Fighting Fate
A Redwood Pack Novel
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Fighting Fate
A Redwood Pack Novel
By: Carrie Ann Ryan
Published by Fated Desires Publishing, LLC.
© 2014 Carrie Ann Ryan
ISBN: 978-1-62322-114-0
Cover Art by Scott Carpenter
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All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.
Fighting Fate
With her blue-black hair and striking green eyes, Cailin Jamenson is the epitome of beauty and the exemplar of strength. She has fought the enforced boundaries of being the lone Jamenson daughter and Redwood Pack princess, but it is the potential future with the dark wolf in her path that threatens everything she thought she desired.
Logan Anderson’s own darkness provided the reasoning for his abandonment of his former Pack, the Talons. Now, newly accepted into the Redwood Pack, this jade-eyed wolf and all she represents could be his own undoing.
In this final installment of the Redwood Pack, unimaginable tragedy strikes, and the two wolves who have fought the longest for their independence now face the uncertainty of fate and the epic battle that could end the war… and their lives.
Dedication
To the fans of the Redwood Pack. It all started with a blind date with a werewolf…and look where we are.
Thank you.
Acknowledgements
I honestly have no idea how to start this. Fighting Fate is the final full book in the Redwood Pack series. Oh, there will be more novellas and a full set of eight novels in the same world with familiar characters, but Cailin is the last Jamenson to find her mate.
Each book took an army it seemed to finish and as the series progressed, as did my need for my writing friends, readers, support, and family. I couldn’t have done any of this without each and every one of you.
Thank you Lia for working with me on each book in little ways (and sometimes large ones). You’re by my side no matter what and I love you for it. Charity Hendry, you rock girl. You totally understood the Redwood Pack and jumped right in. Thank you for helping me work out that scene. Without you listening to my breakdown, I don’t know if I could have written it. To Devin, Saya, Lillie, Fatin, Scott, Donna, and Michelle, thank you for each of your hands in this series and helping me get Fighting Fate to where it is now. And to Rebecca Royce, thank you for asking me to write An Alpha’s Path so long ago. Who knew we’d end up here?
And to my readers, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I never thought I’d get to live this dream. I hope you enjoy Fighting Fate and the rest of the Redwoods, Talons, and other books I have to come.
You guys are amazing.
Redwood Pack Characters
With an ever growing list of characters in each book, I know that it might seem like there are too many to remember. Well don’t worry; here is a list so you don’t forget. Not all are seen in this exact book, but here are the ones you’ve met so far. As the series progresses, the list will as well.
Happy reading!
Adam Jamenson—Enforcer of the Redwood Pack, third son of the Alpha. Mate to Bay and father to Micah. Story told in Enforcer’s Redemption and Forgiveness.
Anna Jamenson—late mate of Adam.
Bay Jamenson—new member of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Adam and mother to Micah. Story told in Enforcer’s Redemption and Forgiveness.
Beth—member of the Redwood Pack. Aunt to Emily.
Brie Jamenson—daughter of Jasper and Willow.
Cailin Jamenson—Only daughter of Edward and Pat.
Camille—deceased former member of the Redwood Pack.
Caym—demon from Hell summoned by the Centrals. Lover of Corbin.
Charlotte Jamenson—half-sister of Ellie’s. Will be raised as a daughter by Ellie and Maddox.
Conner Jamenson—son of Josh, Reed and Hannah. Twin to Kaylee.
Corbin Reyes—new Alpha of the Central Pack. Lover of Caym.
Cyrus Ferns—deceased former unit teammate of Josh’s.
Donald—member of the Redwood Pack.
Edward Jamenson—Alpha of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Pat. Father to Kade, Jasper, Adam, Reed, Maddox, North and Cailin.
Ellie Jamenson—Daughter of the former Alpha of the Central Pack. Mate to Maddox and mother to Charlotte. Story told in Shattered Emotions.
Emily—young member of the Redwood Pack. Orphan and niece of Beth.
Emeline—elder of the Redwood Pack. Lost her mate in the first war with the Centrals.
Finn Jamenson—son of Kade and Melanie. Future Heir and Alpha of the Redwood Pack.
Franklin—deceased former member of the Redwood Pack. Camille’s lover.
Gina Jamenson—newly adopted daughter of Kade and Melanie. Her birth parents, Larissa and Neil were killed during an attack.
Hannah—Healer of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Josh and Reed. Mother of Conner and Kaylee. Story told in Trinity Bound and Blurred Expectations.
Hector Reyes—deceased former Alpha of the Central Pack. Father to Corbin, Ellie, Charlotte and Ellie’s twin.
Henry—Redwood Pack member and store owner for 60 years.
Isaac—deceased member of the Central Pack.
Jason—member of the Redwood Pack and one of the Alpha’s enforcers.
Jasper—Beta of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Willow and father of Brie. Story told in A Taste for a Mate and A Beta’s Haven.
Jim—hot dog vendor and one of Josh’s former friends.
Joseph Brentwood—deceased former Alpha of the Talon Pack.
Josh Jamenson—former human Navy Seal. A Finder and partial demon. Mated to Reed and Hannah. Father to Conner and Kaylee. Story told in Trinity Bound and Blurred Expectations.
Kade Jamenson—Heir and future Alpha of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Melanie. Father to Finn, Gina, and Mark. Story told in An Alpha’s Path and A Night Away.
Kaylee Jamenson—daughter of Josh, Reed and Hannah. Twin to Conner.
Larissa—deceased member of the Redwood Pack. Witch and friend to Melanie. Mate to Neil and mother of Gina and Mark.
Lexi Jamenson—former Talon Pack member and new Redwood Pack member. Mother to Parker and sister to Logan. Mate to North. Story told in Hidden Destiny.
Logan Anderson—former Talon Pack member and new Redwood Pack member. Uncle to Parker and brother to Lexi.
Maddox Jamenson—Omega of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Ellie and father to Charlotte. Story told in Shattered Emotions.
Mark Jamenson—newly adopted son of Kade and Melanie. Her birth parents, Larissa and Neil were killed during an attack.
Melanie Jamenson—former human chemist and mate to Kade. Mother to Finn, Gina and Mark. Story told in An Alpha’s Path and A Night Away.
Meryl—Redwood Pack Elder.
Micah Jamenson—son of Adam and Bay.
Mrs. Carnoski—elderly customer of Josh’s when he was human.
Neil—deceased member of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Larissa and father of Gina and Mark.
Noah—member of the Redwood Pack and former lover of Cailin’s.
North Jamenson—doctor in the Redwood Pack,
son of the Alpha. Mate to Lexi. Story told in Hidden Destiny.
Parker Jamenson—new member of the Redwood Pack and son of Lexi’s.
Patricia (Pat) Jamenson—mate of the Alpha, Alpha female, and mother to Kade, Jasper, Adam, Reed, Maddox, North, and Cailin.
Patrick—disgruntled member of The Redwood Pack.
Reed Jamenson—artist and son of the Alpha of the Redwood Pack. Mate to Josh and Hannah. Story told in Trinity Bound and Blurred Expectations.
Reggie—deceased former member of the Central Pack.
Samuel—deceased former member of the Central Pack.
Willow Jamenson—former human baker and now mate to Jasper. Mother to Brie. Story told in A Taste for a Mate and A Beta’s Haven.
Prologue
Death came in many forms, but in the end, the lack of breath, the lack of existence was all Caym craved.
Sometimes waiting was the only way to ensure the success of a well-laid plan. Sometimes death was the only way to give rebirth. The act itself would take a piece of him so far away, break it into so many pieces he'd never recover it. That didn't matter though.
No, only the blood and deaths of those who would soon fall mattered.
He fingered the line of text on the yellowed page of the book that lay in front of him and grinned. Yes, the Centrals had been on the right track, but they hadn’t had his vision. Hadn’t had his promise. They’d used this spell before, and now he knew how to make it his own.
It would come as a clash of Titans.
Caym would rejoice and win.
And, in his victory, Caym would be benevolent.
He would grant the mercy of death to the defeated.
He was a demon, after all.
Chapter One
The couple looked so in love, so at peace, that Cailin Jamenson thought she might break out in hives or a cold shiver at the thought of them. Her palms itched, and a line of sweat trailed down her back. She licked her lips, trying to keep her mind off of the rabbit hole of heartache her thoughts would eventually find. It wasn’t that she was upset her brother North had finally found his mate, Lexi. Just like it wasn’t that she was sad that the rest of her brothers had found their mates as well.
No, it was something much worse.
She was jealous.
Like angry-green-monster, wolf-howling-rage jealous.
Jealous and refusing to do anything about it because once she did…well, once she did, everything she’d fought so hard for would have been for naught. It had taken years, but she finally felt like she was worth something more than the title—at least in her mind. Going down the path where her wolf begged to be led wouldn’t accomplish anything but pain and rapid denial.
The wind picked up, knocking a strand of hair out of place and she tucked it back behind her ear. She could hear the sounds of her Pack, her wolves, sniffing, murmuring, and paying attention to the ceremony. The noise mixed with the sounds of nature, the birds chirping and the leaves rustling in the breeze. None of that centered her though. No, she only knew of one way to do that. One way she wasn’t ready to face.
Her wolf might crave the dark wolf with rough edges who haunted her dreams, but that didn’t mean the woman inside would succumb.
She was stronger than that.
She was Cailin Jamenson.
Redwood Pack princess.
Lone daughter of the Jamenson clan.
Younger sister to six over-protective yet loving brothers.
Aunt to countless nieces and nephews.
The Beta’s assistant.
And lost.
So fucking lost.
She knew what the others saw when they looked at her, the raven-black hair, the light green eyes. So many others had told her she was one of the most beautiful people they’d ever seen. What a load of crap. Even if they weren’t just saying that because of who she was, she wouldn’t take it at face value. She’d seen true beauty in the selfless acts of her sisters and friends. They were the beautiful ones. Cailin usually responded to those who spoke only of her looks that they hadn’t seen that many people. Most didn’t see beyond the surface, beyond the blood in her veins.
Someone murmured something behind her, and she blinked, forcing her attention to what was going on in front of her rather than wallowing in the shames she should have buried. Shames that weren’t really shames at all, not in the grand scheme of things. She’d always tried to be so strong for others, and in turn, hadn’t treated those she now loved with the respect they deserved. She’d tried to fix that over time, but she wasn’t sure she was worth it. Others worried so much for her and her safety, she knew they weren’t taking care of themselves like they should. She needed to stop acting so self-centered, so hurt and broken when it was her own doing.
When her father, the Alpha of the Redwood Pack, put his hand on North’s shoulder then did the same to Lexi’s, solidifying their bond and mating in front of the Pack, Cailin sucked in a breath and pasted on a smile.
She was happy for them, she really was.
She hated herself for wanting what they had and what they were just beginning.
North cupped Lexi’s face, kissing her so softly it looked as if it was barely a whisper. Their gazes never left each other, though Cailin knew North couldn’t see Lexi. He’d been blinded in their last battle with the Centrals, but that didn’t stop him from living his life to the fullest. Cailin swallowed hard, burying her own pain. Her brother looked so in love, so whole after being alone for decades, hiding his own darkness until Lexi came along and found what Cailin and her family had missed.
North had needed his mate, his Lexi.
Had needed her more than anything in the world.
He needed their son, Parker, and the bonds that came with mating and fatherhood. Those grounded him and kept his wolf calm.
Cailin would never allow the love and connections to settle her.
She vowed she wouldn’t. At least, that’s what she’d told herself over and over, what she said to herself the moment she’d laid eyes on Lexi’s brother.
Her gaze met that of the other man at Lexi’s side, and she raised her chin. She wouldn’t have him. Couldn’t have him. She just needed to remind her wolf that.
Remind everyone who thought so much of her of that fact.
He gave her a small nod, and her wolf brushed against her skin, a soft caress. A plea for submission, dominance, mating, and everything in between.
Logan. Lexi’s brother.
Cailin’s potential mate.
No, she wouldn’t be mating with him. She’d lived her life with seven dominant men—not even counting the others in the Pack who’d watched her grow up—telling her what to do, how to act, how to behave. She’d vowed to herself long ago she wouldn’t be following the same routine for eternity tied to a man she felt was even stronger than her brothers.
Even darker than her brothers.
The wolf wouldn’t be able to stop himself from dominating her, and that wasn’t what she craved, what she needed in order to survive whole.
Logan narrowed his eyes, but Cailin didn’t miss the promise in his gaze. Promise of something far greater than the anticipation and trepidation she’d been burying deep inside since she’d met him. Damn it, she’d run out of time. She’d been dancing on the fine line of temptation and playing hide and seek for far too long when it came to the wolf standing across the aisle. The wolf wouldn’t wait for Cailin’s cue anymore. No, he’d take what he thought was his. What he thought the Pack and she herself wanted.
Cailin’s wolf, though she panted as well, sneered. Well, he’d just have to wait an eternity for that, wouldn’t he?
Cailin wasn’t some weak-kneed little girl. She’d fight for her freedom—just like she’d always done.
“Stop growling, little sister. You’re scaring the children.”
Cailin winced at her brother Maddox’s words and tried to smile again. It came out more like a grimace, but at least it was something. “Sorry,” she whispered. She’d le
t her emotions get the best of her and let others know what was going on inside her mind when she hadn’t wanted them to know too much. Not the best way to observe a mating ceremony while trying to remain stoic and happy at the same time.
Maddox put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Her wolf calmed down from the storm Cailin wasn’t even aware was brewing. She didn’t sigh or relax, even if her wolf was ready to bare her belly for her brother who seemed to know just how to make her feel loved and cared for. This was why wolves were such tactile creatures. The barest touch and her wolf felt cemented, loved.
Her brother bushed his lips over her temple. “The ceremony is over, Cai. You can go stand in a corner and hide from the big bad wolf if you’d like. No one would fault you.” Though his words were teasing, the meaning behind them held the hints of truth she wasn’t ready to face. And having her brother call her meekness out filled her with a rage she knew wasn’t fully on his shoulders.
He would bear the brunt of it anyway.
Cailin turned and faced him, her claws scraping along the insides of her fingertips at the taunt. She lifted her lip and bared a fang. Maddox only laughed, the scar on his face tightening as he did so. Her heart tugged at the sight. She despised that damn scar and all it represented. The now-dead Central Alpha, Corbin, had carved him up years go. The bastard had tortured her brother because of a prophecy that hadn’t even been about Maddox to begin with.
No, it had been about North.
The same North that had killed Corbin anyway.
The prophecy had been correct, and Corbin had scarred the wrong brother.
The fact that she couldn’t kill Corbin again enraged her and she had to push that familiar feeling back. No good would come from what-ifs.
Her brother bopped her on the nose, that smile on his face infectious. God, she loved this Maddox—the Maddox that smiled, laughed, and looked happy. His mate, Ellie, had done that, and Cailin would always be grateful.
Fighting Fate (Redwood Pack #7) Page 1