by P. Jameson
Magic frowned. The mark he’d seen on Ryan’s arm still hadn’t been explained, but if he was secretly mated, he had no business leaving.
“Everything okay?”
The big guy looked off into the darkness and sighed. “Fine, yeah. I just need to figure shit out I guess.”
“But you’re coming back?”
He stared at the ground. There was an infinitesimal shake of his head. “Sure. To visit and stuff. My baby sister’s here. And that chubby-cheeked nephew of mine. Not to mention the one on the way. Yeah, I’ll be back sometime.”
Magic’s throat got tight. “What the hell are you doing, man? What’s this about?”
Ryan let out a mirthful laugh. “I’m not getting any younger, you know? I want a family of my own, and I’m not going to find it here. I’m human. I don’t belong.”
“Fucking wrong about that. You aren’t the only human in this clan.”
“I’m the only male human. And that isn’t something we can change, is it. Now tell me again how I belong.”
Magic sighed, staring at the frown on Ryan’s face. Something was up, but if he didn’t want to air it out, how could Magic fix it?
“I wish you’d rethink this.”
Ryan nodded but didn’t add anymore.
“Yeah, okay. Go, if you need. But you always have a place here. Know that.”
“Yeah,” Ryan murmured. “I know.”
Magic turned back to the group, and decided it was time. Get the business out of the way so they could have fun.
He went to stand by the fire. “Alright, so it’s like this. The pact is fucked. I’m the third person to break it, and there’s a reason for that.” His gaze hit on each of his cats. “The pact as it was, took away all our choice. Made us slaves to our past, to tradition. To rules we had no part of and never wanted. Straying, as I’ve come to learn, is not an instinct for our cats. If you dig deep within yourselves, you’ll know this is true. It’s a choice. The wolves, their animals make it easy for them. They find their mate, they’re done for life. Our cats, by nature, don’t work like that. But that for damn sure doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of being faithful.”
His gaze found Josie, and she gave him a nod of encouragement.
“So, I propose a new pact…”
Magic looked at Renner, then to Eagan.
“If you choose to mate, make it forever.”
Only the crackling of the fire could be heard above the silence.
“If you stay in this clan and you mate, it’s a done fucking deal, you got me? You hurt your mate, you’re out. You stray, you’re out. I will take down anyone who fucks this up for our young. We’re talking about a better future here, and if you aren’t willing to help with that, then the Ouachitas isn’t the place for you.”
He swallowed hard, his heart in his throat. He needed his people, but this wasn’t something he could give up on. They had to be with him on this.
Clapping came from his left and he saw it was Mason. The cat nodded, looking as determined as Magic felt. “I’m in.”
More clapping, and one by one they each nodded their agreement. Until he got to Owyn. His friend stared into the fire, brushing his palms together in a nervous motion.
“You sure about this?” He eyed Magic from under the bill of his ball cap.
Doc cleared her throat and sipped her drink before staring at the ground.
Magic nodded. “This is the way we fix the past, Owyn. I’m sure. And I want you with me on this.”
Owyn kept rasping his hands together, clearly overcoming some internal struggle. He glanced at Doc, frowning hard enough to make shadows on his face.
It seemed like forever, but finally he nodded.
Magic breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright then. It’s settled. Ouachita has a new way of doing things.”
Sounds of agreement filled the circle around the fire, and Magic looked on. These were good people. He didn’t know what the future held for them and the lodge, but he knew it would be better than their past.
And that was the beauty of living. No matter where you came from or what you’d been through, there was always a chance for more. A sorry, a second chance at redemption, a change for the better. There was no limit as long as you kept breathing.
As long as you kept breathing.
He held out his hand to Josie and she fit her palm in his where it belonged.
“For Mandi,” she whispered, and he couldn’t love her more.
“For Mandi.”
******
For information on new releases, exclusive excerpts, and giveaways, sign up for P. Jameson’s Newsletter HERE. Or visit her website at www.pjamesonbooks.blogspot.com
Other books by P. Jameson
Ouachita Mountain Shifters
A Mate’s Wish (Holiday Prequel)
Deliciously Mated (Book 1)
Ouachita Mated (Book 2)
Dirt Track Dogs
Racing the Alpha (Book 1)
Racing the Beast (Book 2)
Racing Home (Book 3)
Racing Hard (Book 4)
Racing Destiny (Book 5)
Ozark Mountain Shifters
A Mate’s Denial (Book 1)
A Mate’s Sacrifice (Book 2)
A Mate’s Revenge (Book 3)
A Mate’s Submission (Book 4)
Sci-fi Fantasy Romance
Starwalker (Amazon)
About the Author
P. Jameson likes to spend her time daydreaming, and then rearranging those dreams into heartstring-pulling stories of trial and triumph. Paranormal is her jam, so you’re sure to find said stories full of hot alpha males of the supernatural variety. She lives next door to the great Ozark Mountains with her husband and kids, who provide her with plenty of writing fodder.
For more information about P. Jameson and future stories, visit www.pjamesonbooks.blogspot.com or find her on Facebook. To sign up for P. Jameson’s newsletter and receive updates on book releases go HEREor copy and paste the following link into your browser:eepurl.com/3s00L
