A Christmas Surprise (9 page)

They woke to a perfect blue sky on Christmas morning and drove out to the ranch. Everyone was up and gathered in the living room by the fire and the tree. Even Lance, Colton, and Dom were there along with Paige, who seemed to be saddened by something. She had a far-off look in her eyes that seemed to be filled with unshed tears, and Sandi wondered what had happened to her. They were enveloped into the love and merry greetings as they entered, eggnog placed in their hands while Margaurite cooked brunch. Jade and Traci were helping her, and so far they had put out quite a spread.

They ate buffet style and then exchanged gifts. Everyone had piles of presents beside them as no one had been forgotten. It seemed that everyone was content to sit around and chat with soft music playing in the background. Sandi felt like she belonged, she loved the Cassidy family as her own and that included Traci as well. Jade and Traci were like her sisters, although not blood, definitely in her heart.

Just when Danny took her over to the armchair by the fire to sit down, she thought he was going to perch on the arm of the chair. He shocked her by kneeling down in front of her with the whole family watching.

"Sandi, I know we have had rough patches in this relationship, but the one thing I know is that through all we have been through, I found the one for me. You are the sunshine in my life, we go together," he said with a twinkling in his eye as he reached into his pocket. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and let me love you every day of your life?"

He pulled out a one-carat diamond solitaire that was surrounded by yellow peridots to give the illusion of a sun shining.

Her breath caught in her throat as tears filled her eyes. "I would love to be your wife, Danny. Forever."

"Forever," he echoed as he leaned in, took her face in his hands, and kissed her while their family and friends who were gathered around them broke into applause and well wishes.

Books by Jana Leigh

Denver Pack Series

Alpha's Mate

Tey's White Wolf

Devon: The Beta's Double Trouble

Cloe: Two for the Bite of One

Reggie: A Wolf's Changing Heart

Blaine: A Wolf's Second Sight

Lacy: Seeing Double

Jordan's Misunderstanding

Trinity: Heart of the Shifters

Argus: Meeting the Challenge

Trace: Following His Destiny

Shea: The Last Hope

Denver Pack Twelve 1/2

Chosen Wars Series

Cat’s Choice

Dante’s Dream

Finally Home – Taming of a White Wolf – Coming Soon

Other books include

Dangerous Series

Dangerous Trio

Dangerous Two

Dangerous Finale

Dangerous: Working Against the Clock

Dangerous: Off Limits

Dangerous: All Bark and No Bite

Cassidy Family Series

Playing With Zack

Killing Jared

A Christmas Surprise

Drekinn Series

The Mating Call

Healing Cherri

Mob Moms’ Christmas

Reaching Rissa

Kiki’s story – coming soon

New Series Coming 2013

Taming Team Ten

Co-authoring two New Series

Meridian Warriors Series with Zach Collins – March 2013

Shifter Justice with Bryce Evans – March 2013

I would love to hear from you!

Website:
www.janaleighauthor.com

Excerpt from Alpha’s Mate

Denver Pack Book One

By Jana Leigh

Chapter One

Quin sat on the top of the building he owned looking over the city that had come to feel as home to him. Denver was far away and completely different from where he grew up, and yet he could not imagine ever leaving the city. Quin realized this place had finally become home. He watched as the sun set over the Rocky Mountains. Lately, he’d become so restless that he escaped to the rooftop to try to find peace from within. He knew nothing would cure his restlessness except to find his mate, which he didn’t stand a chance to find his mate when he considered the fact he’d been too busy with Pack business even to actually find a woman. Hell, for the last few months he and his Beta have been knee-deep in attacks from the Rogues. He’d pleasured himself whenever the need struck, instead of looking for the perfect woman. His sexual drive as a Werewolf was a little more intense than the regular human's sex drive. Sometimes it was a curse, but if he found the right one, it would be amazing.

When he was growing up, and he hit the magical age of fourteen, his hormones kicked into high gear and he shifted for the very first time. Quin had spent many nights in a cold shower to try to ebb the need he had to fuck everything around him. His parents had laughed and said he had almost acted as if he was in his terrible twos again trying to claim anything and everything as his. It wasn’t so funny when they told the stories to anyone who would listen. Potential mates and friends had given him a lot of grief over the years because of those stories. His best friend still sent cards on his birthday designed to poke fun at him; the latest even included instructions on how to masturbate correctly. Quin took it in stride, but damn it, he was the Alpha of his own Pack now. He wanted his mate to be here by his side to lead with him.
Was that too much to ask for?
Quin wondered, and then once again silently asked the spirits for guidance.

Many years ago, Quin's father and mother told him stories about the Rockies and the folklore that surrounded the majestic mountains. In the mountains, the wolves ran, without fear of becoming the hunted. They explained the tales from their ancestors who had found peace in the Rocky Mountains, and the promises they held for each wolf that chose to venture to the United States. When the decision came from his father to expand the Pack, he volunteered to move to Denver and be the Alpha of the Denver Pack, an extension of the Gevaudan Pack. The name Gevaudan stemmed from their ancestors in southern France, it meant ‘hybrid beast’. They failed to mention that when he settled here he would have to defend his Pack territory every day. It was one of the most desirable places for a wolf to live. Those wolves didn’t want to join their Pack or lead their own Pack, which caused problems.

His parents were still the Alphas in southern France, but decided they needed someone in the United States to help lead those who had migrated over the years. Many of the European Packs made the change at the same time, so there had been at least ten Packs that he knew of that had migrated. It was more out of need; the decision made when a Rogue Pack had tried to hurt a member of their Pack that had visited a few years ago. Without an Alpha on the continent, the other Packs refused to accept that any wolf was under the Council’s protection. Quin's parents made the decision quickly to move someone to protect and lead the Pack in Denver.

So overnight, he uprooted himself, his Beta and Enforcers, and moved to a new country. That was ten years ago and Quin never regretted his decision to move. It was rough the first couple of years settling themselves in the United States. The wolves here had no desire or willingness to live by the rules the European wolves followed. They assumed that they didn’t have to follow the laws the elders had set up. When Quin arrived in Denver, his parents and other European Pack leaders had developed a Council to help them set up the laws. It was a constant battle trying to keep them in line, and protect the humans they wanted to hurt. Of course, the humans knew nothing of the threat that loomed over their head.

Many of the younger Pack members didn’t look at the gift given to them by being a wolf. Instead, they looked at the power they held, and used it to their advantage to gain what they could from the humans. They felt entitled. Gods, he was sick of hearing the nasty rhetoric they spewed to one another. Quin’s parents raised him to respect people, and the gifts the Gods gave them. The misconceptions of Were and wolves, made more by the Rogues who tried to make people afraid of them were hard to overcome. Humans like to believe there were no terrible beasts and shifters didn’t exist. They blamed many of the attacks on wild dogs. If it weren’t so sad, it would have been humorous. Instead, they turned a blind eye from the reality around them, which was fine with the Were Council.

Quin was excited when first approached by his parents to leave their Pack and come to the United States. He struck out, along with seven chosen Enforcers, and finally settled in the Front Range. With the help of his previous Pack's riches, they settled and expanded their power. Lately, his restlessness had become more prominent. He told his Beta that he missed the women of the Pack. When they were in France, he had the pick of the litter. All of his men were waiting to find their mates. When they left the safety of the homeland without any females, they knew it would be a long time before they found their other half. They couldn’t chance a female being hurt before they became settled. It had only been in the last year that female wolves had begun to arrive from Europe. Unfortunately, none of them had been his mate. For a wolf, meeting their mate was what grounded them. The female wolves were to be treasured; took care of. He could not wait until he could find his mate and settle down.

Quin stood staring at the setting sun and sighed loudly, wishing he could shift and run through the mountainside. He planned a retreat for next week for him and his Enforcers high in the Rockies. Then they could truly be free to shift. Most of the time they had to be careful not to let a human see them, they needed to remain a secret for the sake of everyone. In the past few months, it had been harder and harder to hide their presence in the city. They had to deal with the Rogues and more often than not, they fought in wolf form.

“Alpha, your father is on the phone. He wants to know if you have made any progress with the Rogues in the area,” Devon, his Beta called from the door that led to the roof.

“Yeah, I’m coming.” Quin sighed and went to speak to his father.

In the past few weeks, a group of Rogue wolves decided they wanted to try to take over the area. Quin and his Enforcers had been busy trying to clean up their mess. His Pack was currently around fifty members. All of them living in the three blocks the Pack owned in Denver. They had seven apartment buildings that held all the members. In addition, they owned about 1000 acres in the mountains with a dozen or more cabins, so they could run when they wanted.

Quin prided himself on making sure all of his Pack members were happy and had jobs. They were one of the most successful Packs in the States and were gaining members every month. Soon they were going to have to expand. Quin made a note to have his personal assistant start looking at buying another city block. Many of the families that could have joined his Pack were waiting until he found his mate, which would make the Pack more stable. He wanted more than anything to find a woman that would lead by his side, but so far, he had not found anyone who called to his wolf.

His mother explained to him long ago that his wolf would be the one to recognize his mate. He knew the restlessness was because of not having found her yet. His mother and father assured him that when the time came, he would find the one meant strictly for him.

Quin went into his office and answered the phone that was blinking at him, “Hello Father.”

“Son, what progress have you made with the Rogues?” A gruff voice responded to him. His father, never a man for long discussions, was always quick and to the point. When he was growing up, his mother was the one who dispensed the hugs. His father, though Quin knew he loved him, was more serious. His father also believed the Alpha of every Pack had a greater responsibility than even to his own family. This is where they differed. When Quin finally found his mate, he was going to make sure she knew exactly how important she was to him. His children would know the same love his mother had shown him.

“We had a skirmish last night in a suburb, but so far we can’t seem to find their lair. I hope they will show themselves soon. We have heard their Alpha is a wolf named Roark, but we haven’t been able to find him,” Quin said turning in his chair so he could watch the last of the sun setting.

“You may have to send out more patrols. I heard from Roan in Northern Ireland, and his Alpha in the States is having problems too. He has lost three females and one Enforcer in the last week. You need to watch the Pack,” his father warned.

“I know what is at stake here, father. I will talk to my Beta and the Enforcers. We are planning a retreat next week, but I do not want to leave the Pack unguarded. We may have to postpone, at least while this mess remains. They will understand, even if they are itching to run,” Quin said.

“I agree. Do you need any more people? I could send your brother and a few others to help,” his father asked.

Quin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was the Alpha of this Pack. He loved his father, but he was still set in the old ways.

“Let me talk it over with the others, I will let you know. I may have to have some more help if they try to take one of our females,” Quin replied.

They spoke for a few more minutes, and then Quin hung up the phone, hoping he would be able to give his father a better report the next time he spoke to him. He didn’t want his brothers to come here unless the need arose for that particular action. They were all working on settling their own Packs. All except for his youngest brother Adrian, who was just concluding his training. He hoped to offer the young wolf a place in his Pack. It had been too long since he had seen his family, and he wanted to have that connection again.

He had no clue what the Rogue wolves were trying to do. Taking female wolves was an act of war, soon he would have no choice but to hunt and kill the Rogues if they could not get them under control.

He could hear loud voices in the outer office and sighed again. What else could happen today? It had been a long day already, and he wanted to have a nice quiet dinner and go to bed.

Just before he reached the door, it burst open and his Beta fell in the room. Devon was larger than most of his wolves, so he nearly took up the entire space when he sprawled on the floor. Being the Beta of the Pack, Devon was the strongest wolf. Quin never wanted to find out who would win if they fought for Alpha, he suspected it would be a close fight.

“Get your ass out of my way,” he heard a female growl come from just outside the room.

Quin laughed when Devon jumped up and looked at him with red cheeks. “She caught me off guard.”

“Right, we’ll go with that, if it’s how you want to spin it.” Quin agreed and poked his head out of his office to see who had thrown his Beta through the door. It must have been a large female wolf to do this kind of damage.

He laughed even harder when he saw the small sprite before him. A small blonde woman stood there tapping her foot with impatience. Wow, she was beautiful. Long flowing hair pulled back into a high ponytail and voluptuous curves, the woman stood a good foot below him. It made him feel like he was a giant. Quin grinned and looked at the woman with more interest. He wondered why she was here. He knew every member of his Pack, and she definitely did not belong.

“Listen buster, I have been sitting out here for the last two hours, waiting patiently for the head dog to come and meet with me. I no longer have the time, or the inclination to sit here. Tell your overly important man when he makes an appointment; he should have the courtesy to show up.” The woman fumed, turned on her heel, and stomped to the elevators.

Quin laughed again until the breeze from her turn caught his nose. She smelled like rose petals and fresh mountain air. His wolf immediately responded and began howling, pushing him to follow her. Holy shit, she was his mate, and she was a human!

Devon growled when his Alpha walked by him, as if in a trance. “Alpha let me handle her. The human doesn’t know her place.”

“Huh?” he said, still moving in the direction the woman had gone.

“She had an appointment with you to talk about renting space in the bottom floor of the building we just bought. I told her we were not ready to make any decisions, but she said she had a lease already with the previous owners and she wanted us to honor the contract. She wants to open a bookstore. I tried to explain that you were busy, but she said she called and made an appointment with Shelly. I explained Shelly was out on emergency leave and hadn’t put her in the book, but she refused to reschedule and said she would wait,” Devon said obviously frustrated. “I will send her a letter stating we will not be honoring the contract. After the last meeting, we decided to make more apartments for the Pack. We have only one more apartment before we run out of them and there are new people inquiring every week. Then I may teach her what happens when she pulls a wolf’s tail.”

“NO!” Quin yelled and looked at his friend. “I think she is my mate.”

“What? A human?” Devon asked incredulously following his friend's gaze and watched the doors to the elevator close. “I will get her.”

“No, I will. Do you have her information?” Quin said intensely. He found his mate and he was not going to waste time waiting for someone to bring her back, least of all his Beta that she had thrown on his ass.

Devon nodded and went to the desk and pulled a sheet of paper from the top. “Her name is Cami Reynolds. She lives only a few blocks down. According to her contract, she has already paid a substantial deposit.”

Quin nodded and went back to his office to gather his things. “I will be gone until I can convince her to return with me. Please make sure everyone knows not to disturb me.”