Don't Take Candy From Werewolves

Don't Take Candy from Werewolves Ashlynn Monroe Published by Silver Publishing Publisher of Erotic Romance ABOUT THE...

Author: Monroe Ashlynn

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Don't Take Candy from Werewolves Ashlynn Monroe

Published by Silver Publishing Publisher of Erotic Romance

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the South African Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated and is punishable by imprisonment and a fine." Cover Artist: Reese Dante Editor: Rie Langdon Don't Take Candy from Werewolves © 2011 Ashlynn Monroe ISBN # 9781920501839 Attention Readers: This book uses US English. All rights reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The Licensed Art Material is being used for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted in the Licensed Art Material, is a model.

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NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Reader, Thank you for your purchase of this title. The authors and staff of Silver Publishing hope you enjoy this read and that we will have a long and happy association together. Please remember that the only money authors make from writing comes from the sales of their books. If you like their work, spread the word and tell others about the books, but please refrain from sharing this book in any form. Authors depend on sales and sales only to support their families. If you see "free shares" offered or cut-rate sales on pirate sites of this title, you can report the offending entry to [email protected] Thank you for not pirating our titles. Lodewyk Deysel Publisher Silver Publishing http://www.spsilverpublishing.com

DEDICATION To the staff at Silver Publishing, you folks are amazing, thank you. I want to wish a Happy Halloween to all my readers. I appreciate you for reading me. You've enriched my life beyond measure. I love you for your support. I hope you enjoy reading my creation as much as I enjoyed creating it. **HUGS** Ashlynn

TRADEMARKS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Miller: MillerCoors, LLC. / SABMiller Band-Aid: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. Hershey: The Hershey Company

DON'T TAKE CANDY FROM WEREWOLVES "I really hate this time of year." Jenica Bradley blew the bangs out of her eyes. She needed another haircut. "Girlfriend, I don't know what you're getting your panties in a knot over. You might be a gypsy but at least you're human. Look at that tacky werewolf Mr Smyth has in the hardware store window. I should send my halfbrother over there and show the old codger what a real wolf man looks like. I might only be half werewolf, but it just really bothers me how my people are portrayed." "Naomi, geez. If you do that, you'll have every hunter in town looking to put a cap in Sloan's ass. He'd be on the endangered species list for sure. Besides, I'm not exactly human, you know that. You're not the only one with ugly stereotypes to ignore. My people have been called witches for centuries. Have you seen the Wicked Witch of the West? So far, none of my relatives are green, and I'm pretty sure the only warts belong to grouchy Aunt Myrtle." Naomi just smiled and shook her head; she was still staring out the natural-food store window in frustration. "If I had that long blond hair and those big blue eyes I wouldn't care what people called me. No one is ever going to mistake you for the Wicked Witch of the West, 1

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Jen. God, I hate being a brunette." "Natural hair dye, aisle six. I'm sure there's a bunch of colors left in inventory." Jenica laughed, remembering the last time Naomi dyed her hair. "Yeah, I'll be all set for Halloween, won't I? No way, puce is not my color. Mom freaks out anytime I bring in something with harsh chemicals so I can't do the real stuff. She also freaks out if I go to the salon and they use anything but all-natural animal-safe stuff. I love her, but she's a bit over the top in her goal for all-organic purity. I'll just remain a brunette. Someone has to do it." "You're beautiful and you know it." Naomi really was. She had some Native American in her background and her thick, dark hair and big cocoa eyes were amazing against her tan skin. Jenica's pale, freckled complexion left her feeling a bit envious. "Well, it's slow and our shift is almost over. Let's close ten minutes early. Do you want to go over to the Junie for a beer?" The Junie was the only bar in the small northern Minnesota town of Juniper Falls. It was the hippest unhip place to be. "That sounds great. As soon as we're finished with the day's receipts and have everything locked up, I'm so in.

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Mom will be pissed if I stay out too late, so just one beer, then I head home." "Your mom has been really weird since Malone came back to town. Is it true, really?" Naomi's question irritated her. Jenica tried not to think about her impending doom. "I hope not." She stared at the parody of a werewolf, standing mockingly in the window. If most of the people in town knew what she and her friend really were, they'd be completely freaked out. Yes, werewolves did indeed exist and she might be the only person who could keep the peace between the wolves and the humans. As the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter of the last of the Atlantian race, it was her duty to marry or mate— whatever—with the new alpha wolf. She hadn't seen Malone Luna since the summer she turned fourteen. She remembered catching a glimpse of him one day in town; he'd looked like a leader even in his teens. He was eighteen then, or so her sister had said. Kelsey, the sister closest to her age, had been out with her that day and whispered he was the one she was supposed to marry. She'd stared at the man with morbid curiosity. At fourteen years old, she'd already known her fate and the strange connection she shared with Malone. Even a decade later,

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she could feel the instantaneous awareness that had shot through her. Still a bit shy on the dating spectrum, she hadn't experienced such intensity before and it felt frightening. He had amazing green eyes and thick, dark brown hair. His body looked like sculpted perfection. He'd noticed her then. They'd made eye contact for a heart-stopping moment, and then he'd scowled at her, turning away. He acted as if she'd given him the finger or something. Strangely, it hurt her feelings. It wasn't as if she wanted to be sacrificed for the greater good, nor did she have much interest in becoming someone's wife or mate, but knowing the man disliked her on sight didn't make knowing he was her future spouse any easier. When he was gone, she'd put him out of her mind and lived her life as well as she could while trying to forget the whispers about her future. Things had been nice. She was content, life was good, and then last week he'd come back. At sixty years of age, his father was too old to be alpha and had stepped down. Malone was back, hotter than ever, and she was terrified. She'd seen him coming out of the hardware store the day he returned. He hadn't noticed her staring out the window at him. His face had lost its youthfulness, but it was now sexier in a way that defied description. He'd been

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super-sexy at eighteen, but now he was a god. Maybe he'd insist that the one hundred sixty-seven year truce be enough, and that modern wolves were tame and there was no need to worry about them killing the humans anymore. If she was lucky, he'd tell her people she was free and there'd be no more need to give up the seventh of the seventh again. Every generation had to make the sacrifice, but things eventually had to change, didn't they? She just hoped it would be before she became Mrs Dog Breath. The friendship she shared with Naomi raised eyebrows in both communities. Her mother allowed it. One Samhain, her aunt went off on the topic and asked her mother why she didn't end Jenica's association with a wolf. A sad, tired look had come over her mother's beloved face, and she'd turned to speak directly to Jenica. "Someday, those creatures will take you away and you'll be forced to live with them. The sacrifice endures brutality and cruelty. I tried not to have a seventh child. As much as I love you, I did everything I could not to get pregnant after Kelsey was born, but a year later I found out I was expecting you. You're my youngest and you hold a special place in my heart because of that, but I wish you'd never been born. Letting you go will be the hardest thing

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I'll ever have to do. Knowing you have a true friend among them will make it easier." The honesty of her mother's words terrified her. Her sisters had told her that the pack would take her off to their encampment deep in the forest, where she'd have to live with them. The enemy. She asked Naomi about it, but she didn't know much because her mother was human and her father was a wolf, so she was an outcast. Naomi's older half-brother Sloan was Naomi's only real connection to the wolves. Her mother owned the natural food store where they'd worked since they were in high school. Jenica didn't see any point of going to college or seeing the world. It would make her future that much harder if she knew what she was giving up, so she stayed. She suspected Naomi only stayed for her sake, and she loved her friend even more for it. She hoped someday Naomi would finally travel or go to college. After she became the 'sacrifice,' Jenica doubted very much she'd be allowed to do anything much with her life. She'd heard whispers about how violent and controlling the wolves were with their women. Even Sloan, the only full wolf she really knew well, scared her. When he didn't think she was paying attention, she could see the hate for her people in his eyes. She knew he respected her for being his

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sister's friend, but he'd never truly get over the old feud. If he couldn't do it, she doubted any of the rest of them would, either. They locked up the store and secured the day's monetary intake in the safe. Jenica threw the keys to her friend. Naomi caught them with a laugh. "Follow me this way to the beer," she shouted and Jenica walked behind her, chuckling, as Naomi skipped across the street. There wasn't much to do. The town's only movie theater had recently closed and unless you liked to hike or fish, the Junie was the only other thing to do. They walked in and the bartender, Frank, a guy they'd known since high school, immediately gave them each a bottle of Miller. Even in such a small community keeping track of everyone's favorites was impressive. They uttered a brief "thank you", setting the money and tip down on the bar before strolling over to the jukebox. It was a modern one, with an eclectic mp3 playlist, but because she was in a funk, nothing looked interesting. Naomi happily used her dollar up and chose three goofy, upbeat songs. She started to dance in a ridiculous way. Jenica giggled and felt her bad mood dissipate a bit. She took a long swallow of her beer. The door opened; she turned to see who was

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coming in. Gagging on her beer, Jenica choked for a moment in an undignified fashion. Naomi stopped and stared at her with concern. She pounded her on the back. It didn't help, and just drew extra attention to her embarrassment. "Are you okay?" "Malone Luna is here. Let's go." They both glared at the alpha pack leader. He returned their stares with equal amounts of curiosity and hostility. Without a word, Jenica chugged her beer down then grabbed Naomi's arm, pulling her towards the back door. They walked down the dark hallway, towards escape. A large man neither of them had ever seen before stood with his legs apart and his arms crossed over his chest, blocking the exit. Naomi hissed one word quietly. "Wolf." Jenica's heart sank. "Excuse me, sir, we need to go out the door." Jenica explained politely in a timid tone. She hoped his being there was nothing except coincidence. "No." It wasn't much of an explanation. Naomi stood toe to toe with the goliath, who took a long sniff at her then grimaced.

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"Half-blood, hanging with a witchy little gypsy. Disgusting. You should really think about what her kind did to us, girl." Why was he blocking the door? It was clear to Jenica that he didn't like them. Why keep them inside? Her ancestors hadn't done anything to wolves; all they'd done was protect the town. Naomi scowled at him. "Just get the hell out of the way, jerk." Obviously, his racial slur hadn't endeared him to Naomi. Even if her friend couldn't turn into a wolf, when her temper flared, her bark was as bad as her bite, no doubt about it. Sometimes Naomi's eyes even changed to a frightening yellow. Malone cleared his throat before he spoke. "It's okay, Jared. I don't think they knew we'd be here. She hasn't done anything to me, yet." It was clear to Jenica that Malone was trying to defuse the tense situation. Jared didn't look convinced, but stepped out of the way. "What do you think I want to do to you?" After Jenica blustered out the question, she blushed. Suddenly, Malone's large body was next to her. He'd moved with unnatural speed but she knew it was him and inhaled sharply. His body pinned her to the wall. His

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face was so close to hers she could feel his uneven breath against her cheek; it caused her hair to brush her neck, tickling her. His electric eyes were just as green as she remembered and she felt a spark of awareness. Nothing had ever affected her as this simple, soft touch did. She felt the heat of her flushed checks. Needles prickled her womb as that awareness blossomed into desire. She'd never felt such swift, real need before, and it frightened her. She didn't even know him, and yet a connection existed. She'd often wondered if she'd imagined the feelings she'd experienced years before as a teen. Now she realized they were a pale ghost compared to what she felt now, so near him she could smell his cologne. He was magnificent. Malone searched her face and his scowl seemed more confused than hateful. He moved one of his hands away from the wall and brushed her jaw line with the pad of his thumb. There was an unexpected tenderness in his touch and the sensation sent a shiver through her. She shuddered. He stepped back, shaking with a barely controlled violence and she let go of the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. For an insane moment she desperately wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. "I'm not foolish enough to let you put some kind of

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witch's curse on me. It's bad enough that I have to mate you." She felt like he'd just slapped her across the face. His words delivered a blow much more painful than any his hand could give to her. It made no sense to her that his words hurt, but all the same, they were a knife in her heart. "Then don't. I don't want you either. We live in modern times. There must be another way." He gave a short bark of laughter at her words and his hard eyes softened just a bit. "I wish it were that easy." Malone sounded sad. It was time to find out more details about the curse. No one in her family ever spoke of it, except to tell her that someday she'd be this man's mate. She hated how out-of-control her situation felt. He looked so handsome. If he were just a nice, normal human guy, she'd be delighted to find out she had to marry him. Unfortunately, he wasn't nice or normal, and when the words of union were said, he'd drag her into the woods. Whatever happened, she'd be under his control. Why didn't I ask for details about this mate stuff? Why have I ignored this pre-destined hocus-pocus, assuming it would never actually happen? I've been such an idiot. The thoughts made her shake, and something passed over his face. "Are you afraid of me?" His question was curious,

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and even a bit skeptical. "No." Her lie sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. "I won't hurt you, just as long as you keep the magic to yourself. We have to do this, but we don't have to like it." Why do I feel like he's punching me in the stomach every time he talks like that? I don't want to be his mate. I know I don't. It wasn't a good sign when she wasn't even sure. Being so close to him was muddling her thoughts. Naomi pushed Malone away, grabbed Jenica's arm, and hurried her out the door past Jared, who growled at them as they left. Jenica shook from the encounter. She rushed them down the street, away from Malone. "He seems to know more about this than I do." As she spoke the truth, the words brought physical pain to her heart. Why had she been so pig-headed about religion? Jenica had two weeks before Malone Luna came to claim her. "Let's go talk to my grandmother." Maybe there was a way to stop it. If anyone knew a way, it'd be Grams. They walked the three blocks to the ancient woman's little white house. The garden bloomed unnaturally. It was October, but summer flowers still grew in abundance.

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October thirty-first was to be the day of her sacrifice. She didn't even know what kind of ceremony they'd have, just that there was a ring of stones in the forest sacred to her people. She didn't practice the ancient magic, didn't want to be a part of learning what her grandmother taught her sisters. They didn't practice Wicca, or any religion you could go purchase a how-to book about. They were the guardians of the last of the Atlantian wisdom. That was why her people had been gypsies for so many centuries, roaming many lands looking for a home. She was just about to knock when her grandmother opened the door. "Come in, sweetheart, and bring your pet, too." Her grandmother hated Naomi. Her friend stuck out her tongue at the old woman's back, and Jenica fought back her urge to laugh. She hated the way most of her family treated Naomi. It wasn't as if she'd made a choice to be half-wolf, any more than Jenica had chosen to be the sacrificial gypsy. You were born to your people and that didn't make you good or bad. Your choices determined that. She wished Grams could see what a truly good person Naomi was. "I'm here because it's time I know more about what'll happen on the thirty-first. Honestly, I didn't believe it was real until Luna came back into town. Now I'm afraid

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and I want to know more." "You've always been the stubborn one. If you'd come to worship, you'd understand this, and accept it so much easier. I've told your mother how disappointed I am that she didn't insist you go, but she let you do as you pleased." Grams shook her head. "You are going to keep the town safe. Isn't that enough for you to know?" "No, Grams, it really isn't. I need to know what'll happen to me. Please, just tell me why this is necessary. There has to be something else we can do. For goodness' sake, this isn't the nineteenth century anymore." Her grandmother motioned for them to sit, and they did. She went to the kitchen and quickly returned with three cups of coffee. Jenica knew that meant it'd be a long story. "We traveled for so many years looking for a place where the crystals would work. I see you're not wearing yours, but that pendant isn't for show. It draws energy to it so you can communicate with the spirits and manipulate Earth energy. Some of us have more power than others. You've been naturally blessed child, and I've never understood how you can ignore it. Few places in the world are direct portals to the Gods. People who felt the power but didn't understand it already occupied most of these. We looked for a place where we could worship freely and

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without fear. We built a power ring, as our Atlantian ancestors once did, to worship there. The ring did what it should, enhance the power of the crystals, but it also magnified the portal and drew other beings, werewolves. They, too, felt how special Juniper Falls was. When they first stepped into the ring and realized what it could do for them, they killed to take it. They started a war with us." She paused and took a drink of her coffee. Jenica was literally on the edge of her seat. She'd never heard this story before. Naomi appeared entranced with the story as well. Grams set the cup down, then continued. "Humans unaware of the magic settled here too, because they felt the power even if they didn't understand it. A tug-of-war over the area began between our ancestors and the wolves, with the humans in the crossfire. Finally, a pact, the seventh of the seventh, stopped the violence and protected the town and our power. If you don't marry the current alpha, the protection will fade and the wolves will be able to kill in town if they so choose. Nothing will keep them from taking the circle. There are those wolves who foolishly think they can end the pact by killing the seventh daughter. All your death will do is cause the birth of another. As long as you don't refuse in the circle, nothing else will break the truce." "Why would they even want it? It's not as if they

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know what to do with the crystals or want to commune with our Gods. So I can actually say no, and then I won't have to mate with Malone?" Jenica raised her eyebrow and her grandmother shot her a very disapproving look. "If you refuse, many innocent people will die, including our people. Could you really live your life happily with that on your conscience? The circle has power for every being. If the werewolves stand in the circle, under the midday sun, they'd not be confined to the full moon anymore. They could turn anytime they wanted. There is a reason nature only gave them a few nights each month to shift. Can you imagine a world where werewolves could shift in the daylight? A time where werewolves roamed every single night and day, no longer controlled by the moon, killing without thought or remorse?" Naomi's eyes were wide. "I don't even like the sound of that. It would cause internal fighting; there'd be no way for any alpha to hold his power unless he stayed in shift, battling to hold his place, all the time. I can see why the original alpha gave in." "So if I don't do it, they could just walk right into the circle November first and wolf out?" "Yes. Our Gods allowed for the pact. As it stands, any wolf that walks into the circle dies. So do you

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understand why this isn't just some archaic tradition, but essential to protecting the natural order?" There was sympathy in the older woman's eyes. Jenica knew she wasn't the woman's favorite grandchild, but she could see she wasn't gleeful that the sacrifice had to happen. "So what will he do to me? Will he kill me? They don't treat half-wolves very well, so I doubt he'd want children." "He won't kill you. Wolves mate for life. Do you feel any kind of a connection to him, any attraction?" Jenica blushed. "He's handsome. Any girl would think he's appealing. I can't help it that I've got eyes." "Have you ever felt like you do about him when you've look at other men?" I'm going to die of embarrassment. "No, but he's uniquely handsome and it's not like I've seen much of the world. It's not my fault this town has a sexy guy shortage." "There are plenty of hot guys. You just never seem to notice them." Naomi threw the observation in, very unhelpfully. "That's good, my dear. You'll be his true mate. You've been fated for him, and he for you. He won't kill you. As for children, I'm sure he'll want some. You won't be human anymore: you'll be both wolf and Atlantian. You

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will change the moment you seal the pact with your blood on the stones. You won't change unless you choose to, but your children will be fully wolf. It's part of the pact. You'll retain your ability to ask the Gods for favors, but you won't be able to use your crystal and have the magic with you. You'll only be able to ask in the circle. The wolves think this is some kind of magic. What they don't understand is it's not us, it's our deities who give us the miracles. We're just the conduits. I'll be the one to do it. I'm sorry it will be me. I'll stand in the circle and invite young Luna to enter. It'll take courage for him to do it. I'll cut both your palms and place them against the blessed crystal. It once sat in a palace in the center of Atlantis. All the crystals we wear are a piece of it. You'll promise your protection of the wolves, and he'll promise his protection of our people and the humans. I'll say the words that will bring forth your transformation and then you'll leave with your husband… mate. You won't be able to live in town again." "Thanks, Grams. I'm glad I know. I just think there has to be another way. Malone Luna hates me." "If you're his mate, he doesn't hate you. Just as you feel trapped, so does he. Give it time." Grams' quirky wisdom didn't help ease the pain and worry nagging at Jenica's brain or the ache in her heart.

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Having a mate who hated her would really suck. She stood and kissed her grandmother's cheek. Naomi mumbled, "Thanks for the coffee." Grams just nodded, almost regally, and they went into the kitchen and set the cups in the sink on their way out. "I'd better get home. Do you want to come with me? It's lasagna night." Jenica hoped she'd come. It'd make the recent awkward silence at the dinner table more tolerable. "That sounds good, but I've eaten at your house three nights this week. My mother is getting annoyed. Tell your mom hi for me. And try not to worry. Just tell them all you know the truth now and you want them to stop treating you like you have a terminal disease." Naomi knew her so well. "Please, one more night. Tell your mom I'm dealing with family troubles. It's not really a lie. Pretty please." "Oh, all right, I'll tell mom you have man-trouble. She'll have lots of sympathy for you then. It's true, too." They didn't speak as they walked through town, to the last house, a big gray Victorian that was badly in need of a paint job. The inside was cluttered with the junk of multiple generations, but there was a sense of continuity about it Jenica found very comforting. Her eyes drank in the sight of the house she'd lived in all her life. Four of her

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sisters still lived at home, too. If she couldn't save herself, she knew she'd miss the house as much as the people inside. She really loved it here. "Where have you been?" Her mother's angry question made her pause in the doorway. "I went to see Grams, to get answers." "I was worried sick. There are wolves that would happily kill you to see if they couldn't derail the pact. You need to be home before dark." Jenica paused. Her mother had never spoken so plainly about it before. "Your grandmother called." She answered the unspoken question. Her mother was uncannily intuitive and it really bugged Jenica sometimes. Right now, it pissed her off completely. "Mom, I don't want to do this. He hates me. Why didn't you tell me the full truth before?" "When the Luna boy left town, I'd hoped he'd decide to never return to their private world. I'd hoped his dad wouldn't step down, at least not so soon. I'm sorry that I didn't prepare you, but you never believed in the Gods like your sisters. You're so much like your father was. I miss him. But we don't have a choice. If we lose the stones,

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we lose our power and they'd be unstoppable. A world where the wolves control their transformation is too terrifying to contemplate. I'm sorry. It has to be you." "Why does Malone hate me? A wolf caught Naomi and me off-guard and he sounded like they blame us for something. He said 'after what your kind did to us' or something like that. What did he mean?" "It's part of the pact. If they take a human life in the city limits, they'll immediately fall dead, even if it's an accident. I saw it happen. A truck hit a little boy who ran out into the street. The werewolf died right in the cab of the truck. Humans thought it was a heart attack, but we knew why he died. If they take a human mate, they can't bring them to the encampment, and they can't live with them in town. They can spend time in town, but they'll find no rest. I heard that a woman tried to live in the home of a wolf she loved, but she died from lack of sleep. Naomi can live there and if she mates with a wolf, she's safe because she's not fully human, but the pact keeps humans safe. It's not like the movies. Wolves can't bite a human and turn them into a wolf. They can never have true happiness with a human. You'll be an exception to that, because this will change you. You'll also never be able to enter town again. I assume that part of it is to ensure you stay with your mate. I'm sure

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your grandmother told you, but I've heard this will be excruciatingly painful for you every time the moon is full." "No, she didn't mention that little factoid. Thanks, Mom, I feel so much better." She could see that her mother heard her sarcasm perfectly. A stricken look passed over her mother's beloved face, sending regret through Jenica's heart. Then she remembered her mother had always known she was doomed and never bothered to prepare her. "It won't be a natural transformation for you, like it is with them. I have something for you." She motioned for Jenica and Naomi to follow her. They walked into the living room and her mother went to the bureau and took out a small wooden box. Inside was a book. It had a very old and worn tattered cover. Looking up at Jenica, her mother spoke with reverence in her voice. "This belonged to the first sacrifice, the original seventh of the seventh." Her hand shook slightly as she handed the box to Jenica. "Why haven't I seen this before?" "I didn't want you to have these words hanging over your head. I know you've heard the whispers of your sisters. There are fewer of us now than any other generation, but your sacrifice is just as important. There are many more wolves than there are of us. If we break the pact

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now, there's no hope of holding the circle. The Gods won't honor their protection without your sacrifice." It sounded to Jenica as if her mother totally accepted the fate she herself desperately wanted to avoid. "Better late than never, mom. If I find a way to stop this from happening I'll use it." Holding the book close to her chest, almost protectively, she grabbed Naomi's arm and pulled her towards the stairway. They rushed up to Jenica's room. It was really a large closet, but it had a door and she didn't have to share it. Her mother had been annoyed when she'd moved into the space, but gave in and allowed her to claim it. She'd painted the ceiling with glow-in-the-dark paint and several black lights and novelty lamps gave the room a fun, funky feeling. She used a long extension cord to provide the power. Her bed stood, made neatly, with her beloved homemade quilt, and novelty pillows piled at the head of the bed. As soon as Naomi opened her mouth, Jenica knew what she'd say, because she always said it. "It's so you in here." "Duh, you said that yesterday." Jenica rolled her eyes. She loved her friend, but she suspected Naomi only kept saying the same thing to irritate her. "I'll say it tomorrow, too." Snickering, Naomi

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picked up a big flower-shaped pillow and threw it at Jenica, who easily deflected the projectile. "Okay, time to get serious and save me from wolfing out." She sat down in a purple butterfly lounge chair. Naomi pulled up a blue beanbag and plopped down next to her. She looked up at her friend. "You know, worse things could happen. It's not as if they'll eat you alive. My mom really loved my dad. I think he loved her, too. She never understood why he wouldn't commit. I mean, because she was human, she didn't know about the curse. Heck, I only found out about it a couple of years ago when I had a heart-to-heart with Sloan after dad's funeral. I love you like a sister, but don't forget that the wolves tell the story differently." "I'm sure they do. No matter who's at fault, both tales have the same ending. I don't care who started this but it ends now. I just don't want to be a sacrifice." "Sloan respects Luna. You know he won't kill you. Maybe it won't be so bad. He's ridiculously hot. I sure as hell wouldn't kick him out of my bed for eating crackers." Naomi sounded wistful. "Are you lusting after my mate?" Disbelief filled Jenica's voice. Why the hell do I feel jealous? I don't want him. I just want to be free.

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Naomi smiled; Jenica didn't care for the knowing look on her friend's face. "Oh, so now he's your mate? What changed from ten seconds ago? All I know about it is I've seen enough magic to believe in the pact. I don't think that book, or anything else, is going to get you out of it." "You sound like my mom. You have to help me. I need someone on my side. After all the years we've been friends, how can you just tell me to accept being handed over for some stupid agreement made by people who died before my great-grandmother was even born? It's time to end this. It's the twenty-first century, there has to be a way. If you don't want to help me, just go home." Naomi looked hurt. Jenica regretted being so harsh with her dearest friend, but she was angry. No one seemed interested in the fact she was being forced into something terrible. Where was the family love and unity when she needed help most? If her friend or sisters had been the 'sacrifice' she'd have worked night and day to find them a way out. Naomi struggled out of the beanbag chair. Jenica bit her lip, refusing to apologize. "I'm going to go and give you time to think about what your mom said. Read your book. It might help give you some idea of what to expect." Kiss my ass. Nice—read your book. What kind of

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crap is that to say? Naomi left and Jenica felt more alone than ever before. Staring at the worn cover, she couldn't seem to make herself open it. What if there wasn't an answer inside? Taking a deep breath, she gritted her teeth and decided she had to know.

May1, 1885 Entry #1 Today is my birthday. I'm eighteen now. My name is Anna Smyth. I am a proud descendant of the people who built the fabled city of Atlantis. My ancestors roamed the Earth as gypsies. They lived in Rome, China, Russia, England, Africa, but they settled here generations ago, America, specifically Northern Minnesota. We are the guardians of an amazing power, given to us by our Gods. The crystal that hangs around my neck is useless now. I've won the war for my family, but lost the battle to save myself. My people are tired and we've lived here long enough that roots have grown. We've

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also grown to care for the powerless human beings who've lived beside us as friends and neighbors. The wolves can't kill in the city limits any longer, nor can they enter the circle. My life given for so many others. It's little comfort, but it's still something good to hold onto. I have to stay positive or I won't be able to go on. This journal was a gift from my sister Sara, smuggled in by one of my kinder captors. It's been eight months since I accepted my fate as a sacrifice. I thought I was brave, a hero. It's a lie. I'm round with child, due in July, and I'm terrified. My mate, I won't call him a husband, is much older than I am. He's a cruel man and I find myself fearful of the fate of my unborn child. I'm an outcast now. Once a month I must give into a terrible anguish and become a monster, full of rage and instinct. I can only remember bits and pieces during that time, but I'm sure I'm dangerous. I miss my mother and father, and I wish mother could be here for me now as I

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approach my own turn at motherhood. I'll have to hide this book and somehow get it back to my sisters. Someday another girl of my people will be here, in my place, God help her. It was worse than Jenica had thought. She skimmed the rest of the pages. Most of the entries were about the wolves' society and how the alpha kept his place as leader. They seemed organized but violent. Over a century had passed since the words had been freshly penned. Surely, things had changed. Another entry caught her eye and she paused, reading it twice. November 27, 1886 Entry #300 I was told by the woman who's the equivalent of a sister-in-law that my husband's favorite nephew tried to enter the stone circle this morning. He died. Wilhelm is angry and I fear what he'll do to me. He loved one of his own, a woman who was his true mate, before the pact forced this connection between him and me. My people

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are safe because of the distance it has put between the wolves and the town, but I am far from that sanctuary. He's been drinking a lot lately. That woman just took a mate. He hates me. He hits me. So far he's not raised his hand to our daughter, but I worry about her. He's not even interested in the child and I do all I can to shield her from his violence. She's one of them. I see no Atlantian in her. It breaks my heart. The boy who died in the circle killed my uncle to have his chance to stand there during the Midday sun. I'm so sad. Uncle Jonathan was a good man and he had a large family to support. I can only assume he was giving thanks for the harvest. It was a good year for my people. Wilhelm won't allow me to go to worship, or to take our child to the circle. I don't think she'd be safe there as every day I see more wolf in her. She turns during the full moon. She's so young. It started a few months ago, and I was terrified. Janie is a happy girl, and the wolves accept her, thank the Gods, but they

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don't consider me part of the pack. I fear I'll die a friendless outcast. Jenica skipped a few more pages that were about ceremonies, and wolf lifestyle. Some of it was disturbing, but most of it really just made them seem like regular people. Another entry caught her eye. August 3, 1898 Entry # 643 My son is dead. It's my fault and I'll never forgive myself. I've been teaching the children the way of my people. Sam took to it more than his sisters did. He turned ten yesterday and I gave him my crystal. He snuck away and made the half a day's journey to the circle. They found him dead in the circle, clutching the crystal. He must have gone to worship. His heart was pure and yet the Gods smote him because of what he was. I hate them all. I renounce them, as they have my children. Damn it all, he was a good boy. My need for him to be blessed and loved by the Gods killed him. I hope

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Wilhelm kills me for this so I don't have to suffer the pain. My daughters blame me; I could see it in their eyes. Death would be easier than this pain. There were a few more entries, but the book was almost full. The last entry left Jenica cold. She felt like Anna was a friend now. Seeing this last short bit brought tears to her eyes. August 21, 1898 Enter # 708 Bart has been a good friend. He's married to my mate's sister. He's far from an alpha, and has no desire to be one. Maybe that is why we've been kindred in our places of shame here. He's promised to bring this book back to Sara when he goes into town for supplies. I won't be here much longer; I can't take this heartache any longer. Wilhelm broke three of my ribs last night and I lay there hoping he'd finish me. I just want the future sacrifice to know I'm sorry, I don't have the strength to be here another

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day. My death will bring about the birth of the next and to that unborn child I give my apology. The burden is too great. I'm done now. It's another's turn. I'm sorry to say goodbye to this book as it's been my only friend on many a sad day. To Sara, I know you've read this. You were always my favorite sister. Don't mourn me; my death will be a joy now. Goodnight dear sister, smile for soon I'll be sleeping in peace. I spit on the Gods when they took my child, but now I regret that. I pray they allow me into the Crystal Palace of the afterlife. I've suffered enough that my death can't be any worse than my life has been. Hug mother and father, I believe they yet live. I wish someone had stopped me from accepting this. I pray the next will not be your daughter, sister, but if she is, take her and run. If the next alpha is like Wilhelm, she's better off dead than sacrificed. All My Love,

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Anna Jenica wiped the moisture out of her eyes. There was not a single word in the book that could help her, and she almost wished she hadn't read the woman's sad, terrible story. Granted, she understood what werewolf society had been like when Anna lived, but she wasn't much better off than she'd been before she'd been given the journal. The long-dead Anna didn't hold some secret key to her salvation. Her mother was right. The book only made it worse. Was Malone like Wilhelm? Jenica had power, but had never really learned how to harness it. Anna's words made it clear that she did know how to do it, and it hadn't saved her. She remembered Malone's gentle touch and couldn't imagine him hitting her hard enough to break bones. When his eyes had gazed into hers, they'd appeared lost, confused. He was as much a prisoner of this fate as she was. That thought brought the bright, glowing warmth of inspiration to Jenica. What if they worked together to end the pact, and still could find a way to keep the truce in place? Everyone would win. Malone wouldn't be in constant battle to hold his position as alpha, and she'd be free for the first time in her life.

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She'd spent so long just going with the flow and waiting. She'd never bothered to really make a plan for her future because, as much as she hadn't believed it would happen, deep down, she'd always known her fate was out of her control. Now she was scrambling, last-minute, to save herself. Maybe, if she was lucky, Malone felt the exact same way. Tucking the book under her mattress, she crawled off the bed and found her shoes and sweatshirt before creeping out of her room into the hallway. There was a big window at the end of the hall and a large, sturdy oak tree grew near it. She hadn't tried to use the escape route since high school, but she quietly opened the window and climbed out onto the tree. Twilight had turned from pink to gray. In less than thirty minutes, it would be completely dark. If she was lucky, Malone would still be at the Junie. Besides, after reading Anna's tragic story, she needed a drink. She also didn't want to deal with her mother or sisters. Her family was right, wolves would happily kill her, but they couldn't do it in town so she was safe as long as she didn't go out into the woods. By the time she reached the ground, many long forgotten muscles hurt. Rubbing her shoulder, she looked up at the two-story tree and shook her head. Getting back in

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probably wouldn't be as easy as she remembered, either. She walked through the darkening streets. The manicured lawns, bikes, and barking dogs were all just as normal as any other evening in Juniper Falls. She could see the glow from television sets as families sat down to enjoy primetime together. Most of the houses were from the nineteen-fifties, each identical to its neighbor. A few older ones, like her home, and a few brand-new ones, filled in the spaces between the cookie-cutter buildings. In a few weeks, she might not ever be able to walk this path again. The thought made her feel queasy. Shouldn't fate have made me happy to take one for the team and accept this thing? The noise from the Junie was comforting. With so many people, most of who knew her, she'd be safe. Luna and his cronies wouldn't be able to drag her off into the forest with so many people around, would they? Jenica rubbed her sweaty palms on her blue jeans. Her tight aqua blue t-shirt stretched over her average chest. Her crystal hung between her breasts, and she quickly tucked it inside her shirt to hide it. She didn't want him to feel threatened by magic she didn't plan on using. Jenica regretted wearing such casual clothing. Yes, he'd seen her in this outfit earlier, but now she wished she'd worn something a bit sexier. She was here to negotiate, not get laid, but just

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remembering his hot breath against her skin sent goose bumps racing up and down her arms. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open. Bright neon lights and a hubbub greeted her. Timidly, she stepped inside jerking her head to the right and left, but she didn't see Malone or the other wolf. The beer signs illuminated the room with pink and blue hues, but away from the jovial patrons next to the bar, there was a darkness towards the back. Frank shouted to her. "Welcome back." She returned his little wave, feeling as if she wanted to crawl into a hole. She wanted to find Malone and convince him they could be allies, but Frank may have derailed her plan. Earlier, Malone's friend assumed she was a threat. Would a few beers help, or was she walking into an even more dangerous situation? She really wished she'd brought Naomi with her, but she was here and it was too late to chicken out now. She wavered between hoping he'd left and wondering what she'd say to him when she found him. Suddenly, a big strong hand clamped down in a vise grip on her shoulder. "Why are you here?" It was Malone's voice. She swallowed, nervously. "Umm… I… I…"

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Think, damn it. This is your only chance. He turned her around. Those amazing emerald eyes glared down at her. Electricity ran up her arm where he touched her. She felt desire spike through her body. The deepest longing she'd ever experienced caught her off guard. "I need to talk to you." She wished her voice were louder, more confident. "Why?" His tone sounded skeptical and suspicious. I'm not the enemy, you are. Give me a break. His attitude pissed her off. Anger gave her courage. Courage made her reckless. "I don't want to be a sacrifice any more than you want a mate. If we work together, maybe we can find another way. We both know the pact needs to stay as it is, but why does it mean we have to be together? The Gods have to have left us some kind of loophole. Are you willing to trust me, at least enough to get us out of this mating stuff?" His eyes widened. A frown slowly began to replace the surprise. Shouldn't he be happy? He looked positively pissy. When he reached out and snared her arm in his iron grasp, she cried out. Frank and several patrons noticed.

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They were all glaring at him. "Come outside so we can talk without everyone in town listening." Malone spoke in a quiet voice, giving a husky quality to his words. Jenica looked around at all the curious faces and shrugged. It was too late to avoid the town's gossip, if that's what concerned him. "Fine, but I'm sure at least three of the good townsfolk aren't here tonight." He managed only a more irritated expression. She bit her lip to keep her smartass comment to herself. That didn't stop her from thinking it. Wow, I bet he stands in front of the mirror trying to perfect that look. Grr… look at me I'm a big scary alpha male werewolf… grr. Maybe if she let him know just what a pain in the ass she could be, he'd seem more excited about working with her to resolve the whole magical mating problem before she became his nagging wife. They stepped out into the chilly fall evening. She regretted wearing the thin sweatshirt. An Indian-summer heat wave was ending, and fall turned to winter overnight in northern Minnesota. Jenica shivered. Malone still scowled. "Are you cold?" "No," she lied.

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He grunted, she got the feeling he didn't believe her. "Don't you realize how dangerous it was to come here?" "Yes." She did. "I needed to talk to you. We have thirteen days before the thirty-first. Don't you want to try to find a way around the pact, but still keep the peace? There must be a way. You were gone a long time. Did you ever consider not coming back and just forgetting about being alpha?" "I'm my father's only son. If I weren't strong enough or willing to hold it, then there'd be fighting and turmoil in the pack. I know my place and my responsibility to my people. Could you honestly walk away from your responsibility?" She thought for a moment. "No." He was right, she could run away, but she wouldn't. Being that much of a coward wasn't her style. "Still, there has to be another option. If we work together, maybe we can find it." "Aren't you afraid I'm the big bad wolf?" Teasing laced the words, but under it, there was a darkness that belied the humor. If only he knew how often she'd been warned about his kind. It made her sad; somehow, she didn't think they were so different. He'd left, but his father's decision to step down from his position meant Malone had to step up, or his pack would suffer

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infighting. She'd never felt free to leave, knowing that her life belonged to her people and their Gods. If she were honest with herself, that resentment was why she'd pushed away her family's attempt to teach her anything more than the basics of their religion. She'd endured the whispers, always secretly afraid of her fate. This tall handsome man… creature, might be her damnation—or if he cooperated, he might just be her salvation. The thought left her with an odd mixture of feelings about him. "I won't fear you until you give me a reason. I hope you'll extend me the same courtesy." He looked at her with equal measures of doubt and respect. Well, it's a start. "Malone, we have an odd path to walk down together. If the pact is broken, you'll never be able to hold onto leadership, and my people will face eradication. You know as well as I that if the wolves can kill in town, every person of Atlantian descent will die. If you're under constant threat of challenge, not just a few nights a month, but every single night, how long until you die? How many of your kind will you kill before they finally kill you? You don't strike me as the kind of werewolf who'd like to watch humans die just because he can. Do you really want the pact to be broken?" He glared at her. She wondered if she'd said too much. "You assume I give a damn about humans. You've

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decided that I'm afraid of spilling the blood of traitors who challenge me. If I drag you into the woods, I can kill you. Did you think for one second with that pretty little head before you came rushing here tonight? Wolves kill and we don't get caught." Terror sent painful pins into her heart as adrenaline spiked through her body. Oh my Gods, he's going to kill me. If I survive, I'll never trust my gut instinct again. He stepped back just a bit, and shadows covered his face. She couldn't see his expression anymore. A low, terrifying growl emerged from where he stood and absolutely made her blood run cold. Geez, my mother was right about werewolves and I won't even get to live long enough to tell her. She took a cautious step back, afraid to run but more afraid to stay. Fear won the battle for what her body would do, and even though she hated her cowardice, Jenica ran. She ran with every ounce of strength she possessed. For one wonderful moment, she thought she'd be able to outrun him and make it home. Her mother had blessed the house. The only wolf that could enter was Naomi, and that was only because her mother had blessed her friend, making her part of the family. In the distance, she could see the lights on the top floor. Kelsey's bedroom light was on, meaning her sister was awake. If she'd only

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bothered to learn to harness the power of her crystal more accurately, she'd be able to send her sister a message. She was too out of practice to be able to do it as she ran, and risking her only chance of complete escape for a message wasn't something she was willing to do, so Jenica didn't stop. The moment of hope ended as she felt the impact of something large hitting her in the middle of her back. "Uff-da." She couldn't stop the exclamation from coming out of her mouth as she fell, scraping her palms on the gravel at the side of the road. She slid for a moment, and tried to push herself back up, but a heavy weight was on top of her. She fought for enough air to scream, and just as she started to recover, a large, warm hand clamped over her mouth. It was dark, and there were no windows on the Junie looking out to where she fought for her life. The few houses around the bar were dark. No one would see her or hear the scuffle. Tears of frustration leaked out of her eyes and for the first time since she was a very little girl, she was afraid of a monster in the darkness. Only this monster was real, and angry with her. She tried to struggle but Malone held her immobile. He was far stronger than she'd expected. She could sense the wolf inside him snarling and snapping to be free and

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end her. That power she'd ignored for so long sang through her blood, begging to be used, but she wasn't proficient enough to grasp it, due to her overwhelming terror. Her lackadaisical attitude and rebellion had killed her. Wouldn't Grams be so happy to know I'm getting what I deserve for turning my back on the old ways? She knew her grandmother would mourn her, as the whole family would. She wished she could apologize to them for what her death would do to the family. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He held her tightly and stood, dragging her through the woods. Every 20/20 episode about helpless women being murdered replayed in her head. She'd watched enough true crime shows on late night television to know this probably wouldn't end well. Berating herself wouldn't help her, and her eyes moved to the right and left looking for something, anything, to help her get away. She could see the dark outline of the woods and she knew he was taking her there, away from safety. Why did she ever think a werewolf would think like a logical human man? They were so close to the trees that she could smell the pine. Soft fall breezes ruffled the branches and a whirlwind of the crumbling, colorful leaves fell past them. His steps were loud as he crunched through the piles that accumulated near the tree line. Her struggles became even

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more erratic and earnest as she felt the sanctuary melt away. Nothing protected her anymore. She was at his mercy, and thus far, she had no reason to believe he'd have any for her. He dragged her kicking, writhing body out of sight of the town. He still held her mouth, but she doubted very much that if he removed it anyone would hear her scream. Fear widened her eyes, making her hypersensitive to every movement and sound in the forest. He took her further into the woods, but never released his firm hold. Why doesn't he just kill me and get it over? The dark shadows of the stone circle came into view. It was a half moon and light penetrated the mostly bare treetops, enough for her to see exactly where they were. Perplexed, she could think of no reason he'd want to take her to the circle. The seven stones were each as tall as a man and about three feet wide. They were placed in a ring around the stone altar, which held the precious crystal. No one dared touch the crystal without the right prayers and offerings, or the Gods killed them instantly. Few humans without Atlantian blood could even see the circle. Paranormals like the wolves could, but that was because they were more open to spiritual forces. She stared at the place she'd spent so much time trying to avoid. Will my last sight be the circle? Irony much? She tried to

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shake off the morbid image and stay positive, focused on survival. Malone growled, and this one sounded even less human. When he let go of her mouth, she bit her tongue, refusing to beg for her life. Unable to remain quiet, foolish bravado came tumbling from her lips as her brain screamed for her to shut up. "Killing me won't break the pact. Another will be born to take my place; all you're doing is delaying the inevitable." "Nothing is inevitable." His deep voice sounded strained, and demonically inhuman. The cadence of his words was a rumble caught between man and beast. She shivered, still imprisoned in his warm, strong arms. She felt him rush forward with her, pinning her back against a wide, tall oak tree. Her shock came out in a hiss. He pinned her arms over her head and his green eyes searched hers. An amber hue changed the color making them more striking, and scary. "I should want to kill you. I should kill you." Torment lined his face, and in the dim light, she could see him struggling against his raging emotions. Watching the battle play out on his handsome features, her fear became a momentary flash of white-hot desire. Ugh, I'm sick. He might kill her. He seemed about to do so. How

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could she feel anything but revulsion for such a monstrous maniac? "Why do I feel like this about you?" His voice came out softly, sounding more human. "When you were in the bar earlier all I wanted to do was strip you naked and fuck you until you couldn't walk. It's as if I know you, but I don't. When Jared threatened you I wanted to kill him, and he's like a brother to me. I don't know what kind of spell you've put on me, but I don't like feeling like this." His words shocked her. No one had ever spoken to her so carnally about sex before. She was a virgin, a quickie with someone she didn't love didn't appeal to her, and she never let herself get close to anyone. It just wouldn't have been fair to them. All those long-repressed hormones came rushing to the surface now, and the idea of a quickie here in the middle of the woods left her feeling willing and hot. She'd never experienced lust like this before; she was on fire for him. He held her against the tree with one strong arm. His other hung at his side with the fist clenched, as if he were trying to keep it from moving. To her mortification, a small moan escaped her lips. Oh great. Now he'll think I'm some kind of horny perv who likes dangerous men.

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His nostrils flared and his eyes focused on her even more sharply. Can he smell my desire, like pheromones or something? Jenica could feel the hot blush creeping up her neck and cheeks. Malone's eyes darkened. "Mine." He spoke the word with a certainty that surprised and strangely pleased her. "I could never hurt you Jenica." As the words left his mouth, she could see a change come over him. He relaxed just a little. She knew if she struggled she could break free, but the stark need etched into every line of his face kept her there. A million bees seemed to be buzzing around the pit of her stomach, and she felt the tingle of their stings inside as her pussy grew wet. She'd never felt herself respond so completely to a man. Have I been waiting for him? The idea left her knees weak. It was more than duty; the force pulling them to each other was magic. Nothing in Anna's journal had spoken of the sexual craving she felt now. Was this just her, them, or had Anna omitted her feelings? There was no way to know for sure. Jenica let her mind drift away from the coming challenges as Malone slid his hand under her t-shirt and cupped one of her breasts through the cotton of her simple bra. She'd never thought much about her underwear before that

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moment, but now she wished she owned sexy lacy things instead of plain and practical items. Her mind wasn't able to focus on the regret for long, as his thumb circled over her small-pebbled nipple. Jenica hissed with pleasure. No one had ever touched her so intimately before. It felt amazing. He let go of her arms, and she felt the relief of the blood flowing back as she lowered them. He pulled her sweatshirt off and tossed it to the leaf-strewn damp mossy ground. His hands spread wide over her belly and he slid the t-shirt upwards as his hands caressed her naked skin, all the while stripping her. She should've demanded he stop, but she didn't. He worked so quickly to flick the two small stays of her bra apart that she didn't realize it was off until he pulled her shirt over her head. The bra came off her arms with it. The chilly night air whirled around her skin, making her nipples stand up. His body was like a heater, the closer she was to him, the warmer she felt. Ignoring the cold, she felt his hands caressing the bare skin of her back. Delightful sensation spread in her blood and she sighed. His touch filled her with a contentment she didn't fully fathom. "What am I doing?" His

husky question echoed her uncertainty.

Malone's lips descended to hers and his arms pulled her

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closer. Her breasts flattened against his rough shirt and the sensation shot to her core, fueling the raging fires there. He held her to him. He was at least six-five, and when he stood to full height, she felt a moment of panic as her feet no longer touched the uneven forest floor. An intense emotion came over his face. Something in the way he looked at her resonated on a primal level. He set her feet back on the uneven ground, but still kept a very tight hold on her with his left hand. Suddenly, his right thumb gently caressed her cheek. He moaned softly and the sound mirrored the confusion and desire she felt. His gentle touch cracked the wall around her heart and at that moment her attitude shifted. She felt something more than lust or fear for him, but she feared to give that newly blossoming emotion a name. He'd just dragged her into danger, threatening her very life, and yet she found herself returning his passion. Malone was a fever raging in her soul, leaving her dizzy and weak. Her arms snaked around his neck and she clung to him, needing whatever was between them. He'd called her his, and strangely, she felt the same intense ownership of him, her mortal enemy. His firm kiss intensified as his tongue darted between her lips. She ran her fingers through his hair and she relished the new sensations. Had she been

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missing out, or was kissing a werewolf just better than kissing a human man? She had no idea what the answer to the question was, and as his tongue slid up and down hers, she no longer cared. This perfect moment was all there was. She felt drunk with desire for Malone. The pact, her family, Anna's sad story, all of it was forgotten. His arms held her tirelessly. He kissed her, deeper, stealing her breath, until he pulled back abruptly to look into her face. She clutched his shoulders. "Say no now or I'm not going to stop." His concentrated gaze had a desperate quality. She could feel his tension. He put her back on her feet, and leaned in so their eyes were level, placing his palm flat against the tree, his arm just above her right shoulder. She knew if she chose to say no, he'd stop. Whatever had passed between them, it gave her, somehow, insight into him. That supernatural connection left her feeling shaky with the enormity of what it meant, this was real. Until now, she hadn't actually wanted to accept it, accept him, but given her feelings, Jenica could no longer deny that yes, she was meant for him. His strength unleashed a tidal wave inside her. She knew he wanted her, but held back. That made her want him more. Just knowing he could overpower her, but

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wouldn't, filled her with a sureness about what they were about to do. He wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't kill her. They had every reason to hate each other, and yet she felt something profound for him. Was this because she was his destined mate, or was it something else? Had the Gods ordained their infatuation and desire? Jenica pushed away the hokey idea quickly. She'd just been overwhelmed by his masculinity. Her fate was what she made it. She had to believe that. She'd always believed that. For once, she turned off her thoughts, deciding to live in the moment and to hell with the consequences. Instead of speaking, she lifted her hands, reaching up timidly. Her nimble fingers started to work at the buttons of his flannel shirt. His eyes never left her face as she unbuttoned one after another. How many buttons does this shirt have? His deep focus made her fingers shake. She'd never done anything so bold before. When his tan muscular chest and stomach were bare, she ran her fingers down the defined six-pack and relished the sensation. His chest lay before her eyes covered with sandy hair that narrowed into a fine line, which trailed under his jeans. She could see the bulge there, and hated the feeling of heat creeping up her pale neck. When a redhead blushed, everyone knew she was embarrassed. Malone's low chuckle

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only made her flush more deeply. "Like what you see?" His tone was teasing, but she couldn't help her honest response. "Yes." He tenderly brushed the silken strands of hair from her face. "Me too." His hands moved to cup her breasts. He ran the pads of his callused thumbs over the sensitive nipples, eliciting a gasp of enjoyment from her. He smiled. "You're so beautiful." He bent down as he spoke, and took one of the stiff peaks into his mouth, drawing on it, hard. Jenica moaned. Her panties were very wet. Something wild was building inside of her. He moved and repeated the delicious rhythm on the other side. When he pulled away, she felt a sense of loss. Her hands moved to his waistband with a mind of their own. Shocked by her own boldness, she undid his fly. The jeans slid down his narrow hips and his cock was free. Mmm, commando. She would've guessed he was a boxer kind of guy, but was delighted to find out how wrong she was. Without pretense, she reached for him gently, touching the length of his hardness. A slow hiss came from between his gritted teeth and she dropped her hands. "Did I hurt you?"

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The innocent question caused his eyebrows to shoot up. An unreadable expression filled his face. "No." He reached up and took her face between his hands, forcing her downcast eyes to look at him. "Have you been with a man before, Jenica?" "I know where Tab A fits into Slot B, if that's what you're wondering." She tried to stifle her annoyance at the awkward question. She didn't want him to change his mind now that she'd decided to go for it. Was he afraid she wouldn't be very good at it? "That's not what I asked." His tone was full of commanding authority. "I know." She wasn't going to make it easy for him to get her to say the words. "Are you a virgin?" He wasn't messing around this time. "Yes." She forced herself not to look away with embarrassment. "Sweetheart… oh, goddamn it." As the words left his mouth, the breath caught in her throat. Sweetheart? Had she heard him correctly? He pulled her to him again and ravaged her with a searing kiss. It was clear to her that he hadn't changed his mind.

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He stepped back and shrugged out of his shirt, leaving her standing dazed. Malone spread the flannel over the mossy ground. He stepped out of his jeans. Only his running shoes remained. Jenica was impressed by the maneuver. When he turned, she got a nice view of his tight buns and the fires that had died down during their awkward exchange flared back to life with a vengeance. Wow, I do love what he's wearing. Dear Gods, he's eye candy. Her eyes kept traveling back to his impressive erection. With just a few strides, long and powerful, he was standing in front of her again. He opened her jeans skillfully and his fingers slipped into the waistband of her panties. She felt them gently rubbing down her body, past her feminine curls as he spread the intimate folds, slipping two fingers between them. "Oh, sweetheart." He moaned the words as if he were in pain. "You're so wet, so perfect." She bit her lip. He found the nub there and began to move his fingers in a small, circling motion. She gasped as the sensations prickled inside of her body. The wildness inside grew until she found herself shaking. He pulled his hands away and she cried out. "Please!" Even she was unsure of what she was asking him for. She just knew she didn't want him to stop. He pushed

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her jeans and cotton panties down her hips and they pooled around her ankles. Malone helped her step free of them and brought her over to where her shirt lay. He helped her down and she found herself lying back, looking up at the moon and the tops of the stones. He moved between her legs and her instant reaction was to squeeze her thighs together. Jenica shut her eyes. He tenderly coaxed her legs apart, guiding her, and when his lips touched her pussy, she gasped and tried to pull away, her eyes springing open with surprise. "Shh, it's all right. I promise you'll like this." His words held a trace of a growl, causing her to shiver. Then she felt him place a tender kiss on her curls before his tongue began to swirl and lap at her clit. Jenica's hips bucked involuntarily as pleasure coursed through her body. Amazing awareness ran through her like electricity. He kept going until she was panting, mewling. No pleasure or sensation she'd ever experienced had prepared her for what was building inside of her now. He stroked her opening with one finger and gently pressed it inside. The unexpected invasion coupled with the brilliant sensation brought a cry from her lips, and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, seeing stars behind her eyelids. Nothing mattered except the joy his touch gave her

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and she arched her back and screamed a feral cry of release. Before she could recover, she felt him move and something hard pressed into her tight opening. When he jerked into her, pain left her crying out again, but this time the sound wasn't the throaty, needy sound. This time, her cries were shocked and angry. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. It's like pulling off a Band-Aid the first time, best to get the pain over with quickly. Just lie still. I promise it won't hurt much longer." She just wanted him to get off her and she sat up a bit, ready to try to push him away, until she saw the tense look on his face. He was looking at her with… adoration. It surprised her. Then she felt his very hard cock slide into the tightness of her innocent body. The feeling was almost a violation as a swift pain filled her. She'd heard sex was great… bullshit. "It'll feel good. I promise." He cooed the words in her ear, but all she wanted to do was push him away. He slowly started to move his hips. At first, the friction didn't impress her, and then pleasure built again. His arms supported him, his hands just below her shoulders. He leaned forward and took one of her nipples back into his mouth. Nipping and sucking at her fervently,

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the feeling he created in her combined with his thrusts and built her back to the precipice of release. He changed sides and she found her hips moving to match his rhythm. Then the blinding emancipation of response returned and Jenica cried out loudly. She didn't care if the whole world heard her; the marvel of what was happening to her forced the sound from a deep, primal place inside. Malone gave a harsh masculine shout and she felt him stiffen above her as he gave a few last short thrusts. Panting, he pulled back and she felt each ridge of him slip from between her legs. He gathered her in his arms, pulling her off the hard ground to cradle her on his lap. Burying his face into her hair at the crook of her neck, she felt him kiss her there. "You're mine now." He spoke with one-hundred-percent certainty. How could she respond? He pulled back and searched her face with his eyes. "Are you all right?" "Um, yes, I think so." She had no idea what to say to him. His hands rubbed her cooling skin. The October chill left goose bumps on her flesh. He was warm, but her exposed side felt icy. He set her down and grabbed her clothing, bringing

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it to her. She dressed, gratefully. He stood confidently and still mostly naked. He reached out and pulled a leaf from her hair. "You are mine, Jenica. No wolf will hurt you. You have my promise." She still had an agenda. "Thank you. I suck at using the crystals, but I promise I'll never use them against you." "Thank you." They just stood, looking at each other. Awkward. What did you say to the person who'd just rocked your world? She cleared her throat delicately. "I… we… we need to talk about the pact. There still has to be something we can do. If we work together, I'm sure we'll figure out something in everyone's best interest." His wrathful expression surprised her. "You're mine." What the hell is the deal with this mine stuff? "Malone, please be reasonable. We live in a world filled with science and technology. There has to be something else we can do so that things continue without the two of us suffering." Hurt flashed across his face.

Jenica didn't

understand it. "So being my mate would make you suffer?"

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His angry question shocked her. "That's not exactly what I meant. I just mean there has to be some other way to keep the peace. I'm sure we can figure it out together." He began to dress, but his body language told her that he was pissed. What did I do? Did he think a moment of weakness would make her march happily to her doom? She felt something for him that was very real, but she didn't want to give up everything that made her who she was. She didn't want to change. She would've thought he'd be happy to stop the cycle of archaic insanity. Didn't he understand her fear? Wasn't he afraid, too? "Let's go." He took her arm and began to lead her through the treacherous darkness. He moved confidently, avoiding obstacles, and she struggled to keep up. It was Jenica's turn to be angry. He didn't have to act like a jerk. She

said

nothing

more

as

he

maneuvered

confidently through the trees. The exhausting journey ended just across from her backyard. "Malone…" Her voice trailed off as he stomped away, leaving her standing alone in the woods. She hurried away, back to safety. The house was dark. She hoped no one had noticed she'd been gone. Too exhausted to climb back up the tree, she opened the unlocked door and went inside.

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"Where have you been?" Jenica squeaked with surprise as her mother's voice drifted out of the darkness. "Not now, Mom." She really wasn't in the mood. Her mother flipped on the kitchen light. "Dear Gods, have you been in the woods? You've got leaves in your hair and burrs on your clothes." Shock and fear filled her mother's question. "Please, I just want to take a shower and go to bed." She walked past her mother; guilt stabbed her as she noticed her mother's frightened face. "Just don't ever do that again, Jenica." She could hear her mother muttering as she rushed up the stairs and went into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothing and turned on the shower. Standing under the hot water, she fought tears. It seemed no one wanted to help her escape her fate. **** Days passed. Grumpiness was her normal mood as Halloween approached. Her mother watched her like a hawk. She was still hurt that Naomi didn't want to help her and their friendship felt strained. She didn't see Malone in

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town again, and worse, she desperately wanted to see him. She even thought about calling him. He was staying with his father and even if the number was listed, she resisted. What could she possibly say? The town was getting ready for Halloween and the Harvest Fest. All the businesses hosted a safe trick-or-treat for the kids the last weekday before Halloween. This year it fell on October thirtieth, her last day of freedom. That evening, Main Street closed for a candlelight parade. There would be food, music, and dancing. Normally, she loved it, but this year it seemed like a going-away party and she resented the jovial mood everyone else seemed to be enjoying. Her mother and sisters seemed to be the only other people who were as unhappy as she was. It was a small comfort to her, but she was glad they weren't celebrating with the rest of the town. Naomi pretended everything was fine, and it irritated her. If her friend had been facing something so awful, Jenica knew she'd have tried to help instead of ignoring the problem. Most of the businesses closed early, and the natural food store was no exception. Naomi's mom came over to lock up for them. She'd painted whiskers on her face and blackened the end of her nose, a pair of big grey mouse ears were on her head. Smiling at the two girls, she handed

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Naomi a bowl of candy. "This one is for the house. I'm going to give out candy here, you go home and hand it out there. Have fun, girls." If the woman noticed Jenica's dour face, she didn't say anything. They left. She started walking home, until Naomi called out to her. "Will I see you tonight?" Seriously, give me a break. "I don't know." "This might be your last night to be a part of this. Please." Jenica shrugged. When she walked through the door of her house, her mother was on the phone. "Okay, I'll ask." She only heard a snippet of the one-sided conversation. Her mother moved the phone away from her ear and turned in her direction. "Farrah went into labor. Can you rush over there and take Lily trick-or-treating? Bring her here afterwards. Kelsey's going to babysit. Kelsey doesn't want to go to the festival tonight. She's not dealing well with it, none of us are, but you two have always been especially close. I thought you might like to take Lily because she loves you best. It'll be a special memory for her, for you both." Her mother was tearing up. She could see how

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important it was to her. Her sister Farrah wasn't due for another two months and she wondered if the stress of worry had caused her baby to come early, one more thing to add to her list of grievances with the Gods. "Okay, mom, let's go so you can ride with them to the hospital." It would be a long drive to the hospital in Duluth. Farrah lived only a few houses down with her husband and their first-born. Lily was bouncing up and down when they came in the door. She sang an adorable song. "I'm gonna be a sister, I'm gonna be a big sister." Her mother looked worried. With the help of Farrah's husband, Cliff, they got the panting pregnant woman into the car. Just before they shut the car door for her, Farrah called out. "Her costume is on the couch, Jen. Thank you for taking her." "No worries, just take care. I love you." Jenica didn't want to cry, but she knew she was saying goodbye to her sister. "I love you, too." Farrah burst out with a sob. "I want to go," Lily begged as the car door shut. Choking back her emotions, Jenica put on a fake smile for the delightful little girl. She had numerous nieces and nephews, but Lily was her favorite.

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"Oh, that would make me sad. I really wanted to go trick-or-treating but grown-ups can't, so if I go with you maybe somebody will give me candy." The little girl immediately brightened. "I'll share with you Aunt Jen, but only you. Daddy always wants to eat my Hershey bars, so I'll give you those. Maybe if you wear a costume, people will give you candy too." For six years old the girl was wicked smart and the things she said always brightened Jenica's day. She was glad her mother had asked her to do this. "Well, it's too late for me to go shopping so I'll just help you get into your costume, okay?" "Okay." Lily ran back into the house and Jenica helped her put on her fairy dress and wings. She took her upstairs and rifled through Farrah's makeup, applying a bit to the little fairy face. She put her hair up into two pigtails at the sides of her head and stepped back to survey the result. "What a perfectly adorable fairy princess you are, Lily." She bowed deeply. "Would Her Majesty like to go receive candy from her adoring subjects?" "Aunt Jen, you're silly." When Lily hugged her tightly, Jenica bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She grabbed the little girl's overnight bag and they

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went back to the house. Kelsey was in the living room staring at the television; it was off. Not a good sign. "Hey, Kelsey. Here's her bag. I'll see you in a couple hours." Kelsey burst into tears. "Are you sure you're up to babysitting tonight?" Jenica asked, worried. "Sorry, yeah, I… I just love you so much." Kelsey jumped up and rushed over, enveloping Jenica in a hug. Lily looked impatient and tugged at Jenica's hand. Kelsey pulled away, wiping at her face. "I'll be okay." "Do you want to come with, Kel?" "No, I just need to pull myself together. I read that damn…" She looked down at Lily apologetically, not meaning to curse in front of her niece. "Darn book last night. I really wish I hadn't snuck it from your room." "Yeah, I know, not the happiest ending ever. I'll see you in a little bit." Kelsey waved, but as soon as the door closed Jenica could hear her sobbing again. She was glad Kelsey felt like staying in tonight. Her sister needed her, and she'd enjoy spending a little extra time with Lily. They started down the street. Because of the festival, the town always did trick-or-treating early. People usually hosted private house

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parties on Halloween. Her people had inspired the tradition, but most of the unknowing humans didn't understand that the private parties had started out as religious celebrations they'd hidden from the rest of the town's population, so as not to be accused of witchcraft. So far, the ruse had worked. They started knocking on the doors with bright orange flyers that declared their participation. She only took Lily to houses of people she knew, but she knew almost everyone in town. Naomi lived just a few houses away, so they were at her door almost immediately. Lily adjusted her fairy wings, causing Jenica to smile. The little girl dropped Jenica's hand and rushed up the path to the door. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her bicep. Turning, she gasped. It was Malone. "Sloan asked me to run this over to his sister. The truck isn't running again and he's a shitty mechanic. Here." She took the bag of candy from him. He chuckled. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to take candy from strangers?" Giving him a wary look, she replied. "The only people anyone ever warned me about were werewolves." Her answer seemed to bother him. She regretted it, but only for a moment. The next thing he said made her

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wish she was dressed up as the silver-bullet-shooting Lone Ranger and the silver bullet thing, silver being deadly to werewolves, wasn't just a myth. "Tomorrow you're mine, Jenica. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you." She could hear longing in his voice. "Then why didn't you come see me, or call? You haven't even come into town." "I've been busy." She wasn't impressed with his excuse. "Okay, you dropped off the candy. Bye." He didn't let go of her arm. "Meet me tonight, in the woods behind your house." It sounded more like an order than a question. "My sister is pretty upset and we're babysitting. I don't know." "Ten." He walked away without a response. With all the children roaming around she had to stop herself from giving him the finger. How dare he order her around? But she knew she'd be there. She'd missed him. Part of her bad mood had more to do with wanting to see him again than with her worry. His truck roared to life and he gave her a last look before pulling away from the curb and heading out

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of town. Naomi stood at the door with Lily. When Jenica made it to the top of the steps, she ripped the trick-ortreating participation flyer off the door and pulled them inside. "Lily, can you go in the living room and find Jack? He's sleeping by the window." Jack was a big fat orange tomcat. The little girl happily went running into the other room. "What in the hell did he have to say to you? I'm going to kill Sloan for sending him into town." It was time to come clean with her friend. "He wants me to meet him tonight, alone." Naomi's eyes widened. "You're not going to do it, are you?" "I am. I—we had sex." Jenica looked at her feet, afraid to see Naomi's reaction. "What? Why the hell didn't you tell me that before? When? Did he rape you?" Naomi's questions flew one after another. "The day we saw them at the bar I went back later on to find him and ask him to help me figure out a way for us to get out of the pact. I've been so twisted up I just didn't want to talk about it. It wasn't rape."

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"How was it?" It was so like Naomi to ask. Jenica snorted out a laugh, glad the tension was broken. "Amazing." "So why have you been such a bitch? Are you still trying to find a way out of the pact?" Naomi sounded confused. "I don't want to be changed. One magical experience isn't enough to convince me to do it. Maybe it was a fluke, or he'll become mean and resentful after it's done." "Magical, huh? I'd say he's a keeper. I've only found a couple of guys who know how to use their equipment. Good sex is a talent, not a skill." "I'll take your word for it, oh-wise-sex-guru." Naomi smiled. "So you're going to meet up for a quickie in the woods?" "No." At least she didn't think so. Lily came running out with Jack. "Can I take him to Aunt Jen's house?" "Grandma would be really mad at us. Besides, Jack likes to sleep curled up with Naomi and he'd miss her tonight." "Okay."

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Lily put him down but disappointment hung heavy in her voice. Jenica took her niece's hand as they left the house and began walking down the road. **** By the time they made it back to the house, Lily couldn't carry the heavy bag and Jenica was exhausted. Kelsey was actually watching a movie instead of staring at the blank screen. Lily scrambled up beside her on the couch and started digging through the candy. "Do you think Farrah will kill us if she eats it all?" Jenica asked her sister. "Cliff will if she doesn't leave him the Hershey bars. I've never seen a man so addicted to chocolate before. I'm going to make her some mac and cheese. Are you going to Harvest Fest?" "I might step out late." "Why late? I think that's too dangerous." Kelsey sounded like a younger version of their mother. "I'll be fine. This is my last night, so please. Just don't tell mom if she comes home." "I really don't like it, but do what you have to do." "This is why you're my favorite sister."

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Kelsey made a disgruntled sound in her throat. "Sweet talk will get you everywhere, but if you get hurt I'm going to kick your ass." "Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, I'll be fine." Kelsey rolled her eyes at her sister's sarcasm. They ate mac and cheese and managed to wrestle most of the candy away from the already hyperactive little girl. By the time they got her in pajamas and settled down it was eight. "I'm going to go find Naomi. I'll be back late." "Wake me up if I fall asleep so I know you're okay." Jenica kissed Lily's cheek as she passed where she sat curled up with Kelsey on the couch. "I will. Goodnight, girls." Lily yawned and waved. Kelsey frowned. Jenica felt guilty seeing the expression, wishing she could ease her sister's worry. **** Jenica walked through the well-lit festive main street. It was very chilly and everyone bundled up in winter coats already. After the sun had gone down, the temperature dropped drastically. A few kids were out, but

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mostly Jenica spotted adults and teens. Some older people square-danced and Jen noticed her grandmother and an elderly gentleman join in with the other dancers. Pretty ribbons trailed from the older woman's white hair and Jenica watched for a moment, knowing it might be the last time she'd see her grandmother looking so happy. She bought a bag of popcorn and munched as she walked, looking for Naomi. The parade was about to start and the sidewalk was packed with people. She bumped and excused her way to the Junie. Naomi was inside flirting with one of her newest admirers. Jenica interrupted the flirting. "Hey, I decided to come out." "Don't you have a prior commitment?" Waggling her eyebrows, Naomi was obviously referring to her latenight rendezvous. "Yes, but later. I want to go watch the parade. My nephew is in marching band this year. I can't believe he's already that old." Naomi threw her companion an apologetic look. "You. Me. Later." He nodded enthusiastically in response and held up his beer as if he were toasting her good idea. When they stepped outside Naomi whispered a bit drunkenly. "I guess you won't be the only one getting laid

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tonight." "Naomi!" Jenica exclaimed, and then laughed. Her whole attitude had improved after seeing Malone. It amazed her how much he mattered to her. Was it because he was the first man to make love to her? Her friend chuckled, and looped her arm with Jenica's. The two girls walked down the sidewalk just as the marching band passed. Jenica rushed out front and waved to her nephew, he nodded to her, pounding on the giant round drum he carried. He'd always been a loud kid so she wasn't surprised he'd taken such a keen interest in drumming. They stood finishing her popcorn and the parade ended. Naomi looked at her phone. "What time are you meeting up with Malone?" "What time is it now?" "Nine-fifteen." Jenica hugged Naomi, glad the tension between them had ended. "I'd better get going." "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Naomi teased. Jenica just rolled her eyes and gave her friend a little wave in parting. She walked through the dissipating crowd. People were either going to the Junie or they were going home. She wasn't doing either. The starry sky overhead and crisp

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autumn air filled her with a contentment she hadn't felt since Malone had come back to town and become alpha. Walking in the shadows, so any family members looking out a window wouldn't see her, she made her way to the tree line and went into the dangerous darkness. A cracking noise caused her to gasp, turning. Malone stood in the darkness. "You're early." "So are you," she retorted. "I had to see you before tomorrow." Why did his words sound like a goodbye? "You aren't getting cold feet, are you?" She should be delighted, but strangely, she wasn't. "I want you to be happy." She snorted. So far, he'd been domineering. Not exactly the kind of guy she'd expect to hear expressing those words. He moved closer, taking her in his arms, and kissed her deeply. It was a sweeter kiss than she'd expected. When he pulled away, she noticed how sad he looked. "What's going on? You're scaring me." He chuckled. "Worried about me? I thought you didn't like me very much." "I like you too much."

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"I love you, Jenica." His words stole the air from her lungs. "How can you love me? You barely know me." "I know enough to know I love you." There was absolute honesty in his voice and it touched her heart. She loved him too, but hadn't wanted to admit it to herself. "Why do I feel like this is goodbye?" "I'll see you tomorrow. I just had to see you one more time before the pact. Just promise me that you won't be afraid." "I am afraid." She hated herself for admitting it. "I promise you, I'll make it right." He pulled her roughly to his lips, kissing her with all his pent-up emotion; she sighed. It was amazing. She hadn't dreamed it, not any of it. Abruptly, he released her and stepped back. "I have to go. Promise me you'll come to the circle." It wasn't as if she had a choice. "I promise." "Good. Don't worry. It'll be all right, you'll see." He moved back through the trees and she was disappointed. No matter what she'd told Naomi, she'd hoped he'd make love to her again. Her body craved his like a drug. She wanted to be intoxicated with him again. Walking back out of the dark, she went inside her house

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through the back door. When she got to the living room, Kelsey and Lily were sleeping on the couch. The movie they'd been watching was still in a loop on the beginning play screen. She turned off the DVD player and woke Kelsey. "Oh good, you're home." Her sister's groggy words came out muffled. Jenica picked up her sleeping niece and carried her upstairs. Kelsey followed. They put her in the extra bed in Kelsey's room and tucked her in. "How was your night?" Kelsey sounded a bit more awake. "Better than I'd expected. I'm glad I went. I'll see you in the morning." "How can you sleep?" Kelsey sounded surprised at how accepting Jenica was. "I can. You should too. Don't worry. I won't kill myself like Anna. Malone isn't Wilhelm. It'll be all right." Her sister didn't look convinced, but Jenica left her room. She could feel Kelsey watching her leave. How could she explain her feelings about Malone to Kelsey? Someday she'd tell her, but not tonight. She was too exhausted. Weeks of tension and missing sleep caught up, making her feel worn out. Her other sisters who still lived

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at home were gone, probably having drinks at the Junie. Jenica went to bed. The annoying buzz interrupted her dream. She couldn't quite remember what it'd been about but she was still so deep into it that she slapped at her alarm clock, knocking it to the floor. As the hard plastic clattered against hardwood, the sound brought her more fully awake. October thirty-first, her day of doom. Last night she'd felt acceptance, but knowing what the day held, terror filled her again. She got out of bed and went to her clothes rack. She'd thought little about what to wear, until now. Vaguely she wished she'd made the trip to Duluth to buy something special. A soft knock at her door interrupted her search. When she opened the door, her mom stood, looking completely exhausted. She held a shopping bag. "May I come in?" "Of course. How is Farrah?" "Tired, but her son is beautiful. He finally decided to come at two this morning." "It's so early. Did you drive back?" "I did. Cliff said they'll be at the hospital until tomorrow afternoon and I could just come back for them." "Mom, you should go get some sleep."

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"Not today. I'll sleep later, but I wouldn't have been able to sleep last night anyway. Here. I thought of you when I saw this last week." She handed Jenica the bag. Opening the surprise gift, Jenica pulled out a beautiful white dress. It was simple and soft. Lace lay over the silk and it was strapless. Her mother knew her so well. This was something she'd have picked and it was perfect for today. "I love you, Mom." Tears welled in her mother's eyes. "I know. I love you too, Jen." They hugged and Jenica felt her own eyes misting. "Well, I'll let you jump in the shower first. You get dibs on the first of the hot water this morning." "Thanks." "Oh, and Jen, I'm proud of you, honey. I know this won't be easy." "Thanks." Her mother left and she combed through her hair before grabbing some towels and heading to the bathroom. Today was going to be a long day. It was almost noon by the time her mother, sisters, and grandmother left the house. She knew the last of the Atlantian race would surround the circle by the time they arrived. Knowing that her peoples' fate lay with her kept

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her feet moving, but knowing she'd see Malone kept the panic at bay. She loved him. If she had to change into a totally different species, at least she was doing it for him. She'd piled her hair into a flowing up-do. Her new dress fit her perfectly. A light application of makeup left her looking fresh. She walked her with family. The stone circle was in sight. Kelsey took her hand and squeezed. Five of her sisters were there, only Farrah, understandably, couldn't be with the family. Her grandmother was first in line. The rest of the Atlantian community stood around the circle, waiting. The wolves were there too. She saw Malone watching her with a mixture of awe and desire in his expression. When her grandmother walked into the ring, she stood before the crystal and threw her arms up over her head, calling out to the Gods. "Hear me, Sharia, Goddess of the seas. Hear me, Bezzel, God of the sky. Hear me, Azurrel, Goddess of the mountain. Hear me, Raulo, God of flame. We are here to keep the pact you've made with our ancestors. Step forward, daughter of the seventh daughter, Jenica Bradley." Jenica dropped Kelsey's trembling hand and stepped into the circle. She stood so that the crystal altar was between her and her grandmother. The elderly woman cried

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out again. "Elemental Gods hear me; I call the alpha werewolf into our circle. Malone Luna step into the noon daylight here before the Gods of Atlantis." Jenica held her breath. She couldn't see him. What if the circle killed him? Panic filled her heart, sending it into a wild rhythm of terror. She felt his large, warm hand take hers and her grandmother glanced down at their intertwined fingers. A growing jumble of voices erupted from the wolves who'd come with Malone, and the last people of Atlantis, as the combined group expressed their confusion. Her grandmother looked out at the crowd, and it fell respectfully silent. "Hear me elements, hear me Gods, hear me People of the Wolf, hear me people of Atlantis, witness these vows. Jenica, do you accept your sacrifice? No wolf shall find rest in Juniper Falls; no human shall find rest in the home of a wolf. No wolf will kill within the limits of Juniper Falls. You are the mate of their leader. You are what we offer to our Gods. Do you give us your magic to seal the pact? Hold out your hand and give your blood to show the Gods you accept. Say 'I will'." "I—" "No, Jenica."

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Malone spoke harshly, pulling her outstretched hand away from where her grandmother prepared to cut it with a ceremonial knife. The onlookers gasped in unison. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Jenica would've found it comical. "Priestess, I give your Gods my life. If they will end the need for a sacrifice from your people, I'll let them kill me. If Jenica will be free to make her own choice and my people can once again find mates and live in the city limits, I'll willingly let your Gods vent their anger on me, only me. Jared will be the new alpha when I'm dead." Her grandmother looked stunned, but recovered quickly. She grabbed his hand and sliced his palm with the knife, slapping it to the crystal. Before Jenica could protest, the old woman raised her arms and cried out. "Let it be so." "No!" Jenica's heartbroken cry came a second too late. Malone's grasp on her hand slackened, she turned to him. He looked at her sadly, just for a moment, before he crumbled in a lanky heap. She did her best to catch him, but he was heavy and all she could do was keep his head from hitting the ground. "No, please don't die!" She screamed at him, pounded on his chest. She felt desperately for a pulse.

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Nothing. Rage at the Gods filled her. "Gods, if you're out there, I want him back. Keep your damn pact! I don't care, I just don't want him to die." Nothing. The only sound was the breeze rustling the dry leaves and clicking branches together. She heard the wolves growl, angry with what Malone had done. Jenica stood, and placed her hands on the sacred crystal. "Hear me Sharia, Bezzel, Azurrel, and Raulo. Don't take him from me." Her words came out in a broken whisper. The crystal began to glow. A fierce wind whirled around them, causing the assembled mass to stumble and shield their faces as dirt and debris pelted them painfully. A soft, feminine voice spoke. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. It was light, lyrical, but terrible in its surreal beauty. At first, the words were indistinguishable. Slowly they sounded more and more like English until she could finally understand the words. "You, our precious last, stand here together. Our love to you, our pain for your suffering, our hope for your prosperity, your Gods have not abandoned you. Jenica, daughter of the sacred number seven, I hear your anguish. I hear your love. Breathe, Son of the Moon. Live again."

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As if on cue, Malone gasped in a lungful of air, and struggled to sit up. Gasping and choking, he returned to life. As much as Jenica wanted to go to him, she feared taking her hands away from the warm light of the crystal. Her pain was acting as a conduit to the Gods she'd never believed in until that very moment. "Hear us Children of the Moon, our precious last, the pact has been honored for generations. Today this Son of the Moon has shown us his love for our last precious daughter of the seventh. Never again will we call for a living sacrifice. The pact of death remains. Any who kills in the town of Juniper Falls, Wolf or Atlantian, will die as they kill, but all other conditions are ours to recall. Love, live, but never forget us. We will always be here waiting for you, our precious children. The wolves will not die if they come to our circle, but the power of midday is ours to recall. Blessings upon you all who hear my voice. You will all have a fruitful, long life to tell your children's children what you have heard here. Besa del Rahoo mecha Atlantis. Children of Atlantis, be courageous." The wind died down the moment her voice left. Jenica dropped her hands and the glowing ceased. She fell to her knees beside Malone. "Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again, Malone. How do you feel?"

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"Like I died." His voice was rough. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her tenderly. She flushed, knowing just about everyone she knew was watching. When he pulled away, he looked over to Jared and the other wolves. Jared gave him a subtle nod. Malone turned to Jenica, looking her deeply in the eyes. "I love you. You're my mate, and I want you to be my wife." She kissed him again, but quickly pulled away. "Yes." "Mine." His deep rumble of possession pleased her. "Always." A slight breeze blew, just within the circle, and the crystal flickered for a moment. Her grandmother raised her arms. "The Gods approve." Her joyful assertion caused a mad uproar of cheers and claps from those standing around the circle. Jenica smiled. She didn't care who approved. She loved him back, fiercely. Taking his beloved face in her hands, she whispered in return. "Mine." The End

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ashlynn Monroe is a busy mom. She's been writing since she was a teenager for her own pleasure but in her thirties, she decided it was time to share her stories. She enjoys writing about anything and everything paranormal or fantasy-related. She spends most of her time daydreaming up her next tale of romance. She'd love to hear from you at [email protected]. Visit her website at http://ashlynnmonroe.com/ to learn more about the worlds she imagines. Website: http://ashlynnmonroe.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashlynn.monroe Twitter: twitter.com/ashlynn_monroe Blog: Visit my website. Email: [email protected]

ALSO BY ASHLYNN MONROE

Available at Silver Publishing: Passion's Escape Lost Hearts Just One Night Wish Vampires and Mistletoe "One Night in Aphrodite's Panties" in Captured… Heart and Soul Available at All Romance Ebooks: Blood & Bondage Hidden Magic Dark Miracle Love Factory In the Machine Fallen Angels Wild Hearts Protector Mine Aloha Christmas Chemical Lust Eternal Gift Slave to His Desires Back in the Saddle Eternal Commitments Reality Stinks Denae's Lesson Vengeance Kiss Me, Kill Me, Bite Me My Soul to Keep Retribution Admired in Indecent Encounters Hidden Pleasures in Master of Mine Love in the Kitchen Flash Fiction and Recipes

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