way out here.”

  “This was a waste of a day,” Roger complained. “If you didn’t come on this trip to get the job done, then you should have stayed the fuck home.”

  Nova rolled her eyes and kept trudging behind the other three in her expedition party: Roger, Bethany, and Craig. They’d travelled through heavy underbrush all day and evening to get to their target, so the day wasn’t wasted. The university had funded their trip into the wilderness to find out vital information on a couple endangered mammals after hundreds of acres of deep northern forest had burned last year. Nova specialized in climate change, so the university gave her the opportunity to join the expedition. She figured it was a better chance to make a name for herself than being known as the weather bimbo on the weekend news. After six years of university, including a master’s degree, she had little to show for it. She barely made more than minimum wage and lived in a shitty studio apartment in the seedy side of the city. Her lofty dreams had lost their luster years ago when she realized she was “overqualified” in an already low-demand sector. She wasn’t the only one. Bethany was a botanist working part-time in a flower shop. A perfect resume with strong credentials and academic praise meant nothing in the modern job market.

  They reached a small clearing ahead. The forest was thick and nearly impenetrable, so she was surprised they found a suitable camping site that could accommodate their four pop-up tents.

  Craig began cataloging the area. He was their resident animal behavior specialist, but he was no Bear Grylls. Although he appeared to have a lot of book knowledge, the man was scared of his own shadow. “We’re ripe for an attack here. Look at the rise in the topography to the north, and that’s obviously a well-used wildlife trail over there.”

  “Shut up, Craig,” said Roger. “Nobody wants to hear that shit.”

  Bethany unzipped her tent pack. “If an animal wanted us for dinner, they could have taken us out hours ago. Considering the amount of rain we’ve trudged through, I think they all headed in the direction of Noah’s Ark.”

  Everyone was tired, wet, and miserable—Nova included. She didn’t mention she was worried about a wolf attack, especially since she was on Roger’s shit list already. The local papers in Climax had featured stories about hikers never appearing again or turnin
g up dead. She was sure it was all exaggerated for the tourists, but part of her still had doubts.

  “Need any help?” asked Bethany.

  Nova shook her head, trying to appear more capable than she was. “I’m good. Thanks.”

  “Don’t listen to Roger. He’s an asshole.”

  She chuckled. “I know.”

  Roger was their team leader and son of the university’s president. He had a major superiority complex, complete lack of empathy, and something to prove—a miserable combination for the rest of them.

  The air was getting cooler, the sky taking on a deep shade of navy. They had flashlights, but she still wanted to be in the perceived safety of her tent before the sun completely set—not that a thin layer of nylon would protect her if there were trouble.

  “At first light, I want all of you ready to move your asses. No more wasting time. We still have another five to ten miles of thick terrain to cover before getting to our hot zone.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Nova, not trying too hard to hide her sarcasm. Bethany snickered but quickly stopped when Roger’s face twisted into something even fiercer than usual.

  “You all think that’s funny? Remember this moment when I’m the one leading us to a victory.”

  “What victory?” asked Craig. “This is a research mission, not a competition.”

  Roger whirled around. “The university to come up with the most compelling research gets the grant. That’s how it works in the real world.” Everyone became quiet. It seemed even the forest critters held their breath. “First light,” Roger reminded before hunching over to slip into his tent.

  Nova’s body sank in relief once Roger was out of sight. She’d rather deal with physical exhaustion than mental stress any day. She was getting too old for this shit.