by Jodi Vaughn
Her words humbled him. He swallowed back the emotion welling up in his throat. Now was not the time to be crying like a pussy.
Now was the time for strength.
“I love you.” He said.
“I love you, too.” She smiled.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Damon walked into the gym with Ava at his side. The Guardians who had been talking amongst themselves turned when he entered. The room went silent.
He walked to the front of the room and faced the Guardians.
“I have something I need to say.” Damon addressed the room.
“When I was first admitted to the Arkansas Guardians, I was a little shocked. After being kicked out of the Louisiana Guardians I didn’t think another state would take me. But Arkansas did. Barrett did.” His throat ached. He swallowed and continued.
“I was shocked when I found out Barrett left me as Pack Master. Even though I filled in for him only a few times, we never talked about who would be next in line. I never asked. I guess I just thought he would live forever.” A ghost of a smile crossed his lips.
“To be honest if I could relieve that night, I would change the outcome. And Barrett would be standing here giving everyone hell.”
A soft laugh erupted through the gym.
“I can’t change the outcome. But I can honor Barrett’s wishes in accepting the position as Pack Master.” He looked around the room.
“But before that decision is final I want to know how you all feel about that.”
“That’s not how it’s done, Damon. You don’t need anyone’s approval.” Zane said.
“I know. But I would like to know I have it all the same.” He lifted his chin. He knew in his heart that even if just one Guardian voted against him, he would step down.
“Does anyone have anything to say?” He scanned the room waiting for someone to denounce him as Pack Master.
“I have something to say.” Jaxon stepped forward.
Jaxon hadn’t shaved and he looked like he hadn’t slept in a week. Jaxon looked like Damon felt.
“I feel like I need to turn in my resignation. What Barrett did was for me. I don’t deserve to hold the title Guardian anymore.” Jaxon raked his fingers through his hair.
“So you’re going to quit. Just like that.” Damon curled his hands into fists. “Let me tell you something Jaxon. If you quit now, then Boudier wins. If you leave your brothers then everything Barrett did was for nothing.”
Jaxon’s head jerked up. “How can I live with what I’ve done?”
“What you’ve done is protected Ginny from an abusive father and husband. What’ you’ve done is taking her back when she’s pregnant with another male’s child. What you’ve done is show a willingness to die to save a female that you love. That’s not weakness. That’s unimaginable strength.” He narrowed his eyes. “And if you so much as think your ass is leaving the Guardians, I will beat you into submission. You got that?”
Braxton and Jayden snorted.
“I would listen to him, Jaxon. You don’t’ want to spar with Damon.” Lucien acknowledged.
“You are part of the Arkansas Guardians, Jaxon. We are a family. We stick together.” Damon stated.
Emotion flashed through Jaxon’s eyes and Damon knew he was touched by the outpouring of support.
Jaxon nodded. “Well then. I’ll stay on one condition.” He stared at Damon. “I’ll stay as long as you are my Pack Master.”
This time it was Damon who was having a hard time controlling his emotions.
He put his hands on his hips and looked at the ceiling in an attempt to gather his emotions.
When he looked back at all the Guardians, they’d stepped closer.
“I guess what we are saying is that we would all be honored to have you as our Pack Master.” Zane said. “Barrett knew what he was doing by choosing you.”
“Yes, please say you’ll do it.” Jayden scowled. “I’m tired of all these Mississippi Guardians in our state. It’s too crowded.”
Everyone laughed and the tension in the room drifted away like smoke.
Damon nodded. “As Pack Master of Arkansas I will do my best to protect our state and our Weres. I’m honored to have you all as my Guardians.”
A cheer went up around the room and each Guardian took turns to knell before Damon. Zane had retrieved the insignia ring from Barrett’s office and placed it on Damon’s hand.
“As your first official act as Pack master I have a request.” Jaxon asked.
“What is it, Jaxon?” Damon frowned.
“I want you to mate me to Ginny. Today.” Jaxon stated.
A smile crept across his face and he nodded. “I would be honored. But first catch me up on what’s going on in Louisiana.”
Lucien stepped forward. “They are holding Boudier for attempted murder against all the Pack Masters and Guardians. I’ve heard from Lorcan and he said they had to move him to Texas because of all the death threats against him.”
“Should have just put him in a room with all his Louisiana Guardians. I’m sure after this they would be more than willing to kill him and save us the time.”
“No doubt.” Lucien snorted. “I’m sure when the Tribunal is held it will be one hell of a show.”
“So who’s in charge of Louisiana? Now that Boudier has been relieved of his duties.” Damon asked.
“The Southern Pack Masters will be taking turns over seeing the state. Right now Jack Wellbourn is in charge and then after a month you’ll oversee it.” Zane offered.
“What about the Assassins? Are they staying in Louisana?”
“For now. I talked to Lorcan and he said the reason he’s stayed with Boudier for so long because he tried to get my parents out of the state before he left. He knew that Boudier would kill our parents.”
“So he wasn’t being disloyal to Barrett.” Damon nodded.
“No, he was trying to protect my mom. Now that Boudier is gone, he’ll stay until he figures out his next move.” Lucien shrugged.
“Good.” Damon nodded. “I need people I can trust. Like Lorcan. I need to talk to him and see if he has any idea where that Mississippi witch ran off to.”
“Damon, there’s something else.” Zane lowered his voice. “Ryker is missing. We think he’s trying to cope with everything that’s happened. Want me to go look for him?”
“No. Give him space. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”
“Jack Wellbourn wants to meet with you at your earliest convenience. Just to go over some things.” Braxton said.
“I’ll call him tomorrow.” He smiled a little. “But first I need to get Jaxon and Ginny mated.
* * *
Jaxon tightened his hold on Ginny as he stepped into his room at the Compound. The ceremony had been quick. Just as he liked it. He couldn’t wait another second to start his life with Ginny.
This time he wasn’t going to waste a second.
“I wish we had a place of our own. It feels weird carrying you across the threshold at the Guardian Compound.” He looked down at her.
“I don’t care where we spend our honeymoon. As long as we’re together.” Ginny pressed her lips to his. “Besides, I’m not sure we can afford to get anything right away. I never had any money of my own. Maybe we can find a deserted barn to live in.” She giggled.
He walked over and set her gently on the bed.
“Actually I was going to talk to you about that.” He walked over to the kitchen counter and picked up the envelope as he fought a smile.
He knelt beside the bed so he could be eye level with her.
“What’s that?” She eyed the envelope suspiciously.
He grinned. “Actually you do have money. A lot of it.”
“What are you talking about? I never had money. My father gave me a meager allowance and when I married John he controlled the money.”
His smile grew. “And when John was killed all of his wealth went straight to you.”
“What?” She ope
ned the envelope and stared at the words written by every member of the Council declaring her as beneficiary of John’s money.
“It has to be at least…”
“Eight million dollars. Not including property.” Jaxon said. “And that doesn’t include your father’s estate. Once he is found guilty, you will also inherit that. You are a very wealthy woman.”
“Oh my God.” Her mouth fell open.
“It’s yours to do with it as you wish.” Jaxon cocked his head. “Although as a Guardian I do make pretty good money so it’s not like we’re broke.”
“Really?”
“Yeah really good money. But I don’t’ like to brag.” Jaxon grinned.
“I never imagined that this would happen.” She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“What? That you would be filthy rich.”
“No. I don’t’ care about that. I already know what I want to do with the John’s money.” She lifted her chin. “I want to donate it to SKYLAR’S HOME. I want to make a difference in someone else’s life. I want to give the help that I couldn’t get.”
The love he felt for her expanded a thousand times until he thought his chest would explode.
“Ginny Taylor. You are the most perfect female I’d ever met. I don’t deserve you. But I’m going to make it my mission to show you how much I love you every single day.
“You better, Jaxon. Because this time I’m never letting go.”
The End
Excerpt from
Rise of the Arkansas Werewolves
Book 8
by Jodi Vaughn
Chapter One
Pain ricocheted through his body like lightening. But it was his chest that hurt like a mother fucker. He tried to pry open his eyes but it was impossible. He felt like he’d been stuck, suspended between consciousness and reality.
He tried to remember what had happened. But his mind was one black screen. He swallowed and winced at the pain in his throat.
It felt like someone had shoved shards of glass down his throat.
He tried to lift his arm but his body wouldn’t obey.
“You really shouldn’t be moving around like that.” A distinctive female voice whispered near his ear.
“Oh and it’s no use trying to talk. Because you can’t. Not yet.”
What the fuck? What did she sound so familiar? And why couldn’t he remember how he’d gotten in this situation.
“Looks like it’s going to be just me and you for a little while, wolf.” She said softly.
Her hand went between his legs and she palmed his dick.
“I have to say I’ve had my eye on your for a while. While you are recovering and in my care, we’ll get to know each other better.” She leaned down and licked his ear.
“Get away from him, Witch.”
Ryker. Thank God.
“I was just making him comfortable.” She groused.
“With your hand on his dick? I don’t think so.” Ryker growled.
“Well until we can leave, we are just going to have to learn to get along.” Ella said. “And if you play your cards right, maybe me and you can learn to play well together.”
“No fucking way. I don’t roll with psychopathic witches.” Ryker snorted. “And if I see you groping Barrett again I”ll cut your fucking hand off.”
“I’m a borderline personality!” Ella shrieked. “Not a psychopath.”
“Well whatever you are, you need to get that fucking cat under control. It clawed my leather jacket to shreds.” Ryker yelled.
“She’s just bored.” Ella said. “Besides I don’t control Nyx.”
The drone of arguing voices had him drifting off to a dreamless sleep.
About the Author
Photograph by Kim Boyd Vickery
Jodi Vaughn is an USA TODAY bestselling author and a National Readers Choice Award finalist for best paranormal. She is the author of the RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES series and writes paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance. Born and raised in Mississippi, her deep Southern roots and love of the paranormal led her to write Southern Paranormal novels. When she is not conversing with characters in her head, she can be found at her home in Northeast Arkansas with her handsome husband, brilliant son, a temperamental swan, and yellow lab that is fond of retrieving turtles when duck season is over. She has recently added a black lab to their family who will eat anything not nailed down.
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Other Books by Jodi Vaughn
RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES Series
Paranormal Romance
By the Light of the Moon (Book 1)
Beneath a Blood Lust Moon (Book 2)
Desires of a Full Moon (Book 3)
Darkside of the Moon (Book 4)
Shadows of a Wolf Moon (Book 5)
Secrets of a Silver Moon (Book 6)
Fall of a Blood Moon (Book 7)
VEILED SECRETS series
Veiled Secrets (Book 1)
KINDLE WORLDS BOOKS
Witch with an Attitude
(Magic and Mayhem Kindle World)
CLOVERTON Series
Contemporary Romance
Christmas in Cloverton (Short Story)
Lost Without You (Book 1)
Lost All Control (Book 2)
Cloverton Holiday Box Set
(Candy Corn Kisses and Candy Canes and Tractor Chains)
SOMEWHERE, TEXAS Series
Contemporary Romance
Saddle Up (Book 1)
Trouble in Texas (Book 2)
Bad Medicine (Book 3)