Chapter 127 - Prey

Graeme was back in his element—hidden in wolf form in the woods tracking prey.

This time those woods were located on a waterfront property in Madison, Wisconsin, and the prey was a 23-year-old business graduate slash sexual predator who routinely relied on his father's money and influence to keep him out of trouble. Apparently he was relying on that same money and influence to create a successful career as well, as his multi-million dollar home suggested.

Mr. Jeffrey Maura had been only a few weeks shy of his eighteenth birthday when law enforcement documented August's r*pe allegation, but there were never any official charges made. It wasn't clear exactly why August didn't go forward with pressing charges, but there were likely many factors.

The statistics of cases like this were grim, which on their own would likely dissuade victims from pursuing justice. Believe it or not, out of every 1000 reported instances of ****, only 13 of those were referred to a prosecutor—a menial 1.3%. But Graeme was going to enact his own form of justice for one of those cases today.

He wanted to confront Jeffrey man-to-man rather wolf-to-man, but he wasn't sure that was going to be possible. While this extravagant home was located on a lake with a private dock, there were numerous homes within sight distance. It would be tricky to get him alone and out of every possible view. And a man like this definitely had security cameras.

The benefits of being in wolf form on hunts like this were obvious, of course. It attuned all of Graeme's senses to those of a predator. He could escape quickly, and the nature of the injuries would be blamed on an animal.

Although significantly smaller than lycan wolves, timber wolves had made a comeback in Wisconsin in recent years and could conceivably be blamed for such an attack. Their endangered species status also meant that the wolves would be protected from retaliation for something Graeme was responsible for. It really set up the perfect conditions for what was about to happen.

As he watched Jeffrey prance around on his back deck smiling seductively into his cell phone, Graeme considered where to strike first. His mouth started to water with the anticipation of ripping into this guy.

The neck was a good contender. With one powerful bite, he could cut off Jeffrey's air supply and snap his spine, leaving him paralyzed. Maybe he could make him live out the rest of his days that way—paralyzed from the neck down and unable to ever use his dick ever again—the horror of that night when a massive wolf ripped into his body left to haunt him. A guy like this who was so used to having everything and getting away with everything would be in a place worse than hell with physical limitations like that.

Or maybe Graeme should go for his groin. He didn't relish the thought of sinking his teeth into that part of Jeffrey, but it was an appropriate life sentence for the smug little shit who was currently stroking himself to the lewd phone conversation he was having with someone named April.

Another month name.

The small detail reminded Graeme of why he was fantasizing about maiming the human, and a low, threatening growl escaped from him involuntarily, causing Jeffrey to glance toward the woods by his dock.

"You're so fucking sexy when you say that, but we're going to have to continue this in person, angel. There's a wild animal out here that I need to deal with," Jeffrey said into his phone. He chuckled to whatever reply April gave. "You keep saying you're wild, but you have yet to show me. I'm not sure you can take what I have prepared for you."

Graeme almost lunged out of the trees when he caught a whiff of this male's strong arousal. It was a bitter, vile scent that Graeme had never smelled before—the impulse for mating laced with a desperate need to satiate violent impulses. There was no other evidence needed to convict this piece of shit in Graeme's opinion.

Patience was much more difficult to maintain when he was in wolf form, and Graeme braced against the urge to take the fucker right now. Either he was going to strangle the human with his bare hands or he was going to rip his dick off with his teeth. Maybe both. He could do the latter before shifting and finishing him off in his human form.

"If you don't actually show this time, you better find someone else to fuck around with, because I'm done waiting angel," Jeffrey spoke into the phone before tossing it on the patio table.

The human adjusted himself and groaned before focusing his attention back on the trees bordering his lake. His face widened into a cocky smirk, and after retrieving the wicked 460 Smith & Wesson from the drawer of his entry table, he walked down the steps out toward the dock.

It was twilight, and the last rays of the sun were scattering in oranges and reds across the water. Jeffrey wished there weren't so many neighbors or he would jack off right here before the conversation with April turned stale in his thoughts. He was beginning to think she was just another tease.

Why did women pretend like they wanted it when they were too chicken shit to follow through? THAT was what was fucking criminal. Or they pretended like they didn't want it when they really did, and he had to push them to follow through. And then they cried about it afterward.

Seriously, women had a problem. They should just be honest with themselves. It was just sex, and everyone needed it like they needed air. Not to mention, he was a fucking catch—any woman would be lucky to gain his attention.

He exhaled deeply, breathing in the late autumn air. The trees matched the colors of the sunset, and for a moment everything seemed… perfect. Another low growl rumbled from somewhere in the trees, and he remembered why he had ended the phone call with April in the first place and retriever the monster of a handgun. There was a unicorn in his woods.

The growl was undeniably that of a wolf. He read about the gray wolves, or timber wolves as they were also called. They were endangered to the point that a mere 300 was something to be celebrated. How badass would it be to have one mounted on the wall of his den? An endangered species? That was probably worth something that even money couldn't buy.

Jeffrey ran his thumb over the skull and antler design on his sexy black revolver. The name of this model, "Bone Collector," was displayed next to the design, and it was the main reason why he had chosen this particular gun when he went shopping with his father.. Now he would finally be able to use it.