by Ava Walsh
The Alpha stared at the bubbling blood and smelled that the wound was fatal. Fear rolled in waves off Brian, and just like that, he was a pack member again. Roland gently lowered him to the floor, supporting his head and neck as the blood continued to flow. He tried to staunch the river but there was too much damage.
"I would have protected you until death," Roland whispered. "All of you. You were one of my pack, one of my family. I'm sorry that you were cursed with being a werewolf, but—"
Blood bubbled on Brian's lips as he laughed. The sound was wet and gurgling. His gaze sharpened for a moment. "You'll never understand."
The smell of blood was heavy in the air as Brian's eyes lost their focus. Roland heard his heartbeat, rapid at first, then slower, then nothing at all.
"No," Roland sighed, bowing his head. "I won't understand."
Movement behind him reminded him that Claire was still bound and gagged. He closed Brian's eyes and turned his back on his dead pack member. Claire's wide eyes stared at him. She was terrified. He could smell her fear and hear the rapid beating of her heart. His own heart sunk low. After seeing him like this, she would run. And he wouldn’t blame her. He pulled the gag from her mouth and dropped his gaze as he started on the ropes.
"Did he hurt you?" His voice was rough.
"No."
"Did he…?" He didn't want to think about the possibility that the bastard had actually raped Claire. But if he had, then he needed to know–Claire would need therapy, and even if she wanted nothing more to do with him, he would make sure she got the help she needed.
"No," Claire repeated, softer this time.
Relief flooded him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
He couldn't undo the knots, but his teeth were still sharp in his mouth, so he bent and gnawed through the bindings. As soon as she was free, Claire threw her arms around him.
Shock rippled through him. After what she had just seen, how could she stand to touch him? She should be running from him as fast as she could! He had just brutally killed another man and she was hugging him?
"It's not your fault."
Roland realized he was trembling. "I've never killed anyone before."
"He would have killed you. It's not your fault." Claire stroked his hair. "It's not your fault.
The taste of Brian's blood was still in his mouth. He held his mate as tightly as he could, afraid that if he let her go there would be nothing to anchor him and he'd go spinning off the world, never to return. She stroked his hair, whispering again and again that it wasn't his fault. Roland had no breath to respond. He could only hold her tighter.
Chapter Ten
It was two weeks after Claire had given birth. She sat at the kitchen table in Roland's guesthouse, her new home. She traced the gentle curve of her belly, feeling almost melancholy that there wasn't a life inside her anymore. But holding her tiny daughter was worth the loss of movement inside her.
"Hello?"
Claire jumped as Grace's voice came out of her phone, where it was laying on the table. She shook her head, grounding herself back into the present. "Sorry, I lost my train of thought. What did you say?"
"I was asking if Roland is any better."
Claire sighed. She knew from her own experience that killing someone, even in self-defense, wasn't something that you just magically got over. Roland still carried a lot of guilt, both for Melissa and Brian's deaths, although he had been making progress over the past months.
"He's doing better, yes. But it's going to take him time to recover. I'm just glad that he's seeing that therapist."
"Give him my best."
"I will."
Claire shifted uncomfortably. Her breasts were feeling overly full. It was time to go feed little Ada–the tiny baby needed to be fed every hour. Claire smiled as she remembered her daughter's birth. It had been easier than she had thought it would be, but after she saw exactly how tiny her child was, the ease of labor had made sense.
All the full moons throughout the pregnancy had been difficult, but they had got progressively worse as the baby grew, and Claire had been constantly worried that she was going to lose the baby. Roland had helped ease her fear by staying by her side, even when his body changed to that of a humanoid wolf. But when Claire had gone into labor at 36 weeks, she had been glad that she wouldn’t have to go through another full moon while pregnant.
"More importantly, when can I come and meet Ada?"
Claire winced. Grace had been thrilled about the pregnancy, and Claire knew that she was planning on being a big part of Ada’s life. But they had to be careful about when they had visitors, and make sure that they planned around the full moon.
“Soon, I promise. Look, I have to go and feed her.”
“Okay. But send me a picture at least.”
“I will do. Call you later.”
Claire hung up the phone, smiling, and headed into the bedroom. Ada Doyle-Davis was born weighing just five pounds and four ounces. When Claire first saw her, her heart had stopped. She was certain that, even though her baby had survived the full moons, she couldn't survive being born so tiny. Ada had been only skin and bones, and she still seemed exceptionally thin, although the doctors had said she was doing fine.
Roland sat on the bed, cradling their daughter against his chest. The doctors had told Claire that physical contact was very beneficial for babies born prematurely, so the two of them took turns holding her at all times. The other members of the pack hung around, making food, cleaning and never straying far from the guest house. All of them were extremely protective of the little girl who would be the next Alpha.
"Is she awake?" Claire asked, and Ada stirred at the sound of her voice. Her eyes had not yet opened, but she still responded to the sounds around her.
"Awake and wanting her mother."
Claire slipped off her shirt and unhooked her bra. Ada's tiny mouth was already searching as Roland passed her to her mother.
Roland put an arm around Claire as Ada began nursing. "She's amazing."
"She is. Grace phoned. We're going to need to be careful with her. I think she’s going to want to spend a lot of time with Ada. I'd like to be able to tell her the truth someday, but…"
"Adam would like that, too. I think he might be smitten with her."
Claire couldn't help but laugh. "If he can get her, it'll be a miracle. That girl goes through boyfriends like we go through socks."
"Adam's always had a similar relationship with women. I told him that he's not allowed to get her pregnant, but the rest is his business."
"Hypocrite," Claire cooed. "If I hadn't gotten pregnant on our once-only night, would we be together now?"
"Yes." Roland shrugged at Claire's raised eyebrow. "We would have found a way to be together. We are meant to be. You're my mate. Somehow, no matter what else happened, you and I would have found each other."
Claire had to admit that he was right–she felt just as strongly as he did. "And now we have Ada." She leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Roland's breath ruffled her hair. "I love you forever and ever."
"And ever and ever," Claire added.
Roland smiled. He laughed and drew her in for a kiss. "And ever and ever and ever and ever…"
*****
THE END
Bonus Book 12: The Ghost's Deadly Secrets
By: T.S. Ryder
Description
What dark secrets is he hiding underneath the suit I want to rip off him?
Realtor Melody Zabat has a secret: she sees ghosts. Unfortunately, most of the ghosts she comes across are murder victims, and she inevitably ends up entangled in the investigation.
She's just happy that she can escape all of those ghostly complications in her little hometown of Blackcliff. It's her sanctuary, where she can pretend to be a normal person.
At least, it is until murder comes to town...
Suddenly Melody finds herself haunted yet a
gain–this time by a rich city girl with secrets she doesn't want to share. Add into the mix the handsome billionaire with secrets of his own, and Melody finds herself faced with mystery on every side.
Oskar Freyson, Alpha of the wealthiest Shifter community in the country, doesn't need to work as an FBI agent, but he has his reasons for joining the agency. But he isn't in Blackcliff for company business; he's there for revenge. Unfortunately, this gives him motive for murder, and he soon finds himself being investigated by his own team.
With a ghost connected to the billionaire who is connected to a murder, can Melody discover the true killer… and maybe find love along the way?
Chapter One
There was a crisp mountain smell in the air that made Melody Zabat hate the sight of Blackcliff. Though the little town was clean and she generally loved the mix of Old West and modern aesthetic that the buildings exuded, it was one of those days where she wished she could just blow off her responsibilities and run naked through the woods with a spear in hand and a wolf at her side. Or just go fishing.
Unfortunately, Melody had to be satisfied with a shot of coffee and a hot breakfast from her favorite café in town, Old Gossip. Houses weren't going to sell themselves, and ever since that handsome billionaire, Oskar Freyson, had taken an interest in their town, she felt like she was being run off her feet.
Freyson was the Alpha of the wealthiest community of Shifters in the country, and he had billions of dollars of his own personal wealth at his disposal. Some people in town were concerned that he was going to try to turn Blackcliff into a Shifter Sanctuary, but Melody wasn't worried about that. If anything, an influx of Shifters, especially wealthy Shifters, would do the town some good. The economy wasn't doing very well. If the town continued on the path it was on, it would be a ghost town in a few decades.
Ghost town. Melody couldn't help but chuckle at her own joke. Of course, it didn't hurt that Oskar Freyson was perhaps the most handsome person she had ever seen. All Shifters were hot, but he was exceptional. What was it about Shifters and their naturally good genes?
Jane Gardens, the owner of Old Gossip, beamed at her when she entered the café. The silver-haired woman was still as spry as she was when she was sixty, which was how old she had been claiming to be for the past decade. Melody took her usual spot on a barstool at the counter, beside Elisabeth Burgess, a young woman with curly hair.
"And then I saw Milly Braden and Russel Rickey standing on the corner, kissing." Jane leaned on the counter, her wide eyes fixed on Elisabeth.
"Oh, really?"
Elisabeth glanced at Melody from the corner of her eye, a slightly pained expression on her face, but she was far too shy and eager to please people to interrupt Jane. Her compassionate personality served her well at the daycare she ran, but when it came to busybodies like Jane Gardens, she was the unwilling recipient of hours' worth of gossip.
Melody debated whether she should come to Elisabeth's rescue, but she didn't want to end up hearing the whole story that led up to Milly Braden and Russel Rickey kissing, and she kept quiet.
"I don't know what's happening with young people these days. Imagine, kissing like that out in the middle of the day." Jane shook her head. "Back in my day, kissing was done sitting in parked cars out in the woods." Jane giggled suddenly, sounding like a woman much younger than she was. "And when I say kissing—"
"Too much information," Melody interrupted, miming covering her ears. "You're like a grandmother to us here, we don't need to hear that sort of thing."
Jane shrugged. "You want your usual, dear?"
Melody nodded. "Please."
"Salmon steak with fried eggs coming up," Jane trilled.
As the older woman moved away, Elisabeth let out a pent-up sigh of relief. "Thank you,"
"My pleasure. How are you and Bobby liking the new house?"
Elisabeth had moved to Blackcliff with her then-infant son ten years previously, but it was only now that her business was picking up that she had been able to afford to buy a house. Melody had worked closely with her to find the perfect fit for the two of them, and she was eager to know how they were settling in. It was the best part of selling houses, hearing how happy people were in their new homes. Almost as good as a whole day's fishing.
"It's wonderful, thank you." Elisabeth beamed. "The backyard is so big, we might even be able to get a dog. I think Bobby is old enough to start taking on a little more responsibility."
Melody nodded. "He's a bright boy. I'm sure you'd do well with a dog."
Jane bustled back towards them, refilling Elisabeth's coffee cup and giving some to Melody as well. "So, are either of you young ladies dating anybody yet?"
Elisabeth's face went beet red, but Melody laughed to draw Jane's attention to her.
"No dating for me. I like where I am right now. Selling houses, building up my real estate company. Besides, I know everybody who lives here too well to find them interesting. I need somebody with a little more mystery." She took a sip of her coffee.
It was mostly true. Melody wasn’t interested in any of the locals. If Oskar Freyson showed any interest in her, however, it would be another story.
A tall, leggy blonde suddenly appeared behind Jane. Melody's eyes widened. The blonde's form was wavering, translucent, like an image projected onto the surface of a lake. Her hair was turned up with flowers in it, and she wore a tight-fitting white dress that looked halfway between something a bride would wear and something to go clubbing in.
"You," the blonde said, pointing at her. "They told me to find you."
Melody ducked her head. Not now! Not here!
Jane tapped her hand. "Hello? Dear, you really need to stop spacing out on me."
"Sorry." Melody shook her head and forced herself to look at the older woman.
The blonde stood right behind Jane, her form growing more solid, blue eyes flashing. "Don't you dare ignore me!"
"I asked you how you plan on having a lasting relationship with a mystery man," Jane said. "The mystery will wear off, and then what?"
The blonde vanished, only to reappear right beside Melody. "Hello? I know you can see me. I do not take kindly to being ignored!"
She actually stomped her foot.
Melody tried to repress a groan, but she didn't quite make it. Jane's brows furrowed. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I might be a little queasy," Melody said, grabbing her stomach for emphasis. "I've been going pretty hard since Freyson came to town. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for the work, but it's been almost two weeks since I've had a day off and I think it's catching up with me."
Jane's eyes flashed and her mouth turned down. "I have nothing against Shifters, but that man can't just waltz in here and take over everything. We ought to have a say in what goes on in our own town!"
The blonde appeared right in front of Melody, putting her hands on her hips. "Are you deaf or blind? I need your help and I'm not going anywhere until you help me."
"Can I get that salmon to go?" Melody blurted. "I just remembered I have things to do at the office."
Jane looked surprised but soon handed Melody a container with her breakfast in it. Melody threw down some money and raced from the café, trying her best not to glare at the blonde, who was following after her. Stupid, pushy ghost.
Melody hurried to her car, tossing her breakfast onto the passenger seat. It slipped through the blonde already sitting there, who made a face and folded her arms. Melody whipped out her phone and held it to her ear. She learned long ago the tricks of preventing people from looking at her strangely as she talked to ghosts.
"Let's make this quick," Melody said, fixing her hair as she looked at the blonde in the rearview mirror. "I don't have time to deal with pushy ghosts today. I have a meeting with a very important client."
"Oskar Freyson," the blonde said. "That's who you are meeting?"
The way she said it had Melody frowning. "You know him?"
The blonde sighed. "I suppose you can't tell, b
ut I'm a Shifter. And these shoes? They cost five thousand dollars."
"You're a member of his pack," Melody realized, her eyes widening.
"Yes. Although I never liked the word 'pack'. It's not like we're wolves. We're all different animals. I happen to be able to Shift into a dolphin. Not that I had much chance to do it, seeing as we're so far from the ocean. Well, Oskar had a pool for us marine Shifters, but it's just not the same. What are you wearing, anyway? Are you going to a costume party for homeless people?"
Great. A rich, preppy, pushy ghost. Melody ground her teeth together.
Hopefully, this one hadn't been murdered like the last one. That had been a mess. It was only because of her father's best friend, Uncle Todd, that she had avoided too much public attention. Knowing somebody in the FBI really had its perks, even if Melody would like one year to go by when she wasn't involved in somebody's murder.
"So you sought me out for a reason. What do you want?"
"You'll see when I show you."
Melody groaned. "I don't have time for games."
The blonde folded her arms. "I'm not playing games. It's too complicated to just explain."
Ghosts!
They were all the same. Melody was willing to bet dollars to donuts that, in the end, a simple conversation would solve the whole issue. Hopefully, this one wouldn't take two months to resolve like the last one–they had wanted Melody to make sure their dog's ashes were buried with them. Why they couldn't just tell her that, she didn't know.
But then, ghosts were often are too self-conscious to say what they actually wanted, and so made her run around in circles trying to solve the mystery. She hated mysteries more than she hated losing her favorite fishing lure.
