Winter Eve Read Online Free Page B

wine before speaking. “Ashwood Falls was formed on the land of two Packs: the wolves and the leopards. Both Packs lost over sixty percent of their people during a mass attack from a rogue shifter pack called the Onyx.”
    Nevan made a noise of disgust. “How long ago?”
    “It was over two hundred years ago. They came in like a storm. The weaker of the Packs surrendered and now work with the Onyx for their cause.”
    He raised a brow. “You don’t know what that is, do you?”
    “No. I suspect the Enforcers have some leads or an idea. The given is they want control over all packs and territories.” Visions of the night she lost her parents came to mind. Her throat tightened and she fought to keep the tears from falling. Even after all these years, she still could recall their memories without crying. “I lost my parents in that attack.”
    He twisted his body to sit sideway on the sofa and faced her. “Sorry.”
    “I was ten years old at the time. My mom tucked me inside a hidden room in the basement. I heard everything. Their screams, the breaking glass, shouts from the rogues to kill everyone…” Lifting her gaze, she met Nevan’s gray stare. Fury darkened his eye color to the color of storm clouds. “Blaine found me. At the time it seemed like days. I already knew my parents were dead.”
    Nodding, he reached over and covered her hand. “Sarah cried out in pain when my dad died. She felt the loss, and my brothers felt hers. I had no clue what was going on until they told me. It was the first time I ever felt like an outsider.”
    She curled her fingers around his hand and squeezed. “They never meant…”
    He peered at her, holding her completely captive.
    “I know. But I had to leave after that. With Dad, everything was whole. We were family. We still are, but we’re missing a piece.”
    The crackling from the fire filled the room. She understood what he described. The bond between Sarah and her mate being broken would have been painful. Keegan, in one of his very rare emotional moods, had described it to her. The Alpha had said it was as if someone had reached inside his chest and ripped his heart out with their bare hands. She figured it would be rude and inappropriate to ask how he knew what that felt like and considered he was being graphic to keep her from asking any more personal questions.
    When she looked up again, it was to meet Nevan’s eyes. Desire swirled in them, awakening her leopard. He raised his hand to brush a stray hair from her face. Instead of dropping his hand, he slid it behind her neck and drew her closer. His earthy pine scent enveloped her. When his lips touched hers, she lost any hope of control.
    She opened, allowing his tongue inside to dance with hers. Her skin tingled and warmed at the pleasure that consumed her. It’d been way too long since she had been kissed like this. Never in her two hundred twenty-three years of life did she remember a kiss being this good.
    His fingers touched her belly, making her jump slightly. When his palm cupped her breast, she moaned and pressed into his touch. Then he brushed over a path of scars, and she stilled.
    Palms flat on his chest, she gave a gentle push. He broke the kiss. “What…?”
    Shaking, she said, “I can’t,” and ran out the back door with her inhuman speed.

Chapter 4
    Danica fell to her knees in the snow about twenty yards from the cabin, her flesh still heated from Nevan’s kiss and the way he’d moved his hand over her skin. The need to bite him and claim him as hers had made her run away from him. Then there were the scars and the fear he would reject her after he saw how much of her body was ruined.
    A tear dropped, forming a dent in the snow. She had spent the last couple of years living alone and coming to terms with the idea of never finding a mate. And she’d just run away from a potential mate. God, she was an idiot.
    “Dani?”
    Her head snapped up at Jared’s questioning tone. Great. She didn’t