Finding Shadow BOOK ONE

Elena Carmichael arrived for the annual Howling a few hours ago and immediately began tracking the delicious scent wafting on the breeze. Her mate was here. She could feel it.

Elena’s search led her to a small track in the woodland area on the outskirts of Shadow Moon territory; she rounded the corner just in time to see five teenage Were boys jump an unsuspecting Omega wolf, hitting the back of his head with, a large rock, as they laughed at him crashing to the ground unconscious.

They began kicking his still form, and Elena knew if she didn't do something now, the poor young man might not survive against his cowardly attackers.

"Let him go!" She bellowed, sheer rage tapping into her magic as an Elemental wolf, causing the wind to pick the boys up and suspend them in midair, bound tightly by her wind fist.

"Hey, you can't do this, outsider. Do you even know who we are?" The bigger wolf blustered, trying in vain to free his limbs.

Elena grinned. "The real question here, boy, is DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"

With a slight flick of her wrist, the boys were thrown, and as they touched the ground, they swiftly shifted, running off towards the packhouse, no doubt to tell their Alpha an Elemental wolf had crossed into pack lands. Hmph, Neanderthals, little did they know, Alpha Payne was her uncle and he’d invited her specifically to this event in hopes that she would find her fated mate this year.

Elena had been shut away for so long in the jungle, training exclusively with the small but powerful Elemental pack there as she learned to control and use her abilities; it felt good to finally be amongst other wolves, sharing food and gossip, chatting like normal society.

At nineteen, Elena was the youngest Alpha born in her line; her wolf was a proud creature named Sephora. Her coat was a straight slate grey with light grey eyes, colors she shared with her human side, as Elena's hair boasted a shimmery silver with the same liquid eyes.

She was a lean figure, perfect for tracking, ensuring Elena could run for days without tiring, her gift of harnessing wind helpful in keeping her cool no matter the heat.

In the eyes of Elena’s own pack, she was a prize. Unfortunately, none of the unmated males there gave her the tingles, and she yearned for someone to call her own.

A groan bought Elena out of her introspection, and she remembered the poor Omega lying several feet away, probably needing pack attention.

'Dang girl,' she chided, 'get your head in the game and your brain outta the clouds. Alpha borns don't waste time with daydreams.'

As she drew closer to the downed wolf, his scent wafted towards her, scrambling her senses, waterfalls, and mossy earth...' MATE MATE MATE!!' Sephora screamed in her head, challenging Elena for control of her body. 'MUST HELP, MATE!!' This Omega was her mate? Elena's heart thundered in her chest as she ran the short distance to the downed male. Upon closer inspection, her wolf seemed confused, "He is no Omega Elena," Sephora confirmed. "His blood smells like a strong Gamma; why would a Gamma be demoted to a lowly Omega?"

"Someone has tried to break, mate!" Sephora growled, pushing forward, taking complete control as she leaned towards the male; there were injuries everywhere, some old, some new, his lean body was covered in them, and it made her blood boil.

Slowly one eye opened, and Sephora could see the male's wolf peering back at her through pain-hazed chocolate-colored eyes, "Mate?" he rumbled before losing his battle to unconsciousness again.

Elena used her wolf's momentary distress to force Sephora back and regain control, 'Dammit, you have to stop doing that! Who knows what sort of trouble you could've gotten us into if we'd wolfed out without permission in another pack? What good are we to our mate if our arse is thrown in the bloody dungeon?'

Sephora grumbled and retreated to the recesses of Elena's mind in reluctant submission; she never apologized and would often sulk for a few days if Elena got cross with her. Still, at this point, Elena couldn't give a rat's butt if she pouted or not. A bit of humility would do her arrogant wolf some good.

As for her mate and the telltale smell of Gamma blood, that was a puzzle she would like to solve, but first, he needed medical attention.

She opened her mind link to call on the warrior accompanying her on her journey through the Howling, one of her father's men.

"Cade, are you busy?"

"Just grabbing a bite to eat with the Beta's son Elena; why?"

"I've just found my mate. He isn't in good shape and requires medical attention, I could lift him, but I don't know where the pack doctor is located; can you find someone to help, please?"

"Sure thing, the Beta's son has offered his assistance. Where are you?"

"There is a small bush trail on the outskirts of their territory, about a kilometer north of the foothills. We are easy to spot, but Cade...you need to hurry, he's not doing too good, and for some reason, his wolf isn't healing him...."

"Okay, Elena, congratulations on finding him before the Howling; I'm guessing that's why you took off so quickly when we arrived? Mikhail and I will shift to get to you quickly; hang on; we'll be there soon."

Cade cut the link, and Elena sat down beside her mate. He was the most gorgeous male she had ever seen.

She wanted to run her hands over his body, he was HERS, and those ignorant little punks tried to hurt her beloved, for that they would face Sephora’s wrath, but first, she had to make sure he was safe.

He was tall and slimly built, with a wiry body and lightly tanned skin; his face was all angles. Elena could tell that he would fill out with a bit of feeding up and become panty-dropping sexy. Goddess help any other female who looked at him though, Elena and her wolf wouldn't tolerate that as an Alpha blood.

He had messy blonde hair that looked as though he spent a lot of time in the sun, and Elena found herself wondering, "What's your story, mate?" as she waited for Cade and the Beta's son.