Chapter Two Preview: A Twist of Fate

True Mates Generations

Raw and Uncorrected

May contain errors

 

 

Zachary Vrost stared out the window of the penthouse apartment, watching as snow drifted down. The Hudson River was half-frozen, the ice glittering from the glowing lights of Manhattan’s skyline.

While he missed the views from his London flat, this was home. He knew it. Every time he came home since he’d moved away, he felt New York’s pull grow stronger. Even his inner wolf, the animal inside every one of his kind, knew it. Which was probably one of the reasons he chose to stay away. It made his wolf unhappy, but it wasn’t the one in charge of their body.

“Tell me you’ve got a solution to our little political problem across the pond,” a familiar voice said, interrupting his thoughts.

Zac folded his arms over his chest and turned around. “I know you think I’m brilliant when it comes to business, but I’m afraid even I can’t help what’s happening over there. Rest assured, we’re putting things in place for any eventuality.”

“I know you are,” Lucas Anderson, one of his oldest friends, answered. “You’re always one step ahead of everyone.” He held two whiskey glasses in his hand and offered one to Zac.

“Well, as Chief Operating Officer of Fenrir Corporation’s London office, it is my job to be one step ahead.” Zac accepted the glass. “And soon, I guess, I’ll be reporting to you?”

“Ah, he told you?” Lucas’ face was inscrutable and his strange, mismatched eyes—one blue and the other green—remained cool and distant. But that was how his friend had always been. He never showed any of his cards.

“Yes, your dad mentioned it, but everyone knows it was inevitable.”

Lucas took a sip of the amber liquid from the glass in his hand. “Speaking of which …” He motioned to the older man and woman standing in the middle of room. “I think they’re ready to make the announcement.”

Zac followed Lucas’ lead and moved closer to the vast penthouse’s living room. As Alpha of New York and CEO of a multinational corporation, Grant Anderson could certainly afford to live in such a lush place. Not that he didn’t know such luxuries himself; he grew up in the next building over in a similar apartment. Zac’s father, after all, was the New York clan’s Beta or second-in-command.

“Thank you everyone for coming here.” Grant gazed down at his wife and Lupa, Frankie, beside him. “I know you all probably still have a hangover from the holiday parties and gatherings, so I appreciate you making the time.”

This was an informal gathering for close friends and family, but still, there were over twenty people gathered tonight, including Zac’s parents, and Grant’s sister and brother-in-law, and of course, the various children who were still in town after the holidays or could make it, including two of Zac’s own siblings.

Grant continued. “As you all know, I’ve been serving as Alpha of New York and CEO of Fenrir Corp. for over three decades now. Despite all the ups and downs, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He smiled down at his wife and then pulled her to his side. “But, as with many things, it must come to an end. I’ll be making the formal announcement in a few days, but I wanted you all to be the first to know. I’ll be stepping down as CEO of Fenrir Corp. as well as Alpha. And I’m naming Lucas as my successor.”

Zac looked at his friend in disbelief. Grant had told him that he was stepping down as CEO, but not as Alpha. While it wasn’t impossible, it was rare for an Alpha to abdicate, as the position was for life. Lucas’ face remained impassive, though he took everyone’s cheers and congratulations in stride.

“And to add to our big news for tonight, I’ll be stepping down as Alpha of New Jersey as well,” Frankie announced. “Adrianna will be taking my place.”

Lucas’ twin sister, Adrianna’s mouth tightened into a line, though she answered the congratulations given to her graciously. When their eyes met, Adrianna sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

Zac raised his glass to her, and she rolled her eyes. Interesting. The New Jersey clan was matriarchal, and thus the title of Lupa was passed to the eldest daughter. However, since Frankie had married Grant, Adrianna and all her siblings grew up in New York.

With the Jersey clan growing, however, Frankie had to spend more time in her territory, which meant that Adrianna would most likely have to do the same, or even move there. For someone who grew up in Manhattan, moving to the burbs of Jersey was akin to a death sentence, which is probably why Adrianna didn’t look ecstatic at the thought of becoming Jersey’s Alpha.

“You look so serious, Zac. Penny for your thoughts?”

“For you, they cost nothing.” Zac smiled at the petite redhead approaching him. “Enjoying the party, Mom?”

Cady Vrost smiled at her son. Even after all these years, she still looked young for her age—her hair remained a vibrant copper red and her green eyes sparkled with vitality. “I am.”

A tall, blond man came up behind her and slipped an arm around her waist. “Well, if it isn’t the most beautiful woman in the room.” Cady laughed when he kissed her temple. “Son,” Nick Vrost said. “I’m glad to see you here. You know you can stay with us whenever you’re in town, right?”

“The hotel Fenrir puts me up in is fine,” Zac said. “Besides, it’s not like I don’t ever see you when I’m in town. We have dinner almost every other day.”

“And all the other days?” Cady inquired. “Going on dates?”

“Sowing wild oats?” Nick added.

“If I’m sowing any oats, you won’t be hearing about it,” he answered. In truth, it had been a long time since he’d dated anyone. It’s not that he didn’t like women; he’d had plenty of experience when he was younger. But now, at the grand old age of thirty-one, sleeping around felt … empty. Looking at his parents, the way they acted around each other, he couldn’t help but feel envy for what they had.

Ridiculous, of course. Nick and Cady had something few had. For one thing, they were True Mates, a rare type of relationship with their kind. They were fated to be together, and although only two Lycans could produce another Lycan child, if at all, True Mates were different. Because they were destined to be together, such a pairing produced a pure Lycan child. He and his siblings were all pure Lycan, even though Cady was human. There were other things about True Mate pairings he had learned, but since it wasn’t something on his radar, that particular lesson didn’t really stick much in his mind.

“So,” Nick said. “What do you think, son? Of Grant’s announcement?”

“All this excitement,” Cady added. “Change is coming, but I think it’ll be good.”

“So, what brought this about?” Zac asked. “Grant’s not having some kind of late life crisis, is he?” As the New York clan’s Human Relations liaison and Grant’s right-hand woman, Cady Vrost knew anything and everything that went when it came to both clan and Fenrir business.

She chuckled. “Nothing like that at all. But times have changed, you know? Sure, the existence of Lycans is still a secret from the human world, but it’s not like the Middle Ages when Lycans feared for their lives or had clan wars. We’re not even at war with the witches and warlocks. We’ve had peace for the last few decades. Grant thought it was time for new blood and to finally retire to that Italian villa he and Frankie have been dreaming about for so long.”

“I suppose if anyone deserves some rest, it’s them.” Still, this was an unprecedented move. The most powerful Alpha and Lupa in the world retiring their positions. He wondered how this would ripple through the rest of the Lycan world.

Nick looked his son straight in the eyes. “They’re not the only ones.”

His father was never one to waste words, so it was pretty clear to Zac what he was implying. “You’ve never mentioned anything about retiring.” His father loved being Beta and head of Fenrir Corp.’s security department, as well as being in charge of the elite Lycan Guard who protected the Alpha.

“Well, Grant and Frankie’s decision got us thinking,” Cady said. “It’s all in the early stages, I assure you.”

Nick gave him a meaningful look. “But since Lucas is moving up to CEO, he’s going to need someone to fill in his position as COO. Here in New York.”

Ah, there it was. He and his father rarely butted heads; that was more his youngest brother Xavier’s style. However, his decision to stay in London and become the head of the office there had rankled Nick Vrost. And he made no secret about wanting his eldest son to come home.

“This is all news to me,” Zac said. “I haven’t heard any offers.”

“Well—”

“Nick,” Grant called, waving his hand. “A moment, please.”

“I’ll be right back.” He flashed Zac a look that said, we’re not done talking about this, before walking toward the Alpha’s direction.

“You know he wants the best for you.” Cady placed a hand on his arm.

“I know.” He covered her hand with his.

“We miss you a lot.”

“I miss you too, Mom.”

“And I know you miss him.” Cady paused.

Zac squeezed his mother’s hand, as if doing so would stop the way his chest tightened. “It’s been five years.”

“Vasili was special to all of us.”

His father’s grandfather, Vasili Vrost, had raised Nick when his parents died. The old man had been a big part of their lives, and he and Zac had been particularly close. When he passed away, it felt like a part of him died as well.

“Before I married your father, I lost someone too. My father. He was the only family I had at that point.”

He had heard about his mother’s father, Luther Gray, but Cady didn’t talk much about his death. “Does it go away? The missing?”

“I’m still not sure.” She gave him a sad smile. “But you know Vasili wouldn’t have wanted you to leave because of him.”

“I didn’t,” Zac said. Well, partly, but there were other reasons too. Speaking of which …

“Zac,” Nick was dragging Lucas along. “I was just telling Lucas our good news.”

“You’ve served the New York clan as long as my dad has. Both of you.” He pulled Cady in for a hug. “I was hoping you would both be here to guide me, but I understand your reasons, and you deserve to enjoy your lives too.”

“We’re not going away right away,” Cady said. “We’ll be here for your transition.”

“But eventually you’ll need to find someone to help you. A good Beta will ensure you can focus on more important things.”

And there it was again. It was no secret that Nick had always hoped Lucas would pick Zac to be his Beta someday. It was a great honor of course, and Nick was the first of his family to be Beta. Unlike Alpha, which was a title passed from father to son, a clan’s Beta was chosen. In the olden times, it was the strongest warrior, though these days the Alpha picked the best candidate based on his or her needs.

Lucas flashed Zac a meaningful look before clearing his throat. “No one knows that better than you, Nick. I look forward to receiving advice from both you and Cady when the time comes for me to choose.”

“We’ll be here.” Nick took his wife’s arm. “Cady, love, I think Alynna and Alex wanted to discuss something about dinner plans next week. Let’s go and have a chat.”

“Of course.” Cady squeezed her son’s arm. “I’ll see you before you leave on Sunday?”

“We’ll have dinner,” Zac assured his mom. With that, Nick and Cady excused themselves and walked toward Alynna and Alex Westbrooke, who were chatting with Frankie and Adrianna by the fireplace.

“Why does this feel like a bad blind date?” Lucas asked with a raised brow.

Lucas never made jokes, so Zac was surprised to see the barely contained mirth in his friend’s eyes. “Because it kind of is. Sorry, I hope I didn’t put you on the spot.”

“Not at all,” Lucas said. “You know, if you don’t want to be Beta, I could choose someone else. You don’t even have to put your name in the hat.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to be Beta,” Zac began. “It’s just …”

“Feels like you don’t have a choice in the matter?”

Despite being one of his oldest friends, Zac had never told Lucas his reservations about the position. But perhaps that’s what made Lucas a natural leader—his ability to read those around him. “Being Beta was my father’s life. He loved it. It was the one thing he had to earn, not one given to him because of his background or money.”

“And you? You don’t think you have to earn it?”

He laughed. “I know I have to earn it. And work at it. I’m just …” What could he say? He had his reasons, but he wasn’t quite ready to voice them out yet.

“Look, I won’t choose you if you don’t want it, Zac.” Lucas’ gaze bore into him. “But I would like you to consider taking over for me as Chief Operating Officer of Fenrir Corp., here in New York.”

That was the next step in the career ladder for him, of course. “Let’s talk about it another time. For now, go and have your moment in the limelight. Enjoy it.”

Lucas frowned. “You know me better than that.”

Zac smirked. Lucas hated the limelight even more than his father. “Right. Well I—” He stopped short when he saw one of the Lycan security guys briskly walk toward his father. The burly man leaned down and whispered in Nick’s ear. His father frowned and said a few words back.

“Hold on,” he said to Lucas, then made his way across the room. He wasn’t sure why, exactly, but he felt a strange urge to find out what was wrong.

“Dad?”

Nick and Cady were speaking in hushed tones. “Yes, son?”

“Everything okay?”

His parents looked at each other. “It’s fine, Zac,” Cady said. “Clan business.”

“Someone causing trouble.” Nick’s face was drawn into a scowl.

“Someone we know?” Zac asked.

“Oh yeah, we know her.”

Cady shot her husband a warning look. “Nick. It’s not like this is a regular occurrence.” She turned to Zac. “Actually, maybe Zac would like to join us? See what it is we do?”

“Join you?” Zac asked. He knew what his mother and father did for the clan, of course, but he’d never actually been in the thick of the action.

“That’s not a bad idea. What do you say, son?”

Zac supposed there was nothing to lose. “All right.”

“Great.” Nick took the phone out of his pocket. “I’ll call Meredith. You guys tell Grant and Frankie that we’re leaving a little earlier that expected.”

“Meredith?” Zac asked. “Why does he need to call in his second-in-command? If this is dangerous—”

“Not at all,” Cady assured him. “We need her for other reasons. C’mon, Zac. We should go as soon as possible.”

 

Coming January 16, 2019

Pre-order on Amazon

Preview: A Twist of Fate

True Mates Generations

Raw and Uncorrected

May contain errors

 

“Yo! Girly, you’re late.”

Astrid Jonasson stopped in her tracks and cringed. She pivoted on her heel and faced her boss. “Yeah, sorry about that, Mr. G! The L-train’s running late again.”

Vito Garavaggio took a drag of his cigar and blew out a puff of smoke, then took it out of his mouth and pointed it at Astrid. “That’s the third time this week. Why don’t ya leave earlier? You know that train’s always late, especially in this weather.”

“I just … forgot.” She breathed through her mouth, trying not to inhale the acrid haze Mr. G’s Cuban was creating in the tiny hallway. “I will next time.”

“I swear to God, girly, they could invent a machine that can transport you from one place to another like in those TV shows, you’d still be late.”

She tried not to let the irony of her boss’ words faze her. “I won’t do it again, Mr. G.”

“See that you don’t.” He placed his meaty hands on his fat belly before turning around and waddling away.

With her enhanced Lycan hearing, Astrid could clearly hear him muttering under his breath about if I didn’t need her and if the girls didn’t like her so much. She let out a relieved sigh and sprinted down the hallway.

“Hey, Astrid,” Coco greeted her as she entered the girls’ dressing room. “Mr. G got on your case again for being late?”

“Yeah,” she said as she shut the door behind her. “But, don’t you worry. I took care of him.”

Coco chuckled. “You know he’s a softie. Unlike other places I’ve worked at before, he actually cares about us. Now,” she stood up, carefully balancing herself on the sky-high heels on her feet. “Would you be a dear and take care of my top in the back there? That knot you do makes it easier to pull off.”

“Sure, Coco.” Astrid pushed the long, lustrous locks of dark hair aside and tied Coco’s bikini strings into a slip knot. “There ya go.”

“Thanks, babe. You’re the best!” Coco gave her a kiss on the cheek before sauntering out of the door.

“Good luck out there!”

If someone had told her that she’d someday be using her knowledge from doing a year of Girl Scouts helping strippers get dressed—and undressed—she would have laughed at them. But then again, with the way her life had turned out the last couple of years, she wasn’t surprised she ended up as a security guard at The Vixen Den, New York’s premiere gentleman’s club. Before this, she’d been a barista, dock worker, waitress at a Michelin star restaurant, bookstore clerk, and nanny, all before her grand old age of twenty-six.

Still, she considered this the best job she’d ever had. She could use her unique talents, and she loved her coworkers. Of course, it was also the best job she could never ever tell her family about, but that’s why she’d last told her mother that she was “working security during night shifts.” Which, to her credit, was entirely true. She just didn’t tell them where exactly.

Not that her parents or brothers were judgmental about these things, but a strip club—er, gentleman’s club—wasn’t exactly the most reputable of places to work, even if she was just hired on to protect the girls. She wasn’t judgmental of the girls’ jobs either, but personally, she drew a hard line at taking her clothes off to make a living.

As she crossed the room, all the girls greeted her happily. The Vixens—as they were called—loved the fact that she was a woman, which was one of the reasons she’d been hired. The previous bodyguard Mr. G had hired was apparently some mouth-breathing idiot who took his job way too seriously—as in, guarding the bodies of the women with his eyes. She had answered the help wanted ad because she’d been desperate to get out of that waitressing job, and she didn’t care where she would go next, as long as she never had to serve Upper Eastside bitches who had to special order everything and tipped horribly again.

Mr. G had eyed her suspiciously when she came in for the interview. “You’re certainly tall enough to be a bodyguard,” he said, “but can you protect my girls?” She proceeded to show him just how she could do it by putting one of his burly bouncers into a headlock, and she was hired on the spot. She knew her training would come in handy someday, and she did learn from the best.

“Astrid!” Fantasy, a tall, Amazonian-like girl with cornrows hopped over to her, her perky tits covered strategically by two glittering star-shaped nipple pasties. “I’ve missed you, girl!” She embraced Astrid, engulfing her in a flurry of feathers, Swarovski crystals, and a cloud of flowery perfume.

“How was the Bahamas?” Astrid asked.

“Amazing!” One of Fantasy’s regular clients had flown her down to the Bahamas for the holidays. “Oh my God, I have so much to tell you. But first,” she turned around and grabbed a gift bag that was sitting on her dressing table. “I got this for you. Merry Christmas!”

“For me? You shouldn’t have.” She accepted the bag and opened it. “Um, really, you shouldn’t have.” She took out the fabric gingerly and held it up. It was a dress—long and flowery, with sexy straps that showed off the back.

Fantasy crossed her arms over her boobs. “Girl,” she began. “This dress would look fabulous on you. With your height, that skin, those tits.” To emphasize, she poked Astrid in the chest.

Astrid groaned inwardly. Fantasy and some of the other girls at the club were always trying to give her a makeover. They kept telling her she was gorgeous and that if she wanted to, she could probably make a killing on tips if she ever wanted to get on stage. She thanked them gracefully, but continued declining their offers.

“Why do you keep hiding that bod under those clothes.” Fantasy tsked and shook her head.

Astrid frowned and looked down at her faded jeans and T-shirt. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“What’s wrong? Those mom jeans don’t exactly flatter your ass. And that shirt!” She pointed to the logo over the left side of her chest. “That company went out of business twenty years ago.”

“I got it at the thrift store,” she said defensively. “I like my clothes, okay? They’re comfortable, and they let me do my job.” She looked over at the table next to Fantasy’s. “Hey, where’s Petal?”

Fantasy swung her head around. “Hmm … I’m not sure. I just got off the stage and I swore she was here.”

A pit formed in the bottom of Astrid’s stomach. “I should go check on her.”

She asked a couple of the girls if they had seen Petal since the last set, but none of them could tell her where she was. She had shown up for her shift, but with the flurry of activity backstage and in the dressing rooms, no one noticed where she’d gone.

The pit in her stomach grew heavier. Petal had texted her this afternoon, saying she saw her old “boyfriend”—i.e., pimp—Leon, hanging around outside her apartment again. Astrid didn’t see the text until she was on her way to work, and though she texted back, she hadn’t heard from her.

Astrid had never met Leon, but according to Petal’s stories, he was a piece of shit. He was mad when Petal broke up with him, and furious when she started dancing at The Vixen Den and made more money than she ever did working for him.

Apparently, the asshole had been trying to intimidate her, and even showed up at the club one day. A couple of the bouncers were able to scare him away, but Mr. G told them all to keep an eye out for him; Leon was violent and didn’t take no for an answer. That was the only time Astrid had truly seen Mr. G look even remotely scared.

She searched almost every inch of the backstage and still there was no sign of Petal. As she walked back to the dressing room, she stopped and closed her eyes. Concentrate. She called on her inner wolf’s abilities, opening up her senses so she could try and sniff out Petal’s perfume from the various scents in the air. There, her wolf seemed to say. A faint trace of the brand she favored. She followed it, down the hall and toward the rear entrance to the alley where the girls would sometimes take their smoke breaks. When her ears picked up the sound of men laughing, and someone else sobbing, she froze.

Petal.

Dread formed in her chest, but was quickly replaced with adrenaline as her she-wolf pushed her toward the source of the sound. The wails grew louder and made the hairs on the back of her neck raise. She burst through the rear door, barely containing her superhuman strength as it flew open and slammed against the brick wall.

“What the fuck?”

The alley was well-lit, so she saw the three men clearly as they turned to her. The sound of a sob drew her attention, and she immediately noticed the small figure huddled in the corner.

“Petal!” she screamed, and sprinted over to where her friend lay in a heap on the dirty, snowy ground. “No. No!” She lifted her head up, brushing her hair aside. Blood flowed down from a gash on her eye and her lips were split. Tears flowed down her bruised and battered cheeks.

“A-a-astr—”

“Shh … don’t talk.” Rage began to boil in her veins. Her she-wolf too, was furious; Petal was one of theirs, to protect and keep.

Slowly, Astrid got to her feet, hands fisted at her sides. “You motherfuckers,” she said, turning around. “You all are gonna pay.”

The tallest and largest of them laughed. “And who’s gonna make us? You, little girl?”

The goon beside him licked his lips. “My man Leon over here,” he gestured to the third man, “said we could have a taste of his sweet Petal once he was done with her. You gonna join us too?”

“Enough,” Leon said, then spat on the ground. “This ain’t your business. I’m taking Petal with me and that’s final. Run along now and go back to your daddy on the Upper East Side.”

“Ha! I’m from Brooklyn, you motherfucking asshole.” Okay, so technically, she lived in gentrified Williamsburg and she was raised in Tribeca. “You’re not going to get away with this!”

“Jamal,” Leon barked. “Make sure she doesn’t get away and go blabbing to the cops.”

As the smaller of the men approached her, Astrid gritted her teeth. “I’m not trying to get away. And like I said,” she cracked her knuckles together, “you guys are going to pay.”

Jamal lunged at her, but Astrid easily ducked and lunged away. “Bitch, hold still!” he shouted. When he attempted to grab her again, she caught his wrists. “What the fuck? How are you so strong—ooowww!” He let out a string of curses as she twisted him around and forced him to his knees, bending his elbow into an unnatural position. “Fuck! Get this crazy chick off me!”

“For fuck’s sake!” Leon cried. “Monroe, give that bitch ass a hand!”

Monroe ambled toward her and Astrid acted on instinct. She knocked Jamal out with a fist to the side of his head, then grabbed the small vial she kept in the pocket of her jeans and threw it at the lumbering giant. A cloud of green smoke materialized in his face, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head before he landed on the ground with a heavy thud. Thank you, Dad and your cabinet of potions.

“What the hell did you do?” Leon’s voice was cold as ice. “Bitch! You’re going down.”

The sound of the gun cocking echoed through the alley. A split second passed before the loud explosion went off and once again, her instincts kicked in. She closed her eyes, and with a soft poof sound, she was behind Leon.

“What the—where?” Leon turned around, the gun in his hand still smoking from the shot he fired. “How the hell did you get there?”

By being a badass, motherfucking half-witch with the power to teleport. But she never got a chance to say it as her wolf ripped out of her skin. Leon had raised the gun to fire at her again, but her wolf sensed it and took over their body.

Astrid’s wolf was pure white with red eyes—a rare albino wolf. It was huge, twice the size of a normal wolf, but that was typical of Lycan shifters like her. The she-wolf landed on top of Leon, pinning him down, growling and gnashing its sharp teeth at the terrified man.

“Get off! Get off me!”

The smell of urine made Astrid gag. Coward. Her she-wolf wanted to rip his throat out for what he did to Petal. Make him pay, it seemed to roar.

“What the fuck?” A gasp and several shrieks made the she-wolf turn its enormous head. Shit.

Mr. G and several of the girls were standing in the doorway, their eyes wide with fright and shock as they stared at the wolf. Mother—

And of course, the stupid wolf chose that moment to withdraw, leaving Astrid in charge of their now-human body.

“Jesus H. Christ! Is that—Astrid?” Mr. G’s normal ruddy face went completely white.

“I … I … can explain,” she gasped and rolled off Leon. “Can someone please …” She looked down at her naked state.

“I got you, honey.” Fantasy sashayed over to her and took off the red fur-trimmed peignoir she was wearing over her negligee, then helped her put it on. She shivered visibly and rubbed her arms. “You okay? Jesus, how are you not freezing your ass off? You’re like a heater!”

The snow had stopped some time ago, but the temperatures had remained below zero. As a Lycan, Astrid could adjust her body’s temperature to suit the environment.

“Must be my Scandinavian blood. I—Petal!” She darted toward the girl, suddenly remembering her friend. “Petal, what—”

Petal screamed. “What are you? Stay away from me.” Her body shook, and her one good eye was wide as a saucer. “Someone, help, please!”

Astrid’s heart fell. “Petal, no, please—”

“Baby, it’s okay,” Coco soothed as she rushed over. “Oh dear. They did a number on you. It’s okay, it’s okay. Astrid, honey, you should … maybe just give her some distance, okay?”

She nodded numbly and got to her feet. This was that bastard’s fault. Leon!

Mr. G was standing over Leon, a booted foot to the man’s chest and the discarded gun pointed at his face. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned the man. “Someone, call 911.”

“No!” Astrid pleaded. “Please, no police!” Oh God, her secret would come out. Not just hers, but her entire clan. Her entire kind. Humans were not supposed to know about Lycans or witches. She was going to be in big trouble, as she happened to be both.

“But we have to get help,” Coco said. “For Petal.”

Astrid swallowed hard as she looked over at her friend. They were right; Petal needed medical attention now, and these guys had to get locked up. “I can get help,” she said, feeling the dread creep up in her.

“You got people to call?” Mr. G asked, raising a brow at her skeptically.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

 

Coming January 16 2019

Pre-order on Amazon

Chapter Two

A Mate for Jackson: Bad Alpha Dads

Unedited and RAW preview

Contains typos and subject to change 

 

Chapter Two

 

Jordan Matsumoto was the first person to enter the lab on the thirty-third  floor at the Fenrir Corporation Headquarters every weekday at seven thirty in the morning. Usually, she was also the last to leave, which served her just fine.

Flipping on the lights, Jordan walked over to her station in the far corner and slung her messenger bag on the back of the chair. She reached for the gallon squirt bottle of alcohol gel sanitizer on her desk and gave it two healthy squeezes. The subway was filthy after all. Germs. Yuck.

The antiseptic smell was acrid and burning, especially to her sensitive Lycan senses. She could practically see her inner wolf cowering and covering its nose up with its paws, but ignored it, like she always did. The strong alcohol scent gave her a sense of relief as she imagined the germs on her skin screaming as they died. She squirted more on a tissue and wiped it over her workstation.

Die, germs die! Ha ha!

Satisfied with the level of cleanliness around her, she sat down and turned her computer on, listening to the fans whirring to life as her screen lit up. Immediately, she opened the program she had been working on, ignoring the various pings and dings of her email and the Fenrir Corporation intranet messaging system as her computer connected to the network. They could wait. Other people could always wait. But science couldn’t.

Growing up in the San Francisco Lycan clan, the only thing she wanted to do was become a scientist. She went to school, got good grades, graduated top of her class and went to Berkeley on a scholarship where she got her Bachelor’s in Biochemistry. She was two years into her research grad classes when she got the call of a lifetime.

Dr. Jade Creed—yes, the Dr. Jade Creed, genius Lycan scientist who held two PhDs at the age of twenty—was looking for a new research assistant. Specifically, a Lycan research assistant, to join her team in New York where they studied all things related to magic and science.

It was her cousin and Alpha, Liam Henney, who called Jordan personally. Would she be able to leave her current position and move to New York right away? Hells yeah. Not only was Dr. Creed one of her idols and possibly lady crushes, but the chance to work with her was a dream come true.

And it was a dream, working alongside Dr. Creed. She tried to play it cool, of course, but she couldn’t help but gush and fangirl at her idol the first day she walked into the lab. And every day, she happily skipped into work, looking forward to be working with a genius. Her coworkers thought her weird and avoided her, but that was fine with Jordan. She never did learn to play with others, and she was too damned old at twenty-six to start now.

Another hour passed and Jordan busied herself, walking around the lab and checking on the various experiments in the stations, and finishing up some tasks she had left for today—cleaning out some supplies, running the centrifuge, making sure the charts were up-to-date. When she was satisfied with her work, she went back to her desk. More messages had piled up, and she ignored them. She also heard a sound—was that a rattling—from somewhere in the lab. The hairs on the back of her neck raised and her inner wolf whined at her. She ignored it, of course. Like she always did. Her wolf had no place in science.

“Hello? Jordan, did you hear what I said?”

Jordan raised her head from the screen and looked up at the frowning face of her boss. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in, Dr. Creed. Did you need something?”

Jade Creed sighed and rubbed a hand on her temple. “I asked if you had those samples ready for me. The one we put in yesterday?”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Jordan said in a smug voice. She stood up and wiped her hands down her lab coat. “Actually, I took them out of the UV chamber and put them into the centrifuge.” She nodded over to the machine, a mere six feet away to their right.

Dr. Creed’s eyes went wide. “You what?”

“I said I put them in the—”

But Jordan didn’t get to finish her sentence. A loud bang filled the air and everything went black.

* * *

When Jordan’s eyes fluttered open, the first thing she felt was the shot of pain down her side. “Sonofa—”

“You’re awake.”

Her vision was blurry and she had to blink a few times. When the two indistinct shapes in front of her merged into one, she knew her vision had returned to normal. “Dr. Creed? What—ow!” This time, the pain wasn’t as bad, though she could feel the bones and skin knitting back together. It was an uncomfortable sensation, like an itch she couldn’t scratch.

“Stay down, Jordan,” Dr. Creed said, pushing her back on the scratchy sheets.

Jordan looked around her, at the white walls, the harsh overhead lighting, and the metal-framed bed she was lying on. She must have been in the infirmary at Fenrir. “What happened?” She raised her arms, eyes widening as realized they were covered in bandages. “The last thing I remember was that we were standing in the lab and—”

“A big explosion?” Dr. Creed finished. “When the centrifuge blew up?”

“B-b-blew up?” That explained why her she had blacked out and why her body currently felt like some bizarre arts and crafts project and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein had a love child. If she had been human, she would be in the hospital for weeks, if she survived at all. Of course, that didn’t explain why Dr. Creed, who had been standing right in front of her during the explosion, didn’t even have a scratch on her. “Er, are you all right, Dr. Creed?”

The other woman put her hands on her hips. “I’m fine. Did you not read the emails? Or talk to the other lab assistants?”

“Huh?”

Dr. Creed sighed. “I sent out three emails that no one was to use the centrifuge today. It was going to be picked up for repairs.”

“I-I-I must have missed it.” Shit. Oh, God. Someone could have been hurt. No, wait, someone had been hurt. Namely, her. “I’m sorry. I mean, I take full responsibility.” Her voice broke. Dr. Creed was going to fire her. Or worse.

“Jade, what the hell happened?”

The voice was gruff and made the hairs on the back of her neck raise. She gripped the paper-thin sheet in her hands, her knuckles growing white as the air in the room grew thick.

Yup. Definitely worse. Her day really was turning to shit. Sebastian Creed, husband and mate to her boss and as it happens, the only known dragon shifter in the world, stood in the doorway, his face glowering.

“I’m fine, Sebastian,” Dr. Creed turned around to reassure her mate. “It’s all fine.”

Creed’s steps thundered as he went over to his mate and pulled her in for a tight hug. “Fine?” he asked, his rough voice sending a chill down Jordan’s spine. “I had to hear from Meredith that there was an explosion in the lab and you tell me everything is fine?” The air in the lab was choking now, and Jordan swore she could smell sulfur.

Dr. Creed pulled away from him and spread her arms. “As you can see, I’m unhurt. Not a scratch on me.”

“How the hell did that happen, anyway?” Jordan slapped a hand over her mouth when the words just spilled out. But she couldn’t help herself. “What the heck is going on?”

Creed’s eyes flashed gold for a second before returning to its normal color. Steel gray eyes pierced right into hers and looked down at the bandages on her arms. Then, his head swung over to his wife. “Jade? Are you …?”

Dr. Creed’s pretty face lit up. “Yes.”

Creed let out a whoop and lifted his mate into his arms, pulling her in for a passionate kiss. “Darlin’, I’m so fucking happy right now. I don’t even care what happened.”

The mood in the room lightened, and Jordan felt like she could breathe again. “Uhm, could someone explain what’s going on?”

The lovers pulled apart and Dr. Creed’s cleared her throat delicately, the blush on her cheeks deepening. “Sebastian, why don’t you pick up Dee from the day care and we can all go home for lunch? I need to take care of a few things first, though.”

“Whatever you want, darlin’. I’ll meet you at the car.” He planted a firm kiss on her lips before he turned and walked out the door.

Once the door closed behind them, Dr. Creed turned to Jordan. “You’re extremely lucky that I happen to be pregnant at the moment.”

“Oh.” She had heard about this phenomenon but had never actually seen it for herself. Whenever a True Mate female, Lycan or human, was pregnant, she was invulnerable to any kind of harm. While it might take a regular Lycan like Jordan another few hours or days to recover fully from injuries, all of Dr. Creed’s wounds would have healed in an instant. “Thank God, then.”

“Indeed.” Dr. Creed took a deep breath and walked over to her. “Jordan, you know you’re a brilliant scientist and a hard worker.”

“I am?” Of course she knew that, but hearing it from Dr. Creed made her giddy.

“Yes. In fact, I see a bit of myself in you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe a bit too much.”

Dr. Creed didn’t seem happy at the comparison and Jordan’s heart dropped into her stomach. “Am I fired?”

“I really should let you go,” Dr. Creed began. “You refuse to work with your coworkers, or even listen to their opinions.”

“Science isn’t about opinions,” Jordan retorted with an indignant sniff. 

“What I’m saying is that you can’t seem to play nice with other people. It’s not just about what happened today. The other researchers raised their concerns about you. You’re always defying protocol and procedure. And you never consult with anyone else, even when I ask you to. And I can’t have that here.”

Jordan always knew she was different. Even her wolf was … odd. She wasn’t like all the other Lycan children growing up. They all loved shifting, being outdoors, playing and roughhousing, while Jordan preferred to stay home and read books or watch documentaries. Wolves were supposed to be social creatures, but she preferred her own company. And frankly, other people were idiots. “I’ll pack my things then, as soon as I’m—”

She held her hand up. “No, Jordan, that’s not what I meant.”

“It’s not?” Now she was confused again.

Dr. Creed shook her head. “I don’t want to lose you. Frankly, I can’t afford to. Do you know how many Lycans specialize in biochemistry?”

“Not a lot?”

“Two, Jordan,” Dr Creed said. “Me and you.”

“Oh.” Good. She was needed around here, then.

“But I can’t risk my lab and the lives of the people around us. So, I’m going to put you in time-out.”

“Time-out?” What was Dr. Creed talking about?

A determined look crossed her boss’ face. “You’re going away for a while.”

“I have to take a vacation?” Oh, God, she hated vacations. It didn’t matter where. Sand from the beach always got everywhere, as did dirt in the mountains. Cities were too dirty and noisy, and forget the country—her allergies would blow up.

“No, Jordan, I’m sending you on a special retreat,” Dr. Creed said. “I just heard about it from Sebastian. A new program the Alpha is starting with another clan. In West Virginia.”

“West Virginia? Er, will it be at a hotel or conference center?” Oh, God, please say it’s going to be at a nice, air-conditioned luxury resort.

Dr. Creed shook her head. “I’m afraid not. In fact, it’s all going to be done outdoors.”

“I can’t go,” she stated flatly. “I’m deathly allergic.”

“To what?”

“To everything?”

Dr. Creed chortled. “Excuse me? You’re a Lycan. We’re not allergic to anything. Especially not the outdoors.”

“I can give you a doctor’s note. In fact, I’ll give you six doctor’s notes.” Just the thought of being in the outdoors made her want to break out in hives. And then her chest started to hurt. “And I have asthma.”

“You’re joking!” Dr. Creed said in an incredulous voice. “Jordan, you’re being silly. Stop it.”

“I swear, it’s true.” Her parents had brought her to a dozen Lycan and human doctors when she was growing up. Most of the Lycan doctors said it was psychosomatic and she would grow out of it. Her human doctors found nothing wrong with her—or so they said—but the medicines they prescribed seem to work on her. All her doctors seemed to think it was psychosomatic, but they weren’t the ones who felt the symptoms.

“Well, you’re just going to have to suck it up and bring all the medication you can carry. Because you’re going and that’s final.”

“You can’t make me.”

She ignored Jordan’s protests. “You’ll be paid the entire time, of course, plus if you finish this program,” she lowered her voice, “I won’t tell my husband you caused the explosion.”

Jordan groaned. Her options were to go on this stupid retreat or let the world’s only fire-breathing dragon shifter know she almost killed his mate. The choice was clear. “When do I leave?”

 

Coming December 4

Pre-order Now!

A Mate for Jackson: Bad Alpha Dads

Unedited and RAW preview

Contains typos and subject to change 

 

Chapter One

 

A few weeks ago …

Jackson Forrest slammed his foot on the brake, causing his truck to come to a screeching stop. He normally didn’t treat his Dolly this way, but today was an exception.

Well, not exactly; it was the same shit, different day. But, just like shit that didn’t get cleaned, it could pile up and then you’d just have a pretty fucking awful day.

His fingers gripped the wheel so tight he could hear the plastic creaking under his hand.

Control yourself, he said. He’s just a boy.

His inner wolf, that animal all Lycans shared with their bodies, was in conflict. On one hand, this was their cub, their blood. The child they had nurtured and raised. But on the other hand, Jackson was pissed. Sick and tired of the boy’s out-of-control behavior.

“You learned your lesson yet, boy?” He looked up at the rear-view mirror, at the green eyes so much like his own. In fact, except for his platinum blond hair, nine-year-old Austin was his spitting image. Even down to the scowl on his face.

“Yeah, yeah,” came the sour reply.

“And what did you learn?”

“That Jimmy Presley is a fucking rat that can’t be trusted.”

“Austin Micheal Forrest, watch your mouth!” Jackson whipped around to look his son straight in the eye. “What did I tell ya about cussing?”

“You do it all the time!” Austin accused.

“That’s because I’m an adult.” Jackson scrubbed his hand down his face. This shit was starting to get old. Hell, he was feeling ancient, at least when it came to his son. “Why the hell did you break into the teacher’s lounge?”

Austin shrugged. “I dunno. Seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Standard Austin answer. “You’re grounded.”

“Yeah, yeah. Can I go now?”

“For a month.”

“A month?” Austin’s eyes went wide and his mouth twisted. “Why the hell—”

“You wanna make it two?”

Austin sank bank into the seat. “Fine. I—” His head swung around as a loud sound rumbled behind them. A black truck identical to Jackson’s stopped right behind them. “Aunt Evie and Uncle Connor are here?” he exclaimed.

“Yeah, it was a surprise trip.” His brother and sister-in-law, along with their infant son, Cliff, lived in New York, a couple of hours drive from the Shenandoah Valley. “They’re here for Grams’ birthday.”

“Yes!” Austin raised a fist in the air. “Are we going to have a party? Or a camping trip? Or—”

“Well, we—that’s Grams, Aunt Evie, Uncle Conner, and Cliff and everyone else—will be celebrating with a big barbecue by the pond. You’ll be at home.”

“What?” The boy exclaimed. “You can’t stop me from going to Grams’ birthday!!”

He wagged a finger at his son. “Grounded, remember?”

“This is so unfair!”

Jackson gritted his teeth to stop the words that wanted to come out of his mouth. Instead, he yanked the door open, stepped up and walked over to the other side of his truck. His son was learning a valuable lesson. Life wasn’t fair. And that fact was cemented even more as he glanced at who was coming out of the other truck.
It was still strange, after all these months, looking at the man who was the exact mirror image of himself. Same height, build, face, and both sported tattoos all over their body. Identical twins, though they had only met last year. Connor had been taken away from their family when he was an infant. The man who destroyed their lives had wanted to steal both boys, but ended up with only one. His brother still bore the scars from his cruel upbringing, and not just the physical one that ran down his eye and cheek. 

Meanwhile, Jackson grew up with a mother, surrounded by family and other Lycans, and was now Alpha of his own clan. No, life certainly wasn’t fair.

“How’s it going?” He asked Connor, holding out his hand. “How was the drive?”

Connor grasped it and squeeze. “Long. But glad to finally be here.”

Instead of letting go, Jackson pulled him in for a hug. For once, Connor didn’t stiffen, though still didn’t quite relax either. Progress, he thought. His inner wolf was oddly calm, recognizing its brother’s scent and presence.

When Connor first showed up on their doorstep, Jackson’s wolf instantly went on the defense. It knew—Connor’s wolf was not right. But also, it recognized that the man standing outside their porch was the blood of their blood. And for Lycans, that meant more than anything in the world.

“Connor, a little help please?” came the feminine voice from the other side of the truck.

His twin pulled away and gave him a sheepish look. “‘Scuse me.” He walked over to his wife and mate, Evie, who was struggling with a car seat. Connor easily took it from her.

“Thanks.” She pulled out the diaper bag from the back seat, and as she swung it around her shoulder, Connor leaned down and gave her a kiss on the mouth. She gave a girlish giggle when he finished. “Connor.” She gave him a playful swipe on the arm, which only earned her another kiss.

Jackson pushed down the envy churning in his stomach and told his whining wolf to quite down. He was happy his brother had found love, and in his True Mate no less. The one his soul was destined for. Maybe life wasn’t fair, but there were other ways that the scales tipped.  He cleared his throat. “Momma’ll will be happier than a clam when she sees the three of you.”

“It was a great idea,” Evie said as she walked over to give him a hug. “Thanks for inviting us.”

Jackson returned it, but quickly released his sister-in-law when he saw Connor tense. “You know you can come over any time, no need for invites or any of that formal stuff.” Lycans were very territorial, and if a Lycan from one clan wanted to visit another, they had to get permission from the Alpha. Technically, Connor was part of the New York Clan, though his brother was previously a Lone Wolf, a Lycan with no clan. That had changed last year when he decided to pledge to the Alpha of New York, Grant Anderson. Connor was born to the Shenandoah Clan and could have pledged to them, but Jackson didn’t begrudge him that choice; after all, Evie’s life and career as a Broadway actress was in New York and so was the rest of Connor’s adoptive family, the ones who had rescued him and gave him a home after the ordeal he went through.

“Where is Lily?” Evie asked. “And Austin?”

“Momma’s probably out checking on the new folk. She’ll be home within the hour.” Jackson stepped over to his truck and yanked the backseat door open. “Austin,” he said. “Come out here and say hello. Then march straight to your room.”

Austin’s scowl deepened, but did as he was told, unbuckling his seat belt and hopping down. He marched over to Evie, wrapped his arms around her waist and murmured something, then looked over to his uncle.

Connor sighed and dropped to Austin’s height. “How’re you kid?”

“Fine. I guess.” He looked over at the small bundle in the carrier in Connor’s hand. “Wow, he’s gettin’ big, huh?”

Connor snorted. “Babies tend to do that.”

“Do you still think babies are stupid?” Evie asked.

The boy sniffed. “Not Cliff. He’s my cousin. And he’s not a girl.”

“Austin,” Jackson warned.

Evie laughed. “Well, maybe the next one’ll be a girl.”

Jackson raised a brow. “Is there a next one?”

“No.” But she blushed as she looked at Connor. “We’ll see.”

“Whatever you want, Evie,” he said. “I know you still got plans. Things you wanna do. We can wait.”

Jackson’s lips pulled into a thin line. The scales definitely did tip in favor of his brother. And it was damned time, considering the hell Connor had been through before he met Evie.

“Maybe you’ll get a little sister instead, Austin.” Evie had that mischievous look on her face.

“Ew!” Austin crossed his small arms over his chest and pouted. “I’m puttin’ my foot down, Pa. No sister. Or brother. Ever.”

“Maybe I should get you a little brother or sister, serves you right,” Jackson bit back, then shook his head. No, there would be no mate and no other kids. True love and True Mates were a rare thing, and Jackson didn’t have time to go looking for either. He was plenty occupied with being Alpha, running the ranch, and raising Austin. Whenever the need for female companionship struck, he could always run down to the local bar in town.

“Aww, Pa! No.”

“Now go to your room,” Jackson ordered. “And stay there until dinner.”

“Fine.” Austin turned on his heel and stomped—very loudly—toward the house.

As Jackson let out a sigh, Evie gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm. “It’s just a phase. He’ll grow out of it.”

“I sure hope so.” This phase had been going on for years, ever since Austin could walk and talk. Sometimes he wondered, if Arlene had stayed, maybe things would be different. But Austin’s biological mother had walked away from them.

In the beginning, they weren’t in a serious relationship or anything; they hooked up every now and then, and she was convenient: she was there when he was feeling horny and never demanded anything more than he could give.

Jackson had been ecstatic when he found out she was pregnant and she confirmed it was his. After all, Lycans had a hard time conceiving and every kid conceived was a joy to their kind. He married her right away. Big mistake. They fought all the time and one day, she just served him with divorce papers. Said the mother thing wasn’t working out for her. Last he heard, she was shacking up with the Beta of some clan in Texas. Good riddance. Now she was some other guy’s problem.

“Jackson? Did you hear what I said?” Evie’s voice cut through his muddled thoughts.

“Huh?”

“I said, could we head up to our room and get refreshed? I’d love to take a shower before Lily comes home.”

He scratched his head. “Sorry ‘bout that. Of course.” Thoughts of the past forgotten, he motioned to the house. “Everything’s ready. And Momma doesn’t suspect a thing, so she’ll be mighty surprised.”

 

***

 

“It really is great having you here,” Lily Forrest said as she cuddled little Cliff against her chest. “I was disappointed when Jackson said you weren’t going to come to the party.” She gave sly looks to her sons.

“We wanted it to be a surprise.” Jackson winked at Evie and Connor.

Evie took a sip of her coffee. “We haven’t seen you since you came over when Cliff was born. And we haven’t visited since before we bought the house.”

“How are things around here?” Connor asked.

“All good,” Jackson answered. “Busy. But good.”

“More than good,” Lily interjected. “Especially with Grant Anderson and Sebastian Creed sending those Lycans here for their rehab.”

“The Alpha and Creed are happy with the results so far,” Connor said.

“We have you to thank, for putting in a good word,” Jackson replied.

Most of the Lycans from the Shenandoah Clan were notoriously difficult—a lot of them had aggressive wolves and would have ended up cast out of any other clan or worse, which is why they chose to live in isolation. However, the steady work and maybe the freedom to shift and roam as they pleased somehow turned out to be a good thing for them, allowing them to lead normal lives.

When Grant Anderson, Alpha or New York and Sebastian Creed, Connor’s boss, had found out about this, they asked Jackson to take on a few of their charges—wolves who had been taken and brainwashed by their enemies, the Mages—to see if they could help them out. Jackson agreed and took on three of the broken Lycans, putting them to work on the ranch and helping them work through their violent tendencies. In less than three months, their aggression levels went down and two them were reunited with their families, while one even stayed behind to work with the Shenandoah Clan.

The program had been so successful that they now regularly took on more “clients” from the New York Clan. It was good money, adding to the Shenandoah Clan’s struggling bottom line, and kept them busy the last year.

“You do great work,” Connor said.

Jackson nodded. “We’re glad to help.” And he really was. Their clan had been isolated for so long, it was nice to be able to meet other Lycans and Alphas too.

“Are they sending any more new people?” Evie asked.

“Not at the moment. Though Grant wanted to talk to me about doing corporate-type retreats for his Lycan employees.”

“I hear those things are big now,” Lily said. “Getting in touch with nature and all that.”

Connor scowled. “You mean, that hipster, feel good, touchy-feely, bullcrap?”

Evie chuckled. “Connor hates hipsters. They take up too much ordering at his favorite coffee shop.”

“Why the hell do you need more than one second to order a cup of coffee?” Connor grunted. “Fair trade, soy milk, gluten-free, what a load of shit. Coffee. Black. That’s all you need.”

Jackson raised his mug. “I hear ya, bro.” He took a sip of the hot liquid. “But, Grant’s idea might be worth a try. I don’t know how you city Lycans stand it, not being able to just shift whenever you want.”

“You get used to it, I suppose,” Lily said. “But yet, it’s a shame you have to hide all the time.”

“It might be good for these city slickers to get outside. Get them in touch with their Lycan sides again, maybe take them out for a big camping trip under the stars. Hell, we’ll do some trust falls and team-building exercises if that’s what Grant wants.” It seemed easy enough. Rehabbing the broken wolves was challenging. A couple of corporate pencil pushers looking for an adventure and maybe a run in their wolf form? He could handle that with one hand tied behind him.

“It’ll certainly bring more excitement around here, not mention money,” Lily added.

“Momma,” Connor began, “if you need money—”

“Oh hush, Connor,” Lily interrupted, making Cliff stir in her arms. She cooed at him and rocked him against her chest. “We’re doing fine, especially with what the last batch of rehabbers brought in.”

“They were the worst bunch yet, so Creed put in a big bonus,” Jackson added. “We’re good bro, really we are. And we’re glad to help.” He didn’t add, of course, that it was his way of making up for Connor. For being the one who had escaped that horrible fate.

Still, Connor had not held it against him and Lily never made him feel less loved, but it kept Jackson awake at night—what if he’d been the one who was taken away, and then raised by monsters, forced to fight in a cage since he was a teen?

A loud bang from upstairs, followed by a string of muffled curses, then a series of loud thuds. Jackson sighed. Austin had come down to eat dinner, then promptly sent back upstairs without any dessert.

Lily handed Cliff to Connor. “I’ll go check on him.”

“No, Momma, sit down and enjoy your coffee,” Jackson said. “He’s just looking for attention.”

“What he’s lookin’ for is an ass-whooping,” Connor added.

Jackson couldn’t agree more, but that just wasn’t his way. Though maybe if he it had been, he wouldn’t be in this situation.

“Connor,” Evie admonished. “Would you hurt Cliff?”

“What? Of course not,” Connor said. “But then again, he ain’t never tried to change the grades on his report card. Or  burn down a high school. Or,” he turned to Jackson, “what did he do again this time?”

“Break into the teacher’s lounge.” Jackson sighed. “Maybe Austin does need a stronger hand.”

“What Austin needs is a gentler hand,” Lily countered.

“A what?” This time, both Connor and Jackson said it together.

“I think what Lily is trying to say,” Evie began, “is Austin needs a mom.”

“Oh no.” Jackson put up his hand. “No way. Uh-uh.” He got up, dropping his napkin on the table.

“C’mon, Jackson, would it be so bad?” Lily said. “Austin needs someone to take care of him. A female influence.”

“He’s got you, Momma,” he pointed out.

Lily laughed. “I’m his grandmother. It’s my job to spoil him and give him everything he wants. Only a mother can give him that ‘I’m disappointed in you’ look that will make him think twice of doing anything bad.”

“Not to mention, a wife might do you good, too,” Evie said in a teasing voice. “Someone to share your troubles with.”

“Ha!” Now they really were delusional. No way was he getting married again. It just wasn’t worth it, not after what happened with Arlene. “I think I hear … the cows mooing.” Pathetic excuse, but he needed to get out of there. “‘Night everyone, I’ll see you all tomorrow. I’ll be out early getting supplies for the party.”

Jackson headed out the door, not even giving them a chance to stop him. He left the kitchen/dining room and headed to the front door, stepping out to the wraparound porch.

The air was cool this time of the year, signs that winter was behind them and that spring was here. It was his favorite time of the year—a new beginning. And he wished there was such a thing in life. A new beginning. A do-over.

Not that he would ever wish Austin was never born. Of course not; he loved his son. He was just a failure as a father and he knew it. But, what was he supposed to do? He had so many responsibilities, he couldn’t juggle them all.

“You okay?”

Jackson wasn’t even surprised that he didn’t notice Connor had followed him. He moved silently, even for a man of his size. “Yeah,” he answered back, not bothering to turn around to look at his brother. “Can you believe it? Me with a wife?”

“Can you believe me with a wife? And a son?”

Jackson spat on the porch, a move that his momma hated. “Not you too.” He turned around. “Are you gonna give me a lecture about finding a mom for Austin?”

“Me? Give a lecture?” Connor shrugged. “That boy doesn’t need a mother.”

“Glad you agree with me.”

“But maybe what you need is a mate.”

“Ha! It’ll be easier to find a mother for my little hell raiser. Besides,” he glanced back at the house. “What you got with Evie? One in a million.”

“You would think so,” Connor said. “But I’ve seen stranger things.” He placed a hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “Also, you know that Momma and Evie are in there plotting right now.”

Jackson let out an audible groan. “I don’t know where they would even find any woman who would date me. The few females in our clan already know what they’re in for with Austin which is why none of them would even touch me, and I’m not ready to bring a human into the clan.” Lycans were mostly unknown to the rest of the world, save for a few who were considered Alliance families. And of course, with the lack of available Lycan mates, many of their kind married humans.

Connor shook his head. “I don’t envy you right now.”

“I don’t envy me right now either.” Jackson rubbed a palm down his face. “Let them try. I doubt they’d find anyone who would be interested in me.” His wolf, which had been quiet and calm most of the night, let out a whine. Oh he knew what it wanted; whenever they were around Evie and Connor, it had longed for what they had—love, companionship, and more pups. It was like that damned biological clock women supposedly had, but this one had teeth and claws instead of a ticking hand.

“You never know,” Connor said.

“You too?” he accused.

Connor chuckled—a rare sight. “I dunno. When women put their minds on something …”

“They can try.”

Jackson looked out at the rolling hills of the Shenandoah Valley and the sun setting behind them, bathing everything in a golden light. He should be content, with everything he had. A clan. A thriving ranch. His brother back after being cruelly taken away from them. And yes, even Austin. Despite what the kid put him through—and what he suspected he would be put through as the boy grew into his teenage years—he had everything he needed and wanted right now. A wife would just be another monkey wrench that would turn his world upside down.