Winter Awakening
Page 1
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Winter Awakening
Copyright 2016 by TL Reeve
ISBN: 978-1-68361-134-9
Cover art by Fiona Jayde
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC
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www.decadentpublishing.com
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Winter Fairy Tale by TL Reeve
Black Hills Wolves Stories
Wolf’s Return
What a Wolf Wants
Black Hills Desperado
Wolf’s Song
Claiming His Mate
When Hell Freezes
Portrait of a Lone Wolf
Alpha in Disguise
A Wolf’s Promise
Reluctant Mate
Diamond Moon
Wolf on a Leash
Tempting the Wolf
Naming His Mate
A Wolf Awakens
The Wolf and the Butterfly
Infiltrating Her Pack
Omega’s Heart
Rebel’s Claw
Claiming the She-Wolf
Worth Fighting For
Dangerous
Uncaged
Promiscuous Wolf
Disquieted Souls
A Cougar Among Wolves
Long Road Home
A Mate’s Healing Touch
Another Chance
Broken Silence
A Wolf’s Contract
A Mate’s Redeeming Touch
A Cougar Among Wolves
Pleasure Me
Craving His Love
Jasmine Moon
Mating Dance
Amber’s Ace
Wedding Moon
Bringing Down Romeo
Salvaged Souls
A Wolf’s Deception
A Wolf’s Bargain
Private Wolf
Winter Solstice Run 2015
Wolf’s Holiday
Winter Magic
Winter Secrets
Winter Solstice Ménage
Wolf in Winter Clothing
Murder in Los Lobos
Scent of Murder
Scent of the Hunt
Scent of His Woman
Scent of Madness
Winter Solstice Run
Winter Fairy Tale
Stolen Kisses
Winter Awakening
Coming Soon
Virgin Infiltrator
His to Protect
The Wolf’s Choice
By TL Reeve
Saving Their Princess
The Bodyguard and the Dom
Their Secretary
Craving Cameo
All or Nothing
Omega’s Heart
Winter Magic
A Wolf’s Contract
Private Wolf
A Wolf’s Deception
A Wolf’s Bargain
Coming Soon
Bear Essentials
Oracle’s Vision (with Michele Ryan)
Crouching Lion, Hidden Human
Unrequited Mate
Winter Fairy Tale
Dear Reader,
I thought I would be writing you this to say I am almost finished writing for the Black Hills Wolves and how much fun I have had. You may laugh now. I am so excited for what is next in the coming year for my characters. This year will transform families and give a little bit of excitement to the hills.
And, it all starts with Sarah, Ero and Luc. Yay, finally the light and dark twins are getting their story told!
I hope you enjoy their tale.
As always, reviews are awesome and if you have any questions; email me. authortlreeve@hotmail.com
Until next time!
TL
Dedication
To my family and friends, thank you.
Winter Awakening
Sara Philips has come home after almost twelve years. Married to a man she planned on claiming as her own and telling about the babies she carried, she never got the chance. Now, the widowed mother of twin ten-year-old rambunctious boys, she has learned what true happiness is along with the gut wrenching pain of loss.
Ero and Luc Mathews, the dark and light twins, are waiting for the one. For the last year, women have come and gone from their life without that spark of recognition. When Sara steps into Los Lobos Café looking for a job, the punch to Ero’s gut, shocks him to his core. But he worries the connection won’t be there for his brother.
Love and Luc aren’t synonymous with each other. Where his brother is the ever optimist, he’s more incline to sit back and let everything play out. However, when he sees Sara in the convenience store, he can’t stop thinking about her. There’s something hidden within those amber-colored eyes of hers.
With the Solstice upon them, Gee enlists their help in a little scavenger hunt of sorts. They have ten days to find their item and present it to him on the night of the festivities.
Having to work together keeps them in close quarters and ignites a passion Sarah hasn’t felt since before her husband died. But, with two children and a nosey mother always asking questions, she doesn’t have time to consummate their budding mating. However, on the night of the solstice, both men will have what is rightfully theirs. The only question is, can her heart stand another chance at love?
Winter Awakening
Black Hills Wolves
Winter Solstice Run – Book 3
By
TL Reeve
Chapter One
“Good morning, beautiful.” Ero stepped into the shower behind Sarah and wrapped his arms around her. “Did you sleep well?” The hard length of his erection glided across the cleft of her ass, reminding her of the previous night’s activities.
Pleasantly sore and sated, she smiled. “I did.” She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. “How about you?”
“Better than I have in years.”
The curtain fluttered open once more, and Luc joined them. “I hope this is a group shower.” He splayed his palm against her stomach then nuzzled her neck and placed a kiss on the mark he’d left the night before. “I didn’t want to wash up on my own.”
Sarah sighed. What a way to start a new day. Heck, she didn’t even know how she got to this moment, but she never wanted it to end. “You don’t have to be alone.”
“We have an hour. Why don’t we enjoy ourselves?” Ero bent his head to capture her hardened nipple between his teeth.
She cried out, laying
her head on Luc’s chest while they played with her. Both men understood what she craved, and they took advantage of it. Where one licked and nibbled, the other touched and teased. They were everywhere at one time. Pleasure curled in her belly, tightening by the second until she felt out of control. Her skin prickled with awareness. The muscles of her thighs clenched in anticipation of what would come.
Her eyes fluttered shut as Ero cupped her cheek. “Hey, Mom! Uncle Jason’s making pancakes, get up!”
Her eyes shot open, surprised by what he said. “Huh?”
Luc spun her around. “Yeah, Mom, wake up!” Excitement lit his gaze, and a wide smile tugged at his mouth. “He’s even making bacon! Better hurry up or Sam’s going to eat it all.”
Sarah came awake with a start. Two sets of golden-brown eyes peered down at her.
“Uncle Jason, get the coffee ready. Mom’s up.” Charles, her younger twin son, hurried from the room.
Dylan stood by her side.
“Why aren’t you dressed for school?”
He hopped up onto the bed. “Snow day.”
“Really? Says who?” She narrowed her eyes. They’d only been home for a month or so and already there’d been a snow day called?
“Miss Adrie came by a little while ago and told Jason.” He hopped off the bed. “Better hurry. You know how Charles likes to eat.” He sauntered out of the room with as much swagger as a rambunctious ten-year-old boy could muster.
Pulling the covers over her head, she groaned, mortified by her dream and the fact her boys had walked in on her sexy reverie. Every night for the last two weeks, she’d had the same dream. And every morning, she woke up aching for two men who probably didn’t know she existed.
You can throw a pity party tomorrow. Today, you have to look for a job. She threw back the covers and sat up. She hadn’t necessarily been trying to get a job. In reality, she’d only been home for two months, give or take a few days. But, with Jason’s brewery down for the winter, the fall beer already stocked at The Den and Dottie’s, someone needed to make a little cash to see them through the cold months.
A knock came at the door.
“One second.” Sarah grabbed her robe off the knob at the foot of her bed then pulled it on. “Okay.”
Jason strolled into the room. “Good morning, your majesty.” Her brother presented her with a cup of piping-hot coffee. “Your pups are off from school for the day, and I am but your humble servant.” He bowed low and gave her a wicked grin.
Sarah laughed. “I’m going to mingle with the peasants today. Make sure my carriage looks appropriate for such a venture.”
Her brother stood and gave her a small salute. “Aye, aye, milady.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Where do you suggest I look for a job today?” She took a sip of coffee and sighed. The zip of caffeine rushed through her veins, waking her up a little bit more with each sip.
“Try the café.”
Her tummy flopped. “I don’t know.”
“Ero has had a sign in the window for a week now. Maybe it’s, you know, a sign.”
She snorted. “Punny. Maybe you’ve been playing in the hops and barley for too long.” She stood, coffee in hand, and made her way to the closet. “Besides, I’m sure he’s looking for one of the kids to help out. Not an adult.”
“You’re avoiding him…them, aren’t you?” He came to where she stood staring at her closet full of nothing. “You do understand watching your clothes won’t make an outfit appear. You have to shuffle stuff around. Be creative.”
The sound of shattering glass, followed by Charles’s yelp, kicked her into gear. “Stay where you are.”
“Sam did it,” Dylan shouted. “He wanted more of Charles’s bacon.”
“No more feeding the dog table scraps.” Bad enough Sam, their eight-year-old Portland, Maine shelter dog had the worst gas—more than her boys combined—he didn’t need bacon ammo, too. “He’ll have the toots for the rest of the day.”
Her boys dissolved into fits of giggles. “Toots.”
“Toots.”
She grabbed the dust pan and mini broom then set to work cleaning up the glass. “You’re going to stay with your uncle Jason today while I go try to find a job.”
Both boys fist pumped.
“It doesn’t mean you get to eat candy all day or sit around in your underwear either.”
“But, Mom, it’s our favorite pastime.” Her brother pouted, throwing himself onto the couch.
“Yeah, Mom.”
Sarah glanced down at Sam who quickly looked away, as if to say he wanted no part of their shenanigans. “You’re all going to be the death of me.”
“Aw, Mom, we’re not that bad,” Dylan whined.
Jason nodded emphatically. “Yeah, Mom, we’re not that bad.”
“I have to get ready.” She pointed to each boy in turn. “Be good today.”
“We will.” Charles smiled. “Hey, Mom, can we go see Grandma while you’re gone?”
“Yeah, can we, Mom?” Dylan folded his hands together, silently begging her.
She glanced at Jason who shrugged. “As long as you do what your uncle tells you and you don’t get underfoot.”
The boys high-fived each other.
After kissing both of her sons on the head, she walked back to her room to finish getting ready. She hadn’t been too sure if coming home would be the right decision after Jason’s initial email to Brienne.
She’d longed to return to Los Lobos many years ago but feared the wrath of her alpha, and for her pups. She didn’t hide her true nature from them. From the time they were born until the day they moved home, she explained what they could expect of their town and their new alpha, Drew. However, even she’d been surprised by what she saw when her brother pulled the king-cab truck and trailer carrying his brewery equipment into Los Lobos. The place, though worn and a little shabby, held a life, a vitality it hadn’t in many years.
Pops of color here and there gave the town a warm, inviting atmosphere while drawing focus to the new stores as well. Once they’d offloaded everything at their late aunt and uncle’s home, she and her brother came back to explore the new-and-improved town.
Her brother stood in her doorway. “You don’t have to look too hard. We’ll be fine through the winter. We have enough money.”
”For the basics, but Ethan’s military benefits aren’t enough if we have any unexpected expenses.”
Their romance had been a whirlwind kind of thing. She met Major Ethan Philips while he’d been on leave in Portland, Maine, and she couldn’t get enough of him. Within six months, they were married. Kids were a figurative subject, something she hadn’t considered exploring until she was home, with her pack. Of course, like the famous quote “Life happens while you’re busy making other plans,” her life did happen. Ethan and she had been married a year when he received his orders—an eight month tour of duty flying missions in Iraq. Should have been routine for him. He’d done it before, and really, eight months would be over before they knew it.
“I have my beer sales.” Her brother’s calm voice drew her back to the present. “It’ll all work out. You don’t have to take a job you’ll more than likely hate.”
Sarah scrubbed her face. Yeah, he’d worked day and night to accumulate beer sales. Even now, late at night, she often found him at the kitchen table, going over new formulas for the spring.
“Ethan wouldn’t want you unhappy either.” Jason gripped her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeezing. “He’d be proud of the decisions you’re making. He’d be proud of his sons.”
She worried about them, too. She understood the ramifications of getting pregnant with a human, but they’d been in love and she’d planned on telling him everything when he came home. However, Ethan never made it back. “I fear sometimes I made the worst decisions possible. I wonder if my selfishness brought me to this point. Maybe I should’ve stayed in the shadows like you did.”
She shrugged. “Well, we’re here now. Might as well make the most of it.”
“Which means?”
She grinned. “Which means finding a job.” She grabbed an outfit from her closet. “Time for a shower.”
Sarah stepped inside the convenience store and walked right up to the counter. Determination filled her. Today, she’d find a job. Even if it meant cleaning outhouses or taking out trash. She’d do it.
“Hello.” A kindly elder male greeted her. “Well, I’ll be…Sarah Blu.”
“Philips,” she corrected. “I got married…human.”
His brows rose. “Oh. Well, congratulations.”
She cleared her throat. “Is…is there any work I can do here? Like sweeping floors or cleaning or something?”
He frowned. “Where’s your husband? Shouldn’t he be taking care of this?”
The rumor mill must not have reached him. “He passed away.”
His frown deepened, and the scent of his sorrow overwhelmed her. She missed Ethan every day, but she’d come home to start over and begin a new chapter of her life and raise her boys as the wolves they’d become.
“I’m sorry. I should have taken care.”
“It’s okay. No harm, no foul.” She pasted on a smile. “So, about the job?”
“I wish I could help. But, with winter coming, we won’t be open as much. Come back this spring and maybe we’ll have something.”
Spring. Crap on a stick. “Thanks.” She turned to walk away. Third store down. A couple more to go.
“Welcome home.”
She glanced over her shoulder and gave a wave. “Yeah, sure.” She took another step and swore she ran right into a wall. Strong arms grabbed her, steadying her. “Sorry.”