winter garden

Welcome back to Clifton Heights. Sheriff Chris Baker and Father Ward meet for a Saturday morning breakfast at The Skylark Diner to once again commiserate over the weird and terrifying secrets surrounding their town. Sheriff Baker shares with Father Ward the story of a journal discovered in the ruins of what was once an elaborate koi pond and flower garden, which regales a tale of regret, buried pain, and unfulfilled debt: “Sophan” – Jake Burns has always been a bit...off. Rude, awkward, sometimes brutish, he's tolerated by Nate Slocum and his friends because he hits a mean line drive, and because they all know but don't discuss the abuse he faces at the hands of his troubled father, a Vietnam veteran consumed by his demons. But Jake is suffering something far worse than domestic abuse, and when Nate discovers what, he faces an impossible choice: help Jake and put himself in the path of evil, or abandon him, only to damn himself in the process. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

For Claire and Diaz, they are memories. Back then, they were simply regular friends from middle school. But one day, a short message from Claire was unanticipatedly received, and it had a profound effect on their relationship. Ten years had passed since their previous encounter. But, why did Claire still extend a marriage proposal to Diaz, even though they hadn't spoken in a dozen full moons?

Winter is a rebellious 18-year-old werewolf who is destined to become the Luna Queen of the wolves. Her parents have arranged her marriage with another werewolf named Ryker, whom she has never met or knows anything about. Winter doesn't want to marry him; she feels she is too young to be married and wants the chance to find her true mate. Her two best friends, Elena the fairy and Lillie the witch, promise to help her escape her family. Elena was born without wings, something that has never happened in the fairy world, and Lillie struggles to control her powers. If she doesn't learn how to control them, they will be taken from her. Their friendship is forbidden by all their families. The story follows their friendship as they learn about their powers and try to protect each other from the dangers that lie ahead. Will Winter find her mate? Will Elena discover the secret behind why she doesn't have wings? Will Lillie ever gain control over her powers? And most importantly, will their forbidden friendship be able to withstand all the challenges it will face? Together with her friends, she defies expectations and embraces her destiny as not just a leader but as a fiercely independent woman who will shape her own fate.

“I, Emily Blakesley, reject you, Calix Ledger as my mate and Alpha.” Emily Blakesely has suffered bouts of nightmares since she was a child, the reason her parents have kept her locked behind the walls of the castle. They believe they’re protecting her from whatsoever that was causing the nightmares. What happens when on her eighteenth birthday ball, Emily meets a stranger from her nightmare, in an encounter in the garden which leaves Emily unable to shift at the chime of midnight? And now everybody believes the princess has gone mad. Broken, rejected, and wolfless, can Emily find her redemption? * * * * * Calix Ledger was on his way to exerting revenge on the Alpha who took everything from him when he caught sight of a beautiful girl on the bridge of Cathena. One moment of distraction and he misses his only chance at revenge, and now he learns the girl he just saved is the enemy's daughter. What happens when the moon goddess plays games and matches Calix with no other but the mentally deranged daughter of his enemy? And she just had the effrontery to reject him. Would Calix find himself protecting the same girl he vowed to destroy?

“I was looking for a man named Zarion, but I ended up here.” Most of them gasped when I uttered Zarions’ name. “Don’t mention that name because it’s cursed!” someone hissed. My brows furrowed at her reaction. “Why? "He's the Alpha of this pack. He was banished because he didn't want to take the position. Rumour says that he's out in the woods, looking for his mate, and..." she trailed off. "And?" I swallowed. "Kill her. He wants to kill his mate." *** Alpha Zarion is on a quest to find his mate and kill her because he despises the idea of a mating bond. During a winter storm, he met Cassidy Bentley who saved him from death. He knows he has no time to waste but Zarion was curious about her, deliriously wanting every inch of her skin and touch…until he found out that the girl is mated to his number one rival, Alpha Brandon. Alpha Brandon rejected Cassidy because she’s a human—which he greatly despises. She eventually started getting over him, pouring out her love to Alpha Zarion who obsessively wants her. During the night Zarion and Cassidy will mark and mate, the girl's first mate finally comes to his senses and goes to find her. But the first mate already found Cassidy in another man's arm, in his stepbrother’s arms, who was just about to mark her…

A wild night, a bunch of young adults, some booze and everything fun. What could possibly go wrong! Mating season, everyone must find someone at least. Sao doesn't want a mate but he needs to have one because everyone expects everyone to. Winter doesn't care about mating either. She hopes to leave before the mates ritual. But she bumps into Sao who turns out to be her mate. The wild night takes them to a tattoo artist. One tattoo called Fahara sends them to an unknown desert. They discover hidden past between them and work together to find the heart of magic which secretly was their lives mission. Winter discovers more about herself. Turns out she is gifted. The Fahara is a kind of mind game that is treacherous and dangerous. These two must complete their mission to get out of the Fahara. They are cautious but don't forget to have fun thanks to adventurous Sao.

Hi my name Katrina Devon five years ago I left my pack the night before eighteenth birthday. Now that I returned home everything is different . I came back for my sister's birthday and man that was bad idea I just wanted to see my family and in the process I meet him ... My Mate . As soon as we ( my wolf and I ) lay eyes on him our life. Turns into whirlwind of events. It's makes even harder when he is also my Alpha ... Kane McAlister Alpha of the Winter Lake Pack . I pray the Godess knows what she is doing because this can all end either end an fire and flames or something greater and better.

John Handful’s first client is a member of the local Polish community wanted by the police for the disappearance of his pregnant wife. A new miracle cancer drug is stolen from a pharmaceutical complex located on a shingle spit, just off the Suffolk coast. A wealthy local financier is blackmailed, and a ripple of malice spreads across the village of Oxmarket. Each household of a cul-de-sac have a secret that could point to them being the murderer of a man found shot dead in his bedroom.A perplexing case unfolds with the revelation of secret lovers, flowers from the garden and a death that is not as it appears.John Handful finds himself enmeshed in a violent, multi-layered plot at a luxury hotel on a remote island. A man kills himself despite receiving the good news that his lover’s husband has agreed to a divorce.A woman is witnessed shooting herself by her husband even though she had already been dead several hours.A man has been found shot through the head in a locked room with suicide well and truly ruled out. How did he die?Severed limbs in a concrete block, leads, John Handful to believe that a cold calculated killer with a thirst for revenge is on the loose. Ten cases, one connection. What is it?

Three fated lovers: a shieldmaiden, a Troll Queen, and a Valkyrie. One price: the fate of all Midgard. Turiel is crown princess, but from the outlawed Northern Holds, bloodbound to Troll Queen Jarngrimr, and best friends with the stablelass Yolanda, her first love - until her poison kiss turned Yola into a Valkyrie, and whisks Yolanda from Turiel's grasp. Now, Turiel has been stolen into wily Queen Jarngrimr's realm, with only the goddess Skadhi and Yola - back from the dead! - to guide her. Lussi, the Snow King, craves a bride - and it is Dia's troth alone. Dia, the last blood mage from the line of the Isa, is all that is left of Turiel's legacy. Dia has been raised as Lussi's Magdalene - his ritual Bride - and ritual Slayer - for the past three years. Every Winter Solstice, Lussi can die, and Dia must kill him. But as Dia falls deeper into Lussi's sexy web - and in love - her heart is on the line! Other works and Ko-Fi: linktr.ee/avnelson

When the future Alpha and Beta of the Winter pack fight to hide and deny their inappropriate feelings for one another from everyone including themselves and each other, until secrets, truths and a mysterious magical heritage are revealed. Leading them down a branching, rocky path into the unknown and beyond in search of their happily-ever-after. Will the guilt, grief and pain along the way be too much for the young couple and shatter their world as they know it, or will they rise above it all to conquer and simply survive, or will their many foes and obstacles be too much for them and get in the way. **************** "If I have to dance with one more eligible bachelorette, I'm gonna ... " He stops mid rant as the band starts playing a cover of satellite by Nickelback, and I close my eye swaying to the opening notes. "Chilli?" Suddenly, Elias is back up on his feet, holding out his hand. "Hu?" Bewildered as I look up at him, "May I have this dance?" I look at Erin, who pulls a silly face and shrugs. "Umm," hesitant to his offer. "Come on, I know you like this song. Let's show them how it's done. Plus, it'll be nice not to have my feet stepped on at least once tonight. " he winks at me with a cheeky grin. His not wrong, I do love this song, and part of our training was learning all forms of ballroom dances. Taking a deep breath, I take his hand and let him lead me to the middle of the dance floor. I put my hand on his shoulder as his goes to my waist, which sent a spark through my nerves. Hu, weird, must be the rum and coke. We young wolves aren't allowed to drink much.