PROLOGUE
“Prince Gabriel, I have contacted all of the regional coven leaders, they have already sent us whatever blood they had stored. We’re running out of options.” Roman removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
Gabriel sat at his desk in his office at the coven house, elbows on the desktop, with his crossed fingers covering his lips.
“We’re out of time. Baron gave us a month before he came for Rhys, it’s already been that long. He’s probably giving us some leeway due to Christmas being right around the corner, but I fear he will be coming soon. He will come and there won’t be anything I can do to stop him.”
“It won’t be the same without hearing Rhys at Christmas,” Roman said in a pained voice.
“It was the reason why I turned him.” Gabriel sighed and stared down at the council paperwork that had been sent back to him, a faint smile on his lips.
“You still haven’t told Ashby, have you?”
Gabriel shook his head.
“It all happened so fast. With everything going on with Rhys and the Inner Court about to give birth, I haven’t really had the chance. The timing couldn’t be worse.”
“What are we going to do?”
Gabriel looked up and Roman was shocked at the depth of sadness and hopelessness that he saw.
“I don’t know.”
Chapter One
Rebecca
Dec 20th - Afternoon
“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful,” Rebecca sang cheerfully as she hung fresh garland and wreaths up in the diner. She loved Christmas. The snow outside reminded her of the magical day when she first came to Arkadia. So much had happened in the past year, it felt like she had lived here all her life.
The diner smelled like Ma’s beef stew, homemade bread and cinnamon from the desserts baking in the oven. She was about to get on the step ladder when she heard a low growl from her mate. She looked behind her to see Liam already standing from where he sat with his mates. He walked over and winked at her before he took the garland from her hands.
She turned to Aleks. “You don’t have to be so growly.”
“You should know better than to be climbing around on a step ladder. You’re due any day now. You’re so big you’d probably topple off to one side.”
Rebecca gasped and looked down at her stomach. She secretly complained to Ashby and Sebastian about how big she was because she didn’t want to worry Aleks, but damn the man for calling her out on it in the diner.
“I’m not that big. I’m perfectly healthy.” She sniffed.
Liam leaned down and whispered, “You know he’s just worried. We all are. You’re just so tiny and let’s face it, your tummy is not.” He kissed the top of her head, arranged the last section of garland, and stepped down.
“I’m fine. We both are. Drill sergeant over there has been keeping track of how many steps I take from the den to the bathroom, how many ounces of water I drink and all my pre-natal vitamins.” She smiled sweetly at Aleks before sticking her tongue out at him and rubbing her tummy.
“Have you picked out a name yet?” Ashby asked, grinning.
Rebecca could kiss the man. He always seemed to know exactly what she was feeling and what to do to make her feel better. Bringing up choosing a baby name would be a fun way to bring her overbearing bear down a notch or two. He had been dogging her every step for the past month and restricted her visits to the diner. Torturing him was her only form of entertainment.
“I think I have.”
“It has to be an ‘A’ name,” Aleks jumped in. She had been teasing him about naming the baby Gabriel for weeks.
“I found the perfect name. Aloisius. It’s Liam’s middle name and I think it will suit my baby right down to his little purr,” Rebecca said, taking a seat across from Ashby who had his back to Aleks. He caught her eye and winked.
“That’s a fine name,” Liam exclaimed, jumping on the bandwagon.
“Like hell! We are not naming my son Aloisius! And he does not purr, he growls!” Aleks rumbled.
