Winter Awakening

by Tl Reeve

  “Yes, she is mine.” Luc couldn’t deny it. Ero, the damn fool, had been trying since their return to find the perfect woman to place between them. None of them would ever compare to Sarah.

  His brother blew out a breath. “She’s a little….”

  “Skittish?”

  “Yes. She’ll open up, though. She’s accepting of it, and I believe she understands what will happen.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “The boys and her brother are her life. You can see it in her eyes whenever she talks about them.”

  “Has she told her sons what she is…what we are?”

  Ero nodded. “Yes. She’s never lied to them.”

  “Are you ready to take on someone else’s pups?” After his little run-in with her at the store, the questions of logistics and kids swirled in Luc’s mind. Did he want them? Did he want a ready-made family? Could he accept her dead husband’s sons? He had to be sure before he jumped into the situation.

  “They need a father.” Ero shrugged. “Why not us?”

  “You’re awful calm about this.”

  “This time, I thought I’d wing it.” His brother always had a plan. When he’d wanted to expand the shop, he wrote up everything by hand and brought it to Fawn to analyze. When she told him the idea would have to wait since so many places were opening, he pushed it aside and worked on a scaled-down version.

  “Sorry.” Sarah placed a platter on the table in front of Luc then a bowl of soup. “I couldn’t carry it all in one trip. I’ll be back with your coffee.”

  “Not a problem.” He gave her a reassuring grin. “Would you care to join us?”

  “I have a better idea,” Ero interjected. “Why don’t you grab some lunch for you and I as well and call Jason. Let him know you’ll be home by three for the boys.”

  “Thanks. I…um…thanks.” She hurried off toward the kitchen once more.

  “I believe she’s not had adult time with anyone but her brother since the pups were born.”

  Luc agreed. “We’ll have to take this slow.”

  “I’d like to have her mated to us by the Solstice festivities.”

  He chuckled. “Eager?”

  “Aren’t you? My balls feel like they’re in a vise. Her scent is intoxicating, and the urge to mate is making it hard to concentrate on anything else.”

  Luc experienced everything his brother experienced. His wolf pushed against his skin demanding he claim her. “Yes. I am.”

  The bell over the door chimed, and Gee entered the café. At the same time, Sarah returned from the kitchen, food in hand. She came to a halt and pasted on a smile. “You’re just in time for some lunch.” She motioned to the empty tables. “Take a seat.”

  “I’m not here to eat. I came to talk to the three of you.” He sat with Luc and Ero then motioned to her. “Join us.”

  “Uh, sure.” She closed the distance between them. “Is everything okay?”

  “Fine.” He grunted. “There is a scavenger hunt coming up. You’re invited to participate.”

  “When?” Luc glanced at his brother, who threw a curious glance back at him.

  “You have ten days to find your objects and turn them in at the solstice festivities.”

  Sarah took a bite of sandwich then wiped her mouth. “What are we looking for?”

  “I’m glad you asked.”

  When he didn’t continue, Luc prodded him. “We are, too.” Did the big ornery bear get off on shit like this?

  “I need you to find two objects. One is an agate bracelet, and the other is a mating blanket.” He pushed out of the chair. “Don’t forget.”

  He walked out of the café without saying good-bye or good luck. Luc stared at the door for a while, unable to formulate a thought or even wrap his mind around this…scavenger hunt. “We’re not retrievers.”

  “No, we’re not.” Ero flicked his gaze to the door. “Did he seem…preoccupied?”

  “Isn’t Gee always preoccupied? I figured it was a bear quirk.” Sarah took a sip of soup and sighed. “My compliments to whoever made your soup.”

  Ero grinned. “Thank you. Mom always made it for us when it got cold. We didn’t have a lot of money, but her cooking always filled the soul.”

  “I really needed this today.” She took another sip then grabbed her half sandwich. “The dishwasher is running right now. When I’m finished here, I’ll get everything put away.”

  “No rush.” Ero patted her knee.

  The door opened again, and Shawn stepped inside. “Sorry I’m early, but Brienne wanted to go for a run in the snow sooner than expected.” Her cousin took a step closer. “Hey, Sarah. It’s good to see you again. How are the boys?”

  She smiled, and Luc’s gut clenched. “They’re good. At home with Jason right now. Adrie called a snow day for them, so I am sure they’ve been out to roll in it.”

  “It’s good for them. Teaches them how discern scents, too. We’ll make trackers out of them yet.” He winked at her. “Ero, how are things going here?”

  Pride filled Luc. The idea her boys might soon be his filled him with an all-encompassing love. It heated him through and through. In that second, sitting there, all those questions about being ready or not sure about someone else’s children fled. Just the picturing her caring for each of them set him on fire. He wanted a pup with her, too, so he could experience it all. And, if the way Ero watched her, tracking her through the café—the way she interacted with members of their pack—was any indication, he felt the same.

  “I have a new employee.” Ero took her hand in his.

  “Oh?” Shawn asked.

  “Yes. She’s a quick study, makes the time pass swiftly, and is a genuinely kind person.”

  Sarah’s cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink. “You’re too kind.”

  “I speak the truth.”

  “Congratulations.” Shawn pulled a chair up to the table. “Would you like to go over everything here or in private?”

  “Anything you have to say can be said in front of Sarah,” Ero stated. “I have a feeling if we hadn’t come to you first, you would have gotten a visit from her.”

  “To help in the search for your family? Of course.” She turned her chair slightly and placed her empty dishes on the table behind her. “Please tell us you found them.”

  “I wish I had good news.” He frowned as he pulled the small file out of the inside pocket of his coat. “I found only your sister, and she’s not in a good place.”

  Luc’s stomach dropped. His gut knotted. “What happened?”

  They should have stuck together. Guilt ate at him. All the warm and fuzzy feelings he’d been experiencing evaporated.

  “Your aunt died not long after she and Meadow left. Since your sister was only ten at the time, the state of Washington picked her up and put her into foster care because she said she had no family.” He handed Luc and Ero a copy of the intake report from DFCS.

  “Shit.” Ero threw the paper onto the table. “How did our aunt die?”

  Shawn handed them the autopsy report. “Fear-induced anxiety leading to a heart attack, and it looked like malnutrition.”

  “How could they tell it was fear induced?” Sarah glanced at the paper in Ero’s hand. “It doesn’t seem like they’d be able to prove a mental condition caused a physical one.”

  Shawn flipped the page on the autopsy. “The damage to the heart reflected increased cardiac pressure and strain. It’s purely an educated guess but, coupled with the rest of the information, makes sense.” He glanced at Luc. “Were you followed when you left?”

  Luc shook his head. “No. I made sure of it, especially after the fight with Hamitt.”

  “DCFS asked Meadow if they’d had any issues or if her aunt had a stalker—trying to help her get some kind of resolution. She wouldn’t answer. I’m wondering if someone did follow them, and you didn’t know it.”

  Bile bit the back of his throat. “Fuck.”

  �
��So, is Meadow still in Washington?” Sarah reached out to take Luc’s hand.

  “Yes. She’s…a little rough around the edges. Has a mouth on her, but I figure after everything she’s been through, if she’s only mouthy, that’s a good thing.”

  “Will she come home?” Luc held onto the hope she’d return. A little time with them and she’d relax. She’d realize she wasn’t alone. Fuck, we should have never left them alone. We should have stuck together. I told Pandora this would happen.

  “She should be here in about a week.” He reached into his back pocket. “This is the most up-to-date picture I could get of her.”

  The slight woman with black hair highlighted with hot-pink, blue, and purple stripes stared back at him. She didn’t smile, instead chose to flip off whoever had taken the picture. Tattoos covered her arms, legs, and neck, and she wore clothes he’d never expect her to wear— revealing and way too…grungy for his taste. Plus, she wore a collar with a lock on it. “Is she mated?”

  “Nope. I believe she uses her appearance and her attitude to keep people at arm’s length.”

  One way to hide her true nature. “Interesting.”

  “All I care about is that she comes home.” Ero took the photo from Luc. “She looks like our mom.”

  “How can you tell under all…that?” Luc snorted.

  “Because I’m not judging her.”

  Well, hell. Leave it up to his brother to smack him back down to earth as always. “I’m not either. Surprised is more like it.”

  “So am I, bro. Looks like we’ll be making some more room at the house sooner than we thought.”

  In more ways than one. “I’ll call Stephan at Burrows Construction in the morning. See if they can give us a hand.”

  “Where’s her bus stopping?” Sarah flipped through the documents.

  Damn it. The most important question got lost in the shuffle. At least Sarah had her head screwed on properly.

  “Rapid City at nine in the morning, one week from today.” He pointed to the stack of papers he’d handed out. “It’s all in there. Read up on your sister and everything that’s happened. She was happy to hear you were both still alive and home, so I think you can relax a little bit.”

  “Thank you.” Ero shook his hand then stood with him. “I appreciate this. We both do.”

  “It’s my pleasure. I can tick another name off the long list of missing pack members.” He walked to the door and stopped. “Congratulations on your mating, as well. I’m sure you’ll have a long, loving life together.”

  Chapter Four

  A few hours after returning home from having dinner with their family, Sarah kissed her boys good night. Her mom and dad had taken great delight interacting with their grandsons, talking to them, teasing them, asking what they thought of Los Lobos, and feeding them until they were ready to pop. Sarah wished her parents could’ve seen them as babies, could’ve met their father. But that was one more thing Magnum Tao had stolen from his pack members.

  Sarah stood in Charles and Dylan’s bedroom doorway and stared at their growing bodies. Where had the time gone? Just yesterday, Keela, a midwife from a pack near their home had come to help deliver the boys. Hospitals were always out for them due to their genetics. Jason had been a lifesaver, when he went to pack not far from them to ask for help.

  When she and Jason escaped Magnum’s deadly rule, they’d lived together for a while, but after she met Ethan, her brother moved out. He didn’t go far, though. They spent time together, and her brother had gotten a job working construction. Then, tragedy struck, and when she needed him most, he’d returned to stay with her and help out. But even now they were home with friends and family nearby, she still depended on him. Maybe it was time to cut the strings and allow him time to find his own happiness. God knew, one of them had to do it, or she feared he’d never find his own mate.

  “The snow’s let up. You still going for a run tonight?” Jason came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Yeah. I need to clear my head.” The whole day had been filled with so much activity, and working again after ten years had taken its toll.

  “Go. Before it starts again and gets too hard to maneuver through. I’ve got the boys.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t forget, you have a busy day tomorrow.”

  She turned and wrapped her arms around her brother. “Thank you. I won’t be long.”

  “Eh, what are brothers for?” He hugged her tight. “Besides, you owe me one now.”

  She laughed. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” With one last glance at her boys, she strode from their room and headed for the back door. She had an hour to stretch her legs and then she had to be in bed. She didn’t want to let down Ero on her second day.

  After placing her clothes on the bench under the coat hooks, she stepped outside. The frigid air kissed her skin, leaving a trail of gooseflesh in its wake. She shivered, calling for the wolf within. Warmth bloomed at the center of her chest and spread out. Like a clinging vine, it covered every inch of her—bled into her muscles and bones—reshaping her until she stood on four legs. She lifted her nose and tasted the breeze. Snow. A thrill of anticipation shot through her.

  She took off into the woods surrounding their home. A yip of joy filled the night air as she ran up the trail into the hills. The first time she’d shifted after holding her wolf in check for so long, it hurt. Her body ached for days afterward. Every time since, it’d gotten easier and more of her senses came online. The smells of wild game, frozen ground, and snow-kissed water called to her like a siren’s song. Dead leaves, moss, and excrement hypnotized her, drawing her farther away.

  Hunt.

  Chase.

  Eat.

  Yes. It had been years since she’d followed small prey, made the kill. She lowered her nose to the ground and sniffed. There, among the earthy aromas, was the subtle hint of chipmunk. Sarah followed it. The trail wound through the hills, over logs, behind rocks, and up into the trees then back down to the ground. The prey poked its head up from the underbrush and sniffed.

  She pounced, snuffing it out with a quick snap of the chipmunk’s neck. Pleasure flowed through her as she ate her meal. Freedom. A snap of a twig had her raising her head. She curled her lip and growled. When the wolf took a step closer, she exposed all of her teeth and swished her tail. Then, she caught the scent. Ero. She whined, lowering herself to the ground. Rolling over, she exposed her belly to him and waited as he sniffed at her neck.

  Calling to the shift, Sarah wrapped her arms around him. “Sorry, first time catching a midnight snack since I came home.”

  Moments later, Ero joined her. Amusement and desire glowed in his gaze. “I watched you.”

  She didn’t know if she should feel creeped out by his announcement or elated. “Oh.”

  He moved closer, wrapping an arm around her. The heat from his body combined with hers, chasing away the freezing temps. “You were so involved when I saw you I stayed back, curious as to what you found.”

  “Chipmunk.” She glanced up at him. The whoosh of her heart pounding filled her ears with each inhale of his tantalizing scent. Every bit of her wanted the man beside her, but they lacked one person. “Seemed easiest to catch.”

  “Well, I caught mine, too.” He kissed her. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, he’d done the one thing she hadn’t been expecting. He drew her to him, bit by bit. With each glide of his tongue, she melted a little more. “Sweeter than honey.”

  Heat filled her cheeks. “You’re not so bad yourself.” She placed her hand on his chest and was rewarded with the quickened beat of his heart beneath her palm. She didn’t deserve a do over. She’d gotten her happy ending with Ethan. Yet, she also couldn’t keep her hands off the man at her side. “Ero?”

  “We’ve got time,” he whispered. “Trust me.”

  He kissed her again. This time, a hunger buried deep inside her pushed to the top. She’d missed th
is carnal connection. Missed the simple pleasure of being in a man’s arms. Craved the attention. Arousal rushed through her, tightening her nipples and making her clit ache. All the reasons she shouldn’t became all the reasons she should. She needed this connection—might die without it, dramatic as it sounded.

  She pushed him down onto the bed of soft leaves and straddled his waist. This was crazy and reckless and…hell yes, she wanted it. Sarah rubbed against him, mewling his name. Her world spiraled out of control, and he was there to catch her. He palmed her ass, guiding her as he whispered her name over and over. He captured one of her nipples between his lips and sucked. The electric charge went straight to her sensitive core. Oh yes. This is what I’ve been missing.

  “You’re burning me alive.” He groaned, flexing his hips to meet the rock of hers. “Making me second-guess holding off for Luc. Making me want inside you so bad I can fucking taste it.”

  She stilled. “We should wait.”

  He nodded. “I agree, even though having you straddling me is making it very hard to say no.”

  She pulled away, only to have him stop her and pin her to the ground. The bite of cold skittered down her spine but did nothing to dampen her desire. “What?”

  “When we get naked again”—he grinned—“you’ll be begging us to make you come.” Ero licked the side of her neck. His sensual growl had her wiggling against him. “You’re ours, Sarah. Say it.”

  She hesitated. Her throat went completely dry. Her tongue felt like it grew three times bigger than her mouth, filling it so she couldn’t speak.

  “Say it.” He nipped her earlobe.

  She gasped as a full-body shudder worked through her. “Yours.”

  He lifted his face so they were inches apart. Lust and determination swirled in his eerie colored eyes. “Soon, sweetheart. Remember that.” He lowered his head again and nipped at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. “For now, that will do.”

  Realization of what he’d done filled her. “You marked me.” She raised her hand and covered the spot. The light prick of his canines hadn’t broken skin, but would leave a bruise in its place, warning off those who might get any thoughts about her.