by Tonya Brooks
"Breathe, Reese," the midwife commanded as she slapped his back forcefully. "I've never lost a father and I'm not about to start with you."
He sucked in a shaky breath. It rasped past his lips. He did it again, and again until the roaring sound ceased and his vision came into focus. The only thing he saw was his beautiful mate. Tears of joy streamed down Jolie's cheeks as she turned the sunlight of her brilliant smile on him.
He opened his mouth to tell her how much he loved her, to rant that she'd scared him half to death, something, anything to convey the multitude of emotions roiling through him. The last thing he expected to say was, "I'm getting a vasectomy."
His mate rolled her eyes and pointed out, "It didn't work the last time."
It damn sure hadn't. And it had almost wrecked their marriage. "I will never let you suffer like that again, sunshine," he vowed as he lifted himself weakly onto the bed next to her. "I'll cut my cock off first."
"The hell you will," his wife fired back as her soft hand began a slow and easy slide up his bare thigh. His traitorous cock was instantly alert. Pregnancy hormones had made Jolie damn near insatiable and he'd loved every minute of it. "This is why I didn't tell you that I was in labor. I knew you'd freak out."
"Sunshine, I can't bear the thought of anything hurting you," he confessed rawly.
"Sometimes I think you love me too much," Jolie said in amusement.
The words were a testament to how much had changed between them over the past year. In spite of all the odds, he had managed to regain his sunshine girl's trust and her heart, and he thanked the gods for it every day. "Not even possible," he denied and leaned over to place a tender kiss on her lips.
"Your baby girl is perfect," the midwife announced as she placed the baby in Jolie's arms.
Focusing his attention on the blanket wrapped bundle, his daughter stole his heart with that first look. "She's as beautiful as her mother," Reece said in a tone laden with awe.
"Don't be afraid of the big, bad wolf, Delia," Jolie cooed as she gazed in open adoration at the child they had created. "Your daddy is just a big teddy bear who's going to love you forever."
Truer words had never been spoken. Reece was going to dedicate every moment of his life to loving his mate and cubs. Because they were all he'd ever need.
EPILOGUE
Once his nephew was suitably entertained, Dane headed to the main house to check on his brother and sister-in-law. Wallace and Lawrence intercepted him in the driveway. His new assistant gave him a grim look and said, "I appreciate the offer, Alpha, but if the job entails dealing with the District Attorney, I have to refuse."
"Can't say as I blame you," Lawrence added and the disgust was evident in his expression. "I always knew the man was ambitious, but Tucker showed his true colors tonight. I can't work for a man that I don't respect so he'll be getting my resignation Monday morning."
Sighing wearily, Dane asked, "What did he do?"
"When he wasn't making derogatory comments about Lawrence's sexual orientation, he managed to hit on every woman in the pack, both mated and unmated." Wallace actually growled and the action showed he had a bit more backbone than he'd revealed before.
"Even worse, he couldn't wait to publicize his familial connection to the Supreme Alpha," Lawrence imparted bitterly. "Tucker was planning to hold a press conference on the ceremonial grounds to announce your mating."
That roused both Dane's wolf and his temper. Ceremonial grounds were sacred and no outsiders were allowed on pack land without invitation. But what really pissed him off was the bastard trying to use his daughter to further his political career. "Where is he?" He growled.
"Lawrence put him in his limo and sent him packing," Wallace informed him. "I told the driver he'd better hope they were gone before they had to deal with a pissed off pack fresh from the hunt with blood lust coursing through them. He hauled ass," he admitted with a smirk of amusement.
"But the reporters were already on the way," Lawrence added. "I've been blocking the main gate and threatening to have them arrested for trespassing if they entered pack land. Wallace shifted and scared the hell out of the ones that tried. None of them got past us, but they could have come in from other areas."
"They did," Garrett confirmed as he joined them. "My security teams were hunting along the border and they chased the fuckers back out to the road. They told me that you two had everything under control at the main gate until they arrived to take over. Good job, bros."
"Damn fine job," Dane confirmed. The omega and human had more than proved their loyalty by defending pack lands and he couldn't have been more pleased. "Wallace, if I can assure you that you won't have to deal with the D.A. again, will you reconsider? I won't find a better shifter for the position."
The omega wolf stood a little taller at the praise, met his look evenly and extended his hand. "You've got a deal, Alpha."
They shook on it and he turned to the soon to be former deputy district attorney to ask, "Lawrence, would you consider a position as my official legal counsel? As the new Supreme Alpha, I'd like to implement some innovative laws nationally, starting with legalizing same-sex marriages within the packs."
Surprise showed on the other man's face as he stammered, "I'd be honored, Alpha."
Dane smiled and shook hands with the man that he'd wanted to kill that morning. Lawrence had shown both integrity and strength of character in standing up to his boss and that was exactly the kind of man he wanted on his team. Not to mention it would make his mate happy.
"Both of you drop the Alpha and call me Dane," he commanded before turning to one of his oldest friends. "Garrett, I want you to be my Beta. You interested?"
"Hell, yeah, dude," the auburn-haired wolf shifter readily agreed and hauled him in for a bro hug. "Mated and promoted. That's what I call a good fucking day for us both."
Dane laughed and said, "Now go find your mates and take a two-week honeymoon. We've got a lot of work to do once we get back."
"Now you're talking," Garrett agreed.
Lawrence headed across the yard to help Bratcher entertain Bryce while the other three men entered the main house. All of the human mates were congregated in the gathering hall, their expressions anxious. Everyone knew that Jolie had almost died giving birth to her first cub and their concern for her hung in the air like a physical presence.
His mate appeared at the top of the landing looking a bit haggard, but her smile was brilliant when she announced, "Jolie and the baby are fine. It's a girl!"
A deafening cheer went up from the crowd before they began to laugh and hug each other in relief, the atmosphere in the room much lighter than it had been a moment before. Dane hurried up the stairs to his mate and pulled her into his arms for a fierce hug. "Are you all right, beauty?"
"I'm fine," she assured him but the sadness shown in her eyes. Since Shana couldn't have children, he knew that helping deliver Jolie's child had been hard for her.
"It's a well-kept secret that shifter blood has incredible healing properties," he admitted as he led her down the hall to his old bedroom. He closed the door and pulled her into his arms. "Just as it slows your aging, it's been known to repair medical conditions believed to be irreversible in humans."
She placed her fingertips over his lips and shook her head. "If it happens it was meant to be," Shana imparted solemnly. "And even if it does, I'd still want to adopt. There are so many children who need a good home, and I know you'll be an amazing father. It's one of the many things I love about you."
Tears filled his eyes at hearing those precious words and Dane knew he'd never take them for granted. "I love you so much, beauty."
"I think it's time you showed me," she said with a wicked smile as she pushed him back so he was sitting on the bed. "Because you look really, really hot in a kilt."
A wicked smile curved his lips. Dane lifted her astride his lap, his cock rock hard and ready to show her why he didn't wear anything beneath the kilt. His beauty sank slowly onto
his length and his eyes widened in surprise. "You aren't wearing underwear?"
"A little surprise for my mighty hunter," she said mischievously and leaned forward to nip his bottom lip with her teeth. "Did you catch any tasty rabbits?"
The delicious feel of her wet heat surrounding his cock had short-circuited his brain so Dane's only response was, "Uh…"
"Because I intend to reward you for each one you caught," she imparted as she rotated her hips in a figure eight that had his eyes crossing with pleasure. Shana licked the shell of his ear and breathed in a seductive tone that curled his toes, "How many, Dane?"
"Six," he choked out as he forced his brain to focus on the question. "Caught six."
The smile she gave him was so wicked that he broke out in a cold sweat. "Then you get six mind-blowing orgasms," his beauty promised as she shifted from a torturously slow pace into one that left him gasping for air.
What could have been minutes or days later, Dane flipped her onto her back and warned, "Keep rewarding me like this and there won't be a rabbit left in the forest to chase."
Shana laughed merrily and draped her arms around his neck. "I believe they're very prolific," she assured him, her eyes twinkling with devilment. "Are you sure you don't have a little rabbit in your DNA, Dane?"
"Hell, no," he denied in amusement. "My wolf is a purebred."
"I dunno," she mused. "I mean we do fuck like bunnies, so…"
He howled with laughter and hugged her tighter. His mate was absolutely perfect. Shana had brought joy and laughter into his life, and given him the most precious gift of all, her love. What had started out as his worst nightmare had become the best day of his life and Dane couldn't have been happier.
The End
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Read Reece and Jolie's story, The Big Bad Wolf's Ex,
and Dane and Shana's story, Her Wolf In Shining Armor
Howls Romance
Classic romance… with a furry twist!
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OTHER BOOKS BY TONYA BROOKS
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Once upon a time in the small town of Lakeside lived a family of handsome men better known as the Bad Baker Boys. Former Navy SEAL Jed Baker raised his sons Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to be badass alpha males. Sparks fly and passions ignite hotter than sultry southern nights when they meet the women who tame them.
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Lakeside is not the average small southern town. The residents are unpredictable as hell and romance can be downright deadly. Gossip always runs rampant and is notoriously wrong. Expect plenty of high jinks and ribald humor with unexpected twists and turns. And a goat. On a leash.
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The Ashbrook Legacy
You are cordially invited to meet the Ashbrooks, one of the oldest and most revered lineages in England. Despite five hundred years of nobility, the men are notorious rakes, and the women are scandalous at best. Take a delightfully wicked romp through Regency London. Historical romance will never be the same.
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MILITARY ROMANCE
Invictus Security Series
When the enemy targeted their women, the men of Invictus Security retaliate as only a group of badass former Navy SEALs can. Their mission is the complete annihilation of a secret cabal intent on world domination. They'll rain hell to accomplish it because failure is not an option.
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Steel Balls & Stilettos
Romance Novels & RPGs
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PARANORMAL ROMANCE
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A multi-author series featuring classic romance with a furry twist…
The Big Bad Wolf's Ex
Her Wolf In Shining Armor
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Her Pampered Pussy
Bad Alpha Dads
Bestselling and Award Winning Paranormal Romance authors bring the baddest of the Bad ALPHA Dads.
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Great Balls Of Fire
F.E.R.A.L. Shifters Series
It's all claws on deck when the F.E.R.A.L. Shifters discover a lab growing genetically modified shifter cubs and torturing them in the name of science. Throw in some unpredictable mates, tons of humor, a few unexpected plot twists, and the fur is gonna fly!
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I Boinked The Boss Series
Getting down and dirty with the boss has never been so much fun! These office romances are anything but typical, and you'll laugh out loud at the outrageous situations they find themselves in. The path to true love may not be smooth, but it sure is hilarious!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tonya Brooks is a teller of tales, a dreamer of dreams, and a weaver of words. Her steamy romances contain action, suspense, and humor with unexpected plot twists and turns. You never know what's going to happen next, hence her catchphrase, It's all smoke and mirrors till… The End.
She lives in Myrtle Beach, SC with her very own bad boy husband. Most weekends you can find them playing tourist in their hometown, at a festival, or shell hunting on the beach. She's a coffee addict, dark chocolate connoisseur, and lover of all things romance. She loves to read, loathes cooking, has extremely eclectic taste in music, and a wicked sense of humor.
You can connect with Tonya via Facebook and Twitter
Join her Facebook reader group: Tonya's Tribe
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