The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  Kal was insane.

  “Now, now, Lowery,” Kal said, pacing back and forth across the length of Amara’s backyard, “no need to look so alarmed. I will not harm her.” That madness glinted again. “Yet.” The smile that crept across his lips, almost as if in slow motion, was filled with a cruel lunacy. His eyes glowed with it in the dark. He bared his teeth, showing what appeared to be elongated fangs. Had he figured out how to transform just parts of himself? Kal laughed low in his throat. “You should see your face, Lowery,” he sneered. “It is positively comical.”

  Nova felt the growl rumble from low in his throat. His fists clenched at his sides and his nails dug into the palms of his hands. Oh, how he hated that man. Kal Vann had been his nemesis for as long as he could remember. Even when they were kids, the two had never gotten along. Nova had always assumed Kal was jealous of himself and Nemoy. They were the sons of an Alpha, after all. When the Clans would meet at the annual Pack Summits, Kal was forced to submit to their higher standing. His father hadn’t been made the Alpha of the Valley Clan yet. Nova had suspected then that the required submission had led to Kal’s hatred of Nova’s family. A hatred that had built into almost an illness or an ailment over the years.

  Now, he was witnessing the results. And they were terrifying.

  Somehow, when Kal had attacked Amara and her friends ten years previously, his obsession had shifted to Amara and then to her family. It wouldn’t surprise Nova a bit if his own relationship with Amara had pushed Kal Vann over the edge.

  It did, however, scare the living shit out of him.

  Kal was unstable even at the best of times. If he had suffered some kind of psychotic break, there was no telling what he would do.

  “Kal,” he pleaded, holding out one hand. “Kal, please, just don’t…don’t hurt her. She didn’t do anything to you. She isn’t anything to you.”

  Kal raised one brow. “Isn’t she?” He glared at Nova. “You think you’re the only one who can enter into forbidden relationships with a human? You’re the only one exempt from Pack Law? You are not the only one who can make a Townsend fall for you, Lowery. I have completed that task, too. She is mine. And now you’re the one who is irrelevant.”

  Nova frowned. “How am I irrelevant?”

  Kal’s cruel laugh sent chills down Nova’s spine. “You are merely the brother of your Alpha. His wife is pregnant with his heir. You will never be Alpha. You will only ever be a Beta, always less. And always powerless to stop me.”

  Nova’s frown deepened. Though he had never really coveted that position within the Pack, it was true he would never be the leader if Ivanah’s and Nemoy’s child was a boy. And of course, even if it wasn’t, he highly doubted this would be the only child they would have. But they made an effort to keep Ivanah’s pregnancy a secret, very few people knew she was even pregnant.

  So how did Kal know?

  As if reading Nova’s thoughts, Kal laughed again. And then he placed his jaws around Sadie’s throat.

  Chapter 18

  Amara was frantic. Where was her sister? Had she gotten up and walked away by herself? Was she mixed up in the battle? How on Earth was Amara ever going to find her? And where the hell was Nova? Or Kal? Did either of them have anything to do with where Sadie was?

  She ran as quickly as she could around the din of the battle, her knife in her hand. Though her goal was to find her sister, she was ready for whatever came at her.

  Just then, Amara was knocked to the ground in the middle of the street. Her elbows scraped hard against the pavement. She could feel the sting of the blood against the ripped remains of the cloth. Her knife had slipped out of her hands during the fall. She was defenseless, with her back to her enemy, completely unprepared. She could all but feel the wolf’s hot, humid breath against the back of her neck.

  And then he was gone.

  Amara whipped around and stared into the dark eyes of a jet-black wolf, mere inches from her face. Completely out of character, he leaned in and swept his gigantic tongue against her cheek. Nemoy. Amara wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disgusted.

  “Nemoy,” she breathed, using the wolf’s back to help her up, “I can’t find Sadie or Nova. Have you seen them?”

  Nemoy looked over his shoulder at her house.

  “They went in there?”

  He nodded.

  “Okay. Let’s go.”

  She followed him up the steps and into her house, then waited while he sniffed around, checking the rooms. When he gave a low bark indicating the all clear, Amara let herself relax a little. “Nova keeps some clothes in my dresser if you want to change,” she told him. Then she waited until he reappeared, human once more.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked, coming over to her and examining her various scrapes and bruises. “Do we need to patch anything up before we keep looking?” She shook her head. “Good. My guess is they’re out back. But we’ve got to be quiet. From what I can hear, well, it doesn’t sound good.”

  Amara let Nemoy lead the way through the house to the back door. Easing it open, he put a finger to his lips to indicate she be silent. She didn’t need to be told twice, though how he expected her to calm her racing heart, she had no idea.

  Holding the door open, Nemoy let her out first, silently shutting the door behind him. She waited for him to pass in front, then they crept down the stairs as silently as they could.

  The scene in front of her made her blood run cold. Nova stood not far from them, frozen with his hands outstretched as if he were waiting to catch something. And it didn’t take her long to figure out what. She followed his gaze to the middle of the yard where Kal stood illuminated by her porch lights. In his arms, Sadie’s lifeless body hung limp as a noodle.

  Amara stared at Nemoy, her eyes begging for some indication that her little sister was still alive. His affirming nod was barely discernable in the dark, but it was enough. She was alive. At least, she was alive for now.

  She knew something of what it was like to be in Kal Vann’s clutches. Just a month ago, that had been her. Yes, she had been able to fight him off long enough that others could intervene, but she had been conscious. Sadie, on the other hand, was completely defenseless and unaware. There was nothing at all that she could do. She was at Kal’s mercy. And Amara knew from her own experiences, he had none.

  “You are merely the brother of your Alpha,” she heard Kal say to Nova. “His wife is pregnant with his heir. You will never be Alpha.” She saw Nova’s hands clench into fists, his entire body go taught. “You will only ever be a Beta,” Kal promised, still baiting him. “Always less. And always powerless to stop me.” With one last, cold laugh, Kal open his mouth and latched his teeth onto Sadie’s throat.

  “No!” Amara screamed from where she stood in the shadows. And then she lunged at Kal.

  Nova whipped around as the one sound he had hoped never to hear enter in their conversation echoed into the night. Amara’s scream of denial burned into his ears, and he had one thought blow through his mind: not her.

  She lunged forward at Kal, who only grinned around his victim’s flesh, blood dripping from his mouth. He was still in human form, but he was so practiced in the art of murder that he was no less deadly when he wasn’t a wolf. Kal licked his lips and laughed when Nemoy’s arms wrapped around Amara’s waist, pulling her back. She kicked and squirmed against Nemoy’s grasp, but he held her firm.

  Kal only laughed louder. “Why, if it isn’t the human! Tell me, Amara, are you here to rescue Prince Charming and the little Princess? Or are you just here to cheer me on as I kill them and finally finish what you and I started oh so many years ago?”

  “Burn in hell, Kal,” Amara growled, still struggling against Nemoy’s grip. “You’re nothing but a coward, and I promise you, you will pay for it.”

  Something in the word seemed to do the trick. Tossing Sadie’s body aside, Kal began to stride forward, but Nova didn’t let him get that far. The second Sadie was safely out of Kal’s grasp, Nova rushed
forward, his fingers elongating into claws as he lunged. He collided with Kal right as he made to attack Amara, and the momentum sent them both sprawling to the ground. They rolled through the dirt, punching, kicking, and biting at each other. Kal even went so far as to dig his own fingers into the wound on Nova’s hip, causing him to yelp in pain. But there was no way he was going to let Vann get to Amara. He would have to kill him first.

  Kal’s fist struck Nova hard in the temple, making his vision blur for a moment or two, but Nova didn’t let that stop him. As hard as he could, Nova drove one clenched fist into Kal’s stomach, while thrusting his other palm into his opponent’s nose. Blood gushed everywhere, red, hot, and sticky.

  Finally, their scuffle ended. Nova landed on top of Kal, his claws digging into his chest. Both of them were breathing hard, but only Kal had fear shining in his eyes.

  At that moment, Nova wanted nothing more than to rip out Kal’s throat, but his brother’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

  “Don’t,” Nemoy said, shaking his head warily. “This is a matter for the Council now. We will call a Clan Tribunal to decide his fate. Don’t be like them, Nova. We must follow the Law.”

  Nova hesitated for a moment, before sighing in defeat. As much as he hated to admit it, Nemoy was right. Perhaps they could use this opportunity to end the war between the Valley Clan. Had Nemoy not have been there, Nova would have destroyed Kal for all he’s done to Amara, her family, and Strathford. Who knows what the Valley Clan Alpha would do knowing his son had been killed.

  “That’s it?” Kal called out after him. “The great Mountain Clan Alpha is just going to, what? Let me live? Because of some law?” His laughter filled the air around them, and it was coated with a touch of insanity. “Please. You’re the Beta, Lowery, and you’re dating a human. This isn’t about the law. It’s about being weak! You’re both weak! You should kill me. If you don’t, I will come for you. I will seek revenge. My father will…”

  But before they found out what his father would do, Nova punched him again, this time leaving him splayed out over the grass on his back. He was out cold.

  Nova glanced over his shoulder at Amara. “You alright?” She nodded.

  “Is she…” Amara looked fearfully at her sister. “Is she alive?”

  “Yes, she’s alive. But just barely. You should go flag down the ambulance.” He could already hear the sirens. “I’m sure they’ll have their hands busy tonight, and she needs attention, quick.”

  “Okay. Nova?” They stared at one another. Amara swallowed what he knew were tears. “Thank you.”

  Chuckling, Nova just shrugged. “If I couldn’t protect your sister, you’d have killed me,” he said, pleased to see the grin spread across her face. She was alive. And for now, that was all that mattered. The rest of it could wait.

  Chapter 19

  Amara sat in the armchair in the corner of Sadie’s hospital room, listening to the steady beep of the machine. She’d lost a lot of blood, and suffered from a concussion, but luckily, Kal had managed to miss anything vital when he tore into Sadie’s throat.

  Amara couldn’t express how relieved she was. If it hadn’t been for Nova, she didn’t even want to think about what would have happened to her. What would have happened to them all?

  Suddenly, Sadie began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open and she fought to focus. Amara immediately leaned forward. “Hey, sleepy head,” she said softly, running her fingers through her sister’s hair. “Thanks for coming back to us.”

  Sadie’s lips curved in a small smile and she pushed herself up on her elbows. “Amara,” she gasped, her voice husky and raw, “you were right…about Kal.”

  “I know. Don’t worry about that now. It’s over.”

  But Sadie shook her head, as if searching for the right words. “Kal, he…and Nova. They were all wolves…but how?”

  Dread filled Amara’s heart. She knew. Sadie knew about the wolves. There was no way to keep it a secret anymore. “Grandfather’s stories were all true, Sadie. He wasn’t as crazy as we thought, after all. I really wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t.”

  Sadie looked as if she wanted to say something, but the drugs seemed to be impeding her rational thought. “At least now we’ll have matching scars,” she rasped, her eyes beginning to droop again.

  Amara laughed. “Yes, we will.”

  “Amara?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m sorry.” Though Sadie was out of it, Amara could feel the emotion in her voice. This must have been hard for her, she really did like Kal. If only the situations were different, Amara would have cheered her sister on. “Don’t ever let me date a psychopath again. Kidnap me next time, if you have to.”

  Grinning, Amara squeezed her sister’s hand as she drifted back off to sleep. “That’s a deal.”

  A few minutes later, the door to the room creaked open, and Nova walked in. Amara smiled and went to meet him, pressing her lips against his in a soft kiss. She looked down. “Oh, how sweet. Are those for Sadie?”

  “What?” He glanced at the roses he held in his hands. “Oh, no. For you. I found them on your porch again.”

  “Oh. Strange. I guess they weren’t from Kal after all.”

  Nova shook his head. “No. He’s back at the Compound under twenty-four hour guard. Nemoy hopes to use him as leverage to make peace with the Valley Clan.”

  “Do you think it will work?”

  “Honestly? I don’t know. We might be too far past the point of a treaty now. War might come either way.” Then he smiled, and she couldn’t help but wonder why on earth he was so happy. “But that’s not what we came here to talk to you about.”

  Her brow furrowed in confusion. “We?”

  Nemoy and Neveah stepped through the open door. Nemoy, she understood, but his mother’s presence surprised her.

  “Um, hi.” Amara didn’t know what else to say.

  Nemoy smiled. “We came to check on you. And,” his smile widened, “to offer our congratulations.”

  Amara looked from one of them to the other. “What?”

  Nova grinned. “We’re getting married. I mean, without breaking the Laws of the Pack.”

  Joy filled her. “We are?” Uncertain, she looked to Neveah, who to her surprise, was also smiling.

  “It seems I was wrong about you,” she said, taking Amara’s hand. “And when I’m wrong, I admit that I’m wrong. Welcome to the family, my dear.”

  After everything that had happened, Amara couldn’t hold back. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but they were happy tears. She let Nova wrap her up in his embrace. “We get to get married?” she asked, still thinking she must be dreaming.

  Beaming, he kissed her again and spun her around. “Can you believe it?” he asked, and their laughter filled the room. “Now we don’t have to run away.” Setting her down, he took a small box from his mother. Opening it, he revealed a beautiful diamond on a white gold band. “This ring has been passed down through my mother’s family. Now it’s yours.” He slipped it on her left ring finger.

  Amara gazed at it adoringly. “It’s everything I ever wanted.” She kissed him again, then stared at the ring over his shoulder, ready to start her new life.

  Mated to the Mountain Wolf

  Emilia Hartley

  Chapter 1

  “So, you’re really going to marry a wolf? As in, furry, down on all fours, howls at the moon, wolf?” Sadie asked, holding up the turquoise bridesmaid’s dress. In the chair, Amara chuckled and rolled her eyes. Her little sister definitely had a unique way of stating things.

  Sadie studied herself in the mirror, tucking one long, dark chunk of hair behind her ear. “So, what would that make you? In regards to the pack, I mean. You’re human, right? And they’re, like, shifters or whatever. It’s not like they’re real werewolves that just bite you and turn you into one of them.”

  Amara furrowed her brow and took a sip of her champagne. “Why are you worried about werewolves?”

  “Well, tha
t’s kind of what Nova is, isn’t it? A werewolf?”

  “No, he’s a shifter. They’re born, not bitten.”

  “But they’re still wolves, right?”

  “Well, yeah.” Amara cocked a brow. “But it’s not like they’re just running around causing havoc. Well, okay. The Valley Clan was, but that was really Kal’s fault. The Mountain Clan—Nova’s pack—has dedicated themselves to protecting their territory, which thankfully includes Strathford.”

  “And, since you’re one of Strathford’s finest now,” Sadie said, holding out her champagne flute for Amara to fill, “you have a direct in with the Police Chief and the Pack Alpha. Do you ever dress up in your uniform, and like, role play with Nova? Do you arrest him and tell him he’s a naughty boy?”

  Amara snorted into her drink. “No!” she replied, laughing. “God, Sadie, we’re in public.” But she couldn’t help thinking that maybe the uniform deal was a good idea.

  Sadie just waggled her eyebrows. “What? I would. He’s yummy. Now, are you going to try on that dress or what?”

  Still smirking to herself, Amara picked up the garment bag and hauled it into the dressing room. Hanging it up on the hook, she slowly unzipped the zipper. Amara’s wedding dress was nestled inside. It was floor-length and off-white, with a scalloped neckline and a beaded bodice. The skirt, she knew, would flow out around her hips in a full hoop of satin and chiffon, ending in a train that was three feet long.

  She couldn’t believe it. She was getting married. She never would have believed that Nova Lowery would be her soul mate, but here she was, trying on her dress for her final fitting. And she couldn’t wait to walk down that aisle.

  “Have they let you set a date yet?” Sadie called through the fitting room door.

  Amara sighed. “No, not yet.” And she wasn’t sure when they would. Every marriage of a Mountain Clan wolf must be approved by the Council, and then, per Pack Law, if either the bride or the groom was from another Clan, the couple must then complete a series of Trials. However, because the Trials were required to be public, the date for when they would begin had not yet been set.