Full Moon Rising Read online

  FULL MOON RISING

  An Ellora’s Cave Publication, August 2004

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

  PO Box 787

  Hudson, OH 44236-0787

  ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-4199-0019-6

  Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

  Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

  FULL MOON RISING © 2004 LORIE O’CLARE

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Edited by Briana St. James.

  Cover art by Syneca.

  Full Moon Rising

  Lorie O’Clare

  Chapter One

  Beth Parks slammed the file onto her desk harder than necessary. Loose papers scattered to the floor of her office. But she didn’t care.

  Stepping over them, she walked to her large office window and stared down at people hurrying around downtown. Everyone moving with purpose. Business men and women hurrying to get a bite to eat. Teenagers on the prowl. The sidewalks always seemed to be full, no matter the time of day. Humans everywhere.

  This was your choice to work among humans.

  And for the most part she didn’t mind humans. They were paranoid and tended to make mountains out of molehills, but none of that had bothered her. Until now.

  “Why the hell did they have to choose me?” She scowled at the window, no longer seeing the hectic downtown area. Crossing her arms over her chest, she wondered whose idea it had been to ask her to prosecute. “Well I won’t do it.”

  She couldn’t do it.

  It wasn’t Beth’s nature to panic. She always had the upper hand, knew how to handle herself in any situation. No one bullied her. No one told her what to do. She had worked her ass off to gain that authority, and she wouldn’t have it taken from her now.

  The smell of Frosted Flakes filled the office a good five paces before her secretary did. Beth had never understood it. Her legal secretary always smelled like the cereal.

  “You dropped some things.” Lacey entered her office, immediately squatting down to retrieve the scattered papers.

  Beth turned around, her hands on her hips while she started pacing. It was a habit her mother always claimed made her look too intimidating.

  No wonder you haven’t captured a good werewolf yet. You come across too strong, my dear.

  She shoved her mother’s voice out of her head. It was easier to think, to brainstorm, when she paced. And what else was she supposed to do with her hands?

  “Tell me, Lacey,” she began, her own irritability floating in the air around her. “Why is it that Anderson, Hunt and Anderson would choose me to lead this case against the Water Lane

  group?”

  Lacey looked up from where she knelt on the floor, her mouth open, the sweetened corn cereal smell almost as strong as her own emotions.

  “Because you are the best,” she said quietly. It wasn’t meant to flatter. Lacey showed no sign of enthusiasm about the fact. “And they know with you in charge they will be able to continue with their plans.”

  And that right there was the problem. If Anderson, Hunt and Anderson succeeded in silencing the Walter Lane

  group, a predominantly werewolf organization, the large district of land just outside of Lincoln would be turned into a subdivision and shopping centers. She stopped pacing, feeling the dull throb of a headache coming on.

  Talk about conflict of interest. Her pack would have her hide if she represented the organization more intent on destroying prime running land than any other group in the area.

  “Well, I don’t want the case.” She glared at the file lying on top of everything else on her desk.

  Lacey straightened. “Okay.”

  That was what she liked about her newest legal secretary. Lacey didn’t argue. No matter what, she went along with whatever Beth said. Which was how it should be.

  Beth nodded, wishing that was all it would take to settle the matter. “Call their office first thing in the morning and let them know I simply can’t fit them into my workload.”

  No attorney in their right mind turned down a case from Anderson, Hunt and Anderson. Again Lacey just nodded, more than likely thinking the exact same thing. She would have a fight on her hands not representing the largest takeover corporation in the Midwest. But the hell with it. She was Elizabeth Parks, highest paid corporate attorney in Lincoln, Nebraska. She had handled cases throughout the Midwest, flown to many of the major cities to do consulting. She could pick and choose the cases she wanted.

  Lacey cleared her throat, turning to straighten the papers on Beth’s desk. “Is there anything else that you needed done this evening?”

  Beth glanced at her grandfather clock in the corner of her office. Damnit. Where had the day gone? It was already almost six in the evening.

  “Go on home.” She waved her hand at Lacey, a dismissive gesture.

  Lacey never seemed to mind Beth’s overly aggressive nature, another thing she liked about her. She turned and smiled at Beth. “I’m taking the kids shopping for Halloween costumes this evening. If we wait too long, all the good ones are gone.”

  Beth smiled, Halloween being the least of her concerns. Such a silly human holiday. “Well, good hunting,” she said, her boredom with the task coming through with her tone.

  Lacey smiled, Frosted Flakes again becoming the predominant scent in the room, and headed out of Beth’s office.

  Beth’s thoughts drifted to the Walter Lane

  group while she made sure her filing cabinet and desk drawers were locked. Headed up by several pack leaders in Nebraska, the group had taken a quiet stance in trying to ensure certain land be safe from developers. They had kept a low profile, a wise move ever since the scandal over some human fanatic going on national television claiming his mass murders were legitimate since all he was doing was killing werewolves.

  “Ed and I are having a Halloween party next Friday night.” Lacey got a hopeful look on her face. “We would love it if you could come.”

  Beth licked her lips. “That’s very nice of you to invite me.” She might be an aggressive bitch, but she had her manners. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Sounds good.” Lacey retreated, turning at the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Traffic seemed worse than usual and she still didn’t feel relaxed when she reached her driveway. Usually the drive home was enough to help her unwind, at least a little. Pulling into the paved drive, she focused on her country home, the spread out brick estate she’d fallen in love with the moment she saw it a year ago.

  Sure, it was a statement of her success. But she wasn’t stingy about it or pretentious like some of the people in town. Beth Parks remembered where she came from, not only how tough it had been growing up, struggling from day to day, but how hard it had been to make the name for herself. She had earned every brick in her twenty-five hundred square foot home.

  She avoided the bikes lying on their side in front of the three-car garage. Alicia’s cubs had just got the bikes this past spring. She would never hear the end of it if she ran over them.

  Voices filled the house when she entered.

  “Is that you, Beth?” Alicia appeared holding her youngest cub who looked like she’d just been bathed. “There are chops on a plate in the fridge for you.”

  “Thanks. I might eat later.” She half-smiled at the cub who buried her face in her mother’s neck. “Right now I just want to head up to my room.”

  Alicia nodded, turning to look
into her room when her mate said something.

  Beth liked her house always full of activity. Having her housekeeper’s den live with her had proven a wise decision. It would have been silly to live in this huge place all by herself. Turning away from her housekeeper, she let Alicia get back to her den.

  Joe Pendal, Alicia’s mate, had proven his worth when he secured her end of the second floor, the west wing, giving her a small part of the world where no one could intrude upon her space.

  Unlocking the large wooden door halfway down the upstairs hallway, Beth entered her little sanctuary. She walked over to her bedside table and pushed the button on her phone to listen to her personal messages.

  “Thought I’d see what you were doing this weekend,” the deep masculine voice said through the machine.

  She’d thought of contacting Bart, the older werewolf from her pack who sometimes serviced her. A widower, with most of his den grown and out on their own, Bart still could fuck. At least he fucked well enough to make her come.

  Beth kicked her shoes off into her closet, listening to the series of beeps before the next message played.

  “Just thinking about you, sweetie.” Her mom sounded tired.

  Beth frowned while watching herself in her full-length mirror.

  “I’m settled into a nice duplex and would love it if you could find time for a visit.” Her mother blew kisses into the phone before hanging up.

  Beth stripped down to her bra and underwear, staring at her short legs. She’d never been much of a beauty, and was too aggressive for her own good. She cupped her breasts. They were big enough that they filled her hands, but certainly nothing so amazing to turn heads. Pretty much, she was the textbook definition of plain.

  Beth sighed, wondering if a hot bath or a run would be best.

  The bottom drawer of her dresser caught her eye and her insides quickened. Hot juices immediately coated her pussy, anticipation running through her without warning.

  “Maybe I should call Bart,” she mused. If the thought of her toys, nestled in the bottom drawer of her dresser had her almost coming, it was probably time to get laid.

  But making time to see him, when her toys were right here, sounded like such a hassle. Moving closer to her dresser, she ran her toes over the handle to the drawer with her toys in it. She was a sad case if having sex with an actual person had become too much of an effort.

  If her mother ever saw the contents of this drawer, she would have a heart attack. Varieties of dildos, long and short, thick and thin, lay on top of each other. Some battery operated, some not. All of them were different colors. She chose one that had a suction cup on the bottom, then stood and moved the simple kitchen table chair she kept in the corner in front of her mirror.

  The chair was here for this very purpose, although she used the excuse that she kept it up here to change light bulbs. Its smooth wooden surface worked perfectly to hold the suction of the dildo.

  Her heart began pounding as she secured the large flesh colored dildo in place, stroking it affectionately while she imagined her dream man. Looking in the mirror, she wondered how one looked submissive. Her dream man would see her that way. And he would be stronger than she, more aggressive, able to put her in her place with a glance.

  Her breasts began to ache, her large nipples hardening while she imagined him watching her, waiting while she prepared herself for him.

  Her bottom drawer remained open, and she studied the other contents inside. Tonight she would use her handcuffs. Black and fluffy, they wrapped around her wrists easily enough. She put her hands behind her back, having used them enough that she could master the Velcro without looking.

  The restraints made her feel sexy, ready to be taken, her dream man hard as a rock while he gave her a dark look of approval.

  She straddled the chair, watching herself in the mirror, seeing what her dream man saw, her pussy hovering over the large dildo.

  Slowly, painfully slow, she lowered herself over her dream man’s large cock, feeling him press against her entrance. A hot rush of desire spread over her like wild fire when her dream man entered her. She lowered herself over the pretend cock, never taking her gaze from the action in the mirror.

  “Oh hell yes.” Her dream man was pleased.

  She closed her eyes, working his cock, feeling him fill her, spread her tight pussy apart while he reached for that one spot that she loved. He would please her, satisfy her, but always demanded she do exactly what he said. Not once could she talk back, express how she thought things should be done. He was in charge and he would have it no other way.

  Her thigh muscles tightened, her efforts focused on keeping her body straight, just the way he liked it, while she moved faster over his cock. Pressure built every time that one special spot was hit deep inside her cunt.

  “That’s it, baby,” she murmured.

  She opened her eyes, seeing her white cream soaking her dildo, the flushed expression on her face, her short brown hair falling around her face. Her body was sexy, could be sexy, at least that was how her dream man saw her. His perfect little lady, willing to pleasure him whenever he wanted, always there when he needed her.

  “Oh. Damn.” Hot liquid soared through her, filling her pussy, adding fever to her pleasure.

  No man could please her like this, not like her dream man. He made her feel special and never turned weak on her. Always the stronger of the two, no matter what she said, his unbreakable presence made her ache to come whenever she was around him.

  The pressure built until she thought she would die if she didn’t explode soon. But her dream man didn’t succumb to her demands for release. He always made her work for it, beg to come before allowing her to slip over the edge, into sweet and perfect bliss.

  She moved faster, the muscles in her thighs burning, her breathing coming in pants while her hair fell over her face. She would please him, make him happy with her, and his satisfaction with her would fill that void she ached to have filled.

  Her pussy muscles clamped around the dildo, threatening to break the suction on the chair. But she made it, just in time. She exploded, drenching her pussy and dildo with her hot white cream. Her insides clamped down, releasing the pressure, emptying her and filling her with the ultimate satisfaction of knowing her dream man was pleased.

  “If only you were real,” she sighed, staring at herself through her hair.

  But men in the real world didn’t stand up to her. She told them what to do and they jumped to behave. Never had a man tried to stare her down, challenge her knowledge on a matter, or put her in her place.

  She closed her eyes, holding on to her dream man for just a moment longer before she resumed her life as the pillar of her pack.

  Chapter Two

  It was still dark out when Beth returned from her run, the sun just beginning to change the shade of the sky on the horizon. Padding up the back walk, sniffing in the fresh smells of morning, the honeysuckle, patches of mint and wild onion, she enjoyed her last few minutes of peace before she started another day.

  Her brick patio was cool under the pads of her paws and she rolled over on to it, enjoying the hard, cold surface against her body. The run had been a good one, the wildlife plentiful on her land. Even as a werewolf her legs were short, but she’d been able to catch a few rabbits for breakfast and the fresh, cold, pond water had washed them down nicely.

  Rolling around on the brick, she stretched, arching herself while she scratched her back. Tension seemed to seep its way right out of her soul on mornings like this. Maybe she should retire early, enjoy this life she had worked so hard for. That would be one way to get out of working cases that she didn’t want to do.

  The thought of Anderson, Hunt and Anderson ruined her moment. Standing and stretching, she realized nothing would happen until she took the matter into her own hands. Nothing ever did.

  Her bones popped and stretched, muscles contorted, while the cold air of the morning wrapped around her skin eagerly as her fur fade
d. Straightening, she stretched her arms while her paws changed into hands, the numerous tiny bones in her fingers clicking into place.

  Suddenly it was very cold outside. She hurried toward the back entryway, grabbing her floor-length terrycloth bathrobe. Wrapping it around herself, she slipped her arms through the holes and entered the kitchen.

  “You look like you had a good run.” Alicia reached for a coffee cup, pouring the hot brew for Beth before placing it on the table by her laptop. “The office has called, and I have a few messages for you from pack members.”

  Alicia smiled at her mate when he strolled into the kitchen. “We’re headed out to mend the fence on the south border this morning,” he told Beth, ruffling his mate’s hair before heading toward the back door.

  “Good.” Beth had almost forgotten about that. “The school called me last week asking when it would be fixed. They want to let the cubs run in that area but the dens want assurance that the area is secure.”

  Joe nodded, his hand on the back doorknob. He turned to his mate. “I’m sure there will be several of us showing up for lunch.”

  Beth sat down in front of her laptop, immediately attacking the coffee. Check email and then it was off to the office. She glanced at the slips of paper Alicia had set next to her—phone messages. Problems needed to be solved, questions answered. Pretty much the same old thing. She could have her secretary respond to all of the human issues, and Alicia could call back the pack members. She jotted down the answer on the first message and then flipped to the next.

  Her mother had called early this morning while she had been out on her run. She stared at the phone number, remembering that her mom no longer lived in the house she grew up in. Her pack had moved. Her childhood memories of Duluth were just that. No longer would she be able to return home to the den she grew up in. She stared at the northern Minnesota phone number. It was unfamiliar and didn’t seem to fit her mother.

  You’re being silly.

  “Did my mom say why she called?” she asked, while opening the screen to her email.

  “No. She sounded tired though.” Alicia grabbed a bucket of cleaning supplies and headed toward the dining room. “She probably just wants to see her daughter.”