Shapes of Autumn (Boxed set, books 1 - 5)

by Veronica Blade

  “We’ll figure it out.” My fingertips skimmed his cheek. “All you have to do is tell me what you like.” I blinked and his t-shirt was gone, his bare skin pressing against mine.

  Zack chuckled. “I’m low maintenance, Autumn. As long as I can touch you a lot, I’ll be just fine.”

  I could live with that. Springing up, I wrapped my legs around his hips and fastened my mouth to his. When he threw our bodies onto the bed, the force knocked the headboard against the wall and I was thankful the room was soundproof.

  Epilogue

  Zack

  While Autumn spent a few minutes getting to know her long-lost cousin Benjamin and her new aunt, I shooed away my personal guards and snuck into the courtyard. No, I couldn’t get rid of them completely. They were watching me from the other side of the french doors.

  The other werewolves had their duties and most of the shape-shifters were busy rebuilding their lives or had returned home. I had no idea when my dad would return with my mom and my cousin Alura and no clue where Autumn’s parents had slipped off to. Again. Which left me blissfully on my own. A little solitude didn’t bother me at all, since I might not get peace again for a while.

  The door on the other side of the courtyard slammed and since I wasn’t ready yet to resume being king, I crouched against a bush. Sure, my personal guards could see me. But whoever came into the courtyard from the other side couldn’t.

  The door banged a second time and, judging by the double dose of energy a few yards away, I had two people encroaching on my personal time.

  “Zoe, would you just talk to me?” Chait asked.

  Fabric swished, which made me think she was spinning around. “We haven’t been not talking, Chait. Was there something in particular bothering you?”

  “I think you’ve been avoiding me.” By the strain in his voice, he was frustrated and beaten. “Tessa and Hayden are ready to go. Will you come home now?”

  “What’s waiting for me there?” she asked.

  He hissed out a breath. “You mean other than your grandmother and sisters?”

  “Oh, you mean my relatives who insist on micromanaging me and treating me like a child?”

  Chait sighed and the seconds stretched out. “Why do you let it affect you?”

  She huffed. “What?”

  “I think deep down, you feel inadequate. And every time they unintentionally remind you of your failings, you blame them when you could be using that energy to pull yourself out of it.”

  “Screw you, Chait,” she scoffed.

  “Instead of taking it, why don’t you fight back and tell them what you want? You don’t need their permission to live.” His voice sounded heated now. But she didn’t reply, which made me think she was listening. “You don’t have to run away from everything you love to show them that you are your own person. At the end of the day, the only one you have to answer to is you and your own conscience.”

  I turned and eyed them through the bushes, curious if their argument was going to come to blows. I didn’t want them to actually fight. But watching them kick the hell out of each other might be entertaining and a pleasant change from these past incredibly stressful several weeks since I’d arrived at the werewolf castle.

  Zoe sniffed and her next words carried much less animosity. “When did you get so smart?”

  “When did you get so damned beautiful?” His voice grew husky.

  They collided and...went at it like they’d been saving that up for years. Oh, yuck. I wasn’t into watching other people make out. I sprung from the bush, hands in the air. “Sorry. Just came out here for some alone time. Which you ruined, thank you very much.” I walked sideways toward the door. “Carry on.”

  I got the hell out of there.

  And bumped into Autumn, Dathan, Natasha and Benjamin. I knuckle-bumped Benjamin. Not kingly of me, but other than my guards, no one else was around. “How’s it going?” I asked him.

  “Getting reacquainted with my mother. And, apparently, my soon-to-be stepfather.”

  Autumn squeezed between Dathan and Natasha. “You two are getting married?” she squealed.

  Natasha beamed. “Kind of difficult to say no after his speech.”

  Autumn studied them both, then twisted around and did something with her finger. When she faced them again, she held out the ring Dathan had given me for Autumn. “I’m pretty sure this was made for you.” Zack, Dathan gave this ring for you to give it to me, but it belongs to Natasha.

  I shrugged, not caring even a little which ring Autumn wore, as long as she wore one. We have plenty of money to buy you another one.

  True. Mischief lit her eyes. We’re filthy rich now, aren’t we?

  Dathan ran his hand through his hair.

  Natasha examined the ring briefly. “It’s breathtaking. But why would you think it was made for me?”

  Autumn flashed Dathan a smug smile. “He had it made for you just before you dumped him.”

  Natasha’s eyes watered as she gazed at Dathan. “Did you?”

  “Yes, but that detail wasn’t supposed to get to you.” Though the words were meant for Natasha, the annoyance was directed at Autumn.

  “All this time, you were going to propose and I sent you away?” She laughed once. “I thought...I thought I was losing you. That’s why I pushed you away. Well, and because of your very bad decisions.”

  Dathan sighed. “And now everyone knows the truth, that I was just too stupid to keep my woman. Can we not speak of this again?”

  “Sure, Uncle Dathan.” Autumn threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “I love you so much! Couldn’t ask for a better man to make my aunt happy. Welcome to the family.”

  “Hate to break up whatever’s going on.” Hannah appeared with Eli, carrying a fluffy golden retriever puppy. It was cute as hell and wagging its tail like crazy.

  Helicopter blades thrummed, informing everyone my parents had returned with Alura. I slapped Benjamin on the back. “That’s your cousin-in-law. Or whatever she is to you.”

  “I’ll introduce you,” Eli volunteered, sweeping Benjamin away and sending me a meaningful look over his shoulder. I didn’t get why he’d look at me that way. I had a feeling I’d find out soon.

  Autumn made a beeline to pet the pup, but ended up battling its tongue as it slathered her face. “He’s adorable. Where did you get him?”

  “Her,” Hannah corrected. “We picked her up while we were doing errands. What would you like to name her?”

  “You want me to name her?” Autumn froze, her hand still on the pup. “Who does she belong to?”

  Hannah gave Autumn a watery laugh, her eyes misting. “How many years have you been begging for a puppy?”

  “You got me a dog?” Autumn broke out in sobs and gingerly relieved Hannah of the burden, nuzzling the pup’s fur and welcoming the doggy kisses.

  “Zack, could I speak with you?” Hannah brushed my shoulders with her fingertips, urging me away from the group. Which explained the look Eli had given me moments ago. I’d been set up. I only hoped my encounter with Hannah would be brief and relatively painless.

  And now that she was closer than I’d ever been to her, I could smell the werewolf. “About what?”

  “I wanted to say how sorry I am for treating you unfairly and being astonishingly rude since we first met.” Her lids fluttered then her gaze met mine again. “Bad manners aren’t really in my nature, but keeping you at a distance was necessary, since I couldn’t have you or anyone else figure out who we are.”

  “Not a problem.” As if I would do any differently had it been me. “I totally understand.”

  “I also want to make sure you know how thrilled I am with my daughter’s choice in a partner.” She smiled and I softened. “I can’t imagine how she could’ve done better than you. I’m so proud to call you family.”

  I blinked, not because I was surprised at her effort to make things right, but because I hadn’t expected that much from her. “And I’m honored to be a part
of yours.” I inclined my head.

  “Get over here.” She made me hug her, then Eli returned and joined in. Natasha and Benjamin got in on the group-hug action and then Alura and my parents. Then Autumn stretched up to brush my cheek with her lips, the warmth of her breath caressing my skin as she whispered, “I love you, Zack De Luca, forever and ever.”

  I even got some puppy saliva. Normally, group hugs or any of the mushy crap put me off. But not this time. The girl I loved more than anything in the world had married me and in the werewolf world, our bond really was forever. Fine by me. Autumn was worth everything I’d been through, all the effort I’d put in. Even better, I had her family’s respect and the love of both my parents. I had real value and an empire to fight for.

  And Autumn and I had a puppy now.

  The pieces of my world that had always been missing slid into place and for the first time in my life, I felt whole.

  THE END

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  Get your FREE copy of Thrown to the Wolves: The Legend of Hannah & Eli(Shapes of Autumn Prequel) directly from my website! Go to VeronicaBlade.com for more info.

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  More books by Veronica Blade...

  Something Witchy This Way Comes

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  (A Shapes of Autumn and Something Witchy crossover)

  The witch queen must make the impossible choice between guiding the witches who depend on her, or giving up her throne and spending eternity with the man she’s always loved.

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  A Bite’s Tale: A Furry Fable (a novella)

  A Cinderella who spends her nights as a wolf. A prince with a taste for blood.

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  Icing on the Stake

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  The Runaway Rock Star

  An infamous bad-boy rocker falls for a small-town girl who has no idea who he is. Considering his reputation, that’s probably a good thing.

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  The Baby and the Rock Star

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  Blind Date, Checkmate (a novella)

  Should a woman who’s unable to forget her first love give “happily ever after” one more try?

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  From Fame to Shame (a novella)

  When good-girl Maddie switches places with her famous bad-girl twin Jackie, she has some pretty high stilettos to fill.

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  Single-handed (Single Girls micro trilogy, book one) : A FREE short story

  A safer school has its perks, but what else did the years of martial arts training get her? Not a prom date, that’s for sure. (Also available now: Singled Out and Single-minded)

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  Please feel free to visit author’s website at www.VeronicaBlade.com to subscribe to her newsletter for updates and news on releases.

  AUTHOR BIO

  Veronica Blade resides in northern Nevada with her husband and furbabies. By day she runs the family business, but each night she slips away to spin her tales. She writes stories about falling in love and lives vicariously through her characters. Except her heroes and heroines lead far more interesting lives—and they are always way hotter.

  You can visit Veronica Blade on Facebook, check out her website or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can even e-mail her at veronica@veronicablade.com. She loves hearing from readers!