Imprinted By The Alpha (BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (The Marked One - Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Jocelyn Thomas
Tags: paranormal romance, Urban, Werewolves, shifters, Werewolves & Shifters
“I can sense that you are right about that.” She smiled wickedly.
“You’re too much,” Ava told her as they headed out the door.
Always invigorated by a party, Kelly threw an arm over Ava’s shoulders. “You know you’ll never get enough of me.” As they headed out, she held up her phone and snapped the critical best friend selfie to add to their collection. At the bottom of the stairwell, which held images of Ava’s life and even a couple of shots of the two of them together as very young girls, Kelly let Ava go ahead to call out to her mother, “We’re leaving, Mom. Don’t wait up, okay?”
“Play safe, you hear me?” Sarah called back, leaning around the kitchen wall to see them and pointedly staring at their outfits.
Kelly beamed at her. “We will, Mrs. Bertrand, I promise.” Ava let herself be ushered out the door, ready to get to the party.
******
A s she watched the two girls leave, Sarah shook her head. It was undeniable; her little girl had blossomed into a full blown woman. The thought formed a lump in her throat as she turned to go back to the living room. She inhaled sharply to still her nerves and assured herself that everything was fine, at least, for the moment.
Sarah was by no means old, but she felt it these days. Since her husband had passed, she’d taken the brunt of the burden on herself to assure that she and Ava would be alright. Ava had insisted on working, but otherwise, Sarah didn’t bother her with the emotional drain it had been on her to lose her true mate. Her strength had been drained, and she’d begun to age far earlier than she should have.
But Ava was in the prime of her youth, matured but still naïve and full of untainted power. On top of that, she was a tough girl who had proven time and again that she could take care of herself. She’d handled the loss of her father like a champ, been here for a mother who wanted to fall apart, and managed to hold a steady job while still earning a scholarship at a prestigious college. And yet, she’d come back to Willow Falls, the same way Sarah had never been able to get away.
The same way the Minors would never truly be able to leave.
Telling herself that Ava could take care of herself and knowing it was true, Sarah reluctantly turned on the television to distract herself. It would never satisfy her to know that Ava was fine on her own. As a mother, Sarah would always want to be the one to protect her daughter.
Chapter 5
––––––––
G rowing anxious as Kelly pulled up to Murphy Lake and parked, Ava jumped out of the car and adjusted her clothes before hurrying around the trunk to grab one of the six packs they had brought with them.
As they walked swiftly down the small trail from the parking area toward the party beside the glistening water, Ava could see the yellow amber light dancing through the woods. Murphy Lake had been the premier hang out location for what Ava assumed was time immemorial. The beautiful body of water was surrounded by enough forested area to serve as secluded hiding for intimate couples, and it wasn’t unusual to accidentally run into some hot and heavy action in the dark.
Tonight, the music echoed up from the shoreline as they drew closer, and Ava saw no need for a flashlight as the last quarter moon glowed brightly to lead them down the path until they were close enough for the fire to guide the way. They entered the clearing, the firelight blazing and nearly blinding Ava in the midst of probably fifty or more partygoers, enjoying the revelries.
Kelly handed her a beer from the six pack she carried. “Ready, set, go,” she giggled.
“Ava! Oh my god, you’re back!” The squealing, half-drunk blonde ran up to her, throwing her arms around Ava’s neck and hugging her while trying not to fall over.
“Jen, how are you?” Ava held Jen’s arms so she wouldn’t topple backward into the flames. The girl never had been able to hold her liquor and drank too much too fast.
“You’re too much,” Ava told her as they headed out the door.
Always invigorated by a party, Kelly threw an arm over Ava’s shoulders. “You know you’ll never get enough of me.” As they headed out, she held up her phone and snapped the critical best friend selfie to add to their collection. At the bottom of the stairwell, which held images of Ava’s life and even a couple of shots of the two of them together as very young girls, Kelly let Ava go ahead to call out to her mother, “We’re leaving, Mom. Don’t wait up, okay?”
“Play safe, you hear me?” Sarah called back, leaning around the kitchen wall to see them and pointedly staring at their outfits.
Kelly beamed at her. “We will, Mrs. Bertrand, I promise.” Ava let herself be ushered out the door, ready to get to the party.
******
A s she watched the two girls leave, Sarah shook her head. It was undeniable; her little girl had blossomed into a full blown woman. The thought formed a lump in her throat as she turned to go back to the living room. She inhaled sharply to still her nerves and assured herself that everything was fine, at least, for the moment.
Sarah was by no means old, but she felt it these days. Since her husband had passed, she’d taken the brunt of the burden on herself to assure that she and Ava would be alright. Ava had insisted on working, but otherwise, Sarah didn’t bother her with the emotional drain it had been on her to lose her true mate. Her strength had been drained, and she’d begun to age far earlier than she should have.
But Ava was in the prime of her youth, matured but still naïve and full of untainted power. On top of that, she was a tough girl who had proven time and again that she could take care of herself. She’d handled the loss of her father like a champ, been here for a mother who wanted to fall apart, and managed to hold a steady job while still earning a scholarship at a prestigious college. And yet, she’d come back to Willow Falls, the same way Sarah had never been able to get away.
The same way the Minors would never truly be able to leave.
Telling herself that Ava could take care of herself and knowing it was true, Sarah reluctantly turned on the television to distract herself. It would never satisfy her to know that Ava was fine on her own. As a mother, Sarah would always want to be the one to protect her daughter.
Chapter 5
––––––––
G rowing anxious as Kelly pulled up to Murphy Lake and parked, Ava jumped out of the car and adjusted her clothes before hurrying around the trunk to grab one of the six packs they had brought with them.
As they walked swiftly down the small trail from the parking area toward the party beside the glistening water, Ava could see the yellow amber light dancing through the woods. Murphy Lake had been the premier hang out location for what Ava assumed was time immemorial. The beautiful body of water was surrounded by enough forested area to serve as secluded hiding for intimate couples, and it wasn’t unusual to accidentally run into some hot and heavy action in the dark.
Tonight, the music echoed up from the shoreline as they drew closer, and Ava saw no need for a flashlight as the last quarter moon glowed brightly to lead them down the path until they were close enough for the fire to guide the way. They entered the clearing, the firelight blazing and nearly blinding Ava in the midst of probably fifty or more partygoers, enjoying the revelries.
Kelly handed her a beer from the six pack she carried. “Ready, set, go,” she giggled.
“Ava! Oh my god, you’re back!” The squealing, half-drunk blonde ran up to her, throwing her arms around Ava’s neck and hugging her while trying not to fall over.
“Jen, how are you?” Ava held Jen’s arms so she wouldn’t topple backward into the flames. The girl never had been able to hold her liquor and drank too much too fast.
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