“We’re at war,” Edward began, and all other conversations stopped. “We’ve gradually brought in new members to our Pack to strengthen our own.” He took in those gathered around the table—Willow, Melanie, Josh, Hannah, Bay, Ellie, and then Lexi and Logan, who had been officially made Pack members the week before, along with Parker.
“We’ve been able to fight back against the Centrals, but we never strike first,” his father continued. “We’ve never been able to have the upper hand because we don’t use dark magic. We won’t stoop down to their level and risk the world and our souls to win the easy way. In doing so, we’ve let the Centrals come to us, and that decision has made us weak.”
Each of them growled but shut up when Edward raised a hand. “We’ve been weak because it’s been forced on us… but no longer. We’ve trained our fighters and enforcers. Our next move is to take the fight to them. Maddox and Ellie have started this. They’ve hurt Caym and Corbin to their cores, and they are weaker for it. We now know Corbin is afraid of North. Something we can use.”
Maddox held back a wince at that. He’d hidden that fact for so long to protect his brother and, in turn, had hidden a key to winning.
North nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “We can’t tempt fate, nor can we stop its course, but I’ll be ready.”
Maddox watched Lexi’s expression as North spoke. She looked like someone had struck her, yet she had hope in her eyes. He didn’t understand it, but he didn’t think it was for him to do so.
North and Cailin would accept their fates or fight them.
The Redwoods would win because they were stronger in their hearts than a demon with a motive that not one of them knew or understood.
Maddox wrapped his arm around Ellie’s shoulders. He had his future now. He had his peace.
The Centrals couldn’t take that away from him, no matter hard they tried—no matter how hard they had tried.
He kissed his mate’s temple and sighed. He was the Omega, the one to soothe and fight for the emotions of the Pack, but it had been the love of one woman who had shown him what it truly meant to be at peace.
Ellie was his savior, his peace, and soon the Redwoods would find their own as a fighting force to be reckoned with.
Epilogue
Corbin winced as he looked in the mirror. Hell, he looked like shit. Damn fucking Omega had almost killed him. If it hadn’t been for his lover, Caym, he’d have died.
Now, Caym looked weak, even if he said he would gain energy again. As if he’d used some of his own reserve to save him. Warmth slid through his cold, dark heart. Well, didn’t that make him feel like he was loved?
Maddox had almost killed him and failed, but that didn’t mean the seer had been wrong. North would be after him, and he had a feeling Maddox wouldn’t be hiding the reason for his scar and lies for much longer.
He’d have to find a way to kill that twin soon.
He rubbed a hand over his chest.
He was also pretty sure he knew where she was, though she wouldn’t be where she was for long.
It was damned time he found her.
Her and her brat.
The Redwoods had the one woman he couldn’t keep, and they had his future.
He’d just have to make sure they didn’t keep her.
Corbin smiled in the mirror.
He had just the way to ensure his plan.
Coming Soon in the Redwood Pack World, Hidden Destiny, where North finds out what it means to be lost then found.
About the Author
Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.
Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is a bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.
www.carrieannryan.com
Also from this Author
Now Available:
Redwood Pack Series:
An Alpha’s Path
A Taste for a Mate
Trinity Bound
A Night Away
Enforcer’s Redemption
Blurred Expectations
Forgiveness
Shattered Emotions
Holiday, Montana Series:
Charmed Spirits
Santa’s Executive
Finding Abigail
Her Lucky Love
Dante’s Circle Series:
Dust of My Wings
Her Warriors’ Three Wishes
Coming Soon:
Redwood Pack
Hidden Destiny
Holiday, Montana Series:
Dreams of Ivory
Dante’s Circle:
An Unlucky Moon
Her Lucky Love
Have you tried Carrie Ann’s other series, Holiday, Montana?
Her Lucky Love is now available
Brayden Cooper has always been lucky. It's in his blood and in the coin that he has hanging on a leather tie around his neck. He has everything in the world he could ever want: money, a job, brothers he loves, and the luck that comes with his powers. Yet he's empty. Everyone but him knows he loves Allison, yet it's going to take something stronger than luck to bring them together.
Allison Malone is exhausted. After the death of her abusive husband, her hell of a marriage is finally over and now she's alone with her three children that are the center of her world. Long hours at work, plus mommy duty at home are taking its toll on her and that's not the worst of it. Her late husband's family is in town and they want her children.
The outsiders have secrets of their own and it's going to take all of the Coopers, especially Brayden's, help to save them. When trouble attacks, Allison will have to remember that she's also a woman who needs love, and Brayden might be the one to give that to her.
Warning: Contains one sexy mechanic with a lucky streak, a waitress who needs to give into her temptations, and a love so fierce it's bound to set the sheets on fire. Again.
www.carrieannryan.com
Her Warriors’ Three Wishes
Have you tried Carrie Ann’s other series, Dante’s Circle?
Her Warriors’ Three Wishes is now available
Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?
Ambrose Griffin is older than most, if not all, civilizations. As each year passes, he submerses himself into his training, only relaxing around his protégée and friend, Shade. After losing his wife and children in the last Angelic Wars, he guards his heart and has no desire to share it with another.
Bookkeeper and romance novel enthusiast, Jamie Bennett dreams of being swept off her feet by a white knight. However, her life is no romance book. Since meeting Ambrose—a sexy, delicious angel—she’s been twisted inside out and doesn’t know why. Things are happening that she can’t control and now her life is in danger.
Balin Drake is stuck in hell, literally. His life of refusing to take souls, even though it’s part of his demon nature, has caught up with him. He’s dying and now must search for his true half, but even a mating may not save him. When he meets the two people who could fill that part, he’ll need to fight for something he hasn’t felt in over a century—hope.
Warning: Contains a rigid angel who needs a certain sexy woman to help him unwind, a book keeper who finds herself the creamy center of the best cookie ever, and a demon who has a cer
tain taste for pressing them both against walls.
www.carrieannryan.com
Tales of the Were: Slade
By Bianca D’Arc
The fate of all shifters rests on Slade’s broad shoulders, but all he can think about is her.
Slade is a mystery. A warrior and spy who serves two masters - those in the human world and the Lords of the Were. They've sent him to Nevada to track a brutal murderer before the existence of all shifters is revealed to a world not ready to know.
Kate is a priestess serving the Goddess and the large community of shifters that have gathered around the Redstone Clan of werecougars. When their matriarch is murdered and the scene polluted by dark magic, she knows she must help the enigmatic man sent to track the killer.
Together, Slade and Kate uncover not one, but two, evil mages that they alone can neutralize. It's a tricky situation because Slade finds it hard to keep his hands off his sexy new partner, the cougars are out for blood, and the killers have an even more sinister plan in mind.
Can Kate somehow keep her hands to herself when the most attractive man she's ever met makes her want to throw caution to the wind? And can Slade do his job and save the situation when he's finally found a woman who can make him purr?
Come over to The D’Arc Side… WWW.BIANCADARC.COM
Table of Contents
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
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
Shattered Emotions (Redwood Pack) Page 20
