Hello Readers.
I just wanted to drop a quick note to let you all know I haven't disappeared. I had to have a small surgery that has impeded my ability to write as much as I'd like. I'm healing well and hoping to be back on track starting tomorrow.
Julia and Derek's story will wrap up soon, a few more chapters I think. Then on to Mason and Elena's book after a short break.
Thank you all so much for your patience and all the love you've shown my stories!
Wishing you all the happiest of holidays!
Much love,
Cara
Juliaās POV āI think I'm going to visit Forest Trails for a few days. I met Trista the last time she and her Alpha were here and I really liked her.ā I was sitting in the living room of the cabin my brother and Zoe had moved into, trying to stop my turmoil from leaking through our sibling bond. Based on the way Dillon was watching me like he would a wounded animal, I wasn't sure I was succeeding. Zoe gave me a knowing look, but thankfully said nothing to my brother about the suspicions I saw shining in her eyes. āItās been weeks since they were here and you never said a word. Why now?ā Dillonās tone was accusatory, telling me heād already sniffed out my ulterior motives. āāHmm?ā I put a finger on my chin in a pensive expression. āMaybe because youāre all mated up and hiding from the rest of the world.ā He shot me a beleaguered look. One that said he did not appreciate my snarky attitude. Zoe giggled at his put upon expression but instead of the same exasperated huff I got fr
Derekās POV I was losing my ever-loving shit! How could she be moving on already? Out partying, dancing, smiling like she wasnāt missing me at all. Meanwhile, I was so twisted up in knots, I couldnāt think straight. And what the fuck did she mean by āfucking someone isnāt the same as getting to know themā? Whoās fucking who? She couldnāt possibly think I was fucking Amber. I knew it happened often with fated mates but surely not when they were already in love with someone else. I owed it to myself and Amber to get to know her, Just like Jules told me to do. But she couldnāt possibly think Iād get over what we had and hop into bed with Amber that quickly. Okay sure. Thatās who I used to be. But that was before Julia Kane came along and turned my world upside down. I was a different person now and even if things didnāt work out with Julia and me, I wasnāt sure I could ever go back to being that guy. Not when I knew how disappointed she would be in me. That thought made me sick
Derekās POV āFuck man! I donāt know what to say.ā Dillon had ceased trying to strangle me to death and had moved on to pacing a hole in the office floor. āI mean sheās my sister. I canāt stand the thought of her heartbroken and alone. But after finding Zoe, I know what itās like to meet your fated mate. I could never expect you to give that up.ā āAmber, could you please excuse us. Iād like to talk with the Gamma alone for a minute.ā I tried asking nicely with little hope it would get me very far. āOh no! Absolutely not! Iām your mate. There is nothing you canāt say in front of me.ā She actually stamped her foot at the end of that little speech. āOf course, I can say it. I just donāt want to!ā I explained, grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the door. ā:Letās go, princess.ā āWhat? No!ā She squawked in protest. āYouāre my mate! You canāt tell me no! Thatās not how itās supposed to work!ā She whined the whole way but I wasnāt giving in. Once I managed to deposit her outsi
Juliaās POV āSo you come out here everyday to collect samples?ā I asked Trista as we tramped through the forest together. She was explaining her research on forest sustainability and showing me how she collected test samples to see how different trees and plants responded to different fertilization compounds. It was part of her postdoctoral work and way over my head but still fascinating. Although I had to admit, listening to her enthusiasm for the subject left me feeling a little left behind. Zoe had left for college right after high school and Kat had midwife training. Trista was well on her way to saving our habitat and I was still deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up. That thought led me to wonder what Amberās aspirations were. Was she going to college? Did she have plans to do something important with her life, medical research like Zoe or maybe become a doctor? Was she smarter than me? From there I found myself diving head first down the rabbit hole of all the
Derekās POV Ericās taunt sent me into a red fucking rage! I wanted to slice his dick off with my claws and shove it down his fucking throat. Julia was mine! MINE! And nobody fucking touched her but me! I suspected theyād slept together in the past and the thought of them doing it again gutted me. Iād put everything sheād done before me out of my mind, just like sheād done for me. But Julia Kane had carved her name on my heart, branded it on my soul, and nobody else could have her now! āDerek, stop!ā Julia screamed, stepping in front of Eric. āItās okay, sunshine.ā Eric chuckled, wrapping an arm around her torso. āHeās so pissed he canāt see straight. I doubt he could land a hit if he tried.ā āNot helping!ā Julia hissed at him over her shoulder. āStep back and cool off!ā Damien barked, his steadying hand on my shoulder. I was fucking furious and my chest heaved violently. I balled my fists at my sides, trying to restrain my beast but my body swayed in Ericās direction. My
Derekās POV The drive back to Glass Lake territory was the longest of my life! With every passing mile, a new worry assaulted me. Winning Julia back was far from a sure thing. I still didnāt know if she really slept with Eric. The thought of him putting his hands on her luscious body or sticking his cock in her tight, hot pussy infuriated me! But it also scared the shit out of me, because if she did fuck him, it meant she had already moved on. Julia Kane was stunningly gorgeous, fiercely loyal, and stubborn as hell. If she decided she was done with me, there would be no changing her mind. The thought of her slamming the door in my face left me equal parts terrified and depressed as fuck. A future without her felt so bleak, cold and empty. But the more I thought about it, the more dejected I became. If sheād been the one to find her mate, and agreed to give him a chance so easily, let me walk away without a fight, Iām not sure I would have given her another chance either. B
Juliaās POV Pain seared through the raw nerves where Derekās fangs pierced my neck. Marking was usually done in the heat of passion, a pleasurable distraction from the pain, but Derek hadnāt waited for that and I couldnāt care less. I loved that he was so desperate to make me his, he couldnāt wait to sink his teeth into me. The sharp sting was a reminder that he was really there and I was really his, that it hadnāt all been a wonderful yet finite dream. But the pain went as quickly as it had come, mutating into a sensual thrill that ignited my lust while turning my bones to jelly. Derek groaned in pleasure as our bond solidified, pulling me tighter against him to hold me up as my knees weakened beneath me. A long languorous moan fell from my lips as Derek swirled his tongue over his mark. Then suddenly, a whirlwind of love, devotion, lust, and a fierce possessiveness hit me square in the chest, knocking the air from my lungs. Iād believed Derek when heād said he loved me, but this
Juliaās POV 5 Years Later āHurry up! Weāre going to be late!ā I called to Derek, trying to rush him along. Kat, Reegan and Ryan were holding a birthday party for their two year old son Liam and we were running behind as usual. With our own two year old and four year old, going anywhere as a family was a lot like herding cats. Everyone was either moving in different directions or refusing to move at all. Currently, it was the latter. āI canāt get Lexi off the toilet, sweetness.ā Derekās exasperated voice called back. We were potty-training our daughter and Derek loved to say she was a typical woman, once you got her in the bathroom you couldnāt get her out. I crept down the hall to check on their progress and had to choke back a laugh at the conversation they were having. āPlease, Lexi-Lou, show dada what a big girl you are! As soon as you go potty in the toilet, we can go to Liamās party and you can have cake and ice cream!ā He bargained. āBut, I not a big girl, dada. I your b
Hello Lovely Readers! Once again I want to thank you all for supporting my work! I hope you enjoyed reading A Cruel Fate: Her Gamma's Regret and The Warrior's Wild Mate as much as I did writing them. I may not have time to respond to every comment and review, but I read them all and take every word to heart. So if you have time, please let me know what you though, either in the review or comments section. I would appreciate it so much! As for what comes next, I will be working on The Legends of Glass Lake Series which will focus on the next generation of the Glass Lake as well as their friends and allies' children. Book one is still untitled but will focus on Mason Cross and Elena Stone as well as introducing new characters. I hope to begin publishing the first few chapters in early January and hope you'll join me for the ride. That's a wrap for Derek and Julia. For now. We'll see them again soon! Much love, Cara
Juliaās POV 5 Years Later āHurry up! Weāre going to be late!ā I called to Derek, trying to rush him along. Kat, Reegan and Ryan were holding a birthday party for their two year old son Liam and we were running behind as usual. With our own two year old and four year old, going anywhere as a family was a lot like herding cats. Everyone was either moving in different directions or refusing to move at all. Currently, it was the latter. āI canāt get Lexi off the toilet, sweetness.ā Derekās exasperated voice called back. We were potty-training our daughter and Derek loved to say she was a typical woman, once you got her in the bathroom you couldnāt get her out. I crept down the hall to check on their progress and had to choke back a laugh at the conversation they were having. āPlease, Lexi-Lou, show dada what a big girl you are! As soon as you go potty in the toilet, we can go to Liamās party and you can have cake and ice cream!ā He bargained. āBut, I not a big girl, dada. I your b
Juliaās POV Pain seared through the raw nerves where Derekās fangs pierced my neck. Marking was usually done in the heat of passion, a pleasurable distraction from the pain, but Derek hadnāt waited for that and I couldnāt care less. I loved that he was so desperate to make me his, he couldnāt wait to sink his teeth into me. The sharp sting was a reminder that he was really there and I was really his, that it hadnāt all been a wonderful yet finite dream. But the pain went as quickly as it had come, mutating into a sensual thrill that ignited my lust while turning my bones to jelly. Derek groaned in pleasure as our bond solidified, pulling me tighter against him to hold me up as my knees weakened beneath me. A long languorous moan fell from my lips as Derek swirled his tongue over his mark. Then suddenly, a whirlwind of love, devotion, lust, and a fierce possessiveness hit me square in the chest, knocking the air from my lungs. Iād believed Derek when heād said he loved me, but this
Derekās POV The drive back to Glass Lake territory was the longest of my life! With every passing mile, a new worry assaulted me. Winning Julia back was far from a sure thing. I still didnāt know if she really slept with Eric. The thought of him putting his hands on her luscious body or sticking his cock in her tight, hot pussy infuriated me! But it also scared the shit out of me, because if she did fuck him, it meant she had already moved on. Julia Kane was stunningly gorgeous, fiercely loyal, and stubborn as hell. If she decided she was done with me, there would be no changing her mind. The thought of her slamming the door in my face left me equal parts terrified and depressed as fuck. A future without her felt so bleak, cold and empty. But the more I thought about it, the more dejected I became. If sheād been the one to find her mate, and agreed to give him a chance so easily, let me walk away without a fight, Iām not sure I would have given her another chance either. B
Derekās POV Ericās taunt sent me into a red fucking rage! I wanted to slice his dick off with my claws and shove it down his fucking throat. Julia was mine! MINE! And nobody fucking touched her but me! I suspected theyād slept together in the past and the thought of them doing it again gutted me. Iād put everything sheād done before me out of my mind, just like sheād done for me. But Julia Kane had carved her name on my heart, branded it on my soul, and nobody else could have her now! āDerek, stop!ā Julia screamed, stepping in front of Eric. āItās okay, sunshine.ā Eric chuckled, wrapping an arm around her torso. āHeās so pissed he canāt see straight. I doubt he could land a hit if he tried.ā āNot helping!ā Julia hissed at him over her shoulder. āStep back and cool off!ā Damien barked, his steadying hand on my shoulder. I was fucking furious and my chest heaved violently. I balled my fists at my sides, trying to restrain my beast but my body swayed in Ericās direction. My
Juliaās POV āSo you come out here everyday to collect samples?ā I asked Trista as we tramped through the forest together. She was explaining her research on forest sustainability and showing me how she collected test samples to see how different trees and plants responded to different fertilization compounds. It was part of her postdoctoral work and way over my head but still fascinating. Although I had to admit, listening to her enthusiasm for the subject left me feeling a little left behind. Zoe had left for college right after high school and Kat had midwife training. Trista was well on her way to saving our habitat and I was still deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up. That thought led me to wonder what Amberās aspirations were. Was she going to college? Did she have plans to do something important with her life, medical research like Zoe or maybe become a doctor? Was she smarter than me? From there I found myself diving head first down the rabbit hole of all the
Derekās POV āFuck man! I donāt know what to say.ā Dillon had ceased trying to strangle me to death and had moved on to pacing a hole in the office floor. āI mean sheās my sister. I canāt stand the thought of her heartbroken and alone. But after finding Zoe, I know what itās like to meet your fated mate. I could never expect you to give that up.ā āAmber, could you please excuse us. Iād like to talk with the Gamma alone for a minute.ā I tried asking nicely with little hope it would get me very far. āOh no! Absolutely not! Iām your mate. There is nothing you canāt say in front of me.ā She actually stamped her foot at the end of that little speech. āOf course, I can say it. I just donāt want to!ā I explained, grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the door. ā:Letās go, princess.ā āWhat? No!ā She squawked in protest. āYouāre my mate! You canāt tell me no! Thatās not how itās supposed to work!ā She whined the whole way but I wasnāt giving in. Once I managed to deposit her outsi
Derekās POV I was losing my ever-loving shit! How could she be moving on already? Out partying, dancing, smiling like she wasnāt missing me at all. Meanwhile, I was so twisted up in knots, I couldnāt think straight. And what the fuck did she mean by āfucking someone isnāt the same as getting to know themā? Whoās fucking who? She couldnāt possibly think I was fucking Amber. I knew it happened often with fated mates but surely not when they were already in love with someone else. I owed it to myself and Amber to get to know her, Just like Jules told me to do. But she couldnāt possibly think Iād get over what we had and hop into bed with Amber that quickly. Okay sure. Thatās who I used to be. But that was before Julia Kane came along and turned my world upside down. I was a different person now and even if things didnāt work out with Julia and me, I wasnāt sure I could ever go back to being that guy. Not when I knew how disappointed she would be in me. That thought made me sick
Juliaās POV āI think I'm going to visit Forest Trails for a few days. I met Trista the last time she and her Alpha were here and I really liked her.ā I was sitting in the living room of the cabin my brother and Zoe had moved into, trying to stop my turmoil from leaking through our sibling bond. Based on the way Dillon was watching me like he would a wounded animal, I wasn't sure I was succeeding. Zoe gave me a knowing look, but thankfully said nothing to my brother about the suspicions I saw shining in her eyes. āItās been weeks since they were here and you never said a word. Why now?ā Dillonās tone was accusatory, telling me heād already sniffed out my ulterior motives. āāHmm?ā I put a finger on my chin in a pensive expression. āMaybe because youāre all mated up and hiding from the rest of the world.ā He shot me a beleaguered look. One that said he did not appreciate my snarky attitude. Zoe giggled at his put upon expression but instead of the same exasperated huff I got fr