Protected by the Pack Series by Christa Wick

Onyx: I’m a city wolf—a damaged and injured one at that. Obviously, the absolute last place I should be when I’m in heat is in the middle of the woods with unmated male shifters in the wild able to scent me. But here I am, running for my life. I’m not used to anyone being nice to me, let alone helping me. Even being the daughter of a pack alpha doesn’t keep you safe when you’re the lone freak in your pack who can’t shift... moreOnyx: I’m a city wolf—a damaged and injured one at that. Obviously, the absolute last place I should be when I’m in heat is in the middle of the woods with unmated male shifters in the wild able to scent me. But here I am, running for my life. I’m not used to anyone being nice to me, let alone helping me. Even being the daughter of a pack alpha doesn’t keep you safe when you’re the lone freak in your pack who can’t shift. I’m being hunted out here in the woods, and yet somehow I feel safe on the doorstep of the big, brusque stranger who offers me sanctuary. Taron isn’t like any of the shifters I grew up around. He’s a bear shifter for one—an alpha, no less—with a protective streak a mile wide…for me.Taron: Not much to say. I knew from the moment Onyx found herself trying to escape her troubles in my woods. It hit me like a damn freight train. The she-wolf was my mate. Meaning she was mine to heal. And mine to protect at all costs. less

Braeden: For five agonizing years now, I've tried to push the lush, far-too-sweet woman out of my life, and my dreams. She's a human, which makes her a danger to all the shifters in Night Falls. She's also untouched, which makes her a danger to what little restraint I possess around her with each passing day. But seeing as how she's my little sister's best friend, avoiding her hasn't been easy... moreBraeden: For five agonizing years now, I've tried to push the lush, far-too-sweet woman out of my life, and my dreams. She's a human, which makes her a danger to all the shifters in Night Falls. She's also untouched, which makes her a danger to what little restraint I possess around her with each passing day. But seeing as how she's my little sister's best friend, avoiding her hasn't been easy. And now that there's a shooter targeting the pack, the only way I can keep Paisley safe is to keep her close. As if that weren't impossible enough, the pack alpha goes and makes a decree. For her protection, Paisley needs to be mated to someone in the pack by the end of the month. Damn it all to hell.Paisley: I'm pretty sure the man hates me. To Braeden, I've always been the human he wished his sister would stop being friends with--literally a different species from him, being that he and his sister are wolf-shifters and all. After years watching him blatantly keep his distance, no one is more shocked than I am over his reaction when the shooter that's after the pack takes aim at me. less

Clover: The man may be my brother's new second in command, but to me, Joshua's just the bossy pain in the ass who's way too good at getting under my skin. To be fair, I suppose my less-than-sunny disposition when he's around can take some of the credit for provoking him. I can't help it. He's the pack's alpha cat--a hulking, hot mountain lion shifter, and thus the bane of my existence on principle. Cats and I, we don't mix... moreClover: The man may be my brother's new second in command, but to me, Joshua's just the bossy pain in the ass who's way too good at getting under my skin. To be fair, I suppose my less-than-sunny disposition when he's around can take some of the credit for provoking him. I can't help it. He's the pack's alpha cat--a hulking, hot mountain lion shifter, and thus the bane of my existence on principle. Cats and I, we don't mix. A pride of lions from California had slaughtered my parents when I was a kid, making sport of hunting me nearly to death as well. Then not too long ago, a psycho she-cat shot me with a poisoned dart. Seriously. Give me a skunk over a cat any day.Joshua: I'm well aware of how easily I can rile up my boss's little sister. Who can blame me? The feisty she-wolf is like my own personal catnip. With claws. So when a rare second heat sends Clover running for the hills--my hills--there's no way in hell I'm going to let the opportunity to finally claim my mate pass me by. Her head may have her convinced she can't trust me, but the rest of her sure isn't listening anymore. less

The shifters of Night Falls are unlike any other community of shifters. They do not RUN as a pack or sleuth or pride. They RIDE as The Woodsmen, a motorcycle club dedicated to keeping everyone in their community safe.Even the humans. My father’s a leopard and a sadist, my mother a panther and a complete enigma. I am her cage. She is mine—at least until the day my father makes one last play to completely crush us... moreThe shifters of Night Falls are unlike any other community of shifters. They do not RUN as a pack or sleuth or pride. They RIDE as The Woodsmen, a motorcycle club dedicated to keeping everyone in their community safe.Even the humans. My father’s a leopard and a sadist, my mother a panther and a complete enigma. I am her cage. She is mine—at least until the day my father makes one last play to completely crush us. Now I’m on the run, twisted with guilt because my mother stayed behind so I could escape.Her cryptic note tells me where to go—a remote town called Night Falls that is filled with rogue shapeshifters. The first one I encounter is a giant wolf called Doone. I flee, he chases. I fall, he heals me.Our connection is immediate, but is it strong enough to save my mother? Raised by a human in near isolation, I haven’t met many shifters. But a town called Night Falls drew me in. I’m just starting to prove myself to its leaders when I encounter an emerald-eyed, dark-skinned beauty in the woods, far from the beaten path—and not part of the Night Falls pack.Seeing me, she bolts. The wolf in me can’t help but chase. She goes over a cliff, I follow, pushing my alpha energy at the sleek panther. But something strange happens to Mosa on the way down. That’s okay, I’m different, too. Different in a way that could get me killed even among my own kind.I'll take the risk. If my power can keep Mosa safe, I don’t give a damn who knows.Book 4 of Protected by the Pack. Previously published as Night Returns (c) 2023. less