by Tonya Brooks
Her life had completely changed for the better. All of the stress and worries she'd been carrying were gone. She no longer feared that someone would break in while she slept, or had to degrade herself to try and make a living. She didn't have to cut coupons or do without other things to be able to buy healthy food.
For the first time in years, she could live like a normal human being. Jolie had never been materialistic, but after living below the poverty level, she certainly appreciated the security of having money. Not that she had any intentions of being a spendthrift, but it was nice to be able to buy her son a snow cone if he wanted one.
Bryce had everything he could possibly want or need, including a father who doted on him. Reece was so loving and attentive and their son adored him. Watching the two of them together filled her with mixed emotions. Sadness at all the time they had missed together, and joy because this was the way it was meant to be.
To all intents and purposes, they were a happy, normal family. If you discounted the fact that she and Reece were divorced, slept in separate rooms, and only shared his penthouse because it made their son happy. Traditional, they were not, but it worked for them and that was all that mattered.
They had agreed to put the past behind them and concentrate on giving their son the best childhood possible. Now that she understood the reason why he had abandoned them, Jolie had actually begun to forgive him. They had managed to regain a measure of their former closeness, and he had restored her trust little by little.
He had also completely reclaimed her heart. Not that she would admit it, but she loved him as much as she ever had. He had made it impossible not to. The man was just as wonderful as she remembered. Reece told her that he loved her multiple times a day and proved it with the little things he did.
Like running her a hot bath and keeping their son entertained so she could soak in peace. Rubbing her back with sunblock so her sensitive skin didn't burn while they played in the pool. Massaging her aching feet after a long day at the amusement park. And holding her hair out of the way while she vomited after one of the spinning rides made her sick.
Their life together was perfect and idyllic. Until they said goodnight and slept alone in separate beds. That part really sucked. Because their desire for each other was as strong as ever. It was obvious in the heated glances and lingering touches they shared. Jolie's resolve was wavering more every day.
She wanted Reece in her bed. Craved his touch with a hunger that she hadn't known was possible. She wanted to be his mate again, in every sense of the word. Because she loved him and knew that she always would. It was ironic that she came to that conclusion on the same day that her newfound happiness was threatened.
Everything hinged on Reece's reaction and she had never been more nervous in her life. This was make or break time. Would he be the man that she hoped he was or were they destined to remain apart for good? With her heart in her throat, Jolie anxiously waited for him to arrive home from a pack meeting.
***
"Where's Bry?" Reece asked as soon as he entered the penthouse. Their son always met him at the elevator on the few occasions that he went out without them.
"I asked Dane to keep him tonight," Jolie replied as she turned to face him. A sense of foreboding shot down his spine at her tone and expression. "We need to talk, Reece."
"What's going on, Jolie?" Because he knew something was off. She looked nervous as hell and he didn't like it. Neither did his wolf.
"I'm pregnant."
Just like the last time, those two little words rocked him to the soles of his feet. But this time, sheer happiness such as he had never known flooded his soul. Lifting hands that held a noticeable tremble, he gently cupped her face before his lips covered hers in a kiss of pure reverence. "You're having my baby?" He asked in awe.
"This time it may not be yours," she said coldly.
If Jolie had been looking to draw blood, she'd succeeded. Reece recoiled as if from a physical blow. In truth, her words hurt worse than any punch he'd ever taken and stabbed deeper than a knife. It was like reliving the past all over again. "No," he snarled and shook his head, refusing to believe her. "It's mine. My baby."
But if it wasn't…
Every neuron and synapse in his brain went dormant. His rational mind abdicated the throne. The civilized veneer was stripped away. The wolf took over and Reece became a creature of raw emotion driven by pain and rage. He was one hundred percent primal alpha male locked into self-preservation mode. His fight or flight reflexes came online at full bore.
Her ashen face assured him that flight was his only option.
Without a word, he stalked inside the elevator and slammed his fist into the down button. He could hear Jolie calling his name but didn't dare look at her. Not now. His wolf was far too volatile. Too dangerous to be near her. He had to get away. Had to find someplace else to vent his fury, a place to lick his wounds in private.
The doors closed and he tore out of his clothes in a frenzy of movement. The rage erupted like a volcano inside of him. The dark, feral side of himself that he had managed to keep hidden for well over a decade rushed to the surface… and he let it go.
When the doors opened, his wolf streaked through the parking garage and headed straight for the exit. Once on the street, instinct led him to Central Park where he broke into a run. Ignoring the path, he traversed the wooded terrain at a ground eating lope, jumping over obstacles and barreling around trees at breakneck speed.
The sound of his paws hitting the ground settled into the rhythm of the words stuck on repeat in his head. Not mine, not mine, not mine. The wolf pushed himself to the absolute limit, heart hammering in his chest, lungs pumping like bellows, blood roaring in his ears to the same refrain. Not mine, not mine, not mine.
Needing to release the fury inside, he threw his head back and howled his rage to the canopy of trees overhead before he collapsed on the ground, a panting, seething mass of fury. Reece needed to think rationally, and that wasn't possible in his animalistic state. Spent and exhausted, he shifted to human form and lay there naked, gasping for air.
"Not mine," he choked out rawly as his brain began to slowly reboot. "Not fucking mine." It was the same nightmare all over again, only this time it was worse. Because there was a chance that the child could be his. And that chance gave him absolutely no choice in the matter. Reece would be damned if he'd turn his back on his child again.
But if it wasn't his…
The possibility was too painful to even think about, but he forced himself to do it anyway. Because the alternative was to lose Jolie for good this time. Returning to the bleak hell of an existence without her was not an option. No matter what it cost him, no matter how goddamn bad it hurt, he would not fail his mate a second time.
He loved Jolie enough that he could accept her baby as his own, regardless of who its father was. Reece would adopt the child and raise it as his, just as his own father had done with him and Dane. The boundless love that Douglas had given them had saved Reece from an early death on the streets. It was time to pay it forward.
His mind made up, a sense of peace washed over him, the last vestiges of anger draining away at the rightness of his decision. Shifting back to his wolf form, he made his way back through the park, more than a little shocked at how far he'd run. Anxious to get back to Jolie, he broke into a lope.
She had obviously expected him to behave like he had the last time since she'd sent Bryce away for the night. In light of how he had reacted, it had been a wise decision. Although his walking out without saying a word had been stupid as hell. He wouldn't be a bit surprised if Jolie had packed up and left.
That thought spurred him on and he couldn't get back to the penthouse fast enough.
***
Jolie was a jittery ball of nerves inside and a trembling mess outside. She had paced the floor incessantly since Reece walked out. She had known the taunt would hurt him, but my God, she'd had no idea how much. The pain she had seen in his ey
He'd been completely devastated.
So had she. Jolie hadn't known how Reece would react to her pregnancy, so she had prepared herself for the worst. But the absolute joy he had displayed had come as a complete surprise. It had also pissed her off because that was how he should have reacted the first time. So she had lashed out at him with a lie.
Big mistake. Because hurting him had only served to hurt herself. She had felt his pain as if it were her own. The same pain that he had felt when he hadn't believed that Bryce was his. And then he'd just shut down. His eyes had gone completely blank as if someone had flipped a switch and turned him off like a toy.
A split second later they had glowed with an unholy light and his expression had been terrifying, to say the least. Reece had just left her there alone and she was afraid he wasn't coming back. This time he'd walked out on her. Although his actions had been justified. Jolie couldn't blame him for walking away.
Because this time, it was exactly what she deserved.
The elevator chimed and she whirled around, dizzy with relief as the doors slid open. A massive black wolf stepped out and sniffed the air, his eyes locking on her and freezing Jolie in place. She had never feared his wolf, and she didn't now. That magnificent creature was the man she loved, after all.
He walked over to her and she sank to her knees on the floor, unwittingly assuming a submissive pose. Intelligent turquoise eyes held hers and a tear slid down her cheek when he rubbed his muzzle against her. She reached out a hand to stroke his silky fur, sleek muscles quivered beneath her touch as he licked the tear away.
Jolie wrapped both arms around his muscular form and buried her face in his fur. "Jesus, Reece, you've been gone for hours," she said with her heart in her throat. "I thought you'd left me." She felt him shift and a moment later, two strong arms wrapped around her to hold on fiercely. Nothing had ever felt as good.
"I swear I will always come back to you, Jolie. Always," he vowed hoarsely.
Loosening her hold a bit, she leaned back and looked at him. Reece looked like he'd been through hell, but the fierce determination in his expression had her trembling like a leaf. She knew that look well. He had made a decision and nothing she said or did would change his mind now. This was either going to be very good or really, really bad.
With her heart in her throat, she asked, "Are you all right?"
Reece seemed perfectly calm. He didn't appear to be upset in the slightest, which confused the hell out of her and left her wondering why. You could have knocked her over with a feather when he caressed her cheek and replied, "I am now."
Those turquoise eyes held hers with an intensity that she felt deep in her core. The love shining in them took her breath away. When he seemed content to just sit there staring at her, she prompted, "Do you want to talk about it?"
He rose and helped her to her feet as he admitted, "What I want to do is make love to you, but I suppose we need to talk."
Seeing his naked body on display was enough to make her forget her own name. There was no doubt about it. He was still a really hot guy and Jolie was not even close to being immune. Heat bloomed in her nether regions and her nipples became hard peaks. God, what this man could do to her with a look ought to be illegal.
Forcing her mind back to the matter at hand, Jolie sank onto the couch and said, "I'm sorry, Reece. I li…" A bittersweet smile touched his lips as he placed a fingertip over her lips to silence her.
Reece sat next to her and said, "The man who adopted me was the only father I've ever known. I was his son in every way that mattered. The sperm donor wasn't important to either of us." He placed his hand over her flat abdomen and said, "This baby is ours, no matter who it's biological father is. I will love it unconditionally either way."
Jolie was in shock. She simply could not believe that Reece was saying these wonderful things. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because it's a part of you." The simple honesty of his words left her speechless. "Say you'll let me be his father," he prompted with a tender smile and the sincerity in his voice humbled her. Reece really meant it. In spite of his fear of being saddled with another man's bastard, he was going to accept this child as his own.
That was when she realized the depth of his love for her and knew beyond a doubt that she could trust him with her heart. "You are the father, Reece," Jolie said tremulously. "You were so happy and it made me mad because that was how you should have reacted the first time. So I lied. This is our baby."
***
His heart swelled with so much love and joy that he simply could not contain it. Jolie was having his baby! That heart stopping smile covered his face again before Reece placed the most reverent of kisses on her lips. "I love you, sunshine. I swear I'll love you and our children for the rest of my life," he vowed brokenly.
"I will always love you, Reece," she admitted tremulously as her eyes filled with tears.
Happiness radiated out of his pores and leaked from his eyes in the form of tears. "Will you be my mate and make me whole again, Jolie?" Reece asked brokenly. " I'm only half alive without you."
"Of course, I will," Jolie agreed and lit up his world with the brilliance of her smile. "Haven't you heard? Wolves mate for life."
The End
Howls Romance
Classic romance… with a furry twist!
Did you enjoy this Howls Romance story?
If YES, check out the other books in the Howls Romance line!
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The Alpha’s Secret Family by Jessie Lane
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The Billionaire Shifter's Secret Baby by Diana Seere
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Royal Dragon's Baby by Anya Nowlan
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The Werebear’s Unwanted Bride by Marina Maddix
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Hunted by the Dragon Duke by Mina Carter
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The Billionaire Werewolf’s Witch by Celia Kyle
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Falling for the Werewolf by Abbie Zanders
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The Billionaire Dragon’s Secret Son by Harmony Raines
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The Wolf's Royal Baby by Milly Taiden
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Her Scottish Wolf by Theodora Taylor
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Her Unbearable Protector by Reina Torres
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The Alpha’s Arrangement by Ryan Michele
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The Alpha’s Enemy Mate by Jessie Lane
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The Alpha’s Honor by R.E. Butler
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AVAILABLE BOOKS BY TONYA BROOKS
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Bad Baker Boys Series
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.
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Welcome To Lakeside Series
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.
ROMANTIC COMEDY
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!
MILITARY ROMANCE
The INVICTUS Series
When the enemy attacked 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.
REGENCY ROMANCE
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.
About The Author:
Having written her first romance novel at sixteen, Tonya followed a lifelong dream and became a published author. All of her books contain lots of action, suspense, and humor with unexpected plot twists and turns. It's all smoke and mirrors till… The End.
She lives in Myrtle Beach, SC with her very own bad boy husband. Tonya also has two adult sons who absolutely refuse to read her books because, "Mom's aren't supposed to know about sex, much less write about it." With a wicked smile, she laughingly reminds them that they were not conceived by immaculate conception.
You can connect with Tonya on her webpage: http://www.tonyabrooksauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonyaBrooksauthor
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