by Emma Nichols
Table of Contents
Prologue
Untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
About Emma Nichols
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books by emma nichols:
Raising the Phoenix
Emma Nichols
Contents
Untitled
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
About Emma Nichols
Subscribe to Emma’s Newsletter
books by emma nichols:
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Copyright © 2017 by Emma Nichols & Lexi James
1st Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever including Internet usage, without written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cover by Marisa Shor of Cover Me, Darling
Formatting by: Love Kissed Books
Created with Vellum
Prologue
The floorboards creaked under my feet as I paced back and forth in front of my parents’ bedroom. I tugged on my lower lip as I worried over my mother. The twins were asleep and I should’ve been, too, but when I heard my mother moaning and the midwife was called, I knew something was wrong. It was too early.
“Savvy, come here.” My mother sounded weak but calm.
Pausing, I peeked in the door. “Yes, mom?”
“What has you up in the middle of the night? You should be sleeping like your sisters.” She frowned at me while reaching out to hold my hand.
Slowly, I sat down on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?” I could feel tears prickling my eyes, but I refused to cry in front of her. I needed to be strong while Daddy summoned the midwife.
“Of course. This is completely natural.” She nodded and squeezed my hand.
This should’ve reassured me, but it didn’t. “It’s too soon.” There. I’d said it out loud.
“Yes, but only by a few weeks. The baby should be fine.” Mom shrugged like it was no big deal. Then a new contraction hit her, and she closed her eyes while she concentrated on breathing.
Before it subsided, daddy breezed into the room with the midwife on his heels. “Savvy.” There was an edge to his voice and I could sense his fear.
“Daddy.” I squeezed his hand.
“Trouble sleeping?” His eyes sparkled as he looked down at me.
My head hung slightly. “A bit.”
“Well, why don’t you step out of the room while the midwife checks your mama, then I’ll tell you both a story.” He grinned. “Maybe I’ll bore you to sleep.” Then he messed up my hair and pushed me toward the door. “See you soon, little pup.”
“Daddy, I’m twelve,” I grumbled as I exited the room. “And I’m already a woman.”
“Is this true?” I heard him ask Mom while I stood in the hallway.
“Yes.” She sighed. “Last month.”
He stomped his foot. “Why wasn’t I told?”
“You had more pressing concerns. There was a cave-in at the mine, remember?”
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our daughters.” He huffed. “After the baby is born, we need to contact your sister.”
Mom patted his hand. “Already done. She uses her spray every day.”
The midwife returned from the bathroom and sat at the end of the bed. “I need to check you, Bea.”
Obediently, my mother rolled onto her back, and I moved to press mine against the wall beside the door so I wouldn’t witness the exam. could hear my father murmuring words of love to my mother. “Have I told you I how beautiful you look when you’re carrying our child?”
She giggled. “You may have mentioned this. Soon, you’ll be telling me how beautiful I look while nursing our child. Sometimes, it’s about how beautiful I look while baking.” Mom laughed. “That’s when I know you’re lying.”
“Or maybe I just always think you’re beautiful,” Dad countered.
When they were together, it seemed like they forgot the rest of us were around. Case in point, a few seconds later, the midwife spoke again.
“Okay, done. You’re dilating nicely, but the baby is still breech. I’m going to call a doctor.” A chair scraped against the floor boards.
“Which doctor?” This was the first time my father had sounded concerned.
“Doctor James,” the midwife murmured.
“Flo, you know we don’t get on with them.”
By the time I moved to the doorway, Daddy was rubbing the back of his neck.
“It’s dangerous. She may need an emergency C-section. You understand this, right?” Flo gritted out her question.
Reluctantly, my father nodded. “Fine.”
When Daddy used that word, things had completely gone south. I desperately wanted to smooth over the tensions. “Can we have that story now?” I moved toward the bed and sat beside Mom.
“You bet, pup.” He sighed and pulled the arm chair closer.
“Dad…” I frowned.
“Sorry. So, what do I call you now?” Already, I could see the sparkle returning to his eyes. “You could try Savannah. After all, you chose it.” I grinned.
“Did I tell you the story of how you ended up with your name? Any of you?” He tugged at his chin.
I shrugged. “Maybe once or twice. You could tell it again.”
“Okay.” He chuckled and I knew everything would be just perfect. “So, your mother and I had just married. We decided to leave Arizona and start our own pack somewhere new.”
I wriggled happily. “That’s why we’re the Phoenix pack.”
“Yes, we never should forget our roots.” He reached for Mom’s hand and they shared a special smile. “And you’re named so we never forget where you came from either.”
This was the part that grossed me out. “You can skip over this part.” I rolled my eyes.
“We were on our honeymoon, and your mother wanted to see the Atlantic Ocean and experience the genteel south. That’s how we ended up in Savannah.” He leaned over and kissed Mom’s hand. “And that’s how you ended up being conceived on a sailboat there.”
I shuddered. While I truly cherished their devotion for one another, I hated seeing their affections. “Okay, moving on. And you decided you loved the green and the mountains. You loved being able to run free under the full moon without fear.”
“Still do.” He waggled his brows at Mom.
“I think I just threw up in my mouth.” I clapped a hand over my lips for emphasis.
“Has she always been this dramatic?” Dad’s brows peaked as he spoke to my mother.
“Always. You love it. She makes you laugh.” Mom giggled. “You just forget.” She shrugged and then
she jabbed me in the back.
“Ow,” I complained. “That hurt.”
“Yeah, you think that hurts? Try losing your mate.” She squeezed Daddy’s hand. “Childbirth, paper cuts, stepping on a Lego…none of this compares to a mate passing.” She shook her head sadly. “I’ve heard it’s like having your soul ripped out of your body.” She stared up at Daddy. “I’ve decided to die with him because I’m not strong enough to go it alone.”
“Aw, Bea,” he murmured against the back of her hand. “No one is dying anytime soon.” Then he puffed out his chest. “I’m the Alpha. What I say goes.” Then he pretended to put his foot down heavily on the floor.
The door opened wider and Flo returned, this time with a man. He was older with graying hair and tiny glasses on his face. “Alpha or not, there will always be things you can’t control.” The doctor scowled as he roughly felt my mother’s belly. “Like this baby being breech.”
My father stared at the floor and rubbed his hands together. I knew he was trying to remain calm.
As scared as I felt, I started to yawn. I didn’t mean to, but it was nearly two in the morning and I had yet to fall asleep. I stood and glanced back and forth between my parents. “I should go. The doctor is here. Wake me if you need anything.” I kissed Mom on the cheek. “I love you,” I whispered into her ear.
“Love you more,” she teased.
Then I repeated the ritual with my father. My arms were still wrapped around his neck when the doctor interrupted.
“Now, my time isn’t cheap, especially since I’m sure we’ll have to do an emergency C-section.” He frowned. “How do you plan to pay? I take cash or cards.” He tapped his foot impatiently.
“Depends on the price. How much?” My father rose from the chair and stood tall, revealing his height.
The doctor took a step back. “Two thousand.” He swallowed hard. “For everything.” He pushed his glasses up his nose.
My head tilted as I studied him. I didn’t like this man. I didn’t want him touching my mother. I crossed my arms over my chest and watched.
“I don’t carry that much cash.” He eyed the man, and I could read the disgust in his face.
“Then I guess I’ll be going.” Doctor James hefted his doctor bag and began to walk out of the room.
My mother moaned in pain as another contraction hit. Suddenly the idea of no doctor seemed worse than dealing with this man. My brain raced to find a solution. The safe. “Daddy, downstairs.” My eyes were wide with excitement, but my father shut me down immediately.
“Savvy, go to bed.” He growled.
I started toward the door with my head down. When I reached the hall, I turned around, hoping if he saw how sad he’d made me, he’d apologize or call me back. Something. Instead, I saw him reaching into his pocket.
When he pulled out his hand, he opened his palm to reveal the contents. The gold nugget was one of the decent sized ones. “Will this do?”
The doctor’s face lit up. “So, it’s true. You aren’t just simple homesteaders. You’re gold miners.”
My father shook his head. “Found this plowing a new field.”
“Sure you did.” The doctor sneered. Then he snatched the nugget and pocketed it. “Let’s get this over with then.” He turned his attention to my mother.
Dad turned and saw me. “I’ll walk Savvy to her room.”
With slumped shoulders, I stood waiting in the hall for him to join me. When he did, he threw an arm around my shoulder and placed a finger over his lips. We walked down the hall in silence. Then he ushered me into the bathroom at the far end of the hall, turning on the lights before speaking in his normal voice. “Be sure to go to the bathroom before you go back to bed, Savvy.” He winked.
“Okay, I will.” My brow furrowed. What was happening?
He closed the door behind us, turned on the water in the faucet, the shower, and the exhaust fan. “White noise,” he whispered in my ear. “Listen carefully, pup.” I started to open my mouth to object, but he laid a finger over my lips and shook his head. “The doctor is from a rival pack. We can’t open the safe when he’s around; he’d hear it. We have to keep our secrets from the rest of the world, or they will come after us to take what’s ours. Understand?”
I nodded and swallowed hard. “Sorry, Daddy.”
He hugged me close. “You didn’t know. Off to bed.” Then he turned away as he shut everything down. I had already wandered into my room when he found me. “Oh, look. You’re so grown up, you don’t even need me to tuck you in.” He chuckled.
“I’ll always need hugs, Daddy.” I held out my arms, eager for the comfort he provided. Then I rolled over and fell asleep.
A few short hours later, I woke to wailing. I threw back the covers and rushed from my room. The twins met me in the hall.
“What’s going on?” Shelby wrapped her arms around my waist.
“I don’t know. Go back to bed.” I peeled her off and pushed her back into the room.
“How are we supposed to sleep through that?” Lenoir glared at me.
“I’ll close the door. If that doesn’t work, put a pillow over your ears.” I glared at her as I closed the door.
Slowly, I made my way to Mom and Dad’s room. My heart thudded in my chest. This wasn’t good. This was pain. This was anguish. This…was practically a howl.
When I reached the door, I peered inside. The doctor stood there frowning while he worked on using butterfly sutures to close my mother’s stomach. “She should start healing soon. Staples would only hinder the process,” he grumbled by way of explanation.
I felt better knowing she was alive. Still, my father had stepped out onto the balcony. His wails were what woke me. Thinking I could comfort him, I tiptoed out and stopped by his side. In his arms was a baby, blue, not moving. I inhaled sharply and that was the first time he noticed me.
“He was stillborn.” Tears dripped from my father’s eyes. “The cord wrapped around his neck. He died before Dr. James could remove him from the womb.” He looked away as he choked back sobs.
I wrapped my arms around him. “It’ll be okay, Daddy. You can try again.”
Shaking his head, he murmured, “Your mother almost died. There will be no more children.”
My eyes widened. “But…you need a son. The pack will need an Alpha one day.”
“Without a son, we’re more vulnerable. I know this. You know this. And now the rival pack knows.” He jerked his head meaningfully toward the doctor.
“The Hippocratic Oath,” I reminded him. “Doctor-patient confidentiality.” I struggled to offer him comfort.
“Nothing comes before the pack. If his Alpha ever presses him, he’ll have to reveal the truth.” He shook his head. His tears had finally dried. He swiped at his nose with his sleeve. “Stay with your mother. I need to run. I’ll be back.” He passed me the baby.
In the time it took me to settle the bundle in my arms, my father had already shifted, leaving a pile of clothes behind as he trotted down the stairs to the yard. I watched as he raced out to the tree line. Soon he disappeared from sight, but I could hear him. The predawn silence was shattered by the sound of his howls.
1
Ten Years Later
* * *
My heart raced as I sped down the road to the Phoenix Pack homestead. This place had been the culmination of my parents’ dreams, a place off the grid where they could raise their family and live quietly with their pack.
I’d finished my last final for the spring semester of my senior year at Appalachian State. We were days away from graduation and for a few minutes, my biggest fear had been my grade on the anthropology exam. I really wanted to make the Dean’s List again and make my pack proud. My phone had chimed, and I soon discovered a text from my mother begging me to stay away and stay safe. Naturally, I had to rush home, even though it was a solid two-hour drive. As daughter of the alpha, I had a responsibility to my parents and my pack.
As I pulled up the long, winding
driveway, I smelled smoke. My eyes burned and I covered my mouth as I choked on air. There were fire trucks blocking my path, so I pulled onto the grass and hopped out of the car. One of the firefighters saw me racing toward the main house, which was now fully engulfed in flames. He caught me as I tried to run past him.
“Hold up, miss.” He gripped me firmly around the middle, and I wriggled and twisted in his arms until I faced him.
“That’s my family home!” I pushed against his chest, determined to break away, but he seemed equally determined to hold on to me. “Let me go!”
“I can’t do that. We have to keep everyone back while we get the fire under control.” He looked down at me, his jaw set, completely unmoved.
Shaking, I stared past him, watching as timbers creaked and a section of the roof fell in. “How did this happen? I don’t understand.” I moved back and forth frantically as I hoped to catch sight of my family.
“We have an investigator who will figure this out as soon as the blaze has been extinguished.” Then he turned me around and pointed behind me. “Is this who you’re looking for?”
I followed his finger and discovered my younger sisters were coming up the driveway. The bus must have dropped them off. The twins were seniors in high school this year. Their eyes were wide as they stared at our home, fully engulfed in flames. As soon as they recognized me, they rushed to hug me. They were bigger, but their affections hadn’t waned through the years.
“You have finals. Why are you here?” Shelby gave me an extra squeeze, which seemed to be as much for as me, since I could feel her shaking.
“Mom messaged me to stay away.” I frowned as I struggled to make sense of everything.
