Sawyer's Hope

by Shelby Lynn

  Shit—it looked like someone had called in the two men when she was shot.

  It was the gasp, which came from the two men, who got Mandy’s attention. Damn, it looked like they weren’t going to be any more help than the rest of these crazy guys, Mandy thought. If it wasn’t for the gurgling coming from baby Jasmine, she would have thought she was dreaming all this.

  It was in that moment she felt the whisper of thoughts other than her own. ‘My Mandy is special. You are wolf now like me,’ Jasmine whispered to her.

  “Jasmine sweetie, you are the special one,” Mandy told her as she watched the little girl waving her arms in excitement.

  Mandy didn’t understand what had happened to her. She needed a little quiet time to reach this other entity that was inside her body with her. Her mind was full of all kinds of questions, and all the guys seemed to want to do was stare.

  Haven was the first one to break the silence. He seemed to overcome by whatever had happened, as he came forward to stand by Mandy.

  “Mandy, please forgive our craziness. It’s just been overwhelming to find out you are a Seer. It has been a thing of Legend and reverence. We were raised to learn about the magic of a Seer in stories told by our mothers. As you have already seen, healing is just one of the many gifts you now wield. From what Johnny was telling me, you would have likely have died otherwise,” Haven told her.

  “Honestly, I had no idea. All I remember was passing out from the pain. Then waking up, and feeling so different.”

  “I called your friend Teddy on the way home. He will be here any moment. I thought you might need a close friend,” Garrett told her with a smile. She was looking so overwhelmed suddenly.

  Just then the doorbell rang, and only then did Mandy realize just how much better her senses were now. All of them magnified as she took them all in. The sight of tiny dirt particles floating in the air filled her vision. The harsh sound of the simple doorbell ringing could’ve easily gotten on her nerves if she let it. Best of all was the thought of the savory food that would overwhelm her taste buds. A juicy steak was really starting to sound good.

  Mandy was so deep in thought when her friend walked in the room that she almost missed his arrival. Although, her sense of smell told her something that her friend had not. It seemed her best friend had a few secrets of his own he was keeping to himself. Instead of getting mad at him, Mandy was happy she wouldn’t have to keep a huge part of her existence from him. It couldn’t have been easy for him not to tell her all these years.

  “Well, my friend. I didn’t expect this,” Teddy told his friend with a laugh.

  “Like I did—you smart ass. Now I want some explanations, and I have a feeling you may be the only one who can give them to me,” she told her friend. This man was an important part of her life, and she needed to know everything he was willing to share.

  “Are you still up for a dinner out?” Teddy asked. Before he’d gotten the question out, everyone in the room expressed their opinions about leaving the property. Most of them conveyed disapproval at leaving the Pack house because of the shooting. Keeping Mandy safe was top priority for all her friends, as well as her mate.

  “I want to go out. If this shooting wasn’t an accident, and the Demons are behind it, they need to know we are not so easily hurt. It is time they know we are all here to stay!” Mandy had never been more sure of anything in her life. She was meant to be a part of whatever was coming from the Demons.

  “Mandy, I will accompany you, but I won’t take part in your reunion with your friend unless you want me to. Since being shot, I know we haven’t gotten the time to talk, but you must know what I am to you now. It is my honor to accompany my mate and her friend,” Simon told her.

  “Thank you, Simon. I appreciate you giving Teddy and me the time to catch up. I want you there by my side though, to get to know my best friend as well. If you would like to join us…” Mandy told her handsome mate. She was blessed to have found such a strong and understanding mate. Mandy went upstairs and changed out of her soiled clothes before heading down to meet her mate and her best friend for their dinner date.

  The couple and Teddy left the Pack house and took in the world around them for any type of danger. Both of them alert to the slightest thing that would hurt this wonderful young woman. They decided to take Teddy’s car, and headed out to Lucas’s restaurant. They could get a private sitting area for this very important conversation to take place, along with some of the best food around.

  In less than ten minutes, they were pulling up in front of Simplicity. There were already people waiting on seats outside of the door. As they made their way up to the front door, Mandy was scared for moment. Her life had literally been ransacked in the last few hours. All she wanted was some reassurances that she was still the same.

  They were seated immediately in the family section that was always reserved for anyone with the Pack. They settled into their seats, after taking a few minutes to place their order before sitting back to relax a minute.

  Teddy was the first one to speak up. “Mandy, I want you to listen to what I have to say, and then you can ask all types of questions,” he told her.

  “Alright, Teddy…”

  Teddy decided it would be best to tell his friend about her father.

  Chapter TwentyFour

  Teddy could remember every detail as if it were yesterday…

  Lance had been his best friend since they were cubs. He had been adopted into the Pack at a very young age. When they both hit puberty and turned into their wolf counterparts, Lance also came into another power at this time. That very evening was the first of many visions. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anyone else in the tribe who would have believed the young men. Anything different was looked upon as wrong.

  He and Teddy did everything they could to prevent any of the tragic visions from happening. To the others, they just seemed lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. This worked until their Alpha, a mean brut of a man, started paying a little too close attention to Teddy. Since Lance was always together with him, Alpha Stan started to make both of their lives a living hell.

  Teddy had known from the time he was a teen he was destined to have a male mate. This didn’t bother his friend in the least. Lance had known he was gay before he had even known it himself. Nothing would change their friendship. Especially not something like who you were destined to love.

  Over the summer, the Alpha’s advances had become more violent in nature. To the Pack, he banished anyone who came forward with a gay mate. Many of the Pack disagreed with this decision. A mate was a sacred bond, and it shouldn’t have been treated as a punishment.

  It was also the summer when Lance met Mandy’s mom. He had a vision after their first night together from the Spirits. A Weir should have never been able to have children with anyone other than their True Mate.

  During this dream, Lance found out he not only had a daughter on the way from one night of passion, but he wouldn’t live long enough to see her born. This little girl would have a big part to play in the future. Lance needed to know his friend would watch over his little girl. It was a lot to ask of his friend. He knew Teddy would have to leave the Pack, and it wasn’t easy for a wolf to be Pack-less.

  Teddy didn’t want to believe his friend’s vision. It was insanity to him. He did agree in the end that if Lance truly was going to be a father, then he would watch over the little girl in his absence.

  It wasn't even two months later Lance found out he was going to be a father. He set up an agreement with the mother to send money every month if she agreed to have the baby.

  Teddy didn’t think she even saw Lance after that last meeting with the lawyer. It was only a week later that he died protecting him from their Alpha. The Alpha had caught Teddy unaware, and after Teddy refused his sexual advance, the Alpha told him he would submit or die. He was in the process of trying to tear off his clothes. While Teddy was trying to fight him off, Lance came in and attacked the
Alpha.

  The Alpha was too strong for Lance, and even after a shocked Teddy tried to help his friend, the Beta was the one who came upon the fight and ended up taking down the Alpha. Lance only lived long enough to explain what had happened. The Alpha had ripped out his throat in his insanity to kill him for daring to come between him and his obsession.

  Teddy finished up the story. There were tears in Mandy’s silver eyes, as he looked deep into their depths.

  “Thank you, Teddy, for giving up so much for me. Promise me you will now become a part of some Pack. I can’t help thinking we were never meant to walk this path without a strong Pack behind us. I never want to stand in the way of you finding your own mate and Pack to support you. I know Haven would be delighted for you to become a member of their Pack,” she told him.

  “You are like a daughter to me. Please know—I wouldn’t change a thing. It brought you into my life. Although my time was short with your father before his death—as my first best friend, and the father of an amazing woman—he will be forever remembered. Honestly, we didn’t know the things that would happen. My only regret was that ass of a stepfather you had. I would have killed the son of a bitch if I could have,” he told her.

  “I know—Teddy,” was all Mandy managed to get out before the dizzy feeling came back with a vengeance. It was as if she was once again in a long hallway. With each step she took toward the light at the end of the tunnel, the more determined she was to find out what the hell was going on. When she finally reached the end, there were three doors in front of here. She knew in that moment that each one was to a different future. What would happen if she opened the wrong door?

  From the sounds coming from each of the doors, it was apparent that her friends were in a heap of trouble. Mandy closed her eyes, and let her wolf take over completely for the very first time. She reached for the door, and opened it with a gasp coming from deep inside of her… So this was their future, Mandy thought.

  Dear Readers:

  Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to spend a little time in my world. I hope you enjoyed the third book in the Haven’s Wolves Series. The fourth book is Wolfe’s Sight. So stay tuned for Wolfe and Teddy’s story coming in early 2013.

  My next book coming out will be Forever Levi. It is the second book in the Forever in Your Arms, Vampire Series. It will be coming out in February 2013.

  Come by and check out my site, and daily blog. I post daily throughout the week.

  Website: www.shelbylynnauthor.com

  I would love to hear from you!

  Email: shelby@shelbylynnauthor.com

  Thank you,

  Shelby Lynn

  JK Publishing, Inc Website: www.jkpublishingbooks.com

  JK Publishing, Inc Bookstore: www.shop.jkpublishingbooks.com

  Books Available by Shelby Lynn

  Haven’s Wolves

  Garrett’s Home

  Book One

  Tyler’s Dream

  Book Two

  Haven’s Wolf Christmas Book Two ½

  Sawyer’s Hope

  Book Three

  Wolf’s Sight

  Book Four – Coming Soon

  Forever in Your Arms

  Held Tight

  Book One

  Forever Levi

  Book Two – Coming in February 2013

  Contact me at:

  Web site: www.shelbylynnauthor.com

  Email: Shelby@shelbylynnauthor.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/shelby.lynn.313924

  Excerpt from Forever Levi

  Forever In Your Arms - Book Two – Coming soon!

  by Shelby Lynn

  Prologue

  “Levi has been kidnapped!” Ramos shouted to Prince Braxton over the phone. “Our cars were attacked by a dozen Rebels. Everyone started fighting and I told Levi to stay close to me. Of course, he refused. When we were all fighting, I was still keeping an eye on him. I saw a man come up behind him, but I couldn’t warn him. He pulled out a needle and thrust it into his neck. Then he went down like a ton of bricks. I’ve never seen anything like it. Then all the five of the Pack attacked me. Shit, there was nothing I could do but howl for my Pack. Son of Bitch, I’m going to tear Trace apart when I get him in my hands,” Ramos swore!

  “Shit, have you fully mated yet, and formed a link?” Braxton asked.

  “No, he didn’t want to till he officially joined the Pack. I’ll call an emergency meeting, and we’ll come up with a way to find him. Can I count on you?” Ramos asked.

  “Of course we are! Now where are we meeting?” Braxton asked.

  “Touch of Italy in fifteen.”

  “You can count on us….”

  ***

  Levi thought back to the ambush they had just gone through. Someone had gotten the better of him. He had let someone sneak right up behind him. What kind of fighter am I? he thought back to everything as if it was happening all over again.

  Well, Shit—it looks like all HELL had broken loose around them, Levi thought. They were on the way back to Levi’s home, when out of nowhere several vehicles forced their vehicles off the road. It was well planned at an unavoidable place on the narrow road. They were the only two in Ramos’s truck. The SUV had the four usual guards.

  Unfortunately though, the six of them were no match for the thirty or so Rebel Dogs who attacked in human and animal form. Ramos insisted Levi stay by his side, and he really wanted to do what his mate asked of him. He wanted nothing more than to help keep his mate safe while he was by his side. It was an impossible thing to ask though, as they were both quickly overwhelmed. In a matter of moments, the Rebel Dogs had put a considerable distance between the two of them.

  Ramos was one hell of a fighter, but even as strong as he was, the sheer numbers of the enemy were stacked against him. Levi was holding his own against the two Rebel Dogs, fighting hand to hand wasn’t new to him. All this time he was keeping an eye on his mate as well. Maybe the look on his mate’s face should have warned him of the danger approaching, but it didn’t.

  Levi didn’t see the man sneak up behind him or the huge needle until it pierced his neck. The effect was instantaneous, and he knew nothing more.

  Until only moments ago when he awoke in this room, and his mate was nowhere in sight. What the hell had happened?

  Right now, though, he was playing possum, and his captor didn’t seem to be aware of his small advantage. Whatever. Shit—someone had given some lethal stuff to him with a needle, no less. He had gone down like a ton of bricks.

  Levi knew his mate was probably really pissed because he didn’t listen to him. He couldn’t just stand there and let his mate defend them. Levi jumped into the fighting, and quickly the Rebel Dogs managed to put distance between him and his mate. Then he felt pain in his neck, and the feeling of falling—then nothing.

  The next thing Levi knew he was waking up in this strange place. As he watched the man across the room, he wasn’t anyone Levi met before. He couldn’t move very much, he was strapped down on the table. Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered how strong the straps were though. Whatever the man gave him took away all of his Vampire strength. He was as helpless as a new born baby.

  For the first time he wished they had completed their bond instead of waiting until the Destiny Pack accepted him as the Alpha Prime’s Mate. Levi had truly only been thinking of the Pack members’ reactions to a Vampire Alpha Mate. It would be hard enough winning their respect without it being forced down their throats. Shit—they hadn’t figured on him being kidnapped either.

  Just what the FUCK was going on!

  “Well, well, my prisoner is finally awake. It’s great to know the new experiment I’ve been working on worked so well. Actually, better than even I dreamed it could! I just needed a guinea pig to try it out on, and you fell right into my lap. When I overheard the Rebels in the pub, talking about taking down some Vampires, I knew I couldn’t miss out on the chance. So I followed them.

  “Shit, I’m ju
st glad I went. I might have missed the chance to further my research,” he told the helpless Vampire with a laugh. He was getting close to fulfilling his promise.

  Levi did have an advantage it seemed. This crazy man didn’t seem to know he was Ramos’s fated mate. Levi just didn’t know what the man planned to do with him in the meantime. He was a little too eager to tryout his “creations” on Levi. He reminded him of one of those Mad Doctors on television, who was willing to do anything in the name of science and learning.

  Levi was a very smart man, but right at this moment, it wasn’t doing him the least bit of good. He was stuck with no means of escape. When he looked over at his captor again, the man was once again filling up a large needle with a yellowish fluid. He released the drug into his IV only moments later. It was up to his mate to find him, was his last thought.

  ***

  Steven watched the Vampire go back to sleep after the shot. When he had started on the formula to incapacitate a Vampire for his vengeance, he was determined more than anything to see if it could be done. So far he hadn’t taken the completed formula back to their Rebel Leader or “Boss,” as he liked to be called. Something was holding him back, and dammit, for the life of him, he didn’t know what it was. When he looked into the Boss’s eyes, he could see the instability lurking there. It was a look he knew well himself.

  It was a part of himself he didn’t always like. The difference between right and wrong seemed to blur at times. Only the hate he felt for Vampires filled his soul, and kept this feeling so right. Steven and the Rebel Leader did have something in common. They each lost family to the Vampires. Which led him to study medicine, and ultimately to where he was today.