by Amanda LeMay
“You’ll know. You know that feeling when your ball-sack tucks itself up inside ’cause it knows it’s gonna take a hit, and you start to second guess if whatever the hell you’re doin’ is gonna work out okay?”
I cringed and nodded. I knew that feeling, all right.
“And don’t let stupid shit happen to you and act like it was no big deal. That’s even worse.” Chuck shook his head. “To your woman, it is a big deal.”
I laughed harder then. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”
“You do that.” Chuck answered back as booted footsteps came down the hall.
The door swung open and Kern and Connery, Jessy’s oldest brother, stood there.
Kern grinned. “It’s time.”
Connery smiled and clapped me on the shoulder as I walked by. “Dain, if I would’ve known you and Jessy were...” His eyes flicked over at Chuck as if he suddenly remembered there was a human present. “Well, made for each other, I would’ve made the call a hell of a lot sooner than I did.”
Chuck snorted. “Dain said it was love at first sight. Jessy had to be someone extra special. Dain changed. Happier than I’d ever seen him, and miserable all at the same time. If that’s not true love, I don’t know what the hell is.”
Kern nodded. “Well, that pretty much sums up being in love, right there.”
“I, DAIN, TAKE YOU, Jessica, to be my beloved wife, to have and to hold, to honor and to treasure, to be at your side in sorrow and in joy, in the good times, and in the bad, and to love and cherish you always. I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life.”
The “Colonel” cleared his throat and went on, “Do you, Jessica, take Dain to be your lawfully wedded husband from this day forward?”
“I do.”
“Do you, Dain, take Jessica to be your lawfully wedded wife from this day forward?”
My heart shouted, “Oh hell yeah!”, but the two words that came out of my mouth were simple and unspoiled: “I do.”
More words were said, but I didn’t hear them. Chuck handed me a ring, so tiny and perfect and the same golden color that highlighted Jessy’s eyes. She held her hand out to me and I took it like I knew I always would, and I slipped that little band of love on her finger. She did the same for me, that serious look never leaving her face.
Then, I heard the words, “man and wife”, and I didn’t wait for permission. I grabbed my mate, my wife, wrapped my arms around her little body, and before I could kiss her, that serious look melted away, replaced by a beam of pure sunlight.
“Just a warning,” she whispered. “I’m gonna get lipstick all over you.”
“Sweetheart.” I smiled and whispered back, “I’m countin’ on it.”
~ THE END ~
The Sakana Series continues with Book 2
Shadow of the Summer Moon
BRANDED BY MY PACK Alpha.
Betrayed by my mother.
Raised by lies and falsehoods.
The betrayal just as twisted and hideous as the deep scars I now carry.
I have one choice: let my wolf loose and run. Run for my life and to the only other wolf who escaped the San Francisco pack.
I leave my past and my pack behind, hoping for protection, a new home, a new pack and a chance to live free. The last thing I ever dream of finding is a mate.
But falling into Gunner Bodolf’s arms is as simple as breathing in his irresistible scent. And once he kisses me, I can’t walk away. Having been lied to my entire life, there is so much I don’t know about being a wolf. I certainly know nothing of the sakana bond, a rare and precious bond between two wolves, connecting their minds, bodies, and souls.
Gunner and I now share this priceless ancient gift.
I ran from hell and ended up in heaven. Unfortunately, the deadly danger I left behind tracks me across the country to the middle of nowhere, Texas.
My past will never let me go without a challenge, a challenge I refuse to run from. To protect my new life, my new pack, my new mate, I will fight.
Acknowledgments
MY ENDLESS GRATITUDE to...
Shelley, who told me to stop effing around and write my own stuff, (but she didn’t say ‘effing’).
Laurie, who echoed Shelley’s sentiments, (without the added expletives), then went off to write and publish her own fantastic books.
And my daughters who warned me of unlocked troll cages and explained the new definition of ‘flame’.
The wildly talented Tricia (Pickyme) Schmitt for my amazing cover. You are a cover artist goddess. Thank you from the deepest depths of my heart.
The equally talented Tarl Lambson for my incredible sakana icon. Virtual fist-bump, dude, because yeah, you took my rough idea, added your special touch, and made it into something that makes me squeal like a girl. Seriously, you rock.
Michael Warner of Ouzel Tags for my SAKANA icon charms. They are perfect.
And my humble thanks to Rie Langdon for her diligent and meticulous editing and proofing and fixing all those pesky ‘lay’ and ‘lie’ mistakes and EVERYTHING. Just. So. Much. Everything. (And, no, she didn’t edit my acknowledgments or, I’m sure, they would’ve been cleaner.)
And thank you so much, Kathy, (Teak), for cheering me on from the other side of the states.
All my love to my wonderfully understanding hubby, who won’t see this unless I stick it in front of his face, which I will.
A note from the author
Thank you so much for reading Kiss of the Winter Moon! I hope you enjoyed Jessy and Dain’s story. Please tell a friend or consider lending it through your retailer’s lending program. And if you’re so inclined, I would be very grateful if you left an honest review at your online retailer’s website or on Goodreads or Bookbub.
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Also by Amanda LeMay
Sakana Series
Kiss of the Winter Moon
Shadow of the Summer Moon
Dance of the Hunter's Moon
Watch for more at Amanda LeMay’s site.
About the Author
Indie author Amanda LeMay grew up on a small farm in Southern California reading every sci-fi book her dad passed on to her and watching every classic horror movie her mom shared with her. Her love for paranormal romance was an easy leap. Amanda published her first paranormal romance – full of dark sexy wolf-shifters called KISS OF THE WINTER MOON - in February 2018. Her wolf-shifters share a rare and special bond with their mates: the sakana bond, a rare and ancient bond that links their minds, bodies, and souls.
Amanda still lives in Southern California with her own Alpha-male husband and two grumpy cats and dreams of living on the beach in Texas. When she isn't writing, or thinking about writing, (or plotting, or characters, or dialogue, or world building), she's probably working on any number of crafts, sewing, gardening, or lost in another authors' wonderful dream world. She plots most of her novels while walking, or driving, or while on long Texas beach vacations sitting outside listening to the waves. She loves reading paranormal romance, fantasy romance, sci-fi romance, contemporary romance...well, just romance in general.
Visit Amanda’s website at www.amandalemay.com.
Make friends with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/amanda.lemay.18041
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Read more at Amanda LeMay’s site.
