Wolf Mountain Peak Complete Series, page 25
part #1 of Wolf Mountain Peak Series
Melissa said no more. She merely hugged him close, as he started to think about what his life would be from now on. The life of a shattered heart…
Chapter Twenty Five
Three days had passed since Dean’s breakup with Kate. Daytime was somewhat easy. He preoccupied himself with chopping down trees, discussing the reconstruction of the workshop with his brothers, and all this took his mind off of his personal life. However, nighttime was pure torment. Having nothing else to think about other than their last few moments together proved devastating to him, reminding him of the fate that awaited him, the same fate that had claimed the lives of his father and his grandfather. Dean visited Clover Lake again and again, the place he had lost at love, trying to relive the night he had met Kate, in the hope that she would come back to him. Nevertheless, it was a fool’s hope.
On the third night, after having completed one more trip down memory lane, he followed the path through the woods, accompanied by the stars and the moon, peeking through the trees. A few yards before the forest line, however, something drew his attention: piano notes, echoing in the distance. Dean strode past the few trees that blocked his vision, and snuck a peek. Indeed, there was a piano in his front yard, just outside his cabin. He stood a little too far to make out who was playing, but only one person came to his mind. And, when he heard the voice that had been haunting his dreams, he knew it was her: Kate Brooks, singing the song she had enchanted him with:
“How can you see into my eyes, like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I’ve become so numb
Without a soul
My spirit’s sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back… Home”
Dean trotted off towards her, wondering if this was some kind of an illusion. He wouldn’t believe it was her just yet. His mind could well be playing tricks on him. In a matter of only a few moments though, he realized that the sight that had greeted him that night was one-hundred percent true, as the same powerful gust of wind that blew through his hair also tossed her hair about. Kate was nearing the end of her performance, as his heavy footsteps brought him closer to her. She pressed the keys with passion for the outro, as he stopped across from her. Kate closed her eyes for a second, and then snapped them open to look up at him.
“Very nice,” Dean nodded, giving sarcastic slaps at the same time. “No wonder you were offered a contract. How did you bring a piano here? Magic?”
“Dean, please,” Kate begged, a gleam of moonlight falling upon her features, as she jumped from her seat. He folded his arms across his chest, as she moved around the piano. “Please, don’t treat me like this. I had it brought all the way from New York.”
“You’ve got some nerve, you know that?” He rhetorically and firmly spoke emphatically while leaning forward. “I put my trust in you, and you ditched me, Kate. You left, not me.”
“Ok, I deserve that,” she admitted, nodding at the same time, as she stepped in front of him. “I screwed up; big time. But…” she faltered, leaning in, as she lifted her hands to his face. “I want you back.”
“What about your contract?” Dean asked, his tone lowering to a soft whisper, as she ran her thumbs across his cheekbones.
“Screw my contract,” Helen whispered, her voice wobbly, as tears welled up in her eyes. “I realized how empty my life would be without you, when my flight landed in L.A. You believed in me, Dean. You saw right through me. You…” Her voice broke, her lips quivering, as two tears spilled from her eyes. “You brought me back to life.”
His heart leapt with joy, as she spoke her last few words. A wave of relief washed over him, as a happy smile burst onto his lips. Dropping his arms, he leaned over her, as he closed his eyes. Dean curled his arms around her waist, as their mouths joined in a tender, passionate kiss. Kate splayed her fingers over his cheeks, pulling him closer, as he flexed his arms around her. His Siren was back in his life. She would continue to sing to him: enchant him like she always had; lure him in, like a moth to a flame. Her confession turned the sea of sorrow within into a sea of bliss, one that he would love to swim in for the rest of his life. Dean slid his right arm up her back and into Kate’s hair, laying a short kiss on her lower lip, before he rested his forehead against hers.
“My Siren…” he whispered, knitting his fingers into her hair. “I love you like I’ve never loved anything in this world. I would be honored, if you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me.”
“I love you, too. The honor of being with you will forever be mine,” she breathed, sending more waves of bliss coursing through his body. Once again, Dean got lost in the magic of her eyes, feeling his heart thumping in his chest, as she gave him the brightest, happiest smile she ever had. His own lips curled into a huge grin, filled with relief, joy and the endless love he had for her. Dean felt more alive than ever before. Kate had made a bad mistake by leaving him, but she was there now, and they were ready to embark upon the sweetest journey of their lives, together. Just like his brother, he had avoided a painful death, and now, he was free to enjoy the rest of his life with her: Kate Brooks; his witch; his Siren; his mate.
*** The End ***
Book 3: A Wolf’s Touch
Sarah J. Stone
Chapter One
“‘The world of humans: a world consisting only of peril, mischief and treachery.’”
Raul and Dean’s ordeals with Monica and Kate had shaped Ray’s belief. They had found their mates, but, in his eyes, they had merely found a way to gamble with their lives, and eventually cut them short. In his heart, Ray agreed with his grandfather, Roman, the one responsible for keeping human women away from his pack from for generations: Shifters should not mate with humans. Of course, he would not share his view on the matter with his brothers. Raul was perfectly happy with Monica, and Dean was hours away from mating with Kate. Complaining to them about their choices would be pointless.
Still, the abolishment of the rule did have an upside, one that Ray had been enjoying ever since his older brother became Alpha. It meant that he could frequent other places outside of Paxton, and, although bars in the neighboring town of Shandaken were scarce, the option of visiting them was most welcome. The idea of socializing with men was not so appealing; they were just as treacherous as women, but none of them could pose a threat to his well-being. No man could break his heart. Nevertheless, there were women in those bars, and some of them very beautiful indeed. Ray was tall and handsome; a new face like his attracted a lot of attention. He still had his needs, but he had to reject their advances. Protecting himself from heartache was vital. One-night stands sounded like the safest choice; yet, they would not remain secret for long in such a small town. A revelation like that could make him the epicenter of gossip. Sooner or later, Ray would have to answer questions that he had been dreading, like “why do you treat women like that”, or “why are you so emotionally unavailable.” Much to his dismay, he would be forced to leave Shandaken, never to return.
On the eve of Dean and Kate’s mating ceremony, all the noise and fuss from the feverish preparations, rendered it impossible for him to stay anywhere near his cabin. There were people running around in the front yard, getting in and out of Dean’s home, or talking on their phones. Ray’s only escape was another trip to “Northern Oak”, his most favorite bar in Shandaken. The owner, Lucas Carpenter was a nice all-around guy, the music was not too loud, and it was not as popular as other bars in the area.
As soon as he entered the bar though, a sting of disappointment rose from his chest. Every table around him was full, and there was a terrible amount of chattering in the air. There were only two available seats at the counter. Had he gone there just a few minutes later, he wouldn’t have found an empty spot. Ray hopped onto a stool, as the elderly manager strolled towards him.
“Evening, Lucas.” He winked at him. “Busy night.”
“You can say that again.” The elderly manager nodded. “The usual?”
“It’s too hot for anything else,” Ray claimed, leaning his elbows on the counter, as a hesitant smile formed on his face.
“Oh, boy,” Lucas sighed, setting a bottle of beer down in front of Ray. “Have I mentioned that trends piss me off?”
“Trends?” Ray squinted at him.
“City girls and mountain men,” Lucas explained, throwing a quick glance to his left. “It’s been going on for a while now. Chicks from New York drive all the way up here, thinking they’ll find their prince charming in Shandaken. That redhead’s been here all afternoon, flirting with all kinds of losers. Jonas Finn is her last victim.”
Curious to discover the woman’s identity, Ray whirled his head around. However, she was no stranger to him. She was in fact Julia Stinson, Kate and Monica’s friend, giggling, as she leaned toward Jonas. He had noticed her absence from their property, but he had failed to ask Dean or Kate why she was not in Paxton. He could still recall her rant about mountain men, at Raul’s mating ceremony. She believed them to be her kind of bad boys, simply because they were not so much into their looks. Their beards and their tattoo-covered arms attested to that, or so she thought. Ray smiled to himself, wondering how to phrase his response. Before he could speak though, a short blonde barged through the glass door, with her gaze locked on the table to her left, a fierce look in her eyes.
“You son of a bitch!” She cried, her chest heaving, as she cast an angry glare down at Jonas. “You’re flirting with her?” At that, she raised her right arm and slapped him across the face. Julia dropped her head in her hands, as the blonde stormed out of the bar.
“Honey, wait!” Jonas shouted, jumping from his seat.
“That’s Lily, his wife.” Lucas informed him, as several bystanders burst into loud, roaring laughter. “Feisty, ain’t she?”
“Yeah,” Ray snorted in amusement, picking his bottle up from the counter. “Excuse me.”
Hopping off his stool, he turned to face Julia, as the laughter subsided. She bent her head down towards the table, as he closed the distance between them. Her head hit the surface, as the smell of alcohol grew stronger in his nostrils. She was intoxicated; apparently, Julia had been in “Northern Oak” much longer than he had. But, there was another scent, more pungent than even the poison that was running through her veins: her own scent; almond.
“Ahem…” Ray cleared his throat, seating himself across from her. “Maids of honor should be sober during the ceremony, not recovering from hangovers.”
“Ray?” Julia spoke in a panic-ridden voice, peering through splayed fingers to look up at him. “Ray, is that you?”
“No, it’s my evil twin,” he retorted, bringing the beer bottle to his lips. “Flirting with married men? Really? I thought you were dating someone. Where is he?”
“Not evil,” she groaned, exposing her face as she abruptly leaned back. “Judgmental, maybe; however, in my defense, he didn’t have his wedding ring on. And Sean dumped me, a couple of weeks ago.”
“People,” Ray murmured, shaking his head in disapproval. “He keeps his marriage a secret, hoping to get laid.”
“Just my luck,” Julia sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “He was taken, too.”
“You’re naïve,” he reprimanded, leaning towards her as he intensified his stare. “Just because these morons grow beards, that doesn’t make them decent. They swear a lot, and they smell like goats.”
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” She exclaimed, bringing her gaze down to meet his. “What happened to the cool, funny guy I met at my friend’s wedding? Have you seen him, by the way? Tall: has blond hair; blue eyes?”
“I just don’t think mountain men are the solution to your problems,” Ray offered, shrugging his shoulders, his voice coming out mellow. “Men will be men.”
“I need another drink,” Julia stated, putting her hands down on the table. His gaze followed her, as she slowly rose from her seat. A knot of tension formed in his chest, as her body swayed forward. Ray had no time to react. Her drowsy eyes opened wide with horror, as her body leaned towards him. Julia dropped onto the table, flipping it over, as he thrust his arms forward. The beer bottle shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces, as she knocked him off his chair. Ray fell hard on his back, banging his head against the hardwood floor, Julia landing on top of him.
“I think you’ve had enough to drink for one night,” he said, as a sigh of relief fled her lips. “We’re leaving.”
Chapter Two
Ray’s first thought was to take Julia to the hospital. She was clearly in a worse state than he initially believed, and Shandaken hospital was less than two miles away. Still, he decided to do no such thing. Doctors did tend to ask too many questions, and they would probably notify her family. There was one doctor in the area, guaranteed to be much subtler: her good friend, Monica. Ray only hoped that he could sneak Julia past Kate. Seeing her maid of honor like this would upset her too much. Therefore, he chose to drive her home.
Luckily for her, it was much quieter when they arrived. The only vehicles on the driveway were his brothers’ trucks and Kate’s car. Raul and Monica were outside, pacing across the yard, as his own truck came to an abrupt halt. Ray switched off the engine, and then stormed out of it, catching their attention.
“Hey, man,” Raul winked at him. “I thought you’d go out tonight.”
“I did,” Ray muttered, moving around his truck. “You’ll never guess who I ran into.”
“Julia,” Monica interjected. “She said she’d go out tonight. Where is she? I don’t see her car.”
“Right here,” Ray replied, swinging open the back door to his truck. “Drunk out of her freaking mind,” he added, as he reached down to grab her by her feet.
“Drunk?” Monica squealed, her brows popping up, as she half-ran off towards him.
“Yep,” Ray nodded, pulling her towards him.
“How much has she had to drink?” She posed another question, this time in a harsh squeaky whisper.
“Not a clue,” Ray responded, placing both hands under her armpits. He bent his knees, before lifting her body upwards. Flexing his muscles, he picked her up, her light body draping over his shoulder, as he turned right. He started towards his brother’s cabin, as Raul smiled down at him. “This isn’t funny,” he growled.
“I respectfully disagree,” Raul declared, as his smile broadened to a grin.
“Why were you so reckless, Jules?” Monica asked, her tone still squeaky, as Ray brushed past her. “Kate’s going to kill you if she finds out.”
“Isn’t he great?” Julia wondered as her voice weakened, her friend following right behind them. “Too bad he doesn’t have a beard.”
“Don’t listen to that nonsense, Ray,” Monica urged, as he strode through the open front door. “Get her to the couch. I’ll be right with you.”
“Beards must be your fetish or something,” Ray grumbled. “Trust me; they don’t feel as good as they look.”
“How do you know?” She inquired, with a silly smile on her face, as he eased her down on the couch. “Have you ever kissed a guy with one?” His anxiety didn’t allow him to appreciate her joke. For a moment, he believed she wasn’t kidding, and barely held on to his temper. But, when a wild cry of laughter burst through her lips, he realized he’d be a fool to get angry. He could not get mad at someone who was merely teasing him, and Julia was doing precisely that. More than that, Ray couldn’t deny that she was beautiful. Red curls adorned her face. Her skin was creamy, though somewhat pale, and her cheeks were dotted with freckles. He caught himself staring down at her, unwilling to interrupt this outburst of silliness.
“Ray, please give us the room.” Monica requested, as she hurriedly approached them, with an empty bowl in her hands. “This is not going to be pretty.”
“Get out, pretty boy,” Julia chuckled, raising her left arm to point up at the door. “You don’t want to see me throw up, do you?”
“Women…” Ray hummed, turning his back on the two friends. Yes. Women: gorgeous; capable of sending him to heaven; or dooming him to the worst possible death; complicated like nothing else in this world; the only creatures he had to stay away from. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he walked out of Raul’s cabin, only to find his brother with the same, astute smile on his face.
“That Julia chick’s a piece of work,” the Alpha stated, as his eyes glinted with amusement. “You should hear Monica’s stories.”
“I don’t need to,” Ray replied, assuming a stiff tone, furrowing his brow at his older brother. “I saw it tonight with my own two eyes. She’s supposed to give her friend away tomorrow, and she drank herself senseless. Why the hell did she do that?”
“Hey!” Raul’s stentorian voice rumbled like thunder, his smile falling from his lips, as he closed in on his brother. “Ok, she got drunk. It’s not the end of the world. You seem pretty upset. What’s going on?”
Sadly for Ray, his emotions had given him away. Now, he had to confront his brother, and he had no idea how to phrase his rebuttal, without aggravating him any further. Still, they had to have this conversation. Raul had to know about his opinion.
“I almost lost you; and Dean.” Ray spoke, his tone calm and steady. “I’m sorry, but I think maybe grandpa was right. Humans cannot be trusted. Look what Monica did to you. Look what Kate did to Dean.”
“What; made us happy?” Raul’s voice rose up an octave. “We took a chance with them, but they’re here now. We both made the same mistake. Care to know what it is?”
“Yeah,” Ray said with a nod.
“We had…” Raul faltered, lowering his gaze as he ran his hand through his hair, “… special enemies; invisible things, out of our control. Monica’s a doctor. She thinks a little too much. She found it hard to believe in the unknown. Kate is a singer. She had a life before she met Dean. She wanted to focus on her career. Neither of us paid any attention to those details, and we almost paid the price.”
