Shadow of the Summer Moon
(Sakana Series Book 2)
by Amanda LeMay
Blurb:
Branded by my pack Alpha.
Betrayed by my mother.
Raised by lies and falsehoods.
The betrayal just as twisted and hideous as the deep scars I now carry.
I have one choice: let my wolf loose and run. Run for my life and to the only other wolf who escaped the San Francisco pack.
I leave my past and my pack behind, hoping for protection, a new home, a new pack and a chance to live free. The last thing I ever dream of finding is a mate.
But falling into Gunner Bodolf’s arms is as simple as breathing in his irresistible scent. And once he kisses me, I can’t walk away. Having been lied to my entire life, there is so much I don’t know about being a wolf. I certainly know nothing of the sakana bond, a rare and precious bond between two wolves, connecting their minds, bodies, and souls.
Gunner and I now share this priceless ancient gift.
I ran from hell and ended up in heaven. Unfortunately, the deadly danger I left behind tracks me across the country to the middle of nowhere, Texas.
My past will never let me go without a challenge, a challenge I refuse to run from. To protect my new life, my new pack, my new mate, I will fight.
Excerpt
Strange, hot, metallic
fumes surround me until I choke. I know what’s coming. I try to scream, but no
sound leaves my mouth.
fumes surround me until I choke. I know what’s coming. I try to scream, but no
sound leaves my mouth.
“You are so sweet.”
My skin crawls at the sound
of his dark voice. I struggle to move.
of his dark voice. I struggle to move.
“You are mine, Simone.”
Fire touches my breast. It
spreads throughout my body, throughout my soul.
spreads throughout my body, throughout my soul.
I scream and scream and
scream.
scream.
“Simone! Simone! It’s okay.
You’re safe.”
You’re safe.”
The howling in my ears
wouldn’t stop. So many scents—of the past and the present—bombarded my senses.
All familiar. However, one particular scent overpowered all the others: smoky
and rich, like a cozy, warm fire, and leather cloak, with an undertone of lemon
oil.
wouldn’t stop. So many scents—of the past and the present—bombarded my senses.
All familiar. However, one particular scent overpowered all the others: smoky
and rich, like a cozy, warm fire, and leather cloak, with an undertone of lemon
oil.
A deep rumble filled the
quiet room as a powerful energy touched my skin, making me shiver.
quiet room as a powerful energy touched my skin, making me shiver.
I opened my eyes and came
face to face with an enormous wolf. Bright green eyes, framed by a dark brown
mask above a fully silver muzzle, stared back at me. The wolf’s shoulders were
immense. And there was something about this wolf—something comforting and
electrifying all at once. Nothing would ever happen to me as long as this wolf
watched over me. I felt it in my blood, in my body and in my soul. This wolf
would fight to his last heartbeat to protect me.
face to face with an enormous wolf. Bright green eyes, framed by a dark brown
mask above a fully silver muzzle, stared back at me. The wolf’s shoulders were
immense. And there was something about this wolf—something comforting and
electrifying all at once. Nothing would ever happen to me as long as this wolf
watched over me. I felt it in my blood, in my body and in my soul. This wolf
would fight to his last heartbeat to protect me.
A deep, masculine voice
spoke from across the room. “Simone, everything’s gonna be fine.”
spoke from across the room. “Simone, everything’s gonna be fine.”
The last thing I wanted was
some male telling me everything would be fine.
some male telling me everything would be fine.
I snarled and snapped at
the stranger, who had stayed in the doorway. Though…he wasn’t a total stranger,
he was…Jessy’s mate.
the stranger, who had stayed in the doorway. Though…he wasn’t a total stranger,
he was…Jessy’s mate.
Dain.
Ashamed, I looked away and
caught sight of a black wolf in the mirror across the room.
caught sight of a black wolf in the mirror across the room.
I had shifted.
“Simone?” I lifted my head
toward the sound of Jessy’s soft voice.
toward the sound of Jessy’s soft voice.
In the doorway, Maygan and
Kern stood behind Jessy and Dain.
Kern stood behind Jessy and Dain.
Jessy stepped forward, past
the huge wolf that stood between me and the rest of the room. She tossed a
blanket over my body and sat down on the bed next to me as she gently stroked
my fur.
the huge wolf that stood between me and the rest of the room. She tossed a
blanket over my body and sat down on the bed next to me as she gently stroked
my fur.
“Simone, hey, I think you
had a nightmare. You’re safe here with us. No one is gonna hurt you.”
had a nightmare. You’re safe here with us. No one is gonna hurt you.”
I gazed into the green eyes
of the wolf that stood only a foot from my bed. His anxious features smoothed
out, his stiff shoulders relaxing as his big, fluffy tail began to swing back
and forth in a long, swooping arc.
of the wolf that stood only a foot from my bed. His anxious features smoothed
out, his stiff shoulders relaxing as his big, fluffy tail began to swing back
and forth in a long, swooping arc.
I sucked in a breath and
let the shift back to human flow through me. Jessy readjusted the blanket,
making sure to cover my suddenly naked body.
let the shift back to human flow through me. Jessy readjusted the blanket,
making sure to cover my suddenly naked body.
“I’m so sorry.” Shame and
embarrassment heated my face as I bunched the thick blanket up beneath my chin.
embarrassment heated my face as I bunched the thick blanket up beneath my chin.
The last thing I wanted was
to relive those three horrific days over and over in my dreams.
to relive those three horrific days over and over in my dreams.
“I can give you a sedative
that will help, if you’d like,” Kern offered.
that will help, if you’d like,” Kern offered.
The big wolf in front of me
nodded his agreement. A week ago, I would’ve totally taken up that offer, but
now, my dreams were another reminder of why I had run, why I needed to start a
new life.
nodded his agreement. A week ago, I would’ve totally taken up that offer, but
now, my dreams were another reminder of why I had run, why I needed to start a
new life.
“No. Thank you.” I choked
back a sob. “I need to remember.”
back a sob. “I need to remember.”
I looked down at my
blanket-covered breasts. The branding wasn’t something I would ever forget, but
reliving it in my mind every night reminded me that I would never allow anyone
to hurt me again.
blanket-covered breasts. The branding wasn’t something I would ever forget, but
reliving it in my mind every night reminded me that I would never allow anyone
to hurt me again.
Or stand by while others
were hurt. Or killed.
were hurt. Or killed.
“Well, you need your rest,
too. If you change your mind and want one night of good sleep, say the word and
I’ll make it happen.”
too. If you change your mind and want one night of good sleep, say the word and
I’ll make it happen.”
I nodded. “Thank you. I’ll
think about it.”
think about it.”
Jessy stood up from the
bed. I grabbed her hand.
bed. I grabbed her hand.
“Could you stay? Stay with
me…for just a bit, please?”
me…for just a bit, please?”
“Sure.” She sat back down
as the others quietly slipped from the doorway. The massive wolf didn’t leave
his spot. He sat down as if he belonged there—belonged by my side.
as the others quietly slipped from the doorway. The massive wolf didn’t leave
his spot. He sat down as if he belonged there—belonged by my side.
Now. Always. Forever.
And having thoughts like
that were crazy. I had no idea where they came from, especially since I didn’t
even know this male.
that were crazy. I had no idea where they came from, especially since I didn’t
even know this male.
The wolf raised his huge
paw and laid it gently on the bed next to my thigh as he cocked his head to the
left in question.
paw and laid it gently on the bed next to my thigh as he cocked his head to the
left in question.
“Gunner.” Jessy raised her
eyebrows at him. “Girl talk.”
eyebrows at him. “Girl talk.”
Gunner?
He stood and slowly inched
toward me, his head low in submission as he nudged his nose under my hand.
toward me, his head low in submission as he nudged his nose under my hand.
“I’ve never touched another
wolf before,” I whispered, as I stroked my fingers between his large ears and
down his back. The top layer of his fur was stiff and bristly. I dug my fingers
deeper into the thick, warm underlayer of his coat. “You are so…soft.”
wolf before,” I whispered, as I stroked my fingers between his large ears and
down his back. The top layer of his fur was stiff and bristly. I dug my fingers
deeper into the thick, warm underlayer of his coat. “You are so…soft.”
His luscious scent eased my
anxiety and quickened my pulse at the same time. I smiled as I slid my fingers
over his silky, silver muzzle. He leaned into my touch, pressed his forehead
against mine, and let off a low-pitched whine: a question.
anxiety and quickened my pulse at the same time. I smiled as I slid my fingers
over his silky, silver muzzle. He leaned into my touch, pressed his forehead
against mine, and let off a low-pitched whine: a question.
“Yes, I’m…better now.” And
I was. Calmer. In control.
I was. Calmer. In control.
He pulled away a few
inches. His intense green gaze held me in place as if he could see all the way
down into my soul. I placed my hands on the bed, gripped the blanket in my
fingers, and held his stare. I wanted him to look, wanted him to see who I was,
what I’d been through and that I was no threat to him or his pack.
inches. His intense green gaze held me in place as if he could see all the way
down into my soul. I placed my hands on the bed, gripped the blanket in my
fingers, and held his stare. I wanted him to look, wanted him to see who I was,
what I’d been through and that I was no threat to him or his pack.
The next second, warm, wet
wolf kisses bathed my face.
wolf kisses bathed my face.
“Oh!”
His tongue laved over me,
from my chin to my nose, in quick, friendly swipes. He flashed his long canines
in a strange, wolfy grin, then retreated to the doorway. He glanced back over
his shoulder. His brows arched as if he were asking me if I might change my
mind.
from my chin to my nose, in quick, friendly swipes. He flashed his long canines
in a strange, wolfy grin, then retreated to the doorway. He glanced back over
his shoulder. His brows arched as if he were asking me if I might change my
mind.
“I’m okay.”
He turned away and
disappeared from the room, his claws clicking on the hardwood floor.
disappeared from the room, his claws clicking on the hardwood floor.
My face tingled where he’d
licked me. I swept my tongue along my lips and tasted him there.
licked me. I swept my tongue along my lips and tasted him there.
Stunned, I looked at Jessy.
“Gunner?” His name came out as a sigh. His flavor was still in my mouth and I
wanted more.
“Gunner?” His name came out as a sigh. His flavor was still in my mouth and I
wanted more.
“Yep.” She crossed the room
and closed the door. “He stuck around to make sure you were recovering. He
rarely throws his Alpha status up, but when he does, we don’t argue.”
and closed the door. “He stuck around to make sure you were recovering. He
rarely throws his Alpha status up, but when he does, we don’t argue.”
“Alpha status? He’s your
pack leader?”
pack leader?”
“Couldn’t you tell?” She
waved her arms around as she spoke. “He’s got that whole Alpha-power thing
going on. He can’t help it, not that he would. It just kind of broadcasts his
aura all over the place.”
waved her arms around as she spoke. “He’s got that whole Alpha-power thing
going on. He can’t help it, not that he would. It just kind of broadcasts his
aura all over the place.”
Gunner. He was their Alpha
male. He’d stayed. No wonder I was drawn to him. When I’d run into
him, earlier in the hall, his scent seemed to engulf me. I had wanted to sink
into his arms. But now, his scent seemed different—changed from before—deeper,
more complex and…complete.
male. He’d stayed. No wonder I was drawn to him. When I’d run into
him, earlier in the hall, his scent seemed to engulf me. I had wanted to sink
into his arms. But now, his scent seemed different—changed from before—deeper,
more complex and…complete.
One thing I did understand:
I didn’t fear Gunner as I feared Rule.
I didn’t fear Gunner as I feared Rule.
Sakana Series
Kiss of the Winter Moon
Bk #1
Available for purchase at
About The Author
Indie author Amanda LeMay grew up on a small farm in Southern California reading every sci-fi book her dad passed on to her and watching every classic horror movie her mom shared with her. Her love for paranormal romance was an easy leap. Amanda published her first paranormal romance – full of dark sexy wolf-shifters called KISS OF THE WINTER MOON – in February 2018. Her wolf-shifters share a rare and special bond with their mates: the sakana bond, a rare and ancient bond that links their minds, bodies, and souls.
Amanda still lives in Southern California with her own Alpha-male husband and two grumpy cats and dreams of living on the beach in Texas. When she isn’t writing, or thinking about writing, (or plotting, or characters, or dialogue, or world building), she’s probably working on any number of crafts, sewing, gardening, or lost in another authors’ wonderful dream world. She plots most of her novels while walking, or driving, or while on long Texas beach vacations sitting outside listening to the waves. She loves reading paranormal romance, fantasy romance, sci-fi romance, contemporary romance…well, just romance in general.
Her second novel in the Sakana Series, SHADOW OF THE SUMMER MOON, is set to go live on June 26, 2018.
Book trivia –
“While on a road trip from Southern California to Texas, about an hour outside of San Antonio we passed through a little town called Comfort. I’d already been in the process of writing a wolf-shifter story, so naturally, I pictured an entire pack hiding in plain sight in the middle of this blink-and-miss it town. I spent the next 2 weeks plotting out a story that became the first book in the Sakana Series, Kiss of the Winter Moon. Where I had planned on another book taking second place, Shadow of the Summer Moon soon took its spot as the result of story hijacking by my beta reader, Janna. She’d dreamed Gunner Bodolf, the Comfort pack Alpha, met his sakana and her name was ‘Simone’. She gave me a few details and I took them, added a little over 126,000 other words and gave Gunner his happily ever after.”
Visit Amanda’s website at www.amandalemay.com and sign up for her newsletter to receive exclusive cover reveals and chapter previews.
Connect with Amanda at
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