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  Copyright 2015 by Laila Raimes

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

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  Contents

  Copyright

  Reviews

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Other Works by Laila

  Prologue

  Micah dragged her luggage behind her in one hand, and with the other she rubbed the back of her neck. The tension had been rising by the second since yesterday, and it had nothing to do with the difficult business trip she just concluded much earlier than she’d expected. Thankfully. Not only had the job been rough, but yesterday she felt an odd sensation overcome her, one that made her Mate Mark tingle. And not in a good way.

  She desperately needed to see Cal. She was already walking out the airport looking for her ride.

  Where is he? I called and texted him.

  She’d left at least three messages when she realized she’d be able to come home early. Not to mention the numerous texts. His lack of response was unnerving to say the least. And very much unlike him.

  She waited up to twenty minutes, tried his cell over and over again--it went straight to voicemail... each... time--then decided to take a cab home as it was obvious he wasn’t coming.

  The closer they got to her house, the more irritated her Mark felt. By the time they arrived she had a sense of foreboding, dread, and what’s worse, she felt Cal. Felt him... pleasuring himself? But that drop in her heart was telling her it was more than that--much more. She paid the cabby, and practically ran up the steps to their house leaving the door open and the luggage in the foyer.

  Her heart stopped. She’d heard heavy breathing, the sounds and smells of sex, but she didn’t want to believe it. She couldn’t believe it. Using her supernatural speed she cleared the stairs before her next heartbeat. It was when she reached the top of the stairs that she slowed her movement but her heart sped up.

  She heard it louder, there was no mistake. This was not a video he was watching. No. He was starring in this scene.

  Still unable to admit what her heart was telling her, Micah walked to their bedroom and found out she was wrong. He was coming after all.

  Cal roared his release as the blond beneath him screamed hers. Micah lost the strength to stand and stumbled back, nearly falling to the floor, but able to right herself by her right arm latching onto the doorway. That small sound brought Cal out of his post-orgasmic decline and his head snapped in her direction.

  Micah’s free arm slowly reached to cover her chest, where she literally felt her heart aching. Tears fell down her face, and her blood was pumping in her ears. Her mouth opened and though she didn’t hear it herself, she knew she asked, “Why?”

  Cal was saying something, removing himself from the sheath he had just pleasured himself in and coming toward her. But she couldn’t focus on that. Pain lanced in the crook of her neck, the bite mark, the Mate Mark. Cool air passed over it and she reached for that patch of skin only to find it wet. She brought her fingers to her eyes and saw blood. Then the pain began to subside and after wiping her bloody fingers on the side of her jeans, she touched it again. It was completely closed. No, not closed, gone. There was no trace of Micah ever being Mated.

  It completely reversed itself!

  Cal must’ve been pleading with her, his lips were definitely moving so she knew he was saying something. But the rushing of blood and the tearing of her heart was overwhelming and she had to leave before she went homicidal. She turned her back to him and ran down the stairs and into the garage.

  She hit the button on the side; the garage began opening. By the time it was up, she was already on her bike, ignition started and screeching out of their driveway.

  No. His driveway.

  She left him, she left her home, the town she had settled down in, her clothes, jewelry, cars; she left everything behind and refused to look back.

  Chapter 1

  Eighteen months later...

  What did I do to piss off Fate?

  For the first time in a year-and-a-half, Micah was returning to the town she’d called home--begrudgingly. What made it worse was that she was headed to the Inland Pack, the Pack that she unceremoniously ditched when she left town. The same Pack that Cal was a member of, which was now without an Alpha; the position he was vying for.

  Micah wasn’t sure why the council deemed it necessary for her to grace them with her presence, but seeing as how she’d left them one Alpha she-wolf less, leaving them with, well no Alpha she-wolf, she agreed to meet with them. She pulled up to the head Elder’s home and got off her bike.

  The Pack was alive with preparations, for what, she had no clue. Nor did she care. She didn’t keep up with anyone from here except her one friend Alicia. As usual most members of the Pack veered away from the freak when she approached them. Nothing new there. She was a freak of nature, an abomination. She was used to it though. Being abandoned at a young age and having to fend for yourself, thickened ones skin. Hers was tougher than Teflon. At the ripe ole’ age of seventy-six she’d experienced a lot on her own.

  So used to it that she sometimes wondered how she even got involved in two long, miserable relationships. Well, the first was not a shifter, in fact she wasn’t sure what he was, but he was definitely supernatural. The fact was that there really haven’t been any pure humans in over a hundred years. The bloodlines along the way were as some called it polluted. Most humans had some sort of special gift, perhaps not as blatant as Micah’s, but there none-the-less. Could be that sixth sense, foresight, or that strange feeling. You know the one when you know something bad is going to happen and you have an inkling on how to avoid it. Well. All that is from the mixture of supernatural’s and their human mates.

  Micah didn’t care either way, but it did affect her life--all her life. She definitely got the freaky short end of the stick when she was born. She was prominently shifter, or perhaps, shifters, as she had not one but two beasts residing within her. That alone made her the outcast. She never really fit in anywhere. Forget about her other abilities that she kept to herself. Perhaps that’s why she was involved with Ian for so many years, dealing with his put downs, his condescending tone, his emotion
al abuse. Maybe she just wanted to feel as if she belonged. But then one day he just up and left, just like her parents did.

  She had kept busy though, earning degree after degree, so many that she had a box full of them. Then she’d met Cal. Just the thought of him made her heart flutter. Judas.

  Cal. With his six foot two inch frame of muscle, his light blond hair, light blue eyes, and those lips. Uhhh. The instant her eyes saw him, scented him, her wolf was at full attention, pushing forward, urging her to Mate with him. While her other beast remained in a slumber, too bored to even protest.

  They’d Bonded within a month which is a long time for shifters when they found their Ever Mate. But nineteen years later she found him in bed with another. It confused the hell out of her. She spent many nights trying to figure out how Fate got it wrong. They had Bonded emotionally as well as mentally as Ever Mates did. But it was obvious that something was not right, if it were, she’d still be waking up to Cal’s blunt teeth on her breast, a hand trailing down her abs to find her wet and wanting. Wanting of him.

  But no longer. Now she woke up as she had in the past--alone. Yet. Again.

  “Micah!?” Alicia called to her, ripping her back to the present.

  Micah turned to the left and saw her friend running to her. If Micah wasn’t so strong she might have fallen to the ground with the force of Alicia’s impact as she wrapped her arms around her. Micah squeezed her back just as tightly. She really had missed her friend.

  “You look great,” Micah told Alicia. Her hair was longer but her spiral curls were shiny as always. Alicia always had a slim figure, one that Micah secretly envied. There were many times that Ian made sure she knew he didn’t want her because her breasts and ass were on the plump side.

  She shook the thought away. Now wasn’t time to ride the pathetic memory lane.

  “Me? You look phenomenal. Cal will be drooling,” she teased.

  Micah’s heart sank and raced at the same time. What was wrong with her? Oh wait, I’m the freak. So technically for me this is normal, therefore... nothing is wrong?

  “I’m not looking forward to seeing him. I owe him a couple gashes and a castration,” Micah replied.

  Alicia cringed at the thought. While Alicia loved Micah, she tended to stay away from violence of any kind. Micah? Not so much. Not so much at all. But then again, Alicia was an Omega, and Micah was a very strong Alpha; and then some.

  Alicia released her but kept her hand in Micah’s as they went into the Elder’s home. “Want to talk about it? Again?” Alicia asked.

  “Nah, I’m good. Today’s a decent day. And I’ll do my best not to allow my humiliation to show.”

  Alicia squeezed her hand. She wanted to tell Micah that she shouldn’t feel humiliated, but this was the first time in history that an Ever Mate cheated. The idea of not only walking in on the betrayal in your own home, your own bed, but also feeling his pleasure would make her feel the same. So she did what she could do and tried to soothe her as best she could.

  There was nothing she could do, however, when Micah spotted Cal and her body tensed. A long growl was running through the entrance and it took a moment for Micah to realize it was coming from her.

  Chapter 2

  There he was. Talking to Isaiah animatedly. No care in the world, no remnants of hurt or love in his heart. He had moved on with his life, hell he’d moved on with his life before he’d ended the one they’d shared together. Of course he was happy. Vaguely she felt her lip raise into a snarl and her growl deepen. It was then that Cal turned to her and of all things to do, he smiled at her. The way he smiled at her after she collapsed on top of him, after they were both spent from their vigorous love making.

  She felt a tinge of pain as her claws extended, her wolf’s claws, but her body was at war with her. It was getting aroused, it was the damnedest thing and it made absolutely no sense. But it did add another layer of humiliation onto her shoulders. It was so weird, almost like she was aroused at what he could have been, not what he had been or was now... Micah had never run from a confrontation but this situation was the cherry on top of the icing on the cake. Really, hate and lust at the same time? Why couldn’t her body get on board with her hating of him?

  She cursed. He and Isaiah were heading their way. Her mind wanted to back pedal, but her wolf refused to be intimidated in any way, shape, or form by this shifter that she knew now, was beneath them. Even Micah’s other beast woke up in support of this display of dominance. Thankfully, the scent of her arousal was replaced with her Alpha vibes as the air thickened so that he knew exactly where he stood with her. He would not be getting any smiles or cordial greetings, and when it made him, the wolf vying for the Alpha position, halt in his steps, it gave Micah a sense of peace that he acknowledged that while he may have the Alpha streak in him needed to lead a Pack, she was a natural born Alpha and therefore was superior to him in every way.

  Alicia cleared her throat in order to gain Micah’s attention. Not only had Cal stopped moving but the Elder and any shifter in the house had done the same. Trying not to smirk, Micah pulled back her Alpha vibes and after the air seemed to clear, everyone continued where they left off. And the after-great-sex-smile was now cleared off Cal’s face.

  “Micah,” Isaiah greeted her, his voice as smooth as silk. “It’s good to see you again.” He made no move to touch her and she was thankful for that. She didn’t want any pretenses, the only ones who had accepted her for who she was were Alicia and Cal. And now she was down by one.

  “Isaiah,” she said by way of greeting. “Why am I here?” She had no time for formalities, she wanted to get the hell out of dodge and fast.

  “Same old Micah, I see,” Isaiah said.

  “Why would you expect me to change? I did nothing wrong,” she replied. And received another wave of contentment when she saw Cal cringe.

  “Right,” he said. “If you will follow us to my office, I think it would be best if we speak in private. You may wait out here,” he said to Alicia.

  “Absolutely not,” Micah stated. “She goes where I go or I go bye-bye.”

  It took a moment for Isaiah to capitulate, but he did and Alicia squeezed Micah’s hand so she knew she had her back. Micah reciprocated.

  They walked past the living room and into an office on the side that held a large oak desk, some book shelves, and a couple couches and chairs. Isaiah took a seat at his desk moving the laptop out of his way so he can rest his forearms on top. Cal took one of the other seats, and Alicia sat on one of the couches and had to pull Micah’s arm in order to get her to sit as well. Micah did so with a low growl at the two she considered to be her opponents.

  “I’ll get straight to the point,” Isaiah said and Micah found herself rolling her eyes; he acted as if he was doing her a favor. “You may or may not know that Cal is in line to be the next Alpha. However, there’s a certain air of hesitation in the pack because of his lack of ability to stay Marked by his Ever Mate, Cora.”

  Micah suppressed the urge to growl at Isaiah calling Cora, Cal’s Ever Mate. She could still feel the ghost of want, the whispered pulling of Cal’s animal to hers. This was so screwed up and it made no sense. She reminded herself that Cora was the shifter he cheated on her with, he chose another Ever Mate making it seem as if there were more than one. She wasn’t sure how one could chose who their Ever Mate was but there it was, he had, and it wasn’t her.

  “How is this my problem?” Micah questioned.

  “This Pack requires the Alpha to be Mated, if Cora’s Mark doesn’t remain it will be as if he’s half-Mated, which we cannot have.”

  “Again, my problem, how?”

  Cal leaned forward and it was both of her beasts that growled long and loud at him. His eyes widened but he didn’t back down. “It’s not your problem in truth, and I’m sure that you want to be anywhere but here, but what Isaiah is trying to ask is for you to verbally renounce me as your Ever Mate. I saw how your Mark disappeared when you,” he had the good gra
ce to cringe as he said the next part, “saw me with Cora. It seemed to reverse, for some reason mine, well your Mark has remained.”

  Hmm, I wonder why. Micah responded with her voice sweeter than corn syrup. “Gladly, why would I want anyone to think that I am still claiming a cheating Ever Mate. I’ll renounce you. I Micah Everheart,” Cal winced at her taking on her un-Mated name, “renounce you as my Ever Mate. And pronounce you as the lying, cheating, heartless, sac of putrid puss, and a sad excuse of a Mate that you turned out to be. Hopefully you’re faithful to your new ‘Ever Mate,’” her fingers quoted the air as she stood on her feet. “But it is my pleasure to renounce you,” her voice dropped to a growl, “If I could I’d strip you of the title of an Ever Mate, I would as you don’t have the loyalty or honor to hold it.” Cal’s body seemed to shrink in, and his painful groan sounded in the air, his white T-shirt turned crimson over the crook of his neck as the Mate mark reversed itself. She moved to the door. “Don’t contact me again, next time I won’t be so... friendly.”

  Alicia walked out behind Micah just as Cal called out to her.

  “Micah, wait please.”

  “I’m not giving you another second of my life Cal, if I could, I’d take back the nineteen plus years I wasted on you.”

  “Alicia, please,” Cal begged.

  She paused and Micah kept going. “Do what you want, Ali, I’ll be outside.”

  Alicia being the Omega of the Pack was torn between her best friend and her pack member, but her pack member won out, only because it was her duty to help those in need, those in pain. She only hoped that Cal’s call was because of that and not an effort to try to clear his conscious. She wasn’t a priest after all. She turned back and walked to his side inwardly groaning as she felt as if she had just betrayed Micah.