One Year Later —Tara sat out on the poach behind the packhouse with a laptop open to a spreadsheet. She and Emily were working out the next year’s budget and the projects they’d tackle.With Emily looking after the club while they were up here. It was interesting, to say the least.Tara gave birth on schedule. It was about the only thing that was on schedule these days, and Cal was sitting on a blanket on the grass with one-year-old Natalie Nichols. The apple of her daddy’s eye. She had him wrapped around her little finger and he’d have it no other way.Eddie and his Lycan girlfriend were now running the kitchens here for Rachel. They’d mated and, well… Tara expected to hear that they’d have pups soon enough.Jaxon, well, he was back in the city. Tara wasn’t sure what was happening with him. Cal wouldn’t speak of it. But Jaxon took a leave of absence from his position for a bit. Tara wasn’t receiving the full story. But as far as she could tell. Jaxon may have two mates. One wasn’t d
Tara knew when she left work at the grocery store something was wrong. Her brother wasn’t there to walk her home. That was warning enough for Tara. He was one of those fly-by-night types, every time his latest job didn’t go well and would run from it. Sadly, she couldn’t rely on him for much more than eating what little food was in their small fridge and racking up her long-distance phone bill with 900-numbers. Tara loved him, truly she did. He was her only family. She’d raised him through his teen years while she wasn’t much more than a teen herself.What worried her was he wasn’t answering his phone. He always answered his phone and he’d give her some lame excuse about why he wasn’t there. This time he wasn’t picking up and it was her seventh attempt. Hid voicemail was also full.The summer night was cool, and the streets wet from the rain which fell while she worked. At two in the morning, Tara watched cars drive past as she walked toward where she lived. It wasn’t home, they
Tara knew enough about the Wild Wolf. If she could get in. The club lived up to its name. There was everything from gambling to a sex dungeon. She’d seen the women enter with their rich mates or lovers. They went there to get their rocks off. While the rabble, like Tara, worked themselves into an early grave. They didn’t get the luxury to be horny, only hungry.She didn’t have sexy clothes. Tara’s wardrobe included jeans, sweats, t-shirts, and a ratty winter coat. The money she saved would replace her coat became the money she used to buy a sexy outfit from a charity shop. She’d time to shop. The Wild Wolf opened at nine that evening. The papers Alpha Elmwood dropped off told her everything. Eddie hadn’t said he’d been skimming off the top and he’d gambled with it. Eddie used his winnings to cover his theft. This time, there were no winnings. He’d run before they caught him.Their daddy taught them to gamble, and Tara learned from his mistakes. Their father had died from a bul
People were walking around. Sure enough, no one was wearing much. A couple of people were even led by her with collars and leashes nothing more. Tara thought that was the floor show until she heard the crack of the whip again. She jumped in response and watched it land on the bare backside of a bound woman. The sounds brought her attention to a woman bent over a bench and restrained with chains. Tara’s body shivered with unfamiliar feelings she couldn't describe. Tara could see the woman’s face and she appeared to be enjoying this treatment. That this was the best thing ever that she’d experienced.As the floor show continued, Tara watched the crowd as the large dark-haired man plied the whip to the women’s flesh. His tanned bare chest gleamed in the club's lights, accenting his sculpted muscles and warrior’s body. His tattoos fascinated her. As she watched, his concentration never strayed from the woman. He ignored everyone else. To him, it was just the two of them. An intimate e
Cal entered the gambling floor and moved to table four. Everyone there was a regular, and they knew something was up when the owner sat at the table. With a smile to Tara, he was dealt in. A look crossed the table between the dealer and Cal. The dealer’s eyes shifted to a man standing to her right. A security guard sent to monitor her movements and how she played. He watched for counting cards, and other signs she was cheating. “You’re new here. Is this your first time?” Cal asked her as he assessed his cards. Discarded two and picked up two. “Yes.” Tara couldn’t believe it. The guy with the whip, the owner and Alpha, was sitting beside her, playing against her. She felt small beside him. Another alpha, how many were in this place? They must be on to her. There was no way she could look at him directly, and she was desperately trying to concentrate on her game with her mind wandered to the floor show. His tattoos were striking, and she tried not to stare. “What
Tara was stunned. This couldn’t be happening. She was supposed to get the money and leave. Or he was supposed to kick her out of his territory to suffer the consequences of failure. Or kill her outright. This wasn’t part of her plan. Tara didn’t know what to do. “Kneel!” Cal commanded loudly. Tara shook herself and slipped from the chair. She was now on autopilot from her fear. “This is what happens to people who cheat. Now, you aren’t a normal gambler, who sent you?” Tara couldn’t tell him. Alpha Elmwood would kill her along with Eddie. Either way, she’d die at an alpha’s hands. Tara couldn’t look at him. His anger now was like a raw force of nature pressing down on her. It was all she could do not to hyperventilate. “So, you won’t say anything. Fine, you can go into a cage for a while and think about where your loyalties should lie.” Cal pulled the door open, and the hulking wolf entered again. “You’ll crawl on all fours to your cage. Guy, take her to the stables
Tara didn’t know how long it’d been, but she was sure the club was closed. She’d fallen asleep there, curled up on the mat. She almost wished he’d left her leash. All of this could have ended with her. Eddie might miss her in passing, but she knew unlike her, her death would only make him stumble for the moment. She’d be devastated if he died.When Guy returned, Tara missed him entering the room and only noticed him when he was standing over her cage. “Eat.” “What?” Tara wasn’t someone who woke up easily, and she wasn’t a napping type of person. She needed a good eight to ten hours to be instantly awakened when woken like this. But she’d not had that in so long, she’d almost forgotten the pleasure of it. “Cal ordered me to make sure you eat, or it will be added to your punishment.” Guy didn’t look like he would budge on this, and she imagined them forcing a tube down her throat, then pouring something down the tube. Tara groaned and looked at the bowls of water
Cal notified the security of a medical emergency in the stables. The pack healer was needed. He hurried to the stables with several men who had emergency medical experience. As he entered, his phone pinged. “Healer en route. ETA two minutes.” Cal announced. His heart pounded still since he heard the panic in Guy’s voice. Cal didn’t have time to ask himself why it was imperative she not die. He knew he’d claimed responsibility for her and now… He’d no time to think beyond saving her and finding out how this happened. If he killed someone in his territory, it was his business, but his reputation would suffer. It also suffered for a murder or crime he didn’t investigate properly. His men rushed to her prone body, lying on the cold concrete floor. Guy knelt beside her, frantically trying to wake her. It wasn’t every day this happened. Cal watched the two men move and take over. “I got it from the fridge like I always do and put it in her cage. She rested and slowly a
One Year Later —Tara sat out on the poach behind the packhouse with a laptop open to a spreadsheet. She and Emily were working out the next year’s budget and the projects they’d tackle.With Emily looking after the club while they were up here. It was interesting, to say the least.Tara gave birth on schedule. It was about the only thing that was on schedule these days, and Cal was sitting on a blanket on the grass with one-year-old Natalie Nichols. The apple of her daddy’s eye. She had him wrapped around her little finger and he’d have it no other way.Eddie and his Lycan girlfriend were now running the kitchens here for Rachel. They’d mated and, well… Tara expected to hear that they’d have pups soon enough.Jaxon, well, he was back in the city. Tara wasn’t sure what was happening with him. Cal wouldn’t speak of it. But Jaxon took a leave of absence from his position for a bit. Tara wasn’t receiving the full story. But as far as she could tell. Jaxon may have two mates. One wasn’t d
Five Months Later —Tara felt like the size of a house. She propped her ankles up on her desk and she had to eat her fries with no salt. It wasn’t the same, nothing tasted the same. The poking from inside was regular now and she couldn’t wait for the last six weeks to go by. She’d been six weeks pregnant when her symptoms started and since then, if it wasn’t one symptom, it was another. Tara would be more than happy for these little monsters to enter the world.Cal was everywhere and nowhere, it seemed. He told her to clear her calendar today because he wanted to show her their new territory. The thought of trudging out there was exhausting to her. But she’d do it because he was just so insistent. He promised they’d stay the night out there and come back the next day at a leisurely pace.“You ready to go?”“Yes, I just don’t understand why we have to do this now. When all I want to do is take a nap.”“You can nap in the vehicle on the way. Don’t worry, I’ve packed everything we need a
Tara could feel the ball of conflicting emotions rolling about in her head and her belly. She had a new life inside her. No matter what, she’d never be alone again. But how did she explain all of this to them when the time came?How should she explain this to Cal? He had to be expecting this. Look at the second floor. She didn’t like it necessarily. Their pups living completely separately from us with someone else looking after them. Why hadn’t they spoken about this before?Tara’s eyes closed as the elevator dinged and opened. She’d not thought that it was important before this because she wasn’t pregnant, and they didn’t have any pups. Now she thought of it.This morning, Cal was gone before she got out of bed. This was a day she didn’t train, because there were other things she needed to get done. Which, of course, didn’t get done? A few steps brought her to Cal’s office over the club.She knocked and entered when she received the okay to enter. Tara lucked out because Cal was alon
David Monroe struggle with the enforcer training. His heart wasn’t in it and his skills lay in other places, but everyone lumped him in with the other male Lycans because he was a Lycan. He’d exhausted almost every avenue trying to explain to them he’d rather be patching people up and treating pups with fevers. While he was moping during a break, his phone rang, and it surprised him to see that Emily’s name came up on his phone. “Hello, Emily. What’s wrong? Why are you calling?” He couldn’t think of a reason she could be calling him for, but any chance he got to speak with her was better than nothing. “I’ll tell you, but you have to be very careful with what you say. No one can know why you’re about to be ordered to the Luna’s office. What we need you to do, is slip out of the packhouse. If anyone asks, you’re running an errand for the Luna. That’s it nothing more. What you need to do is go to the closest pharmacy and pick up a pregnancy kit. Come back here
Again, Tara was up late the next morning. Cal was determined he wouldn’t let her feel like he neglected anything about her. From sympathizing with her, to how her emotions were toward absolutely everything, and he didn’t forget to include planning their future together.Well, he talked, and she mostly listened. What he said wasn’t bad. Tara didn’t have a problem with any of his ideas. She didn’t have much to add or at this time have an emotional connection to any of it.Now, though, Tara needed to get her day going, and she felt like something that had been dredged from a swampy pond. It took only minutes for Emily, her newest staff member, to realize there was something wrong with Tara.“If we had a cat, I’d say you look like the latest thing it dragged home. When will we see you going to a healer?” Emily eagerly asked Tara as she returned from her latest flight to the bathroom. Tara looked at her with an expression of exhaustion.“I’m fine and I’m not planning ongoing to see one.” S
“Stone dear, you know I love you. I’m your mate and partner in life. I have always advised you about everything honestly and in your best interest.” Elaine still quietly sat in the sitting room and calmly spoke to Stone. The others had slowly filtered out to go on with their day or to watch their guests leave. “Of course you are, and you have.” Stone looked out the window and watched the vehicles leave. Elaine could see he was distracted by what was going on and his own thoughts. “Then why are you being an ass and not listening to anything I say now?” She let her irritation slip into her voice and she dryly responded to him. Her annoyance was obvious. Stone’s instincts instantly alerted him to the fact that not all was good between himself and his mate. Over the years, that instinct helped him avoid many different disasters from exploding in his face when it came to their relationship. “I’m listening Ellie. I’ve always listened.” “Then explain to me if you listened to me, then why
No one said much of anything on the way home. The privacy divider between the front of the vehicle and the back raised then never went down. Cal pulled Tara to him and sat her in his lap. He didn’t do anything more but let her soak up his warmth and strength. He buried his head into her neck and hair. The smell of the wool sweater mixed with the natural spice of her scent. He instantly felt his aggressive feelings smooth out and gentle. It’d been difficult watching her get so wound up from it all. Tara sat there, and all but purred. As their vehicle made slow progress through traffic, it’s darkened windows gave them the privacy that Cal didn’t care, Tara turned and straddled his lap instead. She didn’t do anything more than that. But his body felt her skirt hike up and he groaned, knowing how naughty she was instinctively gravitating to for comfort. That wasn’t what their mating would ever be based on. He’d never satisfy his needs while she was seek
Kole wanted to get back to the gathering as quickly as possible. He didn’t want any misunderstandings between anyone, let alone the two packs. There was no way he’d explain to the pack that their beloved elder and ex-alpha alienated his first born grand pup with blind stubbornness, hateful questions, and fear. That wouldn’t be happening today or any day. Kole wouldn’t risk fighting with Cal. How would it look when the Council of Alphas met? His father always forgot about that. Though the council of alphas didn’t exist during his time in control of the pack. He’d been a forward thinker of his time and moved his pack to a territory that was being noticed by the local humans. It meant he could settle their businesses in, and those humans would see those businesses as founding members of the business community. “Let’s go back down now and please be nice to her. She’s so much like Heather and you wouldn’t talk to Heather that way. Just apologize and let mother do
“That’s my third pup there and his mate. Your uncle, Stephen, and his mate, Ariel. Their grown pups, Erin, and Eric. That about covers your living family here, dear. Everyone sit please. Stone has created enough excitement and drama for one day. She has a sweet soul. Stephen, treat her like you would your sister and don’t act like your father if you know what’s good for you. As for the doghouse, it’s an old guard shack that’s been turned into a bunkhouse for single wolves who, for one reason or another, don’t want to make the trip all the way back to their homes to sleep. It’s affectionately called the doghouse because often there’s trouble between the few mated wolves that stay there.” “Oh, good grief. That’s horrible.” “Oh, don’t think your grandfather hasn’t stayed there a time or two. Though these days he’s more likely to use a guest apartment.” Tara looked over the tissue at Elaine with a shocked expression. “You’re joking.” “No, I’m n