Feral is the Night (Feral Night World Book 1) Read online

  Leeah Taylor

  Feral is the Night

  Copyright © 2020 by Leeah Taylor

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  First edition

  Cover art by Love Drunk Premades

  This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

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  To Jess, Naomi, Daria, Anne, Quell, and everyone in our Indie Coven. This book is only possible because of your love and support…

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  Thank You for Reading!

  Chapter One

  Berkeley

  Fall.

  Crisp breezes and bold colors.

  Bonfires and hoodies.

  Pumpkin spice and hot apple cider.

  Before three years ago, it was all I looked forward to. Every night was a bonfire with the pack. I’d cozy up with my best girlfriend next to the fire. Always wearing the hoodie stolen from my mate and drinking bourbon spiked apple cider.

  Not a care in the world. Our whole lives ahead of us.

  I scan the horizon as the sun slips down, dreading the waning daylight to come with Fall. We should head back. It’ll be dark when we make it home to the school. It’s what I get for listening to Tristan and allowing him to convince me to push a little farther.

  “Come on Berkeley. We can risk an hour and make it to the abandoned factory. You know whatever we find will be worth it.”

  The winter will be hard this year. It’s been the elephant in the room for months. Ever since the crops failed and the hunting trips brought back less and less.

  My sensitive ears perk up when a branch snaps. I pause as the hairs on the back of my neck stand and I grip tight to the machete at my side.

  Slowly, I search around me and scrutinize every single shadow. They aren’t as scary as they used to be. In the beginning we were clueless about what we were dealing with or how to kill the things that took over our world. The Ferals. Bloodthirsty husks of the humans they once were.

  Sunlight has always been our greatest defense against them. They burst into flames and crumble to ash in the rays. But in the shadows, in the dark, they’re empowered. Fueled by a raging thirst for fresh, living blood.

  I crouch at the treeline next to Tristan and search over the tall, overgrown field between us and the factory. He’s focused hard on it. It’s a risk. There’s barely any daylight left.

  “We can come back,” I whisper. “Tomorrow. The next day. We can leave at very first light.”

  I glance behind me at the rest of our party. A handful of usuals, always good for a run and skilled with weapons to defend themselves. They all look spent for the day. Worse, with nothing to show for it. If there were any deer, rabbit, or even squirrels out here, we didn’t find any.

  Tristan shakes his head, rubbing at the thick stubble on his chin. He looks as tired as I feel.

  “No, Berkeley. What if someone else—”

  “If we get caught out here in the open when it gets really dark—”

  He pins me with dark hazel eyes. “We won’t.”

  “As it is, we may have to risk setting up camp. We have only a couple hours of daylight left. If we turn back right now we may make it back to the school after dusk.”

  We’ve already passed the point of no return for daylight. But if we leave now, right this second, we’d pass the gates by nightfall. Any longer and we’re serving the Ferals up a buffet dinner.

  “We can afford a little longer.” He drags his hand through his dirty blonde hair, giving the old factory another glance, before wild eyes search mine. “What’s the worst that happens?”

  Oh, absolutely not.

  “If you’re at worst-case scenario, we’re going back. I’m not risking anyone’s life in your worst-case. We’ll plan a trip for just the factory.”

  It’s an old factory with no guarantees there’s anything worth scavenging and not worth risking our lives. If I’ve learned anything, it’s life is worth more now because there isn’t much of it left.

  “Berkeley,” Tristan grits out.

  “No, and that’s it.” I turn and nod to Jay. “Let’s go.”

  Jay stands to his full height of six foot five and nods back. I’m a small but curvy five three and he dwarfs me easily. He’s mostly all bark and no bite, unless it’s Ferals in his path, then he’s a beastly giant with a sledgehammer. The others follow him, leaving Tristan behind to scowl and glare at me.

  He scoffs. “I don’t fucking get it. What’s the matter with you?”

  “Nothing.”

  Why does something have to be wrong with me? When did being cautious turn into a problem?

  I walk away before we end up in one of his bullshit back and forths. There’s not enough daylight left to figure out what the hell is the matter with him. Aside from his usual moodiness, he’s way too worked up over some factory which is likely picked clean. Like everything else.

  “Berkeley.”

  He falls in step with me as the rest of our group pushes further into the forest, putting distance between us. They know when to leave me to it with Tristan and not to get in the middle of it.

  “You can’t deny we’re barely going to make it through the winter, if at all. Anything, anything, we find will be better than nothing at all.”

  He’s not wrong, and I never said as much, but fear is fueling his strategy to get the bit of anything, not logic. We stand a better chance of vetting the factory with a bigger team and more daylight.

  It’s strategy weighed with risks. Right now his strategy carries more weight and I’m not willing to take the possible losses.

  “There’s a reason we don’t go running into every building we come across. Even during the day. The dark isn’t our friend—”

  “And we’re always prepared for that.”

  “Yes.” I twist around to face him. “But we at least have an edge when encountering Ferals during the day- sunlight. We do not have that same advantage at night.”

  “When are you going to do your job and take control, Berkeley? Before or after you watch everyone die because you wouldn’t take a risk—”

  A sting spreads over my palm with rage boiling in my veins. His head whips to the side, but he’s back in my face, eyes blazing. Is that taking charge enough for him? His hand wraps around my throat and backs me against rough bark, making it dig into my backside.

  He towers over me and maybe, a long time ago, it’d scare me, but I’ve faced death and monsters more times than I can count. One of Tristan’s raging tantrums is par for the course. He knows which one of us is an alpha and by right and biology, whether he likes it or not, it’s me. By the spark lit up in his gaze, he not
only knows it but can see it too.

  I rarely allow my wolf to the surface. The few times it has shone through, it’s always faced me with the fear it creates in the faces of people who trust me. It’s a reminder, while they trust me, the human part, they don’t trust my animal side.

  I respect them enough to restrain my wolf deep down for their comfort and security.

  “You finished?” I ask, waiting for him to get off me before I’m forced to do it myself. Unlike everyone else, Tristan gets off on riling my wolf in one breath while reminding me I’m human in the next. When it suits him and his dick. “Get your kinky rocks off?”

  “And if I’m not?” He grips tighter around my throat, but his lips are lingering over mine. “What are you going to do?”

  I am not in the mood for this bullshit. I nudge him back, but it doesn’t soften his grip and I finally growl. It rolls deep from the bottom of my chest, vibrating to the back of my throat. It’s a sound almost foreign to me after so long, and it feels good. My wolf stretches out, sending a wicked pulse through my veins.

  “Get off of me.” I shove him hard in the chest as the pinch of my claws split from my fingertips and he finally backs off. “You need to remember who the fuck you’re talking to. I’m not playing games today, Tristan, nor am I in the mood for your bullshit.”

  He looks pissed, like he wasn’t the one with his hand around my throat.

  “My bullshit—”

  Shots explode in the forest’s silence and echo down to my bones. I bolt towards our party. How did they get so far ahead of us? Why did I let Tristan, once again, distract my priorities? This tantrum could’ve waited until we were back at the school.

  My men come into view as hissing and growling pull my attention in different directions. I realize it’s not only my guys fighting the fanged monsters, but at least four other strangers are in the Feral brawl, too.

  It’s all a blur when my ears perk up and awareness sweeps through me. I raise my machete, twist around and the blade slices through flesh. Hot, thick blood sprays my face as I send a head rolling and an emaciated body drops at my feet.

  Something grunts behind me and I’m quick to spin with a firm grip on the blade’s hilt. More blood sprays over me and a firm, calloused hand catches me at the wrist. I jerk back, but the grip locks around my wrist.

  A growl stalls and dies in the back of my throat. Icy blue eyes stare back at me, stopping the whole goddamn world around me. My stomach drops right down into my feet and the sight of him makes me gasp for air freely available, but I can’t seem to manage. The favorite smile I remember pulls up the corner of his lips and my heart cinches tight in my chest.

  My first instinct is to follow the trail of blood staining his face, down his neck and to his chest. Don’t be bit. Please don’t be bit. My second instinct is to jerk away harder, but he let’s go this time and I stumble back.

  He looks over me now, covered from head to toe in blood, like he did then and I’m in his hoodie and tight jeans. Still my perfect Spitfire. His voice echoes between my ears and tears burn into my vision. It’s the only reason I know this is real and not a dream, like hundreds before.

  I swallow nothing but dryness. My blood roars through me and ignites with the familiar bond. Seated so deep, my body and soul didn’t forget. I forced his memory down as far as it could go, to ease and ebb the pain the loss of him inflicted.

  Because he chose the fucking pack over me.

  Again.

  I gasp, “Carver.”

  Chapter Two

  Carver

  Seeing her after so long, covered in blood, sends my wolf into a territorial fit of rage. After three years of haunting nightmares of her death, it’s not how I’d ever want to see her. And my mind made up every wicked scenario to explain why she wasn’t where she said she’d be.

  We agreed.

  We promised.

  Three days.

  She was gone before two.

  And now here she is. Alive. Standing in front of me with the nerve to look pissed. Yet, I’ve never been more relieved to lay eyes on her. My wolf is giddy, scraping in my depths to get to her.

  My Spitfire.

  My Berkeley.

  My goddamn mate.

  A man comes up behind her and tugs her closer. “You okay?”

  But she’s still staring at me like this asshole is a nobody. Big bright, green eyes incredulous.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Carver, you good?” Cooper asks. “That was—” He halts beside me and the awkward silence consumes him too. “Shit… Berk?”

  I didn’t think her eyes could get any bigger or anymore color could drain out of her cheeks. But they did. And she’s as beautiful as I remember. More, even. Even covered in blood, my Berkeley is still as gorgeous as ever.

  The nobody asshole locks onto me, eyes swirling with a lot of bad ideas with nostrils flared. “You were right, we should head back. Now.”

  She finally shakes off the shock and shoves a hand through her dark hair before glaring at the man. “No shit I was right.”

  I can only smile and Cooper chuckles under his breath. Same old Berkeley. All spitfire, piss, and vinegar. The smile vanishes when she breezes past me like we didn’t have a moment. A huge fucking moment. Three years of a moment.

  “Berkeley…” I’m ready to go after her, but a hand presses into my chest and asshole steps into my sights. Terrible fucking idea.

  “Thanks for your help,” he says. I’m not impressed. “Appreciated.”

  “I’d appreciate you getting your hand off me.”

  I’m not shy about what I am. It’s simple. I’m a wolf. A shifter. He’s a human. We haven’t been a secret since Ferals showed up on the playing field and the world went to hell. And this doesn’t go in his favor. I make sure he knows it too, as I allow my wolf the bit of leeway to shine through. He doesn’t seem bothered by it, though. I’ll have to be a bit more blunt about it.

  “Let’s go Tristan. Now,” Berkeley clips out as she finishes looking over her guys.

  Lucky for her, she didn’t lose a single one. We lost four because of the Ferals coming out of nowhere. In the fuck all daylight. They’re getting braver.

  “Best move along before it gets dark. Yeah?”

  Tristan’s smug grin is enough to let my wolf out, but Cooper grips to my shoulder. Thank god he’s my logic right now because this little shit would be dead already.

  “Berkeley…” I grit out, damn near demanding her attention with an undercurrent of the alpha I know she probably craves. When she stops cold in her tracks, shoulders tense but doesn’t turn around, I fucking know how much she’s been craving it.

  She glances over her shoulder, barely looking at me. “Let’s go.”

  “Hey.” I finally shove past the little asshole and stalk after her. “We saved your asses out here.”

  “And?”

  “And—are you serious? How about a thank you?”

  Everything I remember about her comes flooding back when she twists around. And it’s the same need to throw her down on the cold, hard ground and fuck the attitude right out of her. Just like then.

  Cooper wedges himself between us before old times really kick off. He looks from her to me and shakes his head.

  “Nobody needs to thank anyone, hmm?” He glares at me and takes a very big risk, letting his wolf edge against my alpha. “We’d appreciate a place to stay tonight, Berk. If you can manage. You got a camp?”

  “No fucking way.” The little asshole is back in my line of sight. “Berkeley, let’s go.”

  And once again she’s ignoring him completely with eyes only on me.

  “What do you say, Spitfire?” Cooper asks. “We got some food.”

  She crosses her arms. “Don’t need food.”

  I laugh. “Bullshit. Everybody needs food.”

  We don’t. Not really. Just have to hike our asses back home for a hot, home cooked meal.

  “Berkeley, you can’t be entertaining this,”
Tristan pleads.

  No, I bet he doesn’t want her to. If I were him, I’d be just as possessive. She eyes Cooper and he gives her his best, winning smile.

  She finally sighs. “One night…”

  Tristan looks ready to explode. “Berkeley, we don’t know them.”

  The smallest of smiles ghosts her lips. “I do.”

  “Berk—”

  Her head whips in his direction. “One night. Gone by morning. Isn’t that right, Carver?”

  I nod, grinning, when she turns back to me. “Whatever you say.”

  She glares at Tristan. “Mind your goddamn business for once.”

  He invades her space an inch and I’m ready to take his head clean off. She’s my girl, not his, and the only person who will invade any space is me.

  Tristan scowls. “Does he get one night, too?”

  “Keep acting like a fucking child and he might. Not that it would be any business of yours.”

  And like a child, he storms off after one more nose flare. I haven’t smiled like this in ages, and it doesn’t seem to earn me any points with Berkeley while she gives me a snide look.

  “Well shit, Berk, three years and I’m still the best dick you ever had if your boyfriend’s tantrum means anything.”

  She huffs, rolling her eyes. “He’s not my boyfriend. I just fuck him from time to time.” My wolf tenses and growls from my depths. “One night, Carver, and you’re gone by first light.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  But I won’t be quiet and hide in the corner in the meantime. She owes me an explanation and I’ll get one. If there’s anything I deserve, it’s a resolution, and if it’s her rejecting me to my face, then so be it.

  But she owes me that much.

  “You gonna talk to her?” Cooper asks, hanging back with me as the rest of the group goes ahead.

  I wait until they get some distance before spinning around and cracking Cooper in the jaw. The sting radiates through my wrist and I curse as I shake it out.

  “Never try to Alpha my Alpha again.”

  Cooper is red in the face, trying to catch his breath. “God, I love when you get all pissy like a little princess.”