Ty received a text message from Rose as his truck rolled into town that morning. She asked him to pick up a package from the post office they wouldn’t deliver. This happened when the package was larger. He didn’t think much about it until the afternoon when he got to the post office and found it wasn’t one package. But several large packages. Along with the packages was a note for him to stop at the hardware store in town and pick up something there. Now Ty didn’t know what to make of this. It wasn’t something Rose did often. So Ty indulged her. At the hardware store, he found the order was for paint and supplies. He wasn’t sure what she planned to do or what room this was for. Then he was handed another note. This one had him going to the pharmacy and the grocery store to pick up things there, too. This was taking a while, and he was running out of the room in the back of the truck. Now he understood why she insisted he took it. But he didn’t think it was any
Jack could feel Russell’s fist pounding on the inside of his mind. He couldn’t sleep anymore. If he did the Russell would take the wheel of Jack’s body. Jack was fine living the rest of his existence in a quiet cell alone. Russell wanted out. He wanted to burn the world as they knew it for his death and punishment. Russell also didn’t want to share Jack’s body. He wanted to own it. Russell wanted Jack to go permanently. Russell wanted to start by burning the prison and he wouldn’t hear that it would not be possible. The mages saw to that. Russell wanted to kill everyone around them. No, not just kill. He wanted to rape, tear, and mangle every single one. Jack witnessed every single gory image Russell shared with him. Even when he didn’t want to see it. Jack hated his life and the surrounding people. Sure, he did as Russell ordered for years, and sometimes he had fun with it. But Russell never showed him this side of him. If there was a monster in th
Rose clutched Ty’s hand nervously as they entered the private restaurant. This place was for the elite of the shifter world, and it turned out to be run by Rose’s biologist father. This would be the first time they’d met. They talked on the phone, and that’s all. It had been hard for him. Because no one ever breathed the word about Lily, Rose’s mother’s death, or the fact that Rose existed. Lily was supposed to meet him once he got settled, but he couldn’t contact her after that. She wouldn’t or couldn’t take his calls. He couldn’t go back, not after what happened between Russell, Ethan, and himself. They’d gotten into a fight that now, years later, Alec suspected, was instigated by Russell. Lily had mated with Alec before Russell got his hands on her. But Alec insisted he knew nothing about Rose’s existence. He’d always held out hope that Lily lived and was happy. Now it saddened him to know how mistreated she’d been. Alec was the one that broke the
- 2 years later– “Hey that’s enough, you guys. If you don’t settle down, someone is going to get clawed and we’ll need to get Heather over here to patch you up. Then you won’t be able to go swimming until it heals. Do you want to sit in the bank while everyone else swims?” Frowned as she chastised several young pups and their poppas. The pack had grown in recent years, and they had a few pups to keep everyone on their toes. Gone were the days of beer on the patio and loud music at all hours of the night. They now had a second extension on the packhouse, and this included a large space to pack all the pups for naps and such. It wasn’t something that happened for humans, but in a pack; it was common for pups to bond with other pack close to their age. Growing up together, they either loved or hated each other. There wasn’t a third option, and sometimes the pups could vacillate between love and hate. But they were always pack. Rose’s boys were the eldest of th
“Okay, man. You got me here. What is this place? If I didn’t know better, I’d think it’s a grave.” The night was warm in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Not exactly anywhere. This was on the outskirts of a small town called Brixton Hill. Its secret claim to fame was being neutral territory for the three wolf shifter packs in the area. Jay stood by an old holy bush. The thing was large enough now to be a tree. He’d been called there by Tyler Randell, Alpha of some rogue wolves, the Shadow Pack. He’d been getting to know them, and they appeared legit. Though they were unknown in the area. Jay was looking for a place to belong and it wasn’t in the pack he’d grown up in. Over the last year, he’d made friends with these wolves and built-up trust. “It’s a grave. We brought you here, so you’ll understand what’s about to happen. We’ll tell you what happened and then you can decide to be a part of it, or you can walk away. If you stay, there’s no leaving.” It sounded ominous
Rose Angles found her way blocked from leaving the house by her father’s burly Beta, Jack Davidson. “Go see your father.” “What? Why?” “Go see him before you leave. Better yet, go now and get it over with before you interrupt something important.” Rose hated Jules’ father as much as Jules did. Jack disliked the fact his pup turned out to be a female and preferred to ignore Julia as much as possible. Rose, however, wished her father would ignore her and let her get on with her life. But he was sure that Rose’s behaviour reflected directly back to him, and it was never in a respectful way. She knew the only reason her father wanted to see her was to push his weight around and remind her she was an ungrateful, worthless pup. She wasn’t a pup anymore. She was a full-grown adult. He just failed to see it. “Fine, but it’s a waste of my time to do this. I have better things to do.” She did, but she’d not tell him any more than that. Jack
Rose was leaving the post office after sending off a few letters. She’d been making quiet inquiries about packs she could join. Rose used a PO Box to keep her father’s hands off the letters, and they weren’t allowed to have packages delivered to the packhouse. So, picking up packages was an excellent cover for checking her PO Box for letters. She noticed Jules flirting with a guy by the Jeep. Her attention was completely on him, as was her hand stroking up and down his arm. Well, that was something new for Jules and Rose didn’t recognize the sandy blonde head of a well-muscled man. She couldn’t call him a boy, not built like that. He was clearly a shifter and at least a gamma or enforcer type. Rose could tell just by the way he filled out the leather jacket and the way he stood. She’d have to ask who he was. “Need help to get those packages to your vehicle?” A deep voice off to her right scared the crap out of her. With a slight squeak, Rose had to
The girls met at the Watering Hole for wings and music for their weekly ritual of dancing to live music, eating spicy wings, loaded potato skins, and drinking beer. That was as rowdy as they got in rebellion into their restrictive lives. They were single and members of local packs. With their meal done, the dancing began. Jules asked Amber Mills, daughter of the Blue Dalia Pack Alpha. “Amber, what’s with your cousin Ty and his friend? Why haven’t we met them before?” Jules thought she kept things light. “You met them? Gods, you shouldn’t have. They’re trouble, especially for you both. Stay away from them. I can’t say more. They plan on messing with the status quo. Both your fathers and you are his target. I don’t want to see either of you hurt. Don’t get involved, please. If you value your lives as they are.” That’s where Amber went wrong. Neither woman was content with their life. Those men were a welcome and enticing distraction. Heather