Book 2 of the Casters and Claws Series

Witch Cerise Bishop doesn't have time - or patience - for love. But when she’s saved by a hot alpha wolf, things change. When Axel barges into her home to warn her that she’s on a group witch hunters kill list, she doesn't believe him. Forget how sexy he looks or how much she'd like to see him naked, she doesn't need a savior.

Alpha wolf Axel Barrick wanted to crawl home to bed after a series of night shifts, not take a witch to a safehouse. But his sense of justice rules him and he goes to fetch Cerise. He's intent on saving her by bringing her to the pack lands. Too bad she’s the most hardheaded, beautiful and frustrating woman he's ever met who happens to be his mate.
On Axel's beautiful pack lands, Cerise has to face her past and learn to communicate with Axel. That doesn't mean fall into bed after every argument. Sex is easy. Love, now that's another story. But when Cerise is taken, all bets are off. Will Cerise's determination to save herself actually get her killed?

Chapter 1

Axel

How long had it been since he’d slept? Days. Maybe even a week. 

Axel couldn’t decide if he was appreciative that the sun was shining merrily in the morning sky, or if he should abhor the sparkling orb for making his tired eyes ache. His exhaustion would probably be compounded if it was night, so he decided not to hate the sun.

The clock on his truck’s dashboard told him he was right on time for his meeting. He didn’t have the luxury of taking a small car nap like he had planned. With a yawn that made his jaw ache, Axel took a deep breath and laid his forehead against the steering wheel. His hands were still clutching the damned thing, his knuckles white and aching.

Maybe just one-second to close his burning eyes. His breathing steadied, and he could feel sleep pulling him in gently. He was just about to let himself be dragged down completely when his cell phone rang from the center console. Axel was intent on ignoring the call.

But it just kept ringing like a shrill little bird pecking away at his patience.

With a resigned sigh, he picked up the device and answered it with a gruff what.

“Axel Joseph Barrick, that is not how I raised you to answer the phone.”

Oh, he knew that. He hadn’t meant to be rude, he was just exhausted. And really, had he known it was his mother on the other line, he would have made his greeting cheerier. It was dangerous to let her know he was tired. She’d go all mom on him and suffocate him with caring and concern. He knew he was lucky to have such a parent, but a man needed his space. Especially after nearly a solid week of night shifts.

“Hello, Mom,” he corrected himself. “Sorry about that.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, filling his lungs until they were about ready to burst. Maybe that would chase away his fatigue.

“You sound tired,” she chided.

Axel didn’t even need to pay attention to know what was coming next. He could recite her words along with her, and he was short on composure just then.

“If you had a mate, you wouldn’t be so tired,” his mother said on cue.

He shook his head but didn’t say anything. There was no way having a mate would make his life any easier. Hell, he’d probably lose more sleep if he had a mate. His mother had good intentions, always threw the pack’s single ladies his way, but Axel wasn’t interested. He had enough on his plate, and he wasn’t about to add the headache of caring for a mate to his long To-Do list.

“I’m sorry, Mom. As per usual, we’ll have to agree to disagree.”

“You’re such a catch, Axel. Alpha of the pack and a doctor. You could have any woman. Why can’t you just settle down? I want grandpups.”

Axel lay back against the headrest and sighed, closing his eyes.

“Is this why you called?” he asked, hoping it wasn’t.

He was just coming off a shift in the ER. All he wanted was to get through this weekly meeting and get back to his cabin for some well-deserved sleep.

“Yes. But I also wanted to tell you that the pack bonfire is all set up for next Friday. All the supplies are purchased and stocked in the community center.”

Shit. He had completely forgotten about that.

“Okay,” he said. “Thanks for setting everything up.”

“If you had a mate…”

“Thanks, Mom,” he interrupted her. “I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He ended the call and tucked the phone into his back pocket as he exited his truck.

The sheriff’s station was a decently sized building made up of red brick, beige siding, and huge windows. Passersby could see inside where a long and high reception desk sat. Through the glass, Axel spotted Betty, who was not only a police officer, but also a member of his pack.

It was beneficial for both the pack and the humans of Salem to have a police force beefed up with some wolves. Things had been done that way for a very long time in this town.

Axel swung the door open and made his way straight to the sheriff’s office, nodding a greeting to Betty and the other officers going about their business. They were all fairly used to seeing him there. After all, Axel met with the sheriff every week.

“Morning, Sheriff,” Axel said, taking a seat at one of the chairs in front of Zane’s desk.

Axel dropped his phone on the desk, screen up, just in case someone tried to contact him, either for pack business or from the hospital. He could have sworn that Zane eyed the device suspiciously. His enforcer—and the sheriff—might be a hell of a good man, but his lack of faith in technology was inconvenient, to say the least.

“It sure is morning,” Zane grunted by way of greeting.

Axel had never heard truer words. If the dark circles under the other man’s eyes were any indication, Zane hadn’t slept much either.

“You look like hell,” Axel told him, hoping to lighten the dark, sleep-deprived mood hanging between them.

“I feel like it, too. As soon as I get the robbery’s paperwork settled, I might just take a few days up at my cabin.”

“Good,” Axel nodded. “You need it. I won’t have my security officer and the town’s sheriff collapsing from fatigue.”

Axel didn’t add that he too had every intention of taking a short leave of absence. It really wasn’t customary, and as pack alpha, he really shouldn’t need it. But fuck did he need it. Between the demands of the pack and his patients at Salem Memorial Hospital, he needed a few days of solid quiet and sleep.

“I’m fine,” his enforcer grumbled in response.

“Anything to report?” Axel asked.

“Apart from the break-ins, no,” Zane answered “There was trouble with a couple of pups two nights ago. There were shifting in the woods behind the primary school, so we had some words.”

“Who? I’ll make sure to complete a home visit.” Grabbing his phone, Axel typed up the names Zane gave him. He’d pop in on the young wolves’ families on his way to the hospital for his night shift. “Do you need any noses on these robberies?” Axel asked, lowering his phone.

Salem had been plagued by a rash of break-ins lately, and both Axel and Zane wanted the matter to be resolved quickly. Both men knew and understood that break-ins usually led to more serious crimes if the perpetrator wasn’t caught.

“Nah,” Zane shook his head, “it’s all right.”

Betty knocked on the door and popped her head in.

“Hey, Sheriff, Alpha, I hate to bother you, but there is something up front that requires your attention.” 

“Both of us?” Axel asked, not overly surprised that Betty would include her boss and her alpha. It was a courtesy, he was almost positive.

“Sure,” Betty answered with a shrug. “There’s a young boy here who wants to report a crime, but he says he’ll only talk to the sheriff.”

“I’ll stay put for now,” Axel said, taking out his phone. Common crimes were Zane’s area, and Axel didn’t feel the need to impede.

He turned his attention toward his phone and scrolled through his work emails, taking note of all of the tasks he would have to do during his shift at the hospital. It was going to be a doozy, and he was grateful to have his shifter stamina. How humans managed the life of an ER doctor, he would never understand. He was mentally mapping out his night when the conversation taking place in the reception area caught his attention.

The kid, a pimply teen by the name of Levi Griggs, was talking about a possible attack on witches. There was no way for the teen to know that witches were indeed real, so Axel made his way to the reception area, choosing to stay out of sight by tucking himself by the door. The boy looked pale and frightened, his fear tinged the air with an unpleasant odor.

“The basement at the house kind of became a war room,” the kid said, wringing his trembling hands together. “There’s a list of all the people who are descendants from the Salem witches. They’re all the targets that the Order of Salem wants to take out.”

Shit.

That couldn’t be good.