by T. S. Joyce
Grim was happy. Ash could tell because she could feel it coming off him. That was a lot of joy if the body couldn’t even contain it and, oh, she breathed for Grim’s joy. He deserved the world after everything he’d been through.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, still hugging the small, silver-haired woman.
“I got a call from a man yesterday morning who told me he’d booked me a plane ticket to be here with my grandson for his first real Christmas.”
“Who?” Grim asked. “Who called you?”
“Oh, I think you know.”
Ash sure did. She would bet her wardrobe that Vyr had done this after hearing her wish the other night in the bar. Grim didn’t trust him, and he was right to be careful. Vyr was making strange decisions. But Ash had known him from childhood, and that wily dragon also had good in him. Like his father before him.
Vyr had done a kind thing and given Grim his grandma for the first Christmas outside of the Tarian Pride. His first Christmas as just himself, multi-monstered man, mate of Ash, Alpha of the Rogue Pride Crew. He wasn’t the enforcer for the Pride anymore. He wasn’t their killer. He wasn’t just the Reaper. Or the good lion. Or the man. He was everything. Anything he wanted to be, he would be. Ash would make sure of it.
Oh, it would be a long road for him to get where he wanted to get, but she would be there every step of the way. And so would Rose. So would Rogue Pride.
Grim wasn’t alone. Not anymore and never again.
As if he could feel the pride and emotion roiling through her, he pulled her in close and hugged her and his grandma up tight before releasing them.
“Rhett,” Grim said. “Get on the sled. Grandma is taking your ATV.”
“I call dibs on the spot right behind Juno,” he said, waggling his eyebrows as he jogged toward the sled.
It was chaos and pandemonium, everyone loading up and rearranging seats. Raider was climbing up in front of Kamp on his ATV, and Ash’s very best friends were piling on the sled in front of Rhett. Rose turned her quad on like a pro, and when Ash turned around, Grim was standing by theirs, his hand offered to help her on.
And he was still wearing her favorite smile.
Sometimes a good man could get caught in a bad cycle, but if he had the right people to prop him up when he was learning to stand again, he could become greater than anyone could ever imagine.
That was Grim. Her good man. Her mate whom, as of yesterday, was officially registered as hers. Her Alpha. Her bridge to this beautiful life.
This Christmas was very special because it was a marker for Grim’s improvement. A year from today, they would be doing this tradition, hunting the perfect tree, and Grim would have a moment like this, where he was looking at Ash with such deep emotion in his yellow eyes. And she would think back on the year and have such pride in how far he’d come. She knew it would be that way. His quality of life had turned around already because he’d accepted his throne here and let the people he cared about the most…in. No more being stuck on the outside for Grim.
This Christmas was special because Rogue Pride was all together, a complete Crew, building bonds that would last their entire lives.
Ash slid her hand into Grim’s and let him help her up. She sat behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle. He lifted her hand to his lips, kissed the base of her wrist, and then pressed her palm inside his open jacket against his steady heartbeat. “That’ll always be yours,” he murmured.
And she understood.
She, Ashlynn Kane, the girl who used to be confused by everything…understood.
Grim had given her his heart to keep safe for always.
As long as she lived, she would never forget this feeling of utter certainty, knowing this was just the beginning of their great big story.
This Christmas was special because it was the first of many to come.
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Want More of these Characters?
This series is a spinoff of Damon’s Universe, which includes several of T. S. Joyce’s connected series.
Sons of Beasts
Son of the Cursed Bear (Book 1)
Son of Kong (Book 2)
Son of the Dragon (Book 3)
More Series by T. S. Joyce
Red Havoc Panthers
Red Havoc Rogue (Book 1)
Red Havoc Rebel (Book 2)
Red Havoc Bad Cat (Book 3)
Red Havoc Guardian (Book 4)
Red Havoc Bad Bear (Book 5)
Harper’s Mountains
Bloodrunner Dragon (Book 1)
Bloodrunner Bear (Book 2)
Air Ryder (Book 3)
Novak Raven (Book 4)
Blackwing Dragon (Book 5)
Kane’s Mountains
Blackwing Defender (Book 1)
Blackwing Wolf (Book 2)
Blackwing Beast (Book 3)
Bears Fur Hire
Husband Fur Hire (Book 1)
Bear Fur Hire (Book 2)
Mate Fur Hire (Book 3)
Wolf Fur Hire (Book 4)
Dawson Fur Hire (Book 5)
Chance Fur Hire (Book 6)
Saw Bears
Lumberjack Werebear (Book 1)
Woodcutter Werebear (Book 2)
Timberman Werebear (Book 3)
Sawman Werebear (Book 4)
Axman Werebear (Book 5)
Woodsman Werebear (Book 6)
Lumberman Werebear (Book 7)
Fire Bears
Bear My Soul (Book 1)
Bear the Burn (Book 2)
Bear the Heat (Book 3)
Gray Back Bears
Gray Back Bad Bear (Book 1)
Gray Back Alpha Bear (Book 2)
Gray Back Ghost Bear (Book 3)
Gray Back Broken Bear (Book 4)
Lowlander Silverback (Book 5)
Last Immortal Dragon (Book 6)
Boarlander Bears
Boarlander Boss Bear (Book 1)
Boarlander Bash Bear (Book 2)
Boarlander Silverback (Book 3)
Boarlander Beast Boar (Book 4)
Boarlander Cursed Bear (Book 5)
Wolf Brides
Wolf Bride (Book 1)
Red Snow Bride (Book 2)
Dawson Bride (Book 3)
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About this Author
T.S. Joyce is devoted to bringing hot shifter romances to readers. Hungry alpha males are her calling card, and the wilder the men, the more she'll make them pour their hearts out. She lives in a tiny town, outside of a tiny city, and devotes her life to writing big stories. Foodie, bear whisperer, ninja, thief of tiny bottles of awesome smelling hotel shampoo, nap connoisseur, movie fanatic, and zombie slayer, and most of this bio is true.
Bear Shifters? Check
Smoldering Alpha Hotness? Double Check
Sexy Scenes? Fasten up your girdles, ladies and gents, it’s gonna to be a wild ride.
For more information about T. S. Joyce and her work, visit her website here.