by Martha Woods
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Bonus Book 1
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
Epilogue
Bonus Book 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Bonus Book 3
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
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
The Alpha’s Prophecy
(Book 3 of the Werewolves of Boulder Junction)
Martha Woods
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Bonus Book 1
The Vampire’s Desire
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
Epilogue
Bonus Book 2
Escaping the Demon's Trap
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Bonus Book 3
Mysteries of a Vampire
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
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
© 2017 Martha Woods
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All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
* * *
For permissions contact: [email protected]
Chapter 1
As Liam and Skylar turned onto the road leading to their new home high up on the mountain, his wolf relaxed a little, but it wasn’t anywhere close to where he should be. They’d spent the last two weeks in paradise, but instead of being the relaxing haven they’d hoped for, it turned into a nightmare of sorts. Skylar’s pregnancy was progressing rapidly. Each day, her stomach protruded more and more. By the time they ported, she looked like she was about five months pregnant. Liam’s wolf hadn’t liked this hasty progression, and he urged Liam to cut the trip short. However, Skylar refused, stating if anything was wrong, she’d know.
You’re the alpha. You should have made her return home.
“Enough,” Liam mumbled under his breath so only he could hear. He pushed his wolf down, knowing he should have, at the very least, made her see a doctor.
Skylar placed her hand over his and squeezed it before she returned his hand to her stomach and pulled her sweater down. “Everything is fine, Liam.”
“I love you Sky, but you’re going to see the shaman as soon as he’s available. I don’t want to risk your health, or the baby’s.”
Sky nodded. “I’m fine with seeing him and you’ll see you’re worrying over nothing.” She turned her head to face him. Her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
“Doesn’t it worry you in the least?”
“No, I feel him moving inside of me. I really wish you could feel him kick.” She smiled, as her eyes lit up.
When Sky smiled at Liam with such warmth and happiness, it was difficult for him to feel anxious. He didn’t bat an eye when he orchestrated multi-million dollar deals, he didn’t break a sweat when it came to pack business, yet, the thought of losing his mate and unborn child scared the shit out of him. His wolf growled, agreeing with him.
“I’ll feel the kicks soon enough.” He brought the car to a stop in front of their new home and turned to face her. “I can’t help worrying about you and the baby. This is happening so fast, and it scares me,” he confessed, running his finger along her cheek.
“It’s going to be fine. Trust me Liam.” She leaned into his hand.
“We should get inside. Farah texted earlier and said we have guests.”
Liam exited the car and raced around to the passenger side. There was snow on the ground, and although the driveway and steps were clear, he didn’t want to take a chance with slippery ice. If Skylar fell and injured herself, he’d never forgive himself.
Carefully, he led her to the front door and opened it, allowing her inside before he entered and closed the large door against the cold air. When he had secured the door, he began to help Sky out of her coat and hung it on a coat rack by the door before removing his own. After taking care of the coats, he laced his fingers with Skylar’s and began to walk towards the voices coming from the kitchen.
When they entered the large room, he stopped and looked around. Farah, Hayley, and his mom all sat around the large granite island looking at something in front of them.
“We’re home,” he said and smiled at the three women.
In sync, they all looked up and greeted him. Hayley’s eyes darted past him, landed on Skylar, and her mouth dropped. “Holy shit! I thought you were only five or six weeks pregnant. You look like you’re…wow!”
Skylar released Liam’s hand and stepped around him, her hands resting against her swollen stomach. “Yeah, it seems this pregnancy is going a little faster than we anticipated.”
Liam stepped beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Hayley’s reaction was exactly what he expected. However, he thought she’d be a little more couth with her words. As Liam looked around, he realized Fa
rah and Leah’s expressions resembled Hayley’s words. Thankfully, they remained quiet.
“Mom, do you know anything about human-shifter pregnancies?” Liam asked, directing his attention to the ex-Lady of the Pack.
The woman shook her head. “I’ve never dealt with any during my time. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. It seems Liam is a real worrier.” Skylar smiled up at him.
“I have every right to be worried. My mate—the woman I love—is pregnant, and because I have no experience with this, it does make me anxious.”
“I vaguely remember reading about human-shifter pregnancies in some of the archives we have back at the coven, but I can’t remember the details,” Hayley said before she pressed her nail against her lips.
“The only thing I know regarding these pregnancies is they have complications,” Farah stood and rounded the island, stopping beside Skylar and inspecting her stomach.
Liam tightened his hold on his mate’s shoulders. Fear crept into his bones with Farah’s admission.
“Is it possible you have a supernatural in your bloodline or abilities yourself?” Hayley asked, removing her nail from her lips and staring at her very pregnant friend.
“No. My parents were both normal. I would think if we had any sort of abilities, it would have passed down through generations.”
“Maybe, maybe not. People frowned upon anything out of the ordinary throughout the years. Take the Salem Witch Trials, for instance. Those women weren’t witches, yet they were executed because they were different. If your lineage has supernatural abilities, it’s possible that you wouldn’t know if those who possessed them, chose to keep everything private for fear of persecution.” Hayley stood and clasped Leah’s shoulder, bending to kiss the woman’s cheek before she followed Farah over to Skylar.
With everyone crowding around, Liam started to feel like the oversized kitchen was beginning to shrink in on him. He watched as Hayley hugged his wife.
“I suppose it’s possible, but I doubt it. My mom never showed any signs of it, and if my dad had any, I’m sure he would have exploited it for money.” Skylar pulled away and leaned into Liam.
“Child, if you aren’t careful, this could end badly for both, you and the child.” Farah clasped Skylar’s shoulder and squeezed.
“My instincts tell me the baby and I are fine. I’m not worried.”
“Skylar, please listen to Farah. These mixed pregnancies don’t end with favorable results,” Leah pleaded.
“Don’t scare the woman. We don’t know what we’re dealing with. I’m still convinced she has supernatural blood running through her veins, and if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to the coven and see what I can find. Even if you don’t have any abilities, we need to know with all we can find out about human-shifter pregnancies.” Hayley pursed her lips and Liam caught her eyes over Skylar’s head. The fearful look that met him confirmed what he and his wolf thought. If the pregnancy continued, the outcome would prove to be fatal.
“Please let us know what you find, Hayley,” Liam spoke, his voice quivered.
Hayley nodded and disappeared through the opening he and Skylar had entered moments earlier.
With Hayley’s departure, Liam directed his attention to his mom. “How are you doing? You look much better than when we left. Did you seek a second opinion?”
Leah sat up straighter on her barstool and smiled at Farah before she answered, “I’m doing remarkably well. Thanks for noticing. Farah took me to the scheduled appointment, and the doctor ran a series of tests. It seems I’m on the long road to recovery from stage four cancer.” She clapped her hands together like a giddy schoolgirl.
Despite the circumstances surrounding Skylar’s pregnancy, Liam couldn’t help contain his excitement for his mom. He dropped his arm from Sky’s shoulders and rounded the island, wrapping his dear mother in his arms. “That’s fantastic, but what happened? When did you get the results, and what did the doctor have to say?”
“I received the results the day before yesterday. He called the evening before and asked me to come back in. I tried to convince him to tell me over the phone, but he wouldn’t. So, I anticipated the worst news. However, once we were in the office, he looked at me dumbfounded and said despite the prior test results, it appeared I have miraculously recovered. However, he said there were lingering abnormal cells in my blood, and that he wants me to come back for a follow-up appointment in three months. Before I left, he assured me I was no longer a high-risk patient, and he urged me to live my life normally.”
“That’s fabulous news, Leah. I’m so happy for you,” Skylar said and sat on the seat opposite the woman.
Liam’s eyes wandered to his wife and lingered. Her skin coloring was great, and she had a lot of energy, but he couldn’t help but worry if that could change in an instant, just like his mom’s prognosis.
“Well, things get even more interesting. Farah, would you like to take over?” Leah asked the witch.
Farah cleared her throat. “When I heard the doctor relay this information to Leah, the gears in my brain started turning. I suppose it’s possible, but recoveries like this don’t ever happen. At any rate, after we arrived home, I asked if I could perform a spell on her. After Leah gave me permission, I cast the spell on her.”
“What did you find?” Skylar asked, grabbing an orange from the bowl in front of her.
“That’s the interesting part. There are residual traces of magic woven throughout Leah’s body. At first, I didn’t detect anything, but I probed a little deeper and discovered minute traces. Although, they were dissipating.”
“Magic? Like what kind of magic?” Liam stiffened and gazed at Farah.
“For the magic to settle as deeply as it had, it was a high-level spell. It would have taken a powerful witch or perhaps witches to perform this type of magic. That piqued my curiosity, and I delved deeper, hoping to trace the magic. The interesting thing is, I discovered the magic was from my coven that we destroyed. When magic is used, it leaves a signature—almost like DNA or fingerprints.”
“Everyone from your coven is dead but you, is that why the magic has dissolved?” Liam asked, pulling out the barstool and sitting beside his mom.
“Yes, I suspect so, and after I learned my coven was responsible, I asked Leah if she had had any interactions with witches before.”
“Which I had no contact with any witches before Farah and Hayley showed up in the clearing…or so I thought.”
Liam cocked his head. “What do you mean?”
“Well, after Farah cast the probing spell on me, I went upstairs for a nap. As I stared at the ceiling and tried to sleep, memories of the last several months were running through my head. I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember having any interaction with a witch. As I began to fall asleep, I shot up from bed when a strange memory flooded my mind. Many, many years ago your dad randomly suggested we get a housekeeper.”
“Really? That does not sound like dad.”
“Exactly. However, he pushed the issue until I finally relented and met with an applicant. When she arrived at the cabin a few days later, I admit, I liked her. She was young, full of energy, and a real sweetheart. We spent the better part of an hour chatting in the living room. She excused herself to use the restroom, and while she was in the bathroom, I seriously contemplated hiring her. When she came back, she had a cup of coffee and said your dad asked her to bring it to me. It surprised me at first because I didn’t realize he was home, however, I took the mug. We continued chatting while I sipped my drink. When I finished, she offered to take it back to the kitchen, and afterward, she abruptly left. Now that I remember it, it was within two weeks after her visit when I began to experience my first symptoms before I was diagnosed.”
Liam slammed his fists on the granite countertop and stood, causing his stool to topple back onto the travertine tile. “Why would dad do that to you? It doesn’t make sense.” He paced the room. “What did he have to gain
from you being sick and dying?”
“Liam, relax.” Skylar rounded the island and stopped in front of him, placing her hands on his chest and forcing him to stop. “Farah? Leah? Do either of you have any idea why he’d do something like this?”
Liam caught his mom’s eyes and his nostrils flared. “No need to answer that. I know why he did it. This was his way of luring me back and making sure I’d take the position of alpha. If the bastard wasn’t dead, I’d kill him.” Liam’s wolf howled and scratched to surface, but he still had enough control to keep his beast at bay.
“Your dad was a cruel and cunning man,” Leah agreed.
“Why was it so important to him that I take over?”
“Despite your father’s bad temper, he was devoted to his pack and he valued its traditions above all. You are the eldest son, and by rights, it’s your duty to take over the pack,” Leah said while she clasped her hands in front of her.
Whipping his head toward Farrah, he asked, “Is it possible for you to trace the magic to the caster?”
“It’s possible, but you shouldn’t expect any results, Liam. All the witches, except for me are dead.”
Liam nodded. “Please try.”
Farah pulled out a map of Boulder Junction and set it on the counter before she removed her necklace and held it above the phone. She then closed her eyes and chanted, “Invenire pythonissam.”
As she repeated the words, the necklace swung in circles as her hand held steady, unmoving. Liam moved his eyes between Farah and the necklace. He hoped this worked because he needed answers.
Without warning, Farah’s eyes opened and she focused on the rotating jewelry. “By the way the necklace moves, a witch involved in the spell lives. However, it will take some time to locate her. I’ll retire to my room and work on this. The minute I know something, I’ll let you know.” Farah grabbed the map and hurried to her quarters before any of them had a chance to say anything.
Liam stared after her. If a witch lived, he didn’t want his mother out of his sight. He wrapped his arm around Skylar and whispered in her ear. When she nodded, he focused on his mother. “Mom, will you move in with us until we figure out what’s going on and who’s involved?”
