Bite of the Moon: Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Boxed Set by Erika Masten, Catherine Vale, Bryce Evans, Michelle Fox, Elle Boon, Katalina Leon Page B
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brothers had thrown the crazed wolf off the giant sand cliff looming over Lake Michigan. It might be too late for him and the others, but at least Nick wouldn’t bite anyone else ever again. He took great satisfaction in that fact…and then felt a little guilty about it. Nick had been Tao, Leo and Kai’s brother. They’d had to kill their own blood. Hell, he couldn't even manage his mother and her obsession with grandbabies, let alone kill anyone he loved. It must've torn them apart to do it.
Although they never spoke of it, Kane was certain it had to hurt to look at the motley crew of newly made shifters that Nick had left behind. They would be cleaning up their brother’s mess for the rest of their lives, a daily, painful reminder they were too good to turn their backs on. He admired their strength of character. "Thanks for sticking with us here. I’m sure none of this was what you wanted. You left your pack and everything to help us. I can’t imagine what you had to give up."
Tao was quiet for a moment before finally saying, "The only thing we lost was our brother. Our pack never wanted us. We can’t go back, even if we wanted to. Not after what Nick did." He paused and took a deep breath, the mention of his brother clearly troubling him.
"Sorry," Kane said. "I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories." He moved toward the door, thinking to leave, but Tao clamped a hand on his shoulder and held him back.
"The truth is, Kane, you guys are our home now. The home we didn’t know we needed. We aren’t like other shifters. We have powers and we’re big, which makes us outcasts in a lot of places."
"Nick did bad things, but the good that came out of it balances that," Kai said joining them.
"We have a community now that needs us. No one ever wanted us before," added Leo.
"I would still prefer to not have been bitten in the first place," Kane said, his voice stiff.
"And I wish my home pack would have wanted us. Maybe then Nick wouldn’t have done what he did." Kai held Kane’s gaze with his, steady and sure. "We don’t get what we want in this world, Sheriff. We only get what we make of what is given to us. To think we control anything beyond that is lunacy."
"Maybe so, but it still sucks." Kane rubbed his neck as his wolf undulated up and down his spine. "I’m fighting myself and crime these days. It’s tiring."
"That’s what the ice cream is for," Kai said with a wry smile. "We have to take what respite we can."
"What about your powers?" Kane asked. "How do those work?"
Kai shrugged. "No one knows."
Kane frowned. "Where do they come from?"
"There are several different ideas about that, but nothing has been proven," Kai said.
"Some say shifters are aliens and our powers are recessive genes of some kind. Others think we hold the magic of the first shifters, the pure power of the moon," Tao said.
"Why would they make you an outcast then?" Kane frowned.
"Because we’re stronger than them." Tao flexed his arm, showing off his impressive bicep, which was big as some men's thighs. "All of them and they’re afraid of that. They would rather ignore us or see us dead than tolerate our strength."
Kane started to speak, but Kai cut him off with a curt movement of his hand. "Jealousy isn’t rational, Sheriff. The packs are dwindling and they are afraid that we are the beginning of the end…for them, at least. To their way of thinking, we’re not an asset, we’re a threat."
"But all you’ve done is help us. You’re not bad guys," Kane said.
Kai nodded. "Right. We did the same for our pack. Tao did the things that required strength. Leo helped Tao, and I used my magic for everyone’s benefit. But it didn’t matter. The fear drowned out anything we did."
"Truth be told, this is the first pack that actually wanted us," said Tao with a heavy sigh.
"And so we are happy to serve." Kai snapped his heels together and gave a small bow.
"Well, I’m glad you guys are here. I wouldn’t want to be
Although they never spoke of it, Kane was certain it had to hurt to look at the motley crew of newly made shifters that Nick had left behind. They would be cleaning up their brother’s mess for the rest of their lives, a daily, painful reminder they were too good to turn their backs on. He admired their strength of character. "Thanks for sticking with us here. I’m sure none of this was what you wanted. You left your pack and everything to help us. I can’t imagine what you had to give up."
Tao was quiet for a moment before finally saying, "The only thing we lost was our brother. Our pack never wanted us. We can’t go back, even if we wanted to. Not after what Nick did." He paused and took a deep breath, the mention of his brother clearly troubling him.
"Sorry," Kane said. "I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories." He moved toward the door, thinking to leave, but Tao clamped a hand on his shoulder and held him back.
"The truth is, Kane, you guys are our home now. The home we didn’t know we needed. We aren’t like other shifters. We have powers and we’re big, which makes us outcasts in a lot of places."
"Nick did bad things, but the good that came out of it balances that," Kai said joining them.
"We have a community now that needs us. No one ever wanted us before," added Leo.
"I would still prefer to not have been bitten in the first place," Kane said, his voice stiff.
"And I wish my home pack would have wanted us. Maybe then Nick wouldn’t have done what he did." Kai held Kane’s gaze with his, steady and sure. "We don’t get what we want in this world, Sheriff. We only get what we make of what is given to us. To think we control anything beyond that is lunacy."
"Maybe so, but it still sucks." Kane rubbed his neck as his wolf undulated up and down his spine. "I’m fighting myself and crime these days. It’s tiring."
"That’s what the ice cream is for," Kai said with a wry smile. "We have to take what respite we can."
"What about your powers?" Kane asked. "How do those work?"
Kai shrugged. "No one knows."
Kane frowned. "Where do they come from?"
"There are several different ideas about that, but nothing has been proven," Kai said.
"Some say shifters are aliens and our powers are recessive genes of some kind. Others think we hold the magic of the first shifters, the pure power of the moon," Tao said.
"Why would they make you an outcast then?" Kane frowned.
"Because we’re stronger than them." Tao flexed his arm, showing off his impressive bicep, which was big as some men's thighs. "All of them and they’re afraid of that. They would rather ignore us or see us dead than tolerate our strength."
Kane started to speak, but Kai cut him off with a curt movement of his hand. "Jealousy isn’t rational, Sheriff. The packs are dwindling and they are afraid that we are the beginning of the end…for them, at least. To their way of thinking, we’re not an asset, we’re a threat."
"But all you’ve done is help us. You’re not bad guys," Kane said.
Kai nodded. "Right. We did the same for our pack. Tao did the things that required strength. Leo helped Tao, and I used my magic for everyone’s benefit. But it didn’t matter. The fear drowned out anything we did."
"Truth be told, this is the first pack that actually wanted us," said Tao with a heavy sigh.
"And so we are happy to serve." Kai snapped his heels together and gave a small bow.
"Well, I’m glad you guys are here. I wouldn’t want to be
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