Tempted (Nightwind Pack Book 4), page 1
TEMPTED
NIGHTWIND PACK
BOOK 4
LAURANN DOHNER
KELE MOON
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Epilogue
Amazon links
About Laurann Dohner
About Kele Moon
Tempted: Nightwind Pack Book 4
Copyright © July 2023
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Editor: Abby Hale
Cover Artist: Dar Albert
Print ISBN: 9798851474460
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
TEMPTED
NIGHTWIND PACK BOOK 4
LAURANN DOHNER AND KELE MOON
In the small, northern California town of Hollow Mountain, a dangerous supernatural battle of survival is unfolding, one that real estate agent Lauren Haley unknowingly steps into the night she finds out her fiancé has been cheating on her.
With her self-esteem in tatters, Lauren stops by the local dive bar where her best friend works, hoping for a drink and a pep-talk. Everything changes when a handsome stranger walks in and Lauren decides to do something she has never done—just once—before returning to her ordinary life.
Kade Riley, a powerful were-panther who has been shunned for his unique lineage and hardened by life's trials, doesn’t know the reasons why a beautiful human woman asks him to spend one night with her—no strings attached. He just can’t resist a good thing when it falls in his lap.
It was supposed to be just once, but life has other plans.
Even as a brutal war threatens to erupt around Kade and Lauren, their shared attraction grows more intense. With Kade's dangerous life poised to engulf her, can Lauren navigate her fears and step into the world of the paranormal?
1
“Oh, Lauren, I’m so sorry.” Roni, the diligent best friend that she was, placed a drink in front of Lauren. “You waited five months for this asshole, and this is what you get? It’s bullshit.”
Lauren lifted the drink, toasted Roni, and took a gulp. “Yup. The girl who answered sounded fresh out of high school. She said Brent was in the shower. In the shower—like I couldn’t put that together. Then she got all bitchy, asking me who I was. When I told her I was his fiancée, she flipped out.” She snorted, tore the engagement ring off her finger, and slid it across the bar to Roni. “Here’s my tip to you. Never trust someone in the military who gets sent to another state for eight months of duty. Bastard. Then, the girl tells me she’s pregnant. He’s been cheating on me for three months. They met in a bar, and she’s eight weeks along.”
Roni glanced at the ring and then pocketed it. “I’ll save it for you until you’re sober and you can pawn the thing.”
Lauren tucked a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear. “Flush it for all I care. I never want to see it again. I’ve been going through batteries while that son of a bitch was knocking up Miss Right-Out-of-High-School. He called me two days ago, telling me he loved me, going on about how much he missed me. She probably ran to the store or something, so she wasn’t home when he called. He’s a cheating, two-timing, lying asshole.”
Roni hesitated, studying her for a while before she whispered, “I’m really sorry, Lauren. I know you thought he was the one.”
“Yeah.” Lauren took another gulp of the drink. It burned down her throat all the way into her belly. “He said he wanted to knock me up right away when we got married. I guess he couldn’t wait.” She blinked back tears. “I’ve been sleeping with a body pillow, and did I mention the batteries? Five long months, and I’ve been loyal. I get hit on all the time, but I remained loyal to that bastard.” She took another gulp. “Well, not anymore. I’m free and getting laid.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Lauren. You could go home with a serial killer, or he could have a disease. He could even be married or hurt you in some way. You’re always telling me this shit—listen to your own advice. You have been saying those things to me for ten years since Paul ran off to go to college and left me behind. High school sweetheart, my ass. I get wanting to get over him by getting under someone else. Fun sex is great, but you’ve always been kinda serious about these things. One-night stands aren’t who you are. You should lay off the rum and cokes. You don’t want to wake up with regrets.”
Lauren waved off her complaints dismissively and turned in her seat to glance around the large room. The Barn was the seediest bar in town. It sat at the edge of the woods at the base of Hollow Mountain and had turned into a well-known rough establishment that catered to bikers and some of the town’s notoriously bad elements.
It was also a place Lauren had warned Roni not to work at. Even if Roni had family friends who worked there, it was still too dangerous. Of course, her best friend hadn’t listened, so that’s how Lauren ended up getting shit-faced drunk inside the place while visiting Roni.
“I have to go deliver drinks. You sit right here.” Roni shot her a warning look. “There’s no one in this bar you want to mess with. There’s been a lot of biker gang shit going down around here lately. Bad stuff. Trust me on this.”
Lauren rolled her eyes and pushed hair over her shoulder again, cursing its thickness, hot and annoyed that it kept falling forward. Her gaze roamed the bar again. She recognized a few of the guys. Dean Hatcher had grown up to be a small-time criminal, in and out of jail—not her type. Her attention focused on the men sitting in the corner. She recognized faces but didn’t know names. Just over twenty men were in the bar, but none of them were to her liking.
Roni returned. “Let me make you some coffee. That’s your second drink, and you’re so not driving home, lightweight.”
“Great. I’m in the mood to get laid, and there’s not one man in here that I’d touch with a ten-foot pole. My luck sucks. I guess I will go home.”
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard you say since you walked in the door.” Roni moved down the bar. “I’m getting you a pot of coffee going.”
Lauren’s focus turned to the large picture window by the counter when the lights caught her attention. She saw a big, black older SUV pull into the lot. As it parked, she caught a glimpse of an out-of-state plate. She bit her lip and crossed her legs when she saw the man who climbed out.
Her heart raced when the stranger headed for the door. He had long black hair and was a powerfully-built man, noticeably tall and wide-shouldered. He wore a black leather jacket, and it looked tight around his large biceps. He walked gracefully and smoothly, far more so than most men.
She saw his jeans were molded to muscular thighs when he stepped inside the bar, and she swore a hush filled the room for a few seconds like everyone took notice of him… Lauren knew she sure did. When he started to turn her way, she spun on the barstool, and her gaze went to the mirror behind the bar.
He was extremely good-looking in a rough and sexy kind of way. His eyes appeared dark, but she wasn’t sure of the exact color. He had an olive skin tone, and it was obvious he spent a lot of time in the sun. She got the impression he was very outdoorsy.
He lifted his head a little, still standing in the doorway, giving the place a careful once-over. He looked dangerous to Lauren, definitely a man you didn’t want to meet in a dark alley. She took another sip of her drink and kept her gaze locked on him in the mirror. He moved into the room and further down the long bar counter. He took a seat about eight barstools away from her.
She swallowed the drink and causally glanced down the bar. The light was better, and it let her study his profile. Forget good-looking—the guy was downright hot. He screamed tough. All male. He was the kind of man she avoided like the plague. She liked blonds with medium builds and no taller than five-foot-nine. Otherwise, she just felt too short at five-foot-two. Brent was my type. She gritted her teeth and reminded herself, Brent is a cheating bastard.
This man felt way out of her league in every way possible. The thought of talking to him made her stomach knot with nervousness, but that just made her want to do it more.
Look at where playing it safe had gotten her.
Lauren watched from the corner of her eye as Roni approached the sexy stranger. The music was on, so she couldn’t hear the exchange, but she saw Roni’s tight expression. She knew her friend well. Roni looke
Roni brought a cup of coffee and pushed it in front of Lauren. “Drink that, and I want your keys until you sober up.”
“You’re not my mother.”
Roni sighed. “You’re right. I’d never be that much of a bitch. Your mom is the queen of mean, so thank you for saying I’m not her. Now, drink the coffee and behave.”
Lauren glanced at the man down the bar again, and then her gaze swung to Roni. “Ever see him in here before?”
“Never in my life.” Roni scowled. “Why?”
Lauren suddenly smiled. “My name is Candy.” She winked at her best friend. “And you don’t know me. Give me the keys to the cabin.”
Roni paled. “No fucking way. Not him. Pick someone else if you want to go crazy.”
“He’s not from around here. He’s got out-of-state plates and can’t be part of your biker gang drama.” Lauren held out her hand. “Give me the keys to the cabin. I’m sure as hell not taking him home with me.”
Roni’s palms flattened on the bar. “Not him.”
Lauren frowned. “I’ve got three words for you. Felix Adam Norris.”
Roni paled. “You wouldn’t.”
“I might,” Lauren warned. “‘Cause I need this. Desperately.”
“Bitch.” Her friend spun away and seconds later came back with a small ring with three keys on it. “Never mention him again. I swear to God, I didn’t know he was married to Officer Barb Ellis. If she ever finds out I screwed her old man, she’s going to write me tickets and arrest me every chance she gets. Here’s the key. I think I’ll get his license plate number, so when you disappear, they have a lead on who killed you.”
Lauren chuckled. “You’re a good friend. Now get lost, stranger.”
“Blackmailing bitch. Be careful.” Roni walked away quickly. “I’m following you on my phone, so make sure your tracker is on.”
Lauren glanced at her phone and made sure Roni could still track her. Then she stopped for a moment to run a mental check on herself. She wasn’t drunk, but she was feeling relaxed. She pushed off the barstool slowly to test her legs. While she felt steady, Lauren still knew she wasn’t much of a drinker. Two drinks usually knocked her flat, but when her high heels hit the floor, her legs took her weight easily.
She left her purse locked in her car when she came in earlier. She had money, her keys, and now her phone in her jacket pockets. She put the extra set of keys in another pocket, and then her gaze locked on tall, dark, and sexy.
He really was a big son of a bitch.
Maybe this isn’t such a hot idea, she warned herself, but she kept walking.
She moved between the stool and the bar next to him. Then she put her hand down on the polished wood, studying his profile until he slowly turned his head.
Just under two feet separated them as she stared into a pair of dark, sexy brown eyes flecked with gold. They looked like melted chocolate, and that was one of her favorite things. She ran her tongue over her upper lip. His gaze dropped and followed the swipe of her tongue. She studied his face as his eyes lifted, and he looked back at her.
“I’ve never seen you in town before.”
He shrugged. “I just got here two days ago.”
“Where are you staying?”
“The River Motel.” He had a deep, raspy voice, like warm whiskey, smooth and rough at the same time. “But I won’t be there much longer.”
He’s perfect, her mind whispered to her.
“I’m Candy.” Lauren grinned. “What’s your name?”
He smiled back, making him impossibly handsome. “Candy?” He arched an eyebrow, looking amused.
He had avoided giving Lauren his name, but she let it go.
“My parents’ idea of a sick joke,” she lied easily. “Our last name is Barr.” She spelled it for him. “I have a sister named Sugar. What can I say?”
He chuckled. It was deep and made his body shake slightly.
God, he was sexy.
He had full lips and strong features. He had eyelashes that were black and went on forever. He was shaven close, which was almost unique these days. She inhaled and loved the way he smelled. It was something masculine and raw…like him.
“Sounds like a hellish name to grow up with.” A grin tugged at his lips. “I bet you were both teased a lot.”
She nodded, lowering her lashes with a smile. She knew she was flirting hard. She didn’t care. The booze had relaxed her enough that she didn’t feel shy in the least.
“Still do. You don’t know how many guys offered to eat me.”
The second the words were out of her mouth, she was a little shocked that she’d let them leave. Sober Lauren never would have. She didn’t even feel heat flush her face, which was totally out of character for her.
“I bet. Did you take many up on it?”
“Nope, but I probably should have.”
The stranger’s grin widened. His dark eyes narrowed. She saw his nose flare a little, and then he offered, “Can I buy you a drink, Candy?”
She shook her head slowly. “I pay my own way in life, but you could escort me home if you’re feeling chivalrous. I have had a few drinks. I probably shouldn’t drive.”
He blinked and took a deep breath. “How many have you had?”
“Two. I’m not drunk. I’m just feeling good. So how about it?” She took a deep breath for courage and asked, “Do you want to escort me home?”
He was silent…studying her.
Lauren leaned against the bar a little more and put a hand on her hip. She opened her jacket just slightly when she did it. She saw his gaze leave hers and wander down the v-cut dress shirt that was exposed. It was dipped low in the front, and she knew he could see a bit of cleavage.
“I’ve had a hard day. I could use a distraction,” she admitted softly. “But, if you’re in a relationship—”
“I’m not,” he assured her with another hot look but warned, “and I don’t plan to be.”
“Me either,” she agreed a little too quickly. “I’m done with that.”
“Then, yeah, Candy Barr.” He smiled broadly. “I’d be honored.”
“Good.” She smiled back and pushed away from the bar. Her heart was pounding. Lauren didn’t turn to look as she walked toward the door because she would likely lose her nerve. She could hear him behind her, every part of her sensing his strong, steady gait as he followed her.
He reached the door first and opened it for her. She flashed him a smile as she walked under his arm and out into the warm summer night. A slight breeze blew. God, he was tall. He towered over her as they walked out the bar door together.
He was about a foot taller than she was, even in two-inch heels, and when she looked back at him, she had to tilt her head back as she asked, “Which one is yours?”
He pointed to the corner space. “The black Bronco.”
She moved toward it, not wanting him to know she’d spotted him the second he’d pulled into the parking lot. He walked next to her. They didn’t speak, even as he unlocked the passenger door. The Bronco was high, and she hesitated.
He gave her a knowing look. “I’m going to have to lift you up. That skirt you have on doesn’t have much give in it for you to climb.”
She turned and smiled up at him, taking in his broad shoulders, powerful chest, and thick arms. “I think you’re strong enough to lift me. I won’t hurt you, will I?”
He chuckled. His eyes sparkled in the dim parking lights. “Not a chance of that. You’re a little thing.”
“So, lift away.”
He easily lifted her up and onto the seat. She grinned down at him and slid her legs in as she turned on the seat. She noticed when his gaze took in the flash of thigh. Her skirt was just past her knee, but there were slits in the side that went up to just a few inches above.
