Journey Series

Journey Series

Monday, December 28, 2015

End of the Year


Hi,

Hope all had a wonderful Christmas. Time with family is wonderful and so is the food. (Even if you have to limit what and how much you eat like I do. It didn’t detour my wonderful time with family, which is what matters the most to me.

The end of the year has snuck up on me. Seems like yesterday I was sitting down and working out 2015 release schedules. It’s time to do 2016.

Remember these dates are tentative and subject to change, even down to the book that I decide to release. (As we saw in 2015 some stories I think will come together stalls and leave me floundering.)

My goal for 2016 is to release three stories again.

1.      Unraveling – Jan 19, 2016
2.      Wolf Club Human Skinned Wolves Book 3 – June 2016
3.      Hidden Wolf Human Skinned Wolves Book 4 – December 2016

Hope you all have an amazing New Years Eve and a New Years day.

Remember let your imagination soar when you read.

Julia Matthews

Monday, December 21, 2015

Flash Fiction Phrase – Short and Sweet - Continued


Hi,

Once again, I’m still building on the Short and Sweet Phrase. I’m sure this will turn into a story all on its own. Not sure when, but for now I’m going to keep this going as a flash fiction scene. Hope you like where it picks up at.

Remember let your imagination soar.
Julia

* * *
This is an adult only scene that contains some violent acts and innuendos.
This is an unedited scene.


A hand slid under her back and legs, but disappeared just as quick as they’d appeared.

“Stop that.” A rich, soft, commanding toned male shouted right beside her.

“Will not. She is our responsibility.”

Rachael knew that thick, Russian accent. Cain Teagan, Taget’s right hand man. He’d take her back and let whatever punishment the clan deemed suitable finish her off. Her plan might not have gone like she’d hoped, but her life would soon be over.

“She needs a doctor.” The deep, rich voiced man snapped back.

“She’ll heal up just fine in a day or two.”

Cain was right, and Rachael bet they’d make sure she did before they delivered her punishment. There’d be no short and sweet death for her.

“Don’t care if she will or not.” A puff of air rushed across her face, carrying a hint of lavender. “You will not be moving her or taking her anywhere.”

“The hell I won’t. You can’t legally stop me. She belongs to the Rax Community.”

Rachael gasped as her body left the ground.

“You will not be taking her.”

A growl so loud had her stiffening in Cain’s arms. She’d only heard such a noise once or twice in her life. Both times had been when Juan’s father had been scolding him about spending the night with her without his permission. Juan’s father hadn’t been ticked about them being together, he’d made that clear when he told Juan he understood his strong desire for the woman he loved, after all, it was a natural reaction for a werewolf. It had been then that she’d learned werewolves had a strong sexual appetite.

“No werewolf is going to stop me.” Cain grunted.

He must have turned back towards the woods, because Rachael’s hair swirled. She went to open her eyes, but they wouldn’t obey her command. Not surprising considering how much her entire body ached. If it was the impact of the car or the pavement she didn’t know. What she did know was that she’d wished it had killed her.

“You have no right to take her from me.” The unnamed male said. “She belongs to me.”

“The fuck she does.” Rachael was jostled when Cain stopped walking. “She is a member of our clan by being a fated mate to our third in rank.”

“Must not be.” The man’s tone held a hint of amusement, which kind of confused Rachael, more than his words did. “She has no claiming mark.”

What? She did. Tommy Lee had made sure to renew the mark each night, increasing the size of his ownership. He told her it was to remind her of her duties to him and that he’d do so until she proved her loyalty to him.

“Yes she . . .” Cain’s words trailed off and her shirt collar scratched her throat as it was moved aside. “Doesn’t matter. The marking was witnessed by one of us the first time and five the night she came home with him. She belongs to us.”

Cain began walking again, but his arms tightened around her, making her sore body ache a bit more.

“Best if you behave.” Cain whispered. “You’re in enough trouble as it is.”

Fact she knew, but didn’t really care.

“You best stop where you are.”

“Nate,” Cain snapped, “take her.”

She whimpered as she was shifted from Cain’s grip to Nate’s.

“Man you are making one big mistake.” Cain’s tone had gone dark, which she’d heard him use right before he killed a member for back-talking him.

“Afraid you are.”


A howl rippled through the air, which was answered by what sounded like ten more. The next few minutes were more painful than when the car hit her. Her body was shifted from being carried like a child, to being slung over Nate’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes, which had her rips aching and bile rising in her throat.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Cover Reveal and Release Date

Hi,

I've finally got the cover and release date for

 UNRAVELLING
RELEASES JAN. 19, 2016

Cover designed by Adrienne Wilder

Vain Adams, spent most of his life fighting a war he never wanted to be part of. After the Gutting War ended he began working as a Supernatural Spirit Council Enforcer, where he was sent to seek out the bad and punish. However, the mission regarding Dav Community led to the one and only person who could complete him, his Helpmate, Beau. Not to mention a crap load of mysteries that had to be resolved before he could begin his happy every after. 


I'll have the pre-release link in a week or so. Then I'll post it.

Hope all has an amazing weekend.
Remember let your imagination soar when you read.
Julia Matthews

Monday, December 14, 2015

Flash Fiction Phrase – Short and Sweet - Continued


Hi,

Last week’s flash scene wouldn’t leave my mind, so I added some to it for this week. Hope you like where it picks up at.

Remember let your imagination soar.
Julia

* * *
This is an adult only scene that contains some violent acts and innuendos.
This is an unedited scene.


 “Best answer me, babe.”

Rachael remained silent and tightened the grip she had on the chef’s blade he’d bought her to cook with. At one point and time in her life cooking and baking had been her favorite hobby. Anymore all it reminded her of was Tommy Lee. The man was sick, he’d make her cook naked, while he watched from the table. There were times he’d come up behind her and rub his nasty, tiny cock against her ass.

“Not playing these games tonight. Get your ass out here. Right now.”

Tommy Lee’s footsteps grew louder as he entered the living room. Rachael knew the moment he caught her scent, because he snarled and the couch was shoved aside. She shoved the knife behind her back and stood. He grabbed her by her shirt collar and tugged her forward, just like she’d expected him to. She whipped the knife in front of her and up, right into his chest.

He gasped and stared down at the knife sticking out from his chest. That hadn’t been her plan. She’d expected him to catch the knife and use it on her.

“Bitch, you . . .”

The words died out as his eyes fell shut and he fell forward, taking her to the ground. She grunted as he landed on top of her. The knife must have been pushed further in and hit his heart, because next thing she knew there were bone ashes covering her body.

She rolled over, gagging over the arsenic smell of death clinging to her clothes. After two rounds of heaving, she felt a small tearing sensation ruffle across her body. She had no idea what it meant, until the rich, deep voice of Taget, the Rax Community leader’s voice filled her head.

Guards, get to Tommy Lee’s house.

Those words had her jumping to her feet, running through the house. Rachael snatched Tommy Lee’s cellphone from the kitchen table as she ran passed it. She rushed through the backdoor, leaping over the porch steps and raced toward the woods.

“Get to town. Get to town.”

She wasn’t sure what would happen when she got to town, but she did know the leader forbid his members from killing within town limits. If she could get there she’d be somewhat safe and could get a call into her father or Juan. There’d be little either of them could do for her. The moment Tommy Lee claimed her she became property of the Rax Community clan. They’d have the right to drag her back and punish her for ending another member’s life.

Rachael, you best get back here.

Taget’s stern command made her pause for a split second, but soon as the last word faded from her mind her feet began moving.

Won’t do you any good to leave.

He was right, but it might give her the chance to at least tell her parents and Juan a final goodbye.

You belong to us. We let no member leave.


Rachael saw the pitch black pavement that lead to the heart of town. She was so close to a few minutes of freedom that she could smell a hint of lavender. Her bare feet touched the hot pavement and tires squealed. She jerked her head to the left, catching a faint trace of red and silver before the large unbendable car struck her, sending her flying twenty feet down the road. A door slammed and what sounded like five or six sets of feet echoed through her mind.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Flash Fiction Phrase – Short and Sweet



Hi,
This weeks post is a bit darker than what I normally write, but I think it’s a great scene. One that I might very well turn into a story at some point and time. Hope you enjoy it.

Remember let your imagination soar.
Julia

* * *
This is an adult only scene that contains some violent acts and innuendos.
This is an unedited scene.
 * * *

Rachael hid behind the couch just as the front door swung open. She’d heard Tommy Lee’s motorcycle pull into her drive way. The man was a bastard, but she belonged to him. Not a fact she or anyone else liked, besides Tommy Lee. The day she stumbled across his path had been the end to her normal life ended and the beginning of hell.

Tommy Lee had been thrilled about finding her. Rachael hadn’t been. She’d been in love with Juan Gomez and his sky blue, gray outlined eyes since her sophomore year, a fact that Juan had reciprocated. They’d had six blissful years together, until the day she entered the Cambridge Bridal shop to pick up her wedding dress. Right at the counter stood Tommy Lee chatting up Rona, the cashier, who batted her thick, log eyelashes at him. Rachael had found the woman’s flirtation funny, because her inch thick mascara kept making her eyelids stick together. Rachael made it halfway to the register before Tommy Lee and his broad shoulders spun around, sniffing the air.

The impact of the first look at Tommy Lee’s dark skinned, angular face hadn’t registered with her. He didn’t waste no time in clueing her in. He marched right up to her and tugged her into him, sealing his lips over hers. She’d struggled to free herself, even kneed him in the balls, but the jerk-wad paid it no attention. He pulled away from her lips and grinned at her, then leaned down and sniffed her neck.

“You’re mine.” His words echoed through her brain like rapid gunshots.

Her response of no was what pissed him off. He gripped the back of her neck and snarled, showing his long, white fangs right before he sank them into her neck, laying claim to her for the rest of their lives. When he extracted her fangs, she’d fallen to her knees and wept. The cashier had raced to her side, glaring at Tommy Lee.

“What the hell?” Rona wrapped her arms around her. “You had no right to claim her.”

“I did.” Tommy Lee shoved Rona aside and scooped her into his arms. “She’s my other half. It is within my right to do as I wish with her. No one has the right to deny me what is fated to be mine.”

That had been the last day of her true life. Tommy Lee had carted her off to his house near Rax Community, his clan of Vampires. There were limited numbers of clans left, but the few remaining were known for the males dominating the women and having multiple women, even after they claimed a fated mate. Rax Community didn’t allow the fated mates to take other women, instead they required all their members to feed from willing human donors.

Rachael had lived a life among the humans as an open vampire, but survived off of bagged blood. She’d refused to drink from a human, which earned her five days chained to Tommy Lee’s bed.

“Where you at, babe?” Tommy Lee’s voice boomed as he shut the door, making Rachael cringed further down.

Rachael knew hiding would be worse for her, but it had been her plan. Two days ago, Tommy Lee had forbidden her to speak to any of her family, because her father flipped out and charged Tommy Lee when he saw a fading bruise around her neck.


The night before that visit Tommy Lee had used the red dog collar to short chain her to the bed. During the night he’d taken her across the bed, hard enough that the chair had made the collar rub her skin. Her dad’s reaction pissed Tommy Lee off and he ordered them to leave and never return. It had been then that Rachael formed the plan to end her life. She knew if she fought back, just once, that Tommy Lee would lose control enough that he’d kill her. She just hoped he made it a short and sweet death.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Flash Fiction Scene - Chaos Rules

Hi,

Hope all have recovered from the overeating and the Black Friday mad house. I sure manage to avoid the overeating and refused to go anywhere besides the grocery store. Figured it wouldn’t be so bad. Then there was the small fact that I was under the weather. Yuck! Never fun to be sick on or around a holiday. Oh well, part of life, so let’s get on with this week’s post.

Got a few announcements before I get onto the Flash Fiction post for this week.

1)      I completed the NaNoWrMo challenge of 50,000 words in one. (Yeah, I know the month isn’t over yet.) I managed to complete it in 20 days and wrote a 74,000 plus word free write. No idea when I’ll get to revising it so I can publish. Got several others in edit mode and one in revision mode already. 

2)      I’ll be releasing the blog story I wrote this past April for A to Z Blogging Challenge. I’ve edited it up and added a bit more to the story. Nothing major, just minor stuff to enhance the flow and vibrancy of the story line. My goal is to release it in mid-January 2016.
3)      I’m also working on seeing which story I will be releasing next year. I’ll make a post like I did at the end of last year, but as usual, whatever I come up could change at given moment.

Now, onto this week’s Flash Fiction Scene. This week I chose a saying that for me, pretty much describes my writing desk. Chaos Rules.

Hope you enjoy and remember,
Let Your Imagination Soar When You Read.

* * * Note this are unedited. * * *

The desk banged the wall when I slammed my head down. What was wrong with me? I knew where the paper was. I always did.

“Ray, you okay?”

I let the wood scrap my head as I shook it at Thomas, the one true friend I’d had my entire life. He’d stuck by me through the failed marriage, which ended because of me and my inability to admit to myself that I was gay. He’d helped me crawl out of the bottle when Craig up and left, taking all my money with him. He’d kept me from losing my job, which I would be facing again if I did not find last month’s expense report.

“What’s wrong?”

I jerked my head away from the desk and glared at it. Too bad the lifeless object had no clue I was ready to strangle it.

“Sure the desk isn’t the problem. So, what is?”

“What’s wrong with the picture in front of you?” I snapped and pushed away from the desk.

“Besides you looking as if your life ended for a third time?”

“Yes.”

“Not . . .” Thomas’s took a step closer to the desk and tilted his head from side-to-side. “You get fired?”

“Not yet.”

“Huh?” Thomas tugged the extra chair in my cubicle up to my side. “Then why’d you clean your desk.”

“Didn’t.”

Thomas knew me well enough to know that I didn’t function if my life wasn’t in disarray. Chaos ruled my life, which is what kept me stable. When thing started flowing normal, or what others consider the norm, I fall to pieces. More like back to the bottle of booze.

“Who did?”

“Not sure, but they lost some important papers. If I can’t locate them then . . .”

“Okay,” Thomas laid a hand on my shoulder. “Take a few deep breaths for me and I’ll see if I can locate where the papers got shifted to.”

* * *

Monday, November 23, 2015

Flash Fiction Phrase - Take A Tou

Hi, 

This week’s flash fiction has an unusual phrase, but . . . I wanted to see where I could take it. Hope you enjoy wherever my imagination takes me with TAKE A TOUR.

Remember let your imagination soar when your read.

Julia


* * Note: These Flash Fiction Phrases are unedited. * * *

Bambi sat at the table, looking around at the new group of new meat that sauntered in as if they owned the town. Little did they know she ran the entire town and the four surrounding ones. She’d worked hard to gain the upper hand in what most called the Pentagon Area. The name itself helped keep away the strangling humans. Did draw in some unsavory witches, but they were quickly dispatched with one quick tour of the town.

“Two shots please.” Dark hair, rich voiced man slapped a twenty on the bar top.

“Not how we order around here.” Edward, her second in command, and tallest bear shifter within twenty counties, said.

“Excuse me?”

Bambi climbed down from her stool and slipped behind the bar. Most people, or the outsider, ignored her, more like they dismiss her after one curious look. Downfall of being five feet tall. She might be short, but she’d been taken people taller than her down since she was in fourth graded.

“You heard me.” Edward leaned back against the shelf and crossed his arms.

“Think you best check that attitude and fix my whisky.”

“I,” Bambi moved to Edward’s side, “think you best examined whose area you and your bamboos walked into.”

“Who the hell are you, half-pint?”

The patroons gasped, stood, and began moving the middle tables to the side. Everyone in her establishment knew what she’d do at being called something so vile. Vile might be a strong word to most, but to her it was worse than being called a bitch in heat. Which she became once a month when the moon was full. Her wolf loved to flaunt it’s rear-end to all the available men then.

“Pussy cat,” the hiss from the man and his five other goons, who had joined his side, didn’t surprise Bambi. “You’ve got about two seconds before my little half-pint, wolf ass leaps over this bar and eliminates your raunchy, male ass.” Bambi scratched her chin. “Then again, I might just cut your tiny dick off and eat it.”

“Who the f you think you are?”

“Done answered that. Times up.”

Bambi leapt over the counter and slammed into his chest, sending him sprawling. She gripped him by the neck, threw her head back, howling her challenge. The guys with him back up, knowing they could no longer intervene if their friend fell in over his head, which he was.

The members of her mixed shifter group began swarming to the other side, with Edward leading them. Bambi saw him smile at the other guys and mouth, “Should’ve take a tour of our humble towns before entering the Pentagon.”

Monday, November 16, 2015

Busy

Hi,

Sorry, there is not a post today. Between my MAC going down and working hard on a my free write I've not been able to write anything for today.

Promise there will be another post starting next week.

Remember let your imagination soar when you read or write.
Julia

Monday, November 9, 2015

Word Phrase Flash Fiction: Wrong Place, Wrong Time



Hi,

This week’s (and the next three post) will be short and rushed. Sorry, but it’s NaNoWrMo and my mind is deadest on meeting the 50,000 word challenge. (Doubt it’ll be much of a problem. Have a wonderful story going. Still, never know where a character might take you or when he/she may stall.) Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this week’s word phrase scene.

Remember let your imagination soar when you read.

Julia

* * *
I couldn’t believe it. Across the street, sitting at the one spot I have no access to, was the one. Boy was she. Long, curly red hair, which clung to her angular cheeks, fighting against the wind rushing around the small island like town that Roger recently began calling home. Just another reason he couldn’t believe the one sat less that a football field away from him.

What was he suppose to do? Ignore her until his job was done with? There’d be no doing that. The lurking seventh realm demon, who believed he owned the world simply because his father was the great and mighty Lucifer, wouldn’t allow such. Yet, Roger had a job to do and if he failed at it then his father would ensure he never set another foot in the earth realm again.

“Son?”

Roger bit back the sigh at the scratchy, deep voice that belonged to the non-visible version of his father.

“Father, my time isn’t up.”

“No, it’s not.”

Roger could imagine his father staring at his wrist, debating whether or not to point out just how little time his son had left.

“Just thought I might need to pay you a visit and remind you that if your job isn’t completed by sundown tonight you will be pulled back to your realm to lead that group of people.”

Roger didn’t need that reminder. Him and his six other brothers had all struck a deal with their father. So far, none had managed to complete their earthly task and Roger wouldn’t be the next one to fail. There was no way he wanted to spend the next two millenniums leading the worst demons buried away in a dark, dingy, musky realm. Would’ve been different if his father had been willing to allow all eight of his children to rule the earth realm. Nope, his father had viewed it as the weakest realm; therefore it belonged to his only daughter.

“Might as well admit defeat and come take your position of power.”

“Not lost yet.” Roger tugged his shirt down and then marched toward the boarded up gas station that sat beside the busy restaurant that safely tucked his one away. Soon as he eliminated Big Bad Rex Titan Mountain he would have access to the entire earth realm, just like his sister did. Then he could approach his one. Until that task was done, meeting the woman he was to ravish for the rest of his life was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A fact he would soon rectify.

* * *

Monday, November 2, 2015

Phrase Scene – Taken Back

Hi,

NaNoWrMo started yesterday so what a better way to kick the second day off than with a free written, non-edited phrase scene. Hope you enjoy this weeks. I sure loved writing it. In fact, I might end up incorporating this into a book at some point. I love the action in this scene.

Enjoy and remember:
Let your imagination soar when your read.

Julia


* * *

Raven threw his father’s office door open, slamming it into the wall. His father lunged to his feet, snarling.

“Son, what the hell?”

“Do not ask me that?”

“I believe I will. You barge in here in some kind of fit.”

“Where is he?”

“Who?”

His dad had retaken his seat and leaned back as he had no care in the world. The man didn’t. He had men who did his dirty work. Each problem that arose provided some low life a new job. Raven had never partaken in his father’s criminal lifestyle, which had been how his father had wanted it. His mom had made one request of her husband; keep their children out of his mobster style life.

“Do not play coy with me, old man.”

“Watch that tone of yours.”

“I’m not scared of you. Where the heck is Donavan?”

“Lord.” His father rolled his eyes. “Not my fault if you can’t keep up with your side toy.”

“He’s not a side toy. He’s my husband and I want to know what you did with him.”

“First, men don’t marry men. Second, men don’t love men. Third, I know he’s off bounds, so why are you here accusing me of something I would never do.”

Raven hadn’t thought his father would ever break his word, but two months ago he’d proven just how low he could stoop. William Calvin Thurman Senior had deemed it wise to inform the world that his middle son would be marrying some socialite from New York, even though his son had legally married his partner of ten years the moment the law legalized gay marriage. Jason had found out before Raven had. There love was solid, but such news, mixed in with knowing how persistent William Thurman Senior was, had Jason trucking it back to Texas on the first flight.

“Where is he father?”

“I do not have Jason. If he’s gone then someone . . .”

A deep cough had Raven spinning around to face his eldest brother, who had even less to do with the Thurman family than Raven did. “What are you doing here?”

“Same as you I would say, but I know a bit more than you do.”

Junior tossed him a disk. “Received this thirty minutes ago. Use dad’s computer and watch it.”

“What is it, Junior?” Raven’s father waved to his seat.

“The Rancho Gang decided it was time for payback for your buyout.”

“I’ll fucking kill them.” Raven flipped the desk over and lunged at his father. “If they hurt Jason or Rebecca you will not live to see the sun tomorrow. We clear?”

“Damn, little brother.” Junior’s words broke thru his anger fog. “You are more like the old man than I even thought.”

“Raven,” his dad held his hands up and took a step back, “calm yourself. I’ll get them both back.”

Two of the security guards came in and looked the room over. “Sir, you okay?”

“Yes. A family issue is all.”

Raven had enough standing around he dug through the pile of papers and found his father’s address book and flipped through a few pages. He ripped out the one he needed and stormed out of his office.

“Son, where you going.”


“To take them back.”


* * *

Monday, October 26, 2015

NaNoWrMo is Upon Us


Hi

This weeks post is more of an update post. Sorry, didn’t have time to write a flash fiction scene this week. Will have one next week for you.

NaNoWrMo starts Sunday, November 1, 2015. Hope all who love to write are pledging to write 50,000 words during the month of November. I am. I managed to fulfill my pledge last year and am looking forward to doing so this year.

I not only find it relaxing to know that I have a reason to slack from the extra house keeping or shy away from the Thanksgiving hula-bulla, but it also allows me to get out and meet knew people thanks to the write-in session that are setup by different people in our area.

So, I encourage any one who loves to sit down and write to take up the NaNoWrMo challenge. If you are interest in finding out more about it then visit: www.nanowrimo.org

Hope to see all of you guys on the winning side challenge on November. 30.

Have a great week and remember:
Let your imagination soar when you read or write.


Julia

Monday, October 19, 2015

Phrase Flash Fiction Scene - Time’s Up.



This week’s post is a intriguing to me. It shows just how a tight spot can be changed before the one in it even knows. Hope you all enjoy this Phrase Flash Fiction.

Remember:
Let your imagination soar when you read.
Julia

* * *
This insinuates M/M content.
Unedited
* * *

Kane didn’t know what to do; it’d been ten years since he left Fallen Heights. He wouldn’t have came back for another two years if his father hadn’t passed away, leaving him a mess to clean up. The junk man of Fallen Heights owned twenty acres of land full of . . . just what his nickname insinuated. He might have hated the shit his father collected and despised his old man’s beliefs, but he never stopped caring about Fallen Heights. More specifically, Zander Wolf.

Zander had been eight years old when his family transferred from Loganvile Pack to Fallenvile Pack. Kane had known the day the shaggy, curly red haired young boy stood on the pack entrance stage that the man would be his on his twentieth birthday. He’d gone straight to his Pack Alpha Wayne and told him. The two of them had made their way over to Mr. Wolf’s house right after the meeting ended.

Pack Alpha Wayne spared no time getting down to business when Mr. Wolf invited them to sit around the kitchen table. Kane remembered each of the ten scratches on the rickety old brown kitchen table. How could he not, it was where his entire life came to a crashing halt. Mr. Wolf hadn’t been pleased about Zander going to the Pack Alpha and announcing that he was Zander’s true life mate. True life mats could be found at any time and age, but a wolf shifter under the age of fifteen won’t recognize the other until after he’s fifteen when their hormones begins to come to life. In cases like Kane’s the wolf law is clear. A clear state of intention must be made to the Alpha and the Alpha must take the intention to the parent of the younger half of the mated pair. That ensures that at the older half is kept aware of any possible issues about his or her other half. Or that’s the case most of the time.

Most parents are thrilled about their child finding their mate so young, because true mates are rarely found. Mr. Wolf hadn’t been. In fact, Mr. Wolf enacted a clause that had not been used in the Fallenvile Pack in over two centuries, The Backpedal.

The Backpedal means that the Pack Alpha must ensure that the older half of the mated pair and the younger half of the pair remains separated until the age of twenty, which is the legal adult age among wolf shifters. It’s not an easy job for a Pack Alpha or the older mated half. There is my-near no possible way for an Alpha to guarantee the two pack members won’t run into one another, unless he sends the older pack member away. The older half will be miserable not being able to watch over his other half.

By the end of the night that Kane had met the one his entire life would revolve around he had agreed to go and stay with a pack who agreed to shelter him until Zander turned twenty. Kane had gotten his Alpha to agree to keep him updated on Zander. The Alpha had, it helped Kane, but his life had been miserable. Needless to say when he got the call about his dad’s passing he’d been a bit surprised that the Alpha requested he come home and handle his father’s estate in person.

“Place changed a lot?” Alpha said from behind him.

Kane hadn’t even heard or smelt his Alpha approach. “No, sir. Junk pretty much remained junk.” He chuckled and spun around, gaping at what . . . no who he saw standing beside the Alpha.

Kane couldn’t say anything else, all he could do was stare at the young man standing to the left of the Alpha. How could he not, the once curly red headed boy had grown into a taller, broad shoulder, long, curly haired sex on a stick god.

“Nice to meet you, finally.” Zander walked forward and offered him his hand.

Kane stared at the hand, wanting nothing more than to take it and yank the man into his arms, but if he did then he’d break the clause his father had enacted. Hell, by him standing in front of him he did so. It gave Zander’s father a reason to ask for his death.

“It’s fine, Kane.”

He shifted his gaze to the Alpha and shook his head. “What is going on? Why did you bring him here when you know . . .”

“My father no longer has control of me.” Zander lowered his hand and pulled a envelope from his back pocket. “Read it for yourself.”

Kane took the piece of paper and by the last sentence of the legal document he’d fallen to his knees. It was too good to be true. His mate had been declared a legal adult by the Head Shifter Council, meaning Zander could chose his true life mate whenever he wanted.

“I’ve known about you all these years.”

“How?”

“Eavesdropped on dad’s conversation with you and the Alpha.”

Kane chuckled at the image of little curly boy pressing his back against the hallway way, struggling to stay out of sight on the big bad adults.

“When?”

“Two weeks after my eighteen birthday. Went to the Alpha the day of my birthday and we mailed the request into the council that night.”

Kane read the legal document again, not quiet believing what he was seeing or hearing. Oh, he knew it was true, but it felt like a dream.

“See why I tried to convince you to come see your father before he passed.” The Alpha moved to his side and patted his shoulder. “Time is up. You can come back to your home.”

There were lots he could’ve asked his Alpha right then, but none of it matter anymore. He’d come home and knew the truth, but did his other half long for him like it seemed like.

Kane looked up at Zander and said, “Is that what you want?” As much as it would hurt him, if his other half didn’t want him to come and claim him then he’d be requesting to head back to his temporary pack.

“I think it is long overdue.”

 * * *